Postnoon E-Paper for 10 January 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 HYDERABAD

WEATHER: CLEAR WITH CLOUDY PERIODS; 23°C

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Laughter is the best medicine, they say. A day before World Laughter Day — January 11 — Postnoon gives you something to ‘treat’ yourselves with. Go ahead and laugh out loud!

32 PAGES

P16&17

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

CM-MIM BATTLE

HITS GHMC? You are what you wear, or so they say, and at work your appearance counts for a lot. With the start of a brand new year, we look at key pieces for men to wear at work. From suits to accessories, be prepared to wow the workplace.

BACK TO WORK P22&23

Rumours are doing the rounds that GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu is to be moved, and has caught the mayor completely by surprise, more so because it was thought that Babu’s position was firmly entrenched.

REPORT ON P4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

city events

VEEVES VASTRA 2013

This is an exhibition of sarees and dresses from Kashmir & Sutra organisation, Delhi. Chanderi cotton and silks, hand embroidered kurtis, dupattas, salwar suits, and block prints, among other things, will be available up to January 12 at Veeves, Banjara Hills.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

Afternoon

24°C

16°C

22°C

30°C

Mostly clear

Mostly sunny.

Mostly sunny..

New Delhi Mumbai Max 16 Max 33 Min 5 Min 20 Clear, sunny skies.

Clear, sunny skies.

Chennai Max 30 Min 22

Bangalore Max 29 Min 17

Clear, sunny skies.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Where: Lalitha Kala Thoranam, Public gardens, Hyderabad When: January 27 6pm to 9:30pm Contact: 93965 55888

ART Visual Poetry Drawing and paintings by Siddhartha, Kappari Kishan & Shivanand Basavanthappa. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills When: Up to January 15 Contact: (040) 2354 0023

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

Chai wallah art show There is an exhibition of paintings by Vijay Gille at the gallery on Chai wallah and other stories. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Up to January 12 11:30am to 7pm Contact: www.iconart.in Code Red Countdown Code Red Countdown is an art collection revolving around ecology, by New York based artist Asher Jay. The theme is endangered wildlife. Where: Lalitha Kala Thoranam, Public gardens When: January 27 6pm to 9:30pm Contact: 93965 55888

DINING Makar Sankranti There’s an exquisite signature thali with sweets made of rice, jaggery, green gram and sesame on the occasion of Sankranti. Where: Dakshin, Begumpet When: January 14-15 Contact: (040) 2340 0132

Punjabi Food Festival There will be a bonfire and Punjabi delicacies like Murgh Tikka Anari, Gosht Ka Saag, Sarson Da Saag, Makki Da Roti and Doodhi Halwa will be served. Where: The Square, Hitec City When: Up to January 20 Contact: (040) 6682 4422 Gloria Jean’s coffee Gloria Jean’s, an international coffee chain, has introduced two new flavours for this season: Creamy Christmas Chocolate and Snowy Christmas Chiller. Gloria Jean’s Coffees will also give all its customers a chance to win exotic holidays in India and Thailand. Where: Lifestyle, first floor, Begumpet and Unit No.G 49 A, Inorbit Mall,

Commissioner & Spl Officer

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

198 155313

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

AT THE TECH CAPITAL: Children drink water from the roadside outside Langhar House.

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

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

When: Up to January 15 Contact: (040) 4221 9376

SHOWS Bonjour India festival The Bonjour India festival, a celebration of Indo-French cultural exchange, is being held for the second time in India. The cultural calender for the same has been published by Alliance Française of Hyderabad. Where: Contact office for venues and dates When: January-March 9am to 6pm Contact: (040) 2770 0734 The Monsoon Oracle The Monsoon Oracle is a factual film based on ritualistic practices that take places in the country. It revolves around the rituals performed, pre-

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

155313 23307328 23313163

27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999

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

dicting the arrival of monsoon. Where: NIFT, Madhapur When: January 25, Contact: (040) 2311 4537 Krishnakriti festival Krishnakriti Art & Culture festival 2013 is started on January 7. The time and agenda for the rest of the dates are available with Kalakriti. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery When: January 7-11 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466

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

Tribute to Rajesh Khanna There will be dance performances on Rajesh Khanna’s songs to pay tribute to the superstar. The dance will be choreographed by Mahesh L Munde, who has choreographed national and international performances.

27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445

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

S BALAKRISHNA

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

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

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

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views

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

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

City

TODAY’S QUESTION

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

SHOULD MARTIAL ARTS LESSONS BE MADE MANDATORY AT SCHOOLS?

DO YOU SUPPORT GOVERNMENT'S ACTION AGAINST AKBARUDDIN OWAISI? 82%

YES (A)

18%

NO (B)

YES

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CRIME

GANG OF 4 HELD, TELUGU GIRL RESCUED FROM JAIPUR

The cops recently cracked down on a gang of flesh traders from Rajasthan, following a complaint from the girl’s family. Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com

Rajasthan gang that traded in teenaged girls under the guise of do-gooders has been taken into custody and a 16-yearold Telugu girl was rescued from a Jaipur lodge recently, Musheerabad police said. The bait the four-member gang used was a good looking young woman, Devika Pahelwan alias Muskan who is a party dancer. Harish Kumar, 22, Suresh Kumar, 32, Kailash Chinga, 24, and Ashok Pahelwan, 34, (who escaped the police net) would give logistical support and sales,

Muskan befriended the Fareed family and slowly sweet-talked the girl and managed to wean her away from her family. while Muskan would hook poor teenaged girls with a show of false empathy and a lot of promises of good life. In this instance, a 16year-old girl of Ranganagar in Bholakpur basti of Musheerabad was lured away with the offer of a job and a possible husband. She is the daughter of a carpenter, Shaikh Fareed and

Ashraf Beevi, who is a maid servant. Muskan befriended the Fareed family and sympathised with the girl. Slowly she sweet-talked her and managed to wean her away from her family. Her accomplices took her to a Jaipur lodge where she was sexually assaulted. Later the gang invited other customers and forced the girl into flesh trade. The girl’s parents lodged a police complaint. On interrogation Muskan admitted her crime and said the girl was in a Jaipur lodge. A raid was conducted and three of the four-member gang were arrested, said Musheerabad PI Mohd Riyazudeen.

ARCHAEOLOGY

CRIME

MoU inked to conserve Quli Qutb Shah tombs

n MoU was signed on Wednesday by the Department of Archaeology & Museums and Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Aga Khan Foundation in the presence of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and minister for tourism and culture, archaeology & museums Vatti Vasant Kumar and other dignitaries. It was estimated that `90 crore will be spent in the next five years to beautify the Quli Qutb Shah Tomb complex. The chief minister said the Quli Qutb Shah tombs complex is a beautiful site and conservation and renovation of the area will help

continue the cultural tradition of the historic city of Hyderabad so that the rich culture of the past can be passed on. He assured full cooperation from the State government in this regard. The Quli Qutb Shah Archaeological Park comprising the Qutb Shahi

Tombs Complex and Deccan Park, is one of the most significant historic medieval necropolises with 70 structures within its complex, encompassing 40 mausoleums, 23 mosques, five step-wells/ water structures, a hamam, pavilions, garden structures and

enclosure walls built during the reign of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty that ruled the Hyderabad region for 170 years in the 16th and 17th centuries. The signing of the MoU has been preceded by a year long documentation programme, where each of the 70 structures within the tomb complex have been documented and their conservation needs established. Topographical surveys of the entire 106-acre site have also been undertaken and a landscape master plan prepared. The Quli Qutb Shah Tombs complex located at Golconda consists of 70 structures built by the Qutb Shahi Kings and officials from 16th and 17th Centuries AD. NSS

Now, a swamy booked for hate-speech POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

n an apparent bid to strike a balance, the City police on Wednesday booked a hate-speech case against one Swamy Kamlanand Bharti of Hindu Rakshna Samiti, based on the complaint of one Badul Rehman. According to complaint, the swamy addressed a gathering organised at Indira Park on Tuesday where the BJP president G Kishan Reddy and other party leaders were present. In this speech the Swamy is said to have used strong language against another community and hurled threats. The special branch police and some members of the audience recorded the speech and produced before the police while lodging a complaint. Mirchowk police have booked a case and started investigation.

city THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE

CIVIC

Kiran’s surprise for the MIM?

A penny for that fuel

ast year we had reported how the City police were forced to shell out large amounts from their pockets for petrol costs. Given the numerous bandobast duties and other works they were assigned the meagre 120 litre limit they had didn’t meet their requirements. However, petrol bunk owners claimed that cops rarely ever paid for the petrol they had reﬁlled.

JANUARY 10, 2012

NUMEROLOGY

408 lakh

RESHUFFLE

Major IAS reshuffle in AP carried out

In a surprise move the current GHMC commissioner might be transferred, although the mayor was given to understand that he will continue for another term.

n a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Andhra Pradesh government has transferred 22 IAS officers. According to a Government Order issued late last night, senior IAS official M Samuel, chief commissioner of Land Administration and special chief secretary is transferred and posted as special chief secretary Environment, Forest, Science and Technology. Prasanta Mahapatra, additional director general, Dr MCR HRDI, has been transferred and posted as principal secretary, School Education. In the meantime, Ashutosh Mishra, the principal secretary Excise and Commercial Taxes is placed in full additional charge of the post of chief commissioner of Land Administration and special chief secretary, until further orders are issued. M Dana Kishore, who was holding Minorities Welfare Department has now replaced RV Chandravadan as commissioner (I&PR), who in turn has been posted as joint director general, Dr MCR HRDI of Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, MG Gopal was transferred as principal secretary Endowments and V Nagi Reddy has been posted as principal secretary to government (PR), Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department in the existing vacancy. Chitra Ramachandran has been transferred to Public Enterprises Department in the existing vacancy as principal secretary.

quintals of cotton are expected to be produced this year by the Cotton Corporation of India.

What good will Math, science or any subject do when the basic necessity of living without fear can’t be given? Is selfdefence not as important as any other subject? Shwetha Rao, teacher See page 8

THINGS WE LEARNT TODAY

The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.

Don’t get pally with just about anybody. At least the Fareeds learnt this the hard way when a sweet-talking woman befriended them and lured their 16-year-old daughter into the ﬂesh trade.

The CM knows just how to keep the MIM in check. First he cracked down on their leader and now he has plans to change the incumbent GHMC commissioner in a bid to keep the MIM’s inﬂuence in check.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

he sudden news (as yet a buzz) of the transfer of GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu (right) is reported to have shocked mayor Mohd Majid Hussain. The surprise move by the government is perceived as the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s decision to contain MIM influence. At a time when the mayor and officials were given to understand the commissioner would continue for another term, Krishna Babu’s possible transfer evoked a general cry, “wow.” The buzz is that it was not just the commissioner but several others at the civic administration who would be

transferred. It was conveyed to the mayor while he was presiding over the Standing Committee meeting yesterday. Jayesh Ranjan (left), who is currently holding the post as Tourism secretary would be heading the GHMC, it is learnt. People who know Jayesh, jumped with joy on hearing the news. “We used to play cricket and he is a gentleman. Hope working with him will be a good experience,” said a young employee. An IAS officer of 1992 batch, he is senior to Krishna Babu by one year. “As the news was not confirmed through a GO the Secretariat and GHMC were flooded with phone calls enquiring about it,” say sources. Insiders say Jayesh was more interested to become the

principal secretary, Social Welfare. “With his experience as vice chairman in the then HUDA (Hyderabad Urban Development Authority) more than a decade ago, it is unlikely that he will take charge of GHMC,” people who know him said. Not only the mayor and officials, but the leaders of political parties were also surprised, as the current incumbent provided them much scope in terms of smoothly carrying out works. “We had just begun streamlining everything and now this news has come,” the mayor reportedly told an official. With the changing atmosphere and politics influencing the decisions, will the mayor be able to tame the new commissioner is the question.

PTI

TRS now believes MIM is blocking T-state formation. First they said it was the CM who was putting a spanner in the works and now they allege that MIM was opposed to T and that is why the communal tension.

