Postnoon E-Paper for 22 March 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

city events

INNOVATING TRADITIONS

Artists with interest in sculptural forms are invited to participate in this workshop. There will be an interactive use of techniques between Nakashi art and contemporary art practices. It is at ICONART Artist in Residency Premises, Banjara Hills. Contact: 9849968797.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

Afternoon

32°C

24°C

30°C

37°C

A mix of cloudy and clear skies.

A mix of cloud and sun.

New Delhi Mumbai Max 35 Max 31 Min 20 Min 23 Partly cloudy.

Chennai Max 33 Min 25

Partly cloudy.

Clear.

Bangalore Max 33 Min 22 Partly cloudy.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES DINING

SHOWS

Full moon dine Dine with your loved ones under the full moon. A special thali will be served every full moon. Where: La Cantina When: from March 27, 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422

DocuSplash! Barf, 1997 & Sita’s Family, 2002, Delhi Mumbai Delhi, 2006 and Naach, 2008, will be screened. Where: Goethe-Zentrum, Hyderabad 20 Journalist Colony, Road no. 3, Banjara Hills When: March 24, 11am onwards Contact: gothe.de/hyderabad

Daily treats Orange is the fruit of the month at The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace. Dishes include orange blossom cheesecake, orange creme brule and dark chocolate orange tart. Where: Daily Treats, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace When: Up to March 31 Contact: (040) 6767 6818 Holi Special Aam panna, thandai, assorted pakodas and special chat platters are some of the items on the menu. There will also be tattoo and mehendi artistes, musician and bangle seller at the venue. Where: Kailash Parbat Above Ebony Gautier, 2nd floor, Road no. 36, Jubilee Hills When: March 23-31 Lunch: noon to 3.30pm Snacks: noon to 11.30pm Dinner: 7pm to 11pm Contact: (040) 2355 8856 Shaam-e-Deccan GreenPark is hosting Royal Hyderabadi Food Festival – Shaame-Deccan. There will be a spread of

MISCELLANEOUS The great Oxford sale Discounts on books, magazines, stationery and gift items. Where: Oxford Bookstore, Tresorie, The Park, 22 Raj Bhavan Road When: Up to March 31, Contact: (040) 31002959

THE OTHER INDIA: As the world celebrates Water Day, these children rejoice as water drips from the overhead N SHIVA KUMAR drinking water pipeline at Moosrambagh. vegetarian and non vegetarian delights, especially the nawabi kebabs and a wide choice of biriyanis. Where: Once Upon a Time, GreenPark, Greenlands, Begumpet When: March 15-24, 7.30pm to 11pm Contact: (040) 6651 5151

Kalakriti Art Gallery and Park Hyatt Hyderabad present French artist B2Fays. It is an exhibition of paintings and multimedia installations. Where: Preview: Park Hyatt Exhibition continues at Kalakriti Art Gallery When: Preview: March 28, 6.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466

It’s Easter! There is a special Easter brunch. Where: : Seasonal Tastes, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace When: March 31, noon to 4pm Contact: (040) 6767 6888

Homage to Ganesh Pyne There is an exhibition of mixed media and jottings by Ganesh Pyne. The preview will be followed by a talk and presentation at 7pm by Pranab Ranjan Ray, art historian and activist of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Preview: March 22, 6.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466

ART French artist B2Fays Alliance Française of Hyderabad,

Commissioner & Spl Officer

Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints

198 155313

POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333

WATER SUPPLY Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospital, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital, LB Nagar

155313 23307328 23313163

27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999

BLOOD BANKS Blood Bank,Narayanguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills

Thinking form and content An exhibition of art work by Gopal Nayak. Where: ICONART Gallery, Road no. 12, Sri Ram Nagar Colony, Banjara Hills When: Up to March 30, from 11.30 am to 7pm Contact: 98499 68797

DSLR workshop Nikon India is organising its first ever basic DSLR workshop in Hyderabad. Registrations start at 10.30am. Where: Hotel Basera, 1-9-167/168, SD Road, Secunderabad When: March 24, noon to 4pm

Women in Public Spaces Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad had called for applications for a group photography exhibition on ‘Women in Public Spaces.’ This is an exhibition of selected entries. Where: Goethe-Zentrum, Hyderabad When: March 15-24, 9.30am to 5.30pm Contact: (040) 2335 0443

27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445

AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332 AIRLINES

Spring Treasure Sale There is a sale of up to 50 per cent off at Taj Khazana. Where: Taj Khazana Taj Falaknuma Palace When: March 15-25 Contact: (040) 6629 8600

Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec-bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999 UK VISA OFFICE VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7

Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views

We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 HYDERABAD

WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 32°C

32 PAGES

INDIA MAKE EARLY INROADS

Electing to bat, Australia were 94 for two at lunch on the opening day of the fourth and final cricket Test against India in New Delhi. Australia 94 for two in 28 overs (Phil Hughes 45; Ishant Sharma 2/21).

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

SADAK BANDH OVER, LOGJAM IN ASSEMBLY

HIDDEN RHYMES

All parents love to make their children recite nursery rhymes. But did you know, these nursery rhymes often had a political background to them. We take a look at some of the stories behind the most well-known nursery rhymes.

P14&15

REPORT ON P4

TRS has laid siege to Assembly today and disrupted its functioning till noon. T members wanted their arrested MLAs released immediately, and an apology from the government for conducting ‘atrocities’ on activists yesterday.

HUBBY STEALS MANGALSUTRA AND BOLTS WITH LOVER Increasing cases of marital crime suggest that parents of girls should make discreet enquiries as to the character of the prospective groom to avoid traumatic experiences later.

COSTLIEST ADDICTION OF ALL

An average person spends 22 per cent of their income on technology, but if your technology needs are above average then your spending on it will skyrocket this year. So here's a handy list of gadgets you might be looking forward to buy.

P11

GHMC BLAZES TRAIL IN SENIOR CITIZEN WELFARE GHMC plans to open libraries in day care centres for senior citizens in the City, said commissioner MT Krishna Babu. He will hold a meeting with City grandhalaya samstha soon.

city FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

CIVIC

LAST YEAR... HERE

Earlier BRS, now BPS. What’s next?

Tragedy triggers checks

ast year we had reported how the transport department had begun a massive check of all vehicles used to transport students across the State. This came a few days after a school bus carrying children plunged into a river in Khammam. The roadworthiness of the vehicles, the vehicles’ documents, and the drivers would be examined, said ofﬁcials.

MARCH 22, 2012

NUMEROLOGY

1,000

illegal water manufacturing units are operating in the City. They sell packaged drinking water at prices way below market price and are often unfit for consumption.

More people are recognising that sexuality is not an allinclusive identity and defines little more than whom one chooses to romantically associate with. Faustina Johnson, student See page 9

THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.

Youngsters cool with alternative sexualities. Urban youngsters have grown up in a world where the LGBT rights movement is loud and proud. Hence, most of them are more accepting of alternative sexual orientations and lifestyles.

GHMC shows it cares for senior citizens. The GHMC now plans to open libraries in day care centres for the elderly. While this is a good move, there are many pressing issues senior citizens face that are not addressed.

Building regularisation or just a free pass? If builders are allowed to apply for building regularisation after illegal structures are built, what’s the point of having rules at all?

Congress-MIM alliance crumbles further. The MIM plans to ﬁeld its own man for MLC seat rather than supporting the Congress candidate.

Not goodness in a bottle when it comes to water. Think twice before buying packaged water; it might be unsafe.

GHMC’s building penalisation scheme (BPS) has left law-abiding citizens wondering: If regularisation of illegal construction is allowed, why should we abide by the rules? FOR REPRESENTATION ONLY

Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com

rust our babus to invent a loophole in every rule. With pliable netas, it becomes easier. A glaring case in point is the building regularisation scheme (BRS), which has been renamed the building penalisation scheme (BPS). In its simplest form, it means that you can violate building rules if you are willing to pay a penalty. “Gladly,” you may hasten to say. The question that troubles the law-abiding citizens, however, is: “Are we being made fools?” Once, on a recent City visit, GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu sought building permission details of a big structure under construction in Kukatpally. To his surprise, what was produced was a BPS (building penalisation scheme) application! So it intended to violate the rules in anticipation of condoning at a later date. It is to be noted that BPS exists for buildings built before 2007. The shocked commissioner took action against the officials concerned but knowledgeable sources say this was no isolated instance. Irregularities are being committed in the name of BPS throughout the GHMC areas. In another recent episode at Kapra Circle, it came to light that officials of the town planning department were involved in discrepancies while handing over BPS receipts. “Piles of BPS files were found hoarded,” said an official who had visited the Circle office. While the last date for BPS verification is March 31, thou-

sands of files are still pending. According to civil society groups, there could be deviation from the original idea of BPS from the officials’ side, but several applicants failed to appear again when verification was sought. “The process should have been completed several years ago, but it is also the responsibility of denizens to make sure they get BPS. If there are irregular constructions going on, then it is a serious lapse on the part of GHMC,” said Dr Rao Chelikani, founderpresident, UFERWAS (United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations).

HOW BPS CAME INTO BEING It all started after an ex-service-

man, O Yellareddy, filed a petition against illegal constructions in Defence Colony, Malkajgiri, in 2005. The Malkajgiri Circle was not merged with the GHMC then. He blamed municipal officials for not taking action against the unauthorised constructions even after several complaints. This smacked of corruption, he said. The High Court gave directions to the municipality to submit its report. In haste, the municipal officials demolished around 30 to 40 buildings in 15 days. Following representations from builders, the YSR government sought to invoke BRS on a large scale. It proved a great opportunity for many. Considering it a way out of the

mess, the High Court gave permission for BPS. But the cut-off date was set as December 31, 2007. Ad undertaking was taken for the same. As per a GO, the entire process of penalisation should have been completed by 2009. But nothing of the sort happened.

NO MORE EXTENSION Officials from the town planning wing rule out extension of the date for BPS, even if the applications are pending. “March 31 will be the last date for processing of verification, we shall not be extending. There might be several pending applications but no more extensions,” says chief city planner, GV Raghu.

NEWS BRIEFS Congress set to act against errant MLAs

State committee to solve traffic problems

Solar panels installed at Ex-minorities finance Vidyuth Soudha office MD accused in scam

he stage is set for taking action against nine Congress MLAs who had brazenly disobeyed the party whip to vote against the government during the no-conﬁdence motion. The central party leadership has asked the APCC to move against the MLAs. As a ﬁrst step of disqualifying them, complaints would be lodged with the Speaker.

he State government has reconstituted the committee set up to ﬁnd a solution for trafﬁc and vehicle parking problems at the Secretariat. The committee will be chaired by municipal administration principal secretary B Sam Bob. The committee’s report on the issue is expected to be submitted within a week.

wo 50KV solar units have been commissioned into work at Vidyuth Soudha ofﬁce by CM Kiran Kumar Reddy. The solar units, a pilot project, is part of a new initiative called “net metering” where power is produced and utilised at the same place. The initiative is aimed at making captive power for individual consumers possible.

rime Branch of CID is learnt to have made Mohammed Ilyas Rizvi, former MD of AP state minorities ﬁnance corporation, an accused in the recently exposed ﬁnancial scam. Additional director of CID T Krishna Prasad has reportedly given permission to draft him an accused in this scam on the inquiry report of S Thirumurthula, DSP.

city FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

CRIME

Hubby steals mangalsutra, bolts with lover Increasing marital crimes suggest parents of girls should make discreet enquiries on the character of the prospective groom to avoid traumatic experiences later. Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com

young wife in Medak district was left high and dry when her husband eloped with a divorcee after drugging her and stealing all her valuables, including her mangalsutra! J Ravi of Medchal, aged 26, had married Kavitha, 22, three years ago. The couple has a child. Both of them settled in Medak and both work at a chocolate fac-

The husband sedated his wife, stole jewellery and cash from the cupboard, and is said to have eloped with another woman working at the same factory. tory near their home. Trouble began a few months ago when a 20-year-old divorcee, Balamani, joined the factory.

CRIME

Abused wife ‘kills’ husband

Ravi had an eye on her and she too reciprocated. As their relationship grew bolder, the wife objected and tried to dissuade the two. It is said that Balamani did not heed the wife’s threats and pleas and Ravi too had refused to terminate their relationship. Ravi and Balamani seemed to have planned to get married but they needed money. Ravi thought the cash he and his wife

had saved, along with her ornaments, would provide some security for the start. One day, he allegedly laced her juice with sedative and cajoled her to drink it before bedtime, saying juice is good for health. After she drank it, she felt giddy, but was not totally unconscious. She was vaguely aware of the man searching the cupboard and her body and relieving her of the gold ornaments, including the

mangalsutra. As he ran away with the valuables, Kavitha managed to get up and call his parents and inform them. They enquired at the factory if either Ravi or Balamani had come for work. Both had not. The wife and parents lodged a criminal complaint with the Medchal police. Inspector A Ram Reddy said the couple would be traced soon. “It’s jail for him if he has done this,” he remarked.

