SOJOURN IN SUMMERTIME
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his summer, choose to go international. Each of these destinations promises to deliver an experience so unique, you are sure to come back with memories enough to last you a lifetime. PG 16&17
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APRIL 22, 2012 HYDERABAD
Well-equipped English-medium government model schools are coming up in AP that will impart quality education to students. The move, it is hoped, will reverse the flow to private schools. M ANIL KUMAR
STATE UNLOCKS PLAN TO TAKE ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS REPORT ON PG 4
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HANSIKA IN DELHI BELLY ’S REMAKE?
ansika is on a roll these days thanks to back-to-back hits, especially in Tamil. Last year, after she made her debut in Maapillai, she went on to score a hit with Vijay’s Velayudham. She’s being compared with Khushboo. PG 20
SCHWARZENEGGER CAUGHT SPEEDING
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rnold Schwarzenegger was caught red-handed speeding through Beverly Hills this Wednesday. But the cop let him skate — ‘cause seriously, who challenges The Terminator? PG 22
CLAMOURING FOR CHANGE
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his Earth Day, we talk to Jasveen Jairath, an environmental activist and a founding member of Save Our Urban Lakes, about water woes in the city. PG 10
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CITY SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
THE PERFECT BALANCE
History is served Truffles Cafe introduces new dishes to it’s unique April offering. Called History is served, this special menu offers a variety of colonial dishes that have a feeling of the British empire. Where: Truffles Cafe, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 10 When: April 22 Contact: (040) 2355 0105
M ANIL KUMAR
Silk expo The National Silk Expo 2012 is being held. Head to the expo for an exclusive collection of traditional and designer silk sarees and dress materials. Where: TTD Balaji Bhavan, Himayathnagar When: April17-April 23 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2322 0852
Kathak performance As a part of Heritage week, catch a Kathak performance by Sanjay Kumar Joshi. Where: Qutub Shahi Tombs, Golconda When: April 22, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 2351 3410
Silk and Cotton Visit Sri Satya Sai Nigamagamam, Sri Nagar Colony for the Silk and Cotton Fab 2012 expo. Choose from an exclusive collection of silk, cotton and handloom products from around the country. Where: Sri Satya Sai Nigamagamam, Sri Nagar Colony When: Ongoing, 11am-9pm Contact: 09457955838
Bangla Ranna Bangla Ranna, a bengali food festival is being held at Aditya Park. Get a taste of the Bengal’s interesting cuisine along with mocktails and cocktails. Where: Aditya Park Hotel, Aditya Trade Centre, Ameerpet When: Ongoing, 6pm-11pm Contact: (040) 6678 8888
Every Rupee counts Syn at Taj Deccan is offering interesting meal options. The concept behind Calorie for a Rupee is to enjoy a great meal priced according to it’s calorie count. Where: Syn - Asian Bar and Grill, Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 12 pm to 3.30pm Contact: (040) 6666 3939
Dance with me Love to dance? A contemporary
CINEMAS
dance workshop by French dancer, Solenn. will be held on April 22, 28 and 29 . Where: Alliance Francaise, Marredpally When: April22, 28, 29 Contact: (040) 2770 0734
One day on earth The University of Hyderabad will be screening the earth day special documentary titled One day on earth. Where: The University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli When: April 22, 5pm onwards Contact: (040) 2313 0000
Go Splash Splash lounge is the perfect leisure destination for you to unwind. There is also great music, martinis and aperitifs. Where: The Westin, Mindspace, Madhapur When: Monday - Friday, 5pm-10.30pm Weekends, 8am-10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828
African barbeque fest Barbeque Nation offers you a chance to experience Africa right in Hyderabad, The African Barbeque Festival is that one place where you can enjoy various delicacies. Where: Barbeque Nation, Banjara Hills, Rd No1
When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6456 6693
Goan food festival The Momo Cafe at Hyderabad Marriott and Convention Centre is hosting a Goan food festival. Where: Hyderabad Marriott and Convention Centre, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 12.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999
The Artist French film The Artist will be screened at the Nift, Madhapur on April 22. Where: Nift, Madhapur When: April 22, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2311 4537
Mood for Mediterranean From April 13 to April 22, The Deccan Pavillion at ITC Kakatiya is offering a Mediterranean dishes. Lunch buffet is priced at `1,049, and dinner costs `1,149. Where: ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet When: Ongoing, 11am-7pm Contact: (040) 2340 0132
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
Summer camp For children, summer implies freedom from studies and school, loads of games and fun filled summer camps. The Park is hosting a summer camp for children. Where:The Park, Somajiguda When: Ongoing, 7am onwards Contact: (040) 2345 6789
The great Sunday brunch ITC Kakatiya offers The Grand Sunday Brunch. Great food is the best way to spend your Sunday. You can choose from the brunches at Deccan Pavilion, Dakshin, Kebabs and Kurries. Where: ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2340 0132
La Cantina brunch Sunday is the best time to relax, meet-up with friends and family and some great food. La Cantina offers a Sunday brunch with a five course menu that includes a live taco bar, a chocolate buffet and various beverages. Where: La Cantina, Hitech City When: April 22, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422
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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CITY SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Girl ‘disappears’
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nita Reddy, 23, an MBA graduate, disappeared yesterday. According to her parents’ complaint with the Mahankali police, the girl was shopping with her family in General Bazaar, Secunderabad. Anita strayed to some corner and the parents noticed her absence after some time. Narander Reddy, her brother, lodged a complaint.
Bengal tiger adopted
Man found naked and dead
r Pradeep Deshpande, Professor of Neplogist, Gandhi Hospital adopted one Royal Bengal Tiger named Pushp Kumar aged about two years for a period of 3 months from April 21 for a sum of `25,000, said MA Waheed, Curator, Nehru Zoological Park. Waheed hoped that more people would come forward for adoption of animals.
n unidentified man of about 30 years was found dead on Friday at Yacharam Mandal in Gunakal. The body was naked and had several wounds. His clothes and chappals were found near the body. Police see it as a clear case of murder. The police sources said they have begun probe into the matter and will narrow down on suspects soon.
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Mystery deepens in cop’s death Policeman’s family now silent on allegation of foul play.
MOHD SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
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he suspected death of constable Mohd Abdul Nayeem while on sentry duty at the in-charge police commissioner Anurag Sharma‘s residential premises on Wednesday morning is increasingly being dismissed as suicide while his family had alleged foul play. Nayeem, 29, died of a gunshot that wrecked his heart. He
is alleged to have shot himself with his AK47. This happened early morning of Wednesday. Two other constables were on sentry duty at that time. His postmortem report says no bullet was found in his body. The bullet has pierced the heart and shot out. It was recovered from the ground. A team of forensic experts, Dr Harikrishna and Dr Janardhan of Osmania Medical College, has conducted the post mortem. Dr Harikrishan told Postnoon the bullet had exactly hit the heart. Dr Janardhan said, “We found the whole of the bul-
CURIOUSLY, THE WHOLE DIRECTION OF INVESTIGATION IS PROCEEDING ON THE PREMISE OF A SUICIDE. BUT POLICE ARE UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE MAJOR QUESTION IN A SUSPICIOUS DEATH — THE MOTIVE.HE WAS GOING TO BE ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED VERY SOON AND HE HAD BUILT A HOME OF HIS OWN.
let. The bullet had made a 1.5 centimeter diameter at the entry point and 1.75x1.25 exit side which indicates a self shot.” The Saifabad police have registered a case under Section 174 (suspicious death) of the Indian Penal Code. The call history of victim's mobile will be collected. This, together with the forensic report and post mortem, will decide the case, said Inspector of Saifabad V Umendar. Curiously, the whole direction of investigation is proceeding on the premise of a suicide. But police are unable to explain the major question in a suspicious death — the motive.
In this case a motive is clearly missing. He was going to be engaged to be married very soon and he had built a home of his own. His mother said her boy was happy and had no reason to die. Why then the sudden death? What makes the situation looks more mysterious is the attitude of his family now. His elder brother, Mohd Abdul Raoof, who was strident in his stance that his brother was done to death, is silent. When asked Raoof evinced anger saying, “don’t make an issue of my brother’s death.” Incidentally, his marriage engagement ceremony was slated for today.
Subscribe Today! Happy days are here again, sing pigeons U. Srinivas
srinivas.u@postnoon.com appy pigeons are back in droves, quenching thirst and nick picking the morels of food the secretariat managers provide. Thus the ‘Assembly’ has begun again just outside the seat of power—the CMO. They came back after a gap of over a year. The winged friends do not know what pulled the plug on the happy together when suddenly a fine morning they found the water hole they are used to outside the C block disappeared. But people
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know what happened. The then DGP Aravind Rao while on an inspection saw the water-filled crater dug in the ground for birds to drink. He saw it as a security risk as it happens to be the VIP route. He ordered it to be closed. Out went the waterhole, and the pigeons too went elsewhere. The security men and staff who loved to see these avian friends come in large number, put out a plastic vessel for the birds. But pigeons, probably being health conscious, rejected it. Now, the crater is back, with it the pigeons too.
Not all are the fans of the flying friends, though. Some say throwing morsels of food help rats to proliferate. It is the rats that make the most of the crumbs than the pigeons. No surprise many files are proving delicious lunch for the rats. However, it seems that there are two opinions on this count. Officials say the security aspect should not be neglected, especially in the light of the Secretariat witnessing frequent intrusion or burglary. Others say assemblage of pigeons pose no security risk.a
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CITY SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Govt model schools to take on private players
Well-equipped English-medium government model schools are coming up in AP that will impart quality education to students. It hopes to reverse the flow to private schools. M ANIL KUMAR
SUDESHNA KOKA
sudeshna.k@postnoon.com
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he recent judgment delivered regarding 25 per cent reservation of underprivileged students in private schools under the Right to Education Act, has created a buzz and has been making headlines for over a week now. As much as Right to Education claims to be a breakthrough, in the Indian education system, there are several loopholes emerging from it. The new Right to Education act is a modest effort to bring social integration but the bigger question is if there is a need to privatise education? “Why are we making students begging for education?” questions Sekhar K, a parent. Not just Sekhar, there are several others who have been asking the same question. A Postnoon reality check tells us that there is lot more to RTE Act, which for the last four years has been working for the betterment of the government schools in Andhra Pradesh. “The new 25 per cent quota is just a part of the act and we have to work on the modality of the act. Our basic priority is improvising government schools. For the last few years, we have been working for the betterment of the government schools — that is our first priority,” said Chandana Khan, special chief secretary to Government, School Education Department, Since the last few years, Andhra Pradesh government has been working very hard to improvise the quality of education at government schools. “The government had agreed to RTE in 2009 and in AP, RTE has been implemented since 2010. Under this act we have constructed several new schools and hostels. The process of enrolling students has become easy post the RTE,” says A Subba Reddy, district education officer Hyderabad. In the State, there are more than 50,000 government schools. In Hyderabad alone there are 181 government high schools and 135 government aided schools. Hyderabad also has 626 elementary schools and 200 government-aided elementary schools. Since 1994, there has been more than 50 per cent growth in
the number of government schools in AP. However, since the last four years, not may government schools have been established. “Since the implementation of RTE, we are working on the betterment of the existing schools than building new ones,” says Reddy. VSS Acharyulu, Principal GHS YMCA, Secunderabad, believes that constructing hostel and keeping children away from family’s financial burden is the best option to stop students from discontinuing school. Most government schools in AP are Telugu medium and parents often think of this as a negative streak and hence want to send their child to private schools. Teachers claim that Telegu medium government schools teaching standards are far better than any plush private school. The education minister, on
Private schools have qualified teachers only in higher sections but that’s not the case in government schools. Parents should not look down on government schools. N Nirmala, Principal, Government School, GHS Badimet the other hand, has a completely different vision for AP. He believes that to match the standards to private schools government, schools should be English medium and hence the concept of model school has emerged in AP. Model schools are residential English medium government schools with facilities like
science lab, computers, playground and library. “We converted few Telugu medium schools to English medium due to the faculty and location. It turned out to be a failed idea. To match the standards of private school and give downtrodden children, world class facilities have come up in model schools. This year, 350 model schools would be established and 420 by next year,” said K Parthasarathy, minister for secondary Education. About 75 per cent of the funding for model school is borne by the centre and 25 per cent by the State. The budget for each school is `3 crore and additional `1.4 crore for hostels. Special teaching staff will be recruited to teach in these schools. The qualifying exam is on May 7 and applicant should be from English medium background.