4 held for attacking APSRTC buses

Bus passenger pick-pocketed

Metro Rail to hold cycling event

1 held for illegal sale of Tirupati laddoo

Want some govt information? Don’t look online. Most government departments don’t even have websites. Nor are they aware of the services of NIC.

Don’t just ask your girls to be careful. Teach them to ﬁght. Martial arts can help your daughters defend themselves in adverse situations.

NEWS BRIEFS usheerabad police have arrested four people — Mohd Abdul, 32, a resident of Bhoiguda, Syed Amjad, 23, a resident of Musheerabad, Nazeer, 17, a resident of Medhani Old City and Mohd Mubeen, 22, a resident of Ramnagar on charges of attacking RTC buses in the wake of the arrest of MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi.

hieves stole gold ornaments and `5,000 from the purse of a woman passenger M Vijayalaxmi, a resident of Khairatabad. She was returning home from ofﬁce by bus when she realised that she had lost the cash. She informed the bus conductor and her husband. Later she lodged a complaint with the Begumpet police.

he L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad will launch an initiative, ‘Hyderabad Metro Connects 2013’ a cycling event. Scheduled to take place on February 17, the ﬁrst ride of the series will cover 27.51 km from 6.30am to 12pm. People can register on www.hmr-brandambassadors.in. This is to convey the message “Green” in line with the project.

contract employee of Andhra Bank was caught by the police for selling the famed Tirupati laddoo tokens for a higher rate at Tirupati. Umapathi, was apprehended at the temple with the possession of 300 tokens of `20 each. Reports said proﬁteering on laddoo was illegal. A case has been booked against Umapathi.

city THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

POLITICS

Lokesh to do an Akhilesh?

Lokesh tweets, telling TRS leaders that posts of peons are open at NTR Bhavan. This was in response to TRS leaders claiming they would do attenders’ job at NTR Bhavan if the party supported a Telangana state. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

Lokesh said Rahul Gandhi does not even know how to cut and paste a document, accusing the ‘yuvaraja’ of stealing his Cash Transfer Scheme idea.

he TDP is on a back-toback yatra. This time, it would be N Lokesh, the son and heir apparent of the TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, embarking on a yatra. As Naidu is about to conclude his three-month old padayatra shortly, Lokesh is billet get on to a bicycle, which happens to be the party symbol too, for a long yatra across the State. This would indeed be the youth’s formal entry into politics, the party has decided. The date for launching the campaign will be decided after the conclusion of the ongoing marathon padayatra by his father Chandrababu Naidu. A senior leader of the party said, “Party cadres insist that the youth be brought to active politics.” But senior leaders admit there is another reason for an immediate yatra. The party

wants to keep the momentum generated by Naidu’s yatra alive till the next general elections. Lokesh, who introduced himself as TDP activist in his official

twitter account, is playing an active role via the net. His twitter account is well visited. His recent tweet on TRS Leaders T Hareesh Rao and K

Taraka Rama Rao ,after the extension of support by TDP to a separate Telangana, created a huge sensation in political circles across the State. In his tweet,

POLITICS

TRS sees an MIM conspiracy to prevent T-state

TRS leaders see the alleged hate speech by MIM leader Owaisi as a deliberate attempt to create communal disharmony in the Sate and shift people’s attention from the T-issue. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

TRS leaders allege that MIM is trying to create communal tension in the Telangana region as it is opposed to a T-state.

he TRS sees a conspiracy in the recent hate-speech charges against MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi. According to them, it was a deliberate ploy hatched by the MIM, YSRC and Congress to prevent the formation of a Telangana state. TRS leaders say the idea was to kick up a massive communal riot in Hyderabad to postpone the Centre’s announcement on Telangana this month. Speaking to Postnoon, TRS leader T Hareesh Rao said the scheme was to create a rift among Hindus, Muslims and other communities of the region to stop the process of creation of a Telangana state. “It is very clear that the recent political developments are aimed to create communal riots in the State and upset the harmony prevail-

ing among the people of the Telangana region. Those responsible for this do not want the creation of a separate Telangana state,” he said. Rao appealed to the people of the region to preserve harmony. Another TRS leader D Sravan Kumar alleged that the MIM Party is trying to create

communal tension in the Telangana region as it is opposed to the creation of the separate state. “The MIM has always opposed the creation of a separate state. We strongly feel that the recent developments were part of its agenda to create a gulf between the various communities to ensure that

Telangana is not created,” he said. Kumar warned that no political party could prevent the creation of the separate state as the agitation had reached its zenith. The T-cause champion is holding continuous public meetings across the Telangana region as part of his month-long agitation programmes, asking people not to get distracted with the recent political developments. The party also has plans to hold meetings with religious leaders with an objective to create awareness among the people of various communities.

Lokesh had mocked the TRS Leaders saying that the post of peons were awaiting them. It may be recalled here that Hareesh Rao, while challenging the Telugu Desam Party, had said that he would work as attender at NTR Trust Bhavan if it extended support to the separate Telangana state. He also criticized the scion of Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, for taking false credit for the innovative Cash Transfer Scheme. “Rahul does not even know how to cut and paste a document,” remarked Lokesh, accusing the ‘Yuvaraja’ and his ‘gang’ of ‘stealing his idea.’

POLITICS

Dattatreya slams Centre S

enior BJP leader and former union minister Bandaru Dattatreya said that the 20 per cent hike in railway fares proposed by the UPA government just before the budget session of parliament is undemocratic, unethical and dictatorial. In a press note here today, the BJP national executive member said the UPA government, in order to save its face from the ire of friendly parties, hiked the railway fares before the budget session. “This hike has not spared even the common man, including the lower middle class, from sleeper class to A/C passengers, resulting in `6,600 crore additional income to the railways. As if the hike in railway fares is insufficient, the UPA government slapped the passengers with an additional charge of `5 towards development charges on each passenger, which is a double dose.” The BJP leader has demanded that the UPA government immediately rollback the hike and get the approval of the parliament. He also stated that the BJP strongly condemns the hike without taking Parliament into confidence. NSS

city THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

AGRICULTURE

Govt cottoning-on to issue

As the government faces stiff competition from private businesses, Cotton Corporation of India promises cotton farmers in the State new measures to increase produce. What about goods security, considering that there have been two major fire accidents last year involving burnt cotton produce? “We have planned to provide fire tender services and hydrants at market yards. These fire services are being provided to identified markets and fire services at 10 centres. However, the short coming is that 282 staffs are required to man these services and there is a shortage of man power. “ The commissioner could not answer why ginning mills, where cotton bales are separated from fiber, root and strand, were operating under free power released by the APTransco. Most of these are private ginning mills, to which farmers were giving more preference. The commissioner promised that all amenities were being made from the grass root level. “Private traders are being preferred because they are prompt in their payments, whereas payments made by the CCI or NAFED take time because of departmental procedures. However, we are trying to overcome this by speeding up the processes of payRAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com

t a press conference, commissioner and director of agricultural marketing G Venkat Ram Reddy said that various facilities and offers were being made to help cotton farmers at the annual sales, and that keen interest was being taken to increase the cotton produce. The commissioner, however, did not give a satisfactory answer to the issue of increased presence of private businesses and farmers prefering them. According to a report released by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), AP’s cotton farms have expanded up to 22.69 lakh hectares. The CCI expects this year’s annual produce to hit a record 80 lakh bales or 408 lakh quintals of cotton. Speaking to Postnoon, Reddy said, “Special arrangements and procedures have been designed to help maximise the output and regulate the sales smoothly. CCI has opened 95 market yards throughout the State and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) has opened up 14 centres. As of January 7, 2013, CCI has collected 72.6 lakh quintals of cotton and NAFED 7.64 lakh quintals. The current minimum support price at which cotton bales are being sold is `3,900, which has helped CCI purchase 14.24 lakh quintals as compared to 2008-09 when the annual purchase was only 36.25 lakh quintals.” The statistics might show that CCI and NAFED are doing wonders, but there is a growing trend of cotton farmers preferring private businesses. For instance, the minimum support price being offered by private traders is far less than that offered by CCI or the

408

lakh

quintals of cotton are expected to be produced this year by the Cotton Corporation of India.

Last year, a huge amount of produce was rejected because our cotton was stored in gunny bags and the buyers rejected it on the basis of impurity. G Venkat Ram Reddy director, agricultural marketing ments and also setting up Mee Seva centres at the identified market places.” “Apart from the stiff competition, most of our produce, bought mostly by the Western countries, is rejected on the basis of storage. They are very particular about cotton being pure from strands, fibre and root and most of our farming community is yet to work with modern storage technology,” he said.

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`3,900

is the current minimum support price at which cotton bales are being sold.

quintals is China’s export consumption of cotton, down from 12 million quintals.

NAFED at the 14 districts where cotton is sold. As of January 7, CCI has acquired a total of 72.6 lakh quintals and private traders have acquired a competitive 42.67 lakh quintals. In Adilabad and Khammam, two of the major cotton producing fields in the State, the private traders have outnumbered the CCI and NAFED by a margin of over 1 lakh quintals. “This is one among the many factors that has affected the demand for cotton locally. China, which used to export 65 per cent of India’s cotton, has reduced its export consumption from 12 million quintals to 7 million quintals. However, we are making sure that the trade demand does not severely affect farmers. So we have started providing extra services like godown spaces in market yards for the farmers to dry their cotton,” Reddy said.

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

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classifieds THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

GOVERNANCE

The govt’s great digital divide A number of governmental departments have no websites. And what’s worse, many department heads are unaware of services provided by the NIC. The centre is pleading with departments to use its services. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com

he number of dysfunctional government department websites is huge. Despite the services available of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), most of the departments fail to utilise this service. Surprisingly, many department heads are unaware that NIC is mandated to provide them with necessary websites. According to VB Sarma, State information officer of the NIC, “Individual departments or their respective heads should take the lead and approach us for web services. As of now, we do not have any pending requests for web services or website development. When a department does not ask us for a website, how are we to develop one? “The NIC functions on a memorandum of understanding with the State government when a demand for a website is placed.

CLASSIFIEDS HOME APPLIANCES

Technically, the NIC is in-charge of two kinds of websites: Static and dynamic websites. Dynamic websites include the job of maintaining back end processes and databases. We have designed websites for the Hyderabad police,” he said.

Of music and masala

Penn Masala, a college band from the University of Pennsylvania, performed last night, and recorded one of their latest songs in Mumbai to get the ‘full Bollywood experience’.