EXAM FEVER BEGINS

Unable to bear the torture, she allegedly set her husband ablaze. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

ed up with him, a wife in Kulsumpura area allegedly burnt her husband to death while he was asleep. The woman has pleaded guilty before the police but said she had no other go as her life was made miserable with his drunken behaviour and harassment for more dowry. G Shiva Kumar, said to be an alcoholic, was allegedly set ablaze by his wife, Pragathi, 20. She married Kumar, 26, two years ago. Ever since, she did not have a day of peace, she pleaded. According to her, Kumar, on most days came home drunk and used to physically attack her for dowry. He had allegedly threatened to kill her if she did not meet his demands. Two months ago, elders from both sides had tried to settle the matter. He is said to have

The husband had allegedly threatened to kill her if she did not meet his demands. She told the police she decided to act before he could kill her. promised them not to harass her anymore. But it did not happen. The wife is said to have told the police that before he could kill her, she decided to act, and when he was asleep, she poured kerosene on his clothes and set him ablaze. The screaming man was rushed to a hospital by neighbours, where he died later. Inspector of Kulsumpura, R Karan Kumar Singh, said soon after the investigation was over, she would be arrested.

Students check the seating arrangements before the SSC exam at Yakutpura, Badabazar.

N SHIVA KUMAR

city FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

ASSEMBLY

Sadak bandh over, Assembly logjam TRS laid siege to Assembly today and dislodged its functioning till noon. T members wanted their arrested MLAs released and an apology from the government for conducting ‘atrocities’ on activists yesterday. N SHIVA KUMAR

INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

he TRS which spearheaded a ‘sadak bandh’ yesterday created a gridlock in the Assembly today, disallowing the functioning of the House with a persistent demand for adjournment motion to discuss the arrest and ‘atrocities’ on the party MLAs and TJAC leaders. The T-champions had come prepared. They began the day by assembly at the Ambedkar Statue reading out a charge sheet against the government on the ‘atrocities’ committed on people and the ‘undemocratic’ acts of the Kiran government. They swore not to tolerate the suppression of the government and fight for Telangana. They said they will not rest until all their leaders are released from lockup. Several of them, 1,177 to be exact,

had been either detained or arraigned for causing damage to government property during sadak bandh yesterday. Prominent among them are two MLAs — J Krishna Rao and E Rajender and JAC chairman,

Prof Kodandaram. The pink brigade came to the Assembly in black shirts as a symbolic protest. They trooped in raising slogans against the Congress government. Once in, and the House was called into

POLITICS

MIM-Cong rule in civic body on the rocks?

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

political realignment in the State seems to be evolving as the partners in power at the GHMC, the MIM and the Congress, seem to be set on a collision course. The MIM, cut up with the Congress on hate-speech cases, is learnt to be seeking the support of the TDP to put up its own candidate for the MLC. The understanding between the erstwhile friends was that the Congress would support an MIM candidate for one term and the MIM would reciprocate the next term. Accordingly, it is

now the turn of the MIM to back the Congress candidate for the council. But the party seems to be set to field its own candidate, signalling the end of its alliance with the Congress. The consequence would be farreaching. The civic rule would suffer rupture with the result that the rule of the MIM-Congress will be jeopardised. It’s learnt that the MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi spoke to some TDP MLAs on the matter. They reportedly told him that they would consult their chief Chandrababu Naidu and get back to him. Akbar also met minister Mukesh Goud and held consultations about the MLC elections.

order by the Chair, they rushed to the podium demanding that the House be adjourned to discuss the arrest of TRS MLAs and ‘atrocities’ committed on pro-T activists. Speaker, N Manohar, adjourned the House for one

hour. When it was reconvened, the same situation prevailed, and the Speaker again adjourned the House for another half hour. During the protests, the TDP MLAs from Telangana and the BJP supported the TRS cause. In the meantime, the TRS MLAs staged a dharna before the chief minister office demanding the release of its members and put a stop on cases against the T activists. After 20 minutes of throaty slogan shouting that denounced government, marshals asked them to vacate the scene. As the protest was raging, Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy met the chief minister in his chamber and submitted a report on the sadak bandh and the action taken. The report detailed about the damage the State suffered on account of the violence and who are responsible for it.

City FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

WATER WOES

RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com

rinking packaged mineral water could prove to be the most expensive health risk one can take this summer. Given the number of illegal units flourishing from this `1,500 crore trade, experts warn that not all water bottles are safe. This summer, one ought to be really serious about what he or she is drinking. Says Ghanshyamlal K Patel, the number of illegal units mushrooming in the City have forced him to sell his business and move on. “I sold the business two years ago because of the high amount of fees for ISI licenses, microbial water tests etc. Despite all the legalities, we realised that there were many illegal water packet manufacturers who can sell the product at a 5 per cent lower rate than ours and obviously we can’t compete with their numbers. Neither does the government take any action against nor do they have the staff to conduct raids in the City. GHMC says if you have a food license, that is enough.” Fake or imitation brands selling bottled water/ water packets containing tap water or boring water. “What they do is deep freeze their products in summer and this removes the taste and smell of all impurities. And since nobody checks for an ISI mark on the bottle, they literally fly off the shelves,” Ghanshyamlal says. Another water dealer Suresh says, “The shelf life of illegally manufactured water is two days maximum. With no date of manufacture, and nobody bothering to check, it is easy for them to be sold off openly in the market.” The GHMC and the Food Safety Standards Authority (FSSA) are yet to conduct a drive

PACKAGED GOODNESS? Not really. In the guise of selling packaged mineral water, several companies are flourishing, while the public finds that it actually is an expensive health risk.

A local NGO conducted lab tests on water packets and bottles to find that they contain high amount of TDS, pH value and even visible impurities.

against illegal water manufacturing units and their products. Jalajeevan, a local NGO had conducted lab tests on water packets and imitation water bottles to find that they contain high amount of TDS (total dissolved solids), pH value and even visible impurities. Vamsi, a local worker for Jalajeevan says, “The lab test results obtained for five water packet samples from various areas in Old City have shown us high pH value of 12 and TDS over 1,200, which is unsafe or unfit for human consumption. Some bottled water samples, even had undissolved impurities like tar, sand and silt. All of the five samples were obtained from imitation water bottles and water packets that had no ISI mark.” But then, the validity of the ISI mark is also questionable. Says Sreenivas Phanish, manager of the AP Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association. “There over a 1,000 illegal water manufacturing units that have no ISI marks or even imitate the ISI mark. These are easily discernible. If a dealer is selling you a 20 litre water can for `20 to `30, whose market price is almost `40 currently, then you can be absolutely sure that what you are drinking is tap or borewater. Given the amount of expenditure it takes for ISI certification and running the RO machinery, in addition to routine lab tests, no water dealer can afford to sell his product so cheap.” Additional commissioner L Vandan Kumar said, “We do not have a record of the number of illegal units manufacturing water in the City. In fact, we are preparing to conduct a survey following a discussion on this issue in the Assembly also. We will be able to provide an action plan soon after the survey is over.”

CIVIC

GHMC blazes trail in senior citizen welfare Aasara, GHMC’s senior citizen welfare wing, now plans to open libraries in day care centres meant for elders and has been paying 8 per cent of its property tax towards library cess. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

HMC plans to open libraries in day care centres for senior citizens in the City, said commissioner MT Krishna Babu. He will hold a meeting with City grandhalaya samstha soon. The Commissioner revealed the civic intention at the inaugural function on the orientation programme on Aasara, meant for the welfare of the senior citizens. Commissioner said that GHMC has been paying 8 per

cent of its property tax towards library cess, which is around `50 crore. GHMC is striving very hard to take more care of senior citizens and it sought the full cooperation of the seniors. Aasara scheme is yeoman’s service in this aspect, he said. He urged those who have completed 60 years of age to join Aasara to spend their time meaningfully. Babu said that GHMC is the only municipal corporation in the country that has been taking a keen interest in the wellbeing of the senior citizens. Care cen-

tres, health check-up, libraries are some of the benefits. Some participants pointed out that senior citizen cards are not being given from the past many months causing much inconvenience to them. U Gopal Rao, vice president, V. Nageshwar Rao, joint secretary, briefed about various activities of senior citizens associations and role of citizens associations in Aasara. CN Raghu Prasad, additional commissioner, UCD, Mamata Bai, project director, Aasara, MA Sattar Khan, member Aasara, participated.

city FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

REPORTER’S DIARY

few decades ago the reporter had seen that in many cities, rich people, especially businessmen, keeping drinking water pots outside their homes or at busy junctions during summer for the benefit of the passers-by. Many also used to keep earthen water jars and vessels for the sake of the beasts and birds. This great charity seems to have been forgotten today. The reporter captured such a humanitarian act of this dying virtue on Road No 18 Jubilee Hills. May their tribe increase. (PK)

BORABANDA MADE IT ‘BARABAR’

For the first time this year, all the floor leaders of the GHMC, except TDP, got together for a common cause (the problem of `1 crore budget for corporators). The BJP floor leader had just arrived along with the new corporator Uday Kumar (who got in by virtue of High Court orders). The Borabanda municipal ward came in for discussion in between, when BJP floor leader Bangari Prakash turned toward MIM floor leader Mohammed Nazeeruddin, and remarked, “Ab to barabar hogaya na, saab.” Prakash was hinting at MIM bagging the Borabanda ward, defeating the Congress, after the court disqualified the Congress corporator. For MIM, one loss, one gain is barabar (equal). Nazeer responded with a smile, nodding yes. Congress floor leader Diddi Rambabu caught the strange bonhomie of the two sworn rivals on mobile, remarking, “It is a rare gesture. People may never get to see a thing like this; BJP is congratulating MIM.” (MN)

MOBILE ON ‘PM MODE’?

What is the best ‘prime minister of India’ joke one has heard recently? At a discussion on groundwater scarcity, a speaker at the convention was really annoyed by the constant ringing of cell phones. Clearing his throat loudly, he said, "Please put your phones on Manmohan Singh mode. It will help us all really well." And for once the PM’s name seemed to have invoked some good response in the crowd — most of them actually switched their phones off! (RR)

QUALITY FOOD FOR NETAS, NASTY FOOD FOR MEDIA When the Assembly session is on, political parties have seen to it that

PK SURENDRAN

their MLAs don’t go hungry and that they get energy food at the party’s cost. The legislators prove that they are not only people’s champions, but are good trenchermen too. Soon after signing the muster, most of them are seen rushing to the canteen. And, a wit recently jabbed a joke, “Why do you think they all press for adjournment motions? They get half-hour, one hour break. And where do they go? Of course to the canteen, where else?” Juxtapose this with the canteen provided for media. It is the only eatery available to not only media persons but to the MLAs’ gunmen and personnel staff. But the media’s food is something you must experience to appreciate it. Sambar and chutney flow off the plate like running water in monsoon. Idli tastes like rubber ball and vada reminds you of olden days when oil was not invented. Why this bad stuff? The staff look at you with disdain. They seem to say, “If you want to eat, eat, or else push off. And here is the difference. In the same premises you walk into the library. It is well-kept with courteous staff manning it. How come? (IA)

A TUGHLAQ-ESQUE ACT

If Qutb Shah could foresee what the later year inheritors of the City he founded would do with Charminar, he would have had second thoughts about it. In the name of Charminar, several Tughlaq-esque works have been undertaken by the GHMC that have wasted public money The latest is laying cobble stones, a part of a never-ending pedestrian project. But the stones used are smaller ones than those used in Gulzar House. This is said to be a deviation from the original plan. Who deviated? In another curious development, a stretch of road from the monument to Sardar Mahal has been closed. Some enterprising locals, probably with the support of roughnecks, have found a good business proposition. The stretch is being used as a ‘paid parking’ for two-wheelers. `5 for an hour. It comes to a neat sum. Citizens have not forgotten how the GHMC had earlier made a pedestrian zone to ‘preserve the sanctity’ of the iconic monument of Hyderabad. After spending an enormous sum, it was dug up. Who cares about the money you and I pay? (MS) Contributed by Md Nizamuddin, Rahul Ramakrishna, Inkeshaf Ahmed, Mohd Subhan and PK Surendran

A forgotten virtue M ANIL KUMAR

AGE OF FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

A PAGE DEDICATED TO THE TRIUMPHS AND TRIBULATIONS OF GEN Z

I AM WHAT I AM

We have a long way to go when it comes to the rights of sexual minorities, but there definitely is more acceptance and tolerance today than there was a generation or two ago. DEEPASHRI VARADHARAJAN

deepashri.v@postnoon.com

anvendra Kumar Singh Gohil, a prince from Gujarat, came out of the closet and publicly announced that he is gay in 2005, becoming the first Indian of a royal lineage to do so. It received extensive media coverage worldwide, as his family disowned him soon after (though they are said to have reconciled later). The question is, why then? Why at 40? Why after marrying a woman? Feroz Ahmed, an engineering student at a Muslim minority college, seems to have an answer to this question, as he talks about the years of selfdoubt and fear, and the support he gets today.