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FOCUS SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
FROM THE TOP Motorola Mobility chief executive Sanjay Jha received $47 million in compensation last year after the company split from Motorola Inc.
Allison Jackson
Source:BusinessWeek magazine
M Source:AFL-CIO calculations, paywatch.org
Source:U.S.Census Bureau,Selected Measures of Household Income Dispersion
Source: Emmanuel Saez, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Economics
Source: Emmanuel Saez, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Economics
otorola Mobility chief executive Sanjay Jha pocketed $47 million in 2011, nearly four-times his 2010 pay, Bloomberg reported on Friday. The mobile telephone maker, which has agreed to be snapped up by Google for $12.5 billion, said the increase in Jha's pay was due to higher-than-usual stock awards following the successful splitting of Motorola into two companies last year, Reuters reported, citing a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Jha received $13 million in 2010 before Motorola was divided into Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions. Jha’s 2011 compensation was “significantly a result” of the incentives established for him before the spinoff and when he was hired in 2008, Motorola Mobility said in a statement,according to Bloomberg. “His actual equity award was at the low end of the possible range specified by the formula.” The Chicago Tribune said the increase between Jha's 2010 and 2011 pay packets was even greater than it
appeared on first glance because the $13 million figure included two bonuses of $426,000 and $278,000 that Jha voluntarily gave up in 2010. Minus the bonuses, his compensation was $12.3 million. Motorola Mobility said it expected to close the transaction with Google in the first half of this year, despite the Chinese government last month extending a review of the deal which has been approved by US and
European regulators. “Motorola Mobility and Google continue to work closely with MOFCOM (Ministry of Commerce) to conclude its investigation and expect the transaction to close during the first half of 2012,” Motorola said in a statement to the SEC, noting that the deal had been “investigated and cleared without conditions in all other jurisdictions”. GLOBAL POST
What's behind the Occupy Wall Street movement across the US and around the world? Numbers like this one: According to a new report by the American Federation of Labour Organisations (AFL-CIO), the average CEO at companies in the Standard&Poor 500 earned an average of $12.9 million dollars last year. That's 380 times more than the average worker. The total CEO pay figure includes salary, bonus, stock and option awards and other corner office perks. Back in 1980, CEOs made 42 times what the average worker earned. So you might be asking right about now: surely CEOs must be doing a great job to get so much more money? Right? Well, not exactly. Here's the AFL-CIO's response to the question: “CEOs supposedly deserve all this money for increasing shareholder value. However, while the average CEO pay increased 13.9 per cent at S&P 500 Index companies in 2011, the S&P 500 Index ended the year at the same level as it started.”
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NATION SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Naxals silent on collector
Didi’s ‘brother’ arrested
Babus under Vectra probe
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh police today
KOLKATA: A man was arrested at
NEW DELHI: The CBI is investigating
Contai in Purba Medinipur district for posing as the brother of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, police sources said. The accused Anjan Bhattacharya had called up the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) of Contai Sumit Gupta on Friday and introduced himself as Kartik Banerjee, the brother of Mamata Banerjee.
the alleged association of Vectra chairman Ravinder Rishi with some bureaucrats and has approached the I-T department seeking details of its probe against a tainted IAS couple, suspected to be beneficiaries of his largesse. The CBI is suspecting that the couple are among many who have allegedly facilitated Rishi’s dealings.
claimed to have got some important clues in the abduction case of Sukma district collector Alex Pal Menon by Naxals who are yet to make any contact with the authorities. Additional DGP (anti-Naxal operations) Ram Nivas said the police has got some important clues but refused to elaborate due to security reasons.
House panel to review defences NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of the army chief raising the issue of shortage of equipment, a Parliamentary panel has decided to carry out a “comprehensive” review on the issue of defence preparedness and bring out a report. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, which is looking into the budgetary allocations of the Defence Ministry for 2012-13, has decided that during its review, senior officials from the three services as well as the ministry would brief the members regularly on the issue of preparedness. Several members of the committee during its meeting on Friday were of the view that the three service chiefs should be called before the panel on a regular basis so that interaction at the highest level is maintained on important issues. The Defence Secretary usually appears before the panel along with vice-chiefs of the three services. “We plan to carry out the review in the next six months and report to Parliament in the Winter Session... the report will have a set of recommendations,” a source said. During the review, the panel will get into the entire gamut of strategic and tactical aspects of defence preparedness, including conventional military posturing and the overall scenario on the force level in terms of manpower and equipment, and essential war reserves. The committee has also decided to take the assistance of defence experts from within the government and outside for inputs in writing the report. PTI
No policy paralysis in New Delhi: Mukherjee India defers announcement on contribution to IMF
Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, right, chats with Reserve Bank governor Duvvuri Subbarao. AFP/ NICHOLAS KAMM
WASHINGTON: As UPA government desperately fights the perception of a policy paralysis, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee dismisses it with equal vehemence contending that the coalition was set on achieving higher economic growth. Unfazed by criticism from within and outside and some controversial comments of chief economic advisor Kaushik Basu on a freeze on reforms, he is confident about his priorities on economy and fighting inflation. Basu’s comments created a storm back home in India with the opposition attacking the government and claiming that
the chief economic advisor had only spoken the truth. “There is no question of policy paralysis in New Delhi. I do not agree with them,” Mukherjee told PTI in an interview. The finance minister was replying to apprehensions expressed by corporate America over the perceived policy paralysis in the government and Basu’s comments that there may not be any big ticket reforms till elections in 2014. Rejecting criticism about lack of decisions, Mukherjee contended that the government has taken a number of policy decisions in recent months.
“We have a new manufacturing policy, very recently. It’s in operation. We have announced earlier that we will institute infrastructure debt fund. We have created infrastructure debt fund,” the minister, who is here to attend the annual Spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, said. “We announced that we shall make easy access to commercial borrowing. Series of measures for easy access to commercial borrowing have been done. I do not agree with their perception with the so called policy paralysis. There is no policy paralysis,” PTI Mukherjee said.
WASHINGTON: India has decided to defer its announcement on making its contribution to the IMF as part of effort to maintain consensus among members of the BRICS , a powerful grouping of emerging economies. “We will make our announcement (of commitment to the IMF) after talking to the prime minister in course of time. We decided in the course of the BRICS meeting that some of our BRICS members would take time. So it was decided that let’s not announce right now,” Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said. India had earlier decided to increase its share in the IMF, so that all the BRICS countries would be among the 10 largest quota holders. India’s quota share at the IMF would increase from 2.44 per cent to 2.75 per cent after completion of the quota reforms. India’s quota would increase from SDR (special drawing right) from $5,821.5 million to $13,114.4 million. PTI
Cabby bites minor, pleads guilty NEW DELHI: A cab driver, ferrying a five-and-half-year-old girl to school and back home, has been sentenced to three months in jail by a Delhi court for biting her on the cheek. Metropolitan Magistrate Kiran Gupta sentenced the taxi driver, holding him guilty of trying to outrage the child’s modesty. The court
convicted driver Aman Kumar for using criminal force on the minor with the intention to outrage her modesty after he pleaded guilty. “The MLC (of the minor victim) categorically mentioned presence of healed abrasion mark on left cheek. The MLC coupled with the plea of guilt
(by Kumar) is sufficient to prove the conviction of the accused for the offence under Section 354 IPC (assault on woman with the intention to outrage her modesty),” the court said. The prosecution case was that Kumar used to ferry the victim and other children from Ranjeet Nagar to a school in
Rajouri Gardeand and back in a cab. On July 19, 2008, when he dropped the victim back from school, her mother noticed a blood clot on her face. When she inquired with her daughter, she revealed that Kumar had bit on her face. The woman promptly complained with the school authorities but
no action was taken by them. The matter was then reported to the police.Before the court, Kumar pleaded guilty. Considering that he voluntarily pleaded guilty and that he was a man of clear antecedents, the court took a lenient view and sentenced him to three months PTI simple imprisonment.
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WORLD SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS
MUNICIPAL APPROVAL
FABRICATION
Train smash injures 60
North Mali receives aid
THE HAGUE: Two trains collided
BAMAKO: Mali’s Red Cross said
head-on just outside Amsterdam on Saturday, injuring at least 60 people, up to 20 of them seriously, Dutch transport police said.”There are 60 people injured,” police spokesman told AFP after the crash near Sloterdijk in the western suburbs of Amsterdam. Later it was said 56 were seriously injured.
on Saturday it had delivered five tonnes of supplies and medicine to rebel-held Timbuktu, in the north of the country, as witnesses reported deaths in the region. Local witnesses reported that three civilian adults had been shot dead in the region while a landmine had killed a child.
As voting starts Sarkozy’s adieu begins AUTOMOBILES
EDUCATION
HEALTH Millennium Dental Clinic, film nagar main road, opp: cafe melange, jubilee hills, HydPh: 040-31000889
Watergate brain dies WASHINGTON: Charles Colson, a Watergate scandal conspirator who emerged from prison to become an evangelical Christian leader, died Saturday. He was 80 years old. Colson, who served seven months in prison for masterminding dirty tricks during the Watergate scandal, died from complications resulting from a brain hemorrhage. A self-described “hatchet” man for Richard Nixon, Colson compiled an infamous “enemies list” of major political opponents of the president, including politicians, journalists and activists. Colson had a sign in his office that read “When you’ve got ‘em by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow,” according to various accounts. AFP
PARIS: More than 44 million French voters were called to the polls on Sunday for the first round of a presidential election that may see the end of Nicolas Sarkozy’s turbulent term in office. Predictions of a high abstention rate and strong protest vote left the outcome uncertain, but all opinion polls point to the right-wing incumbent coming second to his Socialist challenger Francois Hollande. The two 57-year-old political veterans are thus on course to face each other head-to-head in a May 6 runoff, which will decide who runs what is commonly regarded as the world’s fifth greatest power for the next five years. Voting began on Saturday in France’s overseas territories — islands dotting the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans — and was to continue on Sunday in 85,000 polling stations across the country’s European mainland. Polling was to open at 8am and continue to 8pm, whereupon voting estimates based on ballot samples will immediately be published, giving a traditionally accurate picture of how the candidates did. In all, 10 are in the race, Hollande and Sarkozy being trailed by far-right flag-bear-
A campaign poster of French President Nicholas Sarkozy is seen defaced. AFP/JOEL SAGET er Marine Le Pen, hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon and veteran centrist Francois Bayrou and a handful of outsiders. The campaign has run on for months but has yet to inspire much passion, except for a series of mass open-air rallies by supporters of Melenchon, whose Communist-backed Left Front coalition has made a strong breakthrough. Once the first round is out of the way, Sarkozy and Hollande will face each other in a two week scramble for the line, including a head-tohead televised debate that could be the incumbent’s last chance to change his fortunes.
An average of eight opinion polls conducted on Friday showed Hollande comfortably beating Sarkozy next month by approximately 55 percent to 45. The final fortnight is expected to see some bitter exchanges. Hollande says Sarkozy has trapped France in a downward spiral of austerity and job losses, while Sarkozy say his rival is inexperienced and weak-willed and would spark panic on financial markets with reckless spending pledges. But there was little sign of such rhetoric on Saturday, as French law prohibits campaigning and opinion polls on the eve of voting. Voters went about their
business without being accosted by pamphleteers, the campaigns’ websites, Facebook pages and Twitter feeds were left without updates and broadcasters had to find other subjects to interview. Some hints of the campaigns’ moods slipped past the censors. “Lovely day,” wrote Socialist Party spokesman Benoit Hamon on his personal Twitter account, linking to an upbeat song by Ella Fitzgerald, and tacitly suggesting that the left remains coolly confident. The left-wing daily Liberation emblazoned its front page with the headline “A strong left” against the backdrop of a blue ocean under open skies, mocking the slogan and imagery of Sarkozy’s “A strong France” campaign. The pro-Sarkozy Le Figaro stuck doggedly behind its champion, but doubts clouded its front page editorial, which warned all those thinking of voting farright or centrist that the second round would depend on the first. Privately, Sarkozy’s top supporters have begun to admit that if Sarkozy fails to regain the momentum and slip ahead of Hollande on Sunday, he will have too much ground left to make up before the May 6 showdown. AFP
Italy gets Ferrari train
Dozens arrested at Aus speaker Montreal meeting faces call to go
NAPLES: Italy launched Europe’s first private high-speed train service last week, as the country looks towards the more liberal economy that Prime Minister Mario Monti wants to put on the rails. The dark-red bullet-shaped “Italo” trains are run by NTV, a company headed by Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo who wants to take a quarter of the market from state rail network Trenitalia, the biggest employer in the country. “Italo has arrived, the competition has kicked off,” NTV told its first passengers on an inaugural trip from Rome to Naples as they admired interiors that included a cinema carriage, AFP leather seats and panoramic windows.
