Postnoon E-Paper for 06 January 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

RVP RIDES TO THE RESCUE, AGAIN

anchester United striker Robin van Persie came off the bench to score the late equaliser that salvaged a 2-2 draw at West Ham and prevented his side from becoming the biggest casualty of the FA Cup third round. PG32 WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 25°C

Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

JANUARY 6, 2013 HYDERABAD

32 PAGES

ON SUNDAY ATTACKS CONTINUE IN CITY, AS PROTESTS ARE STAGED

WHERE TO W

DRAW THE LINE REPORT ON PG 5

The age of criminal responsibility has always been a contentious issue, and the Delhi gangrape has reopened the can of worms that is juvenile justice.

hile Hyderabad was registering its protest with a midnight candle-light march, women continued to come under attack in the City. A young woman, who was returning home with her male friend, was molested by three men after they attacked the man on Banjara Hills Road No 12.

PG 4

TEN PEOPLE INJURED IN TANDUR CLASHES

n an apparent consequence of hate speeches made by some political leaders, a small disagreement sparked off a major communal clash in Basheeerabad village of Tandur in RR district on Friday night. In all, 10 people suffered injuries in the clash, and the SP had to clamp prohibitory orders. PG 3

CITY SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

LONE SAILOR

Bonjour India festival

Numaish is the 73rd All India Industrial Exhibition is an ongoing event in the City. Where: Exhibition Ground, Mukarramjahi Road, Nampally When: Up to February 15, 4pm to 11pm Contact: (040) 2460 3015

This is an exhibition at Iconart gallery.There is an exhibition of paintings by Vijay Gille at the gallery on Chai wallah and other stories. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Up to January 12 11:30am to 7pm Contact: www.iconart.in

New York's Quilt Fiesta Portico New York's Quilt Fiesta is at at shopper’s stop, where quilts of different designs are available. Where: Shopper’s Stop stores When: Up to January 6

Code Red Countdown Code Red Countdown is an art collection revolving around ecology, by New York based artist Asher Jay. The theme is endangered wildlife. Where: Lalitha Kala Thoranam, Public gardens When: January 27 6pm to 9:30pm Contact: 93965 55888

Photo competition Alliance Francaise, Hyderabad, is conducting a photo competition. The theme for the contest is Professions of the world. The winning entries will be sent to Paris. Where: hyderabad.afindia.org When: Up to January 10

Gloria Jean’s coffee

Longest winter fest There will be live shows, carnival parade, special entertainment shows, fun rides, evening parties and buffet in this winter fest. Where: Ramoji Film City Travels Unit 5, 2nd Floor, Balayogi Paryatak Bhavan, Greenland, Begumpet, When: Up to January 6, 9am to 6pm Contact: (040) 32577654

Alexander Jaya Prakash Reddy is performing a 100-minute solo. He plays a retired army officer who wants to help people with their problems by starting a helpline. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Public Gardens, Nampally,

CINEMAS

Art & Science of Self-Actualization, a foundation course in transpersonal counselling, by clinical psychologist Sujata Potay. Where: Center for Organization Development, Madhapur When: January 19-April 27 Contact: 98494 53045

Numaish

Chai wallah art show

Gloria Jean’s, an international coffee chain, has introduced two new flavours for this season: Creamy Christmas Chocolate and Snowy Christmas Chiller. Gloria Jean’s Coffees will also give all its customers a chance to win exotic holidays in India and Thailand. Where: Lifestyle, first floor, Begumpet and No.G 49 A, Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: Up to January 15 Contact: (040) 4221 9376

Transpersonal session M ANIL KUMAR

The Bonjour India festival, a celebration of Indo-French cultural exchange, is being held for the second time in India. The cultural calender for the same has been published by Alliance Française of Hyderabad for the months of January, February and March. Where: Contact office for venues and dates When: January-March Contact: (040) 2770 0734

Philatelics The Hyderabad Philatelic & Hobbies Society is celebrating its golden jubilee from January 4. There will be an exhibition of stamps, coins and currency notes. Where: Juloori Veereshalingam Kalyana Mandapam, near Paradise Circle, Secunderabad When: Up to January 6, 10:30am to 6:30pm.

Picture taken at Meerpet, Rangareddy district. H-01, Abids, When: January 6, 7pm to 9pm Contact: (040) 2324 9045

Tribute to Khanna There will be dance performances on Rajesh Khanna’s songs to pay tribute to the superstar. The dance will be choreographed by Mahesh L Munde, who has choreographed national and international performances. Where: : Lalitha Kala Thoranam, Public gardens When: January 27 6pm to 9:30pm Contact: 93965 55888

The Republic Ride The biggest corporate cycling event

A-Bong Live

at Hyderabad is being organized by The Atlanta Foundation on republic day. The aim is to promote educational programs for underprivileged children. Where: Gachibowli Stadium When: January 26, 6:15am onwards Contact: atlantafoundation.org

A-Bong is a group of music enthusiast Bengalis from Hyderabad who have formed a band and will be performing live. Where: La Makaan, Lane Adjacent To C-Bay , Banjara Hills When: January 6 5pm onwards Contact: 97000 46888

Krishnakriti festival

Cotton & Silk Mela

Krishnakriti Art & Culture festival 2013 is starting on January 7. The inauguration and talk on the first two days will be held at Kalakriti. The time and agenda for the rest of the dates are available with Kalakriti. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery When: January 7-11 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466

Lepakshi Handicrafts Emporium is organizing a cotton and silk mela, an exclusive handloom exhibition cum sale. Where: TTD Kalyanmandapam, Himayath Nagar, Liberty X roads, Hyderabad When: Up to January 10 11am to 9pm Contact: (040) 2323 5028

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

CITY SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

RTC woes: Rao meets CM

Chain snatching in RTC bus

Jaya Laxmi, a resident of Alwal, lost her five tolas gold chain while she was travelling in an RTC bus. She was returning home and had boarded the bus from Secunderabad. She did not realise she lost her chin till she reached home, police said. Snatchers used a sharp blade that easily severed the chain, it is said.

Road Safety Week

Left gets T-boost

10 injured in Tandur clashes

emanding regularisation of contract workers in APSRTC, T Harish Rao, TRS MLA, met Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. Along with newly elected Trade Union leaders, he urged the CM to withdraw the proposed hike in power tariff. The delegation also suggested that reduction of sales tax on diesel would improve functioning of RTC.

In what is perceived as a crafty move, the CPI plans to cash in on T-stir to get mass support for its agitations.

In a possible consequence of hate speeches by certain leaders, Tandur witnessed communal clashes on Friday. Mohd Subhan

INKESHAF AHMED

brought the City to its knees (pictured). But 10 years down the lane the political situation for the CPI seems to have completely changed. Though the party organised many political agitations highlighting mass problems, they have been receiving a lukewarm response from people. It is in this context that the CPI thought it better to leverage the T-stir platform to highlight its issues. As part of the strategy, the party leaders have decided to hold a stir on January 19 to build up pressure on the union government for a quick Tsolution. “Yes, we will hold a massive Dharna at Indira Park for an immediate T-solution. We want the Centre to immediately form a separate Telangana state without delay,” CPI state secre-

tary Dr K Narayana told Postnoon. He further added that the party has also decided to invite other political parties like Telugu Desam Party, Telangana Nagara Samithi and Telangana Joint Action Committee to take part in the party’s proposed agitation. The party strongly feels that the agitations on the separate telangana issue would help it consolidate its position in the region in the coming days, besides emerging as a reckoning force. “Telangana issue is a very old and influential issue in the State. It would definitely help us in strengthening our party in the Telangana region,” party floor leader Gunda Mallesh said. The left party is also planning to hold massive organisational programmes in all the Telangana districts seeking public support.

n an apparent consequence of hate speech indulged in by some political leaders, a small issue sparked off a major communal clash in Basheerabad village of Tandur in RR district on Friday night. In all, 10 people suffered injuries in the clash and the SP had to clamp prohibitory orders. Reports said that the trouble originated from a petty quarrel between two members of the same community on Friday night. Someone summoned a local leader, who happens to belong to another community, to mediate the issue. Some mischievous elements of the community spread a rumour that another community was interfering in the matter, and soon tension began to build up. One thing led to another and crowds of both communities began to swell. Fracas sprouted and clashes followed in which a dozen people sustained injuries. Lathis and stones were used. The condition of the people who suffered head injuries is said to be serious. DSP G Uday Kumar rushed to the spot with a police reinforcement and the police had a tough time controlling the warring groups.

Governor: Security first NT Balanarayan balanarayan.nt@postnoon.com

ndhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan, chief guest at the ITsAP technology conference organised in Hyderabad on Friday, demanded that security be made the first priority online. Speaking to technology leaders from the State, he said that established companies and startups should prioritise national security over their revenues. He pulled up Google, albeit incorrectly, for showing detailed information of landmarks in their mapping service. He also urged IT companies to help improve security in government documents, specifically in eSeva

FOR REPRESENTATIVE PURPOSE

mohd.s@postnoon.com

ahmed.m@postnoon.com aving failed to draw public support to its agitations on various issues like inflation, shortage of power, rise in fuel and domestic gas cylinder prices in recent times, the leftist Communist Party of India (CPI) is now taking a shortroute via Telangana stir to consolidate its position in the State. The four-member party has, unlike other mainstream political parties, extended unconditional support to the formation of Telangana state and requested the Central government to immediately solve the deadlock. It has indeed nothing much to lose. Despite being a dominant political force in various parts of Telangana district, especially Adilabad, Khammam, Warangal and Nalgonda districts, the CPI could not attract mass support for its agitations since 2000. But its compatriot, the CPI(M) manages to attract bigger crowds, like during the huge success of anti power tariff hike stir of 2002, when it

he state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation held the 24th Road Safety Week on Saturday. The main objective of the meeting was to create awareness among RTC Drivers about the importance of safe driving and the measures required to be taken for the safe driving. The Road Safety Week is being observed from January 1-7.

offered by AP. “It’ll be good if there are photos of people who pick up government documents through the service. They also need to work on how to tie up eSeva with Aadhar card issued by the government.” He lauded Indian companies for making AP a strong base for IT services, but questioned why there was so little R&D happening here. “What are our R&D achievements made in the past year by the IT industry? What exactly have we developed? What are the implications of development of nation’s security? What is IT industry doing to solve this issue?” He said though IT companies have added to the nation’s GDP and growth, economy shouldn’t be a substitute for security.

The theme of the annual technology event, however, was convergence of social, mobile, analytics and cloud — topics the governor hardly touched upon, except to highlight the dangers of social media. “People who are building social media tools should have plans in place to stop rumours from spreading,” he said. The governor was referring to the case of rumours that were sent over SMS and social media sites about events in Assam. He also asked why there was no way to pinpoint where a cell phone user was at any given point of time. However, no one in the dais bothered to point out that it was possible using GPS, provided the phones had the chip.

Superintendent of Police S Rajkumari has imposed Section 144 in Tandur mandal and more police forces were deployed in the area. The situation is said to be under control. The injured have been shifted to the Tandur government hospital and cases have been booked against both the communities. Around 12 people have been taken into custody. The police said the MIM leaders’ meeting in Tandur had harmed the tenuous communal situation.

CITY SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

M ANIL KUMAR

Conquering the night

At a midnight march for women’s freedom, women and people from the LGBT community spoke of how they are treated with disdain by society and the need for change. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA

rahul.r@postnoon.com

riven extensively by social media propagation, some 2,000 women and men turned up for a candle-light march at midnight Saturday on the three-km stretch between Tank Bund and Marriott Hotel junction. The crowd was a mix of families, students, employees, daily wage workers, transsexuals, activists, university professors, journalists and women’s group leaders. Celebrities and film stars were asked to keep away from the march by the organisers. Shraddha Singh, a Google employee, said, “I am here to support the cause and march for women’s equality. I believe women and men should be treated in the same way, which means women should enjoy the same amount of freedom as men do, in all aspects.” Arun Kunchala, a game producer for Electronic Arts said, “Women should have the freedom that men get. A woman should be able to walk the streets safely at any time of the night regardless of where she is and I have come here to express solidarity for that cause.” The cause was noble, no doubt, but a small section was confused about the motto of the march. Some cried for justice, some cried for stronger action over rapes and a few, a very few, demanded castration and death for rapists. Sukumar Goud, a private contractor, said, “Rapists should not be let off the hook lightly and I want to register my protest with the State government to create a stronger law

and stricter punishments for sexual offences.” Opinions of the LGBT community, many of whom participated in the march, were more in line with the protest. Saloni, a transsexual who begs for a living, said, “If women are ill-treated, we as a transsexuals are completely demeaned. We have never had any place in this society — no job, no education, no acceptance. We have become lewd sex objects for men. We wish that this protest will help people realise that we too need the

same amount of respect as men and women need to get.” Mohammad Anwar, a gay fashion designer, said, “Hyderabad has no regard or respect for the LGBT community. When my colleagues learnt I was gay, I was treated differently, alienated from work culture and became the butt of their jokes. If women have begun to shout now for security and equality, I wonder when people of my kind will ever find acceptance. ” Swati, a transsexual who works in a private hospital in

Punjagutta, said, “Even 15-yearold children ask us if we solicit sexual favours. What respect will women or our community hope to get, if children are being moulded to think this way?” Around 15 to 20 foreign students from University of Hyderabad were also present. Annie, a Swede from UoH, said, “It is good that women in India are finally fighting for what is their right place in society. And I am happy that I am a part of this change in society.” Among the various women’s organisations present, the most prominent was the Progressive Organisation for Women, with activist V Sandhya. Vimalakka, firebrand Telangana balladeer and women’s leader, was also present. The idea of the march, before being hijacked and set on the bigger stage of women’s liberation politics in the State, was by two students of the University of Hyderabad, Tejaswini and Natha. “The idea is to help instill faith in women about travelling at night and generally making people aware that women, like men, deserve the same space in public and the same amount of respect,” said Natha, a PhD student. The cause was noble, and the march was an exemplary effort. What soured it was a confused section of the crowd cheering for justice, while some argued that the protest was extremely feminist and served no purpose. “I agree with the need to protest, but hundreds of people walking will not help women feel secure when they have to walk down dark streets alone. If anything, the march should have been more evenly spread instead of being concentrated on one single stretch,” said an activist from an NGO.

