Postnoon E-Paper for February 17th 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

ALL IN THE EYES! Y

our make-up succeeds or fails depending entirely on how well your eyes have been done. A City make-up artiste shows us how to achieve three of the many possible made-up-eye looks.

ASHTON KUTCHER WILL ALWAYS BE A CHEATER: SARA LEAL

ara Leal, who had a fling with Ashton Kutcher in the past, says the actor might cheat his new girlfriend Mila Kunis because “once a cheater, always a cheater”.

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FEBRUARY 17, 2013 HYDERABAD

ON SUNDAY

CITY COPS ON HIGH ALERT AS...

CHAIN-SNATCHING

A criminal gang went on a snatching spree in the City on Friday, pocketing 43 tolas of gold ornaments worth `12 lakh from eight women, causing the commissioners of police in Hyderabad and Cyberabad to pull up crime detection teams.

32 PAGES

GANG GOES ON CRIME SPREE

SPORTS THE WAY TO SEVENTH HEAVEN

e entice you to seven places in 2013 that hold great sporting events. Make it a double whammy while you are there.

REPORT ON PG 3 PG 16&17

BISPHENOL A MAY NOT BE AFFECTING HUMANS: STUDIES

CITY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE

Buy Art

M ANIL KUMAR

It is an anniversary art show of affordable art by 30 artists. All artworks are priced between `1,000 to `10,000. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Up to February 18 11:30am-7pm Contact: www.iconart.in

Hyderabad 360

Six French films will be screened with English subtitles. The opening film is Populaire, followed by In the House (Dans la maison) and Hand in Hand (Main dans la main). Where: Prasads IMAX When: February 19-21 Contact: hyderabad.afindia.org

Venky’s Veg The multicuisine veg restaurant completes one year today and is offering 10 per cent discount on the occasion. Where: Venky’s Veg, Public Garden Road, Nampally When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6666 7066

Yudh Sai Shree Arts presents Yudh, a Bharathanatyam solo by Savitha Sastry on war. Where: Ravindra Bharathi When: February 19, 7pm to 8:15pm Contact: (040) 2323 1245

My Breath on Canvas A photography exhibition by Ranjit Sinha on dance. Where: Goethe-Zentrum, Hyderabad When: Up to February 18, 9:30am to 5:30pm Contact: (040) 2335 0040

Golden Dragon Taj Krishna is hosting a Chinese New Year special meal. Master chef Hung Fong Ng is crafting an array of traditional delicacies. Where: Golden Dragon, Taj Krishna When: Up to February 17, Lunch: 12:30pm to 2:45pm Dinner: 7:30pm t 11:45pm Contact: (040) 6629 3309

Double the love Papa John’s offers heart shaped thin crust pizza for an entire month. It is available in all existent flavours and at no extra cost. Where: All Papa John’s outlets When: February

Korean Fest The ‘Streets of Korea’ fest features a choice of authentic street food from Korea. Items on the menu include samgyetang, bulgogi, odeng and kimchi.

CINEMAS

Display of works by Saraswathi L. Where: Muse, Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre When: Up to March 2

Sculptural paintings by Lester Paul will be on display. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Up to March 2, 11:30am to 7pm Contact: www.iconart.in

French Film Festival

Traditional Chinese dishes including dimsums, oriental barbeque and dumpling soup will be served. Where: The Square, Madhapur, Hitec City When: February 8-17 6:30pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422

Solo art show

Return Of Innocence

Live virtual and visual music by Puce Muse. Where: Qutb Shahi Tombs When: February 17, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4486

Chinese New Year

When: weekends, starting February 16, from 12pm to 6pm Contact: 94904 40986

Main Rahi Masoom Main Rahi Masoom is a play. It is a biographical sketch of the writer Dr Rahi Masoom Raza. Where: Lamakaan, Lane Adjacent to C-Bay Banjara Hills When: February 22 Contact: 96427 31329

A man performs this stunt at a wedding in the City. Where: Syn, Asian Grill & Bar, Taj Deccan When: February 18-28, 7:30pm to 11:45pm Contact: (040) 6652 3939

shops are for adults and will be held on weekends. When: Weekends starting from February 23, 11am onwards Contact: 94901 00404

The Landmark sale

Urban Stampede

Landmark announces its sale of Up to 70 per cent off. Bestselling books starting at `49, 3 for 2 on the top 500 new releases are just some of the offers. Where: Landmark When: January 25-February 25

Filmmaking workshop Alliance Francaise along with Yavanika Films is conducting a film appreciation course over two weekends and a filmmaking workshop over four weekends. The work-

The run is aimed at encouraging amateurs and seasoned runners alike to take part in a sport that is enjoyable and beneficial. Where: CBIT, Gandipet When: March 3 Contact: urban-stampede.com

Theatre workshop The workshop will cover body-mind integration, acting and character and text. No prior experience in theatre is required.

Bharatnatyam Recital Bharatnatyam performance by Neha Khaitan. Where: Shilparamam, Hyderabad When: February 17, 6:30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2310 0455

Samahaara workshop Samahaara is organising ‘Samahaara Weekend Theatre Workshops.’ Apart from acting, it includes outdoor theatre activities, readings, analysis and discussions It is for people above 14 years of age. Where: Lamakaan, Off Road no. 1, Lane Adjacent to C-Bay Banjara Hills When: Weekends, Up to February 24 Contact: 96427 31329

Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973

CITY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Meet over power crisis

Rains: Death toll 5

ith the State government struggling to cope with demand and supply, a high level meeting will be held to deal with the power crisis on February 18. Currently, the supply is 240 MU, as against the demand of 300 MU per day. The meeting will be held at Vidyut Soudha and will be chaired by APTRANSCO CMD, Hiralal Samariya.

NCM chief in City

ive people were killed as torrential rains, accompanied by gales, lashed various parts of the State, starting Friday midnight. Low-lying areas were inundated with rain water and vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt. The rains lashed Anantapur, Chittoor, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Krishna and the Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

ational Commission for Minorities chairman Wajahat Habibullah is on a two-day visit to the City, starting today. Wajahat Habibullah will address the two-day National NCPRI Convention being held at AMR-APARD Academy at Rajendra Nagar on Sunday. He is also likely to attend a few more programmes in the City.

Babus gear up for MLC elections Nearly 40,000 employees from 12 T-districts will vote, with voters from 12 out of 23 AP districts exercising their franchise.

Md INKESHAF AHMED

ahmed.m@postnoon.com

tate government employees, especially union leaders, who usually don’t exercise their right to vote as they are part of the polling machinery, are gearing up to cast their vote in the MLC elections scheduled for February 21. Six MLC seats, three each from ‘graduates’ and ‘teachers’ quota, are being filled. While all graduates are eligible to vote in the graduates’ quota elections, all teachers from recognised schools are eligible to vote in teachers’ quota elections. The obvious reason for this is that former Telangana NonGazetted Employees Association (TNGOA) president K Swamy Goud is contesting from the same constituency on a TRS party ticket. Most of these employees went and got regis-

tered at their centres. Around 40,000 employees from four districts of Telangana became eligible to vote. These employees alone constitute about 25 per cent of the total voters in Karimnagar-Adilabad-Medak and Nizamabad graduate MLC seats. Speaking to Postnoon, Goud said it showed the commitment of the employees towards their democratic right. He, however, gave a different reason for the huge turnout. “Most of these

employees strongly desire for a separate Telangana. They wanted to express their desire by using the election as an opportunity.” Goud, who is playing a crucial role in the ongoing separate Telangana agitation, is likely to win with a thumping majority, following the extension of support of BJP and other proTelangana groups. The MLC elections will see voters from 12 districts out of a total of 23 districts of the State exercising their franchise.

City becomes chain snatchers’ paradise Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com

wo bikers went on a snatching spree in the City on Friday, pocketing 43 tolas of gold ornaments worth `12 lakh from eight women, causing the police commissioners in Hyderabad and Cyberabad to pull up crime detection teams and form a special team of decoys to catch them. Kamalabai, 55, a resident of Shahalibanda, was standing near her house when two men on a bike snatched 4.5 tolas of gold chain from her. In the second incident, Aruna, 65, a resident of Majestic apartments near Reddy College was on her morning walk near her apartment, when bikers wrested a gold chain and sped away. In the third incident, M Sridevi, 38, a resident of Shamshabad, lost her six tolas gold necklace near Ziaguda, Kulsumpura. Here, too, two men on a bike did it. The fourth incident was reported from Saidabad colony where B Indra, 52, lost 4.5 tola gold chain when two men on motor bike came enquiring about an address and suddenly snatched the gold chain and sped away. In the fifth incident, B

Yougandha, 55, a resident of Krishnanagar PG, lost her four tolas of gold mangalsutram to thugs on a bike while returning home from a clinic. The sixth incident was reported from Jawahar Nagar colony, Secunderabad, where K Manjula, 33, a teacher in a private school, lost her fourtola of gold chain while she was returning home after attending school. Bikers snatched her gold chain and fled. The seventh incident was reported from Agamaiah colony, Vanasthalipuram area, where J Manjula was returning home in an auto-rickshaw after attending a function, when two youths who seemingly followed her from the function hall snatched 11 tolas of gold jewellery when she was boarding the auto. Another incident was reported at Nizampet, Kukatpally, where Y Indra, along with her husband Y Bhaskar Rao, was going to attend a marriage. When the couple left their residence, two men on bike whizzed past, snatching the chain. The two city commissioners summoned police chiefs from the zones where these reports had come in and reprimanded them for their laxity in catching the snatchers.

Hundreds run in ‘harithon’ M ANIL KUMAR

Aleena Alice aleena.t@postnoon.com

he half marathon organised by the Hyderabad Central University (HCU), in collaboration with the Hyderabad Runners and Bharati Airtel at the HCU campus today received an overwhelming response from all age groups. Nearly 900 participants took part in the event. This was the 4th edition of the Hyderabad Runners Club, which included 21k, 10k and 3k segments. The first event was flagged off by the vice chancellor of HCU, Rama Krishna Ramaswamy, and Dr Murali Nanapaneni, chairman of Hyderabad Runners.

A separate cycling event from Shilparaman to Nagole. Apart from the university students, nearly 200 children from different schools also took part in the marathon. Aid stations were provided at every

two kms, providing water, electrolytes, and other refreshments to the runners. Speaking about the event, Dr Murali Nanapaneni said,

“Hyderabad Runners have been promoting running in the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad with the aim of making running the most pre-

ferred form of fitness and leisure activity. We want to encourage non-runners to participate in this activity for a better quality of life. Not only have youngsters taken part in this event, but it is very good to see grand parents put on their running shoes and take part in the marathon.” One of the participants, Mahadeva, a private firm employee who took part in the marathon, said, “If feels great to run with a group. If I had to run alone, by my self, it would not have been possible to run 21 kilometers. Even when we slow down, we have participants to support and encourage us. I love running and to run for the pure joy of running.”

CITY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Anna in City today but zeal is flagging

M ANIL KUMAR

Forget that Anna’s lieutenant Kiran Bedi termed Hyderabad the ‘corruption capital’. The team is holding a meeting here this afternoon as part of its effort to shore up support for the Jan Lokpal Bill, but the enthusiasm is not showing.

RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA

rahul.r@postnoon.com

opular anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare will be in town to gather support for the Jan Lokpal Bill. As part of the Jantantra Morcha

launched by Anna recently, the campaign aims at sweeping electoral reforms in addition to the fight for Jantantra Morcha. The meeting in Hyderabad, which is being organised by the Hyderabad segment of India Against Corruption (IAC), will be held at Wesley College grounds, Secunderabad. While things within the

Hyderabad division of the IAC do not seem well, what with all the infighting and competition to hog the spotlight, rumours flew thick and fast that the meeting would stand cancelled. At a press conference held here the other day, Team Anna members from Hyderabad and Delhi nearly came to blows as rivalry and differences within the group came out into the open. Therefore, it was not surprising that a number of activists from the City were disillusioned about Anna’s visit to the City. “Because of all the confusion and the fighting, I do not know if he is even visiting the City,” said activist Sashank R. However, Sarvodaya Prasad, Anna’s aide and head of the Hyderabad IAC segment, confirmed that Anna would indeed be rallying for support at Wesley College grounds on Sunday. “We have just received Anna from the airport, so I want to put to rest the doubts and suspicions that the meeting is not happening. Anna will be in the City and the meeting is most definitely happening,” Prasad said. Apart from Anna, General VK Singh, along with a few other core committee leaders from Team Anna, will be in the City. The meeting is expected to begin at 3pm.

RTI convention starts in City The conference will see activists from across the country discuss the various issues plaguing the use of RTI Act.

Postnoon News

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three-day national convention of RTI activists began at Rajendra Nagar today, where some 400 RTI activists from across the country are participating. The convention will focus on RTI Act in governance and varied issues affecting the efficacy of the popular weapon for mass empowerment. Prominent speakers are chief secretary

Minnie Mathew, former bureaucrat Aruna Roy, information commissioner Jannat Hussain, principal secretary (rural development) Reddy Subrahmanyam and former election commissioner JM Lingdo. The RTI Act is facing many problems due to recalcitrance of bureaucracy, which considers itself threatened by the mass empowerment, activists pointed out. The convention will thresh out varied problems, they said.

Project crawls as cost races ahead

Is this what citizens pay for? Major development projects progress at a snail’s pace while costs escalate. Md Nizamuddin

nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com ith an estimated `813 crore, the GHMC had resolved to improve the City’s infrastructure in 2011 under the Greater Hyderabad Development Project (GHDP). But till December last, it had only spent `18.50 crore under this project. Under the proposed project, infrastructure improvements relating to traffic, such as construction of flyovers, link roads, road widening, development of footpaths and junction improvements, are emphasised. According to officials, at the time of contemplating the project, the preliminary costs were indicated. Since they are major project works, activities like survey, investigation, designing and preparation of detailed estimates, and tender process were undertaken before starting the

work. Apart from all this, acquisition of properties or land in alignment, or shifting of utilities like electric poles, water supply and sewerage lines, and getting clear site for executing works had also to be undertaken. Authorities, therefore, are not surprised at the slow progress. “As all the projects are major projects, the period of completi-

on varies from one year to three years. Hence, they are at various stages. The value of work done till the year end is `18.50 crore,” said a higher official.