MONTREAL: Police arrested dozens of protesters in Montreal on Saturday, a day after violent clashes between officers and demonstrators denouncing a plan to develop northern Quebec. Several hundred people had gathered around midday outside the Palais des Congres conference center, which is hosting a conference on Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s signature plan for mining in the north. Police dispersed the protesters and then declared their protest illegal. Montreal police spokesman Daniel Lacoursiere said 90 people were arrested. A major protest gathering environmentalists and students is AFP scheduled for Sunday.
SYDNEY: Calls intensified on Sunday for Australia’s parliamentary speaker to step down after claims he sexually harassed a male staffer in a case that could hurt the nation’s fragile government. Reports on Saturday alleged Peter Slipper sexually harassed former staffer James Ashby, including telling him to shower with the door open when he stayed at his home, and “moaning” in a sexual manner after asking him for a massage. Slipper, 62, was also accused of misusing taxpayer-funded taxi services. The conservative Opposition demanded he be removed from Parliament AFP until the issue was resolved.
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COMMENT SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Save our lake
Provide basics to students
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'm a resident of Saroornagar area and it hurts me no end to see the plight of it. It is particularly very sad to see the sight of the lake. Till a few years back, it wasn't that bad. But in the recent times, it has been damaged big time by illegal constructions that go even into the lake. The government even after being aware is taking no steps. It is outrageous. Raghuveer Reddy Saroornagar
t’s good to hear about the tabs being used as a tool in educational institutions. But it is very disheartening to see the government schools which run without proper classrooms or even benches for that matter. This is the place where a majority of our children study. So it’s a request to the government to look at such schools and provide at least basic infrastructure. Aman Agarwal West Maredpally
EDITORIALS 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 040-4067 2222.
Address kids’ plight
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read Postnoon regularly and I always turn to the centrespread first because I love the content in them. Yesterday's centrespread on street children was a very good piece of work. Hope their plight is addresses after this.Not only was the article informative and did justice to their plight, the pictures were simply superb. I hope to read many more centrespreads like this. Priya Rani Ameerpet
EDITORIALS MORE COPS MUST for quality policing Data provided by government sources have put Andhra Pradesh behind Uttar Pradesh in unfilled vacancies in the police force. Though dwarfed by 60 per cent of the posts unfilled in UP, the State’s 31 per cent vacancies are way above the national average of 25 per cent. In the last few years, AP has seen turbulent times in the law and order situation as crises raging from a separate state agitation to communal violence have plagued the State. Even more worrisome is the situation along the northern border of the State where there are constant incursions and violence by Maoists from the neighbouring states. Current shortage of personnel means that policing exercise is below par. Many senior officials admit off the record that their subordinates are forced to skip several ‘minor’ incidents that are reported to them. When there is no response from the guardians of the law, it is only natural that people turn to goons and other criminal elements to solve their problems. The deficit in police personnel strength needs to be addressed with urgency to avoid such situations.
WHY WE LOVE... veteran cricketers Touted earlier as the gennext version of the ‘lazy man’s sport’, for its demand of players’ having to play to their optimum energy levels throughout its course, Twenty20 has had to go back and rely on aging heroes. But with the likes of Saurav Ganguly and Muttaiah Muralitharan coming good, no one is complaining. In fact Dada’s performance against table toppers Delhi warmed the hearts of every cricket fan, the young and the not-so-young. Keep it coming Prince!
Indifferent parenting is showing From the Hip SYED SHOAIB
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nsh Agarwal, a 16year-old Class XI student was lynched by 30 people who were all more or less in the same age group as him. Many among them were minors. The reason was said to be an SMS sent to Ansh’s girlfriend by Siddhant Ghosalkar. Ansh went over to Siddhant’s house to confront him on this. An inevitable heated argument turned physical. Siddhant, along with 30 friends, chased down Ansh and the gang beat him to death, while passersby just looked on. The whole of Mumbai was shocked. Of the 30, eight have been arrested. The residents of the locality protested against the crime. This is not an isolated case; in another one reported from Odisha, nine minor boys were
arrested a week ago in the rape case of a 17-year-old girl. Horrific incidents involving teenagers are becoming too frequent to be ignored. We have been complacent till now as we brushed away violent acts committed by children as things that happen only in the West and hitherto believed that our children are impervious to such behaviour. This complacency comes from the confidence we have in our Indian culture where obedience, respect of elders, good neighbourliness and even sacrifice are accepted as instilled virtues. As members of very cohesive families and castes, we are taught to subsume the self to the general good of the group. Individuals toeing the line of the group are rewarded, while rebels, who become individualistic in the wrong sense, are ostracised and disowned by family, caste and community. To be chastised to live in social isolation in India is like being handed out the death sentence, for an individual can do nothing without the group — from celebrat-
ing a birth to mourning a death. Accepted, such strong mores strain and inhibit individual freedom, but if our youth break away from the shackles of this tight societal arrangement and exhibit extreme forms of negative behaviour, we, as parents need to give it a hard thought. With joint families giving way to nuclear ones as urbanisation spreads across the country, drastic changes are occurring in the living styles of the middle class. As both parents are away from the house and children for most part of the day in pursuit of ensuring adequate income for a comfortable life, it is only natural that there is little monitoring or mentoring of children. Children today do not have the counsel of wise grandparents to inherit values. Since parents and children spend lesser time together, making the relationship more like that of roommates, little or no guidance is coming forth from the parents either. Supervision and value education is left to be impacted by schools where children spend
most of their waking hours. But schools today cater to the demand of the times; that of churning out winners in a race of material success. Schools have relinquished their duties of inculcating values in children and nurturing all-round development. Is it a failure of our education system that it is promoting more and more competition among children and in the process pushing them to win at all costs? Demanding legal recourse to prevent such heinous acts is not the answer. Laws can be preventive or punitive in case of individuals who break them but what is the solution to a trend? And who is to blame for this deviation? The social fabric comes under severe strain when unbridled individualism becomes a way of life. The West is struggling to control the damage done after it tread that path for several decades. If we don’t put our house in order, our headlines won’t cease bleeding. The writer works for Postnoon.
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BUSINESS SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
KFC loses Australia case
Air India on revival mode
SYDNEY: An Australian girl who suf-
NEW DELHI: Ailing Air Indiaexpects
fered severe brain damage and was left paralysed by food poisoning won a court case against fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken. Monika Samaan was seven years old when she suffered salmonella encephalopathy — a brain injury linked to food poisoning that also left her with a blood infection and septic shock — in October 2005.
to wipe off its losses and become cash positive in the next five-six years, official sources said. The airline, which would get an upfront equity infusion of `6,750 crore this financial year, estimates that it would slash its current yearly operating loss of `1,700 crore to just `23 crore in five years and become cash positive by 2018.
Green panel snubs Jindal NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has quashed the green nod given to a Jindal group firm for mining coal in Chhattisgarh, saying the public hearing for grant of the clearance was conducted in a "nauseating" manner. The tribunal quashed the clearance, terming the hearing as "nauseating" as the people "appeared to have been brought" by the firm to support them.
Rise of the Motor City Adam Plowright
SANAND: The first sight of India’s newest “Motor City” is a collection of giant blue-and-grey structures, windowless boxes in corporate colours that are the hallmark of modern manufacturing. The warehouses and machining plants, walled in on an enormous site of more than 1,000 acres (400 hectares), are owned by Tata Motors which moved to the western state of Gujarat in 2008 to start producing its Nano small car. A short distance up the road in Sanand, an hour’s drive from the state’s biggest city Ahmedabad, teams of labourers, drilling rigs and trucks are preparing the foundations for a new $1-billion Ford facility. Rising from the dust opposite fields of swaying wheat is a new global car-manufacturing hub, the sort of industrial project which politicians in India often talk about creating but have seldom delivered. Michael Boneham, an Australian who heads Ford in India, lists the reasons for investing in Gujarat and in the process highlights some of the failings of other states. The easy availability of land was “critical” — Ford did not want to risk the sort of protests that have blighted industrial projects elsewhere — and he has nothing but praise for the local government. “I’d call them business-like. We’ve set up a two-weekly and now monthly meeting with key project leaders,” the India managing director told AFP during a recent visit to the site. “There are assignments, timings, and there are commitments that are met, which is what impresses me. The government also has transparency which is important for us, and accessibility.” Reliable power supplies, decent infrastructure and ports by Indian standards, and the availability of educated labour were the other factors that tipped the decision on where to locate the Ford’s second Indian plant, which will open in 2014. Accompanying the Detroitbased group will be 19 automotive suppliers who are set to build factories and train workers, in the process creating the sort of corporate ecosystem that
looks set to attract other manufacturers. Further up the road, French car manufacturer Peugeot has chosen a plot of land for its first factory in India — a proposed $850 million investment — but its plans are on hold due to the debt crisis in the eurozone. Maruti Suzuki, India’s biggest car manufacturer, is pressing ahead with a factory elsewhere in Gujarat — in Mehsana, close to the Mundra port — while motorcycle group Hero has also picked the state for its fourth factory. “Power was a big consideration (in choosing Gujarat),” Shinzo Nakanishi, Maruti Suzuki chief executive, told AFP in an interview at the India auto show in earlier this year. “Other than Gujarat, states have a problem of power supply,” he added. “Also the quality of the manpower is good... and it was close to the port, our own port.” Maruti’s operations have traditionally been focused in northern Haryana state, while the other main Indian car-making hub is in southern Tamil Nadu where Ford, Hyundai, Renault-Nissan and Michelin
“ECONOMIC GROWTH IN GUJARAT HAS CONSISTENTLY OUTPACED INDIA’S AS A WHOLE OVER THE LAST DECADE, HITTING 10.5 PER CENT IN 2010-2011 COMPARED WITH 8.4 PER CENT FOR THE COUNTRY, OFFICIAL FIGURES already have factories. The arrival of global car manufacturers has been a boon for Gujarat’s ambitious Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who holds a much-hyped annual “Vibrant Gujarat” summit to attract investors. His record as a no-nonsense business-friendly leader is expected to be part of his eventual pitch to become prime minister — a task made difficult by his association with religious riots in 2002 that left more than 2,000 dead. Gujarat will soon have Asia’s biggest solar park and a statesponsored scheme to build a
banking and finance hub with more office space than the financial districts of Paris, Tokyo, London and Shanghai is underway. Economic growth in Gujarat has consistently outpaced India’s as a whole over the last decade, hitting 10.5 per cent in 2010-2011 compared with 8.4 per cent for the country, official figures show. Critics say Modi’s achievements during his 11-year rule are not what they seem, however, relying too heavily on undisclosed and over-generous inducements to attract companies. The Caravan current affairs magazine reported in March that Tata will retain the money it owes in taxes from its factory and only start paying it back after 20 years — at an interest rate of 0.1 percent. But if the chief minister’s economic record and methods remain contentious, few doubt his vision. An estimated two thirds of India’s vast 1.2-billion population continue to scratch out an existence on small family farms. Creating a thriving manufacturing sector is vital if the coun-
try is to raise incomes and offer job opportunities to its increasingly numerous and young workforce whose aspirations are changing, economists and government planners say. “We need to create eight to 10 million jobs every year over the next decade to absorb the expected growth in the labour force,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reminded delegates at a recent emerging markets summit. On the other side of the road that leads to the Sanand motor hub lies a vision of traditional India: fields where men and women, skins creased by a lifetime of toil under the baking sun, cut the harvest by hand. Babubhai Patel, who estimates his age at about 50, owns a parcel of farm land just on the edge of the new industrial park. As an illiterate farmer, he has little prospect of a job in the factories and he blames the construction work for water shortages over the last four months. His 19-year-old son Mahindra, who has just completed school, is more enthusiastic. “I’d prefer to work in the factory,” he says. AFP
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INTERVIEW SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Clamouring for change This Earth Day we talk to Jasveen Jairath, an environmental activist and a founding member of ‘Save our urban lakes’, about water woes in the city SAIRAM REDDY
we give it least importance.