9866074747 For Secunderabad 9290204030 For H y d e r a b a d - 9866663212

For Cyberabad 9866698879

update its websites and take care of the content in it.” This explains why NIC’s endeavours, like the Mee Seva revenue services, Ambient Air Quality service for the APPCB and case information for the District Court have proven to be

INTERVIEW

JYOTSNA NAMBIAR jyotsna.n@postnoon.com

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So why then is most of the content on the police department’s website incomplete or not up to date? “We can’t maintain content for a website unless asked for. The police department has its own web development team that should constantly

consistently better in quality and content management. Most of the ‘gov.in’ web development services were provided by the NIC and continue to be updated on a daily basis. Private web developers too can be roped in for website design and management, but due to many shortcomings the web services fail to deliver. The problem with website management comes with the web development team who are mostly out of sync with the latest web services. As one senior police official from the traffic police said, “Staff recruited for web services are often barely educated and are not in tune with the latest technologies. Besides, most of the departments are yet to realise the importance of websites as most of the workload can be handled through the web.” The Hyderabad traffic police’s website is an example of good web management with a routine update of statistics and reports filed.

ard Rock Café at GVK One Mall reverberated with different pitches in perfect harmony on Wednesday evening. Ten guys stood at their mikes, willing their voices into drumbeats, guitar harmonies and deeper bass sounds. For Penn Masala, it’s just another day on the road. While the band members prepared for their concert at night, Postnoon caught up with one of the members, Varshil Patel — band manager, singer and jack of all trades. Being a college band based at the University of Pennsylvania, the original line-up has changed several times since the band’s inception in 1996, with members graduating and moving on. Still, the essence of Penn Masala, the first Hindi a cappella band, remains true to its roots. “It’s still only students from the University of Pennsylvania. We can’t allow members, once they’ve graduated, to continue with the band. It’s essentially a college experience; one you can look back on,”

said Varshil. “A lot of the alumni have gone on to do music-related things — some studied music, some became independent musicians. Most went on to professional careers — doctors, lawyers and stuff. But a lot of them do jam with us sometimes.” Another tradition they’ve maintained is that the members are all male. “When it started out, it just happened that all the four were guys. As the band grew, it almost became like a brotherhood. Even

The band plans to record a song for Teach for India, the proceeds of which will go to the organisation. the way we act; we’re all guys and we just thought it might be difficult for a woman to fit it. I know what we’re missing out on — women can bring new pitches and a new sound

to the band. But we figured we’ll just keep the brotherhood intact. We’ve had some great female singers audition for us, but we’ve always turned them down,” said Varshil. So what plans next? “This year’s a big one for us,” said Sam Levenson, another member. “We’re working on our eighth studio album and that should be coming out in spring.” Varshil chimed in, “We’re also in talks with Teach for India and want to record a song, the proceeds of which will go to the organisation.” While in Mumbai, the band also shot a video for their latest song. “Yeah, we wanted the full Bollywood experience here,” grinned Varshil. “We hope the fans will like what they see.” With their packed schedule, it is easy to forget that the members are all students. “We’re missing school right now,” said Varshil and Sam, quite cheerfully. When do they ever get any studying done? “We just work hard, keep each other up at night and study. We know this is a priority for us; where else would we get an experience like this?” said Varshil.

city THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

EMPOWERING WOMEN

FIGHTING TO STAY SAFE

Following the horrifying Delhi gang-rape case, the need to equip girls with the means to protect themselves has struck City schools. Most of them are now offering their students a chance to train in martial arts for self-defence. ANUBHA K SINGH anubha.k@postnoon.com

child is safe only as long as he or she is under the supervision of his/her parents. But what about their safety once they no longer require strict parental supervision? Most of them are taught basic self-defence tricks so they can stay independent and safe. But given the fact that most of these lessons are confined to limited tricks that are of not much use to adults, they are left in the lurch. The recent Delhi gang-rape incident and the subsequent focus on incidents of crimes against women have only driven home the need for individuals to be better equipped to protect themselves in the face of danger. Many schools in the twin cities have realised the need of the hour and are training their students in judo, karate and other forms of martial arts. School managements are now keen on teaching their students, especially girls, advanced levels of martial arts and not just the basic forms of self-defence. In fact, some are even demanding that these classes be made a part of the school curriculum. “Martial arts will not just help in self-defence but will also boost the girls’ self-esteem and confidence. It will help relieve their frustration and equip them to protect themselves better,” Shwetha Rao, teacher, Little Flowers School.

Women spar with their trainers during a self-defence class in New Delhi. After nearly three weeks of lurid reporting on a horrifying gang-rape in New Delhi, women in the Indian capital say they are more anxious than ever, leading to a surge in interest in self-defence classes. AFP PHOTO

“What good will Math, science or any subject do when the basic necessity of living without fear can’t be given to our children? Is self-defence not as important as any other subject? Girls are often the target of sex crimes and unfortunately, not many know how to defend themselves. Being able to know how to defend her gives not only her but also her parents a feeling that at least their daughter can fight the odds,” she adds. Survival is not just the only reason that a woman needs to live on this planet but living with confidence and pride should be. Martial arts of any form will bring that confidence to face the world and hit back when required. Though many administrations are keen on introducing martial arts in their schools, practically it is proving to be a challenge for some. “There is no such GO from the State government and to

implement any thing new we need a government order. We are keen to provide classes on martial arts, but another challenge we face is that most martial arts instructors are male and a lot of parents deem their daughters being taught by men inappropriate. This is proving to be a problem when it comes to implementing our aims,” said T Sadhana p r i n c i p a l , Government S c h o o l , Khairatabad. R e c e n t l y, Home Minister Sabitha Indira Reddy had proposed to make martial arts a part of school and college curriculum, so that girls can cope in the face of any untoward incident. However, there is still no word from the government and it remains to be seen whether the government fulfils its promise or not. But ever since the Delhi incident, parents and school authorities in the City have become a lot more careful about their daughters’ and students’ security.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

focus

MILITARY FIRST

Though people live in abject poverty, North Korea maintains a standing army of 1.2 million. It also possesses nuclear weapons and is currently working on developing ICBM capacity.

IN TROUBLED WATERS

GOOGLING NORTH KOREA

In a country where radios are hardwired to tune exclusively to state-run broadcasts, surfing the Internet is, for most people, an entirely alien concept. Only about five per cent of people have access to full-blown internet.

hat is one of the world’s most prominent advocates of Internet freedom doing in a country where unregulated access to information is generally either impossible or criminal? Google chairman Eric Schmidt’s “private” visit to North Korea raises many questions, not least because he embodies what regimes in Pyongyang have spent decades resisting with all the considerable power at their disposal. For the vast majority of North Korea’s 24 million people, the global information revolution may just as well never have happened, especially when it comes to communication with the outside world. In a country where radios are hardwired to tune exclusively to state-run broadcasts, surfing the Internet is, for most people, an entirely alien concept. So while many observers puzzle over Schmidt’s motives, just as many are asking what lies behind Pyongyang’s courtship of the Google chairman. Schmidt is part of a “private humanitarian mission” led by former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, which is ostensibly focused on the case of a detained US citizen awaiting trial for alleged crimes against the state. But state media has made North Korea’s spin on the visit very clear. “Delegation of Google Corp. of US Arrives” was the headline used by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in announcing their arrival Monday. While North Koreans live in probably the most isolated and censored society on the planet and one that comes bottom of any media freedom survey, the country is not a complete IT desert. Cell phones were introduced in 2008 through a joint venture with the Egyptian telecom firm Orascom, a domestic intranet was launched in 2008 and some state bodies have their own websites. It’s a natural progression for an impoverished country desperate for investment, but in North Korea the economic

Institute for International Economics, admitted to being flummoxed by Schmidt’s visit, especially given Google’s difficult history with China’s censors. “Google was forced into complex compromises, and faced substantial criticism, for efforts to sustain its China presence in the face of government censorship,” Haggard said. “We don’t fault them for giving Pyongyang a try. But the information giant has more than met its match. “Can you imagine (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-Un’s response to a Schmidt powerpoint on the liberating power of Google?” he added. For all the regime’s efforts, the information barrier erected around North Korea has, in recent years, begun to lose some of its prophylactic power. Smuggled Chinese mobile phones allow people near the

This picture taken by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 7, 2013 and released on January 8, 2013 shows executive chairman of Google Eric Schmidt (left) and former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson (centre) upon their arrival in Pyongyang. AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS

imperative is always weighed against the potential for social disruption. Thus the estimated one million subscribers to the sole cell phone system provider, Koryolink, can call each other, but not outside the country. The domestic Intranet is similarly cut off from the rest of the world, allowing its very limited

number of users to exchange state-approved information and little more. Access to the full-blown Internet is for the super-elite only, meaning a few hundred people or maybe 1,000 at most. For 95 percent of the population, none of the above are available. Nevertheless, analysts like

North Korea security expert Scott Bruce believe the expansion of IT access to five percent of the population is an unprecedented and highly significant development. “North Korea has made a fundamental shift from a state that limits access to information technology to ensure the security of the regime, to one that is willing to use it as a tool, at least among a certain privileged class, to support national development,” Bruce wrote in a recent policy brief for the East-West Centre in Hawaii. This, Bruce concluded, opened a new policy option for the United States to engage with the North Korean IT sector and encourage its development in “an operation with the potential to transform the state over the long term”. Washington though has been vocally unenthusiastic about the Richardson-Schmidt trip, saying it was ill-timed in the wake of Pyongyang’s widely condemned rocket launch last month. Stephen Haggard, a North Korea expert at the Peterson

Google chairman Eric Schmidt’s “private” visit to North Korea raises many questions, not least because he embodies what regimes in Pyongyang have spent decades resisting with all powers at their disposal. border to connect with Chinese servers and make international calls, while re-wired TVs allow access to outside broadcasting. Smuggled DVDs, MP3 players and USB flash drives bring in everything from news to South Korean TV dramas that can’t be shared on the Internet, but are passed from person to person despite the inherent dangers. “North Koreans today are learning more about the outside world than at any time since the founding of the country,” according to a recent study by the consultancy group Intermedia. “Although the regime can and will likely continue to crack down on the influx of outside information, it seems true retrenchment is not possible,” the study said. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Business

AIG REFUSES TO JOIN SUIT AGAINST US GOVT

The board of insurer AIG decided not to join a private shareholder lawsuit against the US government over the $182 billion rescue of the insurer in 2008. The lawsuit argued that the massive bailout of AIG did not fairly compensate shareholders.

TECHNOLOGY

CHINA SURPLUS $231 bn

New media powers biz Small and medium businesses are making best use of emerging technologies to draw customers, provide services and improvise marketing.

PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

Net power Number of Internet users: 13.7 crore

one are the days, when small and medium businesses (SMBs) need to keep huge marketing budget aside for the campaigns. Today, with the evident of new media, quality in the product and service offering coupled with online presence is helping them to build trust and brand image among the customers. Huge growth in Internet and smart phone penetration is also driving these businesses to think seriously about online presence. “There is drastic change in

Contribution of Internet to GDP by 2015: `5 lakh crore Number of SMBs: 5 crore Number of SMBs own a website: 5 lakh

the way SMBs think with the evident of new media. They are not ignoring web presence any more. Earlier, we need to push them to go for a business website. They were reluctant to spend for an online presence, as there were not many Internet users.

“However, today, the new media is helping in interaction with customers along with opportunity to go viral for businesses. It is still the creativity that pushes content to go viral and helps in conveying brand message,” said Shashi Vadana Reddy, co-founder, ArtBeat Communications “Traditionally, the businesses request call to action from a customer whenever there is ad placed in any of the media. The web is helping the potential customer to take immediate action either through a Facebook ‘Like’ or knowing more about the company by visiting the business website using the QR Code

or watching a product video or subscribing to company’s YouTube channel on his smartphone. These will help to form communities or to generate leads to increase the business over time,” she said. These technologies are pushing businesses like ad agencies, IT companies to spread their wings and to offer varied services to the customers. Web development firms are also employing SEO, Social media strategists to manage the online presence of business apart from development of websites. Advertising agencies are not just concentrating on the creative side but are also hiring the employees with new media skills to offer holistic services in building the brand. “There is also partnering between small ad agencies and IT companies or digital agencies. It is better to associate rather than offering services directly. There are huge costs involved in hiring quality web developers and social media and SEO strategists. “It does not make business sense to manage these in-house with few clients. Whereas partnering will give agencies the flexibility to get quality services with the support of the team and pay them as and when there is a requirement,” she added. Rapid growth in internet penetration is creating a winwin situation for both SMBs and the IT and advertising industry. With more than 50 million SMB units in the country, there is huge opportunity for companies to offer web services for the businesses. On the flip side, there is so much for the businesses to gain by being online in this evolving Internet economy.

for

NUMEROLOGY

200

people have joined LinkedIn, the career-focused online social network, since its launch nearly a decade ago.

GM, ISUZU IN TALKS Japan's Isuzu Motors said Thursday it was in discussions with US giant General Motors on developing nextgeneration pickup trucks as a report said the two were in talks over a possible tie-up. The ﬁrms have signed an agreement "on launching talks" to develop the trucks and "will make an announcement at the appropriate time", Isuzu said in a statement without releasing any more details. The announcement came after Japan's leading Nikkei business daily said the pair would likely reach an agreement later this month on a joint venture.