PROJECTS

UNDER PROGRESS

With the latest estimate, flyovers, ROBs and RUBs would cost `294 crore. For the Tolichowki flyover (`50 crore),

the government has accorded administrative sanction and tenders were invited. For Amberpet flyover (`75 crore), the file is with the R&B department as the road is NH-202. As Balanagar Junction to Narsapur Junction flyover (`90 crore) also is being built over a different R&B road, this file is with them. The Safilguda RUB (`30

crore) took many twists and turns during the planning stage and it required the co-ordination of the railways. For Kandikal gate ROB (`25 crore), some of the properties are yet to be acquired by the GHMC and this is causing a delay for Uppuguda RUB (`10 crore) as well. This because the engineers feel that if taken up simultaneously, there would be traffic congestion as Kandikal and Uppuguda are close. One of the important railway gates in Secunderabad, Tukaramgate RUB (`10 crore) is on hold, as South Central Railways is yet to respond to the plan presented by GHMC. GHMC will be spending `94 crore on seven link roads, `225 crore on 16 road widening projects, `50 crore over junction improvements, `50 crore on council hall, `50 crore on Musi River Front Development and `30 crore on footpath improvement on four major corridors.

READERS’ LETTERS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

The rich must pay! Our report Why aren’t the rich in Hyderabad paying taxes? (Feb 12) open the proverbial can of worms, among citizens and the government. The people need answers, but who’s up to take the question? One reader, however, rather than take defaulters to task, accused us of communalism! Shocked? So are we. am curious to know how much tax universities are paying. With so much in landholding, they should be paying a tidy sum. Or, as one claims, are they exempt?

CKM

Via e-mail Read at http://postnoon.c om/2013/02/12/w hy-arent-the-richin-hyderabadpayingtaxes/108098

he defaulters’ properties should be seized on the spot, without prior notice and they should be punished accordingly. How can a large hospital like KIMS get funds and government approval without paying any tax on its existing property? Who in the government is supporting them? The government is destroying the country, there’s no doubt about it!

VIJAY

Via e-mail Read at http://postnoon.com/2013/02/12/whyarent-the-rich-in-hyderabadpaying-taxes/108098

hy does this report show bias towards a Muslim (yet again) by publishing his photograph while there are tax defaulters who have bigger dues. The reporter should not have singled out this person. There is no doubt that he is guilty of evading tax, but I am sure there must be other politicos who are in the same league whose names have not been mentioned and some others might be using a company name to hold on to properties.

Our report Is the drug mafia slowly taking over Hyderabad? (Feb 12) had everyone talking, but one reader raised a very valid point. He believed that the report insinuated that it was only Africans who were involved in the drug trade. We assure that reader and any others who may have inferred the same thing that it was never out of intention. If, inadvertently, we have offended anyone hailing from that beautiful continent, we do apologise.

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Via e-mail Read at http://postnoon.com/2013/02/12/wh y-arent-the-rich-in-hyderabad-paying-taxes/108098

TOP LETTER

A SALUTE TO

INDIAN ARTISANS

We love an educated and well-informed letter, and this one regarding our report Designer prints around the block (Feb 7) is case in point. We feel more informed now than we were a few minutes ago… don’t you? he art of Indian block print fabric is a labour-intensive, painstaking process that has survived from ancient times to the present because of the beauty of the products. Scraps of cloth found in the ruins of Mohenjo-daro provide evidence that this type of fabric decoration was practiced in India as long ago as 3000 BCE. The art flourished in the 12th century under the patronage of the Rajas. The 17th century saw its revitalisation. And still, here in the 21st century, block printing of fabric by hand is an art practiced by Indian artisans for the enjoyment of owners of those fabrics throughout the world.

DEVAKI S

Via e-mail The column can be read at http://postnoon.com/2013/02/07/designerprints-around-the-block/107156

Hyderabad traffic police are anti-tourist One reader was happy that Hyderabad was growing as a domestic tourist hub Tourists flock to Hyderabad (Feb 13). But he took umbrage at the way traffic police were harassing outstation buses. Mr Anand, please take note.

Not all Africans are pushers

ver 1.54 crore tourists visited Hyderabad in 2012. I can vouch for some of the numbers as last week we played host to a 50-member team from an engineering college in Kerala who travelled all the way by bus to the city. The only problem was that the Hyderabad Traffic Police kept harassing the students by detaining the bus at various points – despite there being no such rule that a bus from another state cannot do a tourist trip in the city. A few months ago, a group of rock climbers from Bangalore were similarly harassed when they were in the twin cities to participate in the Hyderabad Climbing Championships. We need to have a better attitude if we want people to come to our city. I hope the Tourism Minister and CV Anand will make a note of this.

SURESH KOCHATTIL

Via e-mail Read the report at http://postnoon.com/2013 /02/13/tourists-flock-to-hyderabad/108299

his article clearly shows that the overwhelming number of arrests are of Indian national; foreign nationals make up a minority, yet the author goes on to claim that Africans control the drug trade in Hyderabad. Most foreigners in Hyderabad are here to get an education. This is racist drivel designed to foster prejudice.

SHARAT Q

Via e-mail Read the report at http://postnoon.com/2013/02/ 12/is-drug-mafia-slowly-tacking-over-hyderabad/108123 he police should keep a tab on what is being grown in the farms of locals; check on foreign students joining courses here in the city; any landlords giving they houses for rent must keep a tab on the activities of foreigners; and regular checks should be made at junior and senior colleges to check students with substance abuse problems.

BHARATHI

Via e-mail Read the report at http://postnoon.com/2013/02/ 12/is-drug-mafia-slowly-tacking-over-hyderabad/108123

Win `500 every week

We are giving `500 to the reader who writes in the best letter every week. So get to work. You can e-mail us at feedback@postnoon.com, or write to us at Postnoon, #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Rd nos 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, 500033. ALSO SEND US YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS.

NATION SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Pak panel visit uncertain

India to seek info from Cameron

NEW DELHI: The visit of a Pakistani

NEW DELHI: Arriving here within days of exposure of the

judicial commission to India to cross examine four witnesses in the 26/11 attacks case continues to remain uncertain with Islamabad's failure to fix dates for the tour. Though Islamabad has not given any reason for the delay in the commission's visit, sources said hanging of LeT terrorist Ajmal Kasab and recent border skirmishes might be the causes.

Man killed in scuffle BHADOI (UP): One person was

`3,600-crore VVIP helicopters scam involving Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland, UK Prime Minister David Cameron is likely to be pressed for more information in this regard during his meetings with the leadership on Tuesday. The visit also comes in the wake of India taking steps to scrap the contract after Italian investigators probed allegations that Finmeccanica, the parent company, had broken the law by paying bribes to foreign officials. The helicopters are manufactured in southwest England.

World’s highest rail bridge to come up in J&K

FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY

allegedly killed and two others injured in a scuffle in Kotwali area, police said here today. Chottu Pasi and his neighbour Pappu Saroj, 35, had an old dispute which resulted in a scuffle last evening in which the latter died after being hit by a stick, they said. Two persons have been arrested in this connection

Not keen on joining politics: VK Singh NEW DELHI: Former army chief General VK Singh has shown disinterest in joining politics as he feels that the present system is such that good people may not enter it. "I have a small mission — Reclaim India. I want to raise awareness among the people. Moreover, the present political system is such that good people may not enter politics. That does not mean, all those who are in politics are bad," Singh said. "This country has given me the best for the last 42 years and I want to give something back.”

FORMER ARMY CHIEF DEFENDS ATTENDING RALLY WITH CHAUTALA, WHO IS IN JAIL ON CORRUPTION CHARGES The retired general said there should be three requisites for a good politician — good image with no criminal case pending, capability and the motivation to serve the nation. Asked why he had attended a rally with INLD

chief Om Prakash Chautala, who is in jail on corruption charges, he said he did it to celebrate the birth anniversary of Chautala's father Chaudhary Devi Lal. "Devi Lal ji is the main figure who introduced Old Age Pension in Haryana years before other states started the scheme. He also waived tax on poor people's bicycles. If Chautala was there because of his father, I can't push him out," Singh said. He also said that he had no ambition to become a governor or ambassador. PTI

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The arch-shaped bridge across Chenab will be five times the height of Qutab Minar at 359 m above river bed. NEW DELHI: Arguably one of the toughest engineering challenges in hand, Railways plans to complete the Chenab bridge in Jammu and Kashmir by 2016, making it the world's highest rail bridge. The arch-shaped bridge across Chenab river-bed in Reasi district, which will be five times the height of Qutab Minar at 359 m above river bed, will connect Baramulla and Srinagar to Jammu via UdhampurKatra-Qazigund covering the entire route in about seven hours. The ambitious project, which fell victim to various issues such as its alignment, feasibility and also security concerns, is finally beginning to take shape with the construction of pillars on either side. "We plan to complete it by December 2016, a year before the entire Udhampur-Baramulla stretch is commissioned," CAO

of Udhampur-SrinagarBaramulla Rail Link Project, BD Garg said. The 1,315-m-long engineering marvel would boast of several unique features. The design would ensure that it withstands blast and seismic activities, while the signalling arrangements would ensure the train does not encounter high wind velocity at that height.

THE DESIGN HAS BEEN MADE SUCH THAT EVEN IF AN ELEMENT IS REMOVED FROM THE STRUCTURE, TRAFFIC COULD STILL REMAIN OPEN, RUNNING AT 30 KMPH. "Anemometer has been provided at the bridge site which will measure wind speed at

the bridge site, and will interlock train movement over the bridge automatically if there is any wind above the prescribed speed," Garg said. Trains can cruise at 100 kmph on the structure, which would have a life span of 120 years. On being asked why the arch-shaped design was chosen, he said this structure is most preferred as it can absorb seismic forces unlike concrete structures. The thrust of the arch stabilises the side slopes of the river. Further, it is easier to construct and maintain and rehabilitate steel structure as compared to other structures, he said. "If one of the columns gives way, the deck would not collapse. It would be possible to restore the bridge for normal operation after carrying out required repairs," Garg said. PTI

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WORLD SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Italy quake: 4 found guilty

Libya on high alert BENGHAZI: Security forces were on high alert across Libya on Sunday as the north African nation marks two years since the start of the revolt that toppled Muammar Gaddafi after four decades of iron-fisted dictatorship. Borders have been closed and some international flights suspended amid fears of a new outbreak of violence, official sources said.

tion of developing nuclear weapons but if it wanted to, the United States could not thwart it, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday. “We believe nuclear weapons must be abolished and we have no intention of building” such

weaponry, Khamenei said in remarks posted on his website leader.ir. But, Khamenei said, “If Iran had such intentions, the US could in no way prevent it” from building an atomic bomb. The West and Israel suspect the Islamic republic is masking the development of a nuclear weapons capability.

CLASSIFIEDS CLOTHING

HOTEL

SANTIAGO: Chilean police have

technician were found guilty today of multiple manslaughter after a dormitory collapsed during an earthquake in the town of L’Aquila in 2009, killing eight students. Bernardino Pace, Pietro Centofanti and Tancredi Rossicone, who carried out restoration works on the house in 2000, were given four years behind bars each.

‘US can’t stop Iran if it wants bomb’ TEHRAN: Iran has no inten-

Chile wildfire: Welder held

ROME: Three Italian builders and a

HEALTH

arrested a man they say is responsible for the worst forest fire in decades in the hills above the port of Valparaiso. Police say Carlos Rivas, a 27-year-old mason, confessed early Saturday to accidentally igniting the blaze with a welder’s torch. “We arrived at his home, and he confessed," Police Gen. Julio Pineda said.

Hope for immigrants The White House is drafting an immigration plan that would allow illegal immigrants to become legal permanent US residents within eight years, USA Today reported Saturday. WASHINGTON: The plan would also allocate additional security funds and require business owners to check the immigration status of any new hires within four years. The estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States could also apply for a “Lawful Prospective Immigrant” visa, the report said. According to the draft, visa applicants would need to pass a criminal background check, file biometric information and pay fees. Once approved, they would be allowed to reside in the United States legally, work, and leave the country for short visits without losing their status. A new identification card would prove their legal residence in the country. And, within eight years, the immigrants could apply for a green card to obtain legal permanent residence if they learn English and “the history and government of the United States." They would also have to pay back taxes. With greencard in hand, the immigrants would then be on a path to apply for citizenship. Republicans were quick to criticize the draft. “It’s a mistake for the White House to draft immigration legislation without seeking input from Republican members of Congress," said Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, flawing the ‘half-baked and seriously flawed” proposal. “President Obama’s leaked immigration proposal is disappointing to those of us

THE PLAN Visa applicants would need to pass a criminal background check, file biometric information and pay fees. They would be allowed to reside in the United States legally, work, and leave the country for short visits without losing their status. A new identification card would prove their legal residence in the country. And, within eight years, the immigrants could apply for a green card to obtain legal permanent residence if they learn English and “the history and government of the United States." working on a serious solution." Rubio, who is leading Republican efforts on immigration legislation seen as crucial in the wake of his party’s poor performance with Latinos in November elections, said the president’s plan would be “dead on arrival” in Congress. Rubio said Obama’s bill was not tough enough on securing the long border the United States shares with

With greencard in hand, the immigrants would then be on a path to apply for US citizenship.