BHAVNEET SINGH
feedback@postnoon.com What are the main hurdles in terms of environmental protection? I think, there is zero governance in the city. That is the most important issue that we are facing. No department is taking up any programs to save our environment. Even if taken up, it ends up being absolute anarchy. Water shortage is one concern that our city is facing. We are not realising that water is the most crucial thing in life and
What do you think is the reason for the situation being such in the city? The reason that we are in such a position is the unplanned chaotic construction activities, which have really thrown the life in the city out of gear. Do we even know how the water will come up for these projects. Currently, the city is in chaos. That is why everyone wants to take advantage of this situation and use water very irresponsibly in isolated circumstances. It is these circumstances that mafias are made and they survive. There is overuse of water by the effluent classes which leaves very less water for the
CURRENTLY, THE CITY IS IN CHAOS. THERE IS OVERUSE OF WATER BY THE EFFLUENT CLASSES WHICH LEAVES VERY LESS WATER FOR THE ECONOMICALLY BACKWARD CLASSES. economically backward classes.
What do you think will be the outcome of the Biodiversity meet that is due to be held in the city later this year? Outcome of such meets is usually
very indirect and slow. They are like jamborees. They succeed in putting the issues on the table. But in terms of action, I think they are very weak. Such occasions should be used to spread awareness.
What do you think about the low water levels in Osmansagar and Himayatsagar? It is very frightening to know about it. Last year was a drought year. We started off with less water levels this year. The administration should have taken some steps, but since they haven’t, we’ll have to face the consequences now.
How do you think the people can help? Firstly, people should be very con-
servative and wise in using their water. Things like street committees and mohalla committees should be formed by the people in order to impact their immediate environment. This then has to be followed by the people coming together and putting pressure on the government. The key here is that it has to be the power of the collective. The people have to raise their voice like the Anna Hazare and build pressure. We have to demand water justice.
What is Save our urban lakes’ current project? Currently we are working on the issues of various lakes in the city like the Yellamma cheruvu, Lake Banjara and many more.
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WEEK IN PICTURES SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
YAVTSEV AFP /KIRILL KUDR
believers Russian Orthodox the Christ at r ste Ea te celebra l in ra ed th Ca r vio the Sa 14. Moscow on April
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Supporters of fo candidate for th rmer mayoral e Just Russia opposition party Oleg the southern RuShein rally in ssia Astrakhan, on n city of April 14.
Of masks & marches
We present to you the week in pictures
AFP /ANDREW YATES AFP /MIKHAIL
A giant deep sea diver puppet, part of a street theatre production entitled Sea Odyssey, walks through the streets in Liverpool in northwest England, on April 20. Two puppets, a man and a girl, his niece, will roam through the city's streets looking for each other during the three day production. The free event, is one of a series of events marking the 100th anniversary of the sinking of The Titanic. AFP /PEDRO
UGARTE
AFP /PATRICK PLEUL
GERMANY OUT
MORDASOV
April 19 from d received on ent an n ke ta t ou pm velo This hand search and Dedia's Defence Ministry the Defence Re under In O) RD (D n ed off from a tio Organisa issile being fir , off the coast m e ng ra ng lo nd er Isla shows a er from Wheel mobile launche Indian state of Orissa. th in of India,
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ilitary during a m s iers march birth of the country' ld so e al m e fe th n e ea nc or si K il 15. years North mark 100 in Pyongyang on Apr parade to ung -S Il im K r founde
Aerial view taken on April 19 shows seasonal workers on an asparagus field near Beelitz, eastern Germany. The asparagus season was officially kicked off in the region well known for the production of the vegetable.
Tourists visi week beforet the tulip fields in Liss e on April 14 the floral pa rade. about a
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ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Italy: art burnt in protest
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Pakistan’s display of culture
n Italian museum director in Naples has pledged to burn three works of art per week to protest against the lack of spending on culture. Antonio Manfredi plans to torch a photograph titled The great circus of Humanity by Filippos Tsitsopoulus, on Thursday. He has already destroyed two paintings and has selected three more works from the museum’s collection.
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ore than 60 arts and handicrafts stalls have been set up by people belonging to various provinces. This three-day festival featured cultural activities magic and puppet shows, traditional wedding songs, performances by amateur singers and traditional food stalls. The cultural festival has been organised by the Punjab government, the City District Government of Lahore and the Lahore Arts Council.
Centre for spiritual art
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he International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Chennai will be inaugurating the Centre for Spiritual Art and Culture on April 26.The centre has a temple built on 45,000 sq ft of land. Worth `10 crore, the temple is on five levels. The temple has been built according to Vedic scriptures and is inspired by Pallava architecture.
A reflection on creativity Pratibimb is an annual theatre workshop that brings out the potential of every participant. Vinay Varma, the brain behind the project tells us more
M ANIL KUMAR
Indira Atluri indira.a@postnoon.com
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he classes begin at seven in the morning. And there are a variety of individuals from all walks of life anxious to give their best. We spoke to Vinay Varma, the name behind Sutradhar, a theatre group, casting house, production company and a voice and acting school. He tells us, “Through the Pratibimb acting workshop, I want as many people to know that we are here to help hone their talents, and as many people in the city to get to know the world of theatre.” Vinay has a lot to share about his students as well, “I have people from all walks of life coming to me. From CEOs to school students, name them and we have them attending my workshops. In the morning, turn by turn, each one of them is supposed to sweep the floor.” We are taken by surprise, but Vinay goes on to say, “I want them to come with a clean slate. I do not appreciate people coming with preconceived notions or expectations of how great they will become after attending my workshop. If I do find someone from that school of thought, I just return their money and ask them to find those kind of commercial platforms for themselves.” It is very evident then, that Sutradhar is not among your ordinary theatre groups. What is his criteria when it comes to
T choosing the participants for this workshop? “I would say it is instinctive. I have long chats with my to-be students to find out what they want out of life. There is no definite rule regarding who I take. This year’s batch has a boy who works as a domestic help and a few entrepreneurs and employees from multinationals. I do not have any set cri-
he Pratibimb acting workshop will continue till May 17. Those interested may contact Vinay Varma at 9848052541 or 04023226485. Email - vinay@sutradharactors.com Address - 3-6-145/9/1/1, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad 500029
Liberating art from representations While cubism and precisionism were on the rise in Europe, a similar form of art was on the rise in Russia — Suprematism Postnoon news
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uprematism originated by Kasimir Malevich in 1915. He was an established painted who had exhibited his futurist works in the Donkey’s Tail and the Der Blaue Reiter (the Blue Rider) exhibitions in 1912. Suprematism is considered
the first systematic school of purely abstract pictorial composition in the modern movement. This art was based on geometric figures and was the expression “of the supremacy of pure sensation in creative art”. According to Malevich, the objective of suprematism was to ‘liberate art from the ballast of
representational world'. Suprematism consisted of geometrical shapes flatly painted on the pure canvas surface. The pictorial space had to be emptied of all symbolic content and all content signifying form had to be cleared in order to show a new reality where thought was of main importance. In the 0.10
terion or a barrier that holds me back from embracing my students,” he explains. Like every guru who has fond memories of his students, Vinay too has his share. His eyes sparkle as he tells us, “There was this boy who was sent by his dad to my acting workshop once. The boy was very shy and barely spoke and it was obviously a
concern for his dad. As days passed, the boy became more open about his feelings and expressions, and from being a nobody, he took charge of a script, to finally also playing a role in the stage play. His grandparents who were watching the play were moved to tears — I can never forget the happiness in their eyes.”
ART FOR DUMMIES
Exhibition in 1915, Malevich’s centrepiece of the show was the Black Square which became a breakthrough in his career and art in general. The Suprematists also made architectural models offering a different conception of socialist buildings to those developed in constructivist architecture. This form of art changed the future of modern art, architecture and industrial design and continues to inspire artists across the globe till date. Artists who were known to practice suprematism were: Alexander Rodchenko, El Lissitzky, Olga Rozanova and Alexandra Exter.
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ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
11 rivers forced underground
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ome of the world's great rivers, from the Colorado to the Indus, don't always reach their ends because people have diverted so much water for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses. Appearing on maps in the 1870s, Sunswick Creek in New York City was soon completely covered over. Now, it exists only as a trickle through buried sewer-like pipes.
Pluto neighbour downsized
Earth day facts
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he remote object known as Sedna is even smaller than previously believed.When astronomers discovered Sedna in 2003, it was the most distant known object in the solar system. Initial estimates suggested Sedna was roughly two-thirds Pluto's size. But new infrared observations have slashed Sedna's estimated size, finding the body to be just 43 per cent of Pluto's width.
arth day is celebrated on the April 22 every year. April 22, 1970, was chosen for the first Earth Day in part because it fell on a Wednesday that year, the best part of the week to encourage a large turnout for the environmental rallies held across the country. In fact, more than 20 million people across the US are estimated to have participated in that first Earth Day.
BEN
Earth Day in the city Bhavneet Singh
feedback@postnoon.com
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Make a commitment
On Earth Day, Worldwatch Institute highlights 12 sustainable agricultural practices that go a long way in protecting the environment and improving people’s lives
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seeds, agri-practices. n Improving soil fertility. Each year, more than 29 million acres, or enough land to grow 20 million tons of grain, turn into deserts. On the other hand population goes up. Prevent soil erosion, destruction. n Safeguarding local food biodiversity. According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a quarter of the world's known plant species----some 60,000 to 100,000 species----are threatened with extinction, while soy, wheat, and maize become more and more prevalent in people's everyday diets. In Norway, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault protects thousands of seed varieties that farmers in developing countries can use to help re-harvest crops that have been affected by disease, climate, or conflict. n Coping with climate change and building resilience. Global climate change will negatively affect agriculture by reducing soil fertility and decreasing crop
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n Guaranteeing the Right to Food. Over 1 billion people worldwide experience chronic hunger, and 98 per cent of these people live in developing countries. n Harnessing the nutritional and economic potential of vegetables. Combating micronutrient deficiencies by helping farmers grow local and indigenous varieties of fruits and vegetables, organising cooking workshops, and helping producers get access to traditional seeds. n Reducing food waste. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that roughly a third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted
globally, which amounts to about 1.3 billion tonnes per year. Collect food from restaurants and hotels and homes and supply to those hungry. n Feeding cities. The French NGO, Solidarités, has provided women in Kibera, an urban slum in Nairobi, Kenya, with training, seeds, and sacks to grow vegetables in "vertical farms," a spaceefficient way to increase food security in cities. This is worth replicating. n Getting more crop per drop. Millions of farmers depend on rainfall to water their crops,which climate scientists predict will decline in coming decades. The company International Development Enterprises sells simple and inexpensive irrigation systems to farmers in Zambia, India, and other countries. So do not waste rainwater. n Using Farmers' knowledge in research and development. Make use of local farm talents and wisdom to research and preserve local
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griculture is the backbone of all industrial activities and without a healthy farm, no nation can flourish and sustain. On Earth Day today, Worldwatch Institute highlights 12 sustainable agricultural practices that go a long way protecting the environment and improve people’s lives
yields. Plant water-preserving, soil-protecting species. n Investing in Africa's land. Governments and private investors are acquiring large swathes of agricultural land around the world at very low or no cost, particularly in Africa and Asia—often displacing indigenous peoples. Stop this practice if we want to save our children. n The UN World Food Programme has developed the Purchase for Progress program, which buys fresh produce directly from local farmers and distributes it as food aid both within the farmers' country and abroad. n Improving food production from livestock. The FAO estimates that 21 per cent of the world's livestock breeds are at risk of extinction. But in India, farmers in the state of Andhra Pradesh are improving the quality of their feed by using grass, sorghum and brans to produce more milk from fewer animals, demonstrating that animal husbandry can provide an income without harming the environment.
n this current age of industrialisation and urbanisation, where the sounds of the chirping birds are replaced by the by the horns of vehicles, where instead of fresh oxygen from the trees we breathe in hydrocarbons. Earth day is one thing that will help us get closer to the natural environment. And on this occasion, the city of the Nizams is all geared up to observe Earth Day in style. The ‘I go Green Foundation’ will be organising a newspaper campaign in Miyapur. For this, they will be sending pamphlets to various households in the area which will be telling them on how to lead an eco friendly summer. The event is named ‘Kick Off The Green Summer’. And I go Green’ is also hosting an event at the Forest academy, Duvellapally from 9am to 12pm. They will be performing a ‘Green song’ which will be followed by a series of events including celebrations of the organisations. Another organisation ‘Hyderabad Goes Green’ is holding a compost workshop at their store in Banjara Hills. There will be three sessions, at 11am, 2pm and 5pm. It is aimed at educating the people on how to dispose the waste in an eco-friendly manner. The sessions are free and open to all. Also, The School of Humanities, Hyderabad Central University is organising the screening of a movie called ‘One day on Earth’ in their campus from 5pm to 7pm. With so many events lined up in the city for Earth Day, it is upto us, to step up, and join these events in order to get a greener, cleaner and better Hyderabad.
