THE WORLD OF FASHION From Malaysia and Japan to Russia, this week saw an array of fashion shows that proved that haute couture is not reserved for the catwalks of New York and Paris. We take you on a visual journey across three countries to find out what’s setting trends. P20&21 Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012 HYDERABAD
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POLO DANCING
The polo match held at the Bison Polo Ground had all the makings of a blockbuster film.
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CONSTABLE GETS TRIGGER-HAPPY, INJURES MAN A constable of Marredpally police station, in an inebriated condition, shot and injured a man who was his drinking partner, late last night.
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FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Spirit of Twin Cities
FREE-WAY
Ugadi special
SRINIVAS SETTY
Truffles Cafe celebrates Ugadi Weekend Specials with a variety of special mains, Ugadi special beverages, mocktails and much more. Where: Truffles Cafe, Rd No10, Jubilee Hills When: March 23, 8am-11pm Contact: (040) 2355 0105
New works Lover of art? New works by artists Laxma Goud and Ramesh Gorjala will be displayed at Gallery Space. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6554 1836
Miniature traditions Miniature Traditions — An Artistic Endeavor, will be held at Alankritha Art Gallery.It’s an exhibition of miniature paintings by Mahaveer Swami. Where: Alankritha Art Gallery, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur When: March 24 - April 4, 11 am onwards Contact: (040) 2311 3709
Handloom expo Gurjari handloom and handicrafts expo features handloom bandhni and patola saris, patchwork, ethnic block printed dress materials and traditional handicrafts like Kutch embroidery, leather puppets, tribal craft, wood carving and furniture. Where: Huda open auditorium When: Ongoing, 10am onwards
crockery, decor, silver plated accessories etc. Where: Good Earth, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: March 21 to 25 Contact: (040) 2333 8000
geography etc. Where: The Actor’s studio, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7pm to 9pm Contact: 98854 04784
Wraps and rolls
Kebab and grill festival
Festival feast
Relish a feast of Kebabs and Grills as chefs from the Indian and continental kitchens take the challenge to serve you a myriad of Indian kebabs and western grills Where: Okra, Marriott Hotel and convention centre, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 7pm Contact: (040) 2752 2568
Festivals are the time for friends, family, fun and food. Head to the The Square at Novotel, Madhapur for a Ugadi special lunch. Where: The Square, Novotel, Madhapur When: March 23, 12.30pm-3pm Contact: (040) 6682 4422
Rolls — boring did you say? Head to Promenade at Ameerpet for a wide variety of rolls that will suit everyone’s taste, from the vegetarians to the non-vegetarians. Where: The Promenade, Ameerpet When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6678 8888
Unique buffet
Go Splash
Yellow Chilli is offering a lunch buffet which is truly different. The Buffet which costs `199 (Monday to-Friday) and `249 (Saturday and Sunday). The dinner buffet costs `299 and `349. Where: Yellow Chilli, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2338 3838
Splash lounge is the perfect leisure destination for you to unwind. During the evenings, 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
Dance fest Abhinaya Sudha is being held at Lamakaan from March 21- March 23. It is a festival which highlights the expression aspect of dance which are the basic and subtle aspects of dance that are missing nowadays. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No1 When: March 21-23, 7pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329
Sale time Good Earth plays host to an end of season sale. The sale is on a variety of products such as home textiles,
CINEMAS
Acting workshop Samahaara — an acting and dancing workshop is being held to help you hone your acting skills. The workshop focusses on a variety of theatre related topics such as understanding the basics of stage acting and character analysis, stage
Cotton and silk mela Bring out your shopping bags. Lepakshi Cotton and Silk Mela is on at Satya Sai Nigamagamam. Choose from a variety of cotton and silk sarees and dress materials.
Where: Satya Sai Nigamagamam, Srinagar Colony. When: March 18 to March 25 Contact: (040) 2323 5028
Tradition and innovation An exhibition showcases 58 designs which are a combination of tradition and innovation. Where: Salarjung Museum, Afzal Gunj When: Ongoing, 10am onwards Contact: (040) 2452 3211
Reflection of women Aiana — Reflection of Women, a painting exhibition is being conducted at Kala Bhavan, Saifabad by Bhavana and Sindoor. Where: Kala Bhavan/ ICCR Art Gallery, Saifabad When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2323 6398
Asian barbeque The Square, Novotel, Madhapur plays host to an Asian barbeque. Sample grilled specialities from around the world — from lebanese to Japanese. Where: The Square, Novotel, Madhapur When: Every Saturday, 7pm 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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Now, police headquarters too will become ‘greater’ The world leaders converging in Hyderabad in October for CBD 11 will see a ‘united’ commissionerate. Law and order management is going to be easier, it is argued
POLICING Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
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s the municipal corporation became ‘greater’ with merger, the police commissionerate too is set to become ‘greater’ with recasting of the prevailing set up. Upgrading of the Hyderabad commissionerate to chief commissionerate is being done. This in turn is billed to help better policing and consequent benefits to the people. This would mean the chief commissioner getting elevated to the additional director-general rank and emerging the second most powerful cop in the State after the DGP (law and order).
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wo youths, one of them student, were drowned in Venkatapur lake on Thursday. They are identified as Mohd Sameer, 13, a Class IV student of Osmanpur, and Mohd Mahmood, 50, a labourer of Osmanpur. Both bodies were found in the lake on Friday morning. It is surmised that the boy who did not know swimming went in for splashing in the waters but got sucked into depth. Seeing the boy going down and crying for help, Mohd Mahmood, reportedly related to the boy, jumped into save the boy but in the process both got drowned. Munawar Pasha, inspector of police Pahadishareef said a case has been registered and bodies have been sent for post mortem.
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resulting in less delay on decisions and also discretionary powers of the top cop of the zone.
Advantage in externment
lems. This saves time and trouble for lakhs of people. Besides, the Commissioner will have upgraded prosecution powers and executive powers
Postnoon News
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2 youths drown
Hubby sets wife ablaze
Chief changes and benefits The new set up will have a chief police commissioner merging the Hyderabad and Cyberabad. Advantage: Single authority help investigating officers to chase a criminal anywhere the city limits. Today, the twin city commissionerates demand the police officer to seek the permission from the commissionerate concerned if he wants to chase or arrest a criminal. n Each zone which now has a deputy commissioner of police (DCP) will be upgraded to commissioner. Advantage: people in greater Hyderabad need not travel to the City for any of their policing prob-
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constable, by name Kennedy, of Marredpally police station who was deputed on guard duty at Kasturba college, opened fire from his service rifle and shot through the leg of man who is said to have been his drinking partner. ACP GP Vasu Sena of Mahankali division said Kennedy and Prabhakar were on night duty guarding the answer papers in the strong room. The two were joined by two common friends, Habeebuddin and Ram Mohan, who brought food and drinks a little after midnight. The four had a nice dinner and drinks. Kennedy, in an expansive mood, was fiddling with the carbine while some points of difference
The system of externing a criminal from the city, which was effective in the olden times, is no longer working properly with the City expanding leaps and bounds and population too growing fast. Police officers complain that many of those banished by law from the commissionerate keep returning or go into hiding. One authority will work out this problem to a large extent, if not fully. Meanwhile, the race for the
State’s second most powerful person in uniform has already reached the halfway mark. Sources close to power centre told Postnoon that the names in the race are: N Sambashiva Rao, currently director of APPA, AK Khan, now commissioner of Hyderabad, KR Nandan, chairman AP Housing Corporation , M Rattan, Director, Vigilance and Enforcement , A Shivashankar Chairman Road and Safety, SK Jay Chandra, additional DGP. Considering the creditable works done by Khan in the past two years, and his minority status, are said to be pushing him ahead in the race.
Drunk cop fires at friend cropped up. It is not clear what exactly happened. Only, the neighbours were startled with a sound of a shot around 2.30 in the morning. The shot hit a leg of Habeebuddin who began screaming with pain. An after this incident some panic was created on this area and all higher officials reached to the spot and the injured Habeeb was shifted in Gandhi Hospital, where duty doctors have recovered some shrapnel of bullet from his leg and gave treatment to him. Kennedy has been arrested and Prabhakar is being interrogated to know what happened after dinner.
woman, G Saritha, is alleged to have been set ablaze by her husband G Mahipal Reddy in their house in Green Hills colony in Mallapur late on Wednesday night. The couple who got married five years ago have two children and, of late, they had developed differences with one thing or another. It is alleged that Reddy has been harassing her for dowry. There are also suspicions of extra marital relations and they used to quarrel, the children told the police. On Wednesday night, Reddy came home in a drunken state, picked up a quarrel with wife and later doused her with kerosene and set her ablaze. Screams of the children brought neighbours who summoned police. The husband has absconded after the crime and the police is trying to trace him.
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Parking woes drive shoppers out of good ol’ Nampally Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com
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rive down to Nampally and you will realise you have a sticky problem on your hands — no parking space anywhere. Yes, not a single designated parking lot. The narrow stretch of road near Yousufain Dargah in the area is popular with the locals when it comes to shopping for clothes at throw-away prices, and yet parking issue discourages many. Of the available two lanes on each side, the left lane is always occupied by motorists who despite a ‘No Parking’ board, choose to park their vehicles and carry on with their shopping. This results in long traffic jams.
The fact that this stretch leads to the Nampally Railway Station and to Exhibition Grounds adds to the problem. With thousands of cars passing the area, parking here is almost impossible. The store owners are complaining about the drop in footfalls. They point out despite being Ugadi shopping crowd was minimal. “Festival time is always looked forward to by all of us here. Of late though, there has been a considerable drop in customers. This is only because there is absolutely no parking here. For this Ugadi, we hardly had any sales. People prefer going to malls because they can provide parking and we can’t,” said Abdul Hamza, a salesman at Boots ‘n’ Boots, a popular shoe store here. Hamza said that his sales have
PARKING WOES dropped by at least 30 per cent, attributing it to the parking woes. Nampally is an old area and there is no provision for parking that shopkeepers can provide, says V Hussain, owner of Madina Handlooms, one of the oldest shops in the area. “We opened our store in 1985 and even back then, there was no parking available. However, as more shops opened, the number of customers also increased. But the parking arrangements has remained the same, which is a major problem here,” said Hussain.
Of late though, there has been a considerable drop in customers. This is only because there is absolutely no parking here. Abdul Hamza, Salesman The station house inspector, N Venkata Ramana at the Nampally Traffic Police Station says that the road being narrow is proving problematic. “We have a constable
stationed in the area who asks motorists to remove their vehicles and regulate traffic. But he doesn’t have the power to issue challans. Only a sub-inspector (SI) can do the same. We send traffic recovery vans twice every day to fine the vehicles,” he said. Venkata Ramana added that in the Nampally Traffic Police Station limits, the three SIs fine 150 vehicles daily. The GHMC hasn’t been able to curb the problem, nor has it been able to improve the position. The GHMC corporator of Red Hills, Zahera Begum, remained unavailable for a comment. From Subhan Bakery to Ek Minar Ki Masjid, motorists are unable to park their cars. Alas! This has been the situation since years. M ANIL KUMAR
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AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332
AIRLINES Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec’bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999
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Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
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All six make it to RS sans hassles
CM’s not smiling this Ugadi Next stop for the Kiran sarkar is the forthcoming18 by-elections. If results happen to be dismal, it’s khuda hafiz for the CM, say insiders
POLITICS
ONE MLA FROM NALGONDA DISTRICT TOLD POSTNOON THAT IF THE CONGRESS CAN’T WIN AT LEAST
U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com
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his Ugadi (New Year) is going to be a tough one for the chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. The by-poll results have changed the equation of ministers with the chief minister. Most of them hold the CM and the PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana responsible for the dismal performance of the Congress. Now, they are publicly talking against them. One of the Ministers DL Ravindra Reddy who sent his quit notice to the party chief rather than to the chief minister has fired the first salvo. DL created a sensation in the Assembly premises on Thursday with his resignation drama. It is whispered that there would be more resignations and troubles for the Kiran sarkar. Discuss the poll debacle and the
HALF A DOZEN SEATS OUT OF THE 18, SOME 70-80 YOUNG MLAS WILL CROSS OVER TO JAGAN
future strategy for the coming elections for the 18 seats. Sources critical of him say this would be used by the CM to apportion blame rather than owning all things up by himself and then win their confidence for the bigger test coming for 18 Assembly seats. One MLA from Nalgonda district told Postnoon that if the Congress can’t win at least half a
dozen seats out of the 18, some 70-80 young MLAs will cross over to Jagan. Some of them might cross over to Telangana Rashtra Samithi also as it was safe and easy to win on the Telangana sentiment. Now the BJP is also emerging as an option, he observed. When the Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha himself is talking about Telangana sentiment and holding the CM and PCC chief responsible for the poll defeat what future does the govern-
Ugadi predictions bring cheer to CM, smile to Babu Postnoon News
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he Ugadi predictions read out at Ravindra Bharati today in the presence of the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy say the State will have a comfortable year ahead. The overall forecast is good as it’s Sukra dasha’ for the Rajah and the Mantris. Around 10.45, one-and-a-half hours behind schedule, Acharya CVV Subrahmanyam opened the predictions saying that it is ‘Nandanam’ (Happy) year for Andhra Pradesh. But, as in everything, the good will be interspersed with some adverse possibilities too. The general effect of this would be as follows.