THUS SPAKE High international prices of oil contribute significantly to India's import bills, to our trade deficit, and also if I may say so in the world of rising energy prices, to inflation, thus putting a big strain on our economy, MANMOHAN SINGH PRIME MINISTER

BSE 5,976.70 `54.72 5,209.05 DOLLAR`55.14 17,179.95DOLLAR NSEPOUND `86.60 `87.62 POUND BSE NSE GOLD`31,051 10g SILVER `58,263 1kg

24C

GOLD `29,500 10g SILVER `53,000 1kg

China's trade surplus surged 48.1 per cent to $231.1 billion in 2012, though total trade volume grew at a much slower pace in the face of economic weakness at home and abroad, ofﬁcial data showed Thursday. Exports from the world's second-largest economy rose 7.9 per cent to $2.05 trillion from the previous year, while imports increased 4.3 per cent to $1.82 trillion, the national customs bureau said. China's trade volume, or the total of exports and imports, grew 6.2 per cent in 2012, well below the government target of about 10 per cent. The ﬁgures came after the country's economic growth slowed for seven straight quarters to the end of September.

98.90

33.65

Since our country is a union of states, we abide by its federal character and, therefore, are bound by the consensus on the issue, ANAND SHARMA, COMMERCE MINISTER

19,691.06 24.47

ANAND SHARMA, 5.20 COMMERCE MINISTER

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

nation CROSS-BORDER RAID UN observers to probe ‘Indian raid’

`15 LAKH LOOTED FROM BANK

At least `15 lakh in cash has been stolen from a branch of a nationalised bank at Shyampur area in West Bengal, the police said today. The money was stolen after breaking open the vault of the bank at Sasati locality last night.

CWG CHARGES ON FEB 4

US refuses to take sides, calls for Indo-Pak dialogue The US government is willing to back a UN role only if India and Pakistan requests for the same.

UNITED NATIONS: The UN has urged India and Pakistan to respect the ceasefire and “de-escalate” tensions over the recent cross-border firings through dialogue. The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) made the plea even as it received a complaint from Pakistan which claimed that Indian troops had allegedly crossed the Line of Control(LoC) and “raided” a border post on January 6. India has denied it has crossed the LoC. “UNMOGIP is aware that the Pakistan Army and Indian Army are in contact via the Hotline and urges both sides to respect the ceasefire and de-escalate tensions through dialogue,” the UN observer force said. However, “no official complaint has been received either from the Pakistan Army or Indian Army” regarding the January 8 clash in which two Indian soldiers were killed, it said. “Regarding the 6 January alleged incident, the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, or UNMOGIP, has received an official complaint from the Pakistan Army and will conduct an investigation as soon as possible in accordance with its mandate,” the observer group added. PTI

WASHINGTON: The US has asked India and Pakistan to cool down tensions over the killing of two Indian soldiers along the LoC and talk to each other to improve relations. “We’re urging both sides to take steps to end the violence. We continue to strongly support any efforts to improve relations between the two countries,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said. “We’ve also discussed these latest incidents with both governments, urged them to talk to each other, and urged calm,” she said in response to a question about the incident. “We are concerned about reports of violence along the LoC. It’s our understanding that the governments of India and Pakistan are now talking and trying to work through these issues at a high level,” Nuland said. Asked if the US was worried about possible escalation of the incident, the spokesperson said: “Violence is not the answer for either country.” Washington, she said, has through calls at the ambassadorial level in both countries been “counselling both governments to deescalate, to work through this issue, to continue the consultations between them at a high level that we understand are ongoing now”. Asked if the US supported a Pakistani

Asked if the US was worried about possible escalation of the incident, the spokesperson said: “Violence is not the answer for either country.” move for a third party or UN investigation into the incident, Nuland said it would be best if the two countries could work it out themselves, but if both sides wanted UN support, Washington would back that too. “India and Pakistan have made pretty good progress in recent years in working through a number of difficult issues, including opening of trade relations,” she noted. “They are now engaged at a high level on these recent incidents. If they can work it out themselves, that’s obviously best,” she said. But “If both parties were interested in support from the UN, et cetera, we’d obviously support that as well. But at the moment, we’re urging them to talk to each other,” Nuland said. The spokesperson declined comment into the alleged beheading of two Indian soldiers saying, “I’m not going to get into the specifics here. I think we’ve spoken to the general principles we want to see here.” IANS

NEWS BRIEFS Odisha to probe rape cases within 60 days

Teenage girl raped in Madhya Pradesh village

Woman home guard molested in bus

Nithari: Koli appeals for transfer of case

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has asked the police to ﬁle chargesheets in rape and other sexual offence cases related to women within 60 days of the crimes instead of 120 days stipulated in the law. The government will also set up special fasttrack courts for speedy disposal of cases related to violence against women, a top ofﬁcial told IANS.

RANCHI: A teenaged girl was allegedly raped by a youth in Chheemka village in MP, police said today. The accused took the girl forcibly to an isolated place and sexually assaulted her yesterday. Though he threatened her to keep mum about the incident, she told her parents, who informed the police. The culprit was arrested.

NEW DELHI: A woman home guard was allegedly molested in a DTC bus in Delhi, police said. The incident took place in Madhu Vihar area. Passengers came up to her rescue and beat up accused. He was later handed over to police. The 25year-old woman, who was in her uniform, had boarded the bus from Anand Vihar.

GHAZIABAD: Surender Koli, accused in the 2006 Nithari killings, today appealed to District Judge to transfer his case from the CBI court presently hearing it to another court after he was sentenced to death for the ﬁfth time. Koli questioned the special CBI court’s verdict given in the rape and murder case of a ﬁveyear-old girl.

Pick

at the

A Delhi court today ﬁxed February 4 for framing charges against sacked CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi for allegedly cheating, conspiring and causing a loss of over `90 crore to the public exchequer in a Games-related graft case. Special CBI Judge Ravinder Kaur deferred the framing of charges, saying she needs more time to go through the entire records of the case before passing any order.

25 DIE IN BIHAR MISHAP Twenty-ﬁve people, including 11 children, were killed and 10 others injured when a speeding truck overturned and fell into a roadside ditch near Titai Bigha in Aurangabad district in the wee hours today. Police said the injured had told him the truck driver was drunk and that he along with his assistant ﬂed from the spot. About 35 people were on board and 25 of them were killed when the truck turned turtle. Ten others were injured and have been admitted to Sadar hospital. The labourers, who had come to Aurangabad for harvesting crops, were returning to their village in Daltonganj district bordering Jharkhand, the police said.

It is ominous for democracy. She has forgotten she is not chief minister of Trinamool Congress, but the entire state. She is my chief minister too.

airport,

Biman Bose CPI(M) leader, on Mamata’s silence

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

World

US LABOUR SECY SOLIS QUITS FROM OBAMA CABINET US Labour Secretary Hilda Solis has decided to quit Barack Obama's cabinet, thus becoming the fourth member after Hillary Clinton, Timothy Geithner and Leon Panetta to announce resignation ahead of the January 21 inauguration of the US President.

INFERNO DOWN UNDER

Oz family recounts the horror SYDNEY: Neck-deep in seawater for three hours as the woods exploded around them, clinging to a jetty with their five grandchildren, an Australian couple have told of their dramatic escape from raging wildfires. Tim and Tammy Holmes were minding their daughter's children — ranging in age from 11 to just two years old — when an inferno that destroyed more than 100 homes on the southern island of Tasmania tore towards their property. "We saw tornadoes of fire just coming across towards us and the next thing we knew everything was on fire, everywhere all around us," Tim Holmes told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "We lost three houses and by that time I had sent Tammy... with the children to get down to the jetty because there was no other escape." With a wall of fire and smoke racing at them from both directions, Holmes said they managed to reach the waterfront and take refuge beneath the jetty, clutching onto three of the children who were unable to swim. "We were relying on the jetty really. And the difficulty was, there was so much smoke and ember and there was only about probably 200mm to 300mm of air above the water."

Australia races to control fires

Of the 126 reported wildfires, 15 remain out of control in Oz's most populous state, New South Wales.

This undated handout picture provided by New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW Rural Fire Service) on January 8, 2013 shows a NSW Rural Fire Service worker spraying water on a bush fire at Green Point in New South Wales. AFP

YASS, AUSTRALIA: Australian firefighters were racing against the clock to bring a series of blazes under control Thursday before a forecast spike in temperatures brings the risk of more infernos. Fires have been raging across Australia for nearly a week and while many have been contained, 126 are still burning and at least 15 remain out of control in the country's most populous state, New

South Wales. A cooler weather front that brought some relief on Wednesday continued in many parts Thursday, but temperatures are set to soar once again to well over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on Friday, piling pressure on firefighters. NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said crews were working flat out on containment efforts before the heat

returned. "It's about focusing on getting as much contained and consolidated as we can ahead of a return to hotter and dryer conditions dominating much of NSW over the coming days," Fitzsimmons told ABC television. "We're looking at temperatures across much of NSW into low-to-mid 40s and extending into the high 40s on Saturday. "The only reprieve, if you can call it that, is that we are not expecting significant wind strengths to build. "But it is almost academic. With such hot, dry and dominant (weather) movement from the northwest, even a moderate breeze is going to be problematic and risky for communities and firefighters over the weekend." The blazes have scorched more than 350,000 hectares (865,000 acres) of land in New South Wales alone, and while more than 100 homes were razed in Tasmania state last weekend, only a handful have been destroyed nationwide since. No deaths have been reported. The biggest impact has been on farmers, with vast amounts of pasture, crops and animal feed lost, as well as thousands of head of stock and agricultural infrastructure such as sheds and outbuildings. One of the worst-hit areas is Yass Shire west of Canberra where a fire has so far burnt out 16,000 hectares and killed 10,000 sheep. AFP

NEWS BRIEFS Israeli, US defense chiefs talk Middle East

Censorship row: ‘Must keep pace with time’

Abbas Meshal agree to Japan, S Korea to meet speed up peace process in patch-up bid

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak met Wednesday for a meeting that underscored a "strong US commitment to Israel's security," the Pentagon said. US Defense Department sources said that the two men "discussed a range of issues”.

GUANGZHOU:: A Chinese newspaper at the centre of a dispute over censorship said Thursday that Communist regulation of the media must "keep pace with the times", in its first edition since the row began. "Its (party’s)method of regulation needs to be advanced to keep pace with the times."

CHICAGO: Palestinian Prez Mahmud Abbas and exiled Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal have agreed to expedite a stalled reconciliation deal between the rival factions, a Hamas official said Thursday. The decision came at a meeting in Cairo that was the first in almost a year between the West Bank's Fatah leader Abbas and Meshaal.

TOKYO: Japan and South Korea will on Thursday hold their first high-level strategic dialogue since both countries elected new leaders, as they look to repair frayed ties. Japanese vice minister for foreign affairs Chikao Kawai and South Korea's first vice foreign minister Ahn Ho-Young will meet at 12th meeting of its kind.

‘BADGE’RED, LEGALLY

A federal judge has dismissed a Texas girl's objection to locator chips in student ID badges at a public high school in a case that raises concerns about the erosion of privacy and civil liberties. Andrea Hernandez, 15, and her father told school ofﬁcials they oppose the use of locator chips on religious grounds. Ofﬁcials at San Antonio's Northside school district said they were willing to give her a chipless badge, but warned the straight-A student she would be expelled from her prestigious selective-enrollment school if she did not wear it.

NUMEROLOGY

democracy activists were given prison terms ranging from three to 13 years in Vietnam for subversion; the move has drawn immediate criticism from the United States.

$1TRILLION COIN? The White House has not categorically ruled out the possibility of minting a $1 trillion coin if the US Congress fails to raise the debt limit. "Look, there is no Plan B. There is no backup plan. There is Congress' responsibility to pay the bills of the United States," the White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, when asked if the 14th Amendment gives US administration the power to mint a $1 trillion coin. Taking the beneﬁt of a loophole in the federal law, the US administration can overcome the problem of debt limit, if the Congress does not increase it.

I want to make it clear that we are not going to get caught up in the notion, unless we can do everything, we're going to do nothing. It's critically important we act. Joe Biden US VP on gun control

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Technology CES 2013

Game for prime time

Though CES is generally considered a place where companies announce their latest TVs and other home electronics, over the past years it has become a place to announce latest PCs, tablets and mobile phones. This year though, quite a few gaming companies presented their latest wares at the event.

