I HAVE BECOME A LOT MORE SENSITIVE
24 WIVES, NUMEROUS CHILDREN, SORCERER RULES PART OF CITY
Kriti Kharbanda is keeping her fingers crossed till the release of her new film Mr Nookayya. She tells us how this film has changed her as a person. P21
Amil amasses wives besides money through sorcery. Police tell us the hair-raising story of a black magician who held sway in his heyday, and today his sons, wives and their children form a massive family P3 tree, and rules the City.
PRIYANKA
PLANS TO RELEASE HER DEBUT SINGLE SOON P22
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HAPPY HOLI
A BLOODBATH IN YOUSUFGUDA A warm Wednesday morning turned into a massacre of tragic proportions after a young paramour goes on a killing spree, leaving two people dead and a family orphaned. REPORT ON PG 3
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Spirit of Twin Cities
EACH ONE TEACH ONE
Trivia nights
SRINIVAS SETTY
It’s Trivia Nights at Altitude Lounge Bar, Hyderabad Marriott and convention centre. Just answer simple questions on a variety of topics such as movies, sports, general affairs and win a drink or vouchers. Where: Altitude, Tank Bund When: March 7, 6.30pm Contact: (040) 27522999
For the ladies Woman’s Day is around the corner. Kismet at The Park presents a prewomen’s day bash with DJ Kanna playing his best tunes. Where: Kismet, Somajiguda When: March 7, 8pm Contact: (040) 23456789
Muse Art Gallery presents a charity art show by Anjum Mohammadi (Karachi) for Soul. Where: Muse Gallery, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 2752 2999
The US Consulate General Hyderabad and Manthan present The new architecture of world politics and who controls it — an interactive session.The discussion is presented by Prof Jeffery W Legro, Professor of Politics, University of Virginia. Where: Saptaparni, Banjara Hills, Rd No 8 When: March 7, 6.15pm onwards
Basically Hyderabadi An art exhibition titled Basically Hyderabadi by artist Syed Rayees Ahmed is on at Arts Heaven, Red Hills. Where: Arts Heaven, Red Hills When: Ongoing, 11.30am
National Handloom Expo The National Handloom Expo 2012 is being held at NTR Stadium, Domulguda. The expo is on till March 12, 2012. Where: NTR Stadium, Domulguda When: Ongoing, 11am onwards
Bengali flavours A Bengali food festival is being held at Firdaus, Taj Krishna. Sample a variety of Bengali delicacies along with your loved ones. Where: Firdaus, Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills, Rd No1 When: Ongoing, 11.30am onwards Contact: (040) 6666 2323 Victoria Memorial and London’s Victoria hall and Albert museum present Kalighat, an exhibition of paintings from Kalighat. The exhibition features 100s of paintings by 15 contemporary artists currently working in rural Bengal. Where: Salarjung Museum, Charminar When: Ongoing, 10am Contact: (040) 2452 3211
Midnight Buffet Midnight hunger pangs? Head to Best Western for it’s midnight buffet where you can enjoy Hyderabadi dum biryani and live dosa with chicken curry every night. Where: Best Western Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing, 10.30pm - 2.30am Contact: 80083 00373
Voice and Ventriloquy Gallery Space presents Voice
CINEMAS
Splash lounge is the perfect leisure destination for you to unwind at the poolside. During the evenings, the atmosphere gets romantic with great music, martinis and aperitifs. Where: The Westin, Mindspace Madhapur When: Monday - Friday, 5pm - 10.30pm Weekends, 8am - 10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828
Art from the heart
Thoughtful discussions
Kalighat
Go Splash
Temple Art
and Ventriloquy — a solo show by Subroto Chowdhury. The exhibition is on till March 10. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 6554 1836
Car wonders On the occasion of women’s day, Mr. Sudhakar Yadav,has designed a series of vehicles such as Ladies Hand Bag Car, Stilletto Car, Compact Carand “Lipstick Bike”. on Wednesday. Where: Country Club, Begumpet When: March 7, 3.30pm Contact: (040) 2340 2000
Chowrasta Catch the painting exhibition Chowrasta featuring artistes such as Natraj S, Thirumala M Thirupathi, Srinivas Mouni and Subodh Singh. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 15 When: Ongoing, 11am
Contact: (040) 2354 0023
Momo Cafe Momo Café at the Marriot presents a new A-La-Carte Menu with delicacies such as Thai, Classic Western, Oriental and South Indian. Where: Hyderabad Marriot, Tank Bund When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Silk Utsav Madhya Pradesh Khadi & Village Industries Board, Bhopal is hosting an MP Silk Utsav. Head to the exhibition for a variety of exotic & colourful bagh Khadi sarees, Maheshwari sarees, cotton and poly khadi dress material along with products such as pickles made by women from various SHGs. Where: Institute of Engineers, Khairtabad When: Ongoing, 10am Contact: (040) 2339 4969
An exhibition titled, Temple town is on display at Iconart Art Gallery. The exhibition presents art work by Karunakaran & Satheesh Kanna. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: 98499 6879
Holi Hai Head to Novotel for a pre-holi bash with DJ’s Amar and Abhishek at The Club, Novotel. Where: Novotel, Kondapur When: March 7, 8pm Contact: (040) 6682-4422
Acting workshop Samahaara — an acting and dancing workshop is being held. The workshop focusses on a variety of topics such as understanding the basics of stage acting, character analysis, stage and rehearsal terms, movement and stage geography. Where: The Actor’s studio, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7pm to 9pm Contact: 98854 04784
Big Cinemas, Ameerpet: 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills: 44565555; Cine Planet, Kompally: 61606060; Inox, Banjara Hills: 44767777, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd: 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta: 8800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur: 40214227; Tivoli, Secunderabad: 27844973
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RIME EXCLUSIVE
Amil amasses wives apart from money through sorcery. The police recount a hair-raising story of a black magician who held sway in his heyday but today his wives and children form a massive family tree. Many VIPs had visited him in the past
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
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24 wives, numerous kids, sorcerer rules part of City the doctors can’t. They are called in and after the maiden meeting they call them to various places on the pretext of treatment and seek favour in cash and sex.
A charitable man
File photo of Amil with cricketer-turned-politician Azharuddin Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
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he arrests of several black magicians in the City brought out many dark stories of which the incredible tale of Sammah Bin Masroor alias Sammah Chawush is the most astonishing one. It says how he, now in his 60s, has officially married thrice but has
in all 24 wives and an uncertain number of children and grandchildren spread across the City. Known as Amil (magician) Sammah’s two sons and one wife were held during the drive against black magic following several complaints of victims who say they were financially and sexually exploited. Amil has his ‘treatment centre’ at Moghulpura near Asra
Hospital. Based on a recent complaint by Rubia, 38, Moghulpura police inspector Syed Faiyaz Ahmed arrested Sammah’s two sons, Arrar and Aqueel and one daughter-in-law by name Safiya for indulging in black magic and cheating. However, it is said that Sammah senior managed to slip away and got an anticipatory bail. Inspector Faiyaz Ahmed found out that Sammah runs his
Double murder stirs up Yousufguda CRIME
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eople of Lakshmi Nrasimha Nagar in Yousufguda woke up this morning with a start as screaming and wailing of sirens filled the air. As they all rushed out to enquire, they found a platoon of police and ambulance people rushing in and out of the house of Prabhavathy. They went benumbed with the news that a double murder has just taken place and the murderer happens to be a 28-year-old man. N Prabhavathy, 30, a divorced woman with two kids and her brother N Kiran were the victims. Brutally killing them was Mastaan Vali, who is said to have developed an illicit relationship with Prabhavathy who tried to shake him off but could not.
Prabhavathy, Kiran, her kids and their mother belong to Prakasham Kandukur village of Nalgonda. Three years ago, the family decided to migrate to the City, after Prabha’s marriage with one Venkateshwarulu hit the rocks. She was working as a tailor when she happened to meet Mastaan who works as a driver. Banjara Hills ACP L Shankar Reddy told Postnoon that Kiran and his mother had strong objections to the man, whose antecedent was not known, developing relationship with Prabhavathy. She too had realised her folly but the man had stuck with her like a leech. Today morning Mastaan went to their home, hiding a knife in his shirt, and demanded to see Prabhavathy. However, Kiran came out and said he couldn’t meet his sister. An argument ensued and Mastaan in a fit of rage whipped out the knife and stabbed Kiran. Hearing his screams the family, including the kids, came out and started wailing for help. In the melee, Mastaan attacked Prabhavathy as well. Soon people from the neighbourhood summoned the police. However, when the cops came, Mastaan did not try to escape but confessed to his crime. Neighbours told the police that the family had been living peacefully till Mastaan came into the scene, after which the household was fraught with quarrels and arguments.
treating shop in his old house and everyday hundreds of people come. His clerk or munshi issues a slip and charges `20 first for saying the duah (invoking divine blessing). Treatment costs are usually extra. Complainants, mostly women, said Amil in his younger days and his sons now take extra interest in women ‘patients’ who believe the magician can do what
Sammah has also kept a façade of charity. The Moghulpura police found that Sammah was a healthy, good looking footballer in his heyday. He was popular with girls. Gradually he found black magic to be a paying proposition. Now, after he grew old, one of his wives, Safiya has opened a ‘women’s wing’ for treatment and Amil takes care of the males. He runs a welfare society for poor girls! Police have seized many incriminating things and documents from Amil’s place which included lashes, nails, josssticks, dry coconuts used in tantra, photocopies of some passports and land deals besides some pictures showing Amil with VIPs which included a top cricketer from Hyderabad.
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ISEET to ease entrance woes EDUCATION
Pattern ISEET 2013 will be conducted in two parts — Main and Advanced — in April or May next year. One section is expected to be based on physics, chemistry and mathematics of Class XI and XII level, while the other would be aptitudebased. Aptitude test is the new inclusion to ensure that only the cream is chosen.
Sudeshna Koka Sudeshna.k@postnoon.com
I
t’s just not the mercury that shoots up in March-April; this is the time when exam stress goes through the roof as engineering aspirants crisscross the state to write multiple entrance tests ranging from IITJEE to AIEEE. And if this was not enough, AP students go to neighbouring States to appear for exams such as K-SET and TSET. To put an end to these multiple exams system and relieve the students of their workload, the Union HRD ministry has proposed to conduct Indian Science Engineering Eligibility Test (ISEET), a national level entrance test to replace all others from 2013 onwards. After much speculation, the AP education board has given its green signal and the ISEET exam for the same. The proposed exam system has received a mixed reaction from different quarters and has created a buzz among students. Most students fear that just one exam reduces their probability of their making it through. “This is a terrible decision to hold a single test. It would only add to the pressure. If you fail in one exam you have to wait a
In AP students are made to study for more than 12 hours and this only forces them to mug up, they have forgotten to use their brains. This test will put a little pressure on them to think,” Anu Priya, parent whole year,” fumes Sai Sudhir of Sri Chaitanya Junior College. The exam pattern is ‘choose
the alternative’ and these give students a chance to play with their luck even if they are not 100 per cent prepared. Students are also worried is because up to 40 per cent weightage will be given to their marks in the Class XII board exam. “Our batch has lost 45 working days due to the Telengana agitation and now after a year’s of coaching for AIEEE they says it’s a common test, why experiment it with our batch,” says Sumona K, first year student of I Class Junior College. However, psychologists are of the opinion that a single entrance test will reduce stress on both parents and students. “In the name of exams, colleges charge enormous fees. Due to peer pressure, students give several exams hoping to crack
any one. ISEET is a good idea. Yes, initially there will be problems and many will object but change always creates a discomfort. However, parents and students need to understand that this change is for a better good,” says Irene Swaroop, a youth psychologist. College managements are also happy with the change but worried as new syllabus and study pattern needs to be planned and implemented. “A new test is always a different ball game altogether. We have made a new schedule and have made our plans for the next academic year keeping the 40 per cent intermediate ratio and aptitude test in mind. Only the fee structure need to be finalised, said Ganesh S, vice-principal, Gowtham Junior College.
MLA Motkupalli walks the talk Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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elnagana TDP leader and MLA Motkupalli N a r a s i m h u l u , announced that he would come to the Assembly on foot every day for 11 days until March 29. He began this ‘padayatra’ on Tuesday from his residence to the Assembly in protest against the TRS president K Chandrasekhara Rao’s
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‘activities’. He is doubly enthused by the observation of Congress MLA JC Diwakar Reddy that Narsimhulu was the right match for KCR when it comes to wordy duels. Another TDP MLA Revanth Reddy also joined the bandwagon of KCR-baiters. Revanth Reddy told to Postnoon that KCR and TRS would fade away soon. He opined that the days
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when people believed him blindly were over. As nothing was happening on Telangana front, people understood KCR’s tricks better, he said. Narasimhulu said that he had nothing against KCR personally. He charged that KCR was taking the people for a ride for his personal gains. He did not agree that there was political agenda in his daily walk to the Assembly. It was only to expose the misdeeds of KCR.
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CRIME BRIEFS Intermediate question paper gets leaked MEDAK: Intermediate first year examination scheduled for Wednesday at Ramayamapet in Medak district was disrupted due to a question paper leak. The superintendent and invigilators of Sneha Junior College had issued the question paper, half an hour in advance of the exam. On hearing about this, the police took the superintendent and invigilators into custody. However, no official announcement has been made about this incident so far.
Chandrababu to campaign for bypolls HYDERABAD : In view of the bypoll elections for the Assembly seats, Chandrababu Naidu will be campaigning for the Telugu Desam Party from March 8 to 15. He will be touring Kovuuru on March 8, Nagarkurnool on March 9, Mehboobnagar on March 10, Kamareddy on March 11, Adilabad on March 12 and Kollapur on March 13. He will end his campaign for the bypolls on March 14 at Station Ghanapur.
Maoist dump nearthed PEDDADORNALA: A Maoist dump has been unearthed near Chinnarutla Gudem, Srisailam. Seven hand grenades, a tapancha (country pistol) and a pair of uniform were seized by the special police team that was patrolling the area. Some revolutionary literature was also found. The seized items were sent to the Markapuram Officer on Special Duty’s office.
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Long weekend for MLAs Nagam to win Nagarkurnool POLITICS
U Srinivas feedback@postnoon.com
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feedback@postnoon.com
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peaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the House as usual again after disallowing the adjournment motions. The TDP MLAs wanted the House to discuss cotton prices and the enhancement of remunerative prices to the agriculture produce in the State. Manohar suggested to the members that the issue could be taken up during the short discussion or it could be taken up on Monday. But the members did not heed to the request of the Speaker and the House was adjourned for about half an hour. G Kishen Reddy was seen rushing to Mahbubnagar for campaign-
ing. Some other members also sought the permission of the Speaker as they were going for the campaign in the by-elections. As the Assembly would have a holiday on Thursday on account of Holi, it would have its next session only on Monday. Therefore, the members were gearing up to go to their respective constituencies for the long weekend. The election analysis continued in the lobbies and people were all praise for Akhilesh.