Up
n Good crops n Rajah (CM) will try to eradicate cor-
ruption n Neethi (Justice) will work at its best n Bio-crops will make a quantum jump
Flip
n Possibility of flood n People will not get as financial bene-
fits they hope to get n Possibility of communal disturbances bright Only five ministers—Kanna Lakshmi
n World Telugu meet will take place in
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ment have is a question taking rounds. Former Minister Shankar Rao, known for his tongue-incheek comments, said that while YSR died and lived for ever, Kiran Kumar was politically dying every day. He was of the opinion that if the next elections too are lost, the Congress government is history. It could either president’s rule or seeking a fresh mandate here in the state, many ministerial voices say in private. Senior Minister from Telangana Jana Reddy who may not resign is also aspiring for the chief minister’s gaddi in the event of Telangana becoming a reality. Some MLAs who had closeddoor discussions with the Deputy Chief Minister, in the Assembly premises agreed that Deputy CM was also in the race for the top position in the event of a desperate change of guard. Wise men say when trouble comes, it does not come alone, and it comes in hordes.
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ll the six candidates contesting the Rajya Sabha biennial elections from Andhra Pradesh have been declared unanimously elected. As there were only six nominations by Thursday evening, the last day for withdrawals, the six, who had filed their nominations were declared elected unanimously. Former Union minister Renuka Chaowdhary, actorturned-politician Chiranjeevi, former minister Palvai Govardhan Reddy and Anand Bhaskar were elected from Congress while former home minister Devender Goud and CM Ramesh were elected from TDP. The election of Chiranjeevi to the Upper House is expected to pave the way for his entry into the Union cabinet.
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Tirupathi in December, the chief minister announced today. n Well known vocalist Vedavahi
Prabhakar received Ugadi award for music category from Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy at the Ravindra Bharati today. Narayana, Vatti Vasanth Kumar, Sriramchandraiah, E Pratap Reddy, Jana Reddy and Anam Ramanarayana Reddy. MP Anjan Kumar was the lone parliamentarian who participated. The TTD chief priest who was present blessed the chief minister. The CM, who appeared gloomy when he came, brightened as the predictions unfolded. He was smiling as the predictions came at the Rajah trying to tame corruption. Later, the chief minister announced `1 crore aid to Ravindra Bharati and Telugu Lalitha Kala thornam. Meanwhile, teh Ugadi predictions at the main Opposition TDP’s office brought out a different picture ahead. The astrologer K Padmanabhaiah said: “No good year for politicians, no good year for farmers, possibility of cyclone, and clash of executive-judiciary.” Chandrababu Naidu who always look grim and serious evinced a smile when the astrologer said this was not a good year for politicians. (With input from Inkeshaf Ahmed)
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‘Application for LRS compulsory’
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COMPUTERS
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
he Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has stated that the following attested documents should be enclosed along with the application form for processing the LRS applications, for regularising the plots which are having registered Sale Deeds executed prior to December 31, 2007. They are: Copy of registered Sale Deed / Title Deed executed duly attested; Location Plan; Detailed Layout / Plot Plan drawn to scale showing plotted area, open area, area under roads and the plots / plots applied for regulation. Applicants should apply immediately to their respective Zonal Offices or to the HMDA Head Office.
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Mahbubnagar win for BJP put TRS, minorities in a fix Owaisis who preside over MIM say their stance on Telangana is vindicated by the BJP winning the Mahbubnagar seat and vow to push for a United Andhra
POLITICS Md Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com
HYDERABAD: The surprise victory of BJP in the Mahbubnagar assembly constituency has put both the TRS and the minorities on a cleft stick. The fear psychosis in the minorities, a ploy politicians practiced, has been working on them and the Muslims and Christians have been oscillating between the TRS and Congress-TDP. Now, pulling them away is a third force — the City-based MIM. The victory to the BJP, though on a slender margin, has sired doubts in the minds of the minority voters, reports say. Are they putting their wagers on the wrong horse? The most important concern that this bypolls raised is that whether the raging T-sentiment among the people of Telangana and the undue delay by the ruling Congress in deciding on the issue is proving a boon to the BJP which has a chance to rule the Centre and promises Telangana that its first act would be carving out a T-State. It’s no secret that however much the TRS grows; it can’t achieve Telangana without the help of a national party, which in this case happens to be either Congress or the BJP. The TRS and Muslims are
also worried that the saffron party, whose presence is negligible in the State has successfully kicked up a support base in the Telangana by vociferously backing a separate state without any ambiguity. The TRS candidate Syed Ibrahim takes up the expected position. “The BJP won the election because of the communal instigation. It did not even have 5 per cent votes in Mahabubnagar. The propaganda launched by BJP divided the voters on communal lines putting the Telangana sentiment on backburner. T-sentiment worked only to an extent," he said. Ibrahim further said that the situation took an aboutturn just four days before the elections as the BJP launched an anti-Muslim campaign and succeeded in attracting the majority community in its favour. “Everything was in my favour until the BJP took up its communal agenda. The situa-
tion went against me four days before elections,” Ibrahim said. He also said that his own party leaders also worked for his defeat. The minority morcha of TRS has come up openly that T-agitation is taking the turn of communal divide and observed that the victory of BJP on separate Telangana plank would alien minorities from the party. Speaking to Postnoon, TRS Minority wing President Mahmood Ali said that they were shocked to see BJP winning in Mahbubnagar seat and added that this development would force minorities to abandon the T-agitation. “Telangana region has more than 20 per cent of Muslim population. All these Muslims are openly supporting TRS party and separate Telangana cause. But the surprise win of BJP pushed Muslims to a corner and made them rethink their stand,” Ali said to
Postnoon. According to Mahmood Ali, the victory of the BJP has not only raised the threat of communalisation in Telangana region but also vindicated the stand of secular parties like the ruling Congress and MIM parties over Telangana State — a separate state will only help the right wing party. Arguing on these lines are the Owaisi brothers who preside over their own empire — the MIM. “The Mahbubnagar election verdict is the result of Telangana sentiment, heightened communal feelings among Hindus and nasty understanding of TRS and BJP to defeat a Minority candidate. It vindicated our firm stand on Telangana. We have been telling that sentiments of people would eventually turn into communal feelings among major and minor communities and sow seeds for a Karnataka kind of metamorphosis of the BJP here,” MIM Legislature Party Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi told Postnoon in an interview. “It should be a cause of concern for all secular parties who vow to protect the interests of minorities. They won two Assembly seats where Muslims are reckoning force,” Akbar said. He reiterated that his party would now aggressively raise their voice for a United Andhra Pradesh to protect the interests of minorities.
Beseeching blessings from divine mother M ANIL KUMAR
FESTIVAL Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com
W
ith the onset of Ugadi and Gudi padua festivals comes the season of Vasant Navaratri. However, many are not aware of this festival in South India as it lacks the fanfare of the Dasera Navaratri. The festival marks the change in season of the year and it is also known as Ram Navaratri because Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of Chaitra. But the rituals are same in both the Navratris.
“Vasant Navratri is celebrated for nine days concluding with Ram Navami. All these nine days we worship the divine power of Shakti (goddess Durga) that was started by our ancestors. All my family members observe fasting for nine days and there are special prayer
ceremonies like reading the holy book Durga Saptasati which describes the divine power of goddess. Many people light Akhand Deep; an oil lamp which is snuffed out only the ninth day,” said, Manju Chauhan, a resident of Banjara Hills. The North Indians celeb-
rate the festival with much zeal. One of the important aspects is worshipping little girls. These girls symbolically represent goddess Durga and are known as kanjaks. It is performed on the eighth or the ninth day of the festival depending on the family rituals. The girls are served prasads and some gifts on the day. “It’s an important festival for the North Indians and celebrated for happiness and prosperity. It is to seek the blessings from the divine mother for good health of family members. The food prepared for nine days is very sacred. It’s vegetarian food
prepared with rock salt and not the powered variety. Even basic food essentials like turmeric, rice or wheat is not used in the every day dishes. New utensils or earthen wares are used. Many avoid alcohol and smoking for the nine days”, said Puja Thakur, a house wife. Kuttu ke poori, sabudana vada, sabudaana upma, aloo cutlet and makhaaane ke kheer are some of the dishes that complete the daily fasting. However many people prefer fruits and milk for all nine days. Dandiya raas and jagran is also organised at many places in the City.
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City decked in a festive mood Postnoon captures glimpses of the Ugadi celebrations held at Ravindra Bharathi M ANIL KUMAR
Trouble set to descend on Hyderabad? Ruling partner MIM denies it, top cop is unaware, but a Delhi-based right-wing group is threatening to come to Hyderabad on April 1 for a showdown — that has communal overtones — with MIM
LAW & ORDER Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com
B
hagat Singh Kranti Sena, a right-wing group which consists of more than 10,000 active members at national-level and more than 50,000 members through online claims that Hyderabad-based political party, MIM (Majalis Ittehadul Muslimeen) which is a ruling partner in GHMC, is proposing a ban on Shriram Navami Shobha Yatra in Hyderabad on April 1. The activists have therefore announced that they would converge at Hyderabad and take out the procession, come what may. What stirred them, the leaders of the Sena indicate, is the banning of ringing the temple bell a while ago.
“I am not aware of any such campaign in fact Postnoon broke the news to me. There is no such declaration of any ban from the party. Akbaruddin Owaisi, MIM Floor leader
Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, president of Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena said, “When the Bhagyalakshmi Mandir in Charminar was forbidden from ringing the prayer bell,
the Charminar MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi of MIM had demanded a ban on Shobha Yatra too.” “We condemn the MIM stance. This time we are not going to stay calm if MIM is trying to create
obstacles in Shobha Yatra, a traditional procession on Ramnavami. We have begun to muster public support with a “Chalo Hyderabad” on April 1. More than 5,000 members in addition to our group
members will participate in the campaign. We had a protest in Jantar Mantar on Wednesday morning to protest the same”, he adds. The MIM Legislature party Floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, has no clue about the issue. “I am not aware of any such campaign in fact Postnoon broke the news to me. There is no such declaration from the party and we are clueless about the issue. However the party will look into the matter if it comes to us and then only we can comment”. The City police too are not aware of the Sena threat. Additional Commissioner of Police Amit Garg said the police have not received any intimation about a protest march ot the Shobha Yatra. Meanwhile the campaign poster is doing rounds on social networking sites with youngsters spreading the message to join hands in protest of the ban.
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Apps ‘shackle’ internet users, says US study SAN FRANCISCO: The freeranging Internet is under assault by mobile applications that connect people exclusively to content kept in “walled gardens” online, according to a US study released Thursday. While 59 per cent of the experts surveyed for the study felt that the Web would continue to thrive, they also thought “apps” for gadgets such as smartphones and tablets would power an “anti-Internet” used only to connect to services such as films or Facebook feeds instead of for open exploration. “Instead of couch potatoes you’ll have app potatoes,” European Broadcasting Union head of institutional relations Giacomo Mazzone said in survey response. “There will be again a digital divide. This one will be between those who will prefer to use ready-made applications and those who are building ways or searching on their own to find the needed solutions.” The Internet could give way to a hybrid model that combines open-ended quests for
Apple’s new iPad in wi-fi trouble? LONDON: Apple’s new iPad has trouble picking up and holding on to wi-fi signals, say users. A thread on Apple’s official forums has 144 posts from angry users, and has been read by 5,000 people, Daily Mail reported on Thursday. “This is a problem Apple - you need to fix it,” says one user. “The laptop wi-fi reception is as strong as it gets, but the iPad only registers a weak signal. Anyone else having similar problems? Any suggestions?” Daily Mail quoted one user as saying. Other Apple launches have information or content with the use of “apps” tailored to plug efficiently into offerings hosted on online servers, survey respondents said. “Tech experts generally believe the mobile revolution, the popularity of targeted apps, the monetisation of online products and services, and innovations in cloud computing
study that took a non-scientific look at how people will share and gather information online by the year 2020. “Apps’ ability to meet specific needs becomes a doubleedged sword; they simplify life and create ‘walled gardens’ and a lack of serendipity,” venture capitalist Richard Titus is quoted as saying in the survey. AFP
Aircraft rivals launch joint biofuel project
Rupa forays into jeans wear Postnoon News
HYDERABAD: Rupa, a knitwear company, has launched Euro Jeans, a hifashion denim brand specially made for youth. Euro Jeans comes in a variety of innovative washes, treatments, styles and cuts to swell the fashion envelope. It is available in regular, straight and slim fits. The company also launched knee-length and denim shorts that are rarely seen in Indian markets. “We recognised that there is a dearth of options for branded denim at affordable price point. That’s why we launched Euro Jeans, which provide the young newer, fresher ways to express themselves. We are very confident that Euro Jeans will live up to the expectations,” said Manish Agarwal, president, Rupa and Company.
will drive Web evolution,” the study said. “Some survey respondents say while much may be gained, perhaps even more may be lost if the ‘appification’ of the Web comes to pass.” Slightly more than a thousand experts were surveyed for the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
been blighted by similar problems, including the original iPad and some models of iBook, the newspaper said. The news comes as users complain that a hidden “upgrade” to the new machine has meant that many older “Smart Covers” — the magnetic covers used by Apple which turn on the machine automatically when opened — won’t work. The problem is particularly bad with third-party covers made by companies other than Apple, but older official Apple covers also fail to work, the paper added.