Mexico, and that it “puts those who broke our immigration laws at an advantage over those who chose to do things the right way and come here legally." The National Immigration Forum, which advocates for immigration reform, said the proposal seemed to be “very moderate," but lacked the provisions for a future comprehensive immigration system beyond citizenship and enforcement.

Bangla may ban Pistorius’s girlfriend’s Islamic party haunting message

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DHAKA: Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina indicated today that she would back a ban on the country’s largest Islamic party, as tens of thousands of people joined the funeral of an antiIslamist blogger and demanded death penalty for 1971 war criminals. Protesters chanted slogans promising to avenge architect Rajib Haidar’s assassination as his national flag draped coffin reached Shahbagh in the afternoon for the Namaaz-e-Janaza. Haidar, 30, an architect and Shahbagh protest activist, was stabbed to death near his house at Pallabi in the capital last night. Prime Minister Hasina visited Haidar’s residence today to meet with bereaved family members.

JOHANNESBURG: A celebrity television show today aired haunting footage of Oscar Pistorius’s slain girlfriend speaking about the need to leave a positive mark on life, words laden with unintended poignancy two days after her shocking death. “Not just your journey in life but the way that you go out and make your exit is so important, you have either made an impact in a positive way or a negative way," Reeva Steenkamp said in a snippet of a celebrity reality TV show set to air in full later today. “You have either made an impact in a positive way or a negative way." The 29-year-old model and law school graduate was shot four times at Pistorius’s home in the early hours of Valentine’s Day on Thursday.

COMMENT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Medicos, the angels of hope

EDITORIALS HOW MANY MORE lives for justice? This is not an isolated case. We know of the sad tale of Geetika Sharma and her mother Anuradha Sharma now after the latter has committed suicide. She blames Gopal Kanda and his aide for breaking her home in her suicide letter. There are many cases like this that await justice but are caught up in legal rigmaroles. Imagine the pain that the wronged go through every day when that happens, when they see those who had wronged them go about their normal lives, as if nothing happened. Kanda and his aide are in judicial custody; they are yet to be convicted. And in her letter, Anuradha Sharma says stringent punishment be meted out to the duo for wrecking her home. Perhaps she could not occupy a world where the alleged killers of her daughter are yet to get what they deserve. Perhaps this case may open the eyes of those in the higher echelons of law to the consequences of a system that is not quick to address issues. We know about this case because a minister was involved and now the mother of his victim ended her life. This is a classic example of “Justice delayed is justice denied”.

WHY WE LOVE... Oprah Winfrey Ophrah Winfrey is going to remodel her $85m beachside residence in Santa Barbara. She is unhappy with the interior decor. "The gilded mirrors, marble urns, the lavish carpets and sherbet palette — it was all very grand. But it wasn`t very true to myself,” says she. Well, here’s the woman to whom thousands of women and men — celebreties and ordinary people — opened their hearts on a chat show because she somehow exuded understanding, consideration, charm and lend an ear and give a patient listen to one and all. Yet the irony is that the 58-year-old seems to not know her taste and her likes yet. In her defence, let’s say she’s evolving as she claimed: “All I can tell you is that I`m evolving, my taste is, too.” She recalls Maya Angelou once telling her you can become either an old female or a wise woman. Well, Ophrah sure knows which of the two she is.

From the hip SYED SHOAIB

he ritual of reading the morning newspaper with the cuppa is so existential! A hot cuppa in an early cool morning seeps in one’s empty writhing innards, calms its restless hunt and puts it into a warm somnolent expectation of happier things to come, and the daily dose of morning news sharpens the mind to a keenness that helps one to push through the day with just the right amount of aggressiveness. So that’s why the two are such fast friends. One’s job is to energise the body and the other, the mind. Alas, it is no longer so! When the headlines ricochet in the brain the morning cuppa, instead of soothing the angry entrails acts like acid on metal and the resultant bile in the mouth puts one off both the cuppa and the paper. I was just mulling over the idea of rejuvenating myself with something positive and healing like reading a good book or to walk off in search of birds twit-

tering, when my mother came to me with a worried look on her face. Father had taken ill and she wanted me to rush him to the casualty. I put away my own angst for a later day and rushed my dad off to the casualty of the nearest hospital. I got into the rush of the task of filling up forms, explaining to the duty doctors, the nurses on duty, the security personnel trying valiantly and smilingly keeping out hordes of families, who all turn up with the critical patients and anyone who cared to listen to what had happened to dad. Along with my dad there were nine other patients in that ward in a triage. Two duty doctors and five times the number of smart smiling nurses both male and female were noiselessly sliding between the beds, anxious attenders and stands of drips. Someone (I was too numb to realise who) gently disengaged my dad from my crazy grip, and as if on cue of a magic wand, I found my father lying on a clean bed, with a comforting glucose bottle hanging above him. All this was done with such fluidity that by the time I came out of my shocked stupor I saw my father smiling like a baby, relieved of his pain. The same sights I saw in that ward; frantic

and helpless relatives wringing their hands in frustration and anxiety, drooping and comatose or profusely bleeding patients, all whisked into the casualty and once they get onto the conveyor belt of efficiency, the slow relaxing of patients and their loved ones. The pain and sorrow

I WONDERED WHAT GAVE THEM THIS DRIVE AND ENERGY. WAS IT THE SIGHT OF RELIEF OF PAIN IN THE PATIENT OR THE GRATITUDE IN THE EYES OF THE LOVED ONES? turned to smiles of relief and hope. Once my father was calm, my eyes started taking in the activities of these angels of mercy. It was a world in its own: a warm world of help and hope, in the midst of blood, tears and death. All in this world were smiling, and creating an air of confidence, comfort and responsibility. And best of all were performing like musicians in an orchestra. Each one effortlessly doing his or her part flourishing into a harmonious symphony! The

patient pharmacist who helped my shaking fingers count the change to the billing clerk who apologetically explained the procedure of claiming insurance, the helpful nurses and the curiously stern and concerned doctors were all stringed in the same band. Each one of them looked as if it was the first hour of the day, smart, crisp, energetic and inspiring, though they were on their feet for more than twelve hours. I wondered what gave them this drive and energy. Was it the sight of relief of pain in the patient or the gratitude in the eyes of the loved ones? Whatever it was, these were super-men and -women and silently I saluted them. I no longer needed that rejuvenation. My soul was healed here in this ward of pain, blood and hope. Then my mind went back to the screaming headlines of corruption, bribery, gang rapes and all the basest of human nature glorified every day by the media, in the belief that it is what the readers want. I also mulled on those who have made it their business to loot, pillage and plunder to satisfy their abnormal lust for money and power and felt an enormous sense of pity for them; for the poverty of their souls.

BUSINESS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

PFC bond issue tomorrow

tate-run Power Finance Corp (PFC) plans to raise `100 crore through tax-free bonds issue that begins tomorrow. The proposed issue is part of its plan to garner `5,000 crore by way of issuing tax-free securities in the current fiscal (2012-13). Out of the total target, `1,110 crore has already been raised. It would close on March 15.

New Nano models on the anvil

Montek sees 5.5% growth

mid declining sales of its small car Nano, Tata Motors is setting out on a journey to reverse the trend with plans to introduce a refreshed model of the car in the first half of this year and a CNG option 'very soon'. The company, however, said it has not yet frozen a timeline for the launch of the diesel option of the Nano although it is ready with the vehicle.

ndian economy would grow at a rate of between 5 and 5.5 per cent in current fiscal and could expand by 7 per cent in 2013-14, said Plan panel Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. "It (GDP growth rate) would be somewhere between 5 and 5.5 per cent. If everything worked perfectly, I would not rule out seven per cent next year (2013-14)", Ahluwalia said.

Shark skin tech may help planes use less fuel Aviation industry designers are turning to nature to come out with innovative designs that can deliver better energy efficiency.

Etienne Balmer feedback@postnoon.com

n its never-ending quest to develop more aerodynamic, more fuel-efficient aircraft, the aviation industry believes the ocean’s oldest predator, the shark, could hold the key to cutting energy consumption. Germany’s biggest airline Lufthansa announced earlier this month that two of its Airbus A340-300 jets would take part in trials starting this summer to test the properties of shark skin in flight. For the two-year trials, eight 10 by 10 centimetre (4 by 4 inch) patches of a new type of coating are being painted on to the fuselage and wing edges of the aircraft. A new state-of-the-art varnish, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (FAM) in Bremen, attempts to mimic the skins of fast-swimming

sharks. The sharks’ skin is covered in tiny riblets that reduce turbulent vortices and the drag they cause, thereby diminishing surface resistance when moving at speed. The phenomenon of the streamlined shark skin has been known for about 30 years and has fascinated research scientists in a wide range of fields, from military applications to aerospace and aeronautics and from naval construction to wind technology. More recently, its use in sports such as swimming and athletics has brought the special properties of shark skin to much wider attention. High-tech swimsuits were developed that enabled athletes to move ever faster through water, breaking one swimming record after the next until the suits were eventually banned as unfair in competition. In the past, says Volkmar Stenzel, the project’s head at the Fraunhofer Institute,

sheets of plastic imitation shark skin were glued to the aircraft’s exterior. “But the foil had major disadvantages: it was rather heavy and the added weight cancelled out the amount of fuel that could be saved," Stenzel said. “Also, it was difficult to stick the foil to curved surfaces without creasing and wrinkling," he said. Another problem was that aircraft have to be stripped of their paint and recoated every five years “and that was just not possible with these foils," the expert explained. Thus, in collaboration with European aircraft maker Airbus and the DLR German Aerospace Center, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a new technique to emboss the structures of shark skin into aircraft paints. The idea is to make surfaces more aerodynamic and reduce fuel consumption by about one percent and lower

THE SHARKS’ SKIN IS COVERED IN TINY RIBLETS THAT REDUCE TURBULENT VORTICES AND THE DRAG THEY CAUSE, THEREBY REDUCING SURFACE RESISTANCE WHEN MOVING AT SPEED.

operating costs. The trials on Lufthansa jets represent the last phase before possible industrial application, said Denis Darracq, head of research and flight physics technology at Airbus.

CUTS FUEL BY 1%

USAGE

“The expected results have been achieved in terms of performance. It’s now a matter of measuring operational efficiency and durability," Darracq said. “An airline must not have to clean its aircraft after every flight. The paint needs to last for several years," he said. The engineer estimated that if an aircraft was covered by between 40-70 percent in the new paint, it can cut fuel consumption by around one percent for very little outlay. And with high fuel prices and customers becoming increasingly sensitive to the environmental impact of flying, that would represent an

“enormous benefit” for an airline, Darracq argued. Nature is also the inspiration for another state-of-the-art technology that is already being used by the industry and may have wider applications. The leaf of the lotus plant has a unique microstructure consisting of tiny bumps topped with tiny hairs that make the leaf highly water repellent. Special surface coatings have been developed to mimic this effect and they are already used in the interior of the A380 to make it easier to clean. But Airbus is also looking into whether such coatings can be used on the exterior of aircraft as well. “De-icing is a real problem for planes and represents a substantial cost factor. If there were surfaces where water cannot collect, they wouldn’t freeze over and that would represent a big step forward," said Darracq. Airlines’ growing interest could therefore help accelerate research in surface technologies “and these may be ready for industrial application in a number of years," AFP the engineer said.

INTERVIEW SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Creating Celluloid Magic With Life of Pi nominated for 11 Academy Awards, Samir Sarkar, the film’s consultant assistant director, reminisces on the making of an amazing masterpiece.

SUNORY DUTT

feedback@postnoon.com How did you get associated with Life of Pi?

learning experience — both technically and humanly. A man with silent power, it was amazing to see how he harmoniously and humbly guided this massive crew and production towards a same vision. Apart from his genius, his deep and genuine relationship with the craft can truly move you.

heading towards a logistical nightmare for me. As the French film was a much smaller project compared to Life of Pi we mutually decided that the small should follow the big and avoid crossing paths as far as production went. Being the common factor between the two shoots (apart from the tiger that acted in both the movies), I played a balancing act to make sure everything went harmoniously. I was on the sets of Life of Pi every morning and during lunch break, and after shoot I would rush to my other set, which thanks to a very efficient crew was managed without a hitch.

nal uncle Chimanbhai Patel for his afternoon cup of “chai”. Mr Patel was also known as Photo Patel as he owned a famous photography studio next to the India Coffee House in Pondicherry (mentioned in the book). It seems the Patel in the Pi emerged from these meetings. One afternoon as we walked through the French Quarters of Pondicherry, I casually pointed out my grandparents beautiful old house to Ang. The next thing I knew, he wanted it to be Pi’s house in the zoo. Soon enough though, we realised that the house couldn’t fit the 3D equipment and its crew, therefore a decision was made to rebuild the house almost identically on a larger scale in Taiwan — this included its furniture and plants.

ising ‘poverty porn’ films on India? Films are sometimes intended for specific audiences. There was the audience of Slumdog Millionaire that probably knew nothing about India except the stereotypes that the film portrayed. It didn’t particularly appeal to Indian audiences because it showed a side of our country (in a bit of an exaggerated way) that we would rather not see, especially from a westerner’s point of view. But there is also an international audience that loved Life of Pi and I would like to believe that in recent times it’s one of the most positive Hollywood productions on India and its deep culture. The days when the celluloid image of India was all about naked children and cows on the streets is history. The world sees a different India now — a confident, vibrant powerhouse, and that perception will make its way into western filmmaking about India. The phenomenal success of Life of Pi is a perfect example.

Being born and brought up in Pondicherry, and I guess one of the few film-makers to have grown out from this charming little French colony, I seemed to be a natural choice when Ang Lee visited Pondicherry, accompanied by his screenplay writer David Mangee and their researcher Jean Castelli. The research and scout trip was one of the most determining moments in the film’s making. The vision, the budget, the technology (3D / special effects), the authenticity of the script were all discussed, reviewed and conceptualised.

What did your role as consultant assistant director encompass?

How was your experience of working with Ang Lee?