“All of us are coming out (now) because there are more support groups and (support of) many people who are like us. At that time (a couple of years ago), we were scared to tell them (parents, friends); we thought, ‘Only I am there. Everyone else is straight. Even I need to get married.’” Numerous scriptures and ancient literature stand proof that homosexuality has been around since time immemorial. But with more people coming out in the open and fighting the taboo, many parents are of the opinion that being gay or lesbian is an “influence of the West,” or a “fad,” youngsters follow to act cool. Ahmed has not told his parents about his sexual orientation as yet, but says he plans to do so in two-three years. He says there is still a long way to go, acceptance is still not that much, but it’s definitely better

There are various groups that support sexual minorities, conduct events, discuss issues, and find courage through that. that before. “Now people are educated about it. They understand they cannot spoil their children’s lives.” Faustina Johnson, 20, a psychology student at a City college, conducted a study recently on tolerance towards homosexuality, and found that 75 per cent of young respondents showed a high level of tolerance. “Sexuality has ceased to be a controversial topic, and there is greater awareness of the sexual spectrum concept now than even ten years ago,” she says. “I believe the greatest indicator of

this change is the shift in the LGBT rights movement — beyond identity politics, the LGBT community today strives for complete integration into the general population. More people are recognising that sexuality is not an all-inclusive identity and defines little more than whom one chooses to romantically associate with.” However, Johnson says she speaks only for the urban population she is acquainted with, and that she knows most parts of the country are still hostile to sexual variants. Though our society is not all that open as yet, youngsters feel it definitely is better than the previous generation. Swaroop K, 21, an engineering student, says this generation is better as people can now come out in the open about their sexual orientation, and find support. He says during

his father’s time, lesbians and gays had to get married (to the opposite sex), and they face problems till now. “They (current generation) do not completely support us, but it is OK. Some of my friends were OK with it when I told them, but some were not. Those who are narrow-minded cannot get that thought (that it is a taboo) out of their head,” says Swaroop. Today, there are various groups that support sexual minorities, conduct events, get together and discuss issues, share their problems with each other and find courage through that. This would have been almost impossible to think of two decades ago in India. Not everybody completely accepts the idea of homosexuality, but there is a significant change in people’s outlook in the country. And that is a welcome change.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

Business

BRAZIL,CHINA TO INK DEAL ON TRADE

Brazil hopes to sign a bilateral accord with China to promote trade in their national currencies at next week's BRICS summit of the world's five emerging powers, Trade and Industry Minister Fernando Pimentel said Thursday. He gave no details on the deal.

COOPERATIVE VENTURE

For people, by people

RAJARATNAM CHARGED

A first of its kind, 10TV a Telugu news channel, is a cooperative venture that hopes to help make voices heard and bring forth public issues.

PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

US prosecutors unveiled insider trading charges Thursday against the brother of disgraced hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam (pictured) in the latest chapter of a giant Wall Street fraud investigation. Rajarengan Rajaratnam was charged with conspiracy and securities fraud related to technology stocks in 2008. Rajaratnam was a portfolio manager at the Galleon Group hedge fund founded by his high-ﬂying brother, who was arrested after a probe that snared dozens of people. Rajarengan Rajaratnam has not yet been arrested, prosecutors said, although they would not conﬁrm a New York Times report that he is in Brazil.

ow good would it be if people came together to start a television channel in a bid to voice their concerns for society? This exactly how 10TV, a Telugu news channel began in December last year. Incidentally, it also became the first Telugu channel to be launched as a cooperative venture, which is funded by the people. Talking about the business idea, K Venu Gopal, managing director of the news channel says, “We, trade unions, are campaigning against the policies that are affecting people. Our arguments don’t find a place in the many existing news channels. Add to that, liberalisation has put basic needs like health, education and employment in private hands, making them unaffordable for the common man. This is a serious concern for society and these issues drove us to launch a channel in collaboration with different trade unions. “However, it is very difficult for just trade unions to start a TV channel. It can only be done in democratic way by bringing different people and making them a part of the campaign. When we approached people with our business idea we received a lot of positive response from employees of various industries, both in private and public sectors. The project gained momentum when there was a huge response from Anganwadi workers, who contributed as less as `500 as an investment to initiate the channel. In a way, a huge number of people from base level workers to top-level employees came forward to start this channel.” The idea, which started in

NUMEROLOGY

$56

The channel is looking for an operational breakeven in 2 years. It is working towards distribution to reach across every nook and corner of the State. April, started taking shape in July last year. The directors were appointed on behalf of people to work towards the interests of the investors. They do not take any monetary benefits from the news channel. When asked about the number of investors in the company, he says, “We are not big on numbers at all. No matter what the number is there will always be a few people who will think that the figure is either too high or too low. There are a lot of people, from different sections of society, who have come together to launch this channel. Our foundation itself is laid on 10 moral and societal principles.”

The channel is primarily aiming to work on ethos and not on cheap marketing gimmicks and entertainment tactics, especially in a world where advertising revenues are generated based on TRP ratings on a channel and its shows. And in such an environment, 10TV has a lot of hurdles to overcome. “There are some news channels in the country, which run on principles and eventually become financially successful. What we want to do is, give a voice to the people and all the political parties without passing judgement. The channel is going to present the truth and it is for the people to draw their own conclusions,” says Venu. The CEO of the channel, Arun Sagar chips in, “The presentation and narration on our channel will rope in viewers to watch even things that are of public interest. For instance, we started a Bakasura programme, where our presenter goes to real

locations, where the land is being encroached by political leaders, in the Bakasura attire and discuss the topic. This conveys the truth in a creative way.” Talking about the expectations of the people (investors) from the channel, Venu says, “Our investors are not looking for monetary benefits, instead we look forward to making ourselves be heard and work towards a better society. Even if we pay a five per cent dividend for a `500 investor, the number will not appear that big. It is not the money but the intention behind that contribution. And this should not be ignored in taking this channel forward.” The channel, which invested more than `30 crore, is looking for an operational breakeven in two years. It is in the phase of making its distribution strong to reach across every nook and corner of the State.

10g GOLD `29,803 10g GOLD`31,100 1kg `60,100 1kg SILVER `54,870

24C

for for

DOLLAR `54.36 `53.79 `85.15 POUND `82.54

acquisition of the lucrative but strife torn joint venture TNK-BP was sealed by Russian state oil giant Rosneft.

CYPRUS BANKING OVERHAUL Cyprus is scrambling to overhaul its banking sector to avoid ﬁnancial meltdown, after the European Central Bank threatened to pull the plug on emergency funding for the island's lenders. Cypriot politicians have until Monday to approve a "Plan B" bailout deal with the EU and IMF or face being choked from the ECB funds, which would likely cause teetering banks to collapse. There was also intense pressure for a deal from the EU. One source warned that Cyprus risked expulsion from the eurozone if parliament failed to approve a workable plan to restructure its outsized banking sector by Tuesday. But MPs adjourned an emergency session late Thursday without voting on the ﬁrst two bills in a package of draft legislation the government has drawn up as part of its revised plan. They said they needed more time to study the plans to set up a "national solidarity fund" and impose capital controls to prevent a run on the banks when they reopen on Tuesday after more than a week.

BSE 6,057.70 5,650.70 NSE

20,025.67 18,746.77 44.10 46.10 9.20 8.05

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

nation

PARLIAMENT ADJOURNED OVER LANKA, TELANGANA

Parliament was adjourned till noon today after uproar by members over issues of ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka and alleged police atrocities against proTelangana activists in Andhra Pradesh. Both the Houses could not function due to the ruckus, forcing the chair to adjourn till noon.

MARINES’ TRIAL

Khurshid dodgy on Sonia’s role

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister Salman Khurshid today said that diplomacy is at work resulting in Italy’s decision to send back two marines charged in the fishermen killing case and parried questions on Italian media reports that Congress president Sonia Gandhi influenced that government’s decision. Welcoming Italy’s decision, the minister said the decision has to be conveyed to the Supreme Court through proper procedure and he would apprise Parliament about it. “I would like as I have said to share whatever developments

have happened with Parliament but I can certainly say we have been in constant contact. I have repeatedly said that you should not write off diplomacy to soon... So at last I can say that diplomacy continues to work when everybody else thinks that everything is lost and please give diplomacy a little more chance to do things that are important for our country,” he said. Khurshid also said that “Law remains as it is. Nothing changes as far as the law is concerned and my understanding can’t change the law”. Italy last night said it will send back to India two marines

to face trial for killing two fishermen after receiving an assurance from the Indian government about the protection of their fundamental rights. Asked about reports in the Italian media that Gandhi influenced the decision, he said, “The diplomacy that we do under this government, diplomacy that we do for that matter for any policy implemented by this government is obviously given a direction, given an impetus by the PM and the Congress President. “It is a government that is led by them and then for anyone else amongst us to take credit I think would be unbecoming. They lead it from the front. We don’t share. We cannot share with you everything that is said to us privately within the confines of government but the bottomline of what we are expected to I think becomes clear in the public sphere,” he said. On what would be the BJP’s reaction to the decision of the marines to return, Khurshid said, “I don’t know whether it is an issue or not an issue but I hope they take it in the right context. I hope that if something has been in the national interest and that bolsters the national interest, it should be welcomed by everybody”. PTI

Hizbul man held, terror plot thwarted NEW DELHI: A suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was arrested from Uttar Pradesh with police today claiming that they have unearthed a plot to create terror in the national capital ahead of Holi. The alleged operative Liaqat Ali was on way to Delhi in a train when he was arrested from Gorakhpur, police sources said.

He was produced in a court yesterday which sent him to police custody for 15 days. Sources claimed that he told them that some weapons were kept for him in a guest house in a Central Delhi locality. A raid was conducted and assault rifles, hand grenades and more than 2kg of explosives were recovered. PTI

DELHI GANGRAPE

HC allows media coverage of trial NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Friday allowed the media to cover the day-to-day trial of the Dec 16 gang rape case in the Saket fast-track court here. Justice Rajiv Shakdher, allowing the plea of journalists seeking open trial instead of an in-camera one, directed the fast-track court to allow access to one representative of each media house. “The court will allow access to one representative journalist of each of the accredited national dailies. The petitioners before me represent some of them,” the order said. The court however,

However, naming of victim, family members and witnesess prohibited. imposed some restrictions on the media, saying it would not disclose the name of the victim or her family members or witnesses cited during the trial. The reporters will exclude parts of proceedings that the court instructs them not to report, Justice Shakdher said, setting aside the media advisory issued by the police not to report the proceedings. PTI

NEWS BRIEFS Ruins of a 17th century Hindu temple found

UP police to appoint 24,000 constables

Truck crushes 2 youths to death, 2 injured

Fake certificate racket busted in Odisha, 7 held

10 million Indians want to move to US: Poll

KENDRAPARA: : A government civil construction work has led to the chance-discovery of ruins of 17th century Hindu temple in Odisha’s Kendrapara district. A two-member team of experts from state archaeology department yesterday inspected the site near the district Collectorate here and examined the three-foottall stone-structure, ofﬁcials said.

LUCKNOW: The UP government has sanctioned a major recruitment drive under which 2,200 computer operators, 4,000 sub-inspectors and 24,000 constables would be recruited. An announcement that such appointments would be made in the next few months was made in the state assembly on Thursday by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

GORAKHPUR: A truck hit four motorcycle-borne youths in separate incidents, killing two on the spot and injuring two others, police said today. An uncontrolled truck rammed into a motorcycle in Majhgaavan area killing two youths on the spot. The same truck hit two more motorcycle-borne youths near Chavariya village.

BHUBANESWAR: Police have busted a fake certificate racket operating in Odisha since 2007 and arrested seven persons for their involvement in the crime, an official here said Friday. The gang was printing fake class 10th board certificates in the Soro area of Balasore district and selling them in the backward district of Malkangiri.

WASHINGTON: More than 100 million people from across the world, including 10 million from India, would like to move permanently to the US, according to a latest opinion poll. The poll said that 19 million Chinese would like to move to the US, followed by 13 million from Nigeria and 10 million from India.