PARIS: Plane makers and bitter rivals Airbus of Europe, Boeing of the US and Embraer of Brazil announced on Thursday a joint plan to develop affordable biofuels for the airplane industry. The sector leaders agreed to seek opportunities “to speak in unity” to government and biofuel producers “to support, promote and accelerate the availability of sustainable new jet fuel sources,” a joint statement from the companies said. The collaboration is intended to come up with a so-called “drop in” technology that all airplane models could use, regard-
less of the make. Airbus and Boeing have already launched programmes independently to develop alternatives to kerosene, a major greenhouse gas pollutant, to power its airplanes. “We are all committed to take a leading role in the development of technology programmes that will facilitate aviation biofuels development and actual application faster than if we were doing it independently,” said Paulo César Silva, Embraer chief executive. The planemakers said they were committed to reducing the
industry’s substantial carbon footprint, the term commonly used for emissions of greenhouse gases. “We’ve achieved a lot in the last 10 years in reducing our industry’s (carbon) CO2 footprint — a 45 per cent traffic growth with only three percent more fuel consumption,” Airbus chief executive Tom Enders said. Airbus on Wednesday announced a collaboration with airline Virgin Australia to explore biofuel production from eucalyptus leaves that grow in arid regions. AFP
`81.01
POUND FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012 8 NUMEROLOGY
`547 crore is owed in dues by government departments to Air India
THUS SPAKE “It will be Mallya’s call if he wants to remain in business. If passenger safety is jeopardized, KFA can’t fly,” Ajit Singh, Civil aviation Minister WHEEZING DRAGON China's external debt totalled a whopping $695 billion last year, highest in 27 years, adding to concerns that it might undermine the country's fiscal position at a time when its economy has slowed down due to declining exports. The external debt rose by $146 billion, or nearly 27 per cent from 2010, data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said.
GOOD NEWS The number of people filing initial applications for unemployment benefits fell last week by 5,000 to 348,000, the fewest since February 2008, the US Labor Department said on Thursday. The rolling four-week average of jobless claims, which is thought to better reflect underlying trends, slipped by 1,250 to 355,000, also the lowest level in four years. The recession that began in December 2007 and officially ended in June 2009 destroyed 8.4 million US jobs.
LAUNCH The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) is turning to the multi-purpose vehicle segment with its upcoming model Ertiga, as it looks to complete its portfolio of passenger vehicles. The vehicle will witness its global launch next month in India that has seen an investment of about `400 crore by the company as development cost.
India‑View
10
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
India unveiled
Good show gets Rajasthan 22% hike NEW DELHI: Having exceeded its development targets, Rajasthan got a 22 per cent increase in plan outlay to `33,500 crore for the next fiscal and asked the Planning Commission to hike funding for the next five year plan by 60 per cent. “Our last annual plan was `27,500 crore. Now, it has increased to `33,500 crore. We are happy with it,” Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said after a meeting with the plan panel led by Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well as the other members of the Planning Commission have praised our achievements dur-
ing the 11th plan. Our plan realisation had been over 100 per cent,” Gehlot told IANS. The state’s plan allocation for the current fiscal was `27,500 crore. Gehlot said Rajasthan made substantial improvement on most of the financial and social development indicators during the past plan, and an increase in allocation will give it further boost to the state’s process of inclusive growth. “Energy, water, power, education, road and development of other infrastructure would be the priority areas my government in the next five-year plan period,” the chief minister added. During his meeting with the plan panel members,
Gehlot requested for almost a 60 per cent hike in the plan allocation for the state during the 12th Five Year Plan to `1,94,283 crore, against an out-
THE POVERTY LEVEL IN RAJASTHAN HAS DROPPED FROM 34.8 PER CENT IN 2004-05 TO AROUND 24 PER CENT IN 2009-10 — A SUBSTANTIAL DROP. lay of `1,22,551 crore during this plan that ends March 31. Ahluwalia indicated that the panel was likely to approve the proposed amount. “Rajasthan has done exceedingly well in achieving
the 11th plan numbers. We have given a substantial hike in annual allocation for 201213. For the 12th plan, we will finalise the allocation a little later,” he told reporters after the meeting. Rajasthan — India’s largest state in terms of area — was also the first to get the approval for the annual allocation for 2012-13, which is also the first year of next Five Year Plan. “I am very happy we started with Rajasthan — a state very close to us. It’s performance has been very good. The chief minister was complimented for that,” Ahluwalia said, adding its record in reducing poverty over the past five years was particularly laudable.
“The poverty level in Rajasthan has dropped from 34.8 per cent in 2004-05 to around 24 per cent in 2009-10 — a very substantial drop.” Between 2004-05 and 2009-10, the state raised 42.8 lakh people above poverty line to log a decline of 9.6 per cent. Against the total national decline of people below the poverty line estimated at 5 crore, Rajasthan accounted for 8.6 per cent. At the meeting, Gehlot said Rajasthan’s tax revenue grew by 26.46 per cent in 2010-11 which was also better than most states. “Fiscal deficit has also been brought down to 2.2 per cent of gross state domestic product in 2011-12.” IANS
Multi-sector approach to malnutrition NEW DELHI: More than 42 per cent of children below five years in the country are malnourished, a ‘complex and multi-dimensional’ problem which cannot be tackled by a single sector intervention, the government said on Thursday. “As per the NFHS-3 Survey (National Family Health Survey conducted in 2005-06), the level of malnutrition amongst children below five years is 42.5 per cent,” minister of state for women and child development Krishna Tirath said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. “However, the level of malnutrition amongst children below three years has declined from
SRINIVAS SETTY
42.7 per cent in 1998-98 (NFHS2) to 40.4 per cent in 2005-06,” Tirath said. The minister also noted that the problem of malnutrition is a very “complex, multi-dimensional and inter-generational in nature” which cannot be tackled by a single sector or programme. The determinants of malnutrition, she said, include household food insecurity, illiteracy, poor access to health services, lack of safe drinking water, poor sanitation and other environmental conditions. “Since there are multiple determinants of malnutrition, this cannot be addressed by single sector scheme or intervention
alone. This requires multi sectoral, direct and indirect interventions,” Tirath said. The Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) Scheme is one of the direct targeted intervention among various programmes being implemented by the government, she noted. Replying to another question, Tirath also informed the House that 13,70,718 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have so far been sanctioned across the country, of which 13,03,300 are being operationalised. “However, as per information available, 56,889 posts of anganwadi workers (AWWs) were vacant as of December 2011,” she added. PTI
India‑View
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FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
India unveiled
Review CM case: Lokayukta NEW DELHI: The Delhi Lokayukta has sent a report to LT Governor Tejinder Khanna seeking a review of its earlier recommendation for censuring Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for allegedly misrepresenting facts about construction of low-cost flats ahead of Assembly polls in 2008. The Lokayukta, in the report sent to Khanna, has requested him to forward it to President Pratibha Patil for her review. In an order last year,
Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin had slammed Dikshit for alleged misrepresentation of
ANGELS PLAY GODS
Children dressed up as goddess Durga and other Hindu gods on PTI the eve of Navratri in Mathura on Thursday.
facts about construction of 60,000 low-cost flats in the run up to the Assembly polls. In response to a complaint, the Lokayukta in its order has said that Dikshit had stated that 60,000 low-cost houses were ready for allotment when they were not even built. The Lokayukta has recommended the president to take appropriate action against the chief minister but the president had virtually rejected the report and asked the concerned department of Delhi govern-
ment to be careful on such issues. "The Lokayukta has sent a special report to Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna seeking review of the earlier observation of the president. The Lokayukta had requested the LG to send the special report to the president and at the same time place it before the Delhi Assembly for necessary action," sources in the Lokayukta said. Dikshit had rejected the allegations. PTI
Abducted Italians were cautioned by local police MILAN: The two Italians kidnapped by Maoists in Odisha were cautioned by police not to travel into Maoist areas, Indian Consul General Sanjay Verma said. “It’s an unfortunate incident, but the two Italians were cautioned by the police not to go inside the forest due to Maoist activities,” Verma told. He said Paolo had been trekking in Odisha for a number of years. Verma said that the two Italians knew that the place was not very safe due to the presence of Maoists. The
duo also ignored travel advisories on the website of the Italian foreign ministry. He assured that “the state government of Odisha and the Central government in New Delhi are making all efforts to ensure safe release of the two Italian nationals”. Bosusco Paolo, 54, and Claudio Colangelo, 61, were kidnapped on March 14. They had gone along with two Indians, Santosh Moharana and Kartika Parida, to Kandhamal district on a fourday trekking trip. IANS
NATION AT A GLANCE
President Pratibha Patil presents Padma Bhushan award to filmmaker Mira Nair at the Padma Awards ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI/ VIJAY VERMA
Assembly adjourned by uproar over porngate GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat Assembly was today adjourned for an hour as Congress MLAs stalled the proceedings for the third consecutive day, seeking dismissal of two BJP MLAs accused of watching porn in the House. As soon as the question hour began, Congress MLAs began slogan shouting ‘dismiss those viewing nude clips in the House’ and left their seats and gathered near the Speaker's podium. They did not stop shouting despite repeated requests made by the Speaker to pacify them. "Please let the House function and kindly take your seats," Gujarat Speaker Ganpat Vasava said. As the members continued shouting and throwing paper in the air for around five minutes, the Speaker adjourned the house till the end of the question hour.
Maoists blow up block office in Jamui district JAMUI: Heavily armed Maoists blew
Riots result in flesh trade here Azera Parveen Rahman
KANDHAMAL (ODISHA): Abject poverty is pushing many young girls from Odisha's Kandhamal district that witnessed terrible communal riots in August 2008, into sex trade. Girls from Kandhamal have been rescued from the trade in Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh and even as far off as Kerala, activists say. "The riots left hundreds of families homeless, forcing them to move into relief camps. There were many families which were left broken. As it is, the social economy of this place was not good... the violence brought about more unemployment, pushing people to the brink," Hari Shankar Rout, a social activist working in Kandhamal, told IANS. "In the face of poverty, a number of young girls are falling prey to sex trade, even in the (relief) camps. And the biggest tragedy is that the parents of these girls are in the know, but are helpless," he added. Kandhamal district, about
200km from state capital of Bhubaneshwar, witnessed widespread violence following the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram in August 2008. At least 38 people were killed and more than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee after their houses were attacked
by mobs that held Christians responsible for Saraswati's killing, although the police blamed the Maoists. According to Rout, most of the women moving into sex trade are in the age group 15–30. "The agent, or middleman, offers to pay the girl anywhere between `8,000–20,000 for a period of 45 days. In the face of poverty and hunger, while the
families may not voice their consent, they remain quiet," he said. A number of girls are taken out of Odisha, to the nearby states of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, for sex trade, activists say. Cases of trafficking are also on the rise. A 2010 status report on the effects of the riot on the children of Kandhamal by child rights organisation HAQ said, "There is a lack of a protective umbrella on these children, making them easy prey to trade and trafficking," and added, "Stories that some of these children have already been forced to adulthood by migrating to work outside the state, and cases of trafficking, especially among young girls, are emerging every day." "Criminals have started preying on these helpless women and girls. The rescue of several such girls from places as far as Hyderabad reaffirms our fear that there is a rise in such cases," said Ajaya Kumar Singh, a social worker in the area.
up the Khaira block office, destroyed official files by setting them on fire and torched 12 sand-laden trucks late last night in the district, during their two-day East Bihar and Jharkand bandh agitation, police sources said today (Friday). "Over 50 heavily armed Naxals triggered a dynamite blast to blow up the Khaira block office," they said, adding that the ultras later burnt official files. They also set 12 sand-laden trucks on fire at Gidheshwar Ghat under the Khaira police station area, sources said. No casualty was reported in these incidents, they added. The Maoists are protesting arrest of five leaders of theirs in the area.
Govt oversight essential for energy prices: PM NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Friday) said remunerative energy prices are essential for expanding supplies but at the same time governmental and regulatory oversight are essential. “The government has initiated gas-pricing policy reforms to incentivise production of natural gas. We are conscious that remunerative energy prices are needed to ensure expanded energy supplies,” the prime minister said at the Asia Gas Partnership Summit here. “At the same time, oil & gas are natural resources and therefore should be within the framework of governmental and regulatory oversight.