You shot two films simultaneously. How did you manage that?

What are you working on currently?

Though this was a movie that took place in a world of fantasy, Ang wanted a remarkable sense of authenticity. He wanted Pondicherry to feel exactly like it was in the late ‘60s. I noticed Ang listened, absorbed and felt more than he spoke. His curiosity about every small detail was like a child’s and yet so pertinent. Being on the sets and interacting closely with Ang was a delight and huge

A period French feature film — J’irais au Pays des Neiges (I Want To Go To The Land of Snow) on the life of French explorer Alexandra David Neel — that I was the executive producer on, one that my company Magic Hour Films was line producing got delayed and due to unavoidable circumstances, had to be filmed on exactly the same dates and in nearby locations as Life of Pi in Pondicherry. This was

A French film, Le Jardin (The Garden) is in the pipeline, of which I’ll be an Executive Producer. Directed by Joel Farges and co produced by Paradis Films & Eric Heumann, Le Jardin will be extensively shot in Kerala. Pre production will begin in the summer of 2013. Apart from this we are working on TVCs. To view Samir’s work visit www.magichourfilms.com

Apart from taking care of some logistics, my primary role became interacting closely with Ang, and helping him collect and put facts together, especially for the Indian chapter of the shoot. This included research concerning the various departments of the movie — locations, casting, costumes, music etc. After the completion of filming, my role as consultant continued during much of the post production. This included research for the soundtrack, sound design and dubbing of the film.

Apparently you have an interesting personal connection with the film. I heard that author Yann Martel used to sometimes visit my mater-

Your opinion on western directors sourcing Indian locations and making patron-

WELLNESS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 S SBALAKRISHNA

Your make-up succeeds or fails depending entirely on how well your eyes have been done. Make-up artist Suman Agarwal shows us how to achieve three of the many possible made up eye looks.

ALL IN THE

EYES!

Before putting any kind of eye make-up, cleanse the area around and under your eyes with cleansing milk. Only then, apply an eye primer on the lids and under the eyes. This will help in keeping the eye shadow in place for a long time. If you have dark circles or any sort of discolouration, dab a tiny amount of concealer.

LOOK 1: SOFT

AND ROMANTIC Most suited for daytime events, this is a subtle look that you can carry to work or lunch with your girlfriends.

Step 1: Pick matte eye shadow close to your skin tone and apply with a brush (preferably fluffy) little above the natural crease area of the eyelid to create a fake crease. This gives the illusion of a bigger eye lid.

LOOK 3: SMOKEY

AND SEXY

The most desirable smokey eye look for a night at the club is quite easy to achieve. Step 1: Start with prepping and priming your eyes. Apply a thick line of black kohl pencil or gel eyeliner on the lash line. If it doesn’t turn out neatly, don’t worry. Smudge the line either with a pencil point brush or your fingers (an easy tool) and soften the line. Step 2: Apply black eyeshadow (blackest black) evenly all over the eyelids. I have used one with little speckles of shimmer

LOOK 2: THE

in it. Smoothen it using a fluffy brush or your ring finger. Keep the intensity of the black colour as desired. Then apply a thin layer of the same black eye shadow under the lower lash line and merge with the outer corner of the eye. Step 3: Apply eyeliner on the upper lash line and inner rim of your eyes. Conclude with application of false eyelashes and you are ready to rock the party!

As told to KANCHAN AGARWAL For any queries, contact the artist on makenirvanaa@gmail.com

SUAVE EVENING LOOK

Step 2: Then apply a soft hue of white eye shadow all over the lid. On that you can apply a darker shade of your choice all over the eyelid complementing the white shade. Although hereI have used bronze on the outer corner of the eyelids, you can also go for copper or gold eye shadow. And blend these two colours well.

Step 3: Apply a thin line of gel or liquid eyeliner very close to the lash line. You can also make a small wing on the outer corner to give an illusion of a lifted eye. However, if you are going to work, you can do without the wing. Apply a shimmering silver colour in the inner corner of the eyes, this will brighten up the eyes further.

Step 4: If you have sparse eyebrows fill them with an eyebrow pencil or even a black-brown eye shadow can be applied with an angled brush. Step 5: To keep the look softer, Suman has used a white kohl pencil. This also helps small eyes appear bigger and brighter. Curl your lashes with a lash curler and finish with a coat of mascara.

With a dash of colour here and there, you can very easily convert the look above to an evening look. This is great for those cultural evenings at an art show or while catching a play.

Step 1: Take a bright coloured eye shadow of your choice. Here I have used purple—this colour suits all eye colours and looks good on all skin tones. Apply it on the existing black eyeliner. Step 2: Clean the white kohl and apply black kohl for an intense and sharp look. Step 3: Use a flat brush and apply a thin layer of brown or purple eye shadow under the lower water line just beneath your kajal. Step 4: Since it is an evening look I have used false eyelashes here which will enhance the eyes making them look beautiful and bigger. How to wear eyelashes: Trim the end of the fake ones in proportion to your natural lashes. First apply a thin layer of eyelash glue, place the false ones very close to the lash line. Leave it for a few seconds and you’re done.

PICK YOUR

Across Stores

ities Twin C

ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Taj Mahotsava in trouble

Sotheby’s new auction soon

Banksy art recovered

The annual 10-day Taj Mahotsava will begin from February 19, a day late, to enable a busy Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to inaugurate it, an official said Thursday. But the move has angered the tourism industry. The local tourism industry has lost all hope and has virtually withdrawn from the festival which, many feel, serves no real purpose in terms of tourism promotion.

A collection of illustrated 19th century travel documents, watercolours and manuscripts — some of which have never been published before — will go under the hammer February 28 at Sotheby's in London, the auction house said. The collectibles, expected to raise in excess of 1.5 million pounds, have been acquired from a private collector who had collected heritage travel and plate books.

An original work by the artist Banksy has been recovered by police investigating a suspected fraud. The piece, called Wrong War, and a print signed by the graffiti artist, were bought by a customer in south London for £12,990 last month. But two weeks after delivering them, the dealer who sold the works learned that the cards used to buy the pieces had been used without authorisation.

Youth on centre stage

The dearth of platforms for young talent has prompted three youngsters to take up the project Art Collective. Amy Rose Thomas

amyrose.t@postnoon.com

hey might be amateurs but they are the budding talent in the City and they need encouragement to perform and improve their creativity. The dearth of platforms for young talent has prompted three youngsters — Edwin Emmanuel, Sharan and Sharath — to take up a project, Art Collective, a platform for creative youth to showcase their talent. The two editions of the project that were organised at Lamakaan have become quite popular among the youth. These youngsters have gone to the extent of organising these events

for free so that creative youth can interact and network under one umbrella. One of the organisers, Edwin Emmanuel, says, “The only aim behind this initiative was to encourage youngsters who are not yet professionals. We wanted these youngsters to interact with each other and network. We had many college kids showcasing different kinds of talent, including graffiti, micro art and music. Two musicians played their instruments throughout the event.” Both the times the event was held, the organisers had shelled out money from their own pockets. “The idea behind this event was to bring creative and talented

youngsters to the forefront so that they receive the required encouragement to grow. The first time, the event was organised four years back and we had only 70 people turning up. This time however, we were surprised when more than 400 people came for the event. Next time, we are planning to do something in August and we want more freedom and a bigger place,” Sharath says. The event saw not just college students but also school kids turning up in droves for the event. “We had a nine-year-old kid drawing very impressive graffiti during the event. He was well appreciated by the guests,” another organizer, Charan, says.

Increasing art’s boundaries Fluxus not only wanted art to be available to the masses, they also wanted everyone to produce art all the time.

luxus was an avant-garde art movement that emerged in the late 1950s as a group of artists who had become disenchanted with the elitist attitude they perceived in the art world at the time. These artists looked to Futurists and Dadaists for inspiration, focusing especially on performance aspects of the movements. It was a loosely organised group of

artists that spanned the globe, but had an especially strong presence in New York City. George Maciunas is historically considered the primary founder and organiser of the movement, who described Fluxus as, “a fusion of Spike Jones, gags, games, Vaudeville, Cage and Duchamp”. Like the Futurists and Dadaists before them, Fluxus artists did not agree with

the authority of museums to determine the value of art, nor did they believe that one must be educated to view and understand a piece of art. Fluxus not only wanted art to be available to the masses, they also wanted everyone to produce art all the time. A central Fluxus tenet was to dismiss and mock the elitist world of "high art" and to find any way possible to bring art to

ART FOR DUMMIES

the masses, much in keeping with the social climate of the 1960s. The persistent goal of most Fluxus artists was to destroy any boundary between art and life. George Maciunas especially wanted to, "purge the world of bourgeoisie sickness...." He stated that Fluxus was "anti-art," in order to underscore the revolutionary mode of thinking about the practice and process of art.Fluxus was one of the few art movements to use humor throughout history. Fluxus art involved the viewer, relying on the element of chance to shape the ultimate outcome of the piece.

ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Arms and the environment Systems designed to help enforce international arms control treaties could also be used to monitor aspects of the environment, scientists say. In a new study in Science, Raymond Jeanloz, a professor at the University of California, advocated that arms control systems also be used to increase the types of measurements taken of the environment.

NHCC wins award for garden

1 in 5 reptiles endangered

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) has won the Best Maintained Garden (by private commission) award for the fourth year in a row. The award was received by Jai Prakash (executive housekeeper) along with KN Reddy, Abraham, Satya, Rajaeshwari and Kavitha. The award recognised NHCC's focus on following the best practices in maintaining landscape.

Nearly one in five of the world's estimated 10,000 species of lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodiles and other reptiles are threatened with extinction, according to a study. An alarming 50% of all freshwater turtles are close to extinction, possibly because they are traded on international markets. The study was published by the Zoological Society of London.

Bisphenol A may not be affecting humans: Studies

Postnoon News

France bans contested chemical BPA in food packaging

feedback@postnoon.com

total of 150 scientific studies have shown that bisphenol A (BPA), a controversial component of plastic bottles and canned food linings, may be used in quantities too small to negatively affect human health. The analysis, presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual meeting by toxicologist Justin Teeguarden of the Department of Energy, shows that BPA in the blood of the general population is many times lower than blood levels that consistently cause toxicity in animals. The result suggests that animal studies might not reflect the human BPA experience appropriately, the study said. “Looking at all the studies

THE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT BPA IN THE BLOOD OF THE POPULATION IS MANY TIMES LOWER THAN BLOOD LEVELS THAT CAUSE TOXICITY IN ANIMALS. together reveals a remarkably consistent picture of human exposure to BPA with implications for how the risk of human exposure is interpreted,” said Teeguarden. “At these levels, exposure to BPA can’t be compared to giving a baby the massive dose of oestrogens found in a birth control pill, a comparison made by others.” Teeguarden also analyzed another set of BPA studies that looked at the chemical’s toxicity in animals and cells in the lab. The “low doses” actually span an immense range of concentrations, a billion-fold. “The term low-dose cannot be understood to mean either relevant to human exposures or in the range of human exposures,” said Teeguarden. “This is in fact what it has come to mean to the public, as well as AFP many in the media.”

he French parliament voted recently to ban the use of bisphenol A, a chemical thought to have a toxic effect on the brain and nervous system, in baby food packaging next year and all food containers in 2015. The chemical, commonly known as BPA, is used in “polycarbonate” types of hard plastic bottles and as a protective lining in food and beverage cans. It became a concern following evidence in lab animals of a toxic effect on the brain and nervous system. Some studies have found a link between

exposure to BPA and coronary heart disease and reproductive disorders. A law adopted in the upper house Senate imposed a “ban on the manufacture, import, export and commercialisation of all forms of food packaging containing bisphenol A”. Several countries have introduced voluntary measures or laws to stop the manufacture of baby bottles with BPA and published guidelines on safer use of the containers. In June 2010, the French parliament banned BPA-containing baby bottles. AFP

What is Bisphenol A?

isphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is commonly found in food packaging, and is used to coat metal products like food cans and bottle tops. The primary exposure to the chemical is through diet. The degree to which BPA leaches from polycarbonate bottles into liquid may depend on the temperature of the liquid or bottle. BPA exhibits hormone-like properties that raise concern about its suitability in consumer products and food containers. Imported oestrogens may disrupt the human hormonal system. Some studies suggest

there is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Negative effects on sexuality are also possible. In September 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA a toxic substance. The EU, Canada, and recently the US have banned BPA use in baby bottles. www.wikipedia.com

FOOD SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Taste choices impact health Individuals who have a high preference for sweets and a high aversion to bitter flavours may be at an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome, according to a new study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists. What researchers found is that those with both taste profiles or neither taste profiles were more likely to be at an increased risk.

As part of the Chinese New Year celebrations Golden Dragon Master Chef Hung Fong Ng at Taj Krishna has crafted an array of traditional delicacies apart from the usual. RAJESH RAVINDRAN

rajesh.r@postnoon.com

Warren Buffet to buy Heinz

Horsemeat scandal in the UK

We buy more than a million cans of its beans every day and there’s no tomato sauce quite like it — now, food giant Heinz is to be snapped up by US billionaire Warren Buffett. Buffett is to buy the iconic food company in a deal worth $28bn (£18bn). The billionaire’s Berkshire Hathaway company and private equity firm 3G have agreed to take over the food company.

Tests have found horsemeat in school meals, hospital food and restaurant dishes in Britain, officials said on Friday, as the scandal over adulterated meat spread beyond frozen supermarket products. Results were coming in after UK food safety officials ordered supermarkets and suppliers to test all processed meals labeled as beef for traces of horsemeat.