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FOOD SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Fiction in food labelling
The nano food
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ome of the biggest food brands and leading organic labels available in Canada have understated the amount of bad nutrients — like fat, sugar and sodium— in their products, or overstated the good ones, internal government tests show. Kraft, Frito Lay, Unilever and Heinz are among the big names with a product that flunked Canadian Food Inspection Agency test.
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egulators are proposing that food companies that want to use tiny engineered particles in their packaging may have to provide extra testing data to show the products are safe. The FDA issued tentative guidelines for food and cosmetic companies interested in using nanoparticles, which are measured in billionths of a meter.
No more crushed bugs
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tarbucks will stop using a dye made from crushed bugs in its Strawberries & Crème Frappuccinos and other items after the ingredient prompted consumer outcry. The coffee giant said that it will gradually transition from using cochineal extract as a red food dye to using lycopene, which is tomato-based, for red and pink food and drinks.
Drink to your health
It’s been increasingly said that wine has many potential health benefits. But moderation is the key KONRAD DUDEK
SHAMITA SINGHA
feedback@postnoon.com
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ery little is known about the real health benefits of wine to a lot of us wine lovers as we would rather spend any extra time in our busy lives opening a bottle of wine with friends than researching on its goodness. Wine is a delicious beverage, with and without food and it’s a great way to get cheery with friends- that’s all most of us care about. But luckily for us, without knowing, we are also
savouring a glass of precaution for many ailments. Moderate wine consumption is equal to many potential health benefits. But moderation is the key. If you drink more than what’s recommended then your potential health benefits are lost and your health risks go up as high alcohol levels in the body lead to many problems like high triglycerides, weight gain, and increase estrogen levels in women which could lead to many other problems. So what is recommended is 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. One drink is defined as a 5-6 ounce glass of red or white wine, that is approximately 150 ml. Each glass of wine has
about 125 calories. Once you are in control of your consumption levels, many potential health benefits will follow. Red wine definitely has more health benefits than white wine. This is because red wine has tannins in it that comes from the skin of the grapes that has very beneficial chemical components. Like resveratrol and quercetin which are known to boost your immune system, block cancer formation and specially resveratrol is good for the heart and protects you from coronary diseases. Similarly red wine also has anti-oxidants in it which fight ‘free radicals’ that cause cellular damage and hence these
antioxidants also have anti ageing properties in it. Wine might even preserve cognitive function in the elderly. Several European studies have shown the prophylactic effects of regular light to moderate alcohol consumption may include the prevention or postponement of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other forms of dementia. A certain protein that exists in wine helps in keeping stronger bones too. White wine is slightly lower in calories as well as its carbohydrate content. Since there are no tannins in white wine, people who suffer from migraines should opt for white wine as tannins trigger migraine attacks.
White wine also prevents nausea and serious hangovers. So all in all one can safely say that moderate consumption of wine may prevent heart diseases, certain cancers, act as brain food and keep you looking young without having to spend thousands of rupees on anti ageing products. It is lower in alcohol content compared to most other alcoholic beverages, which in itself is a safe boundary to many other ailments that are caused due to high alcohol levels. So the next time you open a bottle of wine, raise a toast to your health! Shamita Singha is a wine enthusiast-turned-wine taster
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FOOD SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Murgh dum surkh Noor’s Kitchen NOOR JAFRI If there is a party at home, be sure to try this preparation of succulent chicken in red gravy. Ingredients
Brace yourself for La Cantina, the revamped Mexican restaurant at Novotel which packs in the true flavour of Mexico in every bite
One for the amigos SANA MIRZA
1. Chicken curry pieces - 500 gms 2. Fine paste of beetroot- 1/2 cup 3. Tomato puree - 1cup 4. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp 5. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp 6. Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp 7. Salt to taste 8. Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp 9. Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp 10. Coriander leaves & slit green chillies to garnish
Procedure 1. Wash and clean the chicken pieces. 2. Marinate with beetroot paste, tomato pulp and all the masalas for two to four hours. 3. In the hot oil, add marinated chicken and cover it till it is soft and tender. 4. Add tomato puree in the cooked chicken; and reduce it to half. 5. Sprinkle lemon juice, simmer down the heat, for a couple of minutes, mix well and switch it off. 6. Garnish it with coriander and serve hot.
sana.m@postnoon.com Chef’s note:This is an unusual prepar-
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n Hyderabad, what is common is that there are a lot of people who love Mexican food. What is uncommon, however, is to find restaurants in the city catering this cuisine. So, the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre decided to fill in the gap by re-launching La Cantina, its Mexican restaurant, refurbished with delectable Mexican delights, filled with flavourfilled ingredients. The ambience at La Cantina is strikingly modern yet simple with clever references to old-world Mexico and has been created using a palette of hot Mexican colours and natural wood. It offers a number of seating options which include sitting inside, by the poolside, on the terrace and the alfresco. The open area outside provides space for a juke box where you could play in your favourite songs while enjoying a game of ping pong or pool. La Cantina sure has something for everyone especially
ation of chicken marinated in the red beetroot paste, cooked with tomato puree, it gives a mixed flavour of tomato, and the sweetness and colour of beetroot. It is low on calories and is a guilt-free dish.
for those who love a drink. If you are out with a large group of friends, you could probably order the 24 pints of beer kept chilled in a ice-box that lies in the centre of a marble table. All of that for just `6000. Then there are the large martini glasses which serve you various concoctions of preferred drinks. La Cantina is definitely a place to enjoy fresh and authentic Mexican dishes. The updated menu proposes indulgent Mexican fanfare, both traditional and modern. It also offers a variety for a hungry customer to choose from. To get you in the mood,
there is the usual Tapas, the succulent starters which included Tacos and Cobb Salads. It felt like being a kid all over again as you choose different fillings for the tacos. We didn’t even give our starters enough time to settle in as we dug into the main course. The Yucatecan marinated chicken with bell peppers and onions are a treat. The meat is so tender and juicy accompanied by the sweetness of the onions, and the bell peppers. The Mexican Rice with onions, green bell peppers, garlic, tomatoes and spices was mouth-watering so we just ended up gobbling it
up in the end. The desserts taste like a piece of heaven with every bite be it the chocolate mousse with coconut or the Caramel Biscotti. But wait! There’s more. The new flavour doesn’t really end at just food and drinks. La Cantina also has a live band that will play on every Saturday. So you know where to head tonight. Meal for two: `1,200 + taxes Address: Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre Adjacent to Hi-tech City
Contact n Noor’s Kitchen n Mobile:- 91-9441282318 n Residence:- 91-40-23356947
18
HISTORY SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
April 21
April 21
April 22
April 22
1913 - Preview show of the movie Raja Harishchandra was held on this day at Olympia Cinema for the first time.
2009 - UNESCO launched The World Digital Library. WDL is operated by Unesco and the United States Library of Congress.
1970 - The first Earth Day was observed by millions of Americans on this day.
1999 - The Watson Family received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
April 26th
April 23
1986 - The world’s worst nuclear disaster to date occurred at Chernobyl, in Kiev. Thirty-one people died in the incident and thousands more were exposed to radioactive material.
1872 - Charlotte E Ray became the first black woman lawyer.
April 23 April 26 1964 - The African nations of Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form Tanzania.
April 27
2006 - In New York, construction began on the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower on the site of former World Trade Center.
1985 - The Coca-Cola Company announced that it was changing its 99-year-old secret formula. New Coke was not successful, which resulted in the resumption of selling the original version.
April 25
April 25
April 24
April 24
1929- First non-stop England to India flight takes off.
1945 - Delegates from about 50 countries met in San Francisco to organise the United Nations.
1311 - Gen Malik Kafur returns to Delhi after a campaign in South India.
1953 - Winston Churchill was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
19
SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Partyin’with the stars
Young and free
Look who was spotted at Kismet last night! It was none other than VJ Anusha of MTV. We hear the doeeyed beauty was in town to shake a leg with her fans at the club
Villa Marie Post-Graduate College for Women organised Samagra & Samanvay - the management meet which concluded the three-day event with ESPERANZA, their cultural festival. While different dance groups set the stage on fire, a fun filled DJ session later had the girls grooving
Tanusha & Mayukha
Style check VJ Anusha
Vinita Pittie organised a wardrobe restyling session at Garden Room in Taj Krishna
Shree
Jazz, Rupali, Pooja & Spoorthi
Pooja
Mounica & Poornima
Namitha & Mukul
All for a cause
Hundreds of Uninor lovers run in high spirits to raise funds for a social cause at People’s Plaza, Necklace road
20
CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
T-TOWN TWEETIES @LakshmiManchu
@actor_nithiin
@purijagan
@PriyaWajAnand
Last couple of days shoot in and around Palakolu.. Going to miss this place big time. #GundelloGodari
ryder n ganguly playn,umpire askin for a helmet!!lol..
Prakashraj playing with kids http://fb.me/1MU7F9OOg
i have lots to telllllll youuuuuuuuuuu ok byeeee preeeebee
@RanaDaggubati
@A_NageswaraRao
@Actor_Siddharth
@reddysameera
Shot for #KVJ 7pm-6am in Annapurna studios in Hyderabad!! and now taking an 8:15am flt to Mumbai!! Operating on no sleep...
nenu brother NTR abhimaaninaiyyaanu! naaku poti gaa "Seetharama kalyanam" lo Ravanudi paathra adhbutamgaa natinchinanduku.
This Gotye song "somebody that I used to know" is officially stuck in my head...does he also provide a second song?
what a welcome! the biggest garland ever! :D hysterical pic! http://pic.twitter.com/flL87aix
DSP composes a rock song I
t’s been more than 10 years since Devi Sri Prasad made his debut as a music director in Telugu film industry and so far, he has worked with most of the top actors including Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Pawan Kalyan, Prabhas, Allu Arjun, NTR, Venkatesh and Ravi Teja. For the first time in his career, he’s all set to compose music for a film starring Mahesh Babu in a lead role. This untitled film is going to be directed by Sukumar and Kajal is playing Mahesh Babu’s
love interest in the film. Devi Sri Prasad has reportedly composed a heavy metal rock song for Mahesh Babu, which is a first in the actor’s career. The song will be shot from April 23 onwards in Annapurna Studios. Achanta Ram, Gopichand and Anil Sunkara, who are producing the film under 14 Reels Entertainment, are reportedly spending around `1.5 crore on the set for this song alone. The film is being touted as a romantic entertainer.
Hansika in Delhi Belly’s remake? H
ansika is on a roll these days thanks to back to back hits, especially in Tamil. Last year, after she made her debut in Maapillai, she went on to score a hit with Vijay’s Velayudham. Ever since her recent film OKOK has turned out to be a huge hit, she’s being compared with Khushboo and she has been given a nickname Chinna Khushboo. Now, we hear that she is in talks with UTV Motion Pictures to play one of the lead roles in the remake of Delhi Belly. Kannan is going to direct the film and it’ll be simultaneously shot in Tamil and Telugu. Arya is playing the lead role and Anjali is also in contention for one of the roles in the film. Apart from the remake of Delhi Belly, she has two other big projects in Tamil including Singham 2 and Vettai Mannan and in Telugu and she’s also acting in a film starring Manchu Vishnu.