Around the World
12
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Beyond Borders
Who is Merah?
unknown to the domestic intelligence service. On his return to France, Merah was placed on the French authorities’ list of suspected Islamic extremists, an intelligence official told French newspaper Libération.
Beliefs
A TV grab image of Mohamed Merah.
M
ohammed Merah, the man suspected of shooting dead seven people in south-west France over the past week, had reportedly long been known to French intelligence services. What have we learned about him so far?
Background Mohammed Merah, a French citizen of Algerian descent, was born in October 1988. He grew up on a housing estate in Toulouse, one of five children raised by his mother alone, Le Point magazine reported. One of his brothers has been taken into custody in connection with the attacks, while his mother, called to his apartment to help police persuade him to surrender, said she had little influence over her son. Merah was trained as a car mechanic, but had apparently been out of work for several months. He has 18 minor offences on his record, for which he served two short prison terms between 2007 and 2009, the lawyers that
AFP
represented him told Le Point. He twice attempted to enrol in the French Army, defence officials told Agence France Presse: first in early 2008, when he was rejected due to his criminal record, then again in late 2010, when he applied to the elite Foreign Legion but dropped out of the assessment process after just one day.
Links to Afghanistan and Pakistan Merah is believed to have made several trips to both Afghanistan and Pakistan, though the details are not yet clear. In December 2007, he was arrested and charged with planting bombs in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, for which he was sentenced to three years in jail, local prison chief Ghulam Faruq told Reuters. Merah apparently escaped in a jail break led by the Taliban in June 2008, along with several hundred other inmates. A Pakistani official told the news agency that Merah had never been arrested there, and was
Merah describes himself as a mujahedeen (holy warrior) and member of Al Qaeda, French interior minister Claude Guéant told the press on Friday. The suspect reportedly told police that he wanted to avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and punish the French military for its operations overseas. He has links to strict Salafi Islam and jihadist movements, Guéant said. Merah had only recently become “politicised,” his lawyer Marie-Christine Ételin told Le Point. He continued to frequent nightclubs and did not consistently wear the beard traditional for devout male Muslims, other associates told the magazine. A man claiming to be the Toulouse shooter last night called state-owned TV network France 24 in an apparent attempt to explain himself. According to the journalist who spoke to the caller — who may or may not have Merah — he was calm, eloquent and polite. He said he had long planned the attacks as a protest against France’s ban on the burqa, its military intervention, and “our little Palestinian brothers and sisters.” The caller told France 24 that he saw only two possible outcomes: either he would serve a prison term “with my head held high,” or he would die “with a smile on my face.” GLOBALPOST
Butchering out homosexuality Dutch Roman Catholic church castrated boys in 1950s to ‘cure’ homosexuality LONDON: Up to 11 teenage boys were surgically castrated “to get rid of homosexuality” while in the care of the Dutch Roman Catholic church during the 1950s, a newspaper investigation has said. According to a report published at the weekendby the NRC Handelsblad newspaper, an 18-year-old man was castrated in 1956 after telling police he was being abused by priests at a Catholic boarding school, the BBC reports. Henk Hethuis was told the procedure would “cure” him of his homosexuality. The same happened to at least 10 other pupils at the school, the newspaper says. Hethuis died in a car crash two years later The barbarity of the individual cases has shocked the Dutch public, which is still reeling from the publication before Christmas of a report which found that more than 800 Catholic priests and monks abused as many as 20,000 children in their care between 1945 and 1985, according to The Irish Times. The Deetman commission, which was established in 2010 to investigate clerical abuse and headed up by former cabinet minister Wim Deetman, reportedly uncovered the castrations, but did not include
Uganda’s latest export: Flesh trade KAMPALA: Sitting at a table in a run-down bar in Ugandan capital Kampala, Stella Kobusingye stares into the distance as she recalls her sex-slavery ordeal. Struggling to support her young son and sickly mother with the income from a small shop, last year Kobusingye heard about a job opportunity earning $800 a month working at a Ugandanowned boutique in Malaysia. After double- and then triplechecking that the job seemed genuine, Kobusingye sold her shop, paid for a passport and bought a visa for China, where middlemen told her she needed transit, before being handed a ticket and boarding a plane. But when she arrived in China, she was met by a Ugandan woman, taken to a hotel where scores of other Ugandan girls were staying and told she now owed $7,000 for the airfare.
That night, a Nigerian man knocked on the door and said he had paid to have sex with her. Kept prisoner in her hotel room and with her passport taken away, for the next few weeks Kobusingye was forced — sometimes brutally — to sleep with up to five Nigerian men each night. To scare her into silence, Kobusingye says her captors took her to a Ugandan witchdoctor there who used her fingernails and pubic hair to perform rituals. Kobusingye’s story is typical of a growing number of young and vulnerable Ugandan women whom officials say are being duped into travelling abroad — particularly to countries in the Far East and Middle East — and then forced into prostitution. In a country with massive unemployment, posters in shopping malls around Kampala advertise opportunities for well-paying
Honorary Ugandan Consul to Malaysia Hajah Noraihan views police pictures of murdered Ugandan girls in Kampala. jobs or studies abroad. It is almost impossible to say how many Ugandan girls have been trafficked abroad but officials estimate in Malaysia alone — a country with visa-free travel for Ugandans
AFP
and growing economic ties — there are currently about 600 Ugandan women in forced prostitution. There are no figures available for the number of trafficked women in China.
them in the 1,100-page report. On Tuesday the Dutch parliament called for an investigation into the new allegations. A Catholic Church spokesman told Reuters that the church was willing to cooperate to find out whether the reports were true. Further evidence emerged on Monday showing that government health inspectors were present at meetings when castrations at Catholic-run institutions were discussed, The Daily Telegraph reports. Minutes of the meetings also reveal that the Catholic staff at the institutions felt entitled to take decisions without involving the boys’ parents, some of whom were never officially informed about the procedure, and many of whom only found after the operations had been carried out on their children. GLOBALPOST During a recent visit to Kampala, Hajah Noraihan, a Malaysian working as Uganda’s honorary consul in Kuala Lumpur, flicked through a series of horrifying pictures to show what happens to the girls who refuse — the face of a young woman thrown from a third-floor balcony, the body of another brutally murdered on a bedroom floor. Since late last year, Malaysian police have cracked down on the prostitution rings. Public awareness of the threat remains perilously low and the trafficking rings are highly organised and increasingly sophisticated, said Asan Kasingye, director of the Interpol office in Kampala. While Kobusingye knows she cannot undo the past, she says she’s praying those responsible are brought to justice. “I want to get those people and take them to prison at least for the rest of their lives because right now I am sick but I have to take care of my kid, I have to take care of my mum,” she says. AFP
Around the World
13
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Beyond Borders
Thousands protest ‘racial’ killing of Florida teenager SANFORD
(FLORIDA):
Thousands of people outraged by the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white crime watch volunteer gathered to vent their anger and demand justice at a rally in this Florida town late on Thursday. The crowd, which overwhelmed the town’s Fort Mellon Park, clamoured for justice in the death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old who was shot dead by self-appointed watch captain George Zimmerman in a gated Florida community on February 26. The crowd demanded the arrest of Zimmerman, who claims he acted in self-defence after a confrontation with the
Protesters demonstrate at a rally for slain teenager Trayvon Martin on Thursday in Sanford, Florida. AFP
teenager. Zimmerman has been neither detained nor charged. Sanford police chief Bill Lee, who has been criticised for failing to arrest Zimmerman, announced that he was temporarily leaving his post.” The victim’s father, Tracy Martin, demanded more action. “The temporary stepdown of Lee is nothing. We want an arrest. We want a conviction and we want an arrest of the murderer of our son,” he told the crowd in Sanford. On Wednesday, “A Million Hoodies March” drew several hundred people in New York wearing the same sort of sweatshirt that Martin wore when he was shot. AFP
French ‘Qaeda’ gunman killed
US resumes military aid to Egypt
PARIS: A gunman suspected
WASHINGTON: US Secretary
of shooting dead seven people in France was killed on Thursday after police stormed into his apartment to end a 30-hour siege. Interior minister Claude Gueant confirmed the 24-year-old suspect, linked to Al Qaeda, was killed following an exchange of fire with the police. Mohamed Merah was hiding in the bathroom when police stormed into the apartment around 11am where he had been holed up for about 30 hours, reported Xinhua.” Mohammed Merah then jumped out of the window with a gun in his hand continuing to shoot. He was found dead on the ground. IANS
of State Hillary Clinton will open the way on Friday to resuming $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt. Clinton notified Congress of her plans in a further easing of the crisis in the 30-year-old US-Egyptian alliance caused by a three-month crackdown on pro-democracy groups by Egypt’s interim military rulers. “Tomorrow, Secretary Clinton will certify that Egypt is meeting its obligations under its peace treaty with Israel,” a senior state department official said. The certification will clear the way for $250 million in economic aid, which had not been in serious question. The top US diplomat will also waive legislative require-
AFP
ments on whether Cairo is making progress towards democracy to allow for “the continued flow of foreign military financing to Egypt,” the official said. The move will free up $1.3
billion in military aid this year. The official stressed that “on the democracy side, Egypt has made more progress in 16 months than in the last 60 years,” highlighting free and fair parliamentary elections as well as the transfer of legislative authority. “Yet Egypt’s transition to democracy is not yet complete, and more work remains to protect universal rights and freedoms, and the role of NGOs and civil society,” the official added. Annual military aid, which has underpinned US ties to Cairo for three decades and cemented Egypt’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel, was put on hold over a crackdown on NGOs. AFP
Peace a distant dream, as violence continues DAMASCUS: Fierce clashes
Demonstrators shout slogans during a commemoration for the victims of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. AFP
erupted in Syria on Thursday, with a busload of fleeing civilians among those killed, as President Bashar al-Assad’s foes branded as ‘toothless’ a UN Security Council call for peace. The army attacked a string of towns, while rebel fighters struck military posts in several provinces . A bus, with women and children, was shot up close to the town of Sermin, near the Turkish border, and 10 people died, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In the evening, government troops launched an assault on the town of Binesh near the Turkish border. The shelling started at 21.30pm with tanks
in Idlib city opening fire. Thousands began fleeing, while shells hit many houses on the outskirts of Binesh and rebels took position to try to prevent the town from being taken over. The escalation came just hours after the UN Security Council adopted a statement urging Assad and the opposition to implement “fully and immediately” a peace plan by international envoy Kofi Annan. Annan’s plan calls for Assad to pull troops and heavy weapons out of protest cities, a daily two-hour humanitarian pause to hostilities, access to all areas affected by the fighting and a UN-supervised halt to all clashes. AFP
GLOBE AT A GLANCE Plane with eight people goes missing in Chile SANTIAGO: A small plane with eight people onboard went missing in Chile after taking off, the civil aviation authority said. The plane disappeared from radar 40 minutes after taking off from the southern city of Punta Arenas, Xinhua reported. A call had been sent by the pilot before losing contact with ground control, officials said. The passengers included a patient and three medical personnel.
World Bank suspends Mali development aid WASHINGTON: The World Bank and the African Development Bank have announced they were suspending aid to Mali after President Amadou Toumani Toure was ousted in a coup. The two lending institutions said that they were joining the African Union and the West Africa regional bloc in condemning the coup.
Natives protest against the policies of Ecuador President Rafael Correa they say will result in mining in Amazon region. AFP
13-year jail for former Nasa scientist LONDON: A former Nasa scientist has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after admitting that he tried to sell space and defence secrets to Israel. Appearing in federal court on Wednesday, Stewart Nozette, 54, said he was “paying for a fatal lack of judgement” the Daily Mail reported Thursday. “I accept full responsibility,” Nozette told the US District Judge.
Woman ‘breaks into house, rapes man’ LONDON: A woman was on Thursday ordered to stand trial in Australia, accused of breaking into a man’s home and raping him, the Daily Mail reported. Rebecca Helen Elder, 39, pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated serious criminal trespass at the man’s home, and one count of rape. She appeared in Adelaide’s District Court on Thursday morning.
Two women enjoy a pedal boat in the Tidal Basin on thursday, in Washington, DC, during the Cherry Blossom Festival. AFP
Comment
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Fair, free and forthright
Editorials HOUSTON’S DEATH has a message
A
nd so it has come to pass, what many people believed, but feared to admit, the coroner’s report on Whitney Houston’s death revealed that she had cocaine in her system, but CoD was accidental drowning. Drugs have always been part of human culture from Marijuana to Heroin, they come in all shapes and sizes with highs and lows rising and falling like gargantuan waves of pleasure and despair. The less we talk about them, the worse the problem becomes. A blanket clamour over all drugs and how they should be banned is a double-edged sword in a child’s hand. Alcohol is a vicious family-shredding drug, but society imbibes the spirit with aplomb, and rarely dignity. Cigarettes are confirmed killers, yet we merely tax them, and say ‘the choice is yours’. Drugs like Cannabis and Marijuana are docile though lethal in highdoses. Ever heard of a killer hopped up on pot? We must determine what to do with this demon, but this determination must come through discourse and common sense rather than knee-jerk hypocrisy. Houston paid the ultimate price; the monkey on her back was rabid in its hunger. We must make sure that our children don’t.