Attacks on women continue even as protests are staged Mohd Subhan

mohd.s@postnoon.com

hile Hyderabad was registering its protest in a midnight candle-lit march, women continued to be under attack elsewhere. A young woman, who was returning home with her male friend, was molested by three men after attacking the man at Banjara Hills Road No 12. Sridhar and Heera Agarwal were returning home after attending a party when their car was stopped by three bikeborne men. Police said the trio tried to forcibly take her with them and when Sridhar resisted, he was beaten up badly. They then molested the woman. She in turn screamed for help, drawing passersby and neighbours. People gathered. Seeing the crowd swelling, the three got on their bikes and sped away. It is learnt that police inaction has led to the incident. For some days, Heera was getting abusive and threatening calls. She notified the police about it. However, the Banjara Hills police did nothing to trace the calls. In another attack, the house of a 21-year-old woman in Visakhapatnam, was set on fire by a stalker. It is said that the girl was being pursued by a youth who is a painter by profession. The girl’s parents did not approve of the man and arranged her marriage with another recently. However, the jilted lover continued to stalk her and threatened to kill her and commit suicide. He barged into her home a day before and had a quarrel with her parents. At night he came back, splashed petrol or kerosene around the house and set fire to it. However, neighbours rushed out and tried to put out the fire before it engulfed the house. The man, K Ashok, has been arrested. Elsewhere in the State, four more attacks on women have been reported in the past 48 hours.

CITY

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE

The age of criminal responsibility has always been a contentious issue, and the Delhi gang rape has reopened the can of worms that is juvenile justice. PADMINI COPPARAPU

padmini.c@postnoon.com

n a gang rape that led to the death of a 23-year-old, five accused are going to (i) spend the rest of their natural lives in prison (ii) and be chemically castrated (iii) or be hanged to death. One accused and proven guilty, beyond all reasonable doubt, is not on the charge sheet. He will be sentenced to, at worst, three years in a ‘special’ home. Because he is still under 18 — the age of criminal responsibility in India. Therefore, by law, to be treated and sentenced as a minor and a juvenile. “Death penalty for the juvenile,” read the placard of an enraged protester in Delhi. “He’s no child,” screamed another, echoing what seems to be the prevailing sentiment among a growing section in the country, clamouring for not only stricter punishments for minors involved in heinous crimes but also to lower the age of juveniles from 18 to 16. With the bandwagon gaining strength in Delhi, the amendment to the Juvenile Justice Act may be inevitable but the debate is far from over. Those who are for the motion say the guilty have to be punished, age no bar. Those against it, point out that the reformist principle underlining the juvenile system will be defeated. Juveniles turn offenders with mitigating circumstances, and if housed with hardened criminals, will never get a chance to reform. Here in the City on Saturday, over 100 police officers of crime units, plus top officials, magistrates and members of Juvenile Justice Board, Child Welfare Committee and Metropolitan Legal Service Authority converged at the Nampally court with a single-point agenda to discuss the issue of juvenile justice. Police officers were advised on how best to treat and care for juveniles. The age issue, however, remained a contentious issue. Chairman of Child Welfare Committee Hyderabad, Isidore Phillips, for instance, vetoes the idea. “The act of the 17-year-old in question cannot be condemned. But in the bid to bring one juvenile to justice, we shouldn’t do injustice to the thousands of other children across the country who are in conflict with the law mainly by being victims of circumstance. As it is, we are struggling to do right by the children in the system. So no, I don’t think it

should be lowered to 16,” he said. Joint commissioner of police (administration) Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, speaking to Postnoon, agreed that there was a need for harsher punishments. “We’ll have to see what the Centre will decide on the amendment to reduce the age limit. But if you ask me, I think for serious offences and heinous crimes like this, yes, juveniles should be tried as adults.” Another panelist at the

session, Rajani Guduri, principal magistrate of Juvenile Justice Board, concurs. “There are so many cases of youngsters getting away by producing dubious medical certificates, claim-

EXECUTING OR SENTENCING TO LIFE ALL CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH LAW IS HARDLY THE SOLUTION.

ing to be under 18. Then there are other cases like this. Last month, a 15-year-old was produced before my court for having raped a four-year-old girl. So,

there’s little doubt our laws need to be strengthened. Be it reducing age limit or serious offences being treated differently.” India is among the only countries to have 18 as the age of criminal responsibility. Until 2005, the United States had a champion of death penalty for juvenile offenders involved in heinous crimes. In fact, in most states of the US, the age of criminal responsibility is seven years. As is the case with Hong Kong, which exempts those under seven years of age, but can try those between seven and 14 years on the rebuttal principle (if they can be proven beyond reasonable doubt to have been well aware of the gravity of their actions). The UK (England and Wales) deems a child incapable of a crime if they are under 10 years old, but still metes out punishments like curfews and safety orders. But executing or sentencing to life all the children in conflict with law is hardly the solution, argue others. “No decision should be made as the result of a knee-jerk reaction. It’s based on a number of considerations that the age limit must have been set at 18,” believes Sandeep Sandilya, additional commissioner of police (crime). But even those who argue for the status quo to remain do not endorse the existing juvenile set-up. “Even homeless and rescued children are grouped with repeat offenders. There’s overcrowding, neglect and infrastructural constraints. Only when the JJ Act is followed in letter and spirit will our juvenile system be effective,” said Sandilya. But, few provisions stated in the JJ Act see the light of day in these correctional facilities. These “homes”, which are supposed to have the infrastructure and support system to care, develop, reform and counsel minors are no more pleasanter than jails. “As provided in the Act, children are supposed to be segregated based on their age. But they are not. So 16-18 year olds end up negatively influencing younger children. They stay in dilapidated conditions. There are no in-house psychologists or counsellors, forget a de-addiction center. Some of these children have now developed health conditions. Either they should reduce the limit or segregate children according to age," said Vijetha B, an advocate on panel for JJB, who offers free legal aid to juveniles. Age not withstanding, the sheer size of the juvenile delinquency in our country goes to show that whatever else be a matter of debate, the whole setup is the result of a gigantic failure on the part of the State to protect its children.

NATION SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Delhi records 1.9ºC

3 killed in accident

Pak troops violate truce SRINAGAR: Pakistani troops today

PATNA: Three persons were killed and

violated ceasefire by firing mortar shells towards Indian army posts in Uri sector near the LoC. An army spokesman said said some of the shells landed close to civilian habitation but there was no damage. The spokesman said the army retaliated and briefly after which there has been quiet from both sides.

three others were missing when a truck fell into a pond in Bihar's Sheohar district in the wee-hours today, police said. The paddy loaded truck, which was coming from Ara, overturned and met with the accident in Sonebarsa village, SHO Sanjay Kumar said. Three bodies have been fished out and a search is on for three others.

NEW DELHI: The mercury in the national capital Sunday touched the season’s lowest at 1.9ºC — five notches below average. The day would remain clear with maximum temperature likely to be around 13ºC, said an India Meteorological Department official. Fog enveloped the city with visibility dropping to 400 metres at 8.30am.

UK paper names Delhi rape victim

hile media in India are prohibited by law from naming rape victims, those abroad have no such fetters — as has been

proved by Sunday People’s publishing of the victim’s name and details of her family. Sunday People carried the detailed story, with photographs, as per the request

of the victim’s father. “We want the world to know her real name. My daughter didn’t do anything wrong, she died while protecting herself. I am proud of

‘Closing nightclubs not the solution’ ‘You need more protection, more people’

MUMBAI: Actor Arjun Rampal says his LAP nightclub in Delhi’s Hotel Samrat is losing money following restrictions on their functioning in the wake of the gang-rape of a 23-yearold woman in the capital and feels “shutting down nightclubs early is not a solution to the growing crimes against women.” Asked if he is suffering any loss due to the current scenario in Delhi, Arjun told IANS: “Yes, of course, we are, because what happened is that the minute something like this happens, the first place that people close down early are nightclubs.” “I don’t agree with it... many feel that people will get drunk and come out, but those are not the rapists. Rapists are the

AFTER THE DECEMBER 16 INCIDENT, THE AUTHORITIES HAD ASKED ALL DISCOTHEQUES AND NIGHTCLUBS TO CLOSE BY 1AM. people who are sick in their head. It is wrong to just clamp down,” he added. After the December 16 incident, the authorities had asked all discotheques and nightclubs to close by 1 am LAP was one of the very few permitted to remain open till 3am. The actor says people need to be protected with more manpower, and

“shutting down nightclubs early is not a solution to the growing crimes against women”. However, he is all for adequate security for his club’s patrons. “Despite closing everything early, you couldn’t stop a rape that happened on December 31. You need more protection, more people. If you feel uncomfortable from letting places open after a certain hour, then make a special licence. If I buy that licence, you give me some police officers who can protect my place and the people who come there. As a club owner, I only want my people who come there to be safe,” he added. Arjun opened LAP in 2009 and says he has been able to employ people who were “gundas” (ruffians) earlier. “We also employ people... when you shut clubs and institutions down, those people will lose their jobs. What are they going to do... they are going to commit more crimes because they are not graduates. My bouncers and my security people were gundas who have got a decent job now. I am rehabilitating them. Government needs to look at all those things,” said the 40-year-old. IANS

her. Revealing her name will give courage to other women who have survived these attacks. They will find strength from my daughter,” he told the People.

He told the paper that perpetrators of the crime should be made an example of so that “society will not allow such things to happen”.

Suspend errant cops: Singh NEW DELHI: A policeman should be suspended immediately if he refuses to register a complaint, Union home secretary R K Singh has suggested. "There should not be any hesitation in suspending any policeman who refuses to register a complaint. That is in law. Not registering any complaint

is violation of law," he said. According to Singh, people face ordeal in every step while going to a police station for registering any case as well as trying to know the status of their complaint. "That has to be changed. For the women, weaker sections or the poor, visiting a police sta-

tion itself is an ordeal. To know the status of any compliant, without taking the local MLA along, it is impossible," he said. The home secretary said an atmosphere should be created where women and weaker sections of the society get the ability to register a complaint without facing difficulty.

TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL US ON 80082 00713

or SMS „Postnoon‰ to 56161

/095 Rs.1 9/: e c 4 r Pri Rs.5 Cove r Price: : 50% g e f n f i O l Sav Tota

A FRESH NEW POINT OF VIEW You can also call or email us at:

040 - 4067 2222 subscription@postnoon.com

WORLD SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Man held over Irish riots

Bye to God and Queen?

BELFAST, UNITED KINGDOM:

LONDON: The Girl Guides, Britain’s

Police in Northern Ireland arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder on Saturday after reports that shots were fired at officers during fresh rioting in Belfast. Police deployed water cannon and fired baton rounds in the third consecutive night of violence, in the east of the city.

largest voluntary organisation for girls which is part of a 10 million-strong global movement, is considering scrapping its oath to God and the queen, it emerged on Saturday. The British group, which boasts half a million members, opened a consultation this week suggesting amendments to the pledge known as “The Promise”.

Drug tunnel discovered in Mexico

AFP

rejected a request from Egypt for the release of 11 of its nationals detained for suspected links to Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood, the Gulf News paper reported on Saturday. The case has sparked a sharp deterioration of relations between Abu Dhabi and Cairo, which had already been strained since the election of Mohamed Morsi.

WHAT'S COOKING? Rasool Khan, former Nawab of erstwhile Kurnool and known freedom fighter who fought with British Empire as well as Nawab of Hyderabad, has celebrated the wedding of his great grand daughter at Dubai today. His close associate TG Venkatesh, minister for minor irrigation attended the function. Law minister Erasu Pratap Reddy, animal husbandry minister Viswarup also attended the function. Here minister TG Venkatesh (fourth from right) is seen sharing a lighter moment with former Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf.

TIJUANA, MEXICO: Mexican authorities said Saturday they have discovered a “sophisticated” tunnel likely intended for smuggling drugs and migrants across the US-Mexico border. The entrance to the tunnel, which was still under construction, is located in a warehouse about 300 meters (328 yards) from the border between the Mexican city of Mexicali and Calexico, California, Mexicali police chief Marco Antonio Carrillo told AFP.

UAE rejects Egypt request DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has

Chavez aide re-elected Jim Mannion

CLASSIFIEDS HOME APPLIANCES

To advertise on this page, contact: 9866074747 For Secunderabad -9 2 9 0 2 0 4 0 3 0 For H y d e r a b a d - 9866663212

For Cyberabad 9866698879

CARACAS: Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez’s allies staged a show of unity on Saturday, re-electing the ruling party’s Diosdado Cabello as parliamentary speaker, while their president battles cancer in Cuba. The closing of ranks by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) came as it emerged as all but certain that illness will keep Chavez from being sworn in to a new six-year term on Thursday as scheduled. “The president will continue being president beyond January 10, nobody should have any doubt about that,” said Cabello after his election, accusing the opposition of fomenting a “coup d’etat.” Vice President Nicolas Maduro called the swearing-in a “formality” and said he too would stay on in office without taking any oath until there was an opportunity to do so.

Cabello’s re-election was intended in part to answer persistent rumors of a power struggle within the regime during Chavez’s more than three-week absence, the longest stretch in his 14-year presidency. “We will never defraud the people and we will get on our knees to defend the proposal made by coman-

dante Chavez, I swear it,” Cabello said as he took his oath of office. Chavez’s health was invoked by both Chavistas and members of the opposition, who criticized the ruling party for refusing to engage in inclusive dialogue as the oil-rich country enters a period of high uncertainty.

Drunk man on plane duct-taped LONDON: A 46-year-old drunken passenger on an REkkjavic-New York flight was duct-taped to his seat by fellow passengers after he attacked a woman, spat on other passengers and screamed that the plane was going to crash. A friend of one of the passengers posted online a picture of the drunken man along with an account of the incident, the Daily Mail reported. The “passenger drank all of his duty free liquor on the flight from Iceland to JFK”, Andy Ellwood of New York wrote in an online account. “When he became unruly, (i.e. trying to choke the woman next to him and screaming the plane was going to crash), fellow passengers subdued him and tie him up for the rest of the flight. He was escorted off the flight by police when it landed,” he wrote. The photo was sent to Ellwood because he and his friend liked to trade “travel war stories”. His friend did not want to be identified. The drunken man, whose name was not released, was arrested upon landing at JFK and taken to a hospital. He had an Icelandic passport, an official said. Prosecutors declined to charge him for what he did because too many passengers were reluctant to discuss his outburst with authorities.

AFP

26 die in crimes related to drugs

X’mas Orgy: Honduras Embattled Assad mandarin resigns to speak today

MEXICO CITY: At least 26 people were killed in Mexico in the past 24 hours in apparent drugrelated crimes, including six men shot dead whose bodies bear signs of torture, authorities said Saturday. Of the 26 deaths reported from Friday to Saturday, 16 of them took place in Chihuahua state, which shares a long border with the United States. Six others occurred in Sinaloa state, a stronghold of one of Mexico’s ruthless drug gangs. In Chihuahua, the bodies of six men were found late Friday in a ravine in the town of Balleza. Prosecutors said the men were tortured and then shot dead. Three of them had ties to Balleza’s mayor.