Pick

at the

airport,

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

World FALL FROM GRACE

Sarko charged in illegal party funding case

PUTIN, XI TO HOLD TALKS Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s new leader Xi Jinping are to hold landmark talks Friday in the hope of further cementing the two countries’ partnership with a range of strategic agreements. “China and Russia are the main and most important strategic partners,” Xi said

KURDISH SEPERATISM

THATCHER HAD IT TOUGH

PKK’s Ocalan offers ceasefire with Turkey Turkey responded saying it would end military operations if militants halt their attacks. DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY: Jailed Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan called Thursday for a new ceasefire, telling his fighters to lay down their arms and withdraw from Turkish soil, raising hopes for an end to a three-decade conflict that has cost tens of thousands of lives. “We are at a stage where guns should be silenced,” Ocalan said in a letter written from his isolated island prison cell and read out by a proKurdish lawmaker to hundreds of thousands gathered in the mainly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded cautiously to the much-anticipated announcement by saying Turkey would end military operations against Ocalan’s outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) if militants halt their attacks. “If there are no more armed actions our troops will not undertake armed actions,” Erdogan told journalists during a visit to the Netherlands, saying he hoped the truce call would have an immediate impact but calling for more than just words. Ocalan, the founding leader of the PKK, said it was time for “politics to prevail, not arms,” as he called for rebels — who have for years used rear bases in Iraq to launch their attacks — to withdraw from Turkish soil. The move caps months of clandestine peace talks between Turkey’s spy agency and the state’s former nemesis Ocalan,

whose movement is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. Both Washington and the European Union welcomed the ceasefire call. Ocalan’s announcement was timed to coincide with the Kurdish New Year, or Newroz, which saw revellers from across Turkey gather for mass celebrations in Diyarbakir. As the rebel leader’s words were read out,

thousands waved banners bearing his portrait, chanting: “In peace as in war, we are with you, chief!” Ocalan, 64, is known as “Apo”, or uncle, to Kurds, but is branded a “baby killer” by many Turks. He has been serving a life sentence for treason on Imrali island off Istanbul since 1999. At least four previous ceasefire attempts called by Ocalan were rejected by Ankara or torpedoed by hawkish rebel groups, triggering increased unrest. Erdogan and Ocalan both appear to have staked their political futures on the renewed push to end the 29-year armed campaign for self-rule that has killed some 45,000 people, mostly Kurds. The latest round of peace talks was launched last year after a dramatic upsurge in PKK attacks. AFP

Prez backer among 42 killed in Syria blast

Cyprus convicts Hezbollah man over plot

Australian police smash Asian drug ring, 27 held

Japan deputy PM to visit China, meet new leaders

DAMASCUS: At least 42 people were killed, including a senior Muslim cleric, and over 80 wounded in an explosion at a mosque in Damascus on Thursday. A suicide bomber set off an explosive device at the mosque during a sermon by Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, a long time supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

LIMASSOL: A Cypriot court has found guilty a self-confessed Hezbollah militant who had been accused of involvement in a plot to attack Israeli interests in the country. Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, a dual Lebanese and Swedish citizen arrested in the port of Limassol in July last year, was found guilty Thursday on ﬁve counts.

SYDNEY: Australian police said they had smashed a crime syndicate operating across Asia, leading to 27 arrests and the seizure of drugs and assets worth millions of dollars. The gang operated in China, including in Hong Kong and Macau, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Myanmar and targeted Australia for its heroin and methamphetamine trade.

TOKYO: Japan will send Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso to China next month in what would be the first high-level meeting of the new governments, a report said Friday. He planned to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. Aso, who is also finance minister, is also expected to hold talks with China’s finance minister.

PARIS: Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged with taking financial advantage of France’s richest woman, allegations connected with a probe into illegal party funding that could shatter his hopes of a political comeback. His lawyers said they would appeal against the decision to formally investigate Sarkozy over allegations he took advantage of elderly L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt when she was weakened by poor health. He was unexpectedly summoned on Thursday to the Bordeaux offices of JeanMichel Gentil, the judge in charge of the case, for face-toface encounters with at least four former members of Bettencourt’s staff. The surprise confrontation was over claims he had accepted envelopes stuffed with cash from the world’s richest woman to fund his 2007 election campaign. Gentil was seeking to establish how many times Sarkozy had visited Bettencourt during his successful campaign. Sarkozy has always maintained that he visited Bettencourt’s residence only once during the campaign, to meet her late husband. That version of events, however, has been contradicted by members of the her staff. AFP

Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher faced opposition from within her own government over the Falklands War, with one MP warning her “it’ll make Suez look like common sense”. Newly released papers from Thatcher’s personal archive show heated correspondence with senior Conservative members about whether Britain should go to war over Argentina’s 1982 invasion of the islands.

NUMEROLOGY Pro-Kurdish politicians Sirri Sureyya Onder (left) and Pelvin Buldan read jailed Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan’s message. AFP

At least four previous ceasefire attempts called by Ocalan were rejected by Ankara or torpedoed by hawkish rebel groups, triggering increased unrest.

NEWS BRIEFS

200

is the number of polar bears Russia is losing every year to poachers in the far eastern Chukotka region, a global animal welfare and conservation charity group has said.

S KOREA MINISTER QUITS In a fresh blow to South Korea’s new president, Park Geun-Hye, her nominee for defence minister stepped down Friday at a time of elevated military tensions with North Korea. Kim Byung-Kwan, a retired four-star general, has been dogged by allegations of wrongdoing related to his recent stint working as a broker for an arms trading ﬁrm. More recently, new allegations surfaced regarding hidden stock assets in a Myanmar natural gas company. “As of now, I am resigning as defence minister nominee for the smooth management of state affairs,” Kim said.

I think political watchers will know that for some period of time there’s been an undercurrent in our party and it was dealt with yesterday and brought to an end. Julia Gillard Austalian PM

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

Technology TECH TEMPTATIONS NEXT XBOX

Cost: `30,000

MAC USERS BEWARE

SONY PLAYSTATION 4 Cost: `30,000

NEXT-GEN IPAD

Cost: `40,000

COSTLIEST ADDICTION OF ALL

GOOGLE GLASS

Cost: `30,000-`50,000

A new trojan specifically for Macs has been discovered that installs an adware plugin. The malware attempts to monetise its attack by injecting ads into Chrome, Firefox, and Safari in the hopes that users will generate money for its creators by viewing (and maybe even clicking) them. The threat, detected as “Trojan.Yontoo.1” by Russian security firm Doctor Web, is part of a wider scheme of adware for OS X that has “been increasing in number since the beginning of 2013,” according to the company. The security firm chose to underline Yontoo because it can download and install an adware browser plugin, making it slightly more modular.

MORE APPS FOR BB

BlackBerry today announced that its app catalog has grown by more than 30,000 apps for BlackBerry 10 in seven weeks, recently hitting a total of 100,000 applications. This is up from 70,000 applications for BlackBerry 10 in January 2013. The milestone isn’t entirely unexpected, and it tells us little about BlackBerry’s chances of a turnaround for its business, but still. The company’s app marketplace BlackBerry World — which recently began supporting music and video – got a price snip in January, it is worth noting.

An average person spends 22% of their income on technology, but if your technology needs are above average then your spending on it will skyrocket this year. So here's a handy list of all gadgets you might be looking forward to buy this year. Cost: `35,000-`50,000

SMARTPHONE

A MORE SECURE iOS

SMART WATCH

Cost: `10,000-`25,000

SMART TV

Cost: `35,000-`4,00,000

Bill shock: The total cost of satisfying your gadget addiction can go up to `6,25,000. Have you saved enough to buy them all?

Today, Apple has rolled out a new two-step veriﬁcation service for iCloud and Apple ID users. This functionality greatly enhances the security of Apple accounts because it requires users to use a trusted device and an extra security code. This security code can be sent via SMS or via the Find my iPhone iOS app (if it is installed). Users can now setup two-step authentication on their devices via the Apple ID website. Users need to access the security tab on this website to conduct the setup process. During the setup process for two-step veriﬁcation, users can choose which of their iOS devices they want to be “trusted.”

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

Comment A man who is not afraid is not aggressive, a man who has no sense of fear of any kind is really a free, a peaceful man. Jiddu Krishnamurti Philosopher

The Italian imbroglio ARUN KOSHY PHILIP arun.k@postnoon.com

s India tom-toms its diplomatic triumph over Italy’s decision to send back its marines for trial, some interesting questions arise about what has been promised by New Delhi to make this possible. “The “Italian government has requested and obtained from the Indian authorities written assurances as to the treatment of the marines and the protection of their fundamental rights,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti’s office said in a statement. If the fundamental rights are as per European Union norms, they cannot be handed death penalty if convicted. However, killing of unarmed fishermen does constitute a ‘rarest of rare’ case where capital punishment is a possibility. In case they are convicted and handed down a harsh sentence, it is sure to kick up a diplomatic storm. The handling of the fallout of this case will be a major test for Indian diplomacy. So far India has managed to find the right mix of carrot and stick to get things going its way, but the verdict will throw unseen challenges at the country’s rulers. The ruling Congress is especially vulnerable as its leaders are accused of sabotaging the Bofors probe and extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, who is said to be close to the Gandhi family. Therefore, going soft on the marines will be feeding ammunition to the critics of the party. Too many guarantees will make the whole trial look staged and will question the credibility of the independence of judiciary. Boy, this is going to be tough.

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS RBI deputy governor KC Chakrabarty has jumped the gun saying there is no money laundering by private banks. May be he should explain why more than three dozen executives of the three banks were offering ‘solutions’ if no such activity was possible.

OCALAN CEASEFIRE CALL

HOPE FOR KURDS

PRASHANT RAO

Agence France-Presse

bdullah Ocalan’s ceasefire call marks a key turning point for the Kurdish nation that 25 years ago was hit by the deadliest use of chemical weapons ever and had begun an armed conflict for independence. The ceasefire call, set out in a letter penned by the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from his isolated island cell, raises hopes for a permanent end to a threedecade conflict with Turkey that has cost tens of thousands of lives, most of them Kurds. But though it is the latest in a series of positive steps, Kurdish populations in Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran still face serious long-term questions over the relationships their regions will have to often unsympathetic central governments. The ceasefire call “will have momentous implications for the broader Kurdish movements in the region,” said Jane Kinninmont of London-based Chatham House. “It may signal that there are more options for Kurdish aspirations to be strengthened within the existing regional state system.” But, she noted, “there is a tension between the idealism of these dreams (of a pan-Kurdish state) and the realism of political leaders operating within the Middle East system of nationstates that are all multi-ethnic

and multi-religious but have latent fears of their own fragmentation.” Originally of Indo-European origin, Kurds in the Middle East are predominantly Sunni Muslim and number between 25 and 35 million, with a language and cultural system that make them distinct from Arabs, Turks and Persians. They are therefore often seen as a threat by all the four countries they principally inhabit, experiencing a long history of harassment, discrimination and occasionally outright slaughter. Kurds enjoyed periods of self-rule in semi-autonomous principalities in previous centuries, but while their demands for an independent homeland were given treaty recognition following World War I, such pledges were never implemented. Aside from Iran’s Kurds briefly declaring an independent republic following World War II, the ethnic group has over decades faced ruthless oppression in the Middle East.

Until 2002, Turkey banned the use of the Kurdish language, with the words Kurd and Kurdish barred in public discourse, while Iraq’s now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein carrying out a bloody campaign of wiping out towns and villages. Most notably, towards the end of the Iraq-Iran war in 1988, Iraqi warplanes attacked the Kurdish village of Halabja, killing an estimated 5,000 people in what is now thought to have been the worst ever gas attack targeting civilians. “I grew up in Iraq until my 20s... but I grew to hate that country,” Shwan Zulal, a London-based political consultant specialising in Kurdistan, said. Zulal, who grew up in Iraqi Kurdistan’s Sulaimaniyah but left for London in 1994, recalled having to once pay to receive his uncle’s body after he had been executed. “How can you identify with a state that does that to you? There are those scars,” he said.

“When somebody tries to take your identity from you, you hold on much harder, much tighter.” But in the years since the Halabja massacre, Iraq’s Kurds have taken steps to consolidate their autonomy, and made moves towards economic independence from Baghdad following the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam. The conflict in Syria, meanwhile, that has pitted embattled President Bashar al-Assad against rebels for more than two years has sparked hopes the country’s Kurdish population will be able to carve out a similarly autonomous region of its own, away from the violence plaguing the rest of Syria. And Ocalan’s ceasefire call has mooted the prospect of a long-lasting peace in a country where government forces and PKK separatist rebels have long clashed. Progress has, however, been limited in Iran, where the western province of Kordestan has seen deadly clashes between Iranian security forces and the PJAK Kurdish rebel group, which operates out of rear-bases in neighbouring Iraq. “It may be too early for us to judge and to predict, but the important thing is that there have been some positive developments and steps in the right direction,” Falah Mustafa, head of the foreign affairs department in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, said. “I am positive and optimistic,” he added, “because 25 years ago, we were gassed with chemical weapons.” “We suffered.”