AS YOU LIKE IT

t the Golden Dragon at Taj Krishna, it’s cosy. Let’s strip cosy of the meaning small, and let that word retain every other meaning it means: warm, comfortable and safe. The dark interiors above act like a cumulus cloud and take away the glare of the sunshine that seeps in through the glass walls. Chandelier-like structures made of Chinese lamps hang from the top illuminating only the tables. And as you walk to a table you notice the chairs which have Chinese inscriptions on them. Very very Chinese, indeed. Let’s not digress from what matters most: food. As part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, the Golden Dragon Master Chef Hung Fong Ng has crafted an array of traditional delicacies apart from the usual. Keeping to the tradition, let’s start from starters. There are the soft shell crabs, Wok tossed rock lobster chilli coriander, East coast prawns

fresh chilli garlic oyster and the list goes on. I tried the crispy fried fish lemon pepper and tender chicken nuggets in hot and sour sauce. Both nicely done, and did justice to the adjectives used in their names. For vegetarians, the crunchy sweet corn and broccoli wild pepper; and mushrooms

and water chestnut in barbeque glaze. There cannot be a better way to consume broccoli, so rich in nutrition yet a pain for many mums to convince their kids to eat. Perhaps after dinner, you may ask Hung Fong Ng, or the more fondly called Toni, how to

make it. The one with the chestnut is like a gum with a juicy watery centre and not many starters are like that. Time for soup. For seafood lovers, there’s the mixed seafood coriander soup, or the sliced fish and tomato egg drop soup. The first is a bit crowded and the second clear, so people who have different preferences about the soups have options. And oh, if you have picked the coriander soup, make sure to fish deep, for the deeper you go, the bigger, whiter and shinier the pearls you get, which in this case are chunks of prawn. Not a ‘fishy’ person? Try the minced lamp noodle soup, it’s quite a meal in itself. Now the main course. I tried the stir fried diced chicken in sweet bean Chinese wine glaze and the Cantonese fried chicken on a bed of braised greens. When I was busy with these one of the men came along with the quick fried Chinese cabbage with garlic pearls and dry chillies. I am a carnivore, but this

Place: Golden Dragon, Taj Krishna. Meal for Two: `2,500+taxes. (Exclusive of Alcohol prices)

one I had second servings, which tells you how nice it is if it comes from a carnivore. As we entered with late noon languor into talking about what dessert must we have. I asked, “What about the new year special?” Tony has introduced three new dishes on the menu: Diced duck in staranise flavoured orange sauce, pan fried rock lobster with lychees and dry red chilli, stir fried fresh sea squids with greens, mushrooms and water chestnut in barbeque glaze. I tried the duck. For my taste, I found it a bit too sweet. But that’s how the Chinese have it. But not to worry: you may tell Tony or any of the chefs of your preferences and like a good ol’ genie making your wish come good, “It will be done.”

FOOD SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 CHEF VIVEK BHATT

GUL - E FIRDAUS Enjoy the memory of a valentine’s day just gone by with nothing better than this classic Hyderabadi sweet preparation.

Eat your way to China The Momos food festival at Momo Café in all aspects does justice to the term ‘finger-licking good’. With a delicacy from the North being the focus of attention, Chef Vivek Bhatt takes you to Chinatown.

FLEME VARKEY

fleme.v@postnoon.com

omos could might as well be called the ‘ food of the Himalayas’ and with reason. A distinctly Chinese/Tibetan dish, it has long been Chindianised. In India, places like Darjeeling, Ladakh, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Delhi boast of having this delicacy being served as street food. And if you have recently come from the North and are craving for that plate of steaming momos, well Momo Café at Courtyard by Marriott is the place to be. For me momos is something that has been more of a street-food experience. I got to taste it in New Delhi, where almost every bazaar boasts of momo vendors. On entering Momo Café and seeing the bamboo dishes and threetiered steel containers, memories of my gastronomical journey in the capital came flooding back. For those of

you who do not know what momos are, here’s a starter. Momos (also called dim sums in some places) are made out of wheat flour dough which is rolled around a meat and/or vegetable filling. The dumplings are steamed, which makes the dough soft, chewy, and a bit sticky. At Momo Café, one can experience eating momos the true Tibetan way. It also helps that Executive Chef Vivek Bhatt, the brain behind this festival, has been to China and has recreated the experience for the patrons of the restaurant. Chef Vivek tells us that momos is almost like a staple dish out there and the noodle soup that is served along with momos is something which is part of every meal. Should this be the secret to the trim waistlines of the Chinese people, it makes me wonder? It’s a healthy, wholesome meal in itself. There are six varieties of momos available. Four on display and pork and beef stuffed momos can also be ordered separately. Of the four that were available what caught our interest was the prawn suimai and momos stuffed with glass noodles and

Place: Momo Café at Courtyard by The Marriott Time: Up till February 24, 6.30pm-11pm Price: `1,100 (per person, AI) Alcohol billed separately mushroom, apart from the veg and chicken momos. It’s best had, as Chef Vivek tells us, with a mint and coriander spicy sauce (the way they do in Delhi) or with the soya/chilli sauce (a typical Chinese sauce), for variety you also have the sweet chilli sauce and homemade chilli garlic sauce. Judging by the number of times the word chilli has been used, one will come to know that it is one spicy affair. However, for those who cannot stomach too much spice we would recommend the sweet chilli sauce. Coming to the noodle soup which is another of the highlights of this Momo festival, one can only say — simply delicious. Light, steamy and a scrumptious mixture of vegetables, it is available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. We literally had to stop ourselves from having

four bowlfuls of noodle soup. Chef Vivek along with sous chef G Soma Sundaram have laid out for the guests a very appetising multi-cuisine buffet along with the momos counter. For authentic Chinese food, Momo Café gets top marks, we recommend veg soft noodles, artichoke with baked cauliflower and olives and stir fried fish in honey, dates and chestnut sauce. From the Indian section one must have gongura mamsam (lamb) which was an experience in itself and the chicken biryani , which will definitely make you go for a second helping. It’s not a nonvegetarian fare all the way, for vegetarians one must sample the rajma dal, dingri dolma (paneer gravy), mixed veg-curry, and the roasted eggplant parcels with tomatoes. And yet there is more, the desserts, which left us as pleased as punch. Do try the lamington (chocolate and strawberry pastry) and passion fruit baked cheese cake. It isn’t often that one gets up from a dinner so happy that one could kiss the fingers of the chef. This Momo food festival is one for keeps.

FROM THE MASTERS

‘Jiggle’ all the way Coconut jelly Number of portions 20 Preparation time 90mts Ingredients Qty n Water 2ltr n Palm sugar 100gms n Sugar 200gms n Salt 5 gms n Lemon grass 2 stalks n Gelatine 150gms n coconut milk 1ltr Method of preparation

n Boil water and lemon grass together then remove the lemon grass. n Add water to gelatin and

let it bloom, melt over a double boiler. n To the lemon grass infused water, add sugar, palm sugar, salt and coconut milk. Stir together till all are dissolved. n Add melted gelatine and set in a tray or a fancy mould. n Unmold and serve chilled in a platter.

G Muthu Kumar, Executive Chef, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre

Noor's Kitchen NOOR JAFRI Ingredients n Grated bottle gourd (dudhee) 150 gms n Sabu daana (soaked overnight) 50 gms n Full cream milk 1 litre n Thick fresh cream or condensed milk 1/2 cup n Khoya 125 gms n Sugar 150 gms n Green cardamon powder 1/2 tsp n Rose essence few drops n Almonds ( blanched and thinly sliced ) 1 tbsp n Pista ( blanched and thinly sliced ) 1 tbsp n Silver foil for decoration n Rose petals (optional) for decoration Procedure n Boil half a litre milk, add the grated dudhee and cook till tender. n Drain the soaked sabu daana and cook it separately in the remaining milk till it becomes transparent. n Crumble the khoya, mix cream or condensed milk and cook it with the sabu daana along with sugar, till the sugar completely dissolves. n Add the grated dudhee mixture, elaichi powder and essence, mix it well adding half of the almond and pista. n Pour it in earthen (clay) pots. n Top it up with remaining almond, pistachio slices and silver foil. n Serve chilled Chef's Note: It's a traditional Hyderabadi dessert which is mostly served in marriages, and when set in clay pots it adds a special flavour to the dish. However, it is rich in calories. Contact us @ Noor kitchen Mobile + 91 9441282318 Residence + 91 40 23356947 Like us @ https://www.facebook.com/Noorkitch en

HISTORY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Feb 18

1929: The winners of the first Academy Awards were announced by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. The actual awards ceremony took place only on May 16 of the same year.

Feb 18

Feb 21

2003: Around 200 people were killed and at least 150 injured when an arsonist set fire to a train that stopped at Jungangno Station of the Daegu Metropolitan Subway in North Korea. The arsonist, Kim Dae-Han, died in prison after being convicted of arson and homicide.

Feb 20

1872: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest museum in the US, opened in New York. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments.

1965: Religious leader and African American nationalist Malcolm X was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City by members of his former group, the Nation of Islam.

Feb 23

1898 – Author Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing J'accuse, a letter accusing the French government of anti-Semitism and wrongfully imprisoning Captain Alfred Dreyfus.

Feb 21

1848: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish The Communist Manifesto. The political pamphlet is now regarded as one of the most influential works ever, and sparked the idea of a revolution by the working class.

Feb 22

1997 – In Roslin, Scotland, scientists announce that an adult sheep named Dolly has been successfully cloned. Dolly, often called 'the world's most famous sheep', died at the age of six from a progressive lung disease.

Feb 24

2008: Fidel Castro retires as the President of Cuba after nearly 50 years. Though he had unofficially handed over all power to his brother, Raul, in 2006, Raul was voted in as president only two years later.

Feb 19

2010: Professional golfer Tiger Woods gives a televised news conference in which he apologizes for his marital infidelities and admits to “selfish” and “foolish” behaviour. More than a dozen women had come forward and claimed to have had been involved with the golfer.

SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 2

LICENCE TO CHILL For revellers, weekends are nothing but a reason to chill. Party animals dressed up in their stylish best and hit the various watering holes in the city last night.

S BALAKRISHNA

1 Niraja 2 Reshma 3 DJ Khanna 4 Raj, Monica 5 Deepali, Brij 6 Shivali, Gaurav 7 Meena 8 Priyanka 9 Saroj, Paru

Taking centrestage

Theatre lovers in the city were in full attendance at Westin where comedy play Get Rid of My Wife was staged. The play starred television stars Delnaaz Irani, Nasir Khan and others.

A foodieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s haven

The launch of restaurant and cafe New Town was a gala affair. Spotted were Archie Paranjee, Prashant Lahoti and others.

CINEMA SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Gundello Sreenivaas is passionate Godari to about films: VV Vinayak release on P March 8

undello Godari starring Lakshmi Manchu, Taapsee, Aadhi and Sundeep Kishan has been postponed once again. The film was earlier supposed to release on February 21, but the makers have decided to push the film’s theatrical release to March now. Gundello Godari is dedicated to women from all walks of life.

roducer Bellamkonda Suresh introduced his son Sreenivaas to Telugu film industry amidst much fanfare few days ago. VV Vinayak is going to direct the film and Bellamkonda Suresh is producing the film. Samantha is paired up with Sreenivaas in this film. Talking about Sreenivaas, VV Vinayak said, “He was very young when I was directing Aadi, but I knew that he was quite passionate about films. For the past four years, he has been undergoing an intensive training for his debut as an actor. The film is going to be an action entertainer with lots of family drama. I have got a fabulous team to work on the project and I’m confident that it’ll be a big hit.”

Every woman has been touched by love and tragedy, and she is the epitome of strength. To honour every woman, we've pushed the release of Gundello Godari to March 8 which happens to be International Women’s Day,” Lakshmi Manchu said. Kumar Nagendra has directed the film and Lakshmi Manchu has produced it. Ilayaraja has scored the music.

ANUSHKA is all gung-ho about PRABHAS

“

I would love to work with Prabhas in every film,” Anushka confessed while talking about her onscreen chemistry with Prabhas. The duo had earlier acted in Billa and their recent film Mirchi has turned out to be the biggest hit in Prabhas’ career. “I have known Prabhas since the days of Billa and he has grown a lot as an actor. Moreover, he takes a lot of care about his body language, variations in his expressions and his physique. He’s very friendly with everyone on the sets and treats his costars with great amount of respect,” Anushka said. Ask her about the secret behind their chemistry, she responds, “I would attribute it to a good script and a good director. Without these two, no matter how hard you try, it just doesn’t work onscreen. I have always chosen my films based on those two factors. I would like to thank Koratala Siva for giving me a lovely character like Vennela in Mirchi. I feel it’s one of the best roles I have done in my career so far.” Currently, Anushka is busy preparing for SS Rajamouli’s upcoming film Baahubali, in which she’ll once again be seen opposite Prabhas and also Gunasekhar’s Rudrama Devi. “I was originally approached for the remake of Kahaani, but I couldn’t sign the film due to prior commitments. Of late, I have been busy practicing sword fighting and horse riding for both my films,” she revealed.

CINEMA SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

‘3G’ an original concept, film:

NEIL

ctor Neil Nitin Mukesh states that his forthcoming film 3G is completely original, and unique in its concept. “First of all, I want to add to all the statements that it is an original concept and a story. It is very important for you all to know that it is not a take off from any of the Hollywood films as probably people would think,” the 31-year-old said on Friday at the first look launch of the film. “I have been questioned about it earlier, (but) it is a very original

idea,” he added. 3G is a horror film that revolves around a mobile phone and the situations that ensue after Neil’s character buys it. For Neil, who is known for playing edgy characters in films like Johnny Gaddaar, Aa Dekhen Zara, Jail and most recently David, it is the thrill of playing something completely opposite to his real self that attracts him to dark roles. “As far as playing edgy characters is concerned, I am just a 31-year-old child in person. In personal life, I am not at all edgy, I am not at all like the characters I play on screen and that’s the whole fun of playing characters on screen which are nice, edgy and dark,” Neil said. “It has to be a flip, there has to be a challenge. Go out there, face the camera and be a person you are not in real life. 3G again for me is very dark, very edgy and very scary,” he added. Co-directed by Sheershak Anand and Shantanu Ray Chhibber, 3G, releasing March 15, also stars Sonal IANS Chauhan.