TEGUCIGALPA: The Honduran ambassador to Colombia was forced to resign Saturday after his bodyguard reportedly held a Christmas party with prostitutes at the mission, the foreign ministry in Tegucigalpa said. Carlos Rodriguez Andino stepped down after Honduran Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales received a report drafted by a special commission appointed to investigate the December 20 incident in Bogota. “In order to safeguard national interests and good relations with the Republic of Colombia, we asked for the ambassador’s irrevocable resignation and Mr Rodriguez stepped down, effective immediately,” the foreign ministry said.

DAMASCUS: Syria’s embattled President Bashar al-Assad is to make a rare speech Sunday as violence rages in a civil war the UN says has killed more than 60,000 people and as US missiles are deployed along the Turkish border. The US military said deployment of Patriot missiles was to help Turkey defend itself against any threat from neighbouring Syria which is in the throes of a deadly 21-month civil war. “President Bashar al-Assad will deliver a speech on Sunday morning on the latest developments in Syria and the region,” Syria’s official SANA news agency said late on Saturday.

COMMENT SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Harrowing

Heroes to villians

he account of the boy who was with the girl who was raped on the bus is harrowing. Even more saddening is that no one came to their aid despite lying there in such tragic circumstances. Why has no great leader said anything about this? Shahina N Via email

ur team is in great trouble. Everyone can see that. But would it be any help if we constantly are at their case without letting them some space to recover and comeback? All these men were eulogised once; now they are being demonised. It won’t help much. Rahul Trivedi Via email

Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 040-4067 2222.

A fair, just nation

here is nothing more demeaning than insisting that there is some rekha that women must not cross. Why must all restraints be piled on women when men are allowed anything and everything? Are these the traits of a fair, just nation? Anyone with sense won’t think so. Suresh K Via email

Mera Bharat mahaan!

EDITORIALS HOW ABOUT chastity belts? Pondicherry is mulling covering up girls in overcoats to curb incidence of rapes. This is analogous to practices in Muslim countries where the purdah or the burqha system is prevalent. But is this the proper solution to rapes in our country? No. Nothing can keep our women from harm because it is not in the clothes but in the minds of the rapists that the real issue lies; that women are meant for pleasure; and you can possibly get away with it. The rapist whose death sentence was commuted by the Supreme Court on the grounds that he seems to be an unstable person had bragged to friends that he had killed two women and he feared no one. One can say this is the common attitude among rapists. Also equally at fault are politicians and government officials who invariably pile the blame on women for “such things” because they provoked the perpetrator into doing it, that they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Also those who envisage a Bharat that’s a manifestation of ancient values forget that people of today do not keep to the most fundamental of code of living that one must help one’s fellow-being if they are in need. The Delhi rape case victim and her friend lay for an hour on the road, screaming their lungs out to passers-by for help, for something to cover their shame…no one heard it. And the police officials who arrived on the scene, instead of rushing them to a hospital, were confused as to which police station must this case be reported. And the delay that government officials made in taking notice of the case... If this apathetical attitude alters, if men learn to respect women, there won’t be need for overcoats. There won’t be need for purdahs or burqas. If not, not even chastity belts won’t keep our women safe.

EDITORIALS

From the hip SYED SHOAIB

hat is it that cannot keep men out of women’s affairs that they have to put their foot in the mouth and make comments that are assured to create a furore and nothing else? They either wish to court controversy or the pompous fellows really believe in what they mouth and more so are confident that it will go down well with the public and that they are actually voicing the feelings of the citizens, however illogical or contrary to facts. Particularly if they are inanities about women, then who can challenge these know-it-alls? I am referring to the rhetoric on women of the Vijayvargiyas, Bhagwats and the Abhijeets of our country who are proudly shooting their mouths off, without any worry about whether they are factually correct or not. It seems the intention of these insensitive comments is to make an effect rather than speak with sound knowledge of facts and figures or with any real will to find a solution to the problem. The stature they enjoy — one of them is a Cabinet minister from Madhya Pradesh, another, the RSS chief and the third, the President’s son — does not seem to place any sense of responsibility on what they speak. What these gentlemen cannot understand is that half the number of citizens who voted them to power has a fundamental right to an equal share of the space of this nation. I wonder if it ever occurred to them that even if the other half of the MCPs were to walk in the nude there would not be a single rape committed by women, so what gives the right to these males to jump on a woman for causing injury to their notions of how a woman should dress or where she chooses to walk or with whom. The sexist drivel that these

netas are spouting is nothing but a voicing aloud of how their ilk looks at women. About 240 of our ‘noble’ legislators, over the years, have the honour of being in office with charges of crimes against women alongside their names. This is a sample of the quality of people that are being returned to public offices of such import. It is not surprising that they would acquit themselves by blaming women and their behaviour for their misdemeanours and come up with weak and hollow pretexts such as Westernisation for such a trend. If indeed we had imbibed the Western culture totally, then I do not see the common everyday courtesies extended to women in Western countries such as standing up when a lady enters or leaves a room, opening the door for her and carrying her luggage being followed by

the males of this country. And how and when have these MCPs arrogated to themselves the authority of punishing women with rape?

ABOUT 240 OF OUR ‘NOBLE’ LEGISLATORS, OVER THE YEARS, HAVE THE HONOUR OF BEING IN OFFICE WITH CHARGES OF CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN ALONGSIDE THEIR NAMES. The RSS chief will have us believe that rape is happening only in bad cities because women there asked for it, whereas his ‘Bharat’, ie rural India, is an idyllic place where women

stay indoors, wear the saree with the pallu over their heads and sufficiently bow their heads, enough not to catch the evil male eye, thus escape, or is the male of ‘Bharat’ so mahaan that the idea of violating or molesting a woman does not come to his pure mind. Has anyone told Mohan Bhagwat that 85.3 per cent of rapes reported have occurred in villages and small towns in the country? Mr Vijayvargiya, Mr Bhagwat, Mr Abhijeet and most of the males out there who believe that women ask for it when they “cross the line” — whatever that means — please for once look at the other side and see if you have crossed the line by letting your dirty minds wander in spaces where it has no business to be in. Now who is going to rape your dirty minds and teach you a lesson?

BUSINESS SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

‘Biz confidence down’

igh interest rates and infrastructure bottlenecks dampened the business confidence of corporates in the October-December quarter, a survey by CII has said. According to CII's quarterly Business Outlook Survey, the Business Confidence Index (BCI) for October-December declined to 49.9 from 51.3 in the previous quarter (July-September).

India to lose rice output rank

‘8.2% growth not easy’

chieving 8.2 per cent growth during the 12th Plan period (2012-17) will not be easy and a fresh approach to economic issues is needed to push growth, a Planning Commission study has said. The NDC has already scaled down the average growth target for the 12th Plan to 8 per cent from 8.2 per cent envisaged earlier.

ndia may lose global leadership in the rice market in 2013 as shipments are likely to slide by 30 per cent to 7 million tonnes due to weak prices and surplus grain in Thailand, according to government advisory body CACP. India had emerged as the world's largest rice exporter in 2012 beating its Asian counterpart Thailand with shipment of around 10 million tonnes.

Our real value of creditworthiness is not determined solely by the amount of open credit lines, rather it is the function of our character, capacity and collateral. Satya Vishnubhotla feedback@postnoon.com

t always looks rosy when someone wants to pay for our needs. We feel more credible when a bank offers a new line of credit or upgrades to a premium card with an extended credit limit. The one thing we should stop and ask ourselves is whether this is our real creditability or is it leading to a serious debt trap! Our real value of creditworthiness is not determined solely by the amount of open credit lines, rather it is the function of our character, capacity and collateral. The character is a record of good payment history and the responsibility shown in handling our own finances in the past. Capacity is the future ability to repay debt and to meet future financial obligations. Collateral is the value of assets we own compared to the value of credit we hold. It is advisable to consider our own evaluation of creditworthiness before accepting any smart offers from any banks or financial institutions. Consider a serious debt crisis is to follow if you come across any of the below situations: n Using credit because you do not have enough cash to pay your expenses n Taking a new credit to repay an old credit outstanding or using one credit card to repay another n Credit card limit is utilised more than 90% consecutively for more than three months n Taking top-up loans on existing credit limits or requesting a restructure of existing loan terms n Applying for a credit card because the available card limit was exhausted n Paying only minimum due on the credit card for the past three months n Unable to say no if asked to be a guarantor to a loan taken by a friend or relative Never abuse credit and let the debts spiral out of control. Face up to problems before it is too late as they grow too big to handle. The following are the golden rules to avoid a debt trap:

DEBT–TO–INCOME RATIO

Ensure that the monthly debt to income ratio is below 35 per cent of the gross monthly income. Here the debt includes all the monthly credit card dues and loan EMIs.

GIVING

A GUARANTEE

Think twice before co-signing a loan application for a friend or a relative. Assigning your name to someone’s

AVOIDING THE DEBT TRAP IT IS ADVISABLE TO CONSIDER OUR OWN EVALUATION OF CREDITWORTHINESS BEFORE ACCEPTING ANY OFFERS.

debt is almost like taking on the debt yourself. If the borrower does not make the payments, the responsibility lies on the guarantor. Never sign a guarantee to a loan which is beyond your financial ability.

TAX

BENEFIT

Never take a loan to enjoy tax benefit. This is normally seen in home loans where the loan agent speaks more of tax deduction and less of total interest cost over the loan term. Tax Sops are always secondary.

HOME

IMPROVEMENTS WILL NOT YIELD

Think before taking loans for reconstruction or improvements of personal property. This will not yield additional income or bring savings in potential costs. Consider the resale value of the of various home improvements before plunging into a debt trap

ASK

MORE AND UTILISE LESS

When it comes to revolving credit like credit cards ask for more limit but ensure the utilization is below 30 per cent at any given time. Also cash advances comes with a heavy price where interest starts accruing from the date of withdrawal.

PLAN FOR EDUCATION LOANS

Estimate the future income levels post qualification to plan for an education loan. Entrepreneurs beware taking a huge loan for a costly management education to start-up own enterprise. The payback in business may be long but the loan repayment cycle starts immediately. The author is an employee of iCrediZen Inc., a company providing solutions for CIBIL issues and Credit card problems.

FOCUS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

NATURAL BIRTH A TOUGH SELL IN CHINA China has made huge strides in maternity care over the past decades but now most urban professional mothers are choosing caesarean sections, instead of giving birth naturally.

AFP PHOTO / WANG ZHAO

Tom Hancock

feedback@postnoon.com

s an automatic piano chimed a wedding march, new mother Wang Dan walked down a red carpet towards a hospital room called the “White House”, minutes after giving birth in a candlelit water pool. The suite is adorned with an enormous rococo style sofa and a Mona Lisa portrait, and 28year-old Wang, who gave birth to a son, said: “I wanted to stay in the White House because it’s large and well decorated.” But Wang’s presidentiallythemed chamber at Beijing’s Antai hospital — an expensive private facility aimed at the capital’s wealthy middle class — was not the only unusual thing about the birth of her first child.

CHINA’S “ONE CHILD” FAMILY PLANNING POLICY ALSO PLAYS A ROLE, AS PARENTS WITH MORE MONEY TO INVEST IN THEIR ONLY CHILDBIRTH ARE MORE LIKELY TO SPLASH OUT ON THE PROCEDURE, WHICH THEY SEE AS SAFER. In a country where most urban professionals choose caesarean sections, she stands out for choosing to give birth naturally. The proportion of Chinese mothers choosing caesareans more than doubled in less than a decade, from around 20 per cent in 2001 to above 46 per cent in 2008 — and approaching twothirds in cities, according to the latest World Health Organisation figures for the country. Across Asia, caesarean rates have reached “epidemic levels”, it said in a 2010 report. Experts say that caesareans are necessary in many cases when a mother or baby has a health condition which would make natural birth risky, but that risks of elective operations are often greater than benefits. China’s caesarean rate is “definitely too high”, said Shenlang Tang, a researcher into Chinese healthcare at Duke University, US, adding that “the key factor is hospital financing”. China has made huge strides in maternity care over the past decades, slashing its newborn death rate by almost two-thirds since the mid-nineties, largely by promoting hospital births.

But Chinese hospitals receive little government funding and generate almost half their incomes from selling operations such as caesareans, with other revenue coming mainly from diagnostic tests and medicines. “The price of caesarean section-based delivery can be up to three or four times that of a natural birth... which helps the hospital generate more revenue,” Tang said. China’s “one child” family planning policy also plays a role, as parents with more money to invest in their only childbirth are more likely to splash out on the procedure, which they see as safer, Tang said. “There are a lot of perceptions that if you have a natural delivery, it will affect your sex life,” he added. Some local governments in China have launched campaigns to promote natural birth, he said, but there is no clear central government policy on the issue. In an attempt to encourage women to choose a natural birth, the Antai hospital offers water births and teaches expectant mothers hypnosis techniques to

deal with the pain of labour. It also charges just as much for natural childbirth as it does for a caesarean, removing incentives for doctors to promote the operation. “Our major problem is that pregnant women in China are very scared of pain,” Antai’s director Chen Fenglin told AFP. “We found that even water birth couldn’t reduce our patients’ fear, which is why we introduced

hypnosis,” he said. A red carpet runs from Antai’s delivery room towards a series of recovery suites, including the western-themed White House, a room aimed at Muslims called the “Islamabad Palace,” and a chamber inspired by Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan. “Parents hope that their child can grow up to be an emperor or princess, or a presi-

dent, so the rooms give the parents a beautiful dream,” said Chen, who says his hospital has carried out more than 2,000 water births. An automated piano outside the delivery room plays a wedding march when mothers walk past with their newborn baby. “We want to express that a birth is as joyful as a wedding,” Chen said. Its innovations have proved a hit with mothers such as Wang Dan, who are willing to pay its hefty fees. “I felt really happy when the wedding music played, because some people are in a lot of pain after giving birth, but I was simply excited,” she said, adding that she did not use an anaesthetic. But downstairs from Antai’s water-birth suite, the hospital’s doctors are still busy performing caesareans. Chen doubts China’s caesarean rate will fall significantly, because of the financial incentives hospitals face. “No matter how much you promote natural birth, it’s ultimately a matter of economics,” AFP he said.