EDITORIALS All stand to gain from J&K violence, except Kashmir Loving Lara

lections are round the corner in Pakistan, there is growing resentment against drone strikes and more tourists are flocking to the relatively peaceful Kashmir Valley — no wonder the militants and their handlers are resorting to desperate attacks on security forces. The attacks are staged in manner so that retaliatory fire will kill civilians. In last week’s attack on a CRPF camp, the attackers blended with local youths who were playing cricket with off-duty troopers before launching their deadly assault. Kashmir is rallying point in the politics of our western neighbour. When weary voters of Pakistan, suffering everything that can go wrong in a democracy(?), is forced to choose between the rock and a hard place, it always helps to have the Kashmir pot boiling so that public attention can be diverted from pressing domestic issues. Rising number of attacks on security forces also does not bode well for removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Those who trade in hate and intimidation would also stand to benefit as their rhetoric will have takers in the media. Pakistani politicians, Indian security hawks, militants, politicians and separatists stand to gain — only Kashmir, Kashmiriyat and Kashmiris stand to lose.

READERS’ VIEWS

ast week saw the release of the latest Tomb Raider videogame featuring the delectable Lara Croft, who was immortalised on the big screen by the equally scrumptious Angelina Jolie. Lara epitomised the tough woman. One who gave no quarter and asked for none. Of late hard-as-nails women have disappeared from the gaming industry (remember Bloodrayne). Hopefully, a new Lara Croft adventure will prove to developers that not only do women play games, but they’re great as the stars too.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

Music

IN ALL DIRECTIONS

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West settled on a name for their baby? According to The Sun, Kanye knows what he wants to call the child, but it may take a little convincing. Kanye supposedly wants to name the baby, rumored to be a daughter, North. Yes, that would make the child's name North West.

A COLOURFUL LIFE

FOR ASPRING SINGERS

The magic of David The prestigious art and design museum, Victoria and Albert, was given unprecedented access to David Bowie’s personal arch ives for an exhibition. KATY LEE feedback@postnoon.com

The You Generation

harting the British singer’s rise to fame and his reincarnations as Ziggy Stardust and other outlandish alter egos, the "David Bowie Is" exhibition has become the fastest-selling show in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s history ahead of its launch on Saturday. The prestigious art and design museum was given unprecedented access to the 66year-old singer's personal archives for the show, which includes everything from baby photographs to painstaking sketches of designs for his own costumes. "David Bowie is a true icon, more relevant to popular culture now than ever," said the V&A's director Martin Roth. "His radical innovations across music, theatre, fashion and style still resound today in design and visual culture and he continues to inspire artists and designers throughout the world." Born David Robert Jones to modest parents, Bowie grew up in the bomb-scarred south London neighbourhood of Brixton after World War II. The exhibition explores his early life and first forays into music with bands The Konrads and The King Bees — with his designs for the fledgling groups' costumes and stage sets revealing that even at this early stage, he had an instinctive grasp of the power of image. Hits including Space Oddity, Starman and Heroes follow visitors around the vast exhibition, while the costumes on display include the multi-coloured jumpsuit in which he burst onto the stage in

iTUNES Top 10 songs 1 JUST GIVE ME A REASON

British pop mogul Simon Cowell launched an innovative online talent contest Wednesday, inviting wannabee stars from around the world to post clips of their skills on YouTube.The X Factor and Got Talent guru Cowell joined forces with the video sharing platform to run 26 biweekly contests, called The You Generation, for hopefuls in 26 countries over the next 12 months.“We wanted to devise a way that it's easier for you to get noticed,” explained Cowell in an interview.

DID YOU KNOW...

Sales

Top 10 albums

Justin Timberlake 1 WHAT ABOUT NOW Bon Jovi 7 FEEL THIS MOMENT 2 THE NEXT DAY 2 WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN (FEAT. CHRISTINA David Bowie Bruno Mars AGUILERA) 3 SPRING BREAK... HERE 3 #THAT POWER Pitbull TO PARTY Will.i.am 8 HARLEM SHAKE Luke Bryan 4 MIRRORS Baauer 4 LET THE FUTURE BEGIN Justin Timberlake 9 RADIOACTIVE Passion 5 SUIT & TIE (FEAT. JAY Z) Imagine Dragons 5 UNORTHODOX JUKEBOX Bruno Mars Justin Timberlake 10 PUSHER LOVE GIRL 6 ALL AROUND THE 6 SUIT & TIE Justin Timberlake P!ink

tubular outfit worn on a US television show in 1979. "Access into and out of to be easy," says a note on the felt-tip drawing. "You can't get more multi-disciplinary than David Bowie," said Geoffrey Marsh, one of the show's curators. "He's a musician, he's a songwriter, but he's also fascinated with graphic design, costume design." Huge projections of Bowie's live performances cover the walls

1972 as the gender-bending, other-worldly Ziggy Stardust. The retrospective casts light on Bowie's almost obsessive attention to his image, taking charge not just of his everchanging sound, but almost every element of performance and presentation from lighting to set design. Some costumes appear alongside Bowie's original sketches -including a massive

WORLD Mindless Behavior

7 OLD SOCK

Eric Clapton

8 SOUND CITY — REAL TO REEL Soundtrack

9. BABEL

Mumford & Sons

10. PEOPLE, HELL AND ANGELS Jimi Hendrix

in one room, while another explores the influential years he spent in Berlin in the late 1970s, recovering from drug addiction and creating his stylish Thin White Duke persona. In a show focused on Bowie's enduring cultural influence, there are few reminders that he is still recording. But a bizarre puppet from the video for Where Are We Now — the single with which he broke a decade-long musical silence on his 66th birthday in January — makes an appearance, and visitors can listen to strains of his new album The Next Day. The album rocketed to the top of the British charts this week -- a sign that retirement may be some way off. AFP

Bollywood Top 10 1. AAKE TERE KAREEB 6. SURMAYEE Ammaa Ki Boli Ammaa Ki Boli

2. MEETHI BOLIYAAN 7. SAADI GALI AAJA Kai Po Che! Nautanki Saala

3. MANJHA 8. MERA MANN KEHNE LAGA 4. SHUBHAARAMBH Nautanki Saala 9. HAR EK FRIEND Kai Po Che! KAMINA HOTA HAI 5 KAISE BATAAOON Chashme Badhoor (CANTABILE) 10. TAKI TAKI Kai Po Che!

3G Himmatwala

of music is not affected by piracy. A report published by the European Commission Joint Research Committee claims that music web piracy does not harm legitimate sales. The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies examined the online habits of 16,000 Europeans. They also found that freely streamed music provided a small boost to sales figures.

TRENDING...

Paul McCartney will kick off a world tour in Warsaw on June 22, four days after he turns 71, the former Beatle's ofﬁcial website annouced Wednesday. McCartney's appearance at the National Stadium will be his ﬁrst-ever show in Poland, said the website, adding that his Out There! tour would feature music from his entire career. McCartney will also perform in Vienna on June 27.

A Russian court said Wednesday it has rejected a second appeal by three members of punk group Pussy Riot of their conviction and twoyear sentences for hooliganism over a performance critical of President Vladimir Putin. The judge ruled that the women's punishment was "fair and proportional to the offence", in a ruling posted on the court's website.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

spotlight 1

DESI NIGHT

DJ Daman Sardar will be belting out the latest bollywood chartbusters tonight at Spoil pub.

SHINE ON

Simply beautiful

Naturals Unisex Salon & Spa launched its first Naturals Page 3 luxury Salon studio in the city. The after party was organised at Over The Moon on Thursday. Spotted were Rana, Diksha Panth and others. 3

7 2

1 Jwala Gutta

3 Rana

5 Jayanth

2 Nandita

4 Ramana Gogula

6 Ajmal

COMFORTS FOR THE HOME

A new oultet of Bajaj Electronics was launched at Madinaguda, Chandanagar on Thursday. Spotted were Senior Vice President Samsung Electronics Atul Jain, actress Meenakshi Dixit and others.

TEACHER FOR A DAY

7 Diksha Panth

On the occasion of P&G Shiksha Diwas actress Sameera Reddy turned teacher to children at P&G Shiksha School. Sameera Reddy engaged her students in a rapid ďŹ re round, to pique their interest in subjects like History, Geography and Science.

A HIGHER CAUSE

State Bank of Hyderabad, MSME Moulali branch donated a Tata Ventura Ex van to MS Reddy Eye Hospital, Muolali as part of its community services banking activities.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

health

GENE SUPPRESSION MAY INCREASE PARKINSON'S RISK US scientists have shown that suppressing a gene linked to Parkinson's disease through therapy could actually speed up disease progress and lead to dementia and physical disability. If replicated, the findings will have profound implications for therapies under development for the disease.

NEW PARENTS

Myth: Don’t hold your baby too much

Myth: Babies can sleep on their sides

bsolutely not! You cannot spoil an infant. If anything your baby needs all the love they can get to grow properly. Holding your baby can help regulate her breathing. Considering the only way a baby can communicate its needs is by crying, it would be cruel if you didn’t pick her up. Babies cry to let us know if they’re hungry, tired, uncomfortable or need a change of diaper. So go on and pick up your child. You won’t be creating a needy baby.

Myth: Pacifiers are not good for babies

n the contrary, pacifiers will help your baby soothe and relax themselves. You see babies are born with a sucking reflex and they use that to relax. Pacifiers can help fussy babies and also help them use that reflex better, which really helps when it comes to breastfeeding. However, when your baby reaches seven months of age you can reduce their pacifier use as this is when they will grow teeth. If you find your baby spitting out the pacifier it is probably because babies don’t have very good control over their tongues.

ctually it is safer to put them to sleep on their backs. This cuts their risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Healthy babies should always be put to sleep on their backs and not on the stomachs or sides. So make sure that whoever is putting your baby to sleep is aware of this and puts your infant down to sleep on his/her back.

Hold your

BABY

Myth: Newborns love rattles and toys being dangled in front of them

All you want

ot really! Babies don’t need that kind of stimuli all the time. Imagine if every time you woke up you had something dangling in front of your face! It’s the same for your baby. Having toys being dangled in front of them is too much stimuli. What works best for them is to focus on a human face. It’s all they need to focus on for the first couple of months. So either you could play with your baby yourself or simply put up pleasing photographs around the baby.

Now that you’re a parent you’re probably going to hear a lot about what you should or should not do. And conflicting opinions are probably leaving you confused and distressed. Read on for a few common myths related to baby care.

RANJANI RAJENDRA

ranjani.r@postnoon.com

Myth: If my baby doesn’t get tummy time, she will never crawl

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

HOUSECALL

ust because your friend’s baby began crawling at a certain age, it does not mean yours will too. Every baby is different and they develop best when allowed to do so at their own pace. So don’t force your baby to lie on her tummy all the time. If the baby enjoys doing so it is alright, but if the baby is uncomfortable simply flip her onto her back. Your baby’s crawling depends on genetics, not tummy time. If your baby likes tummy time then encourage them to crawl and get their toys instead of handing it to them.

DID YOU KNOW?

PIONEERS

calm.com

Oesophageal cancer

Tongue Print

Charles Kelman

Calm.com can help you reduce stress and increase calm. With this app, you’ll discover how quieting your mind can improve your mood. There are seven guided relaxation sessions from two to 30 minutes. There are also 10 beautiful nature scenes and you can choose the right background to help you relax.

There are two main types of oesophageal cancer, with different implications for treatment and prognosis. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tends to occur in the upper third and middle of the oesophagus, developing from the ﬂat cells that line the tube. Adenocarcinoma (AC) develops from mucus-making cells in the lower third of the oesophagus. The incidence of AC has risen considerably in recent years, especially among men.

Don't stick out your tongue if you want to hide your identity. Similar to ﬁngerprints, everyone also has a unique tongue print! The tongue also presents both geometric shape information and physiological texture information which are potentially useful in identity veriﬁcation applications.