Pairing with Madhuri would’ve been odd: Arshad

ctor Arshad Warsi feels it would have been “odd” had he been paired opposite Bollywood’s dancing diva Madhuri Dixit in Dedh Ishqiya. Dedh Ishqiya, the sequel to 2010 film Ishqiya, is produced by Vishal Bhardwaj and directed by Abhishek Chaubey. Arshad will be seen opposite Huma Qureshi in it. Asked if he feels he has missed a golden chance of being paired with Madhuri, he said: “I love Madhuri, but I am not paired with her. I am with Huma. I think Madhuri and I would have looked odd. We are starting to shoot for the film. It is a very good film,” he added. Madhuri will be seen opposite veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in the film. IANS

Sanjay Leela Bhansali to team up with Rani again

fter essaying critically acclaimed roles in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black and Saawariya, actress Rani Mukherjee is likely to team up with the filmmaker again on the big screen. “I first worked with him (Sanjay Leela Bhansali) in Black. I am happy to be a part of that film. He has promised me that he will make more films with me,” Rani, who is a close friend of Bhansali, told reporters. Rani walked down the memory lane, recollecting the time she agreed to be part of Black, in which she played a blind, deaf and mute girl. “He gifted me Black. It was wonderful to work with him on a film like that. I remem-

ber I was in Italy when Sanjay offered me the film. I liked it and agreed to be part of it. I must say he shocked everyone with the movie. My journey with him has been wonIANS derful,” Rani said.

CINEMA SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle pair up for TV

GERARD BUTLER doesn't talk to terrorists in new film

obin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar have been cast as father and daughter in Crazy Ones, a single-camera workplace sitcom being developed for CBS, according to TVGuide.com. And, better yet, it's a David E Kelley-produced workplace sitcom! The Ally McBeal and Boston Legal creator (and master of workplace situation anything) is reportedly teaming with frequent producing partner Bill D'Elia and Arrested Development co-executive producer Dean Lorey on the pilot—the quality of which we are now holding out so much hope for. Crazy Ones, which is set in an advertising agency (hmm, do we sense a play on Mad Men?), marks Williams' first TV venture—give or take a handful of guest appearances—since Mork & Mindy, which signed off in 1982.

lympus Has Fallen is ready to fall into theatres. A new trailer gives you an idea of the film's action chops, grimfaced heroics and zippy one-liners. Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) directed this Die Hard-meetsAir Force One genre exercise, in which disgraced ex-secret service agent Mike Banning (300's Gerard Butler) faces down a bunch of terrorists, led by Fast and Furious Rick Yune) in the White House. In Olympus,The Dark Knight's DA Aaron Eckhart has been promoted to president, while Deep Impact's Morgan Freeman just plays the acting president. Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo, Dylan McDermott and Ashley Judd also star.

HEMSWORTH signs Michael Mann's film

ctor Chris Hemsworth has signed up to star in Michael Mann's untitled film. The 29-year-old has reportedly agreed to play the lead in the director's latest project, an untitled thriller about cyber threats and hacking attacks. Hemsworth has been looking for a new project since shooting on Thor: The Dark World was wrapped up, and Steven Spielberg postponed production on science-fiction flick Robopocalypse. IANS

CINEMA SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

MathewMcConaughey brings out clothing line for a good cause

atthew McConaughey wants you to feel good about the clothes you wear. OK, so the shirtless wonder isn’t exactly leading by example — but we’re not exactly complaining, either! In this ironic endeavour, Matthew is launching a men’s activewear line which features — wait for it — all different kinds of shirts!

There are quick-dry T-shirts, polo shirts, long-sleeve shirts, tops with UV protection, pullovers, windbreakers and even rash guards. Don’t worry though, Matthew’s got your bottom half covered, too. The clothing line also offers oiland water-repellent pants, flip-flops and more. Named for Matthew and Camila’s “Just Keep Livin’ Foundation,” which provides fitness and

wellness programmes for public schools, the line will simply be called “JKL." And, as if starting his own charity wasn’t cool enough, the do-gooder has pledged to give 10 percent of the proceeds from the line to the foundation. The items range from $30-$100 and will be offered exclusively at 150 Dillard’s stores starting next month, branching out to other retailers in the fall.

Cooper and Lawrence to team up with Silver Linings director

cademy Award-nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence will team up again with her Silver Linings Playbook director David O Russell for his next film — a drama formerly titled American Bulls. The film is about the ’70s and ’80s FBI sting operation Abscam, which exposed the corruption and misdoings of public officials, resulting in convictions for a number of members of Congress. Her Silver Linings Playbook costar and fellow acting nominee Bradley Cooper is set to star the film as well, alongside Amy Adams and Christian Bale, both of whom worked with Russell on The Fighter. Best Director nominee Russell isn’t messing with the formula.

ara Leal, who had a fling with Ashton Kutcher in the past, says the actor might cheat his new girlfriend Mila Kunis because “once a cheater, always a cheater”. Leal, 22, claimed to have slept with the Two and a Half Men star in a hotel room on his and ex-wife Demi Moore’s sixth wedding anniversary in 2011. “Once a cheater, always a cheater. If I were Mila, I’d be careful. He doesn’t have the best track record. But she’s obviously willing to take that risk,” contactmusic.com quoted Leal as saying. “If I was dating a guy who had cheated on his wife, I would be a little suspicious. It would probably make me extra crazy and extra insecure. I’d definitely keep an eye out. That would be a red flag in my eyes, if I was dating somebody who cheated on their wife,” she added. IANS

Ashton Kutcher will always be a cheater: Sara Leal Once a cheater, always a cheater. If I were Mila, I’d be careful. He doesn’t have the best track record. But she’s obviously willing to take that risk, contactmusic.com quoted Leal as saying

CHAI TIME SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

SUNDAY CROSSWORD

ACROSS

Winners!

Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally

131 MS readers 132 Traffic stopper 133 Approved 135 Bigger than big 137 Faint trace 139 Vitamin amt 140 Win every game 142 Church vestment 144 Bulb food (2 wds) 148 Kind of toast 150 Pack animals 153 Yemeni neighbour 155 TV’s Hawkeye 156 Wooden horse saga 157 Yokums’ creator (2 wds) 158 Curie or Osmond 159 Ms Dinesen 160 Go biking 161 Mouths off 162 Juicy pears 163 Glittery fabric

DOWN 1 Eager, plus 2 Irene of ‘Fame’ 3 Vivacity 4 Feats of courage 5 Guaranteed 6 Ticket bargain 7 Elizabethan collars 8 Claire or Balin 9 Taj Mahal city 10 Rose pest 11 Bleat 12 Icy remark? 13 Scepter go-withs 14 Kind of fairy 15 Clutch at — 16 DVD predecessors 17 Henri’s landmass 18 Attacks on a castle 19 Make certain 20 Seesaw

Play & Win

Please send in your filled-in entries to Postnoon, #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033. The winners will be announced on this page in Sunday’s edition.

FOLOWING ARE THE

30 Age, as cheese 32 Martha of dental ads 34 Enter data 38 Mythical brownie 39 March composer 41 — white shark 42 From the beginning (Lat) 43 Desert near Sinai 44 Mooch 46 Ramshackle 47 That’s — — know! 49 Protozoans (var) 51 Author — Rand 53 Letter opener (2 wds) 54 Countess’s spouse 56 Sufficient, in verse 59 Tea time, perhaps 61 Ambush 63 Girl from Baja 64 Gorp eater 65 Tatum or Ryan 67 JFK regulators 68 Yell (2 wds) 69 More silly 70 Mexicali Mrs 73 Subs 75 Job openings 77 Come next

VOUCHER LUCKY WINNERS FOR THIS WEEK:

81 Environmental prefix 82 Like some hours 84 Wings 85 Kingly 86 Hot time in Chile

87 Flower oil 91 Dartboard locale 92 Nope opposite 93 Wild confusion 94 Alter genes 95 Dear, as memories 96 Not delay 99 Selected a card 102 Descartes or Coty 103 Hang loosely 104 Moved gingerly 105 Textile workers 107 Opera voice 109 Talk show hostess 111 Anagram for bane 114 Ultimate degree 117 Jessica or Hope 119 Natural crystals 121 Manhattan sch 122 Combustible matter 123 Actress Garth, et al 124 Of cosmic law 125 In a boorish way 126 Slanted print 127 Cub Scout leaders 130 Part human, part machine 134 Perry’s secretary 136 Sounds of fright 137 Ski lifts (hyph) 138 PC message (hyph) 140 Nigerian pop singer 141 Felt liners 143 Dismal failure 145 Joy Adamson’s pet 146 Economist — Smith 147 Trout habitat 149 Checkbook amt 151 Kettle and Bell 152 Do a takeoff 154 ‘Little Red Book’ author

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

1 Breezed through 5 Posh hotel lobbies 10 Monastery heads 16 Drop in on 21 Low tract 22 Threw a punch 23 Loud squawker 24 ‘I Fall to Pieces’ singer 25 Latin hymn word 26 — —, so good! 27 Give refuge 28 Ms Witherspoon 29 Flaky stuff 31 Business magnate Onassis 33 Census info 35 Kind of reaction 36 Becomes a dad 37 Citrus coolers 40 Road map info 41 ‘Runaway Bride’ groom 42 Mandela’s org 45 Part of mph 46 Morgan le — 48 Mauna — volcano 50 More meager 52 Like moccasins 54 La femme 55 Sulk angrily 57 Peacock spot 58 Nash of funny verses 59 Quit working 60 In the mail 62 Tortilla snack 66 First-magnitude star 67 Ant acid 69 Hercules’ 12 71 See-through 72 Repairs 74 Five-cone caldera of Japan 76 Not spaced-out 78 Tina Turner’s ex 79 Flame-broil 80 Some pastels 83 Cure-all 85 Broadcast again 88 Genetic copy 89 Growl 90 Measure of disorder 93 Baby shower gift 95 Man-goat deity 97 Fetch 98 Like Elvis’ shoes 100 Wear and tear 101 Moved ahead 106 Emir or sheik 108 Actress Brigitte — 110 Back down 112 Diagnosis aid (hyph) 113 Navigation system 115 Rescue 116 Tough spot 117 Car-dealer’s option 118 Ave crossers 120 Raise a red flag 122 Meet head-on 123 Red-coloured quartz 124 Arjuna’s charioteer 128 The ‘merry month’ 129 Half of ‘deux’ 130 Pa Cartwright

1. Shailender 2. Dinesh Kumar 3. Kamini R 4. Shoukath Ali 5. Indirani K

CHAI TIME SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

STAR POWER Date 18-2-2013

As per Hindu panchang

THIRUVAIKUMAR

thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in 040-27177230 / 9949870449

TAURUS

GEMINI

You will be very active and complete all work quickly; others might feel it difficult to cope up to your expectations. Family will remain in peaceful. Financial situation will improve drastically.

A strong financial position that will emerge soon will cheer you. You fulfill long-pending wishes of all the family members. Plans will get implemented and yield good results. Bad effects go.

You give due importance to the happiness of family members and fulfill their needs. Close friends might put you in an embarrassing situation. Good inflow of money lets you meet expenses.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Be careful while expressing opinions as chances of misunderstanding is most likely. However, you emphasise your views with statistical data and necessary evidence and surprise everyone.

You handle issues created by relatives well. Your child will be favoured with a good career opportunity. All plans will take a shape and get implemented. You will work hard and achieve goals.

You remain balanced mentally and execute work in a planned way. Misunderstanding with friends and relatives very likely; be careful in your talk. Children will make you happy and proud.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Children might not co-operate with you and your patience may be tested. Certain important works are likely to get delayed; situation will change. Expenses increase beyond expectations.

Debt problems might resurface and depress you; manage the issue with patience. Employees will be favoured with elevation with support of superiors. Situation will be peaceful at home.

Promotion or choice transfer on cards for employees. Stay away from persons who might drag you into trouble. A close friends might turn traitor. You need to cautious in financial matters.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

A peaceful atmosphere will prevail at home. You need to exercise caution while expressing opinions. Debt problems will be under control. Children cheer you with a sterling performance.

Financial situation will improve and a strong position will bring peace of mind. Major debts will get cleared. Minor ego clashes with spouse likely; adjustment will bring back normalcy soon.

Litigation possible over ancestral property. Frequent trips for businessmen will put them under stress. Joint -venture business will flourish and profits likely to jump beyond expectations.

SUMAA TEKUR

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Eight of Cups – You have everything that you’ve always wanted but still feel a void, an emptiness. Remember, happiness has little to do with material comforts.

The Empress – Love is in the air. You discover the romantic in you and go all out to woo your lover. Go with the flow and let your feelings lead you.

The Fool – You’re ready to jump into a new situation though you have little experience in that area. It will be a great learning experience. Go with the flow.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

King of Wands – Keep an open mind and take suggestions from those around you. You don’t necessarily have to do everything wellwishers say.

Ace of Swords – You take an extreme stand on a crucial issue. You declare that it’s either your way or nothing. Explore other options and keen an open mind.

Page of Cups – Matters of the heart are in focus today. If you have been putting off a relationship-based decision, today may be a good day to decide.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Temperance – You need to wait upon events to get to the right place where you can benefit from them. Expect delays and obstacles but don’t be frustrated.

Two of Wands – You need to wait upon events for them to have the right effect. It might be frustrating but the period of waiting is extremely important.

Justice – You need to take charge of happiness and work towards attaining your goals. Take up a hobby or a relaxation activity that keeps you centred.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Queen of Cups – You feel emotional. Good day to listen to the heart and do something that makes you happy – even if it’s ice cream topped with hot chocolate.