PISTON STEAMBOX

alve, the company behing famous games such as Half Life, Counter Strike, Portal and also the company behind the famous Steam gaming store has confirmed their plans to come out with a Steam gaming console that will run on Linux. They have tied up various tech companies and showcased one of the prototypes created by USbased Piston. The processor and RAM of the 'Steambox' will be upgradeable according to the company, but it will not come with a CD drive. A lot of PC gamers download their games directly from Steam, though such a trend hasn't really caught up in India. This is part of Valve's plan to take PC gaming into the living room.

RAZER EDGE TABLET

aming accessories company, Razer, is back with an interesting tablet concept at CES. The Edge tablet, formerly known as Fiona, runs on Windows 8 and has a 10.1 inch screen. It comes with additional control sticks that can be docked to the side and a keyboard dock. The standard version uses an Intel Core i5 processor with 4GB of RAM and a 64GB or 128GB solid-state drive, and the Edge Pro comes with the i7, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of space. Both use an Nvidia GeForce GT 640M LE graphics chip, the less powerful cousin to the 640M. This powerful tablet can play most games in medium resolution and has a battery life of 8 hours in normal usage. No word on the pricing yet.

OCULUS RIFT

LENOVO IDEAPHONE K900

enovo's phablet runs on a dual-core Intel Atom processor and has a 5.5 inch 1080p resolution display. It is one of the thinnest phablets around, but has a squarish design. However, the phone is not ready for prime yet as the company didn't let any attendees play with the device. It is expected to run the latest version of Android (4.2) and should be available for sale in a couple of months. Like other phablets being presented at CES, IdeaPhone K900 also has a 13 mega pixel camera. Fans of stock Android will be interested to know that the custom skin Lenovo uses by can turned off from the settings.

irtual Reality headsets have been around for a while, but Oculus Shift is the first one that works as advertised. You can plug it into a PC and get gaming and it supports most games, though it might leave you a bit disoriented. It has two lenses in a ski mask-style headmounted display that combine to form a 1280 x 800 display, with each eye seeing 640 x 800 pixels each. The developers claim that they have reduced a lot of lag and latency issue that plagued the DIY version they initially started selling via Kickstarter. The success of the project over Kickstarter garnered so much attention that they started working on a device for the consumer market.

SKYPE TO DROP MESSENGER Microsoft on Wednesday sent out word that it will "retire" its Messenger online chat feature on March 15 and replace it with the Skype Internet telephony service it bought last year. Microsoft sent an email message advising Messenger users to update to Skype using their same account information in advance of the deadline.Microsoft announced in November that it was shutting down Messenger in favour of merging users into Skype. The transition began late last year with the release of Skype 6.0 software that lets people sign in to the online communication service using Microsoft accounts.

LIKE THIS

Facebook hit a symbolic trading milestone on Wednesday, as its shares changed hands for more than $30 for the ﬁrst time since July. The market is a believer again in the world’s biggest social networking company—Facebook shares are up by an incredible 70% since they hit their all-time low in early September. Buying Facebook shares was one of the best investment moves to make in the late summer of 2012, when investors were worried about insider share lock-up expirations, and a lack of urgency and communication from Facebook executives.

GOOGLE DROPS CASE Google–Motorola has dropped its case against Microsoft over Xbox 360 gaming console after the company was pulled up using standard patents to put pressure on competition. The International Trade Commission has been considering accusations by Motorola Mobility, which has since been purchased by Google, that Microsoft infringed on its patented technology to make Xbox. Google ﬁled a motion with the ITC on Tuesday, asking that two patents be withdrawn from the case. One patent remains, according to the ﬁling. The withdrawal was required under a deal Google made with the FTC last week settling a pair of antitrust probes.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Comment Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.

PLAYING WITH FIRE

THE HUMAN CONDITION Dean Williams

y the time you read this the nominations for this year’s Oscars may already be out, and this column may be hopelessly redundant, but such is life. I’ve watched a few of the films tipped to lead the nominations and one thing has struck me about this year’s frontrunners… they’re dripping with class. Last year saw some sublime films come to the fore, at the vanguard of which is Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained an ultraviolent masterpiece that combines wit and gore in one perfectly melded tapestry. The star of Tarantino’s film is undoubtedly Leonardo DiCaprio, playing a villain for the ages. Leo has to get nominated, the question is whether Hollywood has the stomach to reward a film that uses the word ‘nigger’ 110 times. At the other end of the spectrum is Steven Spielberg’s superb Lincoln, which is all the better because it’s not a biopic, rather an indictment of the American political system in the 19th century. The brilliance of Lincoln (apart from Daniel Day-Lewis’s outstanding performance, certain to win an Oscar) is that it shows not much has changed in American politics. The other heralded film is Zero Dark Thirty, which while being solid is not exceptional. Argo, for that matter, is a far better film. Then of course there’s the musical extravaganza Les Miserables (Hollywood loves its musicals so expect tonnes of noms) which unfortunately could be the big winner. But whatever happens, 2012 was a truly great year for Hollywood and 2013 promises to be even better: World War Z for an Oscar?

BRAVERY AND CORN SYRUP BUT... SERIOUSLY

Nathaniel Hawthorne Author

It’s that time of the year

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Ageing acolytes lauded Richard Nixon as a statesman and global visionary Wednesday, marking the late ex-president's 100th birthday with barely a whisper of the Watergate scandal that felled him. That’s the problem with time: sometimes it does more than that is expected of it.

Ajay Hotchandani

hatsapp! I’ll tell you what’s up. As previously stated this is one of those scenarios that just happened and it appears to have spawned the demon child that opened Pandora’s Box. Like with most ‘genius’ idea (and I use the word ‘genius’ loosely here) it started on a whim. A group or friends were on a Whatsapp group just talking nonsense and computer. It was about 11.30PM when the conversation was winding down. One guy noted he was going to go watch TV. That’s when I asked if his wife was still awake and going to watch with him? He said that she had been asleep for awhile now. And that’s when the nonsense started up again. Andy: Alright. Peace out. Time to watch a little walking dead. Ajay: Lein sleeping ? Andy: Lien is asleep. Yup. Ajay: Ok Chuong record ur voice “Lein wake up” -Andy play it and leave the room. Andy: This prankster Ajay: Andy ill give $1 if u go wake up lein Chuong: I dont want my ears to

be pinched next time I see her Ajay: Wake her up and ask her what she thinks of the i7 core processor Chuong: That woman crazy Ajay: Now can u wake up lein and ask her. Make sure u tape it. Imagine this - Every hour u wake up ur wife and ask her some random question About the house insurance coverage ; What is the proper amount of air pressure in the car tires Chuong: Lol Ajay: What is her thoughts on corn syrup and obesity Chuong: Hes watching his porn Ajay:

Andy Ajay: Come on………Do it! Couple minutes later we get this: 11:47pm, Jan 8 - Andy: AUD20130108-WA0009.3ga (file attached) It is a recording of Andy waking up his wife, asking her “Is corn syrup bad for you?” This was met with a “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” and without missing a beat Andy started to giggle like a little school girl. None of us believed he would do it, but he did and for that I had to pay up my $1. While he was dumb

enough to do it once, I don’t think we could have convinced him to do it a second or third time that night. Tho Nguyen: Haha you should have added the part where you laughed too Chuong: Im still laughing Andy: Bye guys. The following morning I asked Andy about it and if he was in trouble. He tried to play it down, but we all know she yelled at him. And in typical Andy style, he laughed and tried to blame us. The story doesn’t end there… Ajay: Tonight u do car insurance Andy: You seriously want me divorced? Andy: Don't make me gadhaffi you. Ajay: Don't make me Joe Biden u (I’m not sure what that even means) Needless to say we have serious doubts that he will do it, but then again it is important that he takes interest in his household and tries to figure out what their insurance coverage is and tire pressure requirements! If you think you are man enough to do this, please record it and send it to us. If you happen to get kicked in the nuts or slapped in your head, we will not be responsible. Practice safe “wife waking”.

EDITORIALS Take the right course of action Cool down, eh?

t’s the usual words that are being bandied about following the incident in which one of the two Indian soldiers killed was beheaded allegedly by Pakistan commandos. Pakistan has taken offence at India’s response and has called for a responsible reaction to the incident, which India has called barbarous, and has avowed that they wish for normalisation of relationship between the two nations. But as it emerges that the other victim’s body was also mutilated and the perpetrators had attempted to make a trophy of his head, too, how can reactions framed with commonplace words in the foreign department parlance make any sense? Today it has been reported that a Sikh man has been beheaded by a militant group after accusing him of spying. If this is nothing but a sign of the way that nation lives and how its administration deals with it, what else is it? The world knows how heavily inﬁltrated is the Pak army with militants sworn to see the destruction of India. So the right course of action for our neighbour is to stop taking offence at the natural response of a nation at monstrosity served them and get to the bottom of this if you still want to be taken seriously by India and the world.

READERS’ VIEWS

he US has asked India and Pakistan to cool down tensions over the killing of two Indian soldiers along the Line of Control in (LoC) Jammu and Kashmir and talk to each other to improve relations. How about telling that to Israel before they start pounding Palestine at the slightest of provocation. How about cutting aids in cash to dear Pak till they mend their ways.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

tELEVISION

ARMSTRONG GIVING OPRAH AN INTERVIEW Lance Armstrong is sitting down with Oprah Winfrey. Armstrong is expected to address the doping scandal, accusations of cheating, and charges of lying about the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

WHOM TO WATCH

HORROR SERIES

NIDHI BHUSHAN AND DEEPASHRI V feedback@postnoon.com

Salman Khan: He may be a tad self-centred when he uses Bigg Boss Season 6 to promote ridiculous movies like Dabangg 2, but then who isn't? In spite of his filmy flaws, Salman Khan is one of the most charismatic hosts on Indian TV today. He's funny, he's suave, he's sarcastic and he definitely keeps you glued to the TV on Fridays and Saturdays. Amitabh Bachchan: 'Namashkar, main Amitabh Bachchan bol raha hoon Kaun Banega Crorepati se...' – most of us must have at least fantasised about receiving this phone-a-friend call from the show at some point of time. One of the most humble and down-to-earth hosts on Indian TV, Big B knows how to make a quiz show interesting without constantly bragging about how great a 'king' he is (hint,

with Koel fame) only competition and a tough one at that. A dream director in Bollywood, K-Jo's show was mature yet tabloidish, starstudded thanks to his connections and most of all...it was funny which is a rarity. We're waiting for the next season, aren't we? Aamir Khan: The perfectionist of Bollywood made his perfect TV debut with Indian talk show Satyamev Jayate. The show, which focuses on social issues that irk the common man, received an overwhelming positive response from critics as well as the public. The ever-so-serious and emphatic Khan was a first from the glitzy world of Bollywood to highlight sensitive social issues like dowry, female foeticide, child sexual abuse, domestic violence and much more.

5 hint). A Who Wants To Be A Millionaire rip off, KBC is among the top few TV shows in the country as of now. Raveena Tandon: Unlike other B-Town divas, Raveena Tandon made her comeback with NDTV's It's My Life or Isi Ka Naam Zindagi. Thank God. The mast mast girl was a refreshing change after the Indian audience was subjected to the ever-so-fake Simi Garewal in Rendezvous. Though the show was time and again compared to

Farooq Sheikh's Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, Tandon said it was different. She explored the behind-the-scenes life of famous people, unlike the Zee TV show which focused on a star's journey to stardom. Karan Johar: Is there a Koffee With Karan season 4? The nation needs answers! The Kuch Kuch Hota Hai director made it big on TV with his cheeky Koffee With Karan on Star World. He is probably Koel Puri's (of On The Couch

The lure of the SMALL SCREEN

Friday the 13th: The Series Friday the 13th: The Series is an American-Canadian horror television series that ran for three seasons, from October 3, 1987 to May 26, 1990 in ﬁrst-run syndication. The series follows Jack Marshak, owner of an antiques store, and his assistants, Micki and Ryan, as they try to recover cursed antiques, to put them safely in the store's vault. The series was to be titled The 13th Hour, but producer Frank Mancuso, Jr. thought this would turn away viewers and instead took the name Friday the 13th to deliberately draw in audiences.