Red pathway to Assembly Postnoon news
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he pathway in front of both the entrances is lined up with red flowers. When MLAs enter from the front or the back doors into the Assembly they are greeted with red flowers. Some of the
MLAs opined that the red flowers indicated as if they were entering a communist party office. The idea was to have a pleasant look, but the scenario is now aggressive with the red dominating the green leaves. It is looking like a red pathway
he byelection for the Nagarkurnool Assembly constituency is again a foregone conclusion. Nagam Janardhan Reddy, a political heavy weight from the region, is all set to win in spite of a stiff competition from Congress candidate K Damodar Reddy. Nagam was elected from this constituency for five times and is raring for a victory for the sixth time. The byelection for the Nagarkurnool constituency was necessitated with the resignation of Nagam. The very fact that the TRS is not fielding a candidate against Nagam speaks volumes. There will be a keen contest between Janardhan Reddy and Damodar Reddy. Nagam is already moving in an auto-rickshaw, the election symbol allotted to him by the Election Commission. This constituency is a stronghold of Nagam Janardhan Reddy for several decades. TRS’ support will make his victory all the more easy. Nagam has commenced election work, as soon as he resigned from the TDP.
The Congress is pinning hopes on the campaign by Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. With the Congress putting up a below par performance in UP and some other States, the party’s morale had taken a beating. Moreover here the sentiment of Telangana is very high and it will work in favour of Nagam. The very fact that he has made it a point to tell the public he has resigned from TDP for the sake Telangana helps him in a big way. When it comes to TDP candidate Marri Janardhan Reddy, he is a textile business man and it looks like he is investing for his future politics. This time it is not easy for the TDP here. Yeddula Janardhan Reddy is another independent in the fray. There is talk that people might vote for TDP thinking that it is Nagam’s symbol. But people are very clear that Nagam has been allotted auto rickshaw and he is touring in an auto. Nagam Janardhan Reddy won on TDP ticket in the 2009 election by a majority of 6,593 votes. He got 68,026 votes.
BY P OLL BY LANES
Nagarkurnool Main contestants: TDP Marri Janardhan Reddy Independent Nagam Janardhan Reddy Cong Kuchakulla Damodar Reddy TRS Not contesting, supports Nagam Last Election Marri Janardan Reddy K Damodar Reddy J Raghunandan Reddy SK Moorjahan Total Voters Total Polled Votes
winner second
214403 147459
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Naive hands employed in vehicle pollution check N SHIVA KUMAR
ENVIRONMENT Rahul Ramakrishna
P REAL ESTATE GACHIBOWLI TO VATTINAGULAPALLY ORR FACING HOUSING PLOTS FOR SALE. NEAR MICROSOFT, WIPRO, ICICI, INFOTECH, KOKAPET IT SEZ. CONTACT - 9989354333
‘Congress stronger now’
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CC president Botsa Satyanarayana has commented that the strength of Congress has increased in the five states where elections were held. Commenting on the results, he said that the increased number of seats was a pointer to this.
ollution check certificates are mandatory for every vehicle. Once in every six months, a vehicle is expected to undergo a pollution test and get a PUC (Pollution under Check) certificate. A total of 155 PUCs operate in the City with 98 units being mobile PUCs and the remainder stationary. But guess who declares your vehicle environmentally fit or unfit? Mallesh and Naresh, two class X students work with a mobile unit at the KBR Park. “Naresh drives the vehicle and I conduct the tests,” says Mallesh. “We handle about 20 to 25 vehicles a day. We often switch roles and work.” MJ Ahmed, who operates a PUC van at Banjara Hills, says, “I have been working as an operator for three years. I was trained by my superior (whose name he refuses to divulge) at Mehdipatnam in one of these vans for a week.” It takes two to work a unit. “One works as the driver and the other handles the pollution work,” he says. Ask a few questions about the equipment in the mobile vans, they are blank. They simply refer to their instruments as the smoke box, the pipe, the computer and the printer. On further questioning, none of the operators show any signs of awareness about the Bharat Stage Emission standards that form the guidelines of any vehicular pollution test. This lack of basic knowledge is evidence enough that these operators have developed a rhetorical procedure of fitting pipes and printing data.
Pandu Ranga Rao, joint commissioner of the RTA for the twin cities, explains, “Each testing centre is equipped with a gas analyser and a smoke analyser that examine diesel and petrol engine emissions respectively. These units are operated by people whose jobs have been outsourced by the RTA to Manatec, Natal and AVM. Every class of vehicle has its own emission standards depending on the date of manufacture and so forth. The software used in the PUCs are constantly upgraded to these emission standards thereby keeping pollution under check,” he said.
THE FACES OF HYDERABAD MJ Lakshmi, Pharmacist, Jubilee Hills
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oft spoken Lakshmi has been working as a pharmacist since 2009. Ask her what exactly pulled her into this field and she says that she has always been interested in medicines and dispensary. Every day from 9am to 7pm she works in the pharmacy, quietly dispensing prescribed drugs to customers. She is presently pursuing her M.Pharmacy and says that working in a medical store is part of the course curriculum.
Aishwarya Yerra A city is defined by the people who live and work in it. Here we take a look at the human threads that make up our urban tapestry
Her job requires her to have an indepth knowledge about medicines and know the specific purpose and use of each drug. It is not as easy as it looks to be a pharmacist. But she says she loves what she is doing. Lakshmi says her aim is to get into the research field. She wants to do her PHD in clinical research. So she says once she completes her M.Pharma course she will be going to London to pursue her doctorate dreams.
Fact file
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he specifics of a pollution check depend on the standards prescribed under CMV Rules 1989, with the Bharat Stage Emissions forming four categories Stage 1 and 2: Mostly for vehicles manufactured on or before 1998. Stage 3: Transport and three wheeler vehicles. Stage 4: Stage 4 is for vehicles manufactured from 2010. These emission standards also vary with the make of the engine ie; petrol, gas or diesel. And also for heavy duty construction machinery, generators, agricultural vehicles etc. DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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New house numbers by March 2014 T
he allotment of new house numbers in all the circles in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits would be completed by March 2014. This was stated by the minister for Municipal Administration M Mah Qeedhar Reddy in the State Assembly on Tuesday while replying to a question by Congress members D Sudheer Reddy and K Srisailam Goud. The minister explained that an amount of `1.20 crores was allotted for the purpose in 201112 and `3 crores for 2012-13. The new numbering programme was started in 2004 in 18 circles in GHMC limits as per the directive of the Government of India. While the GHMC staff have taken up the job in four circles, private agencies were entrusted with the work in six circles. In the remaining eight circles, the tenders have been called and works would be allotted shortly, he explained. Sudheer Reddy pointed out that due to lack of proper house numbers, it has become a Herculean task for people to locate house in many localities. Moreover, the numbers were allotted erratically resulting in one number found in one lane and the next number in another. He urged that the numbers be allotted in every lane and locality according to serial order.
Cops suspended for not checking minister’s vehicle
N
ellore district superintendent of police BV Ramana Kumar has said that he had suspended police sub inspector Sekhar Babu and assistant sub inspector Chennaiah for not checking the vehicle of Finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and his convoy at the check-post, during the election campaigning in the Kovuru constituency of the district. Talking to the media here on Tuesday, he said that apart from suspending the two policemen, he had also issued notices to other policemen in the incident. The SP said that the police had seized `81.54 lakhs in cash and 150 liquor bottles, during checks at different check-posts. The district collector said that booth-level officials would go from door-to-door and distribute the voter slips. He said that a mock poll would be conducted on March 12, to check the preparedness of the election authorities for the poll scheduled for March 18.
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Jubilee Hills park rots in neglect SRINIVAS SETTY
CIVIC Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com
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roperty rates in Jubilee Hills have always been premium and a piece of land in this upmarket locality has been one of the most sought after in the city. The most recognisable address in the area is Road No 36. But a prime property on the road has been left for dumps — literally, and the people blame the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for this. The park on Road No 36, located next to SVM Mall, has turned into a dumping ground for the retail shops, which conveniently throw their garbage into this 400 square yard plot. Maintained, or ill-maintained by the GHMC, the park which could have been a great source of fresh air and a recreational area for families is now a barren plot. Add to the woes is a bus stop in front of the park and more often than not, the passengers who use the bus stop throw their share of the waste here as well.
This is killing the 20-odd eucalyptus trees here. The worst part, however, is that not only is the garbage dumped here, it is allegedly burnt by the GHMC exposing hundreds of passengers to toxic
smoke. A look at the park reveals hundreds of tea cups and cigarette butts, thrown by a vendor in front of the park. But the vendor, Suryanarayana, when confronted, immediately cleared the air and
Holi loses colour, gains big ticket stature FESTIVAL
SRINIVAS SETTY Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com
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oli has been an intimate affair and was often celebrated with family and friends. But things have changed and the festival of colours is now an extravagant affair in the City. Gala parties and a chance for you to rub shoulders with people you probably will meet only once in your life is now the norm. A City old timer recalls how the celebrations have changed over the years. “Earlier we used to gather at one place with family members and play Holi but with changing times the celebrations have also changed. Now, it’s more about socialising. Holi bashes with unique themes are catching up. In many of these parties the traditional Holi drinks mixed with bhang have been replaced by alcohol and the folk songs have made way for
film songs” says Anil Singh. Be it the Bisket bash, Taj Banjara Holi bash, Rang Barse at Marakesh Moroccon or the rain dance at Leonia resorts, this year Holi has become a social soiree. “There has been a change in the ways in which the festival is celebrated. The big bashes have now become a way to socialise in the City. These events provide an opportunity for youngsters to mingle and participate in dances and cultural programmes,” said Veeresh Kurchur, a city- based event manager and DJ. “Earlier, the celebrations used to be more traditional. Weeks in advance youngsters would collect donations for the festival. On the Holi day after playing with colours family members would gather to seek blessings from elders but now the celebrations have lost their original flavour. Kavi sammelans used to be the main attraction in the evenings. Folk singers and dancers would perform for two days during the festival but now it has been taken over by Tollywood or Bollywood actors,” said, Jitendra Singh, who recently organised a traditional preHoli bash in Balanagar However, one good thing about these events is the use of organic colours this time around. Whatever be the reason, Holi is known as the festival of colours and let the festival bring you fun, laughter and pure, unadulterated joy.
said that it is, in fact, the GHMC that throws garbage into the park. “I never throw the garbage inside the park and neither do any of my customers. I have a garbage bin to dispose the waste into the GHMC community bin nearby,”
he defended. How much of this statement is true, is questionable. However, the passengers using the bus stop can’t stop complaining about the stench that the garbage emits. “We can’t stand here for more than 10 minutes. It is horrible, to say the least. But we have no choice as our bus leaves from here,” said D Konaseema, a passenger. Agrees Govind, a regular at the bus stop, “The stench is unbearable sometimes. Either the GHMC should clean up the park, or relocate the bus stop.” Fortunately, there aren’t many residential properties surrounding the park. Commercial buildings are spread across the area and that has taken a deep toll on the park. This can be seen by the commercial waste dumped here such as cardboard boxes, thermocol paper, and packing material. Added to the woes is that the GHMC doesn’t get the park cleaned and maintain it. Again, the GHMC remained unavailable for comment. What remains of the ‘park’ now are few trees, garbage, an abandoned sugarcane juicer, and stray dogs. And it is a sorry sight indeed.
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International Womenʼs Day
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
For maids in India, nothing has changed
Walking towards a better tomorrow! Are we? PERCEPTION Isha Mukoo isha.m@postnoon.com
RIGHTS
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Shiba Minai shiba.m@postnoon.com
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ndia continues to be one of the few countries that have maids who do everything right from sweeping, mopping, cleaning to cooking. With the world talking about liberation this Women’s Day, has it even touched the ‘lower strata?’ Has life got any better for the maids? Postnoon finds out. We spent a major part of our lives thanking our moms for all the efforts they put in to nurture a child. We thank doctors and teachers for their services. But, wait, how many times have we stopped to think how the maids in our homes have been silent contributors to our daily lives. Two thirds of the world lives without even knowing what it feels like to have a domestic help! The West seems to value these ‘personal’ services and maids are
given benefits, 13 months salary, a 5-day week, national holidays, medical care and insurance. Let’s compare that to the scenario here. Amina Bee, a maid, says, “I work with a very good family. They pay me on time, I am paid `3,000 a month and they take care of two meals a day. I also get to have tea and am given new clothes every Eid.” About work hours she says, “I start at 7am and work till 8pm and when needed stay for a few more hours.” The highest paid are livein maids. Lakshmi Tharuppa, a live-in maid, says, “I have a full-
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time job, because not only am I taking care of the house but also nurse saab, a heart patient.” Are there laws to protect these women? High court lawyer L Ravi Chander says, “To my knowledge there is no law talking about the number of hours, or type of work or about holidays.” He continues, “It’s fashionable to talk about their rights, but if a law is passed, how do you implement it? What are the rules and exceptions? A lot of times they steal, dodge work or disappear for days. I don’t see any practical solution from a legal point of view.”
hey have walked out of the kitchen doors and moved into the other productive areas in life. Women are no longer just about proving their culinary skills and parading in front of their prospective life partners. Women have made their presence felt in all sectors. But beyond the pretty picture, have we really progressed? Be it the rape case in Noida, where the victim was accused of being provocative or the Kolkata case where the victim was mocked by the police and a minister. Management professional Kiranmayee Mortha, working with IBM, feels every woman is waging her own war all the time. “Hyderabad can be divided into two parts. There are certain parts like Hi-Tech City where a woman is looked at as a professional and others where I have been called a whore when I cut short a guy
while driving. The acceptance level is slow, but the City is taking baby steps,” she says. Siddharth Shetty, a finance professional, feels Hyderabad has gotten better due to the mix of different cultures but there is still a long way ahead. “Society has not reached that point where there is an unbiased ideology or an even a platform. That is largely due to lack of educational awareness,” he says. Chief functionary of Prajwala, an organisation helping distressed women, Dr Sunnite Krishnan says, “There is a lot of hypocrisy and double standards. On one hand, we talk about the woman being a goddess and in the same breath we hear cases of atrocities against women.” She adds, “Access to opportunities is restricted to the privileged class. But there’s no sign of right to dignity anywhere.” Tomorrow, as we celebrate Women’s Day in respect and appreciation of women’s achievements and the UN theme being “Empower women”, many are left wondering if it’s the opposite.