WELLNESS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

FOR THE SKIN YOU LIVE IN These simple changes will give your health a boost and a glow to skin. SURABHI CHAUHAN

Clean and clear

lean and clear is not just a name of a skin care product. It is about cleansing your system of toxins, having a glowing clear skin and a radiant smile. And all these can happen with a few changes in exercise, diet and what you apply on the skin. Have enough water. The human body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these body fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. Having enough water can help flush out toxins from your skin. Remember to clean make-up brushes, eyelash curlers regularly as it is a common breeding ground for bacteria. Speaking of beauty products, make sure your man has a kit with his essentials – sunscreen, moisturizer, face wash, under eye cream and more specially tailor fit for his needs. Regardless to say, do not share your make-up with a friend. It is an easy way to transfer germs and catch eye infection. Clean your lip and eye pencils every month simply by sharpening them. Exfoliate your skin with a loofah or brush to get rid of dead skin, dirt and bacteria that you catch on during the day.

feedback@postnoon.com Hair care

Medical checkups

hile the above mentioned will provide for a healthy lifestyle, regular doctors checkups cannot be replaced with home remedies. You can avoid the stress of waiting and nip certain diseases at the bud. See a dermatologist who will check for yearly screenings for skin cancer. Women above the age of 40 should have a mammogram and pap smear test done annually to detect pelvic, cervical and breast cancer. Men must also get check ups for cancers like prostate cancer by having a prostate specific antigen test done regularly. Similarly a fecal occult blood test could trace colorectal cancer in the early stages as a colonoscopy can lead to early detection of colon cancer (Source: http://www.medwonders.com). This year, getting healthy and happy shouldn’t have any excuse. Get your life in order by getting the basic medical tests in time.

or many of us, hair care is fast becoming a cause of concern as early as in our 20s. The stress and toxins are causing hair damage and hair fall. To avoid damaging your hair, use a heat protectant spray before firing up your hot tools. Refrain from washing hair every day. Instead wash every alternate day. The natural oils in the hair are stripped off every time we shampoo. Pick products, which have natural ingredients. Get a regular cut to avoid split ends. Avoid breakage of hair by not combing it immediately after shower. Instead, wrap it in a towel and let it dry for 10 minutes. Then comb using a wide-tooth gently.

Ayurveda and Yoga

e all know exercise ranks top on New Year resolutions. A fit body and mind can be achieved by working out at least three times a week counts for a natural glowing skin. Give Yoga a try because even if you have been working out for years and you are your ideal weight, yoga has benefits that many forms of exercise don’t provide. It aims to achieve this through a series of physical and mental exercises. At the physical level, the methods comprise various yoga postures or ‘asanas’ that aim to keep the body healthy. The mental techniques include breathing exercises or ‘pranayama’ and meditation or ‘dhyana’ to discipline the mind. Ayurveda translates into the knowledge of long life. The focus of Ayurveda is to integrate and balance the body, mind, and spirit. Adapting to the Ayurvedic prescribed lifestyle is a good measure for long and healthy life. This year, try at least one Ayurvedic treatment for your skin, hair or health problem.

Pick

at the

airport,

Sunscreen

his year go bask in the sun and get the Vitamin D for the skin. But remember to wear sunscreen before stepping out in sun. While sunburn is one of the side effects of overexposure to the rays of the sun, other health problems that can arise are premature ageing of the skin, eye damage such as cataract, suppression of the immune system, and even skin cancer. Every time you step out this year onwards, remember to put a generous amount of sunscreen on with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 30 or more for sufficient protection from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UBB) rays. Cover each exposed area of skin with sun block about 20 to 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply sunscreen every two hours and after sweating or swimming. Sun block is required even in winters and non-sunny days.

ART AND CULTURE

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Use your iPads for art

A jelly shoe fetish

ketchBook Pro by Autodesk is one of the most popular iPad art apps with digital artists. A smaller screen version, SketchBook Mobile, is also available for the iPhone and iPod touch. As you'd expect from Autodesk, SketchBook Pro has all the swagger of a pro-grade painting program, but with an experience designed for those looking to create art on the iPad.

n artist with a fascination for jelly shoes has created a display made up of 1,000 pink silicone sandals. Tom Hackett, from Nottingham, hand-cast the jelly shoes used in his installation. The art is being displayed at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in February. Hackett, 51, described the sandals as "a piece of visual intrigue and a starting point for discussion".

One place for your art

rt.sy is a new way to discover art you’ll love, featuring work from leading galleries, museums, and private collections around the world. It is powered by The Art Genome Project, an ongoing study of the characteristics that distinguish and connect works of art. It evaluates artworks along 200+ characteristics—such as art-historical movements, subject matter, and formal qualities.

Not just a Sandman Kanth’risa is a master with sand. His fingers tell stories in the most unique ways.

ANUBHA K SINGH

anubha.k@postnoon.com

sing only his fingers Kanth’risa a renowned artist creates a wonderful and magical story that emerges in front of the eyes of amazed viewers. He wants to be known better as an artist rather than a sand artist. He always knew that his destiny lay in art and he has always sought new and original ways of expressing the vast range of human emotions and feelings through his art.

Alexander

t's a one man show by cine actor Jayaprakash Reddy, who is also the director of the play. The story revolves around a retired military major who has characteristics of Alexander the Great, known for his determination and stubbornness. Alexander, the character, gives suggestions and solutions for present day burning problems pertaining to common man through his one-manshow. The play is written by Pusala. n Where: Ravindra Bharathi nWhen: January 6

“I would love to be referred to as an artist rather than a sand artist because my art is not limited to just sand. Many a times I have used salt and wheat, rice grain, sugar powder and sometimes I pick dust particles from the road and perform so how can you call me a sand artist,” said, Kanth’risa. He has designed many presentations and performed for many corporate events in the City and all over the world. He has done work for Aditya Birla Group, Infosys, Indian School of Business, ONGC and many more. His recent work during the Nischal Maths Genius Awards was appreciated by all, where he presented the journey of the child prodigy Nischal

I strongly believe that if you have interest then even with bad quality sand or dust picked from roadside, you can perform your best.

Narayanam and his inspiration great Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujam Iyengar He poured the dust on the illuminated fibre glass table from underneath and translated the story through projector with his fingers while another person narrated so that the audience could connect to his art. He also claims it’s impossible to perform this art form with the use of real sand. This art is performed on an electromagnet sheet and it’s next to impossible to perform only with sand on these sheets. Being an artist is not his mode of living, he is also a dialogue writer, a traveller, a singer, an avid coffee lover but he prefers to be called an idle fellow. “I don’t believe in confining

myself to one art. I do paintings, make sculptures, I am a script writer, I am a cook and in future I might move on to another medium of my choice. I would love to be called as revolutionary,” he goes on to say. “I strongly believe that if you have interest then even with bad quality sand or dust picked from roadside, you can perform your best.” He has also shared the stage with Bollywood bigwigs like Kareena Kapoor and musical genius Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia. His art form is also praised in other countries. Though the art form is not that well known in India, there is great demand from the corporate world to present storyboards in this medium.

Art for the New Year

he ninth edition of the Krishnakriti art and culture festival is about to begin. This annual festival of art and culture is held in the memory of Krishnachandra B Lahoti. The art festival begins with a talk on Deccani paintings by eminent art historian Jagdish Mittal.On January 8 there will be a talk and presentation by Jagannath Panda. n Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery n When: January 7, 7pm

ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Martian crust rocks

Coral reefs on a decline

After extensive analyses by a team of scientists led by Carl Agee at the University of New Mexico, researchers have identified a new class of Martian meteorite that likely originated from the crust of Mars. It is also the only meteorite sample dated to 2.1 billion years ago, the early era of the most recent geologic epoch on Mars, an epoch called the Amazonian.

China’s coral reefs have declined by 80 per cent in the past three decades, destroyed by the consequences of economic development, finds a new international scientific study. The survey of the state of corals gives a grim picture of decline, degradation and destruction resulting from coastal development, pollution and overfishing.

Aftereffects of pesticides Scientific evidence already has connected pesticide exposure with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. New research has identified another chemical from pesticides, benomyl, that is linked to Parkinson's. The toxic effects of benomyl are still found in the environment, even 10 years after the chemical was banned by the EPA.

Scrutinising the green credentials of motorsport The Dakar rally gets underway in South America this weekend, amid concern about the potential damage that the 8,400-km track through Peru and Chile could cause to the local environment. FRANCK FIFE/AFP

Francoise Chaptal feedback@postnoon.com

he organisers of the Dakar rally, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), have already had to reject claims that the 459 cars, bikes, trucks and quad bikes taking part in this year’s edition will cause irreparable harm to ancient archaeological sites. ASO, which also organises cycling’s most prestigious race, the Tour de France, is becoming used to dealing with such questions, as sport in general is increasingly scrutinised about its “green” credentials. The Dakar rally first revealed its carbon footprint in 2007, trumpeting the fact that the 43,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases it produced was nearly a quarter of that at the French Open tennis tournament (1,56,000 tonnes). Motorsport, and in particular Formula One, — long demonised because of its reliance on fossil fuels thought to contribute to global warming — has led the way in publicising environmental attributes. “We’ve got this image of waste but we don’t pollute any more than other events,” said

Bernard Niclot, technical director at the International Automobile Federation (FIA) governing body. “Motorsport has always contributed to the development of road cars. Even today, we still want it to help make cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars and to respond to the challenges of diminishing oil supplies.” FIA president Jean Todt, who formerly led the Ferrari F1 team, has been at the forefront of attempts to use renewable energy sources and staging quieter, more fuel-efficient races. Next year will see the launch of Formula E, with single-seater electric cars racing at speeds of up to 180km an hour on city circuits such as Rome. Fuel limits will also be introduced in 2014 in endurance racing, following on from existing restrictions on wind tunnel tests, plus number of engines and gearboxes for drivers. The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) aims to reduce its overall carbon footprint by 15 per cent in the coming years. The use of artificial snow, tree felling and soil erosion in ski resorts or heavy water consumption on golf courses have

long been targets for environmental campaigners. But even apparently “green” sports cannot afford to rest on their laurels. In 2009, there was outrage after images were shown of some 20 tonnes of rubbish left on Mont Ventoux after the advertising caravan on the Tour

de France came through, distributing gifts to the thousands of fans parked by the road. Some 50 tonnes of rubbish was produced during the 2011 New York Marathon, while about 20,000 of the 47,000 participants came from abroad, most by high polluting air travel.

According to campaigners, serious thought has to be given to big sporting events, no matter how much organisers claim to be meeting targets on use of sustainable materials. “Spectators pollute more at an autosports competitions than the racing cars,” said Edouard Donnelly, a sustainable development expert at Paris-based sports consultancy firm Keneo. “There’s no difference between the Tour de France and a motorsport race.” In France, an estimated 50 per cent of 2,60,000 sports venues are said to be poorly insulated, over-using water and electricity or not readily accessible by public transport. Isabelle Autissier, who is head of the French branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature, said environmental damage was the paradox of the modern day sports industry. “We’re building more and more big structures. We’re getting people to come from farther afield,” she said. “By attracting more people, we obviously generate more waste and damage because transporting sportsmen and women and spectators has more AFP of an impact.”

FOOD

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Colour for food labels

For the love of Punjabi food

ew research suggests that including colourful and graphic nutrition information on product packages helps consumers better understand the information. A team of researchers found that when labels incorporated text and colour to indicate "high," "medium" or "low" levels of nutrients, they were easier for consumers to interpret.

More coffee for the Chinese

he Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre will be organising the Punjabi Food Festival from January 11 to 20 at The Square. The 10-day long festival will be a treat of the glorious flavours of Punjab with an extensive range of mouth watering dishes. So get ready for the ultimate Authentic Punjabi experience. Timings: 6.30 pm onwards

he coffee industry is now a huge player on the global market and this new trend is being felt in many different countries, including China. There are many stories about the way in which this new phenomenon is being acknowledged by China’s tea farmers. According Los Angeles Times, certain areas of China are making a concerted effort to focus themselves on coffee production.

M ANIL KUMAR

A good vegetarian restaurant in the City is nothing less than a find. And, at pocket-friendly prices, Venky’s Veg is your best bet. Postnoon reviews.

Orange for hot chocolate

Wholesome and good NIDHI BHUSHAN

nidhi.b@postnoon.com

ravelling from Jubilee Hills to Nampally to review food that was vegetarian seemed a little odd considering the fact that the part of the City is famous for non-vegetarian food, to my colleague, it was weird

altogether. Anxious to know what the big fuss about this restaurant in the heart of Nampally was, we were both skeptical and excited. We were expecting the usuals that are there in any vegetarian eateries —vada, soft, softer and softest idlis, dosas, maybe the gobi manchurian and you know…a few other derivatives using the same ingredients. But, we were pleasantly surprised. The menu, a long and comprehensive one, included everything vegetari-

Name: Venky’s Veg Meal for two:`500-`1,000 an from Indian-tasting Chinese starters, vegetarian kebabs, and whatever one can think of. Unlike other restaurants that offer so many different cuisines but fail to have anything good, Venky’s Veg does justice to all its food. Everything from starters to the main course, all the dishes were finger-licking good. The best part about the restaurants were the prices,

the costliest item on the menu — Chef ’s special North Indian main course – was priced at `135. Venky’s Veg was buzzing with college students, families and couples who were all out to have a great time, not at the expense of chickens, goats and cows. However, going to Venky’s Veg for a hearty meal should ideally be followed by a power nap if you can squeeze one in the day. The food, though tasty, is a little rich for the health conscious. The restaurant also boasts of a variety of thalis that one might be able to indulge guiltlessly. It also offers soothing curd-based preparations like curd rice, raita and much more. Another interesting aspect of Venky’s Veg is their Chinese starters. You’ve all at some point eaten the regular chilly potato, the gobi manchurian and spring rolls. But, at Venky’s you have some unique Chinese starters like spinach rolls and gingergarlic aloo, which by the way is a must-have there. So, if you’re looking for great food that is priced very reasonably coupled with a nice ambiance, Venky’s Veg is the place to go to. I’m definitely going there again.

uropean scientists say they have found further evidence that how you serve food and drink matters hugely in the perception of taste. Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the University of Oxford recruited 57 volunteers and asked them to taste hot chocolate served in plastic cups with four different colours — white, cream, red and orange with white on the inside. The chocolate was the same in all the samples, but the volunteers found that the flavour was better when the drink was served in the orange or cream-coloured cups. "The colour of the container where food and drink are served can enhance some attributes like taste and aroma," Betina PiquerasFiszman of the Polytechnic University of Valencia said in a press release. The findings could be beneficial to chefs and food manufacturers, Piqueras-Fiszman added. Previous research has found that yellow containers boost the perception of flavour of lemons in soft drinks; beverages with cold colours, like blue, seem more thirst-quenching than warm colours like red; and if drinks are pink, they are perceived as being more sugary. The study appears in a specialist publication, the Journal of Sensory AFP Studies.