WHY WE LOVE microchips
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razil has begun putting microchips into school uniforms to curb truancy. While novel, it’s hardly going to work now that every kid knows he’s being tracked. Plain clothes in the bag?
Don’t know who Einstein is? You’re not alone STEVE BLOOM
The Anonymous Alien
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e’re hiring at my company in Hyderabad, but not very successfully. Why? We can’t find qualified employees. Applicants typically can’t write beyond the 3rd or 4th grade level, their math skills are even worse and their general understanding of the world and history and events and geography is practically non-existent. These aren’t high-school drop-outs; they are university graduates, many of them from well-known Indian schools. We’ve taken to giving them a test. Here are some of the questions: 1) Does the earth go around the sun, or the sun around the earth? 2) Which ocean borders India? 3) Seven years ago, how old were you? 4) Who is Albert Einstein, and, (if they know the answer to that), what is he famous for? 5) Who is Sigmund Freud? 6) Name a country that is east of India. 7) Why is the sky blue? 8) Where is the North Pole? 9) Does the moon go around the earth, or the earth around the moon? 10) If I say, “The two siblings room was on the second floor,” where should the apostrophe go on the word ‘siblings’?” Lots of candidates get ALL of the questions wrong. Many get all but one or two wrong. Few if any get more than half right. And it’s heartbreaking. Bright, capable people… horribly educated. How horribly? According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), India ranks 72nd out of the 73 countries that participate in the annual assessment, beating out only Kyrgyzstan. What’s the future of a country with some 1.2 billion people, growing at an annual seven to 10 per cent clip, when its best and brightest are graduating from recognised universities but don’t know who Albert Einstein is? We don’t have to look into a crystal ball to answer that question, because we can already see what’s happening now: Hyper wage inflation; slowing growth; lack of global competitiveness.
Apply common sense
Check man & machine
Parking seems to be a huge problem in Hyderabad not just in Ameerpet. I have noticed bikes parked under bridges near Hyderabad Central which lies bang in the center of the city without proper parking space. Though there is a policeman standing right at the junction but he is busy doing nothing or demanding challans from innocent shoppers or bikers driving by. There will be no traffic congestion if the parking is done in an orderly fashion. It's not that difficult. It is just common sense.
I think you should do more than just check the roadworthiness of the vehicles and records. First and foremost, they need to be taught how to drive. Trying to save time, and cutting through traffic or going the wrong way is not going to provide the solution. Not once, but I have seen so many buses take the wrong route in order to save on time and gas. It's completely unsafe. I am surprised that even the policeman fails to instil fear in these brainless idiots who put young lives at risk.
Nitika Rathod Marredpally
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Mahima B Masab Tank
And it’s only going to get worse. As India continues its effort to move from an undeveloped, agrarian economy into a developed, information-age economy, where will employers find the educated people to power that shift? Not in Indian universities, at least from what PISA and I have seen. What’s the solution? I can think of a dozen steps to take to start to fix this dreadful situation, but the real solution starts with parents. So I dare you, parents. Give the test to your kid. A 5th grader should get perhaps 4 to 5 right, a high school student 7 to 8 right, and a
TALK BACK Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
college grad perhaps 9 to 10. If your kid strikes out, DO NOT STAND FOR IT. Take it up with your school. Badger the principal. Ask him or her how a 10th grade kid doesn’t know that the earth orbits the sun! Badger the teachers. Ask them how a 5th grader doesn’t know how old they will be in seven years? Badger anyone. But DO NOT STAND FOR IT. This is your child’s future at stake. This is India’s future at stake. (A foreigner’s observations on living, working, surviving and thriving in India)
Hail Postnoon
Healthy news
A couple of friends recommended Postnoon to me and I was pleasantly surprised to see an afternoon daily that is a complete package of news, views, entertainment, features and more. I'm a huge movie buff, so I was particularly taken with your knowledge central page which was on Akira Kurosawa. It's rarely that we see Indian newspapers give space to great international filmmakers, especially outside Hollywood. I request you to do many more stories like this on your film pages.
I started reading Postnoon almost two months ago and even though I have liked a number of articles in your paper, I have never written to you till date. But I didn't get the paper for a couple of days and then realised how much of my daily routine it has become to pick up the paper. I love your health pages. Yesterday, you did a story on sunstrokes and I thought it was very well written and is very apt considering how the temperatures are soaring. I simply wish to say... keep up the good work. Parimal Singhania Vidyanagar
Suresh Nair Erragadda
Rhythm Nation Sana Mirza sana.m@postnoon.com
I
t was a performance by a band at school which caught Joel S. Godi's fascination. It was then that his romance with the six-stringed instrument started. He was left in awe with the amount of attention the instrument could garner. “I had attended a concert back when I was in school and it was of a band that was quite popular at that time. One of the girls from the crowd, ran
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
up on stage and kissed the guitarist. That's when I decided I wanted to play the guitar too,” he says with a smirk. Joel was only 13 when he decided to make the switch from the piano to the guitar, a more expressive instrument as he likes to describe it and of course something that would easily get him the girls. “My mum and I were taking piano lessons and after completing four grades of classical piano, I thought it was too nice an instrument for me. I was more inclined towards play-
ing something more expressive. I wanted to make intense music,” says Joel. Joel who has been playing for the last 10 years is now the lead guitarist for a popular citybased band called Skyrpt . “I just need a reason to play. I do play at gigs with Skyrpt but when we are not touring or are not performing, I am doing acoustic nights with Subhash at Xtreme Sports Bar in Jubilee Hills. I also take private tuitions and teach guitar to about 60 students everyday and it’s all
pretty advanced stuff,” he informs going on to add, “A lot of kids learning guitar these days only want to be part of bands and so I tell them that it is just not about that. It is more important to make good music than to make any music. People associate you more with the kind of music you make as it tells a lot about your character.” Joel derives his inspiration from metal bands across the world. “I believe that one does not necessarily have to be influenced by a great musician. In
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fact, I was inspired by an ordinary guitar player. It's all about making music,” he opines Joel also recently started to learn jazz. “Playing jazz has had a major influence on the kind of music that I make now. I consider jazz to be intellectual music and it's all about technicality,” he says. Joel will be performing as part of the Acoustic Live nights that begins this March 23 at the Via Milano restaurant at Jubilee Hills. Be there to watch him play.
SIX-STRINGS ATTACHED Joel S Godi is all for making intense music and believes that one’s character is associated with the kind of music one makes
iTUNES Top 10
Now 41
Know (feat. Kimbra)
Kahaani
Gotye
Various artists
The Wanted Wild Ones (feat. Sia) Flo Rida What Makes You Beautiful One Direction Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) Kelly Clarkson Call Me Maybe Carly Rae Jepsen Drive By Train Part of Me Katy Perry
Own the night Lady Antebellum Mylo Xyloto Coldplay Whitney: The Greatest Hits Whitney Houston Take Care Drake Tha Carter IV Lil Wayne Spring Break 4... Suntan Cit... Luke Bryan Break It Yourself Andrew Bird
Glad You Came
We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monáe) Fun. Eyes Open Taylor Swift Somebody That I Used to
Bollywood Top 10
Billboard Top 10
Wrecking Ball Bruce Springsteen 21 Adele
O Saiyyan Agneepath Hosanna
Raabta Agent Vinod Tore Bina
Ek Deewana Tha Piya tu Kahe Roothe Re Kahaani Pungi Agent Vinod Thehree si Zindagi London Paris New York I will do the talking tonight Agent Vinod Mann Jaage Bittoo Boss Chaahat Blood Money
H‑Factor
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
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Sparkle ’n’ shine this summer
Meditation helps speed up the brain?
Heat, dust and pollution can damage your eyes. But with a few smart tips you can continue to shine all summer long
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esearchers at UCLA have discovered that meditation may speed up brain processing. The study that appears in the online edition of the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, suggests that long-term meditators have larger amounts of gyrification, essentially the folding of the cortex that helps speed up the brain, than those who don't practice meditation, said ScienceDaily. "Rather than just comparing meditators and non-meditators, we wanted to see if there is a link between the amount of meditation practice and the extent of brain alteration,” MedicalExpress quoted Eileen Luders, an assistant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, as saying. “That is, correlating the number of years of medi-
Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com
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s the sun blazes down upon us, everybody’s making a beeline to the stores to pick up some of the best quality sunscreen to slather on or comfortable cotton clothes to help the skin breathe. Preparations for summer are in full gear, but what about protecting the eyes — the windows to your soul? While most people take every care possible to prevent sun damage to their hair and skin, few people think about the eyes. But it’s about time you did — after all who wants to be spotted with dull, tired, dry eyes? Just like we slather on the sunscreen to protect our skin from sun damage, wearing protective eye wear is essential to keep the eyes safe from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Prolonged exposure to the sun may lead to the early onset of cataracts (these usually occur as age advances), retinal damage, macular degeneration, skin cancer near the eye, photokeratitis (sunburn of the cornea, this is reversible) and other eye
TAME THE SUN problems. Wearing big sunglasses that cover the entire eye work much better for the Indian sun, and considering they’re in fashion it works just as well. They help keep the sun and dust out. If you’re planning a beach holiday or a poolside brunch with friends, keep those shades on, simply because light tends to reflect off water. After a day of sun exposure redness can occur in the eyes and for people with sensitive eyes, the cornea may get damaged if they aren’t protected. Come summer and eye allergies are bound to go up thanks to the dust and heat — hence the need for special care for the eyes. “All day exposure to the dust and heat can cause the eyes to be dry and gritty, making one uncomfortable. For people with sensitive eyes or photophobia it is all the more necessary to take precautions while stepping out
during the day. Wearing sunglasses or even plain glasses helps prevent sun damage. Besides, glasses also help protect the eyes from dust and foreign bodies,” says Dr Ramakrishna G, opthalmologist. UV rays from the sun are divided into UVA and UVB and while shopping for sunglasses this summer, you should ideally pick up one that blocks both these rays. Wearing a wide brimmed hat will not just accentuate your chic look but also offer added protection to your eyes. Often after a day out in the heat you may find that
your eyes are gritty and dry. “This happens due to evaporation and can leave one with an uncomfortable feeling in the eyes. But there are several artificial tears available in the market that one can use to combat this. These help clear the eyes and leave them moist again. It also helps to wash the eyes with clean water after returning home,” says Dr Ramakrishna. For added soothing you could also try placing slices of cucumber or potato on your eyes for 15 minutes. These not only help relax tired eyes but also leave them feeling fresh and rejuvenated.
tation with the degree of folding." The research used MRI scans to compare the brains of 50 meditators to 50 non-meditators. The meditators were selected from a number of different styles of meditation and had practiced for an average of 20 years. The Examiner reported that the most significant discovery was the positive correlation between the number of meditation years and the amount of gyrification. "Meditators are known to be masters in introspection and awareness as well as emotional control and self-regulation, so the findings make sense that the longer someone has meditated, the higher the degree of folding in the insula," said Luders. Earlier studies of meditation from UCLA have shown that those who meditate have more gray matter, more connections between regions and less atrophy, said The Examiner. GLOBAL POST
H‑Factor
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
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Anti-inflammatory drug to reduce altitude sickness? WASHINGTON: The antiinflammatory drug ibuprofen can reduce acute altitude sickness suffered by a quarter of the millions of people who travel to the mountains to ski or hike, according to a clinical study published on Tuesday. Grant Lipman, the Stanford University researcher who led the study, described altitude sickness as being like “a really nasty hangover.” The symptoms include headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and poor appetite. In the worst cases, altitude sickness can cause cerebral edema, an often fatal brain swelling. Ibuprofen, an active ingredient in over-the-counter painkillers, reduced altitude sickness symptoms by 26 per cent in a study of 58 men and 28 women, Lipman and his research team reported. The study was published in the online version of the Annals of Emergency Medicine. The study participants traveled to an area of the White Mountains northeast of Bishop, California, where they spent the night at 4,100 feet. At 8 am, they were given either 600 milligrams of ibuprofen or a placebo before heading up a mountain to a staging area at 11,700 feet. There, they were given a second dose at 2 pm. They then hiked to 12,570 feet, where they received a third dose at 8 pm before spending the night on the mountain. Of the 44 participants who received ibuprofen, 19, or 43 percent, suffered symptoms of altitude sickness, whereas 29 of the
42 participants who received placebos had symptoms, according to the study. In other words, ibuprofen reduced the incidence of the illness by 26 per cent, the report said. Among study participants who suffered altitude sickness,
symptoms were less severe in the persons who took ibuprofen, the researchers reported. At high altitudes, decreased atmospheric pressure reduces oxygen molecules in the air, making it harder for people to breathe. Some researchers believe alti-
tude sickness occurs because a lack of oxygen to the brain causes it to swell with fluids. Ibuprofen appears to reduce the swelling, according to the Stanford researchers. Other altitude sickness drugs are available, but they can have
more undesirable side effects than ibuprofen, according to the researchers. Ibuprofen’s milder side effects can include the possibility of gastrointestinal and kidney problems in people who are dehydrated, the researchers said. AFP
Food aroma changes could lead to weight loss A
ccording to a new study, stronger aromas may lead to smaller bites — in a finding that may help control portion sizes. The study by researchers at the Top Institute of Food and Nutrition fitted 10 people aged 26 to 50 with a nose piece that was able to increase and decrease the aroma intensity of a custard. Patients were also fitted with a feeding tube that pumped the custard into their mouths, which
they could control using a button. According to the Atlantic, as the aroma increased in intensity, people took smaller bites. “Bite size was associated with the aroma presented for that bite and also for subsequent bites (especially for the second to last bite),” says Rene de Wijk, the lead author, according to WebMD. The reason for the smaller bites could be that people are instinctively repulsed by strong odors and try to limit the expo-
sure to the senses. Researchers hope that the new study could help people to control portion sizes and, contribute to weight loss. "This study suggests that manipulating the odor of food could result in a 5-10% decrease in intake per bite,” reads the study. “Combining aroma control with portion control could fool the body into thinking it was full with a smaller amount and aid weight loss.” GLOBAL POST
F‑Folio
Because you are what you wear
THE WORLD PICS: AFP/ MOHD RASFAN
It’s all glitter and shine in Malaysia. Designers Minnie Loo and Lois Lee presented their creations during the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Fashion Grand Prix in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Let’s head over to Moscow then where Russian designer Slava Zaitsev delivered a fabulous show during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Moscow to mark the Slava Zaitsev brand’s 50th anniversary.