DID YOU KNOW...

Jennifer

Aniston gives Jimmy Kimmel a haircut for the first new time-slot airing of Jimmy Kimmel Live. It's important to look your best when you are launching anything new. Jimmy Kimmel understands this. This may be the reason why he inaugurated the new time slot for Jimmy Kimmel Live with a brand-new haircut. It is also probably why he got Jennifer Aniston to perform the trim. Apparently, when Aniston was a child, she would earn pocket money by cutting friends' hair.

Bollywood to TV – making the switch seems to be the most lucrative option for big stars today. Postnoon lists a few who successfully made it bigger on the small screen and the ones who had to make another switch.

TRENDING...

Forgotten heroes n SRK: There's a saying which goes something like this – 'Jack of all trades, master of none.' Shah Rukh Khan's done movies, obviously, millions of advertisements and also hosted two Indian TV shows – one season of Kaun Banega Crorepati and Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hai? Unfortunately, he couldn't get over his 'kingly' persona and flopped as a host altogether. In fact, the season of KBC that was hosted by SRK was the least watched! n Rakhi Sawant: No! We’re going to scream our lungs out if we ever see something on the lines of Rakhi Ka Swayamwar again. Then there was Rakhi ka Insaaf. More like a human circus, it was a total waste of TV time. We can assure Rakhi that we are not remotely interested in whom she marries and our hearts definitely won’t break.

Rakhi was also an anchor of star awards this year, and in the interest of viewers and the general public, she needs to cut down on the amount of over action that goes into each word she utters. n Arjun Rampal: Don’t worry, it’s alright if you’re wondering when Arjun Rampal turned host. It’s absolutely normal if you haven’t heard of Love 2 Hate U. While critics wondered what the whole point of the

show was in the first place, we think Rampal should just stick to modelling and acting, and leave anchoring to someone else in the business. n Rajeev Khandelwal: Do you remember Sach ka saamna, adapted from The Moment of Truth that was an epic fail in India? We saw Rajeev Khandelwal shoot uncomfortable questions at participants, including celebrities and sports starts like Kambli, for two seasons. Anyone seen him after that? n Simi Garewal: We’ve all had enough of Rendezvous with Simi Garewal! We need a break from that oh-so-sympathetic and wannabe-angel anchoring style. An overly loving and understanding host, who empathises even with the most ridiculous statements made on the show, gets to our nerves.

It’s the comeback that General Hospital fans have been waiting for: the Emmy-winning Genie Francis, who spent a little over a year on The Young and the Restless, will return to the ABC soap that made her a household name. Francis just closed a deal to reprise her role as Laura Spencer for the drama’s 50th anniversary this year.

Seth Rogen is taking a break from his Guilt Trip for a trip down memory lane on The Mindy Project. Fox has announced that the actor, who currently stars alongside Barbra Streis and in The Guilt Trip, will guest on the February 19 episode of the freshman comedy as Sam.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

spotlight

WELCOME TO THE MINISTRY

Head to Hard Rock Cafe tonight where Bangalore-based band Ministry of Blues will be performinig live. Be there by 8pm.

KISMET NIGHTS

S BALAKRISHNA 1

GIRLS LIGHT UP It being a weekday didn't stop revelers from heading to a pub and letting go. Spotted at Kismet on Wednesday night were Shilpa, Tina and others.

1 Shilpa 2 Monika, Priya 3 Prisha, Mytri 4 Jahanavi, Naina 5 Tina 6 Pambi 7 Semmi 8 Varsha 9 Sonal 10 Nora

S BALAKRISHNA

Narmtha, Sondharya

Sirisha, Nikitha

HITTING THE RIGHT CHORDS Meghana, Chinmayi, Anjana

Hindi A Capella group Penn Masala sures knows how to work a crowd. Hard Rock Cafe on Wednesday night was full of youngsters attending a performance by the group which hails from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Pallavi, Sheetal

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

health

‘SUPERFOODS MAY CAUSE CANCER’

James Watson, who won the Nobel Prize for cracking the DNA code with Francis Crick, questions the role of superfoods in preventing cancer and suggests they may be actually causing it. He said unless scientists rethink the role of antioxidants, cure for cancers will elude humankind.

SHED THE PHOBIA

Fearing the grim reaper

Death is an inevitable end. We all need to face it when it comes. But the fear of death is so deep seated in some people, that it disturbs their daily life. DEEPASHRI V

deepashri.v@postnoon.com

one of us really know what will happen after we die. People with a phobia of death are either gripped by this fear, or the fear of acquiring an illness and dying a painful death, or are scared of what will happen if people close to them die. Some are even scared of things that are related to the dead, like corpses or coffins. Some people think they know where they will go after dying, depending on their religious beliefs, and fear they may be wrong, according to a page on thanatophobia at about.com. While thanatophobia is the fear of dying, necrophobia, according to ThinkQuest Librabry, is a fear of dead things created by the subconscious mind, probably from a past experience that caused an emotional trauma (like seeing someone close dying).

that they have an unknown disease that can kill them. Dr Siva Prasad, consultant psychiatrist at Vivekananda and Medwin hospitals, said he has treated patients who have an undue fear of incurable disease like cancer or AIDS, that ultimately leads to death. He said such people have an individual predisposition or a hypochondriac personality, or have a past experience of seeing a close family member dying of that particular disease. In the second type, said Dr Chakravarty, patients say they know they are going to die, but do not know why or how. In the third and extreme case of thanatophobia, patients feel someone is platting to kill them but do not know who it is. “They are extremely restless, very anxious, preoccupied with the thought of death. They think of

their cremation or family members crying or who will take care of them after their death,” Chakravarty said. “When the thinking goes extreme, physical symptoms show. And they think they have some new symptoms now (that

could lead to death).”

TREATMENT

Dr Prasad said the underlying cause of fear needs to be identified and addressed, and see what the triggering factors are. If the patient is delusional, then medications are required. Dr Chakravarty said “Normal counselling is done, where you build

Fact file n Thanatophobia is the fear of death. People fear they have an incurable disease, or that someone’s plotting to kill them, or are sure they are going to die somehow. n Such patients are extremely restless and anxious. Their personal and professional lives suffer. Some tend to spend a lot on medical investigations.

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

There are three types of cases, said Dr Kalyan Chakravarty, psychiatrist at Star Hospital. In the first kind, people fear illness. They go through several investigations, and when the results show that they’re normal, instead of feeling relieved, they fear

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

confidence in the patient that he is healthy. It is called positive thought imbibation.” Apart from this cognitive behavioural therapy, he said a anti depressant and anti-anxiety medicines are given when necessary. He said the family of such patients are distressed because there is no enjoyment. Work life suffers and they are financially drained out by spending on unnecessary medical investigations. He suggested a single point of contact for the patient, instead of visiting numerous doctors and taking all the different opinion into consideration, adding to their anxiety.

n Behavioural therapy and medications are used to treat patients, addressing the underlying cause of fear.

HOUSECALL

DID YOU KNOW?

PIONEERS

Fat 2 Fit

Melanoma

Bulk up when you’re old

Charles Drew

The Fat 2 Fit app gives you the tools you need to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. Calculate basal metabolic rate (BMR), body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, and more! The app is incredibly useful on its own or as an accompaniment to Fat 2 Fit Radio, an Internet radio show.

Melanoma is a malignant tumour of melanocytes which are found predominantly in skin but also in the bowel and the eye. It is one of the rarer types of skin cancer but causes the majority of skin cancer related deaths. Worldwide, doctors diagnose about 160,000 new cases of melanoma yearly. It is more common in women than in men. In women, the most common site is the legs in men are most common on the back.

You can bulk up in your geriatric years. It’s never too late to start. No lie. Get lifting and feel the burn. However, we suggest doing so only under expert guidance and after checking with your doctor. It helps to know just how much you can push your body and yourself.

Dr Drew, physician, researcher, and surgeon, forged a new understanding of blood plasma that allowed blood to be stored for transfusions. As WWII began, Drew received a telegram request: "Secure 5,000 ampules of dried plasma for transfusion." Drew met that challenge and was made the head of the Red Cross blood bank — up against a narrow-minded policy of segregating blood based on a donor's race.

health THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

BREAKTHROUGH

RESEARCH

‘Botox helps in recovery of stroke patients’

The new drug allowed mice with no movement in their lower limbs to walk with ‘well-coordinated steps’ and even to replicate swimming motions.

New drug can help paralysed people walk LONDON: Scientists have developed a pill which they claim could help paralysed people walk again. The new drug allowed mice with no movement in their lower limbs to walk with ‘well-coordinated steps’ and even to replicate swimming motions, researchers said. The experimental drug, called LM11A-31, was developed by Professor Frank Longo, of Stanford University, California. The researchers gave three different oral doses of LM11A-31, as well as a placebo, to different groups of mice beginning four hours after injury and then twice daily for a 42 day experimental period, the Daily Mail

reported. In tests, the experimental medication did not increase pain in the mice and showed no toxic effects on the animals. It also efficiently crossed the blood brain barrier, which protects the central nervous system from potentially harmful chemicals carried around in the rest of the bloodstream. An injury to the spinal cord stops the brain controlling the body and this is the first time an oral drug has been shown to provide an effective therapy. “This is a first to have a drug that can be taken orally to produce functional improvement with no toxicity

in a rodent model,” Professor Sung Ok Yoon, of Ohio State University, Columbus, said. “So far, in the spinal cord injury field with rodent models, effective treatments have included more than one therapy, often involving invasive means. Here, with a single agent, we were able to obtain functional improvement,” Yoon said. The small molecule in the study was tested for its ability to prevent the death of cells called oligodendrocytes. These cells surround and protect axons, long projections of a nerve cell, by wrapping them in a myelin sheath that protect the fibres. In addition to functioning as axon insulation, myelin

allows for the rapid transmission of signals between nerve cells. The drug preserved oligodendrocytes by inhibiting the activation of a protein called p75. Yoon’s lab previously found p75 is linked to the death of these specialised cells after a spinal cord injury. When they die, axons that are supported by them degenerate. “Because we know oligodendrocytes continue to die for a long period of time after an injury, we took the approach that if we could put a brake on that cell death, we could prevent continued degeneration of axons,” she said. The study was published in The Journal of Neuroscience. PTI

SYDNEY: Injecting botox into the arm muscles of stroke survivors may help in their longterm recovery, according to an Australian research. Researchers at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) here monitored nerve activity in the arms and brains of stroke survivors before and after botulinum toxin (botox) injections in rigid and stiff muscles in the arm. They found that botox indeed improved arm muscles but also altered brain activity in the cortex — the brain region responsible for movement, memory, learning and thinking, the journal Muscle and Nerve reports. “Botulinum toxin is used to treat a range of muscular and neurological conditions and our data shows that this treatment results in electrical and functional changes within the brain itself,” says William Huynh, research neurologist at NeuRA, who led the study. “This effect of botox on the brain may arise because the toxin travels to the central nervous system directly or because muscles treated with botox are sending different signals back to the brain, says Huynh. “Either way, we found that botox treatment in affected muscles not only improves muscle disorders in stroke patients but also normalises electrical activity in the brain, particularly in the half of the brain not damaged by stroke,” adds Huynh, according to a NeuRA statement. “Restoring normal activity in the unaffected side of the brain is particularly important because we suspect that abnormal information sent from affected muscles to the brain may be disrupting patients’ long-term recovery,” Huynh concluded. IANS