FOOD

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Achari Paneer

Where does Hyderabad go when it yearns for chaat? Postnoon lists the five best street chaat outlets in Hyderabad.

Hot spicy paneer, cooked in pickle style. Noor’s Kitchen

NOOR JAFRI Ingredients 1. Paneer cubes - 200 gms 2. Paanch pooran- (pinch of rye, jeera, meethi, saunf & kalonji seeds each) 1 tsp 3. Red ripe chillies - 3 to 4 4. Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp 5. Crushed garlic - 2 tsp 6. Chopped onion - 1 medium sized 7. Chilli powder - 1 tsp 8. Roasted jeera powder - 1/2 a tsp 9. Salt to taste 10. Oil - 3 tbsp 11. Curry leaves - 5 to 8 12. Haldi powder - 1/2 a tsp

Procedure

Chaat lovers’ retreat DEEPASHRI V

deepashri.v@postnoon.com

he true chaat experience is not something you get by going to expensive restaurants, check the A to Z of hygiene, and when you’re convinced all is good, order and eat. It’s the roadside where one gets the true chaat experience. We enjoy having puri filled with channa, dipped in pani and served, the ragadas with their numerous varieties, the aloo chaat delicacies, pav bhaji with that extra cheese and butter and the wonders of curd.

GOKUL

CHAT,

KOTI

Gokul chat at Koti has almost become synonymous with Hyderabad street food. Your chaat tour of the City is incomplete without this one. “Dahi Missal is very famous there (one in Narayanaguda),” said Shalini Casula, a resident of West Marredpally. “In the afternoons, you’ll get a little place to place to sit and eat. It’s very crowded in the evenings. It’s been going on this way for many years. It hasn’t changed.”

MAHARAJA

CHAT BHANDAR

This is a popular eat out in

the Madhapur. Maharaj Special which is prepared here is known to be mouthwatering. Dahi papdi and other varieties of dahi chaat are scrumptious, apart from all the usual chaat varieties.

1. Heat the oil, crackle paanch pooran and curry leaves. 2. Add chopped onions and crushed garlic, stir it for a while. 3. Fry red chillies along with this mixture. 4. Add all the powdered masalas and salt, cook it for a while and add tamarind pulp to it. 5. When the masala is cooked, sprinkle few drops of water, along with the paneer cubes 6. Gently mix it, and let it cook slowly with the lid on till the oil separates.

MAYUR CHAAT, MINISTER ROAD Mayur has delicious pani puris, pav bhaji, aloo toast, and milk shakes, especially mango, during the season. And yes, the grilled cheese sandwich stands out. Though a little spicy, it only adds to the flavour. Near Mayur chaat You can see cars parked outside at night, families ordering chaat to be delivered inside the car.

JAMES STREET

The entire stretch is full of different varieties of chaat, various chaat bhandars and eat outs. There is a shop dedicated exclusively to different varieties of pav bhaji. Paru puri is served with boiling channa fresh from the tawa. The aloo toast here is easily one of the best you would have tasted.

DIMMI PAAN, SINDHI COLONY

CHAAT

“How can I forget Dimmi chaat? You’ll see a huge crowd and cars parked outside. People just gather around Dimmi,” said Mamta Jhawar, a resident of Mahindra Hills. Sindhi colony chaat nearby is also very famous. “The entire road is famous for chaat.

CHEF’S NOTE:

n It's a light dish with a moderate

caloric value. It's hot and spicy and can be served with the main course along with hot rice or paratha. Contact Us @ Noor Kitchen, Banjara Hills. Mobile - 9441282318 Residence - 23356947 Like Us @ -http://www.facebook.com/Noorkitchen

HISTORY

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Jan 7

1610: Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei makes his first observation of four of Jupiter’s largest moons, now called Galilean moons — Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa. The moons are the most massive objects in the solar system, apart from the planets and the Sun.

1979: The Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh falls to the advancing Vietnamese troops, driving out Pol Pot and the brutal regime of Khmer Rouge. Due to Pol Pot’s dictatorship and agrarian socialism policies, around three million Cambodian people died during his threeyear regime.

Jan 9

Jan 8

1867: For the first time ever, African American men are granted the right to vote in Washington, DC. The Fifteenth Amendment to the US constitution forbids any state from denying a citizen’s vote based on his “race, colour or previous condition of servitude”.

2007: Apple Inc CEO Steve Jobs unveils the iPhone — a touchscreen mobile phone with an iPod, camera and Web-browsing capabilities, among other features — at the Macworld convention in San Francisco.

Î Jan 10

1929: The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé is first published in Belgium. Over 200 million copies of the books have been sold to date.

Jan 10

2008: Tata Motors debuts the Nano, billing it as the world’s cheapest car. The car hit the markets only over a year later in April 2009.

Jan 11

1922: Insulin is used for the first time to treat diabetes in humans. The drug, when tested on a 14year-old boy in Toronto General Hospital, initially failed. When the doctors tested it again 11 days later after purification, the drug worked perfectly.

Jan 12

2010: An earthquake occurs in Haiti, killing an estimated 3,16,000 people and destroying the majority of the capital Port-au-Prince. By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater are recorded. Over 2.5 lakh buildings are destroyed in the earthquake, rendering millions homeless.

Jan 13

1941: James Joyce, widely regarded as Ireland’s greatest author and best known for his novels Ulysses, Finnegans Wake and Dubliners, dies in Zurich, Switzerland, at the age of 58. He is known for perfecting the ‘stream of consciousness’ technique of writing.

SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013 S BALAKRISHNA

S BALAKRISHNA

A new beginning

Forever Jewellery launched its second showroom in the City. Brand Ambassador of the brand and actress Ileana Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Cruz inaugurated the showroom.

Cheery night With the long-awaited weekend here, party peeps headed to various pubs in the city to have a blast. 8

1 Neha, Mayuri, Dia

4 Komal

7 Bhavishya

2 Neeta, Richa

5 Ankitha

8 Rahul, Megha

3 Swetha

6 Priyanka

9 Samrat, Soni

The search begins

Genius movie team released the posters and announced the launch of Hero Motocorp Mr and Miss Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.

CINEMA SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

SONAKSHI TO DISCO FOR HIMMATWAL A S

onakshi Sinha will adapt the 1980s’ disco style of dance for Thank god it’s Friday, a special song in Himmatwala remake. The song, to be choreographed by Chinni Prakash, will have almost 100 dancers and 400 extras, said a source. “It is a retro disco number which will have

reflective dance floors, mirrors and everything shiny and glamorous,” the source added. And Manish Malhotra has designed Sonakshi’s dress for the song. The actress had earlier grooved with Prabhudheva in the song Go go Govinda for the film OMG: Oh My God!. Himmatwala, a

remake of 1983 hit movie of the same name, is being directed by Sajid Khan. It features actors Ajay Devgn and Tammanah. Co-produced by Vashu Bhagnani and UTV, the movie will hit theatres on March 29. IANS

Starstudded party for newly-weds Vidya, Siddharth

star-studded bash was hosted in honour of newly-wed couple Vidya Balan and Siddharth Roy Kapur. The party was thrown by UTV head honcho Ronnie Screwvala and his wife Zarina at their apartment in Breach Candy. The guest list included big names — the Bachchans — Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek and Aishwarya, filmmaker Karan Johar, actors Anil Kapoor and Rekha as well as celebrity photographer Dabboo Ratnani. The party also saw Katrina Kaif, Hrithik Roshan with his family, Rajkumar Hirani, Arbaaz Khan and Prakash Jha. Guests started arriving around 11 pm, and Bollywood baadshah Shah Rukh Khan was the last one to arrive at 1.45 am. Vidya tied the knot with Siddharth on December 14, 2012. It was a very private wedding ceremony, which was held according to both Tamil and Punjabi traditions. IANS

Leander Paes’s new found respect for actors

ennis player Leander Paes, who makes his Bollywood debut with Rajdhani Express, now sees actors and directors in a new light. “I have got really new found respect for all the actors for the amount of hard work they put in and the amount of passion they have for this field of storytelling,” the 39-year-old said at the premiere of his film.

Directed by Ashok Kohli, Rajdhani Express also stars Sayali Bhagat, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Jimmy Sheirgill. It will hit theatres on Friday. “For me, it’s really wonderful to finally see the movie... I spent two years working on Rajdhani Express and with some wonderful actors who have worked really hard,” he IANS said.

CINEMA SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

SVSC, Naayak to A slug it out

Adivi Sesh’s next film titled Kiss divi Sesh is a busy bee these days. He’ll soon be seen in a romantic comedy titled Kiss. Apart from playing the lead role, he’s also directing the film. Most part of the film is

enkatesh, Mahesh Babu starrer Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu and Ram Charan starrer Naayak are going to slug it out in the US this weekend. While Naayak is going to be released in close to 100 screens across US, Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu is slated to be released in a little more than 101 screens. In the past, Ram Charan’s Magadheera had set the box office on fire in US, but for the past couple of years, it’s been a Mahesh Babu’s show all the way in the US. Dookudu still holds the record for being the biggest grosser ever for a Telugu film in US and his last film Businessman also grossed close to `7 crore. 14 Reels Entertainment and Ficus are distributing Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu in the US and it’s going to be the first Telugu film to be screened at AMC Theatre in Times Square, New York. Meanwhile, the overseas distributors of Naayak are quite confident that the film will take a flying start at the box office since it is releasing two days in advance and preparations are underway for advance screenings on January 8 in several screens in US. Whatever the outcome may be, with two big films releasing, it’s certain that Sankranthi of 2013 will be a moment to remember for a long time in the Telugu film industry.

being shot in California. Priya Banerjee is making her debut as a lead actress with this film. The first schedule of the film has already been wrapped up and it’s slated for release in summer this year.

CINEMA

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

YRF to produce Shaad Ali’s ‘Glad I didn’t launch Shruti’

ersatile actor Kamal Haasan is proud of the fact that his daughter Shruti Haasan has carved a niche for herself in the showbiz industry, without the support of her father. “I am very glad I didn’t launch her. I want her to walk back home as a star. As a father right from the beginning I wanted her to make her own way and I should not have a hand in that,” Haasan said. Shruti forayed in Bollywood with Soham Shah’s Luck and was later seen in Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji. She is cur-

rently shooting for Prabhudheva’s Ramya Vasta Vaiya. Kamal, who has been a part of Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam film industries, says he doesn’t like the word Bollywood. “What is Bollywood? Call Hindi film industry or call it as Mumbai film industry, Tamil film industry, Telugu film industry. Why to imitate everything from Hollywood. Stop imitating. We are wearing their clothes and that’s enough at least our mind can be Indian,” said the actor.

ash Raj Films (YRF) will produce Shaad Ali’s next film Kill Dill. The movie will feature Ranveer Singh, Ali Zafar and Parineeti Chopra. Kill Dil will go on floors in October, said a statement from YRF. This is Shaad Ali’s fourth film with YRF after Saathiya, Bunty Aur Babli and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. The film is slated for a 2014 release. IANS

KILL DIL

IANS

istair, a division of Siyaram Silk Mills, has associated with Sudhir Mishra’s upcoming film Inkaar as its style partner and also launched a collection inspired by the film. Titled Powerplay, the collection was launched in the presence of Ramesh Poddar, managing director and chairman of Siyaram Silk mills along with the star cast of the movie that stars Arjun Rampal and

Chitrangada Singh in the lead roles. The film deals with sexual harassment at the workplace. While Arjun plays the CEO of an advertising firm and Chitrangada is cast as a copywriter in the movie which is coming out on January 18. The film is produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures.

“Inkaar is set in corporate India. The film, like its lead stars, is contemporary, chic, glamorous, hard-hitting and powerful. We are pleased to be associated with a brand like Siyaram’s Mistair which reflects the same values and talks to the target audience of Inkaar,” said

A COLLECTION

Vikram Malhotra, chief operating officer of Viacom18 Motion Pictures, in a statement. The entire range of Powerplay is exclusively available at select retail outlets of the brand. “It (the partnership) gave us an opportunity to display our corporate collections by Mistair from the house of Siyaram Silk Mills for the new age fashion conscious youth who opts for stylish formal wear to create an impression at their workplace,” said Poddar in a statement. IANS

INSPIRED BY INKAAR MOVIE

CINEMA

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

CINEMA SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

CINEMA

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

ANNA FARIS

COURTENEY

TO GO ALL OUT

ourteney Cox is taking the term ‘boob tube’ literally. The Cougar Town star, 48, whose show moves from ABC to TBS on January 8, eagerly anticipates more revealing scenes once the programme makes its way to the cable network. “You will not see one scene that I don’t show my boobs,” Cox joked to reporters on Friday at the Television Critics Association winter tour, according to Access Hollywood. “You know what? I’m getting older, so I’ve decided at this point I’m taking less focus [on] the face, and focusing here,” she added, pointing to her chest. “By the time I’m much older, I will just be absolutely nude. I think it’s [going to] work for me, I hope.”

joins Chuck Lorre’s new sitcom T

he House Bunny may headline her own primetime sitcom next fall. Scary Movie actress Anna Faris has been cast in Mom, a multi-camera comedy in development for CBS that’s from uber-producer Chuck Lorre. She will play a sober single mom who attempts to turn her life around in, of all places, the Napa Valley. Lorre penned the script with Two and a Half Men scribes Eddie Gorodetsky and Gemma Baker. Besides headlining The House Bunny, Faris’ other credits include Observe and Report and The Dictator.

ORLANDO BLOOM AND MIRANDA KERR

KISS IN PUBLIC

e told you Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr were just fine! Amid another round of the split rumors that always seem to be plaguing those Hollywood types, Bloom was spotted leaning in for a kiss when he arrived to pick his supermodel wife up from a spa visit today in Los Angeles. And he appears to be opening the car door for her, too. What’s not to love? His son on his back and his dog on a leash, Orlando Bloom went hiking in LA

Though the handsome pair were spotted leaving a Christmas party with son Flynn just days ago, rumourmongers quickly went on the offensive when Kerr tweeted a pic of her bejeweled left hand without one key piece of circular jewellery. “Ridiculous,” a source told E! News when asked if there was trouble in paradise. Now that that’s settled, we’re wondering what they’ve got planned for their little boy’s birthday—Flynn turns two on Sunday.