PICS: AFP/NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
20&21
OF FASHION PICS : AFP/ YOSHIKAZU TSUNO
Montonari Ono is a brand with a sense of couture that offers stiff competition to any highend US or European brand. Montonari Ono proved that once again with the fabulous 20122013 Autumn Winter collection he had on display as part of the Tokyo Fashion Week. Meanwhile in a unique collaboration 16 designers, representing the countries participating in the Euro 2012 football championship, are acting as fashion ambassadors for their countries in Kiev, Ukraine, in honour of the 14th football championship. British designers, the Rodnik Band, Polish designer La Mania and Italian designers Carta a Costura were some of them who showcased their work .
PICS: AFP / SERGEI SUPINSKY
Spotlight
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
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DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Colours of summer DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Ladies take a bow Last day of college always brings a lot of memories. The final year students of St Francis College created some of their own at their farewell party on Thursday.
Anahita launched her summer extravaganza collection on Thursday.
We got the look
All smiles Actors Genelia D’Souza and Rana Daggubati posed for the lensmen while they promoted their film Naa Ishtam in the city on Thursday. Leading brand for grooming – WAHL launched its high quality grooming products at the Look & Learn Seminar in the city on Thursday.
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Magic Screen
D I S P L A YA
D S RATE ` 150 sq. cm
For Further Details Please Contact Abhinay 9989399972 Nandlal 9951467988 Ravi Chander 8106039919
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
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Magic Screen
The glamour behind the glitz
LOPEZ, SMART NOT YET MARRIED
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representative for Jennifer Lopez has rubbished reports that the singer has secretly married her beau, dancer Casper Smart. Star magazine had reported that the couple had secretly tied the knot in Mexico and that Smart, 24, wants to adopt her four-year-old twins Max and Emme. “This story is completely false,” a magazine quoted Lopez’s representative as saying. IANS
Kidman, Holmes have an ‘awkward’ run in
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ctresses Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes had an awkward run in when they bumped into each other at a private club. Kidman married actor Tom Cruise in 1990 but they divorced in 2001. Cruise later married Holmes. And bumping into each other was an awkward moment for both of them, reports a website. “When Katie walked upstairs to
the lounge, she saw Nicole and immediately looked away like she was trying very hard to avoid eye contact with her. It was like she was taken off guard — it was like a standoff,” a source told a magazine. “They didn’t even say hi. It was so awkward! She (Nicole) just looked at Katie, then looked away. But after Katie noticed Nicole in the lounge, she quickly walked to the patio area,” the source added.
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
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Magic Screen In a chat with Postnoon, Shruti Haasan talks about her upcoming film 3 and why she's so excited about her role Hemanth Kumar hemanth.k@postnoon.com
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hruti Haasan combines her wit and no nonsense approach when it comes to talking about her life and her films. We remind her what an eventful year she has had so far which included a dinner invite from the Prime Minister's Office and not to forget the endless gossip about her personal life. "You can't link the two! That would be politically incorrect," Shruti chuckles. She reveals that she's been ill for the past few days but that doesn't dampen her spirit when it comes to talking about two of her upcoming films 3 and Gabbar Singh. Why's the film named 3? "I can't reveal that because the whole essence of the film is in the title," she says. Fair enough. In 3, she's playing a character named Janani and the film has been directed by Aishwarya Dhanush. "I have heard people talk about 'getting into the character'. I became an actor to discover a new side to myself. Whatever I had learnt about acting, it was all on the set; however, for the first time in my career, I realised that the character didn't leave me even after completing the film. We completed the film in three months and I was so engrossed in the film that I didn't mind the long working hours. I think all these factors helped me to stay in the character," Shruti reveals. One of the songs in the film, Why This Kolaveri Di became a viral sensation. We ask her if there's a danger of this song taking the focus away from the film. "3 is much more than just Kolaveri," she avers and adds, "The film is not like the mood of the song, but certainly it's an intrinsic part of the film. Maybe, I would have been concerned about the repercussions if such a song was part of any other film, but 3 has a lot running on its
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
3 is more than just Kolaveri own." She's all praises for her co-star Dhanush and director Aishwarya Dhanush. "She's the third debutant director I have worked with and the energy with which she worked on this film was incredible. There's definitely a factor of different perspective, sensibility and mood while working with a woman director which makes it all the more special. And Dhanush was a fabulous co-star to work with and he helped me at each and every stage whenever I hit a roadblock," she says. Apart from films and music, there's something else which she can't resist. Food. "I am a big foodie and of late I have had an overdose of cupcakes and biryani. I think I must get back to eating healthy food," she says. For the past few weeks, her
tweets have left us puzzled and we ask her why she talks about fighting back et al so much. "Oh...please. You don't have to read so much between the lines. My tweets oscillate between food and philosophy. Before I got into music and films, I used to write poetry. Of late, whatever triggers a thought in my mind results in a tweet," she explains Later this month, she's going to join the cast of her upcoming film Gabbar Singh in Europe to shoot the rest of the film. "After melting me in the sun, I think my team has decided to freeze me," she
quips. Jokes apart, what about the comparisons which are bound to be made since it's a remake of Dabangg? "There have been lot of modifications to the script and I have an interesting role in the film. Frankly, I have always thought that Dabangg was a Telugu film. If Salman Khan was talking in Telugu, I am sure none of us would have complained. It was different for them, but it's something we do best," Shruti Haasan signs off. 3 is slated for release on March 30 and Gabbar Singh is expected to hit the screens on May 9.
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T-TOWN TWEETIES
@actressanjjanaa Cinema is 100 per cent hardwork + 80 per cent luck atleast !! If not followed by luck, hardwork gives a lotta recognition but delayed success.
@taapsee Wrapping up d shoot for chashmebaddoor in Mauritius. N d beaches r undoubtedly my best holiday destination too.
@pnavdeep26 Updated d ps3 n lost all d games! went to buy a dvd player ended up buyin a macbook! and almost bought a cockerspaniel! watta dayyyyy! Lol.
@shrutihaasan It’s all about timing with true colours.u can pretend only so long. Renovate the inside before u get consumed by your own outer appearance.
@shraddhadas43 Today is my mother’s birthday and I am not able to celebrate it with her... love her a lot,the only person who loves me unconditionally!
@actor_nithiin My dir vikrams next film is the biggest multistarrer ever with the heroes of 3Generations who belong to the same family!! Supa happy for him.
@sundeepkishan Dola Re from my buddy Aadhi’s LOVELY on repeat mode... Anup seems to be on a roll..excited to see Aadhi's dance moves for this one :)
@prakashraaj Celebrating my lil daughters birthday in Kodai with family n friends. How I luv this place Cheersss.
Chai Time
KAKURO
How to play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play Kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
SCRIBBLING PAD
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa
26
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Powerful feline 5 Period of mourning in Judaism 11 ___ la la (singing syllables) 14 Burl who told the story of Rudolph 15 Cocktail-party appetiser 16 Twenty-year sleeper or embarrassing sound 17 One followed by 15 zeroes 19 Nail down or cool down 20 Bones in forearms 21 Honeymoon destination Niagara ____ 22 Super criminal Luthor 23 Words before ‘1-2-3’ or ‘A-B-C’ 25 Hang around 27 Rich person 33 Zilch 37 Figure skating category 38 Caroling song 39 Shouts at the bullring 40 Keglers' org 41 Curry and Coulter 42 Somewhat, on a score 43 They may be found hanging in malls 45 ‘What A Wonderful World’ opening 46 One followed by 18 zeros 49 ‘Look before you ___’ 50 ‘Casablanca’ star Humphrey 55 Orioles ironman 57 Far from promising 61 Cry from a judge 62 61, in old Rome 63 Even richer person 65 ‘Xanadu’ rock band 66 Make possible 67 God, in Latin class 68 Boggy land 69 Supply's counterpart 70 Phoenix basketball team DOWN 1 Stimulate, as curiosity 2 Lobe at the middle of the soft palate
3 ‘By all ___!’ 4 Words after ‘clear’ or ‘bright’ 5 ___-fi movie 6 Fifty percent 7 ‘To Live and Die ___’ (1985 movie) 8 Colorado ski resort 9 Early NASA missions 10 Muppet creator Jim 11 National debt word 12 ‘Dirty’ Cajun dish 13 Topmost point 18 Use a juicer 24 Drink hot tea 26 Island veranda 28 Flap in the fashion industry 29 Written defamation 30 Shah's subject, once 31 Russo of the ‘Lethal Weapon’ series 32 ‘What ___ can I say?’
33 M-R connection 34 Baseball's Moises, Felipe, Jesus or Matty 35 One followed by 33 zeros 36 How two hearts may beat 43 A call here may lead to an arrest 44 Cry out loud 47 Like some folders 48 Lunchtime, for many 51 Mortarboard tossers 52 ‘Farewell’ from France 53 Second showing 54 Lock of hair 55 Musical staff
SUDOKU
symbol 56 Car bar 58 Actor Jack of old Westerns 59 Jessica of Hollywood 60 Baking chamber 64 British ref work PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
THOUGHT OF THE DAY Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. – Will Rogers
Chai Time STAR POWER
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR
As per Hindu panchang
FOR 24-3-2012
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118
TAURUS
GEMINI
You will struggle as hard as possible and succeed. Friends will extend help and support at a right time. Sudden trips will be beneficial and make you cheerful. Avoid anger and fear.
All work undertaken will end success‑ fully. VIPs will help you and extend their support. Share in ancestral prop‑ erty will come without much difficulty. Those seeking job will get a chance.
Your list of adventures keeps growing. You will get closer to persons of high esteem and VIPs. Money will come from all expected sources. Help and support likely from spouse's relatives.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Your approach will help get work done without hurdles. Peaceful atmosphere will prevail at home. Powerful officials will extend help. Your influence is set to increase. You will march ahead.
New efforts will succeed. Those await‑ ing visa to go abroad can get favourable news. Renovation and expansion of house likely. Applied loan will get green signal. Be cautious with your opinions.
Financial situation will improve. Some have bright chances to go for pilgrim‑ age. You might be busy in making necessary arrangements for son's high‑ er studies. Expenses upset you.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Challenging tasks also will be dealt by you wisely and success is yours. House construction will resume and get com‑ pleted. Govt officials will extend help. Court verdicts will end in your favour.
You will march ahead by applying your experienced abilities. You might be forced to sell old property. Elder brother will extend support. Avoid fighting for ancestral property.
Administrative abilities will increase. A sound financial position is seen. Those awaiting job calls will get favourable result. Govt sops will come through. Property share from father side likely.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Anger will spoil your reputation and earn enemies; avoid it as much as possi‑ ble. Nerve and skin problems likely; take treatment. Avoid wasteful expendi‑ ture as income will be just enough.
You will look cheerful. Ancestral prop‑ erty will come to you. Good news on the cards through spouse. Your social status is set to improve. Some have bright chance to buy a new vehicle.
You will become emotional often and talk under that influence. Try to control the same. You might be scolded by fam‑ ily because of your angry behaviour. Marriage efforts will be successful.