Charles D Kelman was an ophthalmologist and a pioneer in cataract surgery. One of the cataract surgery techniques that Kelman developed, phacoemulsiﬁcation, has become today's standard. Inspired by his dentist's ultrasonic tools, in 1967 Kelman introduced the technique that uses ultrasonic waves to emulsify the nucleus of the eye's lens to remove the cataracts without a large incision.

health FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

RESEARCH

OLIVE OIL

substance can prevent Alzheimer’s

Soybeans can prevent cancer growth

Researchers found that it can protect nerve cells from the kind of damage that occurs in the disease. WASHINGTON: Consumption of extra virgin olive oil can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, scientists claim after they found that a substance in the oil helps decrease the accumulation of toxic beta-amyloid proteins in the brain. Researchers at the University of Louisiana, Monroe, found that oleocanthal, a component of olive oil, can protect nerve cells from the kind of damage that occurs in the neurodegenerative disease. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects about 30 million people worldwide, but the prevalence is lower in Mediterranean countries. Scientists once attributed it to the high concentration of healthful monounsaturated fats in olive oil — consumed in large amounts in the Mediterranean diet. In the new study published

I’m 53 and had my menopause a year ago. However, I recently had a period again. I’m puzzled. Why is this happening? It is customary to say a woman has attained menopause when she does not get a period for 12 months. It is also normal for women to have erratic cycles with change in the bleeding pattern for even up to two years before menopause. But after menopause, if the patient is not

WASHINGTON: Proteins found in soybeans can significantly inhibit growth of colon, liver and lung cancers, scientists, including Indian-origin researchers, have found. Peptides derived from soybean meal significantly inhibited cell growth by 73 per cent for colon cancer, 70 per cent for liver cancer and 68 per cent for lung cancer cells using human cell lines, according to the study by University of Arkansas researchers. Soybean meal is a bi-product following oil extraction from soybean seeds. It is rich in protein, which usually makes up around 40 per cent of the nutritional components of the seeds, and dependent on the line can also contain high oleic acid (a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid). The study conducted by Srinivas J Rayaprolu, Navam S Hettiarachchy, Pengyin Chen, Arvind Kannan and Andronikos Mauromostakos was reported in Food Research International published by Elsevier. Researchers studied the role soybeans could have in the prevention of cancer. Using a variety of soybean lines which were high in oleic acid and protein, the researchers looked to monitor bioactivity between the peptides derived from the meals of soybean and various types of human cancer cells. The research shows that the selected high oleic acid soybean lines could have a potential nutraceutical affect in helping to reduce the growth of several types of cancer cells. PTI

in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience, researchers found that oleocanthal helps decrease the accumulation of beta amyloid proteins in the brain, believed to be the culprit in Alzheimer’s. Amal Kaddoumi and colleagues tracked the effects of oleocanthal in the brains and cultured brain cells of laboratory mice. In both instances, oleocanthal showed a consistent pattern in which it boosted production of two proteins and key enzymes believed to be critical in removing beta-amyloid from the brain. “Extra-virgin olive oilderived oleocanthal associated with the consumption of Mediterranean diet has the potential to reduce the risk of AD or related neurodegenerative dementias," authors concluded. PTI

doctor’s column

STUDY

Dr Divya T Sudarshan

POST MENOPAUSE BLEEDING NOT NORMAL

on any kind of hormone therapy, has not had any injury, is not on any anti-clotting agents, or anti-breast cancer agents like tamoxifen, and the bleeding has completely stopped for a year, it should normally never recur, be it just spotting or bleeding. In case there is a bleed after menopause, usually it is advised you meet your gynaecologist

immediately. After taking a detailed history of diabetes and hypertension, and ruling out any problem with medications, or any other hormonal problems, an ultrasound scan is done, along with some blood tests. The biggest cause for worry is the thickening of the inner lining of the uterus or endometrial hyperplasia. If that

is found, then a biopsy is advised. Hysteroscopy can also be done to look into the uterus. Nine times out of 10, post menopausal bleeding would suggest a pathology. In fact, we err on the side of caution, and consider all post menopausal bleeding to be cancer until proved otherwise. And most doctors would advise keeping a

very close follow up, or suggest a hysterectomy along with removal of the ovaries. It is easy to investigate and treat, provided you go to the doctor on time. The writer is a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Happy Women Clinic. You can write in to her at happywomenclinic@gmail.com or call her on 9959729444

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

Entertainment CINE BYTES

Tamannaah in V V Vinayak’s film

amannaah, who is eagerly awaiting the release of her Hindi film Himmatwala, has been reportedly roped in to play one of the lead roles in VV Vinayak’s upcoming film. Bellamkonda Suresh is producing this film and he’s introducing his son Sreenivas as a lead actor. Buzz is that Tamannaah has been paid close to `1.25 crore to act in the film.

TVSK to release in Telugu

Nani is Pra’Cash’ in Paisa

ani’s upcoming film Paisa, which is slated for release in April, is based on the theme of deterioration of human values because of money. Nani’s name in the film is said to be Prakash, but he’s so obsessed with money that he pronounces his name as Pra’cash’.

iddharth, Hansika starrer Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (TVSK) is going to release in Telugu and it has been titled as Something Something. Ganesh Venkatraman is also playing one of the lead roles in this romantic entertainer. Sundar C has directed the film and Lakshmi Ganapathi Films is distributing the Telugu version.

FORGING ALLIANCES

BAADSHAH

to be remade in Hindi?

TR’s upcoming film Baadshah is turning out to be quite a juggernaut. Directed by Sreenu Vaitla, the film is said to be the most expensive film in NTR’s career. Now, producer Bandla Ganesh and Sreenu Vaitla have convinced Mahesh Babu to dub his voice for few portions in the film. In the past, Mahesh Babu had done something similar for Pawan Kalyan starrer Jalsa. Mahesh Babu is expected to wrap up dubbing his voice for Baadshah later today. Incidentally, it’s the first time NTR and Mahesh Babu are even remotely teaming up for a film and the news has come as a big surprise to those who have been following the careers of both these actors closely. “NTR and Mahesh Babu are good friends off-screen, but no one expected them to collaborate in this manner. It’s a good move and it’ll be even better if they decide to act together in a film,” an industry source said. On the other hand, Bandla Ganesh is so confident about the success of Baadshah that he has announced that he’ll produce its remake in Hindi. “As I'm very confident aby d blockbuster of Baadshah I'm plng to make d same in Bollywood in the direction of my bro sreenu Vaitla! bless!!(sic),” Bandla Ganesh posted on Twitter. An official announcement is likely to be made soon. If it indeed materialises, the film will mark the debut of Sreenu Vaitla as a director in Bollywood. Couple of years ago, Sreenu Vaitla and the core team of Dookudu moved heaven and earth to convince Salman Khan to remake Dookudu in Hindi; however, that didn’t happen. It remains to be seen if Sreenu Vaitla gets lucky this time. Baadshah also stars Kajal Aggarwal and Navdeep in important roles whereas Siddharth has done a cameo. SS Thaman has scored the music and one of the songs has been sung by Tamil actor Simbu. The film is going to release on April 5.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

fashion

KATE MOSS DESIGNS SUSHI BOX

KATE MOSS has teamed up with French chain Sushi Shop to create a special sushi box, carrying 40 pieces of the Japanese raw fish-based cuisine. The design is covered in sequins and bears the supermodel's name.

lair for

ashion

Europe’s oldest independent fashion show, the Lisbon Fashion Week is organised twice a year after the Paris shows.

round 400 journalists and 2,000 buyers were in attendance at ModaLisboa where four-day long Lisbon Fashion Week was held. Europe’s oldest independent fashion show is organised twice a year after the Paris shows. The attendees included Christian Louboutin, Mary Quant, Kenzo, Tiago Lacerda and John Malkovich. Day one of the show had Valentim Quaresma, guest designer from Poland Ptaszek and Ricardo

Dourado showcasing their creations. Materials used in Ventin Quaresma's show included leather, copper, fafe fur and metals. His designs transformed models into gladiators of the modern times. "Soweto"(in South Africa) collection by Ricardo Dourado began with white clothes very architectured, strong shapes quite minimal and clean but also sophisticated by the composition and construction work. The highlight of the second day was Orlando collection by Nuno

Baltazar. The reference for this fall winter collection was 1992's movie Orlando directed by Sally Potter. Third day of the show witnessed Filipe Faisca, Vitor Dino Alves and Miguel Vieira showcasing their creations. Among them the most notable was Filipe Faisca's collection ‘Back to Portugal’. The characteristics of the show included minimal structure, oversized, jackets, skirts and dresses zipped in the front with a metal zip. Maroony brown was the most-used colour.

20&21

BEYONCÉ CONFIRMED FOR H&M

BEYONCÉ KNOWLES has partnered with H&M for summer. The singer also gave "personal input on the pieces seen in the campaign", confirmed a representative for the brand.

An ode to cinema N

o designer can do justice to a time-travelling collection celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema as much as Manish Malhotra. The designer has been dressing some of the best known names in the industry for the past 20 years and is all set to pay homage to Indian cinema for his Lakmé Fashion Week show scheduled today. Priyanka Chopra, Siddharth Malhotra and Ayushman Khurana will be walking the ramp for the designer. The collection will begin with a series of black and ivory garments and moves into the pastels of the 60s, growing bolder as it picks up with the polka-dotted prints of the 70s and the bright bling of the 80s. The collection will be influenced by cinematic icons like Mumtaz and Zeenat Aman. Malhotra is now not only a regular in India's major fashion weeks, but has also styled for over 100 Bollywood films.

"I love everything I do! Yes, movies do hold a special place in my heart and so does fashion. We have been managing fashion weeks with styling from the past few years and now it’s a routine. We do at least two to three fashion shows a month on an average, along with styling for different films," he said. The designer first made his foothold in cinema by winning the first Filmfare Costume Award for the film Rangeela. He later designed for films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil To Pagal Hai, Heroine, Agneepath and Jab Tak Hai Jaan, and is often credited for giving Karisma Kapoor a modern makeover. He will be presenting another 100 years of cinema during the awards ceremony to be held in Canada. IANS/ AGENCIES

Rocky S gives a miss to celebrity showstopper for LFW

esigner Rocky S, who generally ropes in celebrity showstoppers for all his shows, has decided not to add any Bollywood quotient on the ramp for his show at the Lakmé Fashion Week summer resort 2013, starting March 22. The designer says a celebrity as a showstopper gives the image that the

designs are meant for the "stars" hence, "for my new collection I want the clothes to be the showstopper on their own.” "Working with a celebrity showstopper had been a must in my previous fashion shows; my friends from the film fraternity have been very supportive by participating in my shows.

However, for my new collection, I want the designs to speak for themselves," Rocky S said. "My aim is to make these designs available to every fashion enthusiast and make them feel glamorous. However, I still receive all the love and support from my Bollywood friends and will continue to do so," he added. At Lakmé Fashion

Week, the designer will showcase a collection that will reflect a new era of "romantic fashion" in hues including pink, red, orange and his signature black. "Of all the colours in the spectrum I am most fascinated by black. It is compatible, flattering, and appealing to all. Since it is extremely difficult to connect black with calm and tranquility, the LFW ramp will witness the other side of black as I try my best to bring out the serenity of the era of romanticism through my collection." IANS

Entertainment FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

All these nice people saying I'm going to be world champion won't make me any faster, you have to believe it yourself. Sebastian Vettel

KAKURO

QUICK CROSSWORD

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

ACROSS

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

SCRIBBLING PAD

1 More than ready 6 Improvises chords 11 Eye network 14 Mrs. Bush 15 Make accustomed (to) 16 Contemptible 17 Needing a tan, perhaps 19 D.C. to Dover dir. 20 “Mystery solved!” 21 Nipper’s co. 22 It may be concealed cosmetically 23 Postman’s concern 27 Exposed layer of rock 29 Put a scuff on, e.g. 30 One might have busy hands 32 Sports squad 33 It may be English or poison 34 Brightly colored aquarium fish 36 Buttonholes, usually 39 Insect eggs 41 Regretting greatly 43 Make a sweater 44 Fill-in-the-blank option on a form 46 Kind of colony in Kafka 48 Week component 49 Julia of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” 51 Delhi dress 52 Old long introduction? 53 Dolled up 56 Followers of kappas 58 Contents of some small bags 59 Give it ___ (try) 60 “Gosh” 61 “King ___” (novelty hit for Steve Martin) 62 Compassionate 68 Star of the rotation 69 Participating in a yacht race 70 Sunday excursion 71 Looking embarrassed

72 “Purgatory” playwright 73 Art student’s prop

DOWN

1 Mischievous fairy 2 Penlight battery size 3 Icon-based computer display (Abbr.) 4 Shortstop’s faux pas 5 Most impetuous 6 7, on some clocks 7 Actress Sheridan 8 H.H. ___ (author known as Saki) 9 Requiring no additional scissoring 10 Administers a tranquilizer to 11 Completely lucid 12 Type of drum 13 4-0 World Series win, e.g. 18 Like some Jewish delis 23 Type of acid 24 Lifeboat device 25 Cotton-mouthed 26 Rise partly 28 Horseshoe projection 31 Searches inquisitively 35 Yearly account 37 Beauty-pageant prop 38 Eyelid swellings 40 Blacken on the grilltop 42 Band rehearsal spot 45 Out-of-control horse 47 Summer thirst quencher 50 Papal representative 53 Rose oil 54 It’s often wild 55 Backs, anatomically 57 Coiner of “It ain’t over till it’s over” 63 Satisfied, as an obligation 64 ___ it good (is well-off) 65 “___ the season …” 66 Three-faced woman of film 67 Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Shannon

Chai Time FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 23-3-2013

As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Businessmen will feel cheerful as number of new customers will be added and sales will jump. Employees need to focus in their works and be alert as colleagues might play spoilsport. A peaceful atmosphere will prevail at home.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Realtors stand to gain. Businessmen will beat competitors and progress well by announcing new schemes. Worries and tensions existed will vanish. Be careful during travel as chances of being robbed or accident is likely.