STUDY

Easy way to protect heart: Sip black tea

SYDNEY: Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in black tea, has shown promise in protecting blood vessels against oxidative damage and lowering cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, said researchers who based their studies on mice. Flavonoids act as antioxidants, enhance of vitamin C effects, and protect connective tissue around capillaries. Natalie Ward,

research fellow from the University of Western Australia (UWA) School of Medicine, and pharmacology professorial fellow Kevin Croft said “our findings have suggested that quercetin is able to protect vessels against oxidant-induced damage.” The supervisors say there is evidence to suggest that other dietary flavonoids may reduce blood pressure as well as

bring down the development of atherosclerosis , the journal Biochemical Pharmacology reports. “Future studies looking at the effect of flavonoids on CVD should consider using combinations of flavonoids, as well as dietary sources of flavonoids, rather than supplementation with pure flavonoids,” said Ward and Croft, according to an UWA statement. IANS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Entertainment HARMLESS FUN

NAYAK is a good entertainer HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com

am Charan is in sparkling form these days. His choice of films has been carefully planned around his onscreen image and Nayak is no different. It’s a mass entertainer peppered with lots of comedy and action. Although his latest film Nayak has nothing new to boast about, there’s enough firepower in the film to keep you hooked on to the screen till the end, thanks to the rib-tickling comedy. VV Vinayak, who had earlier directed films like Krishna and Adhurs, makes a good comeback with Nayak and full credit to him and writer Akula Siva for infusing a lot of humour into an otherwise clichéd story.Cherry (Ram Charan) is a software employee who works in his uncle Jelebi’s (Brahmanandam) company. One fine day, he meets Babji (Rahul Dev) to save his uncle from goons and ends up falling in love with Babji’s sister Madhu (Kajal). As he continues to woo her, CBI implicates him for a series of high profile murders; however, everyone is shocked to know the truth. The rest of the story is about the CBI and a bunch of goons from Kolkata trying to find out who’s behind the killings. Ram Charan, who plays dual roles in the film, is at ease when it comes to portraying the role of Cherry, who’s charming and has a great sense of humour. He almost always puts his uncle Jelebi in trouble with his efforts to

Although there’s nothing new to boast about, Nayak is quite entertaining till the end and that saves it from being a big cliché.

woo Madhu and that forms the basis of most of the comedy in the first half. Ram Charan is a fabulous dancer and his dance moves in Nayak proves that yet again. When it comes to the other role he portrays in the film, there’s simply not enough intensity in the character to raise the emotional graph of the character. Much of the film’s best moments are centred on its supporting actors like Brahmanandam, Jaya Prakash Reddy, Rahul Dev, MS Narayana and Posani Krishna Murali. The conversations between Brahmanandam and Jaya Prakash are hilarious and Posani Krishna single handedly resurrects the film’s second half. Both Kajal and Amala Paul have hardly anything to do in the film, but they do look good in the songs.There’s no denying that comedy is the biggest strength of Nayak, yet there’s always a sense of déjà vu while watching the film. The film’s humour is reminiscent of what we have seen in Krishna and the action sequences seem to be inspired from few sub plots in Adhurs, Tagore and more prominently Simhadri. The film works on a superficial level for most part and it’s hard to find one element which will leave a big impression in the end. Nayak is a film which doesn’t expect

you to think too much and you just go ahead with the flow. Chota K Naidu’s cinematography is good and the locations in Iceland and Slovenia look gorgeous on screen. SS Thaman’s music is good and so are the dialogues written by Akula Siva. VV Vinayak has found his magic formula this time and delivers a good entertainer after Adhurs. Go watch Nayak. It’s harmless fun and might just put a smile on your face.

Movie: Nayak Cast: Ram Charan, Kajal, Amala Paul, Brahmanandam Directed by: V V Vinayak Rating:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

fashion

MUGLER’S BAGS AND GAGA

WHEN CREATIVE director Nicola Formichetti’s first line of handbags for Thierry Mugler hits the racks in the coming weeks, it will undoubtedly draw a beeline of curious customers looking to spot the resemblance of the bags to Lady Gaga's shapely bottom, which is the designer's said inspiration.

SHIRT

mart office attire starts with a wellmade cotton shirt. No matter what your body shape is, opt for a slim fit shirt that doesn’t hang loose when you wear the shirt tucked in from the waist. The sleeves of the shirt should not exceed the end of the palm and should be long enough so it is comfortable to raise your hand to shoulder level and then over your head. The shirt collar is a confusing topic for most men and while there are no hard and fast rules, opt for a collar that most flatters your face. The rounder the face, the wiser it is to go for a narrow collar. A close point collar will elongate the face giving the illusion of a longer neck and make the face seem thinner. Slim collars are in vogue at the moment and can be worn with slim silk ties for a professional look. A good shirt should look great under a suit or worn alone with trousers. http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com

With the start of a brand new year, we look at key pieces for men to wear at work.

Back to Work JEANS

hy are jeans mentioned in a work wear essentials list? Because more and more offices are allowing semi casual attire and a bad pair of denim jeans can ruin your professional look completely. To start with, jeans for office should be a well-fitted pair. Not baggy hanging low from the crotch, not skin tight to stop your blood flow while sitting down. A straight cut pair is more versatile and will not stand out too much. The dark indigo version is a classic and looks great with a tucked in shirt, sports jacket or cardigan. The wash is another topic to keep in mind when shopping for work. The style of denims that is torn or stonewashed seem too casual to wear to a traditional work place. Unwashed, rigid denim jeans look smart and will last many trend cycles in your wardrobe.

22&23

GLOBE-TROTTER IN INDIA

NINETEENTH CENTURY British luxury brand Globe-trotter has a clientele worth mentioning. Queen Elizabeth II, Kylie Minogue and fashion personalities Kate Moss and Dita von Teese have bought their stylish travel cases with trademark Globe-trotter corners. Their first India store, opened at the ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi in December, also features a line from their latest collaboration .

SHOES

ost people confuse basic footwear with boring and unflattering footwear. Classic footwear to own for workplace is the black lace up shoes. A pair of brogues in leather is a classic take on formal dressing. The double monk strap is a rare sight and definitely a style win. Besides the black leather, one can go for suede also. A great pair of formal shoes will complete the suit and will make denim jeans look sharp. Shoes with a slightly sturdy base or sole is better for shorter people as it gives a strong base when worn with a suit or slim fit trousers. Socks are an oversight many times – vibrant colours like green, blue and red make a basic grey suit pop. Socks with patterns and geometric shape design can make your fun personality peak from a uniformed look. Don’t try to match socks with shoe colour. Shoes also don’t follow a hard and fast rule when matching colour with suit. Tan shoes with navy suits or black shoes with brown suits look great together.

The writer is a fashion blogger (www.lovestruckcow.blogspot.com) who attempts to bridge the gap between creator and consumer. As a fashion writer, she hopes to promote Indian fashion among Indians and on a global level too.

BRIEFCASE SUIT

SURABHI CHAUHAN feedback@postnoon.com

he great thing about living in an urban space in India is the abundance of tailors to make you made-to- measure suits. A good tailor is always worth the expense than buying off the rack. Now that you have found a good tailor, the basic suit to invest in is a slim two-button with flat-front trim pants and very little break at the ankle. This style is a basic for the modern man and will make you look sharp and versatile when paired with different shirts and ties. Some common mistakes men make while choosing a suit are: the length of the jacket. The jacket should be not too long on the two-button jacket and should allow you to easily put your hands beneath in the trousers pocket. Another tricky situation men find themselves in is opting for fabrics and patterns that are dowdy or overpower one’s personality. When opting for pinstripes, steer clear of wide spaced ones that resonate the traditional Wall Street style. A fine line pinstripe is a better option. Invest in a grey suit – nor charcoal neither light grey – the tone that matches well with a white crisp shirt and black tie.

et’s admit it. Men need handbags as much as women do. In this day and age there are enough essentials and gadgets that men need to carry along for work and meetings that a slim fit suit or trousers will not carry. A briefcase besides being utilitarian is also a style statement. Buy a good quality briefcase that matches your personality. If you wear suits to work, then get a clean handheld leather briefcase that will keep your paperwork, iPad, charger, sunglasses, spectacles, pen and pencil. A well made briefcase will be structured and have pockets/ sections for storing different items. A messenger bag is a slightly less formal option that can be carried to work. Refrain from colourful fabric and torn detailing that make you seem like an intern. A good messenger bag can be quite useful.

Entertainment THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Chai Time

Play & Win

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

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 refer-

QUICK CROSSWORD enced 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.

Play & Win

voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally

ACROSS

SCRIBBLING PAD

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

SUDOKU

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

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

1 Goulash or mulligan 5 Be a sore winner 10 Dines late 14 Rombauer of cookbook fame 15 Boxer's datum 16 Connected to the ear 17 Attractive woman 19 Venus de ___ 20 Ballpark snack 21 Mortgage restriction 23 Cheetah's forte 24 Dining gear 26 Jeans fabric 28 ‘Well, ___-di-dah’ 29 Yr-end consultant 32 Lennon's partner, often 33 One who goes marching in, in a song 37 What people want things to get? 42 Inappropriately appropriate 43 Hot tar, eg 44 Extremely messy abode 45 Reading for the lost 47 Animal that sleeps upside-down 50 Lessen the seriousness of

54 Torah authority 58 Lightning-storm sound 59 Abject fear 60 Terse order to a chauffeur 61 ‘I hope you succeed’ 64 Wife of Osiris 65 LA hoopster 66 ___ upon a time 67 No-goodniks 68 Wickerworker's willow 69 ___ the line (conformed)

DOWN 1 Weary exhales 2 Scout group 3 Be a ham in ‘Hamlet’ 4 Like a spitball 5 Pirate's potable 6 Zodiac lion 7 Acorn bearer 8 Acidic 9 Someone held in bondage 10 To an extent 11 Central New York city 12 ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ character 13 Marksman's aid 18 Deposit of ore 22 Make fun of

24 Musical Turner 25 Mingling with 27 Snow-rain or rain-heat connection 29 Letterman's letters 30 Housecat, for example 31 Dug in, so to speak 34 ‘___ show time!’ 35 Type of earnings or income 36 Attempt 38 Docility 39 African antelope 40 1996 Clinton challenger 41 Scary shout 46 Colorado city 48 Like pork and shellfish 49 Woman of ill repute 50 Moral principle 51 Mandela's mother tongue 52 Bombastic 53 High school math calculations 55 Kirby in ‘City Slickers’ 56 Italian lawn game 57 Annoyed 59 Unit of pressure 62 Type of boot in Aspen 63 Ball elevator

Chai Time THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 11-1-2013

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Fresh problems might crop up due to blood relatives; be cautious and manage them diplomatically. Employees feel comfortable as superiors will be flexible; but be careful of colleagues. New and innovative efforts of businessmen will go well.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Your children will correct their mistakes on their own and behave with a new speed combined with shrewdness. Blood relatives will extend maximum help. You will take necessary steps to perform many happy events planned at home.

Health needs attention. Avoid financial assistance to anyone in your name. Employees can be sure of a pay hike. However, they will face delay in completion of work. Businessmen can increase their profit by executing transactions carefully.

Superiors will be co-operative and flexible with employees. Though there may not be promotion, pay hike will keep employees satisfied. Businessmen will collect their old dues. As financial situation is strong, they will plan to open new outlets.

You will be involved in religious activities. Efforts to buy a new house will be successful. Happy events will take place at home. All wishes of employees will be fulfilled. Superiors and colleagues will be co-operative. Businessmen will expand horizons.

Income will be as per expectations. Some have bright chances to buy a new vehicle. Blood relatives will help in your struggle to complete difficult jobs. Employees will have reduced tension at work place; transfer of their choice likely.

Parents will extend their support. Medical expenses will come down. Also, you manage indirect enemies tactfully. Happy events to take place at home. Be careful while expressing opinions, as there are chances of being misunderstood.

You will help blood relatives, fulfill their needs and retain your speciality. But act with patience. Employees will struggle hard and colleagues also will help them by sharing work. Official travels likely. Businessmen need think twice before new efforts.

You will make decent gains in speculative deals. Family will be very happy. You will spend happy time with children. Avoid commitments to blood relatives. Problems of employees will come down with cooperation of superiors.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Ten of Swords – Light the lamp and hold it aloft to be able to see clearly. You need some assistance in order to make the right decisions. Ask for help.