Tamannaah to endorse Fanta T
here’s no denying that Tamannaah is one of the most sought-after actresses in Telugu film industry. Her recent film Racha collected more than `30 crore at the box office and she’ll soon be seen in Endhukante Premanta, Rebel and Puri Jagannadh’s Cameraman Gango Tho Rambabu. Now, we hear that Fanta has signed her as its brand ambassador in the south, thanks to her immense popularity in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. So far, Fanta had been airing ads featuring Genelia both in the South and rest of the states in the country. Tamannaah has already shot for a brand new commercial for Fanta which will be aired on April 24. Tamannaah has been endorsing brands like Celkon, Parachute Ayurvedic Hair Oil and the buzz is that more national brands are in talks with her.
21
CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
B-TOWN TWEETIES @kjohar25
@NeilNMukesh
@SrBachchan
@sonamakapoor
Shooting in a basketball court after 14 years!!! Brings back so many memories...
Sometimes u just got to let things be. If they are meant to happen. They will. If not !, how much ever u try or hope , they won't.
Real 2 - Barca 1 ... amazing game, speed, planning, execution .. but what a game .. next to follow .. reverse Chelsea vs Barca, away
Starting "50 shades of grey".. Should I or should I not? What's the feedback on it?
@rampalarjun
@MallikaLA
@sonakshisinha
@TheShilpaShetty
Good morning, on sets of Chakravyuh Bhopal day 8, Iqbal Maidan, same place where I gave my speech in Rajneeti. Love this location.
Shooting with the uber talented American Photographer @JackGuyphoto, check him out at http://www.jackguy.com :)
"News" banana ke liye ya toh kisika link up hota hai ya phir kisika jhagda. This is why one must ALWAYS keep calm. http://say.ly/Bqb38gf
We may hav lost bt wat a game its been, despite being a few runs short,RR defnded 146 bravely. Nailbiting finish,Fab effort.:):)
Eros and Shilpa team up for Dishkiyaaoon E
ros International Media Ltd has teamed up with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s Essential Sports & Media Pvt Ltd (ESMPL) as coproducers of gangster film Dishkiyaaoon. The movie is the first offering from
Zayed’s next production an action comedy
B
ollywood actor-producer Zayed Khan, who ventured into production with Love Breakups Zindagi , is now set to produce his second film, an action comedy. “My next film coming from my production house is an action comedy. We are in the scripting stage right now, “ Zayed Khan told to reporters. The film’s cast is yet to be decided. “We haven’t boiled down on who is in the film. I am dying to do the film. But I will have to audition for it. We want cool, edgy characters. I am excited to be part of it,” said Zayed. The 31-year-old seems to be loving his part as a producer.
Shilpa’s production company. “We are very excited about our very first production. This is a splendid script that will reach out to the large mainstream audience and it’s our pleasure to be associated with Eros and its global distribution network, “Shilpa said in a statement. Dishkiyaaoon is set in the Mumbai underworld and has been shot at real locations by German director of photog-
“When you are producing a film, you actually control the taste and class of the film. How to introduce the villain, what will unnerve you... you could build on these things and make a film better, “ he added. Zayed turned producer with his good friend, actress Dia Mirza and her beau Sahil Sanga. Together, they launched production company Born Free Entertainment last year. He says Dia better be happy with the fact that their second film is not romantic, but an action-comedy. “Dia has to be happy because the first film Love Breakups Zindagi was made of IANS her choice,” he said.
raphy Axel Fischer. The action film, to be directed by debutant Sanamjit Singh Talwar, features Sanjay Dutt, Harman Baweja, Prashant Narayanan and Aditya Pancholi in key roles. “Dishkiyaaoon, as the title promises, will be a fun action film and will be a treat for action loving movie buff, “ said Sunil Lulla, managing director, Eros International IANS Media Ltd.
22
CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
U
Un pi iv Th ck er sc e in sa i-f ro g l i p n’s up ro je ct
niversal is finalising a deal to pick up Agent 13, a sci-fi project that sees Charlize Theron attached to star and Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt attached to direct. TS Nowlin is the writer behind the pitch, which is based on a little known comic book from 1988. It was created by GI Joe and Transformers cartoon writer Flint Dille and David Marconi, who went on to pen the Will Smith thriller Enemy of the State as well as Live Free or Die Hard.
Schwarzenegger caught speeding
A
rnold Schw arze negger was caught red handed speeding through Beverly Hills Wednesday ... But the cop let him skate — ‘cause seriously, who challenges The Terminator? It all went down on the rough streets of Bev Hills when the exGovernor put the pedal to the metal of his Mercedes AMG and then was stopped dead in his tracks by a man in crisp blue. The Expendables actor must have turned on the famous charm that both cops and maids just can’t resist—Arnold got a warning and was sent on his merry way. Hasta la vista, baby, $400 ticket.
Roberts’wedding present for Brangelina
J
ulia Roberts has the perfect wedding gift for newly-engaged Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt — she will babysit their six children. The Hollywood lovebirds announced their engagement earlier this month, and Roberts, who has three children, was delighted to hear the news because she knows exactly what to offer the busy pair as a present. She tells E! Online, “People are starting to ask me and put pressure on me. Babysitting. Yeah, that’s good.” Congratulating the pair, she added, “Oh yes, it’s exciting news. It’s always nice when you’re ready to hitch your wagon for eternity to somebody.” No wedding date has yet been announced.
CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
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
23
CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
24 e
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6 Months
` 199/-
1 Year
` 349/-
Contact us on : 040 4067 2222
25
CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Hayek wanted to be a single parent A ctress Salma Hayek admits she wanted to be a single parent and that she considered adoption before meeting her husband, business-
Kelly Rowland wants to protect Beyonce’s baby
F
ormer Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland wants to protect her bandmate Beyonce Knowles and her baby girl Blue Ivy from intrusion from all corners. The 31-year-old singer said that she is appalled at people trying to intrude into Knowles’ family life with husband Jay-Z and daughter, reported Showbizspy. “There were all kind of reports. Poor baby Blue can’t come into the world without everyone wanting to know her business. She’s just a baby with her mother and father and all the time they have together with their baby is just between them,” she said. “It’s not between the rest of the world. So every time there is a question (about them) I don’t want to say anything for their sake,” she added. PTI
Madonna not keen to judge reality show
Q
ueen of Pop Madonna says she is not to keen to judge a TV singing contest as the notion of talent is subjective. Stars including Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler have all sat on various reality show panels, but the 53-yearold singer says she won’t ever follow in their footsteps, reported Daily Star online. “I have not really thought about it to tell you the truth and I have never actually seen any of those shows because I don’t watch television. And the contests, well everybody is a bit contest obsessed,” she said. “I don’t actually like the idea of being a judge. It is so subjective—like what is good and what not,” she PTI added.
man Francois-Henri Pinault. “I was trying to figure out how to have a child on my own. I came to terms with saying, ‘(Love) might not happen, and I have to be okay with that’,”
femalefirst.co.uk quoted Hayek as saying. “Then someone came along whom I never would have pictured or thought I would have wanted. He was completely out of my box. Even though I
was not looking, I was present and I was open. I am the luckiest person I know,” she added. The couple tied the knot in 2009. They have a daughter IANS named Valentina.
26
CHAI TIME SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
SUNDAY CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Lug along 6 NASA milieu 11 Ammonia compound 16 Not relevant 21 Oater star Lash — 22 Donahue and Silvers 23 Wind catchers 24 Part of MGM 25 Inventory list 26 Fills the hold 27 Make laws 28 — — the back 29 Almost a score 31 Rumba relative 33 Chaplin's wife 35 Elephant ending 36 Take-charge type 37 Kill a bill 39 Dublin-born poet 41 Kept order 43 Threatening 46 Garment fasteners 48 Chinese chairman 49 Harvest time 52 Eloquent equine (2 wds.) 54 Mr. Goldfinger 56 Coach who developed the huddle 60 Cut in thirds 62 Did the butterfly 64 Krishna's beloved 66 Jacques' girl 67 Easy as — 68 Lick an envelope 70 Bandy words 72 Pop singer — Marie 74 Big burger 75 Long-handled tool 77 Face-off 79 Husky's vehicle 81 Shoal 83 Itty-bitty map 85 Play the trumpet 87 ‘Bonanza’ brother 89 Olive stuffer 90 Tyrannosaurus — 92 Plow through 94 Where Anna taught 96 Frozen Wasser 97 Recommended 101 Dry 103 Hitch in plans 105 Better than lite (hyph) 109 Dilapidated building, maybe 111 In charge of 113 Pencil remnant 115 Fashion 116 Lao-Tzu's ‘way’ 117 Fish finder 119 Zest for life 121 Lost one's footing 123 The lady 124 Plenty, to a poet 126 Inert gas 128 Committed perjury 130 GPS device, eg 132 Pay by mail 134 Rural structures 136 Caligula's nephew 138 Fragrant shrubs 139 Ballpoint point 141 Hoofbeats 143 Chide 145 Gulped down 149 Busybody 151 QB — Williams
152 Battery chemical 156 Dory mover 157 Work a cure 159 November stone 161 Deighton title (2 wds) 163 Lingo 165 Actress Ina — 167 Make happen 169 Any wife 170 Magic formula 171 — Island 172 Follow upon 173 Glacial ridge 174 Hot rum drink 175 Pistol-packing 176 Squeezes oranges 177 Cow barns DOWN 1 Hunter's station 2 Math figure 3 ‘Good night’ girl 4 Myriad 5 Chivalrous deed 6 Internal organ 7 ‘The — of the Opera’ 8 Facilitate 9 A Kadiddlehopper 10 Emerson opus 11 Flower-arranging art 12 Labyrinth monster
13 Call — — day 14 1920s art style 15 Bar legally 16 Veld antelopes 17 Teachers' org 18 Room under a roof 19 Inclined 20 — down (softened) 30 Showed clearly 32 ‘Bonjour, — amis!’ 34 — de plume 38 Belonging to us 40 Jack who ate no fat 42 Whit 44 Fr ladies 45 Repairs a seam 47 Triangle parts 49 Video-game pioneer 50 Kind of sprawl 51 Runs, as a clock 53 Skips stones 55 Inexpensive 57 Jordan's capital 58 Beanstalk menace 59 Sticky-footed lizard 61 Like a bow string 63 Actress — Powers 65 Orphan of comics 69 Many August people 71 Tulip colours 73 Mgmt 76 Like a haunted house
78 Kinks' tune 80 Speaker's platform 82 Twig broom 84 Pop quizzes 86 Corrida sight 88 Provides staff 91 Office copier 93 Be generous 95 Gym pads 97 — -dinner mint 98 Sawyer or Ross 99 Indy 500 sound 100 Copenhagen natives 102 Vale 104 Beach scavenger 106 — Rica 107 Committee type (2 wds) 108 Knowing looks 110 Wall Street dread 112 Cloudburst 114 Science course 118 Cinnamon goodies 120 ‘Faint heart — won ...’ 122 604, in Rome 125 House addition 127 Midday 129 — Scott decision 131 Unpredictable 133 In a constraining manner 135 Served the gravy
137 Pouched animal 140 Buzzing insect 142 Wet thoroughly 144 Delhi coins 145 Seashore 146 A Marx brother 147 Nudged forward 148 ‘Abra-Ca- —’ 150 Indiana cager 153 Promising rookie
154 Miffed, plus 155 Units of force 158 Cowardly Lion portrayer 160 Novelist — Grey 162 Q-Tip 164 Vintage 166 Actor Herbert — 168 Neighbour of Can PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
27
CHAI TIME SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
STAR POWER Date 23-4-2012
As per Hindu panchang
THIRUVAIKUMAR
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9949870449
TAURUS
GEMINI
Peaceful atmosphere will prevail. Marriage-related discussion will progress well and end favourably. Blood relatives will be more affectionate. Friendship with persons of esteem will help.
Take a different route for your new efforts to achieve success. Spouse's health will be alright. Administrative abilities will improve and earn appreciation. Possibility of sudden trips.
Women will be active and achieve a lot. Businessmen will win over competition and enemies. Employees will be rewarded for their hard work. Artists will achieve in new and challenging tasks.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Troubles won't deter you from marching ahead. Unexpected trips will prove beneficial. Some have bright chances to buy a new vehicle. Tensions and work burden likely but you will manage.
New, powerful posts will come to you. Travel is inevitable due to friends and relatives. Leg and back pain likely. Take care. Govt favours likely to come through. Court issues will end in favour.