Who will empower all these women? Mini Singh feedback@postnoon.com
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he International Women’s Day is a UN initiative that is celebrated on the 8th of March every year. 2011 saw the 100th Anniversary of the International Women’s Day. The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2012 is Empower Women — End Hunger and Poverty. Women! Women! Women! Suppressed women, repressed women, shackled women, battered women, scarred women, wounded women, broken women, timid women, smart women, bitchy women, feisty women, gutsy women — it takes all kinds of women to make up this world. It is a sad but true fact that the objectives of celebrating the ‘International Women’s Day,’ are a grim reflection of women’s status in society today. Are women really the weaker sex? Well, yes and no. Men were made larger and more muscular by nature for the same reason that peacocks have beautiful tail feathers — to impress females and attract the best mates. Somewhere down the line, the strength that was meant to attract, became the strength that terrorised. Brothers, fathers and husbands became people that girls and women feared. If you look for reasons for this phenomenon; one explanation is the fact that men started fearing the strength of women, and felt that they had to curb and rein in the women in their
lives. The secondary status assigned to women is obvious by popular slang such as ‘bros before hoes.’ While all this was happening, what were the women doing to salvage their situation? Well, judging from history; they were presenting themselves as doormats, and encouraging the men in their lives to trample all over them; thus continuing the reign of terror, so to say. So who makes the woman the weaker sex? None other than the woman herself. She offers her power on a platter to the various men in her life — dad, brother, boyfriend, husband... and then wonders why she is so powerless. While the world has its share of wonderful men, there are a lot of un-wonderful men who make life miserable for women. If it is romantic love we are talking about, where both partners surrender to each other willingly; I have news for you woman. (And here I am specifically addressing only those women who find themselves at the receiving end of domestic abuse and violence.) There is a huge possibility that your man has no idea how to handle the power that you so lovingly offered to him. Let me give you an example. Have you observed how animals make friends with others of their species? If a dog wants to be accepted by another dog and wants to show his submission, he offers his throat or his jugular as a show of complete surrender. While a lot of women are probably wired by the primitive part of their brain, the brainstem, to surrender themselves in a similar way, what probably happens is that your jugular gets bitten off because your man has no idea how to reciprocate.
OPINION
Is your man really so ignorant about how he should handle your feelings, or is it just convenient for him to treat you badly knowing that you are more dependent on him than he is on you? Think about it. You are the one who gets stuck with a period every month, you are the one that gets pregnant for nine months and goes through hell during this time while he sneers at your resultant emotional roller-coaster from a
distance. You have children to look after, for whom your career takes a backseat, and soon you are financially dependent on your tormentor. Worse, you are legally and morally obliged to have sex with this man. And that is the last straw that completely destroys any self esteem you ever had. You are the role model for your daughter who learns that she needs to endure whatever the men in her life dish out. Your son learns that he can get away with treating women badly, because that is what he has seen his dad do. And so the Catch 22 cycle continues. And what do you do, in response to your plight? While the UN tries to empower you, you cry yourself to sleep every night. And even as you spend your life in a stupor, you are creating a monster in your very home — teaching your son that women should endure bad behaviour from men. As a mother, you have tremendous power over how the next generation of boys will treat females. And yet, what do you teach them? Think about it. Don’t you think it is your responsibility to teach your sons and daughters that all people deserve to be treated with respect, and that there is no excuse for violence? And since actions speak louder than words, isn’t it time you stood up for yourself and set a good example? If every woman learns to respect herself and understands her intrinsic value, then she doesn’t need an NGO to help her. And for those women who are already there; living a happy, wonderful life, hurrah! Teach other women to love themselves. May your tribe thrive! (The writer is a Hyderabad-based commentator)
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Budget tip Don’t hike service tax, Assocham tells govt
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ndustry body Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) wanted the government not to increase excise duty and service tax from their current level of 10.3 per cent in the coming budget. “Corporate India wants stimulus package to continue in the form of excise duties and service tax at the current level of 10.3 per cent in the Union Budget for the financial year 2012-13,” the Assocham said in a pre-budget expectations survey. While over 1,000 CEOs participated in the survey, half of them sought reduction in central sales tax from two per cent to one per cent.
IMImobile deploys IBM software Postnoon News
HYDERABAD:
IMIMobile, a city-based mobile data technology infrastructure and solutions provider, has deployed IBM software to enhance its existing service and cloud infrastructure management processes. The IBM SmartCloud foundation software will help IMIMobile further streamline management of its cloud services infrastructure; strengthen compliance with stringent service level agreements (SLAs); improve infrastructure utilization and evolve process maturity with compliance. Further, IBM software will help IMIMobile implement a followthe-sun model for service management across IMI’s virtual network operations centre (VNOC) teams spread in Europe and India. “Our infrastructure consists of 1,000 high-end servers and more than 300 network equipment nodes deployed both within our data centres and operator networks worldwide. Our customers stand to benefit from the improved operational efficiencies and service levels with this adoption. We will also be able to leverage IBM’s global expertise to offer enhanced service levels for the mission critical services that we deliver to blue-chip customers, which include mobile operators, media companies and enterprises,” said Vishwanath Alluri, founder and CEO, IMImobile.
City realtors breathe easy as buyer confidence recovers Sandip Patnaik feedback@postnoon.com
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esidential property buyer sentiments in Hyderabad have improved considerably over the last three quarters. There has been a gradual but certain increase in residential demand and absorption. That said, the market is still a long way from touching the 2007- 2008 levels. There has been a marked increase in activity by developers scouting for suitable land parcels for residential development. More than anything else, this is a convincing indication that they want to proceed with their expansion plans and not hold on to their land, which had more or less been the trend since 2008-2009. We definitely expect an increase in PE investments into residential real estate projects in Hyderabad in 2012. Until now, institutional capital flows had been slow in Hyderabad when compared to some of the other
cities. The reasons for this were specific to the period: At this point in time, the current real estate valuations are once again making sense, and developers as well as end users are once again in action mode. There is every reason to believe that the political scenario will take a turn for the favourable for private equity (PE) investment in 2012-2013. On the more sombre side, it also looks like residential supply is likely to outstrip demand in the foreseeable future. There is clearn n n
In 2007-2008, the main reason was high valuations In 2008- 2010, the global financial crisis was clearly the culprit In 2010- 2011, the state-level political scenario depressed institutional investment sentiments
ly a supply–demand mismatch, and unsold inventory is quite high. This fact will definitely have an impact on residential property pricing in the mid-term. That said, there are also going to be selective price rises for projects in high-demand locations having good amenities.
Commercial Real Estate The commercial real estate sector in Hyderabad has reacted very differently from the residential sector over the past few years. In 20082009, the Grade A office space absorption in the city stood at approximately 2.2 million square feet. Thereafter, in 2010 and 2011, Hyderabad saw an absorption of 4.4 to 5.0 million square feet year on year. This clearly indicates that corporate client did not let the political scenario upset their expansion plans in Hyderabad. In fact, all our large corporate clients such as Cognizant, TCS and Accenture have expanded their
office bases over last 2 to 3 years. What is worrisome is the fact that very few new companies have set up their base in Hyderabad over last couple of years. Notable exceptions would be JP Morgan and Facebook, along with a handful of others. Almost 90–95 per cent of the city’s commercial real estate absorption has been via expansion of existing companies. In 2012, the lack of special economic zones (SEZ) supply will result in city absorption being lower than in 2010 and 2011. There is a huge supply of software technology parks of India (STPI) /Commercial space available for corporates amounting to approximately 4.5–5.0 million square feet, but as 60-70 per cent of the absorption is in SEZs, landlords and developers owning STPI/Commercial spaces might feel the pressure of unsold and un-leased inventory. (The writer is the managing director, Jones Lang LaSalle India, Hyderabad.)
Internet Doomsday is extended Postnoon News
HYDERABAD: The Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America (USA) was granted time by a court of law to continue the operation of temporary servers until July 9. Though the deadline should have expired on March 8, the FBI was given permission to operate the temporary servers, so as to
enable the numerous institutions to remove the malware from their systems. These include 94 Fortune-500 companies. However, millions of computers and routers are still infected with DNSChanger malware. Internet Identity (IID) found at least 94 of all Fortune 500 companies and three out of 55 major government entities
had at least one computer or router that was infected with DNSChanger as of February 23, 2012. The numbers have decreased due to taking necessary steps to remove this malware and making changes in their DNS settings. Earlier, there were 250 out of fortune 500 companies and 27 government entities that were infected with mal-
ware. There are findings that there are a huge number of people who did not sort out their system from this malware. “It is very important for companies to check their systems and act immediately to sort out this malware. There may not be further extensions in this regard,” said Sanjay Katkar, CTO, QuickHeal Technologies.
India‑View
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
India unveiled
Holi no longer ‘holy’: Changing colours of this spring festival Brij Khandelwal
SRINIVAS SETTY
AGRA: Unlike many other festivals, Holi, according to pandits and learned scholars of the Braj area ‘is the time for gay abandon, for dropping the artificial barriers, class differences, snobbish or elitist tendencies and mix around’. But, now the festival of ‘colours’ sees ‘no mixing’ as the level of patience is declining and people are becoming ‘intolerant’. Culture critic Mahesh Dhakar of Agra said, “Long back the city of Taj used to organise Maha Moorkh (fool) Sammelans (gathering), where all important people in town used to gather. They were then awarded Puruskars and titles of different levels of Moorkhata (foolishness). The top award was Maha Moorkha. This went on in the Belanganj area for years.” Shishir Bhagat, one of the owners of the famous 250-yearold Bhagat Halwai, in Belanganj told, “Times have changed. Those days the relations were deep and genuine and no one reacted sharply to Holi frivolities. Weeks in advance, groups of street urchins would pester pedestrians and passersby, to collect small donations for the final day celebrations. But now the Holi celebrations have lost their original flavour and become generally an indoor club activity. No more mixing with the masses.” With changing lifestyles and values, Holi revelry has taken new hues; modern, less expressive and boisterous. “It has become so difficult to laugh your guts out without artificiality. Earlier it used to be impossible to move out of the house because of the rowdies stopping everyone, throwing dirt or demanding money for celebra-
tions. We have gradually become urbane and civil, but the rural areas continue to engage in full throated singing and dancing to the beat of dholaks and nagadas,” said old timer Surendra Sharma, president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society. Liquor has replaced the traditional thandai and bhang. “People gather at common places, birds of a feather flock together type, but there is very little effort made to break the social barriers these days,” laments social activist Sudhier Gupta. “Even the municipal corpora-
tion organised mela on Holi remains a detestable demonstration of caste loyalties. Each caste panchayat puts up its stall where its members greet one another. Definitely the finer aspects of Holi revelries are all a feature of the past,” added Gupta. High costs and increasing economic burden on families have also contributed to limiting the celebrations to just a few hours on Holi, said homemaker Padmini. In Mathura-Vrindavan, the celebrations are now largely confined to temples.
“The fervour rarely spills over to the streets. It could be an invitation for trouble if someone chose to smear gulal or throw colour on strangers. The geetsangeet parampara (tradition) is also on the decline, largely because the conventional Haveli Sangeet of Braj is not attracting new adherents,” explained Bihari Sharma, young journalist of Vrindavan Kunj. Holi, also called as Phag, is time for folk dances, songs and Rasia dangals, a form of poetry peculiar to this region. Agra being a quintessential
Mughal city, can not overlook the rich tradition of celebrations set by Akbar and Jahangir. Both Mughal emperors indulged in the merriment and showered gulab and colours on the revellers. Musical mehfils were held all night and community bhang drinking was the order of the day. Urdu poets Nazir Akbarabadi, emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and so many others have penned special songs including phags to be sung during celebrations. Sufi saints Amir Khusrau and Nizammuddin Aulia also sang songs in pure Persian celebrating the spirit of what was then called Eid-e-Gulabi, when the royals exchanged gulab, rose water and itr, while the drummers kept beating their nagadas (big round drums). Contemporary paintings show Jahangir playing Holi with his wife Noorjahan. The carnival lasted several days, even during the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar who had special arrangements made for the celebrations. Talking to IANS after receiving the prestigious Maha Moorkha Award, at a function held on Sunday evening, the National general secretary of Indian People’s Theatre Association, Jitendra Raghvanshi said, “Yes each age has to redefine its idiom and forms of expressions, necessitating reinvention and repackaging of emotions in various shades. Changes in perception, and levels of tolerance are factors that seem to be transforming Holi from a mass festival to a class and caste festival, but these are temporary phases.” “Eventually the essential spirit of celebration will find new forms of expression,” Raghvanshi added. IANS
Will stay till issue resolved: Italian minister THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Staffan de Mistura, currently in Kerala, on Tuesday said he will only leave after sorting out the issues surrounding the arrest of two Italian marines for allegedly shooting two Indian fishermen. Mistura made the statement to an Italian TV channel here yesterday. The minister also told the channel that he was unable to say if he would meet Kerala
Morale of my countrymen is high, it is for the local police to decide on their release. Deputy Foreign Minister Staffan de Mistura
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Asked why he tried meeting up with the family of Gelastine, one of the killed fishermen, he said it was to extend his condolences. Though Mistura had tried to visit the family, they had refused to meet him. On the two marines — Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone — currently in the prison, he said that their morale is high; and on reports
of their likelihood to be moved out of the prison, he said that is for the local police to decide. Massimillano and Girone were on Feb 20 sent by a court to 14 days judicial custody. This was later extended twice by seven days each. They were kept in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guest house in Kochi, and later at Kollam before being sent to a jail on Monday where they are to be detained till March 19. IANS
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
India unveiled
Not projecting me as CM candidate cost Cong dear PANAJI: Outgoing Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has said the ruling Congress would have done better in the Assembly polls if he had been projected as the party’s face for the top post. The picture in Goa, where BJP is set to form the new Government, would have been different if the March 3 elections had been fought completely under his leadership, he told reporters at Margao last evening. “Elections were not completely fought under my leadership,” Kamat said, responding to a question. “If party had projected me as the Chief Ministerial candidate, the picture would have been different. People must have been thinking that I was sidelined. This was also one of the factors
(for Congress debacle),” he said. The party had appointed former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane as the campaign manager. Kamat was by and large restricted to his Assembly segment (Margao) and stepped out of the constituency only twice – to attend the public meetings addressed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Congress, which had won 16 seats in 2007, was reduced to single digit (9) this time, while BJP-Maharashtawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) alliance swept the polls, securing 24 seats in the 40-member Assembly. Kamat conceded that the Congress never expected such a huge debacle.”The party will have to introspect why such results have come,” he said. PTI
Party leaders meet to review performance NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi met key leaders here today (Wednesday) to assess the party’s dismal performance in the assembly elections in five states. According to sources in the party, all general secretaries, including Rahul Gandhi, were meeting at the Congress president’s 10 Janpath residence. The meeting will review the Congress’ performance in the elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, party insiders said. The party managed only 28 seats in Uttar Pradesh, where Rahul Gandhi had campaigned extensively. IANS
UP chief minister Mayawati resigns LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati resigned Wednesday following the rout of her Bahujan Samaj Party in the assembly
elections. The Samajwadi Party emerged victorious and is expected to stake claim to form government. IANS
Israeli bomb attack case: Man arrested NEW DELHI: Headway was made into the three-week-old Israeli car bombing case with the Delhi Police arresting a 50-yearold man, claiming to be a journalist, for allegedly being part of the conspiracy. The accused, Syed Mohammed Kazmi, who claims to have been writing for an Iranian publication, was picked up after a probe showed that he had been in touch with the suspect in the bombing.