Artists will be flooded with good opportunities and earn appreciation. Employees will get closer to the management and superior. But they need to handle important works on their own without entrusting to others.

Politicians are advised not to blame their own partymen as that might boomerang on them later. Artists will get back the good opportunity which slipped out of their hands earlier. Women’s wishes will get fulfilled and keep them cheerful.

Spouse’s health will be a cause for concern. Do not share your personal matters with anyone including close friends and relatives. Avoid taking important decisions in a hurry. Marriage talks will progress well and end favourably.

Software professionals are likely to get promotion and pay hike. Women will be successful. Your self confidence and willpower are high and will prompt you to undertake any works and achieve your goals. Financial position looks better.

Women need to keep away the persons who befriend them with bad intention. Artists will get good lot of opportunities. Heat-related ailments are likely. Businessmen will see profits. Politicians will struggle a lot to fulfill their commitments.

Son might get a prosperous career opening. You might get frustrated with the action of your close friends or relatives but keep your cool and make them understand the right way of approach. You will take important and bold decisions.

Politicians will win the confidence of their high command and will be entrusted with new and responsible post. Businessmen need to make a good study of the market condition before making any fresh investments.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Two of Pentacles – Balance is key. You have struck upon the right balance in work, romance, money, spirituality and health. Keep going.

LEO:

Ace of Cups – Emotions are swaying from one extreme to another. Keep them in check. Maintain a good balance of all the aspects of your life.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

King of Wands – You want to be in control when it comes to deciding what to buy for the house and where to keep the flower vase. Watch out for fights.

SAGITTARIUS:

King of Swords – An discussion with a member of the opposite sex will introduce you to new trends and ideas. Be open, you don’t have to endorse them.

TAURUS:

Six of Swords – Some friction is indicated with a person you’re working with. If you’re in the creative field, these threaten to ruin a good friendship.

CANCER:

Ace of Wands – You’re feeling very confident about your ideas but don’t expect the same enthusiasm from those around you. You end up feeling dejected.

VIRGO:

Ace of Cups – Emotions are swaying from one extreme to another. Keep them in check. Maintain a good balance of all the aspects of your life.

SCORPIO:

The Devil – You’re tempted to make purchases that will improve your lifestyle and make your life easy. The key is balance. Ensure you don’t over-spend.

CAPRICORN:

The High Priestess – Prayer and meditation will work wonders for you. Set time aside everyday – even three minutes a day – to re-connect with your inner self.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Strength – There are times when self-doubt takes over to such an extent that you begin to believe in yourself. Unleash the power of positive thinking.

NUMBER GAME

Pentacles – Learn from seniors at the work place. Housewives have the opportunity to learning the tricks from elders within the family.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Eight of

POOCH CAFE

Businessmen are advised to keep on hold, signing important contracts as the time is not favorable. Government works will end favourably without any delay. Employees will be given new opportunities. New job is likely for some.

for 23-3-2013

The Chariot – Travel to overseas locations on work will open up new ideas, especially for senior managers. You will think of innovative ways to spend life.

NON SEQUITUR

VIP friends will help you in achieving your goals. Employees’ demands will be accepted by the management. Businessmen will sign promising contracts with the help of their close friends and well wishers.

SUDUKO

Politicians are advised not to waste time in purposeless discussions. Government officials might get upset as they are promoted to a post without many benefits. Marriage talks might not progress as expected and get delayed.

Boggle MAY FEBRUARY DECEMBER SEPTEMBER Vol: 2, No 245 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

Entertainment FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 CINE BYTES

DANCING UP A STORM

I Priya Anand proud of her career’s progress

riya Anand is proud of the way her career is shaping up in Bollywood, despite the fact that she has no ﬁlmy connections. “It makes me feel very proud because when I came to India from the US, I didn’t know anybody, I didn’t know how the industry works. So, to think that I have worked in three different languages, it’s a big achievement for me,” she said. IANS

Nagesh Kukunoor to play pimp in ‘Laxmi’

cclaimed filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, who doesn’t mind facing the camera once in a while, says he is essaying the role of a pimp in his directorial Laxmi, which is a story around child prostitution. “The film is in post-production stage. I am acting in the film after a long time. I play a pimp,” Kukunoor said. IANS

Nothing can scare me: Smriti Irani

ctress-politician Smriti Irani, who will soon be seen as one of the ‘naaykas’ in horror TV show Ek Thhi Naayka, says it is hard for anything in the world to scare her. “I have reached a point where I cannot get scared of anything. Yes, I can scare people. That’s why I have to work hard to look scared, especially in this show,” the 36-year-old said about the show. IANS

ndo-Canadian actress Sunny Leone has gyrated to an item song in Sanjay Gupta’s Shootout At Wadala, and says she had never thought she would get a chance to do the Bollywood moves on the big screen. She has danced to the song O laila in the movie. “Never in a million years did I think of being here and have a chance to make something like this,” the 32-year-old said. “As a little girl, you always watch all these Bollywood movies with beautiful women dancing and singing. This (O laila) is a great escape, it is a great song to dance to,” she added. Thanking director Sanjay Gupta and producer Ekta Kapoor, Sunny said: “I am really thankful. I am thanking my lucky stars, god, Ekta and Sanjay for being so patient with me.” Shooutout At Wadala has two other item songs featuring Priyanka Chopra in Babli badmash and Sophie Chowdry in Ala re Manya. The film will release May 1. IANS

Never thought I’ll do a dance number

sports

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX PREVIEW

Webber sets the pace

Sutil hopes problems are in the past

Red Bull's Mark Webber, clocking a time of 1min 36.935sec, led the first free practice session at the Malaysian Grand Prix with Kimi Raikkonen snapping at his heels. SEPANG, MALAYSIA: Red Bull's Mark Webber led the first free practice session at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Friday with championship leader Kimi Raikkonen snapping at his heels. Webber clocked the fastest time of 1min 36.935sec around a sun-baked Sepang circuit with Raikkonen, winner of last week's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, just seven-hundredths of a second slower. Sebastian Vettel was third quickest in the 90-minute warmup drive, with his rival Fernando Alonso of Ferrari fourth. Nico Rosberg, Adrian Sutil, Felipe Massa, Paul di Resta, Lewis Hamilton and Romain Grosjean rounded out the top 10 in the largely experimental session as teams size up their best options for Sunday's race. Tropical heat and sudden downpours make the Malaysian

SEPANG, MALAYSIA: Adrian Sutil said he hoped his problems were in the past after he recovered from a year in the Formula One wilderness following an assault conviction to lead a race for the first time. Sutil, was dropped by Force India after he received a suspended sentence and 200,000-euro ($260,000) fine in January last year for assaulting Lotus executive Eric Lux with a champagne glass in a Shanghai nightclub. The incident, which left Lux with a nine-centimetre gash in his neck and needing 24 stitches, threatened to end the career of the young German. But on his return to the sport at the Australian Grand Prix, Sutil bounced back in style by becoming the surprise leader for 14 laps, before eventually finishing seventh. Ahead of Sunday's Malaysian GP, Sutil said that he had never stopped believing that he could mount a successful comeback. AFP

First free practice timings

Red Bull driver Mark Webber takes part in the first practice session of the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang on Thursday. AFP/PHILIPPE LOPEZ

Grand Prix one of the most demanding of the season with an extra challenge this year in preserving Pirelli's new, fasterdegrading tyres.

The drivers will head for another practice today with a third run-out on Saturday, followed by qualifying. The race is on Sunday.

WORLD CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Merga confident in bid to defend title BYDGOSZCZ: Ethiopian Imane Merga is in confident mood he can translate his burgeoning track prowess back onto the park to successfully defend his title at the World Cross-Country Championships on Sunday. Merga, who narrowly missed out on a medal in the 10,000m at the 2009 world track championships, was still a relatively unknown quantity when he produced a devastating turn of speed to see off a quartet of Kenyan rivals two years ago in Punta Umbria. The Ethiopian went on to claim a bronze at the 2011 worlds in Daegu but missed out on the London Olympics, a fact he says will help drive him on. "Last summer was a disappointment. I had some slight injuries in July and lost my chance

DOPING Cheats warned off toxic, black market drug

to go to the Olympics, but since November I have been steadily improving," the 24-year-old told the IAAF. "Training has been going very well. I feel very strong, very confident and I'm very motivated to do my best to defend the title I won in Punta Umbria two years ago." But it is Ethiopia's arch-rivals Kenya who have previous form in Bydgoszcz, dominating the 2010 worlds there when Joseph Ebuyer and Emily Chebet claimed the individual senior titles, while the junior races and both team events also all went the way of the east African nation. And Merga's hopes of victory might diminish given that runners in Bydgoszcz are expected to have to compete in sub-zero conditions. AFP

MONTREAL: Cheats were warned Thursday that they are putting themselves in serious danger by taking a "toxic" drug which was forced on to the black market after it was withdrawn by its manufacturer.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued the warning over the substance, identified only as GW501516 which is being sold to and used by some athletes. "It has come to WADA's

1. Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing) 1:36.935, 2. Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) 1:37.003, 3. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing) 1:37.104, 4. Fernando Alonso (Scuderia Ferrari) 1:37.319, 5. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:37.588, 6. Adrian Sutil (Force India) 1:37.769, 7. Felipe Massa (Scuderia Ferrari) 1:37.771, 8. Paul di Resta (Force India) 1:37.773, 9. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:37.840, 10. Romain Grosjean (Lotus) 1:37.915, 11. Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes) 1:38.173, 12. Pastor Maldonado (Williams) 1:38.673, 13. Sergio Perez (McLaren Mercedes) 1:38.830, 14. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) 1:39.054.

LEAGUE CRICKET A3 division one day HBCC 184 (Sashi 59, Rahul 33, Amir 35, Omer Khan 37, Sankath 3/40, Saju 3/18) bt Pasha Beedi 154 (FK Mujtaba 52, Nadeem 32, Irfan 32, Touseef 3/29). MCC 191 (Anuraag Haridas 51, Rana Thakur 40, Enosh Krupakar

3/14) lost to Mega City 192/5 (Sai Charan 75, Sohail 43) A4-11 division one day Manchester 298/8 (Dr Seshagiri 140, T Chandrasekhar 114, Naveen Salvi 4/57) bt Vijaynagar 111 (Govind 34, Madhav 3/7).

TOUR OF CATALONIA

Martin wins as Valverde crashes out

MADRID: Irishman Dan Martin stormed into the lead of the Tour of Catalonia with an impressive victory in the fourth stage of the race on Thursday. He surged clear with nearly eight kilometres remaining of the gruelling 217.7km kilometre ride from Comprodon to Port Aine to finish 36 seconds clear of Joaquim Rodriguez and also move 10 sec-

attention that the black market substance GW501516 is being sold to and used by some athletes," said a WADA statement. "The side effect of this chemical compound is so serious that WADA is taking the

onds ahead of him in the overall standings. However, the big news was the retirement from the race of Movistar's Alejandro Valverde. He had been leading after the first three stages of the tour but he and teammate Eros Capecchi crashed just short of 120 kilometres into the stage and, although Valverde tried to continue, he eventually retired. AFP

rare step of warning 'cheats' to ensure that there is complete awareness of the possible health risks to athletes who succumb to the temptation of using GW501516 for performance enhancement." AFP

sports

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

MASTERS MIAMI

Serena eases through opener Serena got her quest for a record sixth Miami title off to a brisk start with a victory over Flavia. MIAMI: Serena Williams got her quest for a record sixth Miami WTA title off to a brisk start on Thursday with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Italian Flavia Pennetta. The world No. 1 and top seed, playing her first tournament since falling to Victoria Azarenka in the final at Doha in February, said she didn’t feel too rusty, although her footwork could improve. “I think I missed a few shots, but only because I think I was off footwork-wise," she said. “But it’s always just good just to win a match and stay in the tournament and keep going." Despite the lopsided score-

ATTACK ON EX

Capriati faces charges MIAMI: Former tennis World No. 1 Jennifer Capriati has been summoned to appear in court on April 17 to face allegations she stalked an ex-boyfriend and punched him on Valentine’s Day. Capriati was charged with stalking and with battery over an alleged incident on February 14 in which she had an altercation with Ivan Brannan at the Oxygen Health & Wellness gym in North Palm Beach, Florida, court records show. A police report said that while Brannan was working out, 36-year-old Capriati “started screaming” at him and punched him four times in the chest “with a closed fist." After a yoga instructor intervened, Brannan locked himself in the men’s locker room and called emergency services. He told police Capriati had been harassing him since they broke up in February 2012. AFP

she was running every ball down," Williams said. Her elder sister Venus Williams also advanced, holding on for a 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-4 victory over Japanese Kimiko Date-Krum. Agnieszka Radwanska, Li Na of China and Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic all joined Williams in the third-round. Radwanska parlayed an early break in each set into to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei. “I was happy to have a quick match," she said. “The first match is always a little bit tough and tricky, especially after Indian Wells, where we had a little bit of different conditions." AFP

line, Williams said Pennetta’s ability to extend the rallies made the match difficult, although the American fended off all seven break points she faced. She had 18 break chances against Pennetta, and converted five, saying she felt a little frustrated that she wasn’t doing more. “I felt like I should be putting the balls away for my opponent quick, but she was so quick and Serena Williams of the USA serves against Flavia Pennetta of Italy during the Sony Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center on Thursday in Key AFP/AL BELLO Biscayne, Florida.