Nine of Cups – Your every wish is about to come true. If something has been bothering you for a long time, a resolution is near. Keep a low profile today.

Ten of Swords – Bad advice has caused you to make decisions that lead to some kind of loss. Be prepared for change. You’ll get up and fight.

NON SEQUITUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE POOCH CAFE

STRIP TEASE

AGNES

ARIES

TAROT READ Date 18-2-2013

Deep young thoughts indeed From an actual newspaper contest where entrants ages 4 to 15 were asked to imitate ‘Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey’. Age 15: I believe you should live each day as if it is your last, which is why I don't have any clean laundry because, come on, who wants to wash clothes on the last day of their life? Age 13: Give me the strength to change the things I can, the grace to accept the things I cannot, and a great big bag of money. Age 8: It sure would be nice if we got a day off for the

president's birthday, like they do for the queen's. Of course, then we would have a lot of people voting for a candidate born on July 3 or December 26, just for the long weekends. Age 10: Democracy is a beautiful thing, except for that part about letting just any old yokel vote. Age 6: For centuries, people thought the moon was made of green cheese. Then the astronauts found that the moon is really a big hard rock. That's what happens to cheese when you leave it out.

Vol: 2, No 212 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

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

HEMANTH KUMAR

hemanth.k@postnoon.com

mour, starring legendary French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, delves into the lives of an elderly couple who find solace in each other’s company post their retirement as music teachers. They spend their days following a similar routine which includes reading, cooking, taking naps and occasionally playing Beethoven’s En La Majeur and Franz Schubert's Impromptus. The pace at which the film unfolds reminds us time and again about the couple’s lives which is dreadfully slow and mundane. For a moment it feels like watching a prelude to how your own life is going to be once you come to the state where death is in the offing. Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) are retired music teachers who live in Paris. One day, Anne suffers a stroke and after the surgery goes wrong, her body is paralysed. Georges decides to take care of his wife within the precincts of their home instead of keeping her in a hospital. He employs a nurse to take care of Anne, but he soon figures out that the nurse doesn’t care much about Anne’s health condition. Soon, Georges’ daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert) comes home and accuses his father of neglecting her mother. Georges becomes so furious at her accusation that he asks her if she knows of an alternative and reminds her that he’s doing everything he can. Amour, despite its title, is extremely harrowing. The authenticity with which Michael Haneke depicts the life of an elderly couple is quite alarming, but there’s no denying that Amour ceases to be a film and sucks you into an enigmatic world which we will have to inevitably face at some point in our lives. The film is filled with plenty of metaphors including a pigeon which makes a grand entry into their home much to

Things will go on, and then one day it will all be over Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant in Amour)

LOVE IS THE REAL MAGIC PILL

Michael Haneke’s Amour is about an elderly couple Georges and Anne, whose love for each other faces a litmus test when Anne suffers a stroke. Haneke’s vision of an inevitable phase in our lives is both haunting and overwhelming and there lies the answer to what makes Amour so profound. the dismay of Georges, a dream like state where Georges finds out that their house is filled with water and even Georges’ reluctance to listen to music for an extended period of time. Haneke invests plenty of time to give both Georges and Anne a great amount of depth in their character to bring out the pain that one goes through when their loved ones go through a lot of suffering. The acting by the lead pair is top class and since both JeanLouis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva play their age, it’s of little surprise that the subtlety in their expressions hits you so hard. Jean-Louis Trintignant, who is back after a gap of 14 years, has the most screen time in the film and

Amour will go down as one of the best films of his illustrious career which also includes movies like Costa Gavras’ Z, Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colors: Red and Claude Lelouch’s A Man and A Woman. On the other hand Emmanuelle Riva is perfect in her role as Anne whose suffering is the core of the film. There’s not a scene in the film featuring Emmanuelle Riva which doesn’t evoke sympathy and reminds us how painful the eternally long wait for death is going to be. The defining scene in the film is undoubtedly the choice which Georges makes to alleviate Anne of the immense suffering she has been undergoing and the brutality of the scenes hits you so hard that it makes you

wonder if Georges has done the right thing. In the end, Amour is a story about coming to terms with death and the true meaning of love at the twilight of one’s life. There’s a scene in the film where Georges says, “ Things

will go on, and then one day it will all be over.” It’s the most elegant way to describe the concept of Amour, but the impact which Haneke creates in the end is so profound that you won’t forget it anytime soon.

SPORTS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

BJP attacks RCA

Ross wins Slam Dunk crown

JAIPUR: Alleging financial irregularities in

HOUSTON, TEXAS: Terrence Ross of

RCA, the convener of the BJP Rajasthan unit's sports cell, BK Upadhyaya has demanded formation of an adhoc body to manage the daily affairs of the state cricket association. Upadhyaya alleged that Union minister CP Joshi, who is President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) was also involved in corruption. "If you see the figures of TA/ DA granted to officials you will come to know about the loot,” he said.

the Toronto Raptors dethroned defending champion Jeremy Evans of Utah to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday in a worldwide vote on social media. After a judging panel of retired NBA players that included Chinese legend Yao Ming narrowed the field to the finalists, Ross slammed two spectacular dunks through the rim to win 58 per cent of fan votes via Twitter and websites.

Broner stops UK’s Rees

Ding out of Wales Open NEWPORT, UK: Defending champion Ding Junhui of China was knocked out of the Welsh Open on Saturday when England's Stuart Bingham captured their semifinal 6-5. Bingham came back from 4-5 down to claim victory with breaks of 93 and 108 and will face Stephen Maguire of Scotland, who beat Judd Trump 6-4, in Sunday's best of 17-frame final. "I didn't play as well as I did in other matches this week and I had some bad shot selection," admitted Ding.

Lillard outshines Lin, defender

Rookie goes on to capture the NBA Skills Challenge. HOUSTON, TEXAS:

ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY: Undefeated American Adrien Broner (above) stopped Britain’s Gavin Rees in the fifth round on Saturday to retain his World Boxing Council lightweight world crown. Broner dropped the 32-yearold Welshman to the canvas with right and left uppercuts and landed a ferocious flurry before referee Earl Brown stopped the fight after two minutes and 59 seconds of the

fifth round. “I’m fresh. I’m fly. I’m flashy. I did my job,” Broner said. “If they didn’t stop the fight he was going to sleep anyway. Rock-abye baby.” With a successful first defense of the crown he won last November by stopping Mexican southpaw Antonio DeMarco in the eighth round, the 23-year-old American improved to 26-0 with his 22nd stoppage inside AFP the distance.

Portland Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard (right) captured the NBA Skills Challenge on Saturday, outclassing Houston’s Jeremy Lin and 2012 winner Tony Parker of San Antonio. The obstacle course event — which makes players dribble, shoot and pass — was part of the All-Star festivities on the eve of Sunday’s NBA AllStar Game. They also included the Three-Point Contest won by Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving. Irving made 17 of his first 18 three-point attempts in the final round on his way to scoring 23 points and defeating San Antonio’s Matt Bonner, who finished with 20. In the Skills Challenge opening round, Lillard completed the course in 28.8 seconds to oust Lin, the NBA’s first Asian-American player, and Frenchman Parker. Lin, whose parents are from Taiwan, completed the course in 35.8, while Parker struggled to finish in 48.7.

Funds to improve archery HYDERABAD: Secretary of

State girls (from left) Sai Vaishnavi, Purvasa Sudhir Shinde, V Jyothi Surekha and Y Anish Reddy compete in the compound round of the 35th National Junior Archery Championship at the SAAP Sports Complex, Gachibowli on Saturday.

Youth Services and Sports Department Lav Agarwal announced funds for the Gachibowli Archery Academy here on Saturday. Speaking at the SAAP Sports Complex after formally inaugurating the compound round of the 35th National Junior Archery Championship he said that archery was innate amongst us Indians and acknowledged that State archers were making a mark at the national level. “As the secretary for youth services I will do my best in encouraging archery in the country, especially in the State,” he said.

Parker failed to match Dwyane Wade and Steve Nash as multiple winners in the decade-old event. Lillard advanced to the final against Philadelphia’s Jrue Holiday, whose preliminary run of 29.3 ousted Detroit’s Brandon Knight and Atlanta’s Jeff Teague.

Hunter ousted as boss

illy Hunter was fired as executive director of the NBA players union after 17 years in the job on Saturday after an executive committee of players voted unanimously to oust him. The National Basketball Players Association assembled a new executive committee after player representatives axed Hunter following a review of his tenure at the top of the organisation was released in January. AFP

Wrestling chief quits PARIS: Raphael Martinetti (right) resigned as president of The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) on Saturday after he was largely held to blame for the sport losing its spot at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Martinetti’s position became untenable when to many people’s surprise the 15-man Inter national Olympic Committee’s Executive Board voted it off the programme on Tuesday. While the decision was greeted with widespread dismay not least from Martinetti, his plea to his fellow wrestling board members in Phuket, Thailand, that he should lead the fight to have it reinstated failed to convince them and he received only 50% of the votes. “Mr Martinetti did not use his deciding vote to save his position and announced that he was resigning in order to allow

the new President to resolve the situation,” read a statement. Wrestling will remain on the programme for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro but faces a fight against seven other sports for inclusion at the Games four years later. One member told that there was a strong possibility that the wider IOC membership could well vote wrestling back onto the PTI programme.

SPORTS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Rafa struggles into final Nadal struggled into the Brazil Open final by beating Martin Alund.

SAO PAULO: Rafael Nadal struggled into the Brazil Open final on Saturday by downing Argentine lucky loser Martin Alund in three sets and later said he was handicapped by nagging knee pain. The former world number one, who is recovering from a left knee injury, battled hard to dismiss his 27-year-old opponent, who is ranked 111 in the world, winning 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-1 in nearly two hours. Sunday’s final will pit the 26-year-old Spanish star against Argentine David Nalbandian, who whipped Italian Simone Bolelli 6-3, 7-5 in 85 minutes in the other semi-final. It will be Nadal’s second singles final since his comeback from a seven-month absence due his left knee injury and then illness. Last week, he competed in the Vina del Mar Open in Chile, losing the singles and doubles finals. At a post-match press conference, Nadal said that while he was physically prepared for tomorrow’s final, “my knee is not”. “I don’t think I am the favorite at all. The conditions are much more favorable for David (Nalbandian),” he said. “I still have discomfort. Today the knee did not

NEW YORK: Sudanese-born Lopez

Spain’s Rafael Nadal (R) and Argentinian Martin Alund greet at the end of their Brazil Open semifinal match in Brazil, on Saturday. AFP/YASUYOSHI CHIBA respond well. And in those circumstances, not being able to move well, to attack the ball, it will be very difficult.” “I am going to do what I can... But I think it is going to be a very complicated match for me.”

Potro to face Julien ROTTERDAM: Juan Martin

first career title after losing all seven of his previous finals. Benneteau won an allFrench semi-final in one hour and 50 minutes, beating compatriot Gilles Simon, the fifth seed, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2). Simon was treated midway through the second set for a left leg injury. Benneteau had nine break chances, converting two, as he played his second semi-final of the season after Sydney last AFP month.

del Potro dispatched Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to move into his second straight Rotterdam World Tennis final and will face Frenchman Julien Benneteau for the title. The second-seeded Argentine is now the topranked player left after Friday’s shock elimination of Roger Federer by Benneteau who will be looking for his

‘Stunned to be still playing’

DOHA: Evergreen Serena

Williams admitted on Saturday that she never thought she’d still be playing tennis into a third decade as she becomes the oldest woman to take the world top ranking. “I never thought I would be playing at 31, although I don’t feel 31. I don’t know where the time went,” said the American, the winner of 15 Grand Slam singles titles. “I never, never, never thought I would still be out

here, but I have nothing else to do. I’m pretty good at tennis still, so why not? I’d just rather I didn’t sit at home all day.” Williams celebrated her recapture of the world number one ranking with her best performance of the year in a 6-3, 6-2 trouncing of Maria Sharapova to reach the Qatar Open final on Saturday. On Sunday, she will face defending champion Victoria Azarenka, the outgoing world number one, for the title. AFP

Haas downs Isner SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: German fourth seed Tommy Haas advanced to the final of the ATP SAP Open with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over US John Isner on Saturday. Haas, who at 34 surrendered seven years to his rival, fired eight aces and connected on 75 percent of his first serves while Isner, known for his big serves, had nine aces but connected on only 59 percent of his first serves. Haas lost three of his four prior matches against the

Lopez breaks Millrose’s mile record

American but they had not faced each other since 2009. In Sunday’s final, the 22ndranked German will face either Canadian top seed Milos Raonic or US third seed Sam Querrey, who meet in a later semi-final. Raonic, a top seed for the first time at an ATP event, is trying to become the first three-time winner of the San Jose event since Tony Trabert from 1953-1955. It will Raonic’s last chance as the event AFP will end after this year.

The 31-year-old Nalbandian, a former world number three who now languishes in 93rd place in the ATP rankings, has also been plagued with injuries. He withdrew from the 2012 US Open due to a strained muscle in his chest. AFP

Lomong edged defending champion Matthew Centrowitz in a meet-record time, edging his 2012 US Olympic teammate to win the feature mile showdown at Saturday’s 106th Millrose Games. Lomong, the 2008 US Olympic flag bearer who escaped Sudan soldiers to become a two-time Olympian, won in 3 minutes 51.21 seconds to edge Centrowitz by .13 of a second with Irish Olympian Ciaran O’Lionaird third in 3:52.10. The old meet record was 3:52.87 set by Bernard Lagat in 2005 when the meet was still staged at Madison Square Garden. The indoor event is now conducted at the city Armory. Lagat was a winner on Saturday as well, capturing the two-mile event in 8:09.49. Canada’s Sheila Reid won the women’s mile in 4:27.02. US Olympian Darvis Patton won the men’s 60 meters in 6.50 seconds with Zambia’s Gerald Phiri second in 6.64 while English Gardner captured the women’s 60 in 7.19, .03 ahead of AFP Jeneba Tarmoh.