Two women killed in Poonch firing JAMMU: Two women were killed and two people were injured in firing by an army soldier in Poonch town of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday morning, police said. According to police sources, a soldier of the Territorial Army, Tariq Pathan, went on roof top of his house in Poonch town, about 240 kilometres North-West of Jammu on Wednesday morning and opened indiscriminate fire from his service rifle. Two women in the neighbourhood died on the spot while a man and another woman were injured.
Lessons from Lucknow for Hyderabad POLITICO TS Sudhir
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n 2009, I was at an election meeting in Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, waiting for Rahul Gandhi to arrive when I found Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s Man Friday grumbling. Let us call him Mr X here. Mr X started talking about how meetings like these were a waste of YSR’s time. Why, I asked, because after all, in the Congress school of sycophancy, the Gandhis are seen as the star campaigners and every state leader is expected to fawn over them. “Rahul Gandhi’s team has specifically asked for those constituencies where Congress is certain to win and have him campaign only there. What’s the point? Sir feels that if Rahul really wants to make a difference, he should tour those constituencies where the Telugu Desam will put up a stiff fight. But he won’t,’’ he explained. Eventually, when the Congress won 33 LS seats out of 42 in
Akhilesh Yadav Andhra Pradesh, a senior Congress leader from Delhi pointed out to me Rahul Gandhi’s report card in the state. He had scored 100 per cent, as Congress had won in all the seats he had campaigned in. In the building up of Brand Rahul, Andhra Pradesh had played a significant part.
Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra The election results in Uttar Pradesh have severely dented that brand. And along with it, also diminished the magnetic power of the Gandhi surname to attract voters. What impact will it have on Andhra Pradesh politics, where as many as 24 assembly constituencies go to bypolls between next
week and September? Six of the seats are in Telangana region, where the presence of the statehood sentiment overrides all other factors and gives the TRS a headstart. How the Congress fares in the other two regions will be watched with interest. The party’s dismal perfor-
mance in UP and Punjab will mean the momentum will not be with the party. And Jaganmohan Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu will look to exploit this back foot play of the Congress. But even though the TRS will gain from the prevalent Telangana sentiment in the first round of bypolls, Mayawati’s defeat is not good news for the possible formation of Telangana. Remember, Mayawati had announced a grand plan to divide UP into four states and the move was seen as a boost to Telangana’s separatist aspirations. Now Mulayam Singh Yadav is against smaller states and his clout in Lucknow and by extension, Delhi, would mean Telangana will remain what it is. A dream. The UP results will also mean the Congress will have to review its tactics vis-a-vis Jagan. Does it get the CBI to arrest him? It knows it could be accused of vendetta politics and if Jagan’s YSR Congress subsequently wins most of the seats in the byelections, Congress would end up with egg on its face. Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath may well be its slogan. But at the moment, it is the Congress that desperately needs a helping hand.
Around the World
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Beyond Borders
Pakistani Hindus seek safety in India KARACHI: Preetam Das is a good doctor with a hospital job and a thriving private clinic, yet all he thinks about is leaving Pakistan, terrified about a rise in killings and kidnappings targeting Hindus. A successful professional, he lives in megacity Karachi with his wife and two children, but comes from Kashmore, a district in the north of Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh. His family has lived there for centuries and in 1947 when the sub-continent split between India, a majority Hindu state, and Pakistan, a homeland for Muslims, Das’ grandparents chose to stay with the Muslims. They fervently believed the promise of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah that religious minorities would be protected. Sixty years later, their grandson says life in Kashmore has become unbearable. “The situation is getting worse every day,” he says. Two of his uncles have been kidnapped and affluent Hindus are at particular risk from abduction gangs looking for ransom, he says. Rights activists say the climate is indicative of progressive Islamisation over the last 30 years that has fuelled an increasing lack of tolerance to religious minorities, too often considered second class citizens. Das says the only thing keeping him in Pakistan is his mother. “She has flatly refused to migrate, which hinders my plans.
Chief priest Amarsi Meghi Baria as he worships at the Manher Mandir temple in Karachi. AFP/RIZWAN TABASSUM
I can’t go without her,” he said. Hindus make up 2.5 percent of the 174 million people living in the nuclear-armed Muslim nation. Over 90 percent live in Sindh, where they are generally wealthy and enterprising, making them easy prey for criminal gangs. An official at the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi who declined to be named said “Every month about eight to 10 Hindu
Mugabe honoured with signature clothing label HARARE: From Marxist revolutionary to Africa’s oldest leader to fashion icon. That’s how a group of young Zimbabwean designers see Robert Mugabe, whose signature they have splashed across a new clothing line. “He is a revolutionary, he is a cultural icon and we decided, why not honour him,” Justin Matenda, 28, a director of Yedu Nesu, makers of the Mugabe clothing label said. “This is something that we want to be upheld by so many generations to come.” Under the brand House of Gushungo — Mugabe’s clan name — the 88-year-old president’s signature is splayed in silver studs across caps, t-shirts coffee mugs and berets. Some items show his birth year, 1924, in Roman numerals. It’s a highpriced upgrade from the tradition of emblazoning his image on cloth prints, given to women to wear as wraps or sewn into
Model shows clothes bearing Mugabe’s signature in Harare. AFP/JEKESAI NJIKISANABN
men’s shirts and caps. Prices range from $10 to $30, in a nation where the World Bank says nearly three-fourths of the population lives in poverty, on less than three dollars a day for a family of five. But Matenda has big dreams of taking on famous labels like Luis Vutton, Gucci and Paul Smith. He wants to take samples of the line to Paris Fashion Week. AFP
families migrate from Pakistan. Most of them are well-off.” He had no comment on whether the number was on the rise, but Hindu community groups in Pakistan say more people are leaving because of kidnappings, killings and even forced conversions of girls to Islam. “Two of my brothers have migrated to India and an uncle to the UAE,” said Jay Ram, a farmer
in Sindh’s northern district of Ghotki. “It’s becoming too difficult to live here. Sindhis are the most tolerant community in the country vis-a-vis religious harmony, but deteriorating law and order is forcing them to move unwillingly,” he added. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council and a former lawmaker
for Sindh province, said Hindus are picked on by kidnappers and that their daughters are subject to forced conversions to Islam. “Every now and then we get reports of families migrating. It’s getting worse now. People are extremely harassed and are forced to leave their homeland but our rulers are shamelessly idle,” he said. Rights activists also say Hindus in Sindh are discriminated against. “Recently 37 members of five Hindu families migrated to India from Thul town owing to discrimination while three Hindus, including a doctor, were murdered in Shikarpur district,” said Rubab Jafri, who heads Sindh’s Human Rights Forum. “Lots of violent incidents are happening daily. Most go unreported, which shows vested interests are trying to force Hindus to leave Pakistan.” According to the Pakistan Hindu Seva, a community welfare organisation, at least 10 families have migrated from Sindh every month since 2008, mostly to India, but in the last 10 months, 400 families have left. Another survey last year by the local Scheduled Caste Rights Movement said more than 80 percent of Hindu families complained that Muslims discriminated against them by using different utensils when serving them at food stalls. “Hindu migration is a braindrain for Pakistan as most of them are doctors, engineers, agriculturists, businessmen and intellectuals,” Jafri said. AFP
2011 disasters cost $380 billion
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isasters cost the world a record figure of more than $380 billion in 2011, according to the United Nations. UN special envoy on disaster risk reduction, Margareta Wahlstrom said that while countries were doing better at restricting death tolls, economic costs were spiraling. Her comments had been foreshadowed by experts at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, according to IRIN News. “Never before has this world suffered so much economic loss due to natural disaster, most of which has been in Asia and the Pacific,” Sanjay Srivastava, UN regional adviser for disaster risk reduction, told IRIN in Bangkok, adding that 90 per cent of the economic losses caused by to natural disasters in 2011 were suffered by Asian countries. Wahlstrom, meantime, said the $380 billion figure, mainly due to earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand, was “the minimum” cost and already twothirds higher than the last record
in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina. Floods in Thailand and other countries also sent the costs skyrocketing last year. “Earthquakes are the costliest and the deadliest of disasters,” Wahlstrom told a press conference to mark the first anniversary of the Japan quake on March 11 last year. The UN disaster risk reduction agency headed by Wahlstrom put the damage costs of the earthquake, tsunami and
nuclear explosion at Fukushima at more than $210 billion.The Thailand floods cost more than $40 billion, the group said, while New Zealand’s central bank has estimated that the deadly earthquake last year caused about $25 billion in losses. Wahlstrom said any plan to improve development in a country must include measures to deal with the impact of climate change and natural disasters. GLOBALPOST
Around the World
13
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Beyond Borders
Romney is Super Tuesday King; secures crucial Ohio win Super Tuesday results
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney attends a Super Tuesday Republican primary elections evening in Boston, Massachusetts on Tuesday. AFP/EMMANUEL DUNAND BOSTON:
Mitt Romney assured his supporters he would eventually earn the 2012 Republican nomination, as he savoured Super Tuesday victories and savaged Barack Obama’s “failed” presidency. The former Massachusetts governor received a hometown hero’s welcome from supporters who cheered his multiple victories, capped with a projected knife-edged win in Ohio, the grand prize of the 10-state bonanza. Romney, fighting to solidify his frontrunner status in the Republican Party race to determine who faces Obama in the November elections, spent days campaigning in Ohio, but he
made no mention of the state during his speech, which came before CNN called the state contest in his favour. Instead, he tore into Obama, to the delight of some 1,000 cheering supporters united in their conviction that Romney is the Republican most capable of ousting the Democratic incumbent from the White House. “To the millions of Americans who look around and can only see jobs they can’t get and bills they can’t pay, I have a message,” Romney said amid deafening chants of “USA, USA” and “We need Mitt.” “You have not failed. You have a president that has failed you, and that’s going to
change,” he said to roars of applause. “This campaign is not about a name on the ballot. It’s about ssaving the soul of America.” Romney said that as president he would “get our economy back on track and get our citizens back to work. And unlike President Obama, I actually have the experience to deliver on that promise.” Romney won Massachusetts by a landslide, and took Vermont and Virginia as well, according to early results, but Rick Santorum won Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Dakota, while former House speaker Newt Gingrich took Georgia. AFP
IDAHO: 1. Romney 69% 2. Paul 12% MASSACHUSETTS: 1. Romney 72% 2. Santorum 12% 3. Paul 10% VERMONT: 1. Romney 40% 2. Paul 25% 3. Santorum 23% VIRGINIA: 1. Romney 60% 2. Paul 40% ** (Gingrich and Santorum not on the ballot in Virginia) Rick Santorum projected to win three states NORTH DAKOTA: 1. Santorum 40% 2. Paul 28% 3. Romney 24% OKLAHOMA: 1. Santorum 34% 2. Romney 28% 3. Gingrich 28% TENNESSEE 1. Santorum 37% 2. Romney 28% 3. Gingrich 24% Newt Gingrich projected to win one state GEORGIA: 1. Gingrich 47% 2. Romney 26% 3. Santorum 20% Winners not yet projected: OHIO: 1. Romney 38% 2. Santorum 37% 3. Gingrich 15% POLL YET TO CLOSE: ALASKA
LulzSec ‘leader’ spy for FBI NEW YORK: Six members of the suspected computer hacking groups affiliated with Anonymous were charged — including the suspected ring leader, who directed the entire operation from a Manhattan apartment complex — after it was revealed one of the group’s most high profile members has been working with federal authorities for months. Hector Monsegur, a 28-year-old American believed to use the name ‘Sabu’ on the internet, was arrested by federal agents last year and has been cooperating with law enforcement ever since, officials said. He pleaded guilty last August. At least four of the five other members of the group were arrested recently based on information provided by Monsegur — one in Chicago
Hacker “messiah” Hector Monsegur, handle “Sabu” was a top leader in Anonymous and three overseas, officials said. Each was charged with conspiracy and at least two were to appear in federal court in Lower Manhattan. Federal
officials said they expect the arrests to seriously damage LulzSec, an underground group also known as Lulz Security, which is also an offshoot of the
hacking group Anonymous. Law enforcement sources said that the six people charged are allegedly among the most sophisticated hackers in the world. The FBI said motives for attacks varied — for example an attack on credit card companies was based on the refusal by the firms to process contributions to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, and another attack was simply a way of mocking internet security. The investigation began with a tip last June, officials said. The group and Anonymous have taken credit for carrying out a number of high-profile hacking actions against companies and institutions including the CIA’s website, Britain’s Serious Organized Crime Agency, Japan’s Sony Corp and Mexican government websites.
GLOBE AT A GLANCE Bird flu claims fifth victim in Indonesia JAKARTA: A 24-year-old woman has died of bird flu on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, the fifth human death from the virus this year, a health ministry official said on Wednesday.”She tested positive for the H5N1 virus in a test by the health ministry’s laboratory. It’s the fifth death here this year,” the ministry’s head of animal-borne infectious diseases, Rita Kusriastuti, told AFP.
Obama calls Syrian violence heartbreaking DAMASCUS: US President Barack Obama insisted military intervention in Syria would be a “mistake”. The five major UN powers discussed on Tuesday new efforts to press for a halt to the violence in Syria, which Obama called heartbreaking, as regime forces pounded rebel towns and the death toll rose.