CHAI TIME

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

SUNDAY CROSSWORD

ACROSS

Winners!

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

109 Comfortable 113 Agrees 114 Elisabeth of ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ 115 Pre-recorded 117 Icicle site 118 Won’t go away 119 Stop up 120 Decked out 122 PBS funder 123 Light bulb, in comics 124 Dojo blows (2 wds) 127 Mensa members 129 Daybreak, in verse 130 Kristen of ‘One Life to Live’ 131 Cay 132 Yellow pad 133 Poker winnings 134 Robin domiciles 135 Battery units

136 Constant

DOWN

1 Fritters away 2 Squid relatives 3 — up (heartened) 4 Mercedes-Benz rival 5 Wolf’s expression 6 Drew to a close 7 Stuffed corn husks 8 Feminist — Bloomer 9 Looks over to rob 10 Sioux 11 Just a taste 12 Fold-up mattresses 13 Expound at length 14 Bean or city 15 Here, for monsieur 16 Logger’s tool (2 wds) 17 Got frizzy 18 Orange-loving bird

Play & Win

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

FOLOWING ARE THE

19 Water regulators 20 ‘Oklahoma!’ aunt 27 Pungent vegetable 31 Mural undercoat 34 Simon or Diamond 36 Windy City trains 38 Wields a hoe 39 — up (on edge) 41 Still-life subjects 43 Gaudy 44 Like a fair lass 46 Suffix for ‘hero’ 47 Monk’s quarters 48 Bug off 49 Shinbone 50 Mound 51 Descendants 53 — accompli 54 Lorelei’s river 55 Wait 56 Government by a few 57 Wretched 58 Compass dir 60 Son — — gun 61 Deep voice 63 Thoroughly drenches 65 Trim the hedge 66 Sweet-scented flower 67 Calligraphy fluids

VOUCHER LUCKY WINNERS FOR THIS WEEK:

69 Subj of rollovers 70 Fuzzy fruit 71 Not a Corp or an Inc 72 Glasnost initials 74 Frozen desserts

75 — down (got quiet) 76 Insect eater 78 Raised prices 79 Cyclotron targets 81 Salamanders 82 Fakes out, on the rink 83 MD employers 84 Clammy 85 Frequent 007 foe 86 Born as 87 Windmill blades 88 ‘Uh-oh!’ 89 Grind, as teeth 91 Forsakes 92 Peel, as paint 93 Diet drink 94 — Parseghian 96 Soft leather 98 Hog call 100 Insult 101 Blush makeup 102 Meals 103 Dactyl 104 Black magic 105 Flip 106 Most of the planet 107 River rapids 108 Floor covering 110 Kind of envelope 111 Made level 112 On the rise 113 Tarzan companion 114 Bias 115 Sing heartily 116 Financial obligations 119 US leader 120 Mr Moto’s reply (2 wds) 121 Mild expletive 125 Pub order 126 LII, twice 128 Homer Simpson’s dad

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

1 Threaten to fall 7 Tortilla treats 12 B-vitamin acid 17 Small bay 21 Keen judgment 22 Prized violin 23 Spenser portrayer 24 Europe-Asia range 25 Stashed the bags 26 Iraq, formerly 28 Brook 29 Kind of poodle 30 Amuses 32 — — pretty sight 33 Under Cupid’s spell (2 wds) 35 ‘En garde’ weapon 37 Lox outlets 38 Cellar item 39 Pew adjunct 40 Edge past 42 Dolphin habitat 43 Many August people 44 Furthermore 45 Food that’s hole-some? 47 Director Joel — 48 Trustworthy 49 Marciano stat 52 Anka’s ‘— Beso’ 53 Long-running tiff 54 Avoid expiration 55 Marley and Mould 59 Let know 61 Loses hair 62 Paw, in humans 63 Eliot’s ‘— Marner’ 64 Hearty laughs 65 Lift anchor 66 Roman historian 67 Chemical salt 68 Rick’s old flame 69 Part of MIT 70 Actor Kevin — 72 Dismantle a tent 73 Jungfrau or Eiger 74 Bearded flower 75 Kind of role 76 Reproving clucks 77 Triumphant cry 80 Brief review 82 Chic’s opposite 83 Little Joe’s bro 84 Court summons 85 Stabs 87 Start of Caesar’s boast 88 FitzGerald’s poet 89 Sticky-footed lizard 90 Polite blokes 91 LaMotta of the ring 92 Kind of gates 94 Ball game opener 95 Panhandles 96 Feasted 97 Cosmetic target 98 Tijuana ‘Mrs’ 99 NFL gains 100 Monica of tennis 101 Dock denizens 102 Cook in embers 104 Meadow flowers 107 Hot-burning fuel 108 Business VIP

1. Anita A 2. Raghvendra Rao 3. K Sameer 4. Mukund P 5. Md Inayath

CHAI TIME SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

STAR POWER Date 7-1-2013

As per Hindu panchang

THIRUVAIKUMAR

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

TAURUS

GEMINI

Financial position is favourable, which will keep you in a good mood. Bright chances for some to buy a new vehicle. Accept if you commit mistakes and when your spouse tells you the same.

You will march forward with wise decisions and shrewd actions. Unexpected fortune is certain. Debts will be cleared that will make you feel relaxed. News from blood relatives will cheer you.

You will be happy and make others too happy with your sense of humour. In the new year, you will work with a determination and a good speed. Expected money will come.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Expectations will be fulfilled without hurdles. Some likely to move abroad on a new and promising assignment. Misunderstanding with friends and wellwishers will go. Health problem likely.

You will get innovative thoughts and give shape to them. Some are lucky to buy a house of their own choice. Delayed marriage will be finalised now. Avoid hurried decisions in govt matters.

You will solve all issues wisely and diplomatically. House renovation most likely for some. Spouse will be more affectionate towards you. Expenses and tension likely due to children.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

You will achieve success in all undertaken work. You will fulfill wishes of your children and encourage them. Though financial inflow is good, a part of savings may also have to be spent.

Your hidden skills will come to the fore and you will achieve a thundering success in all endeavours. Some are likely to start their house construction. Your children’s acts will make you happy.

You will progress remarkably well towards your goals. You will be given respect in functions, like marriage etc. You will judge your friends and relatives perfectly and act in appropriately.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You will never look back once a decision is taken; also, no need to as all plans will be successfully achieved. Sudden and surprise inflow of money likely. Ego clashes with relatives will end.

Be aware that failures are steppingstones to success and act accordingly. Never feel let down by failures and march ahead. Sudden trips and differences with blood relatives likely.

Though a few chores might get delayed, major portion of undertaken work will end successfully. You will feel very happy as you will complete a longpending work as per expectations.

SUMAA TEKUR

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Seven of Wands – Some mystery and secrecy surrounds you. Someone may not be telling you the whole truth and this is impacting your decision-making now.

Three of Wands – Things are moving so fast these days that you sometimes crave the empty hours when you were waiting for something to happen.

Two of Cups – Romance is in the air. An unconventional relationship will sweep you off your feet. You feel great about yourself when you’re with this person.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Knight of Wands – You’re at a peak when it comes to creativity. Good ideas come to you, but ask yourself how actionable they really are.

Page of Cups – You’re feeling very emotional about a close family member. You haven’t been very vocal about it. The strain is beginning to show on your health.

Eight of Pentacles – You need to learn something new. Even though you feel like you have what it takes to succeed in career, an upgrading of skills is needed.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Five of Swords – Not everything is as it seems. Be on your guard and do not trust anyone or believe anything easily. Keep your defences up at all times.

Ace of Pentacles – You’re feeling confident about the choices you’ve made, though there is a lot of uncertainty and you’ve taken big risks. Go with the flow.

Nine of Wands – You’re reaching the end of a project. There is just one last test to complete and you come out of it successful. Don’t lose focus till then.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

The High Priest – You know how to channel your energies in the right direction and make things click with an air thick with synchroneity.

The High Priestess – You know everything’s going fine when you feel right. Don’t hesitate to defer or change plans based on how you feel about something.

Justice – Scores are being settled. Don’t get unduly perturbed by people’s unexpected behavior. Nothing is off limits these days. Stick to a routine to take comfort.

NON SEQUITUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE POOCH CAFE

STRIP TEASE

AGNES

ARIES

TAROT READ Date 7-1-2013

Reassess your computer interactions It's time to reassess your relationship with your computer when... You wake up at 4 o'clock in the morning to go to the bathroom and stop at the computer to check your email on the way back to bed. You turn off your computer and get an awful empty feeling, as if you just pulled the plug on a loved one. You decide to stay in college for an additional year or two, just for the free internet access. You start using smileys :-) in your snail mail.

When you hand-write a note and think... SPELL CHECKER'! When your computer's email box shows 'no new messages' and you feel really depressed. Your family always knows where you are. In real life conversations, you don't laugh, you just say 'LOL, LOL' If your computer's internet connection goes down, you cannot settle to any other tasks. After reading this message, you immediately forward it to a friend!

Vol: 2, No 171 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

CINEMA

JULIA

ROBERTS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

TO STAR IN THE NORMAL HEART

yan Murphy has lined up his next gig: He’ll direct Julia Roberts and Mark Ruffalo in the HBO Films drama The Normal Heart, which will bow in 2014. Larry

JOSEPH GORDON TO HOST SUNDANCE

oseph Gordon-Levitt will serve as host for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony on January 26. The event will be live-streamed from Park City, Utah. Gordon-Levitt’s feature directorial debut, Don Jon’s Addiction will also premiere at the festival out-of-competition. Sundance director John Cooper states; “Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s accomplished and original artistic perspectives have contributed greatly to Sundance Institute and the independent film community. As host, he is sure to add flair to our Awards Ceremony in similarly exciting ways, and we are thrilled that he will join us in recognising outstanding achievements at this year’s Festival.”

Kramer will adapt his play of the same name for the pay network. Production will begin in New York City later this year. Heart tells the story of the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s. Roberts will play Dr. Emma Brookner, the paraplegic physician who treats several of the earliest victims, while Ruffalo will portray Ned Weeks, a man who wit-

SHELDON HAS BEE NAMED AFTER HIM

he Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper has had a bee named after him. A newly discovered species of Brazilian orchid bee is now called Euglossa bazinga, in honour of the Jim Parsons character’s ‘bazinga’ catchphrase. Bazinga!” said Big Bang Theory executive producer Steven Molaro in a statement. “Sheldon would be honoured to know that Euglossa bazinga was inspired by him. In fact, after ‘Mothra’ and griffins, bees are his third-favourite flying creatures.”

nesses first-hand the mysterious disease that claims the lives of many. Matt Bomer (White Collar) will play a reporter who becomes Ned’s lover. Kramer’s play debuted at New York’s Public Theatre in 1985 and was revived in Los Angeles, London and off-Broadway. The 2011 Broadway revival earned Tonys for Best Revival, Best Featured Actor and Best Featured Actress.

SPORTS SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Celtics rally past Hawks

T-Wolves’ Love breaks hand

Another delay for US PGA

ATLANTA: Rajon Rondo notched a triple-

MINNEAPOLIS: Minnesota Timberwolv-

MAUI, HAWAII: Strong winds forced

double and Paul Pierce scored 26 points on Saturday as the Boston Celtics erased a 15point half-time deficit to post an 89-81 NBA victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Pierce scored 17 points in the third quarter, when the Celtics out-scored the Hawks 33-9. “We wanted to bring the fight to the Hawks in the second half,” Pierce said. “I just reminded our guys that the fight isn’t against us, it’s against the other team.”

es forward Kevin Love has broken a bone in his right hand, the same hand that was broken during the NBA pre-season. An MRI exam on Saturday showed a break in the third metacarpal — one of the two bones that he broke in October, when Love said he was hurt doing push-ups as part of his training. The injury to his shooting hand occurred during Thursday’s 101-97 victory over the Nuggets in Denver.

cancellation of play for the second straight day Saturday at the US PGA Tour’s seasonopening Tournament of Champions. Play never got started on Saturday, and after a delay of almost three hours officials opted to call it off for the day. The postponement followed the disruption of Friday’s first round, which was called off with six of the 30 entrants still to tee off because of high wind and rain.

Guiding Light could win feature MV Narayan Rao-trained Guiding Light, who has been knocking at the door of stardom, can score in The Sri AS Krishna Memorial Cup, the main event of Monday afternoon races at the Malakpet racecourse in the City. 1st Race: The Pocharam Cup (about) 2400 Metres, Cat-III A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 50; 12-40pm 1 Shades Of Victory 62 (A Sharma) S John 7 2 Sheikhs Emperor 61 (Laxman S) N Rawal 4 3 Imaan 60 (Laxman S) Deep Shanker 5 4 Deccan Storm 565 (H’ibulla) Ajit UMAR 2 5 Silver Lid 54 (Deshmukh) P Venkat 3 6 Novaya Zemlya 525 (N Rao) G Sai Vamshi 9 7 Perfect 51 (D’Silva) I Chisty 8 8 Amber Flame 50 (S’narayan) Khurshad Alam6 9 Anangalekha 49 (A Sharma) C Henrique 1 Selections: 1 Amber Flame 2 Perfect 3 Silver Lid 2nd Race: The Galactica Plate (Div-I) (about) 1000 Metres, Cat-II Terms for Maiden fillies 3 year olds only ; 1-10 pm 1 Amazing Power 535 (Hassan) MMark 9 2 Beau Ideal 535 (D’Silva) I Chisty 2 3 Flames Of Forest 535 (LaxmanS) Deep Shanker 8 4 Golden Flash 535 (Prasad R) N Rawal 4 5 Kohinoor Punch 535 (Vatsalya) Ajit Kumar 7 6 Most Impressive 535 (Netto) P S Chouhan 1 7 Shear Luck 535 (N Rao) G Sai Vamshi 5 8 True Haven 535 (Fayaz) C Henrqiue 10 9 Trustful 535 (Satheesh) K Anil 3 10 Twinklingofaneye 535 (Z Shaikh) Ch K Chary 6 Selections: 1 Beau Ideal 2 Most Impressive 3 True Haven 3rd Race: The Galactica Plate (Div-II) (about) 1000 Metres, Cat-II Terms for Maiden fillies, 3 year olds only; 1-40pm 1Amicable Advisory 535 (Fayaz) Ravinder Singh7 2 Blitz 535 (Netto) Harinder Singh9 3 Golden Art 535 (Vatsalya) Ajit Kumar 5 4 Goldie 535 (D’Silva) I Chisty 1 5 Looking For Love 535 (KVSrinivas) A Ramana 4 6 Promotion 535 (Satheesh) Deep Shanker 3 7 Rock Heights 535 (Prasad R) N Rawal 2 8 Roma Rouge 535 (A Sharma) C Henrqiue 10 9 Skylight Express 535 (S Abbas) Ch K Chary 8 10 Star Wings 535 (NRao) G Sai Vamshi 6 Selections: 1 Goldie 2 Blitz 3 Skylight Express 4th Race: The Concordial Plate (about) 1600 Metres, Cat-III;A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 25; 2-10pm 1 Shadow In The Mist 61 (Kassam) Ravinder Singh5 2 Baba’s Gift 605 (Kassam) M Mark 10 3 Juliet 605 (Satheesh) Deep Shanker 1 4 Bernabeu 595 (A Sharma) C Henrique 8 5 Red Magic 59 (H’ibulla) N Rawal 7