Unwanted apprehensions might haunt you. Businessmen to get into new ventures only after consultation with family members and well-wishers. Those who graduated recently will land a job.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Spouse's health may be a cause for concern. Financially a comfortable position likely. VIP friends will join your list. Blood relatives will share with you certain secrets. Sleeplessness possible.
Bad effects likely to come down. Govt sops likely. Some are likely to leave for abroad soon. Your thoughts will be useful and turn out to be successful. You plan to buy a property in the outskirts.
All expectation will get fulfilled. Happy events come up at home and family will be happy with the influx of relatives. Increased expenses and minor accident likely. Ego clash likely.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Unexpected help and support will come by and cheer you. House maintenance expenses are likely to go up considerably. Never stand guarantee for anyone in financial transactions.
You will involve in actions that will improve your knowledge. Though you do good things to others appreciation is difficult to come by which upset you. Blood relatives will adjust with you.
Foreign travel for some is inevitable. Those who opposed you will calm down. Blood relatives will support you strongly. You will be able to pay the balance due for the asset you bought.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
ARIES
SUMAA TEKUR
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
TAURUS
GEMINI
King of Wands – You want to be in control when it comes to deciding what to buy for the house and where to keep the flower vase.
The Devil – You’re tempted to make purchases that will improve your lifestyle and make your life easy. The key is balance. Ensure you’re not over-spending.
LEO
VIRGO
The High Priestess – Prayer and meditation will work wonders for you. Set time aside every day – even three minutes a day – to re-connect with inner self.
Eight of Pentacles – Learn from seniors at the work place. Housewives have the opportunity to learning tricks of running a household from elders within family.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Strength – There are times when selfdoubt takes over to such an extent that you begin to believe you don’t have it in you. Unleash power of positive thinking.
The Chariot – Travel to overseas locations on work will open up new ideas, especially for senior managers. You will think of innovative ways to spend the rest of life.
Six of Swords – Some friction is indicated with a person you’re working with. If you’re in the creative field, differences threaten to ruin a good friendship.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Two of Pentacles – Balance is key. And you’re doing wonderfully well. You have struck upon the right balance in work, romance, money, spirituality and health.
Ace of Wands – You’re feeling very confident about your ideas but don’t expect the same enthusiasm from those around you. You end up feeling dejected.
Ace of Cups – Emotions are swaying from one extreme to another. You need to keep them in check. Maintain a balance of all aspects of your life.
Eight of Wands – You’re in for a lucky streak, especially with finances and important investments. Real estate and gold coin purchases yield results.
CANCER
King of Swords – An intellectual discussion with a member of the opposite sex will introduce you to new trends and ideas. Be open to these.
The best of puns
W
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ Date 23-4-2012
hen you dream in colour, it's a pigment of your imagination. A Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother. A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking. A pessimist's blood type is always b-negative. Acupuncture is a jab well done. Corduroy pillows are making headlines. Dijon vu: The same mustard as before. Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
Energiser Bunny arrested; charged with battery. I fired my masseuse today. Because she just rubbed me the wrong way. I used to be a lumberjack, but I just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe. I used to work in a blanket factory, but it folded. My wife really likes to make pottery, but to me it's just kiln time. Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses. Sea captains don't like crew cuts.
Vol: 1, No 280 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
28
WACKY WORLD SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Strange wedding traditions
W
eddings in the Indonesian Tidong community have it that the bride and the groom aren’t allowed to use the bathroom for three days after the wedding. Its like being punished for an unknown reason. How else would you explain being prohibited from leaving the house, clearing bowels or urinating for three whole days?
Do unto others...
A
ccording to French scenographer Yann Falquerho, sometimes people really do want to live like their caged pets. Villa Hamster, his hotel allows you to experience exactly what the life of a caged hamster is like. 42-year-old Falquerho decided to open his own hotel designed with a hamster theme. Villa Hamster opened in 2009 and has been very popular ever since then.
Hairy man poses in pink tutu
THE COLOURFUL CHANCELLOR
Germans stage protest
T
en German protesters were arrested in Athens after leaving a giant golden turd on the doorstep of the Berlin embassy in the Greek capital. The protesters, members of a political-artistic collective,and a huge photo of the German national emblem – the eagle – that had the head of Chancellor Angela Merkel and very large breasts.
AFP PHOTO / VOGELPARK MARLOW/ FRANZI ZÖGER
B
ob Carey has been posing for self-portraits across the US, wearing nothing else but the tutu. Before you jump to conclusions, he is neither gay nor a crossdresser. Bob is a happily married man who takes pictures of himself in a tutu to help his wife. The first time Bob took a picture of himself in the tutu was for a media campaign in 2003. Six months later his wife Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was cured at the time, but the illness returned in 2006 and she has been under chemo treatment ever since. Linda’s condition has served as a reminder to Bob that laughter is really the best medicine. So he started posing in the tutu once more in order to make his wife laugh, calling it the ‘Tutu Project’. He began taking self-portraits at beaches, parking lots, subway stations and even amusement parks. The unexpected strangeness of these photographs has been very well received. Bob’s pictures are so popular, he’s now making a book.
Lickable wallpaper
E
mployees at Engine, a communications firm, recently got their first taste of the wallpaper, which features 1,325 McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes and is posted to one of the building’s elevators. It’s called Spot of Jaffa, and was created by mad scientist chef Heston Blumenthal and Damien Hirst. The project took a team of food technicians and artists four weeks to develop with the hope of encouraging some sweet stress-relief… And if you’re thinking about how unhygienic this is, don’t worry. According to The Sun newspaper, every Jaffa Cake can only be licked once, as a bell boy removes the saliva-doused stickers.”
A picture released by the Vogelpark Marlow shows lories sitting on the head and arms of German chancellor Angela Merkel in a bird park in Marlow, northern Germany on April 17, 2012. Merkel attended the bird park during a visit of her electoral district in northern Germany.
Man completes 5,000 km trek
2
1-year-old Jacob French hates walking, and yet he completed a 5,000 km trek last year dressed in a stormtrooper costume. The 9month trek was for the benefit of Starlight Children’s Foundation which works for sick children in Australian hospitals. Jacob’s journey was all the way from Perth to Sydney, and in the process he went through 7 pairs of shoes and lost 12kg in body weight. He also managed to raise $100,000.
29
SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
METRE
19 4S618
Chirs Gayle (RCB)
6S 268
Ajinkya Rahane (RR)
40
HIGHEST SCORE
103
Ajinkya Rahane (RR), Kevin Pietersen (DD)
BEST BOWLER
5-16
Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)
MI’s talisman is back Dada's two wickets came at a crucial time. Absolutely, it (my dismissal) was crucial because the way I was batting I should have continued. Virender Sehwag DD captain
Ajinkya Rahane (RR) 319 runs
M Morkel (DD) 15 wickets
Smith backs his side to play final T
Pune Warriors player Steve Smith is backing his side to feature in the Indian Premier League play-offs after beating the Delhi Daredevils. The Warriors posted 192-3 batting first at Feroz Shah Kotla on Saturday, before restricting their hosts to 172-7 in reply. Smith, debuting in IPL cricket this season, made 34 not out with the bat, before taking catches to remove Daredevils Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor. "I am really enjoying it, it is my first time playing in the IPL so the tournament has been really enjoyable," he said. "It's a good bunch of lads and we are all pretty close and I think we are getting closer with every game we are playing."
P W L T PT NR DD 6 4 2 0 8 0.681 RR 7 4 3 0 8 0.547 PW 7 4 3 0 8 0.290 CSK 7 4 3 0 8 0.033 KKR 6 3 3 0 6 0.438 MI 5 3 2 0 6 -0.088 RCB 6 3 3 0 6 -0.608 KXIP 6 2 4 0 4 -0.585 DC 4 0 4 0 0 -1.178 P-played; W-win; L-lost; T-tie; NR-net run rate; PT-points
RAJESH RAVINDRAN
rajesh.r@postnoon.com
I
Just a day ago, the Mumbai Indians, who will play Punjab Kings XI today, was jolted by their pace spearhead Lasith Malinga’s return to Sri Lanka for treatment for his back spasms. He had already missed the match against Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai won’t be happy, as he is expected to be out of business for two weeks. But what comes as a godsend is Sachin Tendulkar, fit and ready to lift his team out of slough of the recent spate of defeats. They have a fine batting line-up all right, but stooping low to their second lowest IPL total of 92 tells us another story. Skipper Harbhajan Singh, who had to do damage control with his 33 which went in vain, will be relieved that their talisman is back. Perhaps their fortunes may improve. With Malinga’s temporary exit, there will be added pressure on Mumbai’s bowlers.
MI VS PKXI AT 4PM ON SET MAX Especially RP Singh who has been erratic will be expected to raise his game. He has the experience and was part of Deccan Chargers when they became champions. He finished with the purple cap that season. He
and the rest of the pack should know consistency is the key. As for Punjab, they will be bucked up that Azhar Mahmood has joined the team. Azhar is touted to be one of the best players of this format. He's got
2390 runs at a strike-rate of 143.97 and has 118 wickets against his name. So if Azhar does well, all might be well for Punjab, too. There has been no word of confirmation of Adam Gilchrist's playing today.
SCORECARD CHENNAI SUPER KINGS VS RAJASTHAN ROYALS Rajasthan Royals innings (20 overs) R Dravid c Bollinger b Jakati
26
A Rahane c Kulasekara b Ashwin
15
O Shah c Dhoni b Kulasekara
52
A Menaria c Jakati b Bollinger
36
B Hodge not out
3
Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 11)
14
Total (4 wickets; 20 overs)
146
Bowling
O
M
R
W Econ
Kulasekara
4
0
17
1 4.25
D Bollinger
4
0
31
1 7.75
D Bravo
3
0
32
0 10.66
R Ashwin
4
0
19
1 4.75
SB Jakati
2
0
12
1 6.00
R Jadeja
3
0
32
0 10.66
Chennai Super Kings innings (target: 147 runs from 20 overs) S Badrinath st Goswami b Hogg
15
F du Plessisc Goswami b Cooper
73
S Raina c Rahane b Cooper
26
MS Dhoni
not out
15
not out
16
D Bravo Extras
(lb 1, w 1)
Total
(3 wickets; 20 overs)
Bowling
2 R
147
O
M
A Menaria
2
0
10
W Econ 0 5.00
S Binny
2
0
20
0 10.00
A Singh
4
0
45
0 11.25
K Cooper
4
0
23
2 5.75
B Hogg
4
0
18
1 4.50
S Trivedi
4
0
30
0 7.50
Chennai Super Kings won by 7 wickets
DELHI DAREDEVILS VS PUNE WARRIORS Pune Warriors India innings (20 overs) R Uthappa c Ojha b Morkel 10 J Ryder b Morkel 86 S Ganguly c Yadav b Morkel 41 S Smith not out 34 A Mathews not out 6 Extras (lb 4, w 10, nb 1) 15 Total (3 wickets; 20 overs) 192 Bowling O M R W Econ I Pathan 4 1 25 0 6.25 S Nadeem 4 0 44 0 11.00 M Morkel 4 0 50 3 12.50 U Yadav 4 0 29 0 7.25 K Pietersen 2 0 21 0 10.50 V Sehwag 1 0 9 0 9.00 Y Nagar 1 0 10 0 10.00 Delhi Daredevils innings (target: 193 runs from 20 overs) Jayawardene c Smith b Thomas 7 V Sehwag c & b Kartik 57 K Pietersen b Ganguly 32 I Pathan c Ryder b Ganguly 15 P Negi run out (Mathews/Uthappa) 8 R Taylor c Smith b Thomas 12 Y Nagar c Ganguly b Thomas 24 N Ojha not out 11 M Morkel not out 1 Extras (lb 2, w 3) 5 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 172 Bowling O M R W Econ AC Thomas 4 0 22 3 5.50 A Nehra 4 0 26 0 6.50 M Kartik 3 0 25 1 8.33 A Mathews 2 0 32 0 16.00 R Sharma 2 0 20 0 10.00 J Ryder 1 0 18 0 18.00 S Ganguly 4 0 27 2 6.75 Pune Warriors India won by 20 runs
Will DC get a break?