Aung San Suu Kyi waves to supporters as she leaves after addressing an electoral campaign rally in Myanmar on Tuesday. AFP
N Korea deploys more anti-aircraft missiles SEOUL: North Korea has increased the number of anti-aircraft missiles deployed near the capital in preparation for potential attacks by US and South Korean planes, a report said on Wednesday. The number of SA-5 surface-to-air missiles with a maximum range of 300 kilometres (190 miles) sited near Pyongyang rose from two in 2000 to 40 in 2010.
Twitter adds Arabic and Hebrew home pages SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter on Tuesday launched Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi and Urdu versions of its website, further localising of the popular one-to-many text messaging service. Twitter users have long been able to fire off ‘tweets,’ in those languages but will now be able to visit Twitter.com home pages with local-language notices and instructions.
Ethnic minority delegates pose as they arrive at the Great Hall of the People during the National People’s Congress in Beijing. AFP
Comment
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Fair, free and forthright
Editorials MAYAWATI, CONGRESS shown their place
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he arrogant tusker had to yield. Mayawati was (r)ejected. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress sycophants understood two things: That Rahul has been suffering the ‘loss of inheritance’ or the other way round; and it’s only the chaff the sycophantic gristmill has generated and that there is no grain at all. If this truth gets ingrained into their thoughts, maybe the Congress will not be a bad option, given its policy dancing in simple harmonic motion between left and right of the centre. Mulayam Singh Yadav is no virtuoso. But he must be basking in the afterglow of Lucknow too joining the club of ‘lands’ of rising sons. The punch of Punjab’s old hat packed a stunning blow on the ‘too-very-casual’ Congress that left more than half the electoral question paper unanswered owing to overconfidence that it could emerge the top scorer. An egregious blunder, indeed. Victory in Manipur due to TINA factor is inconsequential, while Goa told the Congress to ‘go’. Uttarakhand result remained a face-saver, though. Rahul should now digest the hard potato mash at a luncheon he wangled from a Dalit. Congratulations to all the winners.
WHY WE LOVE Rats
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he downfall of hacking group LulzSec thanks to an FBI rat is something Hollywood will be rushing to have the rights to. That the group’s boss was working with the FBI means that the organisation can get things right.
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Think twice before you pull that trigger Section 299 of the Indian Penal Code Whoever causes death by doing an act with the intention of causing death, or with the intention of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, or with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to cause death, commits the offence of culpable homicide. Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code Applies to an event where the death is intentional but does not come within the IPC definition of murder. It is a non-bailable offence.
Fusillade Arun Koshy Philip
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hen 75-year-old Sriramulu Patel was woken by the incessant barking of his dog, he knew something was amiss. The septuagenarian took his licenced revolver and went to check the source of disturbance. Barely did he open the door, a man tried to push past him into the house. Patel fired twice and the intruder collapsed on the floor. After dragging him inside, Patel called the police. The burglar survived the gunshot wounds and was taken into custody after being discharged from hospital. He was booked under Section 457 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code for ‘trespassing with the intention of committing a crime’. So far, the police have refrained from filing charges against Patel as their preliminary investigation revealed that the act was in selfdefence. However, legal luminaries beg to differ. M Ranga Reddy and Justice Iyaapu Panduranga Rao, former High Court judges opine that Patel should be charged under relevant sections of the IPC. They are of the opinion that it should be the courts, which should judge Patel’s actions and no the police. The whole episode calls our attention to the injury or death caused while exercising the right to self-defence. The Constitution provides us with the right to life. Naturally we have the right to defend it when someone threatens it. When the threat materialises in the form of a physical confrontation, it is only natural that resistance to it will result in use of force — injury or death of assailant is always a possibility. The question is; where do you draw the line between a desperate action to survive and intentional attempt to murder? Burglars or assailants don’t give notice before they strike. Under usual circumstances, the civilian gun-wielder has only a few seconds to react before pulling the trigger. Therefore, following the legal procedure, of shouting out a warning followed by firing in the air and then, as a last resort, firing below the knees, is practically impossible.
Mindless party
Truth well told
I am amazed at the joblessness of the women in Hyderabad. After seeing today's spotlight issue, it totally made me feel like Hyderabad is filled with people who don’t have anything better in their hands to do. The women actually got ready in the wedding attire and organised a party! Really, if that is what they mean by theme parties they really need to check their facts. It just shows the dumb quotient of the women who could have done something more productive with their time rather than dressing up mindlessly. Sri Devi Kukatpally
After a long time, a real good piece which is a complete package of pun, fun and truth together. "The plus, the minus and the weird" by PK Surendran was a complete overview of the city which holds true to the T. Kept me reading till the last word and amused at every sentence. It’s good to read such pieces occasionally apart from the problems and deaths in the city. Makes for a light read although talking about the goods and bads but in a lighter manner. Would love to read more of these kinds in future. Suresh Kumar Nampally
Killing in self-defence is one's right, rules SC
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One also has to take into consideration that the assailant/burglar is likely to be a hardened criminal with no qualms to kill you. He is likely to be better than you in close-quarters combat and use of knives/firearms — the worst part is that there is no way you can know. Since most such incidents occur at night when visibility levels are low, judging the level of threat posed by the assailant becomes even trickier. The only option before the victim of an attack is to target the attacker with the intent to cause maximum damage. All rules, though created with the best of intentions, can be bent and the laws providing for the right to self-defence are no exception to this. Ours is a country (in)famous for ‘staged encounters’. Every year there are more expos-
TALK BACK Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
n a landmark ruling on March 13, 2009, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and HS Bedi acquitted two accused charged with murder, holding that they were entitled to acquittal as the act was committed in exercise of self-defence, which is permitted under the law. A person can kill another when there exists a reasonable apprehension that his adversary is going to cause him/her grievous injury even though he might not have actually inflicted any, the Supreme Court ruled. ‘In that event he can go the extent of causing the latter's death in the exercise of the right of private (self) defence even though the latter may not have inflicted any blow or injury on him,’ the apex court observed. Source: PTIa
es of the police, armed forces and intelligence agencies faking circumstantial evidence for illegal executions. If those killing in self-defence are allowed to walk free even without the botheration of registering a case, it is only a matter of time before the rich and the well-connected start fabricating circumstantial evidence and bumping off their opponents. Due course of law must be followed when injury or death is caused by an act of selfdefence. Instead of taking the incident at face value, the investigative agencies must conduct an objective and thorough probe. Then it should be left to the courts to consider the merit of the case and arrive at a decision.
People speak via vote
A wake up call to Kiran
The sound defeat of Mayawati is a clear people’s mandate that there is a limit to which they will tolerate despotic politicians. Mayawati alienated the masses with her haughty behaviour. Thousands of crores were spent on building statues when lakhs were suffering from poverty and drought. Crime, especially those targeting women, went through the roof and thousands of crores were looted by her cronies. Though she tried to clean up and make amends towards the end of her tenure by sacking tainted ministers, it was not convincing enough for the voters. Kishan Singh Secunderabad
The results of Assembly elections should serve as a wake-up call to Kiran Kumar Reddy government. Gone are the days when people would vote en masse for caste or a leader. Now that the AP government spends more time and resources fighting intraparty battles, public welfare is being neglected. If the CM chooses to ignore the rising anti-government sentiment, there is no doubt the approaching bypolls will seal his fate like what happened to Mayawati. K Sudhakar Reddy Kukatpally
Cinema Paradiso
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
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POWER-PACKED ACTION Hemanth Kumar hemanth.k@postnoon.com
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f you are not an ardent fan of films made in China, chances are that you may not have heard of Jiang Wen’s Let the Bullets Fly. In 2010, this film, which is an action comedy, became the highest grossing film ever in China, and the film raked in about 730 million Yuan ($111.1 million) at the box office. The film’s direction, cinematography and action choreography enthralled the audience so much that critics even claimed that it had some of the best action sequences ever choreographed. Chung Chi Li, who had earlier worked on films like Rush Hour, and Shanghai Noon, was the action choreographer of the film
and a year later he worked with Andy Lau in Benny Chan’s Shaolin. What makes the action choreography in Mandarin and Cantonese films so good? Martial arts like Kung Fu and Wushu continued to dominate action choreography right from the beginning; however, it was in the ‘70s that they gained global popularity, thanks to the astronomical rise of Bruce Lee. Later, actors like Jackie Chan and Jeti Li carried the legacy with the help of acclaimed action choreographers like Yuen Wo-Ping and Donnie Yen. Action choreographers have been practising their craft for years and sometimes even decades before mesmerising the audience with films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, Fearless, Red
Mandarin and Cantonese films have long captivated the audience’s attention with their gravity and death-defying stunts. And the trend continues despite changes in both the film industries in the recent past
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Every word counts
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ddie Murphy is Jack McCall, a fast-talking literary agent, who can close any deal, any time, any way. He has set his sights on New Age guru Dr Sinja (Cliff Curtis) for his own selfish purposes. But Dr Sinja is onto him, and Jack’s life comes unglued after a magical Bodhi tree mysteriously appears in
his backyard. With every word Jack speaks, a leaf falls from the tree and he realises that when the last leaf falls, both he and the tree are toast. Words have never failed Jack McCall, but now he’s got to stop talking and conjure up some outrageous ways to communicate or he’s going to be talking himself to the grave. Watch out for how Jack tries his best to keep mum.
Name: A Thousand Words Director: Brian Robbins Cast: Eddie Murphy, Cliff Kurtis, Kerry Washington
Cliff, Wu Xia and Curse of the Golden Flower to name a few. Yip Man and Wong Shun Leung trained Bruce Lee for several years. Later, students from two separate clans belonging to Yu Jim-yuen’s China Drama Academy and Yuen Siu-tin, also known as Simon Yuen began dominating the field of action choreography since the ‘70s. The international success of films like Enter the Dragon, Fist of Legend and Rumble in the Bronx was just the beginning of Hollywood and the rest of the world’s growing interest in Kung Fu films and by the mid-90s, hundreds of films were dubbed in English for international release. In the early ‘90s, the Hong Kong film industry suffered enormously with the mass exodus of its
popular directors to the US. To combat this problem, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong film industries began collaborating more than ever before. The budgets grew and thanks to developments in technology, action choreographers began experimenting a lot more on the sets. Keeping the action real, with the help of wires, is still an integral part of the action choreography in these films. It has been extensively used in films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. Most filmmakers in China let action choreographers call the shots and given the growing budgets that filmmakers command of late, it’s left to the action director’s imagination to break all laws of gravity and deliver jawdropping stunts.
H‑Factor
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
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She gave me new life Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com
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or N Manoharan, life was never easy — he’d lost his father at a very young age and as he grew older, he struggled to make ends meet. He did all kinds of jobs to earn a living; worked as a typist at DRDL briefly and even as a manual labourer. He finally managed to secure a post at the State Bank of India. Now at the age of 56, he is a proud chief manager at the bank where he in his own words “began from scratch.” But life for him hasn’t come easy. Just when things seemed to be stable for him, he had a beautiful wife and three lovely kids, life threw him another googly. In 1994, Manoharan was diagnosed with kidney failure. “I’d been posted to a remote village near Warangal in 1992 when I was diagnosed with the initial stages of diabetes and blood pressure. But since I was living alone at the time (we didn’t want the children’s studies disrupted so my family continued living in Hyderabad) and had a lot of pressure regarding work, I ended up neglecting my health,” he says. In the bargain, he ended up paying a heavy price for this negligence. “Two years later when I moved back to the City, I began noticing that I wasn’t feeling as well as earlier. For starters, I’d become very lethargic as opposed to my earlier active self (he was a football player), I found it difficult to digest my food, had back pains, a puffy face and swelling in my limbs,” he says. When he realised some-
Eighteen years ago, Manoharan was diagnosed with kidney failure. With few other options, his wife stepped forward to donate hers. On the eve of World Kidney Day, he shares his experience with us
thing was amiss he went to his doctor, only to be diagnosed with kidney failure. “The only option was to undergo regular dialysis until I got a donor kidney,” he says, adding, “Usually only a close relative can donate a kidney or a cadaver donation. However, the latter aren’t too common in our country and I had no choice but to check with relatives, but we couldn’t get a match.” For some time, Manoharan underwent dialysis, but considering it’s rising costs and his inability to go to work, he needed a transplant. That was when Jayalalitha, his wife, stepped in and offered to donate her kidney — a move most couples usually avoid for fear that both may end up ill putting the family in jeopardy. Despite stiff opposition from her family and Manoharan’s hesitance, Jayalalitha stood firm. “Fortunately she was a perfect match and we went ahead with the surgery. My one fear however was that we’d face health problems later in life and I didn’t want her to suffer on my account. But now 18 years later, we’re both doing perfectly fine, by God’s grace,” he says. For Manoharan, his wife’s gesture was no less than a second lease of life. “We were all so sceptical at the time, but my wife was firm and she even counselled me. For me, her gesture was a life saver and I can’t help but be endlessly thankful for that,” he beams. Now, the couple lead perfectly normal lives, but with a few precautions like watching their diet and including regular exercise regimes to ward off any health problems. Incidentally, Manoharan and Jayalalitha had a love marriage — one fraught with stiff parental opposition. At the end of the day however, their love withstood all opposition and even the test of time.
Lifestyle changes for hypertension
Dr Sunil Kapoor
How is hypertension treated?
Treatment High blood pressure (HBP) is treated with lifestyle changes and medicines. Most people who have HBP will need lifelong treatment. Sticking to your treatment plan is important. It can prevent or delay the problems linked to HBP and help you live and stay active longer.
Goals of Treatment The treatment goal for most adults is to get and keep blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg. For adults who have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, the goal is to get and keep blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg.
Lifestyle Changes Healthy habits can help you control HBP. Healthy habits include: n Following a healthy eating plan n Doing enough physical activity n Maintaining a healthy weight n Quitting smoking n Managing your stress and learning to cope with stress If you combine these measures, you can achieve even better results than taking single steps. Making lifestyle changes can be hard. Start by making one healthy lifestyle change and then adopt others. Some people can control their blood pressures with lifestyle changes alone, but many people can’t. Keep in mind that the main goal is blood pressure control. If your doctor prescribes medicines as a part of your treatment plan, keep up your healthy habits. This will help you better control your blood pressure.