Sainz claims Dakar opener

6 Kohinoor Adhira 57 (Vatsalya) K Anil 2 7 Blue Diamond 565 (Netto) M F Alikhan 3 8 India One 565 (H’ibulla) Kuldeep Singh11 9 Dartos The Muscle 55 (Silvester) G Sai Vamshi 12 10 Maid For Love 55 (Silvester) Nitin Singh 14 11 Max Baby 55 (Fayaz) MWepner 4 12 Salvadore 54 (Vatsalya) P Vankat 9 13 Golden Star 525 (Fayaz) Hrinder Singh 6 14 nano Tribute 49 (Vatsalya) Ajit Kumar 13 Selections: 1 Maid For Love 2 Bernabeu 3 Red Magic 5th Race: The Musical Morn Plate (About) 1200 Metres, Cat-II A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 75; 2-40pm 1 Rustic Gal 60 (Netto) A Imran Khan 2 2 Vijays Best 59 (Deshmukh) P S Chouhan 9 3 True Friend 585 (Hassan) M Wepner 6 4 Cannon Law 575 (Prasad R) N Rawal 8 5 Compromise 575 (Satheesh) K Anil 5 6 Prince Prashant 57 (D’Silva) I Chisty 7 7 Sweet Candy 57 (Satheesh) Deep Shaker 3 8 Chayanandan 56 (Srinagesh) Nitin Singh 1 9 Desert Bloom 56 (Srinivas R) P Vanket 10 10 Star Value 56 (S Abbas) Kiran Naidu 4 11 Molla 555 (A Sharma) C Henrique 11 Selections: 1 Vijays Best 2 Molla 3 Prince Prashant 6th Race: The GVRao Memorial Cup (about) 1600 Metres, Cat-II A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 75 ; 3-15pm 1 Aegis 61 (Deshmukh) P S Chouhan 8 2 DonValentino 61 (S Abbas) A Imran Khan 6 3 Garcia Marquez 61 (D’Silva) Kuldeep Singh10 4 Toli Toli Toli 61 (Sequeria) Dasrath Singh 4 5 Illustrator 585 (Netto) S Sreekant 7 6 Strategic Command 585 (Deshmukh) P Venkat 9 7 Ponte Verdi 57 (D’silva) M Mark 11 8 Aerosmith 555 (Prasad R) N Rawal 3 9 Stylish Chieftan 555 (LaxmanS) Harinder Singh2 10 Bound For Glory 49 (Srinivas R) G Sai Vamshi 1 11 Citi Supreme 49 (Hassan) NitinSingh 2 Selections: 1 Aerosmith 2 DonValentino 3 Aegis 7th Race: The Niligiris Plate (Div-I) (about) 1200 Metres, cat-III A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 50; 3-45pm 1 Any Given Time 615 (Hassan) M Wepner 10 2 So Super 615 (S Abbas) A Imran Khan 1 3 Exclusive 595 (D’Silva) I Chisty 8 4 Pakat Pakat Pakat 57 (Srinagesh) Dasrath Singh 4 5 Smashing Beauty 55 (Kassam) P S Chouhan 6

PISCO, PERU: Former champion Carlos Sainz opened his campaign for a second Dakar Rally title by taking the opening 13km special stage from Lima to Pisco on Saturday. The Spaniard, who won the gruelling race in 2010 in a Volkswagen, drove his Buggy to victory in a time of 7min 40sec, beating Argentina’s Lucio Alvarez, in a Toyota, into

6 Kohinoor Revanta 54 (Vatsalya) Ajit Kumar 12 7 Camacho Speed 535 (Hassan) NRawal 3 8 Majestic Rock 53 (Prasad R) DK Ashish 9 9 Allianz Arena 51 (S’narayan) Khurshad Alam11 10 Home Coming 505 (Kassam) P Venkat 7 11 Pussy Galore 505 (H’ibulla) Harinder Singh2 12 Art Connoisseur 495 (D’Silva) Kuldeep Singh5 Selections: 1 So Super 2 Smashing Beauty 3 Art Connoisseur 8th Race: The Sri AS Krishna Memorial Cup (about) 1200 Metres, Cat-I A handicap for horses 4 year olds and upwardSwepstakes; 4-15pm 1 Alexander Square 615 (Netto) S Sreekant 4 2 Guiding Light 59 (NRao) Dasratht Singh10 3 Vijays Conquer 585 (Laxman S) Hairnder Singh6 4 Kohinoor Mystic 58 (Vatsalya) Ajit Kumar 14 5 Surya Lakshmi 575 (KV Srinivas) P S Chouhan 7 6 Days Of Thunder 57 (Prasad R) N Rawal 5 7 Genius Empress 545 (Fayaz) C Henrique 1 8 Rajkumari 545 (Netto) DK Ashish 13 9 Indian Epic 54 (Prasad R) S John 8 10 Hidden Destiny 52 (LaxmanS) Deep Shanker 3 11 Scubarioo 51 (D’Silva) I Chisty 2 12 Hard Kingdom 51 (S’narayan) Khursahd Alam11 13 Royal Shaan 51 (Kassam) Nitin Singh 12 14 Bloody Mary 49 (D’Silva) Kuldeep Singh9 Selections: 1 Guiding Light 2 Bloody Mary 3 IndianEpic 9th Race: The Nilgiris Plate (Div-II) (abot) 1200 Metres, Cat-III A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 50; 4-50pm 1 Kohinoor Destiny 615 (Vatsalya) Ajit kumar 8 2 Sea Runner 60 (D’Silva) I Chisty 9 3 Pacific Star 59 (Srinivas R) P S Chouhan 6 4 Montego Bay 56 (Prasad R) N Rawal 2 5 Sabreen Princess 52 (Z Shaikh) Deep Shanker 1 6 Emerald Touch 515 (Hassan) Ch K Chary 3 7 Regal Groom 515 (S’narayan) Khurshad Alam11 8 Bold Reason 51 (Prasad R) A Ramana 5 9 Pranavi 505 (Netto) Harinder Singh4 10 Sushen 495 (Hassan) J Vikas 7 11 Silver Arnage 49 (Kassam) Nitin Singh 10 Selections: 1 Pacific Star 2 Sabareen Princess 3 Regal Groom

Days Best: Pacific Star Jackpot Race Nos: 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 1st Treble Race Nos: 1, 2 and 3 2nd Treble Race Nos: 4, 5 and 6 3rd Treble Race Nos: 7, 8 and 9 Tanala pool will operate where there are five or more starters No false rails. second, with French driver Guerlain Chicherit, in an SMG, claiming third. Sainz enjoyed an eightsecond advantage over Alvarez and a 10-second gap on Chicherit. His Qatari teammate, Nasser al-Attiyah, who was the 2011 champion, also in a Volkswagen, but was forced to retire in a Hummer 12 months ago,

finished fourth. That was bad news for defending champion Stephane Peterhansel whose bid for an 11th Dakar title after collecting four wins in the auto section and six on two wheels got off to a disappointing start. French driver Peterhansel was down in sixth place in his Mini, AFP 34sec behind Sainz.

SPORTS SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Heartbreak for Serbia

PERTH, AUSTRALIA: Serbian duo Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic suffered another painful dose of Hopman Cup heartache when they were edged out by Spain in the final which finished in the early hours of Sunday. Playing together in the mixed teams tournament for the third time, the pair went into the final as the favourites, but the Spanish duo of Anabel Medina Garrigues and Fernando Verdasco claimed the title by winning the deciding mixed doubles. Djokovic had given the Serbians the lead in the final with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Verdasco, but Medina Garrigues levelled the decider with a 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 win before the Spaniards took the doubles 64, 7-5. Any doubt about the commitment of the quartet was dispelled by Spain’s jubilation at winning, and the obvious emotion of Djokovic and Ivanovic as they realised the doubles clash was slipping away. The Serbian pair were desperate to win after having come just short at their two previous Hopman Cup appearances. In 2006, representing Serbia and Montenegro, the pair missed the final on a countback of sets won during the

Hopman Cup winners Fernando Verdasco (left) and Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain with runners-up Ana Ivanovic (third left) and Novak Djokovic (right) of Serbia pose with their trophies after their mixed doubles final match on Saturday. AFP/TONY ASHBY round robin matches. Then in 2011, they qualified for the final only to be forced out of the tournament when Ivanovic suffered an abdominal injury. To make matters worse for Djokovic, he was also a beaten finalist with Jelena Jankovic in 2008.

Serena wins title round BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA: Serena Williams confirmed her eagerness to get started at the Australian Open as she demolished Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-1 in just 50 minutes to win the Brisbane International on Saturday. Third-seeded Williams served notice that she will be the one to beat at the first Grand Slam of the year with a ruthless display against Pavlyuchenkova, the world number 36. The 31-year-old said she felt “in the zone” at times during the final and said she couldn’t wait to get to Melbourne, where she will be aiming for her sixth Australian Open crown. “That was really good — I think I just kind of zoned and I felt like I really wanted to do well,” Williams said. “I really felt like I was

playing a top player because she’d taken two top 10 players out, so I knew that I couldn’t give her a chance. “It was a really good week for sure. I definitely worked hard for this week, and I’m going to do a little more work so I can be ready in eight days.” Williams took control of the final at 2-2 in the first set when she went on a run of seven straight games and never looked like losing against an increasingly demoralised opponent, who had no answer to Williams’ power and aggression. “She put so much pressure on from the start, so I felt like I had to go for winners or aces or these amazing serves,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “When I slowed down a little she was there. She was returning, making winners, serving aces, AFP so you cannot stop.”

Sania-Bethanie lift 1st title of season BRISBANE: Sania Mirza and partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands had a superb start to the season as they lifted the WTA Brisbane International trophy with a come-from-behind win against Kveta Peschke and Anna-Lena Groenefeld here on Saturday. The second seeded Indo-American pair erased the first set deficit to down the fourth seeded rivals 4-6 6-4 10-7 in the summit showdown of the USD 1,000,000

event. It was Sania’s first doubles title of the season while 15th of her career. Sania and Mattek earned 470 ranking points each and shared USD 51,022 as prize money. An excited Sania said that the win would be a morale booster for the Australian Open starting later this month. “It’s a great start to the year and really exciting to beat some of the world’s best doubles teams.” she told PTI. PTI

The Serbians provided great entertainment during the week, hamming it up for the crowd and media between matches and during mixed doubles rubbers. As enjoyable as the tournament had been for the duo, however, Djokovic said they had again been left lamenting AFP unfinished business.

Novak sounds warning bell PERTH, AUSTRALIA: World number one Novak Djokovic sounded an ominous, if light-hearted, warning to his Australian Open rivals after suffering a narrow defeat in the Hopman Cup final on Saturday night. Speaking after he and Ana Ivanovic were beaten by Spaniards Anabel Medina Garrigues and Fernando Verdasco in the mixed teams decider, the defending Australian Open champion was already eyeing his title defence. “I will have my revenge in Melbourne in a week,” Djokovic said with a laugh as he exited Perth Arena in the early hours of Sunday morning. While the Serbian pair suffered their third near-miss at the Hopman Cup, Djokovic rounded out his Australian Open preparation in fine style, beating former top 10 player Verdasco in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. That result followed an impeccable performance against Germany’s Tommy Haas on Friday, with Djokovic winning 62, 6-0. Although he had a shock loss to young Australian Bernard Tomic earlier in the tournament, Djokovic was pleased with the improvement in his singles AFP form during the Hopman Cup.

Gasquet claims crown Richard Eaton

DOHA: Richard Gasquet, the world number 10, raised hopes of a climb towards the top five during 2013 with a gutsy fightback which carried him from the brink of defeat to the Qatar Open title on Saturday. The second-seeded Frenchman snatched an improbable 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 victory over Nikolay Davydenko, the unseeded Russian, who led by a set and a break of serve and seemed to be heading towards a notable triumph when he had points for 5-2 with a double break of serve in the second set. At that crucial stage Gasquet hung in without ever playing his best tennis, and after Davydenko needed an injury time out in a final set during which he also appeared to tire, Gasquet surged through to the eighth title of his career.

France’s Richard Gasquet celebrates after final match of the Qatar Open tournament in Doha against Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko on Saturday. AFP

“This is a big success for me, and it was very tough,” Gasquet of the two-and-a-half hour struggle. “Nikolay was tired and I fought as much as I could. It was a good win against him because he plays so fast. “It’s also incredible to win here where so many famous players have won in the past.” Past fields included Rafael Nadal, who belatedly had to withdraw this year, and Roger Federer, both of whom Davydenko beat to win the

title three years ago. It would have been a remarkable effort, after so little tennis in recent months, and at the age of 31, to have won again. Gasquet was encountering frustrations against Davydenko’s hustling style in the first set. He lost his opening service game after being unluckily penalised for a line judge’s wrong call, and then was narrowly prevented from AFP making the break back.

Stosur to clash with Zheng at Sydney SYDNEY: Samantha Stosur faces a tough opponent in China’s Zheng Jie in the first round of the Sydney International, a critical lead-up to her Australian Open campaign. World number nine Stosur has had a rocky build-up to her home Grand Slam, being dumped in the first round of the Brisbane International last week by Swede Sofia Arvidsson who took full advantage of the Australian’s 48 unforced errors. Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki will also be

hoping for some valuable court time at the Sydney tournament, which begins Sunday, ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year after her first round loss in Brisbane to a qualifier. Wozniacki was bundled out of the competition by Kazakhstan’s Ksenia Pervak in a battle lasting almost three hours, in which Pervak bested her 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1). Agnieszka Radwanska, world number four, heads a strong women’s field for the Sydney tournament, which includes

three Grand Slam champions — China’s Li Na, the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova and Australia’s Stosur. Radwanska, who will be coming straight from Saturday’s final of the ASB Classic tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, has a bye in the first round. She is joined in the top half of the draw by eighth seed Nadia Petrova, former world number one Jelena Jankovic and former top five player Daniela AFP Hantuchova.