SUMAA TEKUR
FOR 24-3-2012
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Queen of Wands – Your imagination is high. Itʼs likely that your mind is cooking up situations that are not for real. Donʼt confront any‑ one or invite conflict.
Seven of Wands – Expect some good news in an email or letter from overseas. Consider all options carefully before you go ahead with a major move.
The Magician – You come across several synchronicities. They always were . But you begin to notice them now. You have the ability to make the most of your talents.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
The Wheel of Fortune – Nothing ever stays the same. You need to realise and appreciate the fact that bad ti‑ mes will eventually give way to good times.
Seven of Swords – Avoid any kind of conflict, whether at home or work. You will find yourself in a sticky situation, unable to get out easily. Act smart.
Page of Swords – Watch out for signs of a burn out. Youʼve been spending way too much time in the office. Take a long break and return renewed.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
The World – Conquer your fear and go ahead with what youʼve wanted to do for a long time. Have confidence that the plans will work out just fine.
Two of Pentacles – Though the financial burden has been heavy on you the past few months, your planning has been good and it takes you through tight spots.
King of Pentacles – Your work is being noticed by influential people in the busi‑ ness. You hear of an authoritative person praising your work. New contacts help.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Six of Wands – You keep busy with a number of commit‑ ments, prior appoint‑ ments and deliveries both at work and at home. Take fewer coffee breaks today.
Seven of Pentacles – You are putting all your skills to good use. There are times when you feel disap‑ pointed about not being able to achieve to your max. Donʼt be.
The High Priestess – You achieve calm and peace through the familiarity of routine. Itʼs something like Zen meditation. Stick to the routine if it makes you feel good.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
SOLUTIONS
Boggle CAB CAR JEEP BIKE TRUCK TRAIN
Number game
Suduko
Scrabble
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ
27
Vol: 1, No 250 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
Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Missamma 2030 Edureetha 2100 Dammu 2200 CID 2300 Challenge 0730 Maa Punyakshetralu 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Real City 0900 Movie 1200 Movie
1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Sumangali 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 Swathi 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Nippu Special 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0700 News 0730 Subhalagnam - Live 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Special Programmes 0930 Movie 1130 Adhi Matter 1200 Movie
1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Suvreen Guggal 1600 [V] Trailers 1625 [V] Fresh Songs 1630 [V] Zabardast Hits 1830 [V] Suvreen Guggal 1900 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1930 [V] Humse Hai Life 2000 [V] Suvreen Guggal 2030 Indian Princess 2100 [V] Vignettes 2130 [V] Trailers 2155 [V] Fresh Songs 2200 [V] Vignettes 2230 [V] Humse Hai Life 2300 [V] Suvreen Guggal 2330 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 0700 [V] Trailers 0730 [V] Zabardast Hits 0800 [V] Mind Blasting Mornings 1100 [V] Fresh Songs
‘[V] Suvreen Guggal’ at 1830 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]
1300 News Now At 1 1330 News Now 1800 6 PM 1830 Live Report 1900 Primetime 1930 The Game 2000 News Now At 8 2030 Live Report 2100 The Newshour 2200 10 PM 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 2330 News Now Overnight 0900 News Now 0930 The Hidden Truth 1000 News Now
‘The Newshour’ at 2100 Hrs only on TIMES NOW
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings
1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 Paduta Teeyaga 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Wow 2245 Movie 0700 Etv News 0730 Subhamastu 0800 Jeevana Jyothi 0830 Tollywood Time 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi
1400 Ardhangi 1430 Movie 1800 Meera 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupukunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Baghyalakshmi Bumper Offer 2230 Shree 2300 Chitrapuri 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Subhamastu 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Movie 1230 Mee Inti Vanta 1300 Movie
1440 Whacked Out Sports 1510 The Rachel Zoe Project 1605 Wipeout 1700 Supernatural 1800 Chuck 1900 Most Daring 2000 Whacked Out Sports 2030 E Buzz 2100 24 2200 Movie - The Golden Compass 0700 Sky Teleshopping 0800 Infomercial/30 Min 0830 Sky Teleshopping 0900 Wipeout 0950 Most Daring 1240 Movie - The Golden Compass
‘The Golden Compass’ at 2200 Hrs on AXN
‘Dwarkadheesh’ at 2000 Hrs on IMAGINE 1400 Haar Jeet 1430 Jamuna Paar 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1600 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1630 Jamuna Paar 1700 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1730 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1800 Jamuna Paar 1830 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Gyaan Guru 2000 Dwarkadheesh - Bhagwan Shri Krishn 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Jamuna Paar 2130 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Jamuna Paar
1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Your Trades 1800 Rush Hour 1830 Tee Time With Shaili Chopra 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Your Trades 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At 10 2230 Et Insight 2300 Et Interview 2330 Your Trades 0700 Starting Up 0730 Et Insight 0800 Tee Time With Shaili Chopra 0830 The Market Makers 0900 Your Trades 0930 Investor's Guide 1000 Talking Technicals
‘Hawan’ at 1900 Hrs on COLORS
‘M K K P B’ at 2200 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Choti Bahu 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Hitler Didi 1830 Punar Vivaah 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Choti Bahu 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milaayi Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Punar Vivaah 2300 Afsar Bitiya 2330 Hitler Didi 1230 Afsar Bitiya
1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1430 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1530 Crime Patrol - Dastak 1930 Shubh Vivah 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2030 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2100 Saas Bina Sasuraal 2130 Parvarrish - Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi 2200 CID 2300 Crime Patrol - Dastak 2330 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 0700 Telebrands 0730 Sky Star Advertising 0900 Movie - King No. 1 1230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai
‘King No. 1’ at 0900 Hrs on SONY
‘Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein’ at 2200 Hrs on STAR PLUS 1400 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1500 Navya 1530 Diya Aur Bati Hum 1600 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1630 Sasuraal Genda Phool 1700 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1730 Star Parivaar Awards 2012 – Aapka Star Aapke Shehar 1800 Navya 1830 Ruk Jana Nahin 1900 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1930 Sasuraal Genda Phool 2000 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2030 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 2100 Diya Aur Bati Hum 2130 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 2200 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 2230 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 2300 Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?
MOVIES OF THE DAY AND OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
1515 The Lord Of The Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring 1850 Crocodile Dundee Il 2100 Cloverfield 2240 The Final Destination 0825 The Naked Gun - From The Files Of Police Squad! 1000 Rise 1145 The Lord Of The Rings - The Return Of The King
‘Top 10 At 10’ at 2200 Hrs only on ET NOW
1400 Parichay - Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka 1430 Balika Vadhu 1500 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1530 Uttaran 1630 Parichay 1700 Sasural Simar Ka 1730 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1800 Uttaran 1830 Balika Vadhu 1900 Hawan 1930 Sasural Simar Ka 2000 Balika Vadhu 2030 Veer Shivaji 2100 Chhal Sheh Aur Maat 2130 Parichay - Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado
29
1435 Congo 1655 Accepted 1850 Treasure Guards 2100 The Scorpion King 2305 Black Water 0800 Connor Undercover 0900 Curious George 2 - Follow That Monkey! 1045 Ong Bak 3 - The Final Warrior 1245 The Scorpion King
‘Tattoo Hunter’ at 2300 Hrs on DISCOVERY
1400 My Kitchen Rules 1500 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 1530 America's Funniest Home Videos 1600 My Wife And Kids 1630 Scrubs 1700 Rookie Blue 1800 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 1900 Outsourced 1930 Scrubs 2000 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 My Kitchen Rules 2200 Rookie Blue 2300 Outsourced 2330 My Wife And Kids 0900 America's Funniest Home Videos 1000 Criss Angel 1100 The Big Bang Theory
1400 I Should'nt Be Alive 1600 Swamp Brothers 1630 Factory Made 1700 Survivors 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 I Almost Got Away With It? 2000 Man Vs Wild 2100 East To West 2200 Dual Survival 2300 Tattoo Hunter 1000 Man Woman Wild 1100 Rebuilding Japan 1130 Destroyed In Seconds 1200 Dual Survival
‘My Wife And Kids’ at 2330 Hrs on ZEE CAFE
Sasural Simar Ka Storyline - Manoranjan calls a chamatkari baba to Bharadwaj House to keep her away from chicken pox. Because of the smoke of Pooja hawan, Mataji feels uneasy.
CID Storyline - Expensive statues are getting stolen and people are getting killed. CID gets into the case and catches an old couple in the action. The couple ends up killing someone. ‘CID’ at 2200 Hrs on SONY
‘Sasural Simar Ka’ at 1930 Hrs on COLORS
‘Joey’ at 2300 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Supernatural 1500 The River 1600 Joey 1630 The Simpsons 1700 Unforgettable 1800 Supernatural 1900 Desperate Housewives 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 Criminal Minds 2300 Joey 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 Dexter 0800 Person Of Interest 0900 Castle 1000 Pan Am 1100 Friends 1200 Joey
1400 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1430 Chidiya Ghar 1700 Gutur Gu 1730 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1900 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1930 Lapataganj - Sharad Joshi Ki Kahaniyon Ka Pata 2000 I Luv My India 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiyaghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj Mein Fir 2300 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2330 Chidiyaghar 0700 Religious Slot 0800 Teleshopping 0830 Religious Slot 0900 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ at 2030 Hrs on SAB TV
‘Cloverfield’ at 2100 Hrs on WB
‘Phas Gaye Re Obama’ at 1230 Hrs on ZOOM 1230 Movie - Phas Gaye Re Obama 1600 Let'z Go! 1700 Telly Talk 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Let'z Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood 1930 The Zoom Review Show 2000 Let'z Go! 2100 Telly Talk 2130 The Zoom Review Show 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Link'D 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Let'z Go! 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Let'z Go! 1100 Your Likes 1200 Garama Garam 1230 Bollywood Big Story 1300 Zabar 10 1330 Telly Talk
1400 Megascience 1430 Extreme Engineering 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 The Indestructibles 1700 Million 2 One 1730 Modern Sniper 1930 How The Universe Works 2030 Heavy Metal Taskforce 2130 Greatest Ever 2230 Heavy Metal Task Force 2330 Industrial Revelations 1030 The Indestructibles 1100 Million 2 One 1130 Extreme Engineering 1330 How The Universe Works
‘How The Universe Works’ at 1930 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE
‘Lucha Libre’ at 2200 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME 1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Aspire 1600 Galileo Extreme 1700 Survivor 1800 Entertainment Tonight 1830 Galileo Extreme 1930 Frasier 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Hawaii 5.0 2200 Lucha Libre 2300 Jerry Springer 0700 Aspire 0730 Galileo Extreme 0800 Survivor 1000 Lucha Libre 1100 Galileo Extreme 1130 Big Wheels 1200 Aspire 1230 Galileo Extreme 1300 Movie - The Way Of The Gun
Playing Field
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
The games people play
29
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Trailer before the thriller Rajesh Ravindran rajeshtajmon@gmail.com
T
he polo match held at the Bison Polo Ground on Thursday afternoon was like the movie trailer of a blockbuster. Usually in a polo match, there are six sessions called chukkers in which two teams with four players each vie for victory on horseback. But here the teams had only three players each from the Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club (HPRC) with only two chukkers being played. A toned down affair, ostensibly, yet a fine forerunner of the fun that would follow once Hyderabad’s polo season kicks off in September. The spectators which comprised mostly Army personnel and their families, were served ‘starters’, too, before the main course; a cycle polo match between the Bison and Southern Star which the latter won 62. And in between the chukkers of the cycle polo match were served aperitifs. If the dance performed by the AP cultural troupe might be called the mild one, the Kalaripayattu performed by the team from the Madras Regiment was the stronger stuff. There was a big applause for the warriors who sparred with swords, spears, and the long, lethal urumi to the rhythm of chendamelam. The event was not with-
out its light moments. One of the riders was thrown off the horse to the ground and the “riderless” horse happily made a fast parade before the spectators. There was also an excellent display of tent pegging by head constable Guman Singh on his horse Ganga. Tent pegging involves making contact with targets pegged on the ground by a rider with a javelin or sword while riding a horse. Guman Singh hit his targets, first with the javelin, and then with the sword and rode off with the cheers of the crowd ringing in his wake. So the trailer looked promising. But how’s the polo scene in Hyderabad? Chats with some of the polo players after the match revealed that it is not thriving as it is in Delhi and Jodhpur. “But I think things are getting better,” said Kaushik Kumar, a polo player of the HPRC who also happens to be a gold medallist at the National equestrian championship that was held last year at Bangalore. “The tag of 'a rich man’s game' is not helping much, and the government has not done much in promoting the sport,” said Khader Siddiqui, the coach at HPRC. Yet the growing interest among the youth in pursuing the sport gives him and polo lovers in the city a ray of hope.