OBITUARY

ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

Rose blooms in Orlando

ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Justin Rose, thriving in the spotlight that comes with playing alongside Tiger Woods, fired a seven-under 65 on Thursday to seize a two-shot lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. England’s Rose had an eagle and six birdies in his tour of Bay Hill. He held a two-stroke first-round lead over American John Huh. John Rollins and Brad Fritsch shared third place on four-under 68, with 14-time major champion Woods in a group of 10 players four off the lead on three-under 69. Rose said the marquee pairing with Woods “elevates the day” and he made the most of it despite their early tee time that had them heading off the 10th tee in chilly conditions. “Starting out this morning, the first six, seven, eight

holes felt a grind," Rose said. “It was cold. It was windy." He warmed up plenty on the greens where his putter was “really, really hot". Rose said that’s an area of his game that’s been lacking in recent months. “Today was probably the first real hot day

Tiger Woods (L) and Justin Rose walk down the 9th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on AFP/SAM GREENWOOD Thursday.

I’ve had with the blade in a long, long time," he said. Rose rebounded from a bogey at the 11th with a birdie at 13. He eagled the par-five 16th and added another birdie at 17 before stringing together four birdies in a row from the par-five fourth. “I’m surprised by that number," he said. “If you had said I would shoot a 65 on the range this morning, I would have probably said how many holes have I played?" Woods also eagled the 16th, but was unable to build on that as he bogeyed 17 and 18. Even with three birdies in a row from the fourth he couldn’t keep pace with Rose, and he added one more bogey at the par-three seventh. “I didn’t drive it well, didn’t hit my irons well and didn’t control my distances or trajectory well," Woods said. AFP

KIA CLASSIC

Jane Park grabs lead, Webb lurks CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA: American Jane Park, in search of her first LPGA title in her sixth season on the tour, fired a sixunder par 66 on Thursday to seize the first-round lead in the Kia Classic. Park played without a bogey, but she had some big names in striking distance. Hall of Famer Karrie Webb of Australia had six birdies and one bogey in her five-under 67,

Jane Park fired a sixunder par 66 to seize the first-round lead in the Kia Classic. which had her tied for second alongside Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall. Italian Giulia Sergas and American Jessica Korda were tied for fourth on 68, while the

10 players tied on three-under 69 included South Korean Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak and US star Paula Creamer. Park started on the back nine and birdied 13 and 17. After another birdie at the second, she birdied three in a row from the fourth. “The golf courses here just really fit my eye," Park said. “I just love this style of golf course, so maybe that’s why I played pretty well." AFP

Mountaineer who helped Hillary conquer Everest dies WELLINGTON: George Lowe, the last surviving climber from the expedition led by Sir Edmund Hillary that conquered Everest in 1953, has died aged 89. Hillary’s son Peter said Lowe’s death in a nursing home in Ripley on Wednesday marked the end of an era in mountaineering. “George was one of the great climbers on the 1953 Everest expedition," he told Radio New Zealand. “He was really one of my father’s closest friends, kept him laughing all the time. They had a long friendship and a tremendous mountaineering partnership." The expedition gained worldwide acclaim after Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain on May 29, 1953 — a feat that had defied mountaineers for decades. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Lowe was part of an expedition that was still a source of pride for the country.

sports

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

AUSTRALIA’S TOUR OF INDIA

WEST INDIES VS ZIMBABWE

India make inroads SYED SHOAIB In Delhi

DELHI: Australia won the fourth toss of the four-Test series and decided to make use of the wicket by batting on Friday at the Ferozeshah Kotla Ground. Indian captain MS Dhoni will not regret losing the toss in the hope that the match follows the pattern that the first three Tests did; ending in the host's victory. India go into the match without Shikhar Dhawan, who fractured his throwing arm while fielding in the Mohali Test. Ajinkya Rahane, 24, thus, earned a longawaited first cap. In the Australian camp, Shane Watson taking over the reins from the injured Michael Clarke was one of five changes made — Mitchell Johnson came

Cops pocket spectators’ cash DELHI: Spectators walking into the Ferozshah Kotla at New Delhi ended up losing all small change they were carrying in their pockets or wallets. The persons who pinched their pockets were none other than the Delhi police manning the gates. The plight of the cricket buffs was understandable since they were carrying a substantial amount in lose change to facilitate commuting to and from the stadium by local transport. Signage at the Delhi metro stations and bus conductors ensure that commuters arm themselves with enough change so as not to lose money owing to coin shortage. “I have been badly hit because I was saving some shiny 10-rupee coins for my daughter,” said Amir Khan, who had come from distant Gaziabad to watch the match. The reason offered by the policemen for their ignominious act was “for security reasons.”

SCORE BOARD

Australia 1st innings EJM Cowan not out DA Warner c Kohli b Sharma PJ Hughes b Sharma SR Watson* not out Extras (b 5, lb 1) Total (2 wickets) Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-71 Bowling O M R W B Kumar 7 0 33 0 I Sharma 8 3 21 2 R Ashwin 9 4 19 0 PP Ojha 4 1 15 0

27 0 45 16 6 94

in for the injured Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell took over one of the allrounders' spots from Moises Henriques, James Pattinson is back to spearhead the attack and the fit-again Matthew Wade reclaimed the wicket-keeper's gloves from Brad Haddin. David Warner fell in the first over of Ishant Sharma, the second of the day, needlessly flashing outside the off stump, not getting in line of

Chanderpaul, Gayle put Windies on top ROSEAU, DOMINICA: Contrasting centuries by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle tightened West Indies' grip over Zimbabwe on the second day of the second and final Test at Windsor Park on Thursday. At stumps, the home side were 381 for eight in reply to the visitors' first innings total of 175, a huge lead of 206. They will be pushing to complete another comprehensive victory with two days to spare to sweep the brief series 2-0 and extend their Test match winning streak to six. Having earned honorary citizenship of the island in scoring the first Test century at the venue two years ago against India, Chanderpaul strengthened those terms of endearment with Dominicans in a five-hour vigil that was only ended by a controversial catch.

the ball owing to poor foot work, only to have Virat Kohli latch on to the thick edge in the second slip. Three boundaries of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar's fourth over and the Australians were beginning to take control of the match, prompting a bowling change, which came in the form of Ravichandran Ashwin replacing Kumar. Phillip Hughes did not make much of the change, taking two more boundaries in the Ashwin over. An inspired Ishant Sharma kept bowling maiden overs from the other end. Sharma was rewarded with his second wicket before lunch. Falling over in his effort of bending his back, prompted the tall man to bowl one short to Hughes who took a nasty blow on his protective helmet. The blow shook the batsman enough to lose concentration as he got castled three deliveries later, five short of what would have been an entertaining half a century. A review by Dhoni to a stumping of Watson went in favour of the batsman somewhat redeeming the pre-lunch session for the Australians.

Australia’s Phillip Hughes is bowled by Ishant Sharma in the first innings of the fourth Test against India on Friday at the Ferozeshah Kotla Ground in New Delhi. SRINIVAS SETTY

AFP

SOUTH AFRICA VS PAKISTAN

Misbah stars as Pak square series DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq led his side to a threewicket win over South Africa in the fourth one-dayer Thursday, setting up a series decider in the final match in Benoni on Sunday. Misbah made 80 and Imran Farhat scored 93 as Pakistan chased down South Africa's total of 234 for nine with eight balls to spare. Misbah and opening batsman Farhat shared a 153-run fourth wicket partnership after Pakistan had been struggling at 33 for three after 11 overs. The early wickets included that of Mohammad Hafeez, who was given out for obstructing the field in the second over. AFP

ENGLAND IN NEW ZEALAND

Fulton puts Kiwis on top in final Test

AUCKLAND: A maiden century from opening batsman Peter Fulton put New Zealand on track for a big first innings total on day one of the third and deciding Test against England at Eden Park on Friday. New Zealand were 250 for one at stumps with Fulton unbeaten on 124 and Kane Williamson 83 not out after a frustrating day for England's bowlers. England skipper Alastair Cook was punished after winning the toss and making New Zealand bat on a drop-in Auckland wicket that was expected to offer his attack more pace and bounce than the lifeless pitches in Dunedin and Wellington. Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum said it was "judgement day" for his batting line-up after they were put in for the first time this series -- and they came through with flying colours. Eden Park proved another flat track

that harboured no demons, allowing them to dominate, with England's only wicket for the day coming from a rash shot by Hamish Rutherford (37) just before the lunch. While England's bowlers were tight, sending down 27 maidens through the day, the New Zealanders kept the runs

Scorecard New Zealand, first innings P. Fulton not out 124 H. Rutherford c Cook b Finn 37 K. Williamson not out 83 Extras (lb2 b4) 6 Total (1 wkt; 90 overs) 250 Bowling: Anderson 19-5-44-0, Broad 19-5-57-0, Finn 22-6-61-1, Panesar 25-9-70-0, Trott 3-1-7-0, Root 2-1-5-0

New Zealand's Peter Fulton bats during day one of the final Test against England at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday. AFP/MICHAEL BRADLEY

ticking over thanks to the short boundaries at Eden Park, which is normally used as a rugby venue. Fulton's century was the highlight, reviving a Test career he feared over before he was recalled for this series after more than three years in the wilderness. "I've played a few Test matches and now I've got one (a century)," the righthander said. "If I'm being brutally honest, at the start of this season I thought maybe my time had come and gone." Fulton, whose previous best was 75, managed a 79-run partnership with Rutherford then combined with Williamson for an unbeaten 171 in New Zealand's best batting performance in the series. The 34-year-old looked nervous as he stalled on 99 for nine deliveries before finally securing a century that included 14 fours and three sixes to a standing ovation from the home crowd. AFP

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

England on ‘hiding to nothing’ San Marino versus England game is likely to resemble an attack versus defence training exercise, and British bookmakers believe England are odds-on to score at least four goals. TOM WILLIAMS Agence France-Presse

erravalle, San Marino: England captain Steven Gerrard admits that his side will be “on a hiding to nothing” when they tackle Group H whipping boys San Marino in their latest World Cup qualifier on Friday. With the hosts ranked joint-last in the FIFA ranking, the game is likely to resemble an attack v defence training exercise, and British bookmakers believe England are odds-on to score at least four goals. England initially laboured to break San Marino down when the teams last met in October, before eventually winning 5-0, and Gerrard knows Roy Hodgson’s men will face a similarly thankless task in Serravalle. “The pressure’s all on us," he said. “It’s all about trying to get that breakthrough as early as we can. “The difficulty with this game is they’re out to stop us and keep the score down. They’re going to try and slow the game down, they’re going to do stupid fouls, they’re going to try

and get the referee to do anything to stop us from scoring and winning the game comfortably. “With all due respect, we’re on a bit of a hiding to nothing, because if we don’t win the game by more than three or four goals, we’re not going to get any credit anyway. “So it is unique and it comes with slightly different pressures, but we’ve got the quality in the squad to win this game comfortably and that’s what we should do." Despite the vast gulf in quality between the sides, England manager Hodgson says it would be foolish to believe the quickest route to victory lies in sending his team out in the most attack-minded configuration possible. In the build-up to the game, the English media have focused on Rio Ferdinand’s controversial withdrawal from the squad on fitness grounds. The Manchester United centre-back’s decision has been portrayed as a slight to Hodgson, who had called him up for the first time.

GRAPEVINE

sports

BALOTELLI LEVELS AS ITALY DRAW 2-2 WITH BRAZIL

Daniele De Rossi sparked Italy’s fightback and Mario Balotelli scored a superb second-half equaliser as the Azzurri battled to a 2-2 draw against Brazil in a friendly on Thursday. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side came into this match looking for a win following a 2-1 loss to England last month.

Capello denies Chelsea rumours BELFAST: Russia coach Fabio Capello insists he has had no contact with Chelsea after being linked with a move to the Premier League club.

With Chelsea’s interim manager Rafael Benitez certain to be replaced when his contract expires at the end of the season, former

England boss Capello has reportedly been considered by Blues owner Roman Abramovich as a successor to the beleaguered Spaniard.

Capello’s name was mentioned as a potential Chelsea manager before Benitez was appointed as Roberto Di Matteo’s replacement.