Bill turns up the heat Rebecca Bryan

LOS ANGELES: Bill Haas positioned himself for a run at a Riviera repeat on Saturday, firing a superb seven-under par 64 to seize a three-stroke lead after the third round at the US PGA Tour Northern Trust Open. Haas, vying to become the first player since Phil Mickelson in 2008 and 2009 to post back-toback victories at Riviera Country Club, started the day four shots off the lead. But he avoided any bogeys on the classic par-71 course despite the challenging firm conditions produced by warm, sunny California weather. Haas’s seven-under effort beat the next-best round of the day by three strokes and gave him a 54-hole total of 12-under 201. Reigning US Open champion Webb Simpson and 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel both shot 68 to share third on nineunder par 204 along with John Merrick, who was in sole possession of second place before a

Bill Haas hits out of a bunker on the 17th hole during the third round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Saturday. STEPHEN DUNN/GETTY IMAGES/AFP

bogey at the last to complete a one-under 70. “Bill shooting seven-under is incredible out there,” Simpson said. “I felt like my three-under was pretty good.” World number three Luke Donald of England (70) and overnight co-leader Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden (72) were a stroke back on 205. Haas had five birdies and a

chip-in for eagle on the par-four 10th hole — the same hole where he rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt to beat Mickelson and Keegan Bradley at the second hole of sudden death last year. That victory remains the most recent of four US PGA titles for Haas, who won the Tour Championship in 2011 to take the US circuit’s $10 million AFP playoff crown.

Froome wins at Oman BOSHAR: Chris Froome of Britain won the Tour of Oman on Saturday, last year’s Tour de France runner-up beating two previous winners of cycling’s blue riband, Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans. The Sky star, who took possession of the leader’s red jersey on Thursday, had a 27 second advantage over Spain’s Contador in the overall standings with Australia’s

Evans 39s away in third. Saturday’s sixth and final stage, a 144km ride from Hawit Nagam park in the south of the emirate to Muscat along, was won by France’s Nacer Bouhanni. He finished clear in a sprint from Australia’s Matthew Goss and USA’s Taylor Phinney. “It’s been an incredibly successful week for us this week. The team has rallied

around me all the way and having guys of the calibre of Bradley Wiggins helping you to win a race makes it a hell of a lot easier to be up there when the going gets tough,” said Froome. “This is still very early days at the moment and early on in the season. This was a preparation event and a good test to see how the winter training has gone so far. AFP

SPORTS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Eng bundled out for 258

England's carefully crafted start in the first ODI faltered in the closing stages. HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND: England's carefully crafted start to their innings against New Zealand in the opening one-day international in Hamilton Sunday came unstuck in the closing stages with a dramatic collapse. After reaching 220 for four in the 44th over, England were all out for 258 with three balls remaining in their 50 overs. Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root, who all missed the recently concluded Twenty20 series won by England 2-1, were the chief architects of the solid start only for the final six wickets to fall for just 38. However, New Zealand's celebrations were tempered by con-

cerns for Mitchell McClenaghan. McClenaghan, who took four for 56, was unable to complete his final over and limped from the field after delivering a short ball to claim the penultimate wicket when Steven Finn top-edged to Martin Guptill. After losing the toss, England were sent into bat and set about accumulating runs with the intent of establishing the foundations for a late onslaught. After the early departure of Alastair Cook, Bell and Trott put on 84 for the second wicket in their first innings of the tour. Bell survived on 28 when Watling spilled a catch and postAFP ed his 50.

‘Oz have decent attack’ CHENNAI: India A batsmen dominated the opening day of the warm up game against Australia but Rohit Sharma said the visitors actually have a decent attack and they leaked runs because they were aggressive and experimented a bit with their bowling variations. Sharma cracked a useful 77 and shared a 128-run stand for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir (112) as India A piled up 338 for four. "They have a decent attack. They were trying to attack too much with fielders all closing in and so we could take those chances and score runs quickly. Again it is a different ball game when it comes to Test match. They will be bowling more tight. May be they were trying few things today. We took real advantage of that," Sharma said after day's play. Sharma was pleased with his batting. "Of course I am happy. I think whatever I got I am happy but I know that even if you get hundred, you

‘Not surprised with Gambhir batting’ CHENNAI: The pick of the Australian bowlers Xavier Doherty found nothing "surprising" in Gautam Gambhir's century since the left-hander is a class act against slow bowlers. "Gambhir played beautifully. He is a very good batsman and extremely good player of spin bowling. Therefore, it was not surprising in the manner he batted today [Saturday]," Doherty said. PTI will probably feel I should go for 150. That is not the case here. I am happy with whatever I am getting. I am looking forward to whatever opportunities I get," he said. Talking about his partnership with Gambhir, he said, they decided to plan was to prolong the stay at the wicket.

SCORECARD

New Zealand's Nathan McCullum and England's Jonathan Trott collide during the International One Day Cricket match between New Zealand and England played at Snedden Park in Hamilton on Sunday. AFP/MICHAEL BRADLEY

England innings Cook b McClenaghan 4 Bell c B. McCullum b Franklin 64 Trott b Mills 68 Root b Franklin 56 Morgan c Guptill b Mills 1 Buttler c Elliott b McClenaghan 21 Woakes c B. McCullum b Ellis 17 Broad c B. McCullum b McClenaghan 1 Swann c Taylor b Franklin 16 Finn c Guptill b McClenaghan 0 Anderson not out 0 Extras (lb 4, w 5, nb 1) 10 Total (all out; 49.3 overs) 258 Bowling: Mills 10-2-32-2, McClenaghan 9.4-0-56-4, Ellis 100-67-1, N. McCullum 10-0-42-0, Franklin 6.3-0-38-3, Williamson 2.2-0-12-0, Elliott 1-0-7-0.

Test on a knife edge Colin Bryden

CAPE TOWN: Robin Peterson and Dale Steyn led a South African fightback which left the second Test against Pakistan evenly poised at the end of the third day at Newlands on Saturday. Pakistan were 100 for three at the close, a lead of 112. Peterson hit 84 to enable South Africa to get within 12 runs of Pakistan's 338 and Steyn took two wickets as Pakistan lost three second innings wickets for 45 runs. At that stage South Africa were slightly on top but Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq shared a largely cautious unbeaten partnership of 55 to see Pakistan through to the close. South Africa were hampered by a recurrence of a hamstring injury to Morne Morkel, who left the field after bowling one ball in his second spell. He had to stop bowling because of the same injury in the first innings as well and seems unlikely to take the ball again in the match. Team manager and doctor Mohammad Moosajee said he was a doubtful starter for the

South Africa’s Dale Steyn rolls over on the pitch during day two of the 2nd Test against Pakistan, in Cape Town on Saturday. AFP/ALEXANDER JOE

Brief Scores Pakistan 338 and 100/3 (Azhar Ali 45 n.o., Misbahul-Haq 36 n.o., Steyn 2/24) vs South Africa 326 (A. de Villiers 61, R. Peterson 84, Saeed Ajmal 6/96, Irfan 3/86) third and final Test. Peterson led a fighting performance by South Africa's lower order batsmen as they recovered from an overnight 139

for five to reach 326 all out. "I had a good chat to a few people about how we were going to play Saeed Ajmal," he said. Off-spinner Ajmal took all five wickets on Friday and finished with six for 96. "Saeed is a genius of spin bowling," added Peterson. "He can bowl about four different deliveries an over. Even if you can pick all of them it is tough to have that absolute concentration all the time. We had our hands full but the more overs he bowled the easier it became." AFP

Two hectic sessions for preparation BANGALORE: The Indian team yesterday began their three-day training camp ahead of their Test series against Australia starting next week with two hectic practice sessions, with senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar returning in the mix after his retirement from ODI cricket. Tendulkar, who struggled against England in the recent home Test series, batted for two hours and 15 minutes in two separate sessions, one in the morning and another i afternoon, lasting five-and-a-half hours in total. In the morning session,

Tendulkar batted along with Virat Kohli for 45 minutes on the centre pitch at Chinnaswamy Stadium, facing Ashok Dinda, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Pragyan Ojha and R Ashwin. In the second session which began at 2 pm, Tendulkar batted on the centre pitch for 20 minutes facing top Indian bowlers. After that he hung at the nets for one hour and 10 minutes, focussing more on his shots in contrast to the morning session when he did not try anything unusual and paid attention to the basics.

Interestingly, the out-of-system young and unknown raw bowlers who were called for service by the support staff bowled at Tendulkar, who did not ask them to bowl to his wishes. Tendulkar also rolled his arms against Harbhajan Singh, who enjoyed his batting by lifting 'net bowlers' out of the park a couple of times and even breaking windowpane glasses at pavilion area. Tendulkar also hurled 'throwdowns' with leather balls to Virat Kohli who worked on his technique to sort out some

grey areas in his batting. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni got down to the details of batting than wicket-keeping. He batted for nearly 25 minutes. In the morning session, new face Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay were seen sweating it out at the side nets using the 'high altitude mask', which helps in achieving increased mental and physical stamina levels. Virender Sehwag, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja also batted in PTI both sessions.

SPORTS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Blackburn knock Arsenal out of FA Cup

Messi hits 300th Barça goal

Indian-owned Blackburn moved into the quarter-finals of the Cup, a rare high-point for them after last season’s relegation from the Premier League. Kieran Canning

Wenger urges Arsenal to bounce back in next

rsene Wenger has called on his Arsenal side to bounce back from their humiliating FA Cup defeat by Blackburn when they face Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Boyhood Arsenal fan Colin Kazim-Richards’s second half goal sealed an unexpected 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday that sent secondtier Blackburn into the FA Cup quarter-finals 72 hours before Bayern arrive in north London for the first leg of their last 16 tie.

Blackburn Rovers’ English-born Turkish striker Colin Kazim-Richards (L) scores their all-important goal against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in London on Saturday. AFP/ GLYN KIRK

Ian Winrow

LONDON: Colin Kazim-Richards’s 72nd minute goal ensured second-tier Blackburn Rovers dumped a stunned Arsenal out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win at the Premier League aristocrats’ Emirates Stadium on Saturday. It was the first time Arsenal have exited the competition at the hands of lower league opposition since Arsene Wenger took charge of the club in 1996. And this defeat came as a major blow ahead of the Champions League visit of Bayern Munich on Tuesday, with Arsenal desperate to end a

major trophy drought stretching back to when they last lifted the FA Cup in 2005. Arsenal dominated the game for long periods but Kazim-Richards, a boyhood Arsenal fan, made the most of a rare opportunity midway through the second half. And the final whistle was greeted with loud boos from home supporters who made it clear they were unhappy with Wenger’s team selection. The significance of the visit of Bayern was reflected in Wenger’s decision to make seven changes to the side that won at Sunderland and rest a number

of his bigger names, certain to start against the Germans. The manager decided against risking Jack Wilshere’s thigh injury and the midfielder was joined on the substitutes’ bench by Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla. The decision prevented visiting Bayern scouts from getting a good look at the players Wenger expects to influence the Champions League clash — but there was little else to concern the German club. Arsenal dominated possession against a side still struggling to adjust to life in the Championship.

MADRID: Lionel Messi (above) scored his 300th Barcelona goal as the Spanish league leaders came from a goal down to beat Granada 2-1 at Nuevo Los Carmenes on Saturday. Odion Ighalo had prodded the hosts into a shock first-lead with virtually their first attack of the game, but Messi’s moment arrived five minutes into the second period as he pounced after Tono had failed to hold Cesc Fabregas’ effort. And soon after the Argentine had his 301st goal for the Catalans as he curled home a sumptuous free-kick to extend Barca’s lead at the top to 15 points over Atletico Madrid. Barca assistant manager Jordi Roura had taken the opportunity to rest Andres Iniesta ahead their Champions League tie with AC Milan in midweek, whilst Xavi was again missing through injury. But despite being without either of their two midfield metronomes Barca started brightly. Messi was unsurprisingly to the fore and he slipped in Alexis Sanchez after just five minutes but the Chilean’s heavy touch allowed Tono in the Granada goal to collect. Thiago then headed over and Messi nearly connected with Cesc Fabregas’ knockdown at the end of a wonderful move as Barce continued to dominate, but they were rocked when Granada took the lead on 26 minutes.

Totti rocket downs Juve Justin Davis

MILAN: Francesco Totti (left) hit a 25-metre rocket for Roma to seal a precious 1-0 win over Juventus and hand the leaders only their fourth defeat of the campaign Saturday. Juve, fresh from a precious 3-0 Champions League win away to Celtic, had Claudio Marchisio and Federico Peluso suspended and also Giorgio Chiellini, Paolo De Ceglie and Nicklas Bendtner out through injury. Bianconeri coach Antonio Conte welcomed Kwadwo

Serie A Top10 Juventus 25 17 4 4 50 17 55 Napoli 24 15 5 4 46 21 50 Lazio 24 13 5 6 35 26 44 AC Milan 25 13 5 7 44 31 44 Inter Milan 24 13 4 7 39 29 43 Fiorentina 24 11 6 7 41 29 39 Roma 25 11 4 10 51 45 37 Udinese 24 9 9 6 35 33 36 Catania 24 10 6 8 31 30 36 Parma 25 8 8 9 31 33 32 (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points)

Asamoah back from the African Cup of Nations although the Ghanaian midfielder was replaced as fatigue set in midway through the second half. But barely two weeks after taking over from sacked Roma head coach Zdenek Zeman, caretaker Aurelio Andreazzoli switched from a 4-3-3 to a 3-4-2-1 with Erik Lamela and Totti supporting striker Pablo Osvaldo. Juve came to Rome with realistic hopes of taking three points from a side that had claimed only two from their last seven games.