Playing Field
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
The games people play
30
SA in control against Kiwis WELLINGTON: South Africa were 136 for two when bad light stopped play on a weather-disrupted first day of the third and final Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve on Friday. Hashim Amla made 63 and Alviro Petersen was 44 not out. Only 42 overs were possible after the morning session was lost because of a wet outfield following heavy overnight rain, and poor light ended play an hour early.Earlier, Hashim Amla and Alviro Petersen made light of favourable bowling conditions as they reached 103 for one in the first session as the New Zealand bowlers failed to fire on a greentinged wicket under heavy cloud cover. Play was delayed for threeand-a-half hours following heavy rain in Wellington, and with conditions ripe for bowling, New Zealand captain Ross Taylor had no hesitation in putting South Africa in to bat. But New Zealand quicks Chris Martin, Doug Bracewell and Mark Gillespie lacked penetration, leaving Taylor to call on spinner Daniel Vettori and part-timer Dean Brownlie, whose two overs cost 20 runs.
South Africa could consider themselves unlucky to lose the one wicket to fall, skipper Graeme Smith, who was caught behind by Kruger van Wyk off the bowling of Bracewell for five. Smith appealed against the decision and television replays were inconclusive with a clear sound as the ball passed the bat but no touch registered with the hotspot detector. Brownlie was brought into the side at the expense of bowler Brent Arnel to bolster the batting line-up after New Zealand failed to make 200 in either innings of the second Test, where they were beaten by nine wickets. The other change to the New Zealand side is at the top of the order, where in-form Daniel Flynn was recalled to open the innings at the expense of Rob Nicol. South Africa reacted to the Wellington conditions by strengthening their pace attack with Marchant de Lange replacing spinner Imran Tahir. The other change in the tourists’ line-up is the inclusion of JP Duminy, who replaces Jacques Kallis, unavailable with a stiff neck. AFP
Scorecard South Africa 1st innings G. Smith c van Wyk b Bracewell 5 A. Petersen not out 44 H. Amla c van Wyk b Gillespie 63 JP Duminy not out 23 Extras: (w 1) 1 Total: (2 wickets; 42 overs) 136 To bat: AB de Villiers, J. Rudolph, M. Boucher, D. Steyn, V. Philander, M. Morkel, M. de Lange Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Smith), 2-106 (Amla) New Zealand Bowling: Martin 9-3-21-0, Bracewell 11-1-30-1, Gillespie 9-1-37-1 (1w), Vettori 11-3-28-0, Brownlie 2-0-20-0
Alviro Petersen of South Africa plays a shot on day one of the third and final Test match against New Zealand which is being played at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday. AFP/MARTY MELVILLE
Tseng fires 67 to share lead CARLSBAD: World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan, a winner in two of four starts this year, fired a fiveunder par 67 on Thursday to grab a share of the first-round lead at the LPGA Kia Classic. Tseng, a favorite in next week’s first major of the season at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, put herself in contention for a 15th career title this week after matching South Korean Ji Young Oh atop the leaderboard. “The course is pretty good and I was hitting the ball pretty well,” Tseng said. “I just try to focus on every shot in every tournament and give 100 percent
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng watches her drive during the first round of the Kia Classic on Thursday. AFP/HARRY HOW
effort. I know if I do a good job the effort will come through.” Tseng opened with three birdies in a row, answered a bogey at the par-3 eighth with a birdie at the par-4 ninth, then birdied both back-nine par-5s, the 12th and 17th holes, to stake her claim on the top spot. Tseng won 12 titles last year in a breakout season, seven of them in LPGA events and two at majors. She was second last year at the Kraft Nabisco at Rancho Mirage to American Stacy Lewis. Intensity and focus were trademarks for Tseng last season, but this year she has worked on
enjoying her efforts more. She has already defended a title in Thailand and captured the LPGA Founders Cup, memories that brought a smile. “This year my goal is to smile more on the golf course and to enjoy it,” Tseng said. Oh birdied two of the first three holes but like Tseng stumbled with her lone bogey at the eighth. She birdied the 12th and par-3 14th and closed with backto-back birdies to finish off her 67. “Everything was good for me. I just kept playing a really long time,” Oh said. AFP
Ponting rejects county offer SYDNEY: , Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting Friday rejected the chance to play county cricket this year as he bids to play one last Ashes series in England in 2013. The 37-year-old had been linked with English side Somerset but his manager James Henderson denied the reports via his Twitter account. Instead, Ponting plans to rest after the upcoming Test series against the West Indies before attempting to extend his career long enough to play another Ashes series. “Ricky is not turning his back on playing county cricket in the future but the 2012 season does not line up with his current priorities,” Henderson said. AFP
Playing Field
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
The games people play
Liverpool look to end slump
RESULTS Men 1st round: Ryan Harrison (USA) bt Potito Starace (ITA) 67 (6/8), 6-4, 6-4 Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) bt Jesse Levine (USA) 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/3) Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt Lukasz Kubot (POL) 63, 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/2) Albert Ramos (ESP) bt Simone Bolelli (ITA) 63, 6-1 Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER) bt Flavio Cipolla (ITA) 6-3, 7-5 Marcus Baghdatis (CYP) bt Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 6-1, 6-1 Sergei Bubka (UKR) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 64, 6-4 Benjamin Becker (GER) bt Olivier Rochus (BEL) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 Frank Dancevic (CAN) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 7-5, 7-6 (7/0) Bjorn Phau (GER) bt Carlos Berlocq (ARG) 6-4, 6-2 Bernard Tomic (AUS) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 David Goffin (BEL) bt Donald Young (USA) 75, 6-4 Gilles Muller (LUX) bt Alex Bogomolov (RUS) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) Guillermo GarciaLopez (ESP) bt Rajeev Ram (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (9/7) Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-4, 6-3
Women 2nd rd: Roberta Vinci (ITA x21) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 7-5, 6-1 Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Julia Goerges (GER x14) 6-2, 7-5 Sabine Lisicki (GER x12) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-3, 6-2 Mona Barthel (GER) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB x13) 6-0, 6-3 Yanina Wickmayer (BEL x23) bt Marina Erakovic (NZL) 6-3, 6-4 Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) bt Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP x25) 1-6, 64, 6-0 Serena Williams (USA x10) bt Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-2, 6-3 Peng Shuai (CHN x17) bt Stephanie Foretz Gacon (FRA) 6-1, 6-2 Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x19) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-1, 6-2 Iveta Benesova (CZE) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x26) 1-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (9/7) Samantha Stosur (AUS x6) bt Valeria Savinykh (RUS) 64, 6-0 Maria Sharapova (RUS x2) bt Shahar Peer (ISR) 4-6, 63, 6-3 Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Sara Errani (ITA x30) 3-6, 62, 7-5 Li Na (CHN x8) bt Melinda Czink (HUN) 7-5, 6-2 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x4) bt Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 6-4, 6-0
Kenny Dalgish
Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates after winning her match against Shahar Peer of Israel during day 4 of the Sony Ericsson Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on Thursday in Key Biscayne, Florida. AFP/MICHAEL REGAN
Venus, Maria in round 3 MIAMI: Serena Williams, saying she felt nervous and rusty, made a triumphant WTA return from a left ankle injury, defeating China’s Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday at the WTA and ATP Miami hardcourt event. Fellow former World No. 1 players Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki also advanced to the third round, which awarded byes in the first round to seeded players. In her first tournament
31
match since losing in the fourth round at the Australian Open, Williams fired six aces and connected on 64 percent of her first serves while dropping only one service break to advance in 80 minutes. “I was a little bit rusty and a little bit nervous too,” Williams said. “I haven’t played here for so long and I wanted to do well. So I was really nervous out there, but I think now I’ve gotten one under I’ll be better.” The 13-time Grand Slam
singles champion advanced to a third-round match against Italy’s Roberta Vinci, who ousted Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 7-5, 6-1. Tenth seed Williams, a five-time winner at Miami, missed the event the past two years because of illness and injury. “I’m always a little nervous in the first round. I kind of chill out after that,” Williams said. “Last time I played I played horrible and I was thinking as long as I don’t hit a ball into the
stands I’ll be good. “I didn’t do that today, so it worked out well for me.” Williams played for the US Fed Cup team last month, winning two singles matches in a 5-0 World Group II victory over Belarus. But she had not been in a tour match since losing to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova at Melbourne. Williams withdrew before her Brisbane quarter-final with a sore ankle in her only other WTA start this year. AFP
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool head into their Premier League match against relegationthreatened Wigan at Anfield on Saturday with supporters still wondering what to make of Kenny Dalglish’s squad. Dalglish has delivered a first trophy since 2006 with the victory over Cardiff in the League Cup final and the Reds will face either Everton or Sunderland in the FA Cup semifinals next month. But Liverpool’s Premier League form has been a cause for concern all season and their 3-2 loss at QPR -- where they led 2-0 -- in midweek was a ninth defeat in 29 league games. They have lost eight of their 15 away matches and their record in front of their own fans has also been a source of frustration. Dalglish’s team have only been beaten once, in a 2-1 defeat by Arsenal at the start of the month, but they have only managed five wins and Norwich, Swansea, Blackburn and Stoke are among eight teams to have left Anfield with a draw. It all adds up to them being 28 points off Premier League leaders and bitter rivals Manchester United and just 19 ahead of third bottom Bolton. Having spent around £110 million ($174 million) since he returned to Anfield in January last year, Dalglish will have expected a much greater return for his investment. After the QPR match, the Liverpool manager was left to rue his team’s familiar inability to take their chances. “We need to find answers and make sure we’re going to learn from it,” he said. “For most of the game we were dominant. We were really creative, thoughtful and professional, but they (QPR) have walked away with three points,” he went on to add. Dalglish continues to enjoy the adulation of Liverpool supporters due to his standing as one of the Merseyside club’s greatest players and his previous stint as Reds manager. But if the miserable onfield form continues against Wigan, he could well face the frustration of the fans. AFP
Playing Field
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012
The games people play
Lewis sets track on fire
McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton talks to the media at the Sepang International Circuit where the upcoming Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. AFP/SAEED KHAN SEPANG: Britain's Lewis Hamilton set the pace in opening free practice for the
Malaysian Grand Prix Friday as Mercedes also showed blistering speed aided by their con-
troversial new rear wing. McLaren driver Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, set
the quickest time of 1min 38.021sec in the 90-minute session, held in scorching heat at the Sepang circuit, half a second ahead of reigning titleholder Sebastian Vettel. Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher held the third and fourth positions, in a performance which will bring more attention to their new drag-reduction device despite its all-clear by Formula One officials. Lotus driver Romain Grosjean placed fifth ahead of Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, while McLaren's Jenson Button, who won last week's season-opener in Australia, was ninth. Despite concerns from many rival teams, the officials have raised no objections to Mercedes' "W-duct" rear wing which cleverly channels airflow to cut resistance on the nose when the Drag Reduction System (DRS) overtaking aid is engaged. AFP
IndyCar safer after Wheldon tragedy MIAMI: IndyCar’s 2012 season opens on Sunday with the debut of a safer chassis in the first race since last October’s tragic death of English driver Dan Wheldon, last year’s Indianapolis 500 winner, in a crash. A field of 26 drivers is set for the IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg with Scotsman Dario Franchitti launching his bid to match France’s Sebastian Bourdais by winning a fourth season title in a row. That would give Franchitti, the husband of actress Ashley
IN A FIERY 15-CAR CRASH, DAN WHELDON’S CAR WAS CATAPULTED INTO THE AIR AND INTO A SAFETY FENCE, SLAMMING INTO A POLE TO CAUSE WHELDON SEVERE HEAD INJURIES. Judd, a fifth overall crown, second in IndyCar history, two shy of A.J. Foyt’s all-time mark.
“There are as many as 15 cars capable of winning races and eight or 10 legitimate championship contenders,” Franchitti said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us, but I can’t wait for the season to begin. “Five would be nice, I would say.” Drivers and teams have spent months testing the new IndyCar chassis, which bears the initials DW in honor of Wheldon, who tested the design for months after winning at Indy before his fatal crash at age 33 in a race at
BLADES OF GLORY
First-placed Czech Martina Sablikova (C), second-placed German Stephanie Beckert (L) and thrid-placed Dutch Ireen Wust celebrate on the podium after the 3000 meters race during the 2012 World Distance Speed Skating Championships in the Thialf Stadium in Heerenveen on Thursday. AFP/JERRY LAMPEN
Las Vegas. In a fiery 15-car crash, Wheldon’s car was catapulted into the air and into a safety fence, slamming into a pole to cause Wheldon severe head injuries. “A few of us went to dinner and were telling stories about Dan, and there are a lot of them,” two-time Indy 500 winner Franchitti said. “But then you realize he’s not here and that’s the bad part.” IndyCar’s return comes on the Florida streets where Wheldon won the debut St. Pete race in 2005. AFP
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Standings after the first practice session 1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren
1:38.021 2. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull
1:38.535 3. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes
1:38.813 4. Michael Schumacher (GER) Mercedes
1:38.826 5. Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus-Renault
1:38.919, 6. Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull
1:39.092 7. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Lotus
1:39.128 8. Paul di Resta (GBR) Force India
1:39.298 9. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren
1:39.323 10. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India
1:39.440