Healthy Eating Your doctor may recommend the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan if you have HBP. The DASH plan focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and lower in sodium (salt). (The writer is a senior consultant cardiologist at Care Hospitals, Hyderabad)
H‑Factor
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
Robot-assisted surgery
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SKIN DEEP
Dr Sunitha Shekhar Reddy, Dermatologist at ADI clinics
outcomes better but costlier, study finds Patients who undergo robot-assisted surgeries on the kidneys or prostate have a higher survival rate, but end up with a bigger bill, a new study has found
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atients who undergo robot-assisted surgeries on the kidneys or prostate have a higher survival rate than those operated on by more traditional methods, but end up with a bigger bill, a new study has found. Outcomes from the robotic surgery included shorter hospital stays and a lower risk of blood transfusion or death, according to Reuters. Among the prostatectomy cases, there were no deaths from laparoscopic or robotic surgery, whereas two out of every thousand men died after the open procedure, the study — reported in the Journal of Urology — found. However, for a prostate removal the cost was between $700 and $1,100 higher than if they’d had standard laparoscopic or open surgery, which cost on average $10,000. For kidney removal, robotic surgery cost $13,900, $2,700 more than laparoscopic surgery and $1,300 more than open surgery. Plus, the the study wasn’t able to gage less-obvious measures of effectiveness, such as quality of life over the long run, Reuters reported. Despite the higher cost, robot-assisted radical prostatectomies had become the most common type
of surgical treatment for prostate cancer in the US, according to TheCheckup.com, the website of Dr. Harry Fisch, a boardcertified urologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Medical College of Cornell University. The site was citing a report presented at the European Association of
Urology 27th Annual Congress by the Vattikuti Urology Institute, which included that between October 2008 and December 2009, about 61 percent of prostatectomies in the US were done robotically. That’s compared with 9 percent of prostatectomies carried out robotically in 2003. Lead author of the
most recent study, Jim Hu of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston reportedly said: “I think the take home message is that robotic (surgery), looking at our study, had certain beneficial outcomes compared to open and laparoscopic procedures.” According to News24, Hu — who said his team decided to focus on urologic surgeries because the field had adopted robotic surgery the most rapidly — added that the study was “timely because of spiraling healthcare costs. “One needs to look more closely at comparative effectiveness to justify the cost of these procedures,” he said. Hu’s study also found that open and laparoscopic surgeries were still more common than robotic surgeries for kidney repairs and removals. Reuters quoted Dr. David Penson, a surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who was not involved in the work, s saying: “The value of this study is it documents there are some advantages [to robotic surgery]. But we should have done this years ago. “I think there was excitement in the general population and there was a lot of marketing about robotic surgery ahead of any proven benefit to the procedure.” GLOBAL POST
Be careful while using OTC creams
“P
eople nowadays are addicted to fairness creams and over the counter creams which are steroid based creams. These creams contain steroids and hydroquinone to which people can get addicted. They provide artificial fairness but in the long run can be harmful. People should be made aware about these issues,” mentions Dr Sunitha Shekhar Reddy, a dermatologist. Creams, laser, peels and fillers; a number of options are available. Talking about peels, Dr Sunitha mentions, “Peels can be used for a number of cases. The first being acne. Peels work very well in treating acne as well as taking care of acne scars. Pigmentation can also be treated with the help of peels provided the person is not suffering from hormonal problems. The third use of peels could be for anti-ageing. While peels cannot prevent ageing they can delay the process. They can also treat oily skin.” Like peels, even laser can be used to treat the above mentioned conditions, mentions Dr Sunitha. She states that one cannot say whether peels are better or laser. It depends on the persons requirements and the case. Another option available is fillers. Explains Dr Sunitha, “Fillers can also be used for the above cases. Fillers provide short term solutions to these problems. Many times before marriage or some other occasions when the want to look good, people ask for fillers for anti-ageing and cosmetic procedures such as hiding wrinkles, lines, give shape to lips etc. Fillers do not have side-effects but are costly, painful and a requires refilling after three months. “Usually creams prescribed by doctors are the first option. In case they are not effective peels, laser and fillers are used, “ she adds. Dr Sunitha says that a number of people have misconceptions about the side-effects or immediate effects of the procedures. It’s awareness that is important. It depends on the case and cannot be generalised.” (The doctor can be contacted at 9396556518)
Spotlight
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012 DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Gathering for a cause Hyderabadis have a big heart and what better way to show it than participating in a noble cause. Art enthusiasts turned up in large numbers at the Charity Art Fair and Exhibition held at the Taj Krishna on Tuesday.
Fatima
Saleem & Nahid
Tarmeen, Neha, Ruehula, Neethi, Sonali, Dimple & Manisha
Rachana Mehta & Arpita
Shalini & Sonal
Sheetal
Kavitha
Gayathri
Sonia
Gurupriya
Masking it just right Carine & Prathna
Kamini Saraf & Deepthi
The ladies at Spoil pub, on Tuesday night had a different purpose in mind. Instead of the usual partying, they were seen busy learning something. They were attending a mask and ramp workshop.
Manisha Kapoor, Radhika & Koyal
Magic Screen
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
I HAVE BECOME A LOT MORE SENSITIVE Hemanth Kumar hemanth.k@postnoon.com
S
he is neither a beauty pageant winner nor a model-turned-actor from Mumbai. However, there’s no denying that she is one of the prettiest faces in Telugu cinema today. And last year, she played one of the lead roles in Teen Maar opposite Pawan Kalyan. After a brief hiatus, Kriti Kharbanda will soon be seen in Manchu Manoj’s Mr.Nookayya and Kalyan Ram’s Om. Is she happy with the way her career is progressing? “I don’t think I will ever be 100 per cent happy. We are all very greedy. I was 19 when I acted in my first film and that was a big achievement for me. But then I realised that a lot of actors had established themselves in the industry by the age of 20,” Kriti laughs, reminiscing about her initial days in the film industry, and adds, “My mother says that women glow the most between the age of 25 and 35. So, I guess I still have a lot of time left.” Not many know that she has a diploma in jewellery designing and at one point of time she even considered a career in diamond grading in Mumbai. “I know that actors don’t have a big shelf life in the industry, but for the moment I am enjoying every bit of my career.” It’s also surprising that she didn’t sign a lot of films despite appearing in a prominent role in Teen Maar. We ask her if it was a conscious decision. “I did get a lot of offers but I didn’t know if I could do justice to the characters I was being offered. I didn’t want to do second lead roles. The
Kriti Kharbanda is keeping her fingers crossed till the release of her new film Mr.Nookayya. She tells us how this film changed her as a person and things that scare her the most
last thing I want to endure is the insecurity that someone else is hogging the limelight,” she confesses. Is that what scares her the most? “Not really. I think competition is an integral part of this industry and I really get along well with my co-stars. I am quite fond of Sana Khan and Nikesha Patel who are acting along with me in Mr.Nookayya and Om,” she says. So what’s the most bizarre thing you have heard about yourself? “I read a news article that I was voted as the fourth most sexually desired person in Tollywood. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Another time, a website wrote an article that I have been running around producers’ offices for roles. It was weird because I don’t socialise much and I can’t remember when was the last time I went to a party,” she recalls. In Mr. Nookayya, she’s playing the role of an orphan girl who craves love and Kriti says that it’s a performance-driven role. “Except for nine minutes, I don’t look glamorous in the film,” she chuckles adding, “I was a little worried about how the audience is going to respond but recently Manoj told me that every guy would want a girlfriend or a wife like me after watching this film.” The film, however, will remain special for her for a different reason. “One day, we were supposed to shoot in an orphanage and I couldn’t control my tears when I began thinking about their lives. This movie has made me a lot more sensitive,” she says. Any dream roles? “I would love to do a negative character but then everything depends on the director’s vision. For now, I am keeping my fingers crossed,” she says.
21
T-TOWN TWEETIES
@actor_Nikhil Baboyyy giving a live performace is tough. full rehearsals done. i dont wanna goof up on live tv hehe.First time il b performing 4 my audio.
@Actor_Siddharth HBO produces shows each year that push the boundaries of how great television can be... Mildred pierce is possibly the greatest ever... wow!!!
@RGVzoomin Loyalty is a term invented by smart leaders nd smart bosses to make their stupid followers nd stupid employees remain stupid.
@pnavdeep26 Totally awestruck wid d #agentvinod 's theatrical trailer! looks world class! #proudofindiancinema !
@prakashraaj Akhilesh Yadav n Rahul Gandhi both have arrived. Welcome to the new equation in indian politics. Cheersss.
@shraddhadas43 Hadn't eaten all day, didn't get the time to hav a bite! Finally gobbled up so much food at d airport now! #love for food!
@_Hansika Audio launch ,press meet of #okok , every went thing really well , thank u to the media who was present there to support us.
@shrutihaasan Jeeez I meant shoe in the previous tweet :p but I did create quite a show with the stuck shoe lol.
Magic Screen
The glamour behind the glitz
Priyanka plans
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
22
B-TOWN TWEETIES
@MadhuriDixit1
to release her debut single soon
P
riyanka Chopra plans to release her debut single by the summer, it has been revealed. The film star has spent the past few months recording her first album in Los Angeles and New York. Anjula Acharia Bath from Chopra’s Desi Hits Universal label, spoke to Variety about the struggles the label initially had when they first set up. “Desi Hits grew out of my love for Western music, pop and Bollywood. When we started, noone would talk to us, not even desis,” explained Acharia Bath.
Since then, the company has released Bollywood remixes of tracks by the Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. Chopra has spent most of 2012 dividing her time between filming commitments in India and work on her album. The Dostana star has collaborated with Jay Sean on a number of tracks for the release. Sources also claim that Gaga may have some involvement with the album.
Imran’s pierced ears give him trouble F
or Imran Khan, piercing his ears for his role in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola turned out to be a painful experience after his ears became septic. “To get into the character for Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, I had to pierce my ears and wear gold studs. But in a few days, I was undergoing tremendous pain as it was infected. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wear those studs and I had to wear clipons,” said Imran who was last seen in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. Imran, 29, will be seen as a
rugged Haryanvi in director Vishal Bhardwaj’s comedy Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. Not only was he asked by the director to beef up his scrawny physique to play the character and to grow a beard, he also had to get his ears pierced since his character wears earrings throughout the film. A doctor had to be called on the sets to examine Imran’s ears. And it was discovered that both his ear lobes were infected quite badly “Vishal Bhardwaj panicked and decided to knock off the earrings from Imran’s character,” said a source. IANS
I manage my own twitter site while my Team M helps me manage Facebook and the website. We are one team to get the word out.
@sonakshisinha Holi haiiiiii!! Kal... Par excitement aaj se ;) conserve water/play safe/have a blast/dont be TOO rowdy!
@NeilNMukesh Goody morning ! Wow its pitch dark out side. And the milk man or the papers haven’t come either :)
@bipsluvurself Loved Loved Loved my friend @RockyS_STAR ‘s show!I want all his clothes!He truly is a Star!What a show!AwesomeClothes Music & Style!
@SrBachchan T 675 - The idiot will continuously give example of his idiocy .. the smart and learned shall silently allow him to do so ..!!
@iamsrk To vacillate or not to vacillate... that is the question... or is it? Saw it on a pendulum in a shop. The wisdom of toys is unmatchable...
@udaychopra
Bipasha Basu clears the air A
ctress Bipasha Basu is miffed with reports that she is apprehensive about working with her Jodi Breakers co-star R. Madhavan again as the film has failed to mint moolah at the box office. “I detest vicious Gossip! @ActorMadhavan is one of my most favourite co-stars and I would love to work with him on a film which we both like and suit,” Bipasha wrote on Twitter.
“Power of writing should not be misused to that extent to create gossip which makes people sound shallow and nasty! Even if its a tabloid news,” she added. A tabloid reported that Bipasha is “willing to be part of a sequel (to Jodi Breakers) but has apparently said that if Maddy is part of the cast, she will not be in it.” IANS
I’ve been watching Masterchef Australia and I think I have a crush on @danivenn she’s just so cute ?
@Riteishd Saw KAHAANI- loved the filmsaw a fantastic thriller after a long time- the true HERO of the film is @sujoy_g
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Chai Time
KAKURO
How to Play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: “How do you play Kakuro?”, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
SCRIBBLING PAD
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa
26
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Family group 5 Arabian gulf 9 Tons 14 Big name in little blocks 15 From memory (with “by”) 16 Palmer of golf, familiarly 17 Make, as an income 18 Courage, colloquially 19 Club for 16-Across 20 Film about a puppy trainer? 23 Brewer’s supply 24 Remote abbr. 25 “Scarface” Al 28 “In your dreams!” 30 Start of many titles 33 Without important differences 34 Film about real insects? 36 “Prix” or “idee” follower 37 Watering hole items 38 Samovars 39 Film about a mediocre 747? 41 Script unit 42 Ending with “Japan” 43 Do-nothing staff member? 44 River ending at the Dead Sea 45 Veggie sphere 46 Actress Rowlands 47 Film about an astronaut’s Halloween? 54 “Star Trek” lieutenant 55 “Hud” Oscar winner Patricia 56 Shipwreck site, perhaps 57 The art of illusion 58 Hawaiian coffee area 59 Change direction 60 Continental divide? 61 Steel production byproduct 62 First lady’s home DOWN 1 Bass or treble, e.g. 2 Shakespeare’s king 3 Prefix for “culture” or “business” 4 Successful user of the patch
5 Diamond-shaped sock pattern 6 Be skeptical 7 “___, Brute?” (“Julius Caesar”) 8 Monster’s loch 9 Short, like a shotgun (Var.) 10 Basket for lobsters 11 No ifs, ___ or buts 12 Archaeological sites 13 Sometimes you can do this for miles 21 His last word was “Rosebud” 22 Campus climbers 25 ___ latte (hot drink) 26 Criminals and computer operators may use one 27 Impish dust sprinkler 28 “___ you coming with us?” 29 Completely convinced 30 Ready for bed
31 Auburn hair dye 32 Ruhr city 34 Gunpowder and souchong 35 Profitable 37 Blur, as vision 40 Section in the front of some books 41 Adam, Little Joe and Hoss, to Ben 44 Traveler’s problem 45 What the hero faces, in a cliffhanger 46 British Gold Coast, today 47 Language of Bangkok 48 Good things to give your kids 49 Signs on the
SUDOKU
dotted line, informally 50 Rock sci. 51 Took unfair advantage of 52 Run from the law 53 Flowerless plant 54 Thurman of Hollywood PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
THOUGHT OF THE DAY Never forget that it is the spirit with which you endow your work that makes it useful or futile. – Adelaide Hasse
Chai Time STAR POWER
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR
As per Hindu panchang
FOR 8-3-2012
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118
TAURUS
GEMINI
Efforts put in by artists to grab new opportunities will yield desired results. Some of them will even be rewarded and gifts too likely. Businessmen will see a booming trend and feel satisfied.
Those involved in speculation, will earn good profits. Women will have minor health problems; no need to worry. Exp‑ enses will increase due to visiting rela‑ tives. You will have to spend savings.