E
verything seems to be going bad for Deccan Chargers. When their batting clicks, their bowling doesn't. Sometimes, nothing clicks. The last three of the four games they lost they should have won. But they never rose to the ocassion that of the latest fiasco — in which Kevin Pietersen of Delhi Daredevils was dropped three times en route his century — DC coach Darren Lehman said they fielded like an under-14 side. In an event in which everyone is beating everyone, DC is the loner. As they take on the Kolkata Knight Riders today at
DC VS KKR AT 8PM ON SET MAX the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, one thing that bodes well for them is their record of winning the only two IPL games played here in 2010. KKR will take the field confidently after winning three of their last four matches. Their batting has lacked consistency, but their bowlers seem to be in form. Yet one hardly expects the Knights would be chivalrous RR enough to give DC a break.
94 DAYS TO GO
30
SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Sanya posts fastest time
Irina leads at Russian Ntls MOSCOW:Irina Bespalova of Saint
Bogut to miss Games
FLOS ANGELES: Sanya Richards-Ross
Petersburg led the way at Russia’s national swimming championships here on Saturday by triumphing in the women’s 100m butterfly. Bespalova produced a time of 59.00sec to obtain the right to represent Russia at the London Olympics in July, finishing ahead of second-placed Maria Ugolkova (59.81).
SYDNEY: Australia’s top basketball
posted the fastest women’s 400m time in the world this year on Saturday as she won the title at the Michael Johnson Classic in Waco, Texas, in 50.18 seconds. The performance by Richards-Ross, at the meeting on the campus of Baylor University, was 76-hundredths of a second better than the 50.94 that compatriot DeeDee Trotter posted hours earlier.
player, Golden State Warriors’ center Andrew Bogut, said Sunday he was “shattered” after revealing he will miss the London Olympics through injury. “I am very disappointed to announce my withdrawal from the 2012 Olympic Games,” he tweeted. Bogut played in only 12 games this season before breaking his left ankle on January 25.
Serena gives US 2-0 lead
KIEV: Serena Williams put the United States into a commanding 2-0 lead in the Fed Cup World Group play-off tie with Ukraine at Kharkiv on Saturday by beating Elina Svitolina in straight sets. The 30-year-old Williams was never troubled by her teenage opponent who she was playing for the first time. “It was a tough match against a strong opponent,” Williams said. “Don’t look at the scoreline as it was much harder that it may appear. My opponent, a young and talented 17-year-old player has a bright future, I believe. It was very interesting to play against her today.” “I will definitely play against (Lesia) Tsurenko tomorrow. And
THE 30-YEAR-OLD WILLIAMS WAS NEVER TROUBLED BY HER TEENAGE OPPONENT WHO SHE WAS PLAYING FOR THE FIRST TIME. “IT WAS A TOUGH MATCH AGAINST A STRONG OPPONENT,” WILLIAMS SAID. I will do my best to win the third deciding point for my country.” Williams looked confident from the start producing three breaks of serve in the opening set to take it in 30 minutes, while Svitolina managed to break back
only on one occasion. In the second set Williams moved up a gear to break her opponent’s serve three times for a commanding 5-0 lead before Svitolina chalked up her first point also with a break. But in the next game Williams produced her fourth break to take the set and the match in one hour. Speaking about her London Olympics prospects the 13-time Grand Slam champion Williams said: “I’m set to go to London in July and I’m out to win a gold medal there.” In Saturday’s opening rubber Christina McHale put the United States 1-0 ahead with a 6-1, 4-6, 63 win over Lesia Tsurenko in two hours 14 minutes.
AFP
Townsend, Schoeman get tickets to London DURBAN: Former Olympic swimming gold medalists Darian Townsend and Roland Schoeman secured places on Saturday in the South African team for the 2012 London Games. Townsend had to settle for second place in the 200 metres individual medley final behind the star of the national championships, 20-year-old Chad le Clos, but his time was inside the qualifying mark. Le Clos, considered one of the best South African prospects for an Olympic medal this July and August, finished first in one
Darian Townsend minute 58.97 seconds with Townsend (1:59.34) second and Sebastien Rousseau (2:00.37) third.
Roland Schoeman “It has been a pretty stressful week for me as I am not used to missing qualification,” said Townsend, who was part of the
gold-medal winning 4x100m relay team at the 2004 Athens Games. “I usually get the required times within a few races but I am glad to have qualified for London in the end and it is a huge relief,” he said at the Kings Park pool in the Indian Ocean city. Schoeman, also part of the triumphant relay team in the Greek capital, said he was “absolutely ecstatic” after securing his place by dipping below the qualifying mark with a time of 22.08 en route to the 50m freestyle final.
“I have been so close for the past seven months and to better the qualifying standard is a big monkey off my back, coming here tonight and swimming that kind of time.” Karin Prinsloo used the women’s 200m backstroke semifinals to secure her passport to the Games, clocking 2:10.74 to dip 0.10 of a second below the qualifying standard. Suzaan van Biljon was the fourth competitor to win a place in the London team on the penultimate day of the champiAFP onships.
31
SPORTS SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Sharapova, Azarenka lead charge
Bahraini Shiite Muslim women take part in a protest against the killing of Salah Abbas Habib, who’s body was found after he was killed on Saturday, in Bilad alQadeema, on the eve of Bahrain’s Formula One Grand Prix. Shiite-led protests have intensified in Bahrain, site of a deadly month-long uprising that was crushed last year, since the kingdom’s rulers insisted on going ahead with the F1 race. AFP/STR
Bahrain clashes claim 1 life MANAMA: Bahrain’s opposition reported the first death in protests timed for Sunday’s controversial Grand Prix as a security lockdown was imposed around the Sakhir Formula One circuit and the king said he is committed to reform. The body of Salah Abbas Habib, 36, was found in Shakhura village, where security forces had “attacked peaceful protesters, brutally beating some of them with various tools and weapons,” said Al-Wefaq, the Gulf state’s largest Shiite opposition bloc. It charged that “security forces killed him one day before the final round of the F1 races hosted by Bahrain,” without saying how he died. King Hamad said on Sunday that he was committed to reform, after protests rocked villages in the Shiite-majority kingdom ruled by a Sunni dynasty. In a statement issued a day after Habib’s body was found in
the Shiite village in a case the authorities are treating as murder, the monarch said the door was open for talks. “I also want to make clear my personal commitment to reform and reconciliation in our great country. The door is always open for sincere dialogue amongst all our people,” King Hamad said. “Last month I received the report on progress made on the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. It confirmed that broad and substantial progress on reform has already been made by the government. “We must of course continue the pace of reform.” The interior ministry confirmed that “the body of a deceased person was found in Shakhura” with “a wound to his left side” and the case was being considered as murder. “The government condemns
all acts of violence and will ensure the perpetrators of this crime, whoever they may be, will be brought to justice,” the ministry quoted Public Security Chief Major General Tariq alHassan as saying. One of Saleh’s relatives told AFP that Habib “was taking part in the protest in Shakhura on Friday and was arrested by security forces while other protesters managed to flee.” The relative said there had been no word of him “until we were told that his body was found on Saturday morning.” Witnesses said that security forces fired tear gas and sound bombs to disperse dozens of people who gathered where Habib’s body was found. Thousands of people demonstrated in the Shiite village of Darraz 10 kilometres (six miles) north of Sakhir and chanted slogans including “No concessions!” before dispersing peace-
fully, an activist said. A planned march towards the circuit did not go ahead because of a heavy security presence. Dozens of armoured vehicles were deployed on roads leading to Sakhir, where security gates were set up and bags were thoroughly searched at entrances.Officials insisted the event was safe, although the Force India team withdrew from Friday afternoon practice on safety grounds two days after four of its mechanics were caught up in traffic near an exploding petrol bomb. “I think cancelling just empowers extremists,” Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa said on Friday. “I think for those of us who are trying to navigate a way out of this political problem having the race allows us to build bridges across communities,” he said. Jean Todt, president of F1’s governing body the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) said he did not believe the sport’s image would suffer because of criticism over the event. Todt told reporters at Sakhir that he felt F1 had made the right decision. “The sport has to be healing any kind of problem in the world,” he said. “We are not a political body, we are a sporting AFP body,”
STUTTGART: World number one Victoria Azarenka, secondranked Maria Sharapova and number three Petra Kvitova begin their French Open buildup on Monday at the star-studded $740,000 Stuttgart tournament. Belarusian Azarenka, the Australian Open champion, returns to action for the first time since losing her 26-match winning streak to Marion Bartoli in the quarter-finals of the Miami hardcourt event. That loss came after a breath-taking start to 2012 in which the 22-year-old had captured four titles, including her first Grand Slam crown. Sharapova, who turned 25 on Thursday, was beaten by Azarenka in the Melbourne final and in the Indian Wells title match before losing in the Miami final. The Russian star, who has yet to make the final of the French Open, falling in the semifinals twice, believes she has developed a better understanding of claycourt tennis as her career has progressed. “I feel like I’ve improved with every year that I have been playing on it and I enjoy it,” she said. “I feel like you learn so much about the construction of the points and the games — such a cat-and-mouse game. I didn’t necessarily like that many years back, but I feel like I’m much better at it and I have improved physically as well.” After Julia Goerges won the 2011 Stuttgart title, world number 11, Andrea Petkovic is the top-ranked German for this week’s tournament. China’s Li Na, eighth, Australia’s Samantha Stosur, fifth, and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark are all part of the powerful line-up. With Germany desperate for a new star since Steffi Graf dominated women’s tennis in the 1990s, Petkovic will be leading Germany’s AFP tennis revolution.
Maria Sharapova
32
SPORTS SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Real closer to title by Dermot Ledwith
MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (L) heads a ball next to Barcelona’s Carles Puyol (R), Alexis Sanchez (2nd L) and Javier Mascherano (2nd R) during their La Liga match in Barcelona on Saturday. AFP/JAVIER SORIANO
Spurs woes deepen LONDON: Tottenham dropped out of the Premier League top four after their failure to win at 10-man Queens Park Rangers on Saturday evening followed an earlier Newcastle United victory. A goal from Adel Taarabt — a former Tottenham player — ended up giving Rangers their fourth straight home victory and renewed hopes of avoiding relegation. Taarabt was later sent off for a second bookable offence but Rangers held on to the lead he had given them. Tottenham now trail Newcastle, who had beaten Stoke City 3-0 earlier, by three points and are in fifth place, which would qualify them for the Europa League, not the Champions League. The defeat was the latest setback suffered by Harry Redknapp’s side, who had a 10-point advantage over Arsenal, who are now above them in third, in February. Rangers moved above Wigan to 16th and are three points above Blackburn Rovers, the third bottom team, with three games remaining. Jamie Mackie fired an early Rangers chance across goal and wide as the home side started strongly. Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel, making his 300th consecutive Premier League appearance, was then involved in a communications breakdown with teamAFP mate Kyle Walker.
grabbed his 54th goal of the season as Real Madrid moved closer to the La Liga title with a 2-1 win at Barcelona that stretched their lead to seven points with just four games left. Sami Khedira opened the scoring at Camp Nou for Real Madrid in the first half before substitute Alexis Sanchez levelled. But Portuguese star Ronaldo’s 73rd-minute winner gave Madrid their first league win over the defending champions in four years and, barring a major stumble, ensured the title will return to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first time since 2008. For coach Jose Mourinho, it was his first win at Camp Nou with Madrid and only his second triumph in 11 attempts against the Catalans.
Afterwards he continued his policy of not speaking to the press about league games but his assistant Aitor Karanka underlined the squad’s delight. “We’ve worked well as a
RONALDO’S 73RDMINUTE WINNER GAVE MADRID THEIR FIRST LEAGUE WIN OVER THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS IN FOUR YEARS. group all season and we’re very happy with the result. But there is still work to do in the league and we’ll look to the Bayern game (in the Champions League) on Wednesday now,” he said. Madrid trail 2-1 to the Germans in their Champions League semi-final ahead of the
second leg. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola admitted that Madrid can start their title party straightaway. “We have to congratulate Madrid for their win and the title that they have also won tonight,” he said. “We created chances but it was just not our night, sometimes that happens against such a good opponent like Madrid.” Mourinho named an unchanged Madrid side to that which lost 2-1 at Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday. For Barca, Guardiola replaced Cesc Fabregas and Sanchez — who both started the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea on Wednesday — with Cristian Tello and Thiago Alcantara, while continuing to leave Gerard Pique on the bench. AFP