SPORTS SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Australia sweep series

SYDNEY: Mike Hussey bowed

out of Test cricket with a win when he guided Australia to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Sunday, giving the home side a clean sweep of the threematch series. Left-hander Hussey, playing in his 79th and final Test after announcing his international retirement, got his team over the line after the loss of five wickets on a tense fourth day at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The 37-year-old provided the steadying hand as Australia made hard work of running down 141 runs for victory on a turning pitch. At the close Hussey was unbeaten on 27, while Mitchell Johnson hit the winning run to end on one not out. Rangana Herath had earlier threatened to bowl the Sri Lankans to their first-ever Test victo-

Australian cricketers pose with the trophy after defeating Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the third cricket Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday. Australia beat Sri Lanka in the three Test series 3-0. AFP/MANAN VATSYAYANA

Mike out of ODI squad

SYDNEY: Captain Michael Clarke was rested and senior batsman Mike Hussey omitted from the Australian squad named Sunday for the opening two one-day internationals against Sri Lanka this month. Selectors, as expected, decided to give Clarke, David Warner and Matthew Wade a break from the early ODIs after they played in all six Test matches against South Africa and Sri Lanka this Southern Hemisphere summer. Injured pair paceman James Pattinson (side strain) and Shane Watson (calf) were not considered for selection for the opening two ODIs in Melbourne

on January 11 and Adelaide on January 13. And there was no place for 37-year-old Hussey, who has announced that the current third Test against Sri Lanka in Sydney will be his last in a 79Test career. Chief selector John Inverarity said Hussey, who had been planning to retire from international cricket at the end of the Australian summer, was omitted for the whole series because the selectors were looking to build toward the 2015 World Cup. “Michael has been a tremendous ODI player for Australia

over a long period of time, a match-winner for his country, and his presence in coloured clothing will be sorely missed,” Inverarity said. But there will be at least one Hussey in the squad, with younger brother David keeping his place as a middle-order batsman. The squad have four potential debutants in batsmen Phil Hughes, Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja, and pace bowler Ben Cutting. In Clarke’s absence, George Bailey will lead the team, while veteran Brad Haddin returns to take over the wicketkeeping duties from Wade. “Michael (Clarke) has been battling a hamstring injury for a few weeks,” Inverarity said. “Matthew Wade and Brad Haddin are considered to be the two best keeper-batsmen in Australia,” he said. “Brad remains in consideration and he will play while Matthew has a break.” Inverarity said Hughes and Khawaja had earned a crack at the shorter form of the game, along with Finch. Squad: George Bailey (capt), Ben Cutting, Xavier Doherty, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Phil Hughes, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc. AFP

Horror session cost us match: Mike Hesson CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA: New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said on Saturday that a “horror session” had upset his team’s plans during the first Test against South Africa. Speaking after New Zealand crashed to an innings and 27 runs defeat inside three days, Hesson said the match was dictated by the first two hours when the Black Caps were bowled out for 45. “It was a horror session that set the game up,” he said. New Zealand bowlers had been searching too hard for wickets in an effort to get back into the game. “As

much as we talk about sticking to our plans the human element comes over,” said Hesson. “You are trying to get back into the game in a short space of time and by doing that you go away from your plans and they were able to get away from us.” Hesson said the decision to bat first had been taken after much consultation. “It wasn’t an easy decision. We saw the nature of the cracks on the pitch. Last year Sri Lanka put South Africa in and got 580 and according to reports the cracks got bigger as the match went on.”

ry in Australia at the 13th attempt. He finished with three wickets for 47. Jackson Bird was named man of the match and Michael Clarke was picked as man of the series. The umpires stunned the crowd when they took tea with just five runs left to decide the Test, leaving onlookers with a sense of anti-climax. The tourists were all out for 278 in their second innings earlier in the day as Dinesh Chandimal prolonged the resistance, batting with the tail in a defiant unbeaten knock of 62 off 106 balls . Chandimal shared in a fighting 41-run last-wicket stand with Nuwan Pradeep off 74 balls to give the tourists some vital extra runs and make things uncomfortable for the Australian batsAFP men on a turning pitch.

scoreboard Sri Lanka 1st Innings 294 Australia 1st Innings 432/9 decl. Sri Lanka 2nd Innings (overnight 225 for 7) Karunaratne c Wade b Bird 85 Jayawardene c Clarke b Siddle 60 Thirimanne c Bird b Johnson 7 Samaraweera c Hussey b Lyon 0 Mathews run out 16 Chandimal not out 62 Prasad c Wade b Starc 15 Herath b Bird 10 Lakmal b Johnson 0 Pradeep c Wade b Bird 9 Extras (b1 lb4 w1 nb3) 9 Total (all out; 81.2 overs) 278 Bowling: Starc 12-1-49-1, Bird 21.2-576-3, Johnson 15-3-34-3, Siddle 17-442-1, Lyon 15-1-66-1, Hussey 1-0-6-0 Australia 2nd Innings Cowan lbw b Herath 36 Warner c Jayawardene b Lakmal 0 Hughes lbw b Herath 34 Clarke c Thirimanne b Dilshan 29 M. Hussey not out 27 Wade b Herath 9 Johnson not out 1 Extras (b4, lb1) 5 Total (5 wkts; 42.5 overs) 141 Bowling: Dilshan 18-2-57-1, Lakmal 6-1-18-1, Herath 16.5-0-47-3, Pradeep 2-0-14-0

Steyn vows to keep wreaking havoc Colin Bryden

CAPE TOWN: Dale Steyn said joining the 300 Test wickets club did not mean the end of his ambitions as a fast bowler. Speaking after South Africa’s crushing win by an innings and 27 runs over New Zealand, achieved in three days at Newlands, Steyn, 29, said he was aware of the significance of the landmark but he hoped there was more to come. “I’ve got a lot more to offer,” he said. “There’s another Test in Port Elizabeth next week and hopefully I’ve got a few more years in these legs.” Steyn, who has held the top spot in the International Cricket Council Test bowler rankings for more than three years, became the 25th man to take 300 wickets in Tests. Only Dennis Lillee (56) and Muttiah Muralitharan (58) achieved the mark in fewer than Steyn’s 61 Test matches. He was the fourth South African to reach 300 after Shaun Pollock (421), Makhaya Ntini (390) and Allan Donald (330). Steyn admitted that he

might have been pushing too hard in the first innings when New Zealand were shot out for 45, with new ball partner Vernon Philander taking the first five wickets in five overs. “With the start that Vernon had, I was guilty of fishing for a couple of wickets. I was one short of 300 and I thought I had better get in the game. (Captain) Graeme (Smith) realised that. He pulled me in (after four overs) and put me on after Vernon, which was clever of him.” AFP

Kotla turns into fortress as India, Pak line up for final ODI NEW DELHI: A good range of security forces, including the BSF and the CRPF were deployed in and around the Feroz Shah Kotla ground as cricketers from India and Pakistan took field for the third and final ODI cricket match, here today. Around 2000 security personnel were guarding the stadium, including the spectators arenas. Around 100 CCTV cameras were installed to keep a tight vigil on the activities going around. Some security officers were also be present in the stands in casu-

als. The traffic movement was smooth around the stadium with only labelled vehicles allowed for parking at designated places. Fans started gathering in good numbers, a good 90 minutes before the start of the game. Several check points were marked and the fans were not allowed to carry even coins. Senior Delhi Police officer Devesh Srivastava said extra arrangements have been made for this match since it is an India-Pakistan contest.

SPORTS SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Van Persie rescues United

Jon West

Main 3rd round Saturday results

LONDON: Manchester United striker Robin van Persie came off the bench to score the late equaliser that salvaged a 2-2 draw at West Ham and prevented his side from becoming the biggest casualties of the FA Cup third round. With Alex Ferguson’s side trailing in stoppage-time, van Persie combined with Ryan Giggs to produce a sublime equaliser that denied West Ham a famous Cup upset in Saturday’s clash at Upton Park. United had taken a first-half lead through Tom Cleverley’s well-struck effort but it was not long before Wales defender James Collins headed home a Hammers equaliser. Collins looked set to be the unlikely hero when he scored again with another header in the second half, but former Arsenal

n n n n n n n n n n n n

Manchester United’s Dutch striker Robin Van Persie (L) runs with the ball in the build up to his late equalising goal as West Ham United’s English defender James Tomkins (R) chases him during their English FA Cup third round football match at the Boleyn Ground, London on Saturday. The game finished 2-2. AFP/ IAN KINGTON

Aston Villa 2 Vs Ipswich 1 Bolton 2 Vs Sunderland 2 Brighton 2 Vs Newcastle 0 Crawley 1 Vs Reading 3 Crystal Palace 0 Vs Stoke 0 Fulham 1 Vs Blackpool 1 Man City 3 Vs Watford 0 QPR 1 Vs West Brom 1 Southampton 1 Vs Chelsea 5 Tottenham 3 Vs Coventry 0 West Ham 2 Vs Man Utd 2 Wigan 1 Vs Bournemouth

star van Persie had the last word to earn a replay at Old Trafford later this month. Ferguson had made a number of changes to the United

line-up after Tuesday’s 4-0 win in the Premier League at Wigan. Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes and Shinji Kagawa were among those handed starts as Persie and Giggs dropped to the bench. The West Ham line-up had a new look to it as well, although Joe Cole’s was a very familiar face to the Upton Park faithful as the England midfielder played for them for the first time in almost 10 years. Cole, who had left the Hammers for Chelsea in 2003, this week ended an unhappy 18month spell at Liverpool to rejoin the club where he first made his name as a teenager. West Ham almost took an early lead when Alou Diarra rose to meet Mark Noble’s corner, but Scholes was there on the line to block. Danny Welbeck had a goal ruled out because United team-mate Javier Hernandez was offside.

Messi targets 4th Ballon d’Or 25-yr-old Lionel Messi is poised to become the first player to win four successive Ballon d'Or awards. ZURICH: Record-breaking Lionel Messi is poised to become the first player to win four successive Ballon d’Or awards on Monday, sealing his status as the greatest player of his generation. The 25-year-old is the overwhelming favourite to see off the challenge of Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta and great Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the prize. It will crown another landmark year for the Argentine who is the top scorer in La Liga this season with 25 goals having also broken Gerd Mueller’s 40-year record for the most goals in a calendar year. He finished 2012 with an astonishing 91 goals in all competitions. But Messi has insisted that his scoring records will mean nothing if Barcelona do not go on to take La Liga title off Real or fail to win the Champions League. “It’s nice to beat records but the win for the team is what is important. My goals are to win titles with the team, the Spanish league, Spanish Cup or Champions League is more important than any personal records.” He remains just as modest when it comes to Monday’s awards in Zurich. “If Iniesta wins, it will be well-deserved for all that he has done, for the way he plays. Again, it will also be a prize for the dressing room.” Messi and former French star, UEFA president Michel Platini, are the only players to win three straight Ballon d’Or awards while Dutch stars

LIONEL MESSI (ARG) n n n n n

n n

Birthdate: June 24, 1987 — age 25 Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina Height: 1.69m (5ft 7in) Plays: Barcelona (ESP) Major honours: Three Champions Leagues, five league titles in Spain, two Spanish Cups, two Super Cups, two Club World Cups International caps: 75 (31 goals) The man nicknamed La Pulga (the flea) has terrorised defences in La Liga and scored around a goal a game over the past three seasons. In 2012, he surpassed the all-time calendar goals record held by Gerd Mueller and finished on 91. Brilliant on the ball, sublime finisher and as good as unplayable when on top form — though that form can become submerged on occasion when he dons the colours of Argentina. On the verge of becoming the first man ever to win the player of the year accolade four times. A shoo-in for another title — were it not for the quality of the competition.

ANDRES INIESTA (ESP) n n n n n

n n

Birthdate: May 11, 1984 — age 28 Birthplace: Fuentealbilla, Spain Height: 1.70m (5ft 7in) Plays: Barcelona (ESP) Major honours: One World Cup, two European Championships (with Spain); five Spanish league titles, three Champions Leagues, two Spanish Cups, two Super Cups, two Club World Cups International caps: 77 (10 goals) Shines like a beacon even in midfields so packed with genius as those of Spain and Barcelona. Iniesta’s wonderful dribbling and penetrative darts into the box take gasping defenders out of position and leave them, as Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson might say, with “twisted blood”. And in stark contrast to his rivals, while Iniesta can point to a domestic trophy cabinet no less crammed than theirs, he can also bask in the knowledge that he has won a World Cup and two European Championships to boot.

CRISTIANO RONALDO (POR) n n n n n

n n

Birthdate: February 5, 1985 — age 27 Birthplace: Funchal, Madeira (Portugal) Height: 1.86m (6ft 1in) Plays: Real Madrid (ESP) Major honours: One Champions League, three Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, two League Cups, one Club World Cup (with Manchester United); one Spanish league title, one Spanish Cup (with Real Madrid) International caps: 100 (37 goals) If Messi’s creative flair makes him in the minds of many the most gifted player in the world, without question Ronaldo has a solid claim on the title of most effective. His metronomic goalscoring in his three years at Real has surpassed even his Old Trafford exploits — though even he couldn’t quite keep up with Messi last season. Like the Argentine, the club game appears to bring out the brilliance more easily then the international variant. “CR7” may have been outscored but the Madeiran did emerge with a La Liga winner’s medal.

Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten have also won three accolades. Barca coach Tito Vilanova has no doubt that Messi will be a deserving winner. “Leo’s great quality is that he plays as if he still a child,” said Vilanova. “He was always good as a youngster and you didn’t need to be a coach to say that. It was a joy to see him play as a 15year-old and that continues now.” Portugal captain Ronaldo admits he would love to win but it would not be the end of the world if the prize went elsewhere. “If I win, perfect. If I don’t, never mind, life goes on. But obviously I’d love to win. I’m not going to lie or be hypocritical,” said the 27-year-old Real Madrid forward. “Fair or unfair, the decision will be what it will be... I’ll maybe be very happy or maybe very sad. But that’s life. I can’t live according to an individual prize,” the 2008 Ballon d’Or winner added. Other awards on Monday will see Vicente Del Bosque — who led Spain to Euro 2012 glory and made them the first side to win three back-to-back tournaments — in line for the best coach award. He will be up against Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho and former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. For women’s player of the year, five-time Brazilian champion Marta goes up against US pair Aby Wambach and Alex AFP Morgan.