Newly married ones might face minor misunderstandings ignoring which can bring normalcy. Travel due to that are inevitable. Tensions come and go often. Artists get good opportunities.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Expected transfer and pay hike for emp‑ loyees might get delayed, but their con‑ tinuous unrelenting efforts can be suc‑ cessful finally. Students may feel dull but will get an encouraging situation soon.
Those planning to start a new venture are advised to start it with good part‑ ners to be successful. Students will shine in sports and studies both. Businessmen will have smooth transactions.
Students will consolidate in studies and earn appreciation from all. Events at ho‑ me will keep the whole family happy. Friends help will be available at time of need. Children's health needs attention.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Efforts will be successful. Customers wi‑ ll support businessmen and turnover is set to increase for them. Couple will be cordial. A person you are planning to meet, will surprise you with his visit.
Health problems should not be ignored. Businessmen might not achieve expect‑ ed growth due to unexpected obstacles. Students too may not study well but soon they will change their attitude.
Good news from a distance is on the cards. Happy events to take place at home. Artists though, might not get good opportunities, their income will be balanced as they will receive old dues.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Memory loss might make you forget some important information. Minor health problems likely to upset you. Self‑ employed will be prosperous and happy. Employees may get a promotion.
A big problem faced by you will be re‑ solved with the help of your relative. An obstacle in the way of a foreign trip, will receive a favourable turn. Sudden trip likely. Friendship circle to expand.
New and innovative efforts will yield good results. Businessmen will see a rapid growth and financial position too will become strong. Relatives' visit will bring good harmony in the family.
SUMAA TEKUR
FOR 8-3-2012
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Three of Pentacles – A promotion or pro‑ fessional recognition is on the cards. You‑ ʼll be given new chal‑ lenges. This is a step up for you, and you need to see it as that.
Six of Cups – Youʼre missing home (the th‑ ings that remind you of your childhood or the best years of your life). You get nostal‑ gic and want to get out of this situation.
Nine of Pentacles – Youʼve created a comfort zone and are happy in the routine. Donʼt be pressurised to break this routine if it does not suit you.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Ace of Wands – Use the creative ideas that cross your mind today. Make them a reality by putting them into acti‑ on immediately. They will click, thanks to yo‑ ur faith, enthusiasm.
Six of Swords – Over‑ seas contacts are in focus. You may make a trip abroad for a conference, training or some study course. It will teach you mo‑ re than bookish stuff.
The Star – There are clouds of confusion and it will clear once the time is right. You have to be patient and not make any rash, impulsive decisions.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
The Moon – Logic and reason may not work as well as intu‑ ition and insight. Trust your gut feel; live in the moment, and believe itʼll all be fine.
Nine of Cups – This is a wish card and one that makes syn‑ chronicities click for you. Be careful what you wish for. It shouldnʼt be any‑ thing too frivolous.
Death – Things are changing. At work, youʼre getting new projects and a new team to work with. At home, the most unex‑ pected changes take place. Accept it all.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Five of Swords – Thereʼs domination in your relationships. Either you dominate or youʼre being domi‑ nated. Be careful how you deal with this. Donʼt get resentful.
Queen of Pentacles – Whether at home or at work, those arou‑ nd you are seeking advice on the best course of action. You‑ ʼre not impulsive and that is appreciated.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
Judgment – What youʼve worked hard on is now put to the test. Cross your fin‑ gers and pray those around you see your point of view. You need a break.
SOLUTIONS
Boggle TWO SIX TEN FOUR FORTY SIXTY TWELVE
Number game
Suduko
Scrabble
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ
27
Vol: 1, No 234 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Missamma 2030 Edureetha 2100 Challenge 2200 CID 2300 Challenge 0730 Maa Gramadevatalu 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Chaganti Sanatana Dharmam 0900 Bhale Chansule
1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Sumangali 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 Swathi 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Heartlo Battery 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Movie 1130 Aha Emi Ruchi 1200 Jeevitha Chakram 1230 Maa Inti Aada Paduchu 1300 Chittemmaa 1330 Gorintaku
1400 [V] Vignettes 1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Trailers 1600 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1700 [V] Zabardast Hits 1800 [V] Fresh Songs 1830 [V] Humse Hai Life 1900 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1930 [V] Humse Hai Life 2000 [V] Steal UR Girlfriend 2100 [V] Vignettes 2130 [V] Trailers 2200 Love Kiya To Darna Kya 2300 [V] Humse Hai Life 2330 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 0700 [V] Trailers 0730 [V] Zabardast Hits 0800 Mind Blasting Mornings 1100 [V] Fresh Songs 1200 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1230 [V] Humse Hai Life
‘[V] Humse Hai Life’ at 1930 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]
1300 News Now At1 1330 News Now 1800 6 Pm 1830 Live Report 1900 Primetime 1930 The Game 2000 News Now At 8 2030 Live Report 2100 The Newshour 2200 The Newshour - Plus 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 0800 The Morning News 0900 News Now 1200 Live Report 1230 News Now
‘The Game’ at 1930 Hrs only on TIMES NOW
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings
1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 WOW 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Adhurs 2 2245 Movie 0800 Subhamastu 0830 Jeevanajyothi 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi 1230 Star Mahila
1400 Nagani 1430 Movie 1800 Meera 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupukunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Luckku Kickku 2230 Shree 2300 Bindass 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Gopuram 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Sri Raghavendra Vybhavam 0930 Mahadevi 1000 Bindass 1030 Comedy Club 1130 Jeevana Vignanam 1200 Mee Inti Vanta 1230 Nene Satyabhama
‘Business Tonight’ at 2100 Hrs only on ET NOW 1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1530 Tomorrow's Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Markets Tomorrow 1800 Rush Hour 1830 Brand Equity Special 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Markets Tomorrow 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At10 2230 Leaders Of Tomorrow 2300 Starting Up 0900 First Trades 1000 Hot Stocks 1100 Buy Now Sell Now - The Stock Game 1130 Buy Now Sell Now 1200 Market Sense 1300 Business Day 1330 Markets Now
‘Dual Survival’ at 2200 Hrs on DISCOVERY 1400 Get Out Alive 1600 Swamp Brothers 1630 Factory Made 1700 Man Woman Wild 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 I Almost Got Away With It? 2000 Gold Rush - Alaska 2100 Mutant Planet 2200 Dual Survival 2300 Tattoo Hunter 1000 Equator 1100 Man Vs Wild 1200 Dual Survival 1300 Food Detectives
1510 Wipeout 1605 The Challenger Muaythai 1700 Supernatural 1800 Chuck 1900 Wipeout 2000 Supernatural 2100 Minute To Win It 2200 Fear Factor 2300 Top 20 Countdown 0700 Infomercial/30 Min 0730 Sky Teleshopping 0830 Infomercial/30 Min 0900 Sky Teleshopping 0930 Whacked Out Sports 1000 Dating In The Dark 1055 Minute To Win It 1150 Got To Dance 1325 CSI - NY
‘Minute To Win It’ at 2100 Hrs on AXN
‘Gyaan Guru’ at 1930 Hrs on IMAGINE 1400 Haar Jeet 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1600 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1630 Jamuna Paar 1700 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1730 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1800 Jamuna Paar 1830 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Gyaan Guru 2000 Dwarkadheesh - Bhagwan Shri Krishn 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Jamuna Paar 2130 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Jamuna Paar 2330 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb
1400 Parichay 1430 Balika Vadhu 1500 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1530 Uttaran 1600 Phulwa 1630 Parichay 1700 Sasural Simar Ka 1730 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1800 Uttaran 1830 Balika Vadhu 1900 Hawan 1930 Sasural Simar Ka 2000 Balika Vadhu 2030 Veer Shivaji 2100 Phulwa 2130 Parichay 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado 2330 Balika Vadhu
‘Sasural Simar Ka’ at 1930 Hrs on COLORS
‘Ram Milaye Jodi’ at 2130 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Chhoti Bahu 2 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Dance India Dance 1800 Hitler Didi 1830 Punarvivah 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Chhoti Bahu 2 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milaye Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Punarvivah 2300 Afsar Bitiya
1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1530 Crime Patrol - 4 1630 Crime Patrol - 3 1800 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1830 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1900 Crime Patrol - 2 1930 Shubh Vivah 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2030 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2100 Saas Bina Sasuraal 2130 Parvarrish 2200 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada 2230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 2300 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2330 Crime Patrol - Dastak 0900 Kahani Comedy Circus Ki 1030 CID 1200 Shubh Vivah 1230 Dekha Ek Khwaab 1300 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada
‘Dekha Ek Khwaab’ at 2030 Hrs on SONY
28
‘Sasuraal Genda Phool’ at 1930 Hrs on STAR PLUS 1400 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 1500 Navya 1600 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1630 Sasuraal Genda Phool 1700 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1730 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 1800 Navya 1830 Ruk Jana Nahin 1900 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1930 Sasuraal Genda Phool 2000 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2030 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 2100 Diya Aur Bati Hum 2130 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 2200 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 2230 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 2300 Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?
MOVIES OF THE DAY AND OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
1400 Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix 1640 Miss Congeniality 1850 Wedding Crashers 2100 Rush Hour 2300 Tactical Force 0730 Set It Off 0945 Miss Congeniality 1145 Executive Decision
1240 The Mummy 1510 Enter The Dragon 1720 Devil 1900 Shrek Forever After 2100 The Last Airbender 2315 Jonah Hex 0905 The Last Airbender 1120 Shrek Forever After 1320 Ace Ventura - Pet Detective
1400 My Kitchen Rules 1500 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 1600 My Wife And Kids 1700 Rookie Blue 1800 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 1900 Outsourced 1930 The Big Bang Theory 2000 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 My Kitchen Rules 2200 Rookie Blue 2300 Outsourced 2330 My Wife And Kids 0800 Just For Laughs 0830 Criss Angel 0900 America's Funniest Home Videos 1000 Outsourced 1030 My Wife And Kids 1100 My Kitchen Rules 1200 Rookie Blue
‘Rookie Blue’ at 2200 Hrs on ZEE CAFE
Yeh Rishta Kya Balika Vadhu Kehlata Hai Storyline - Badi Jiji intenStoryline - Akshara thinks of a plan to bring Rashmi and Nikhil together. What is the plan she has in mind? ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’ at 2130 Hrs on STAR PLUS
‘Necessary Roughness’ at 0700 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Supernatural 1500 Pan Am 1600 The Big Bang Theory 1630 The Simpsons 1700 Person Of Interest 1800 Supernatural 1900 Desperate Housewives 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 Castle 2300 The Big Bang Theory 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 Necessary Roughness
tionally locks Anandi-Jagya in the bedroom so that they can talk to each other. Anandi thanks Jagya for coming to Jaitsar for Holi celebrations with the family. ‘Balika Vadhu’ at 2000 Hrs on COLORS ‘The Last Airbender’ at 2100 Hrs on HBO
1400 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1500 Lapataganj 1530 F.I.R 1600 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1630 I Luv My India 1700 Gutur Gu 1730 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1900 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1930 Lapataganj 2000 I Luv My India 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiyaghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj 2230 F.I.R 2300 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2330 Chidiyaghar 0900 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 0945 Gutur Gu 1030 I Luv My India 1100 F.I.R 1130 Chidiyaghar 1200 Lapataganj
‘I Luv My India’ at 2000 Hrs on SAB
‘Planet Bollywood News’ at 1900 Hrs on ZOOM 1230 Silver Screen 1600 My Playlist 1700 Page 3 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Letz Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood News 1930 Link'd 2000 Zabar 10 2030 Letz Go! 2100 Telly Talk 2130 Link'd 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Style Strip 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Fresh Mornings 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Fresh Mornings 1100 Your Likes 1200 Planet Bollywood News 1230 Silver Screen
1400 Oddities 1430 Mythbusters 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 Sci Fi Science 1700 One Step Beyond 1730 Futureweapons 1930 How Do They Do It? 2030 Heavy Metal Taskforce 2130 Life On The Line 2200 Deconstructed 2230 Showdown - Aircombat 2330 Industrial Revelations 1030 Sci Fi Science 1100 One Step Beyond 1130 Mythbusters 1330 How Do They Do It?
‘Showdown - Aircombat’ at 2230 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE
‘Frasier’ at 1930 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME 1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Aspire 1600 Galileo Extreme 1700 Survivor 1800 Entertainment Tonight 1830 Galileo Extreme 1930 Frasier 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Hawaii 5.0 2200 Jerry Springer 2300 Survivor 0700 Big Wheels 0730 Aspire 0800 Galileo Extreme 0900 Survivor 1000 Bellator 1100 Jerry Springer 1200 Aspire 1230 Entertainment Tonight 1300 Galileo Extreme
Playing Field
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
The games people play
Stanford found guilty of Ponzi scheme Patricia Smith
HOUSTON: Financier and cricket mogul Allen Stanford was found guilty by a US jury of a $7 billion Ponzi scheme on Tuesday, closing the book on the flamboyant ex-tycoon’s stunning fall from grace. The verdict will bring some satisfaction — but likely little financial relief — to 30,000 investors from more than 100 countries who were bilked by bogus investments with Stanford International Bank. Investigators could not find 92 percent of the $8 billion the bank said it had in assets and cash reserves. Stanford, 61, has spent the past three years in jail after being deemed a flight risk. He may never taste freedom again.
We were taken advantage of not just by Allen, but by a band of crooks. It’s great to know 12 jurors felt the same way. Cassie Wilkinson, victim Jurors found the mustachioed Texan guilty of 13 of 14 counts of fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction of justice. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five to 20 years in jail. Even if a judge decides Stanford should receive concurrent sentences on the 13 counts at an upcoming hearing, he will likely still face 20 years in federal prison. Stanford remained stoic as the guilty verdicts were read, but his elderly mother, two adult daughters and a family friend dropped their heads into their hands in dismay. His lawyers told reporters the verdict was a “disappointment” and vowed to appeal.
Prosecution attorneys left the courtroom quickly, and were not immediately available for comment. Cassie Wilkinson, one of Stanford’s victims, said she had waited at length for this outcome. “We were taken advantage of not just by Allen, but by a whole band of crooks,” she said. “It’s great to know there were 12 jurors who felt the same way.” The only non-guilty verdict was returned on Count 2, in which Stanford was charged with wire fraud for allegedly purchasing $9,000 tickets to the Super Bowl annual American football championship game for Antiguan bank regulator Leroy King. Badly beaten in a jailhouse brawl, Stanford was temporarily declared unfit for trial after he became addicted to painkillers while also on antidepressants. He tried to have his case completely dismissed after claiming that the beating and drugs destroyed his memory, but the judge denied the request. Defence attorneys at trial tried to shift the blame to former chief financial officer James Davis, who they accused of perpetrating the entire fraud while Stanford naively placed his trust in his former college roommate. They also insisted the bulk of investor money was lost due to mismanagement by court-appointed receivers after the US government seized the bank. Prosecutors scoffed at the notion, and said Stanford funded his lavish lifestyle by siphoning off $2 billion in investor deposits while pushing “bogus” certificates of deposits that promised artificially high returns based on “safe” investments. A dual citizen of the United States and the Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda, Stanford was known for his largess, especially on the two paradise islands. He received a knighthood
in 2006 from Antigua, where he was the largest employer, and rose to global prominence in 2008 by creating the Stanford 20/20 cricket tournament, which captured a television audience of 300 million. His personal fiefdom soon began to crumble when it attracted scrutiny from financial regulators. Stanford was charged by the US Securities and Exchange Commission with fraud in February 2009 and arrested a few months later at his girlfriend’s home in the eastern state of Virginia.
With a fortune of $2.2 billion, Forbes magazine ranked Stanford as the 605th richest person in the world in 2006. After most of those funds were frozen by the courts, Stanford was forced to accept appointed counsel. Jurors must now determine whether there is sufficient evidence to require Stanford to forfeit about $300 million from 29 accounts located outside the United States. That hearing will continue Wednesday. A date for Stanford’s sentencing has not yet been set.
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A flamboyant mogul goes down HOUSTON: Flamboyant cricket mogul Allen Stanford had long been dogged by rumors of misdeeds at his Caribbean investment bank as he built a personal fiefdom on the island of Antigua. US prosecutors finally closed in on the mustachioed Texan in 2009 and on Tuesday — after years of legal delays — a jury convicted Stanford of 13 of 14 counts of fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction of justice. It marks a remarkable fall from grace for a man who once ranked among the world’s richest and says he is still suffering memory loss and emotional damage from a brutal jailhouse beating. In an interview with ABC News prior to his 2009 arrest, the network said Stanford cried at times as he explained how the collapse of his company had robbed him of wealth and status. “I’m the maverick rich Texan where they can put the moose head on the wall. And that’s the only reason they went after me,” Stanford said. “I’m fighting for my survival and for my integrity.” With a fortune of $2.2 billion, Stanford was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 605th richest person in the world in 2006. Stanford attracted investors by offering artificially high returns on “safe” certificates of deposits that were supposed to be backed by the cautious investment of funds by world-class money managers. The jury found that he siphoned off $2 billion for his own use and paid dividends with funds culled from new investors. As a dual citizen of the United States and the Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda, Stanford was known for conspicuous largesse, especially on the two paradise islands. In Antigua, Stanford was the island’s largest employer and the recipient of a 2006 knighthood. The story goes that when Stanford stepped off a plane in Antigua and saw airport workers playing cricket in a nearby pasture during a break, he vowed to build them a cricket ground — and made good on that word with one just across from the airport that bears his name. He came to global cricket prominence when he announced he was putting $28 million into funding a Caribbean wide Twenty20 tournament in 2005. Many in the cricket world were appalled at his gall in challenging the traditional cricket establishment. Especially after England accepted the challenge in 2008 and Stanford landed his helicopter at London’s Lord’s Cricket Ground and flourished a box he said held the $20 million prize in cash. The winner-take-all match captured a global television audience of 300 million, but from England’s point of view it soon became an embarrassment. Stanford was also slammed for bouncing the wife of one of the England players on his knee during the Antigua matches and by the end of 2008 he was reviewing his cricket commitments. His personal empire soon began to crumble in a far more serious way when it attracted scrutiny from US financial regulators. He was charged by the US SEC with fraud in February 2009 and arrested a few months later at his girlfriend’s home in the US state of Virginia.
Playing Field
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
The games people play
Rory makes a racquet
MIAMI: World No 1 Rory
McIlroy hits tension-packed golf shots with the world’s best players, but he had never been so nervous as when he was asked to play a little tennis with one of his girlfriend’s pals. But then, McIlroy’s girlfriend is women’s tennis star Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, the friend was Russian star Maria Sharapova and the request came during an exhibition match at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. On Tuesday, McIlroy arrived at Doral for his first tournament as the World No 1, a World Golf Championships event that starts on Thursday, and admitted he was gobsmacked by his brief tennis foray the night before. “I’ve never been so nervous in my life,” McIlroy said. “I can hit a golf shot in front of a million people but getting up there, I wanted to hit a serve but I was thinking, ‘If I frame this into the crowd it’s going to look so bad’. “So just a little under-arm over the net. Maria was nice. She hit it back to me at quite a gentle pace.” Sharapova hit a McIlroy backhand wide to win the point, delighting the crowd. “Never thought I’d play tennis at Madison square garden!! Had a great time,” McIlroy tweeted. “I even won a point!”
McIlroy explained that he felt obligated to join Wozniacki on the court ahead of her match, which went to Sharapova 6-3, 6-4. “Maria had got someone from the crowd to dance with and then Caroline turned to the crowd and said, ‘Any hot guys that want to dance with me?’
And I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t want anyone else dancing with you,’ so I put my hand up. “Thank God she didn’t ask me to dance. I was much happier hitting a tennis shot.” McIlroy, who took the top ranking with a victory last Sunday at the Honda Classic, was glad to escape golf. The 22-
year-old Northern Irishman plans to take off three weeks after this one before playing in the Masters. “It has been nice to sort of get away from golf a little bit and reflect and sort of let it sink in, but I’m looking forward to getting back at it this week,” McIlroy said.
Lewis Moody calls it quits LONDON: Former England captain and 2003 World Cup winner Lewis Moody confirmed on Tuesday that he is retiring from rugby with immediate effect after struggling to return to the game from injury. The 33-year-old Bath flanker, who won 71 caps and played in two Tests on the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand, stepped down from the international arena following England’s World Cup campaign last
I have been privileged to have played in incredible teams with phenomenal players. Lewis Moody, former England rugby captain
autumn. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce my immediate retirement from all forms of rugby,” said Moody, who suffered a shoulder injury earlier this season. “I have been very privileged to have played in some incredible teams and with some phenomenal players. “Rugby has been my life for such a long time now, it is scary to imagine what it will be like without it, but I look forward to
relishing the new opportunities and adventures that will come my way.” Moody retired from the international scene having scored nine tries for England and having skippered his country on 11 occasions. He also won three caps for the British and Irish Lions, a figure which, like his England appearances, would have been higher save for a string of injuries.
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Heat burns through the Nets MIAMI: LeBron James (below) scored 21 points and Chris Bosh added 20 to lead the host Miami Heat past the New Jersey Nets 108-78 on Tuesday while the Detroit Pistons edged the Los Angeles Lakers 88-85 in overtime. Miami snapped a two-game losing streak in overwhelming fashion. Bosh scored 16 points in the first half while James added 10 and Dwyane Wade scored all 13 of his points in the first half. The Heat rolled to a 64-37 half-time lead, ripping the Nets 30-17 in the first quarter and outscoring them by even more, 34-20, in the second quarter on the way to a lopsided rout. Deron Williams scored 16 points to lead the Nets, who fell to 12-27, last in the Atlantic division. The biggest drama of the night came in Detroit, where the host Pistons outlasted the Lakers. Lakers star Kobe Bryant sank a jump shot from the right side with .1 of a second to play in regulation time to send the Lakers and Pistons into over-time deadlocked at 78-78. Pau Gasol sank a jumper to give the Lakers an 85-84 lead but Tayshaun Prince answered with a jumper to put Detroit ahead and Rodney Stuckey added two free throws with 36 seconds to play to create the final margin. Bryant missed a shot at tying 3-pointer and the Pistons held on. The Lakers fell to 23-15, falling percentage points behind the Los Angeles Clippers in the fight for the Pacific division lead as their three-game win streak was snapped.
Playing Field
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
The games people play
31
Will EPL leaders feel Latin love? Chris Wright
PARIS: Manchester City and Manchester
Post-AVB, Chelsea return to winning ways Neil Johnston
BIRMINGHAM: Chelsea secured their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win away to Birmingham on Tuesday as they triumphed in their first match since manager Andre Villas-Boas was sacked. Two goals in six second-half minutes by Juan Mata (above left) and Raul Meireles ensured Roberto di Matteo, who helped Chelsea land five trophies in six years as a player, got his reign as caretaker boss of the west London club off to a winning start. Chelsea, who had midfielder Frank Lampard and striker Didier Drogba on the substitutes’ bench, were sluggish in the first half before booking a lasteight tie at home to another Championship club in Leicester on March 18. “The attitude was right, the commitment was right and it was important that we showed we cared and made the next round of the FA Cup,” said di Matteo, previously Villas-Boas’s deputy. “We have two months left of the season and we are all in the same boat,” he added. “We have to help each
other and all 25 players in the squad will need to play at their best. This win was for Andre Villas-Boas.” Di Matteo received a warm reception from Chelsea’s supporters. But the travelling fans at St Andrew’s made it clear whom they wanted to take permanent charge when they chanted the name of former manager Jose Mourinho during a fifth round replay caused by a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. Former Italy midfielder di Matteo kept senior players Lampard and Drogba out of his starting side, with the pair on the bench alongside regular captain John Terry, who has been out since January with a knee injury. There were five changes in all to the Chelsea side that lost 1-0 at West Brom three days earlier in Portuguese boss Villas-Boas’s final game in charge. The di Matteo era almost got off to a dream start when Mata found himself in space inside the Birmingham penalty area in the second minute. But instead of squaring the ball to Salomon Kalou for an easy tap-in, the Spaniard went for glory only for keeper Colin Doyle to make the save. Birmingham lost striker Nikola Zigic for four minutes while the Serb
received stitches after an accidental boot to the head from David Luiz. Yet at times it was difficult to work out which team was from the second-tier as Chelsea struggled to hurt their opponents. Their first-half display was summed up when Ramires burst into the Birmingham penalty area but, under pressure, the Brazilian fired his shot wide. Birmingham, who had already claimed one top-flight FA Cup scalp in the shape of Wolves, grew more confident as the tie wore on. It was left to Mata to make the allimportant breakthrough as Chelsea killed off Birmingham with two quick goals. It was anything but a vintage Chelsea display and they will have to play better if they are to overturn a 3-1 first leg deficit when Napoli visit Stamford Bridge in the Champions League next week. But after a traumatic few days, victory was all that mattered to Chelsea.
United will briefly put aside their jockeying for position in the English Premier League title race on Thursday when both try to propel themselves towards the Europa League quarter-finals. Deprived of involvement in the business end of the Champions League season after underwhelming group stage campaigns, both are using the continent’s bridesmaid tournament as a chance to retain their profile beyond the domestic game — even if supremacy at home is the main target. Three-times European champions United can at least look at the event as a bonus of sorts in that few and far between are the clubs who have won all three of UEFA’s main European club trophies — including the now defunct Cup Winners Cup. Only Ajax, Bayern Munich and Juventus have lifted the European Cup/Champions League, the Cup Winners Cup and the Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup or Fairs Cup before that). On a personal note, United’s long serving coach Sir Alex Ferguson would, if his charges lift the cup, become only the third coach to have lifted all three competitions after Giovanni Trapattoni and Udo Lattek. City, like United forced to scale down their European ambitions after being bested in the Champions League by Napoli and Bayern Munich, visit Sporting Lisbon on a high after emphatically ousting holders Porto in the previous round.
Playing Field
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
The games people play
32
Arsenal fall one short of genius Rob Woollard
LONDON: AC Milan advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday after Arsenal fell agonisingly short of a remarkable comeback despite an emphatic 3-0 victory over the Italian champions. Arsenal had been left needing to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in European history after suffering a 4-0 first leg thrashing against the Serie A leaders in the San Siro last month. But first-half goals from Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky and captain Robin van Persie fired the Gunners into an improbable 3-0 lead which left the Emirates faithful daring to dream that a miracle was on the cards. However Milan regrouped well after the break and Arsenal were unable to find the fourth goal that would have levelled the tie, leaving the shattered Premier League giants reflecting on a 4-3 aggregate defeat. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger praised his side’s display. “They can only be proud of their performance,” Wenger said. “The team has fantastic spirit and showed some fight after the first tie, but unfortunately we go out. We had the chances for a goal, but we keep our winning run going which is important. We have paid the price for a bad first game.
“But we have given everything. That is all you can do at the top level: give everything and then you accept the result.” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri meanwhile paid tribute to the way his side had responded after their first half mauling. “I just said to them at halftime that we couldn’t change what had happened in the first half,” Allegri said. “But I said to them it was important to remember that even at 3-0 we
The team has fantastic spirit and showed fight, but unfortunately we go out. But we keep our winning run going which is important. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Benfica through as Zenit falter
LISBON: Two injury-time goals courtesy of Maxi Pereira and Nelson Oliveira secured Benfica’s passage to the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday with a convincing 2-0 win over Zenit Saint-Petersburg. Jorge Jesus’s side had succumbed 3-2 in Russia in the first
leg of the knockout phase after Roman Shirokov stunned the Portuguese by scoring the second of a brace of goals in the 88th minute. Goals from Pereira, in firsthalf injury time, and Oliveira, at the tail end, capped a solid performance at the Stadium of Light
and sent Benfica into the last eight of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2006. Pereira and Jesus now believe Benfica could go all the way. “We deserved to win and I’m really happy with this result,” said Pereira. “Now we’re in the quarterfinals and we can beat anybody.” Jesus said: “We now go in to the quarter-finals with the same ambitions we had at the start of the season and, whoever we get in the draw, we think we can go far.” Benfica made their intentions clear from the outset, keeping visiting goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev on his toes throughout a lively first half which ended with the hosts 1-0 ahead. Late chances by Jardel and Oliveira also went begging, while Viktor Fayzulin spurned a chance for a dramatic late equaliser when he sent his shot wide of the post in injury time.
were still qualified. “I’m very happy because our objective was to qualify and we have done that.” Arsenal’s best attempt to level the tie came on 59 minutes, when Gervinho raced clear down the left. The Ivorian’s low shot took a deflection off Philippe Mexes and struck Abbiati’s leg, but the ball bounced only as far as van Persie. For once though the Dutchman’s killer touch desert-
ed him, and instead of opting for power he attempted to lift the rebound over the Milan keeper who was able to save. Szczesny was to save Arsenal twice in quick succession in the final 15 minutes as the home side poured forward for a goal, blocking Ibrahimovic’s low shot and then saving from Nocerino from pointblank range. Yet time ran out for the Gunners and Milan were through.