LEO:

The World – You have a lot more potential than you admit. There are situations when you can deliver your best, at work or at home. You have less confidence in yourself.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

The Tower – Get involved in charity work. You can pick a social issue that truly moves you and contribute in a lot of meaningful ways. It will empower you.

SAGITTARIUS:

Ace of Wands – If you find it difficult to develop your own style, there is no harm in copying someone’s. There will be times when confusion rears its ugly head.

TAURUS:

Three of Pentacles – A senior, aging person in family needs attention. This person will also give you some sound advice on your current and future plans of action.

CANCER:

Ace of Swords – You must plan for all your future endeavours. Very few people are lucky enough for life to turn out the way they want it to, exactly.

VIRGO:

Seven of Wands – The wait is over. A dream possession, whether it’s a house or luxury car, is about to be yours. Enjoy happy moments and share with loved ones.

SCORPIO:

Temperance – A companion will confuse you too much. You will not know what to make of a situation. Stay calm and do not lose your temper at any cost.

CAPRICORN:

Four of Swords – You follow system to the last rule. You expect others to do the same. They may not have the same respect for processes and systems.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Five of Pentacles – You have the tendency to complicate things too much, even when not required. Keep it all as simple as possible. Go from one step to another.

NUMBER GAME

ds – You have been patient with someone for a long time. The last straw is when this person does not even bother with basic etiquette with you.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: King of Swor-

POOCH CAFE

Health could be a cause for concern; take good care. Avoid standing guarantee for anyone. Employees may be entrusted with totally new responsibilities, which could disturbed them. Income is set to increase considerably for businessmen.

for 11-1-2013

Queen of Swords – You die only once but you live every day. Make more effort to add meaning to your everyday existence. Be nice to people, value relationships.

NON SEQUITUR

Avoid misunderstanding with blood relatives. Be careful while handling precious items. Problems for employees at work place will reduce gradually; expected pay hike is on the cards. Transactions will be smooth and profitable for businessmen.

SUDUKO

Avoid advising friends in their personal issues. A peaceful atmosphere will prevail at home. Parents' health may be a cause for concern; take care of them with utmost care. Avoid seeking help of blood relatives in completing important work.

Boggle CAT APE PIG COW MULE GOAT CAMEL HORSE Vol: 2, No 175 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

Entertainment THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

AN ACTOR AT HEART

Kartik Tiwari’s SUNORY DUTT feedback@postnoon.com

is debut film, Pyaar ka Panchnama was an instant hit with the youth. Kartik Tiwari struck a chord with audiences through his effervescence, adolescent angst and his endearing care-a-damn attitude. For this young boy from Gwalior, getting his parents’ consent to pursue his celluloid dreams with no connections whatsoever in Bollywood was a near impossible task. So Kartik devised an ingenious plan. He applied to colleges in Mumbai and when he ulti-

mately got selected for a B.Tech course, the family relented and let him shift base. Kartik recollects, “I started modelling in college and used to search for auditions through Google and Facebook till I finally got to know of the Pyaar Ka Panchnama auditions on a friends Facebook wall. Since I didn’t have a portfolio, I clicked some photos on my mobile and submitted those instead. I was called for various stages of auditions which lasted four months before finally bagging the role.” And like they say, the rest is history. Interestingly Kartik had enrolled to learn the method of

acting at Kreating Charaktars but completed the course only after shooting for Pyaar Ka Panchnama. So what you saw on screen was pure, unrestrained talent. If you’re wondering how different or similar Kartik is from his reel life character Rajat, he confesses, “I feel I had a bit of Rajat in me then and yet I’m not that submissive”. Guess what that means is you won’t find him mouthing off aggressive sixminute-long monologues taking digs at women and their obsession with their spouses. That’s a privilege solely reserved for Rajat. Audience will just have to wait for the

latest romcom Akaash Vani is all set to take a chance on love sequel of the film to hear more of that! Till then they can catch Kartik in Akaash Vani opposite Nushrat Bharucha. Kartik shares, “The film has a connect with reality and more importantly, has a social message which will make many of us think twice on certain issues. Now after all the workshops, shooting and living that character for over a year I feel and live like Akaash who is a straightforward shameless guy. Targeted at a family audience, the honest love story will appeal to all age groups.” Already well appreciated for his comic timing, Kartik hopes to do an action film

some day as well as explore other genres. So what life lessons has this young actor learnt from his experiences of roughing it out in Mumbai far from the comfort of family and friends in Gwalior? Says Kartik, “Earlier I shared a PG accommodation with 12 other flatmates but now I live alone in the city. While I miss my family and being taken care of by my parents, it’s made me more responsible and independent. I’ve even learnt to cook — I can make an omelette, a pretty good one, and mostly junk food! Akaash Vani releases in theatres on January 18.

CINE BYTES Great musicians not confined to Bollywood

ook beyond Bollywood for great musicians, says composer Shankar Mahadevan, who believes there is a huge talent pool in the country and that is yet to be fully tapped. "I'm a proud mainstream musician, but having said that, I do firmly believe there is much much more musical talent waiting to be discovered by the masses," he added. IANS

Big B back to shooting films by January end

mitabh Bachchan, who was last seen on the big screen in Department reveals he will start shooting for his films by Januaryend. "By end of January, few films will start and hopefully by the end of this year, you will see me on screen," he said. IANS

Rakeysh joins Save The Girl Child campaign

ilmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has joined the likes of Hema Malini and Nagarjuna to lend support to the government's Save The Girl Child initiative. He has become a part of a music video to raise awareness, and calls it his "baby step" towards driving change. IANS

sports

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

FRIDAY RACE CARD

DECATHLON FOR MILLION LVR Deshmukh-trained Decathlon, well rested since his win at Pune and improved further, will be fancied in The Pratap Stud Darley Arabian Million (Grade III), the feature event of Friday afternoon races in the City.

1st Race:The Ch.V.Lakshmi Prasad Rao ‘Sirdesai’ Sircilla Memorial Cup (about) 2200 Metres, Cat-II.Terms for horses 4 year olds and upward. 12-40 P.M. 1 Nano Storm 59.5 (Vatsalya) Ravinder Singh1 2 Front Line 59 (LaxmanS) HarinderSingh 3 3 Golden Rule 56.5 (D’Silva) Kuldeep sinngh 4 4 Handsome Hawk 56.5 (Fayaz) P S Chouhan 5 5 Westminister 56.5 (Vatsalya) N.Raswal 2 Selections: 1 Handsome Hawk 2 Front Line 3 Westminister 2nd Race:The Step Aside Plate (Div-II) (about) 1400 Metres, Cat-II;Terms for Maiden horses 3 year olds only (Foaled in 2010) 1-10 P.M. 1 Chocolate Soldier 55 (A Sharma) C Henrqiue 2 2 Equalizer 55 (Z Shaikh) Ch K Charry 7 3 Riverdale 55 (D’Silva) Christopher 5 4 Staminoizd 55 (KVSrinivas) P S Chouhan 8 5 Cold Smile 53.5 (Satheesh) Deep Shanker 6 6 Par Excellence 53.5 (D’Silva) Ravinde rSingh 1 7 Royal Glory 53.5 ((Prasad R) N ..Rawal 4 8 Sincara 53.5 (Netto) AMTograllu 3 Selections: 1 Cold Smile 2 Riverdale 3 Staminoizd 3rd Race:The Pratap Stud Darley Arabian Million (Grade III) (about) 1200 Metres, Terms for Indian horses, 3 year olds only (Foaled in 2010) 1-40 P.M. (Sweepstakes) 1 Cristoffe 55 (Dhariwal) PTrevor 3 2 Dandelion 55 (Prasad R) N Rawal 1 3 Decathlon 55 (Deshmukh) P S Chouhan 4 4 Santa Monica 53.5 (D’Silva) Christopher 2 Selections: 1 Decathlon 2 Cristoffe 4th Race:The Step Aside Plate (Div-I) (about) 1400 Metres,Cat-II. Terms for Maiden horses 3 year olds only (Foaled in 2010) 2-10 P.M. 1 Big Move 55 (Netto) P S Chouhan 2 2 City Of Dreams 55 (S’narayan)) MF Alikhan 6 3 Kohinoor Thunder 55 (Vatsalya) s John 4 4 Squanderers Square 55 (Prasad R) NRawal 9 5 Supreme Secret 55 (N Rao) G Sai Vamshi 7 6 Symbol Of Victory 55 (A Sharma) C Henrique 5 7 Vijays Splendour 55 (LaxmanS) Deep Shanker 1 8 Graceland 53.5 (D’Silva) Christopher 8 9 Paying Guest 53.5 (Satheesh) K Anil 3 Selections: 1 Paying Guest 2 Vijays Splendour 3 Graceland

LEAGUE CRICKET

8th Race:The Next Move Plate (about)1100 Metres, CatIII; A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated upto 50. 4-15 P.M. 1 Kohinoor Destiny 61.5 (Vatsalya) S Johan 10 2 Victorous Sally 61 (Kassam) P Venkat 12 3 Mr.Glorious 58 (Hassan) A M Tograllu 6 4 Rise Of Emerald 57 (S’suddin) A ImranKhan 7 5 Gold Medal 56.5 (Satheesh) Deep Shanker 2 6 Star Experience 56 (Kassam) Christopher 9 7 Bold Attack 52.5 (Prasad R) N Rawal 5 8 Ziv 52.5 (Srinagesh) NitinSingh 4 9 Grand Challenge 52 (N Rao) G Sai Vamshi 1 10 Break Away 50 (Satheesh) Kuldeep Snigh11 11 Allianz Arena 49.4 (S’narayan) A Ramana 8 12 Young Power 49.5 (LaxmanS) Harinder Singh 3 Selections: 1 Bold Attack 2 Young Power 3 Allianz Arena

6th Race:The Members Cup (about) 1600 Metres, Cat-III; A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated upto 75. 3-15 P.M. 1 Big Boss 62 (D’Silva) Christopher 6 2 Nano Pride 62 (Vatsalya) NRawal 3 3 Okai Okai Okai 60.6 (Sequeria) P S Chouhan 7 4 Maharadhi 59 (Silvester) Ravinde rsingh 9 5 Smrithiman 58.5 (A Sharma) J Vikas 10 6 Yet Again 58 (Netto) A M Tograllu 1 7 Symbol Of Beauty 53.5 (A Sharma) C Henrique 2 8 Novaya Zemlya 52.5 (N Rao) G Sai Vamshi 4 9 Wunderbar 52.5 (Z Sheikh) Nitin Singh 8 10 Original Gladiator 51 (S’narayan) Khurshad Alam5 Selections: 1 Big Boss 2 Yet Again 3 Wunderbar 7th Race:The Sweet Girl Plate (Div-II) (about) 1100 Metres, Cat-II; A handicap for horses, 5 year olds and upward, rated upto 75. 3-45 P.M. 1 Kings Cruise 61 (Netto) S John 8 2 Best Pal 59 (Satheesh) Deep Shanker 2 3 Fine Racer 59 (Prasad R) PTrevor 10 4 Oru Oru Oru 57 (N Rao) G Sai Vamshi 6 5 Kohinoor Fighter 54.5 (Vatsalya) Christopher 1 6 Valentine 54.5 (Srinivas R) P Venkat 4 7 One One One 53.5 (Sequeria) K Anil 7 8 Mr.Khoashteep 53 (Hassan) P S Chouhan 13 9 Phenomenal Speed 52 (S,suddin) NitinSingh 5 10 Kohinoor King 51.5 (Vatsalya) Ravinder Singh 3 11 Jaden Gil 51 (S’narayan) Khurshad Alam11 12 Bang On Target 50.5 (Kassam) J Vikas 9

9th Race:The Common Land Plate (about) 1400 Metres, Cast-III; Ahandicap for horses,5 year olds and upward, rated upto 50. 4-45 P.M. 1 Airborne Magic 61 (Vatsalya) C Henrrique 8 2 Dance Baby Dance 61 (Kassam) Ravinder Singh 12 3 Euphonic 61 (Netto P S Chouhan 2 4 Robust 61 (Srinivas R) P Venakt 1 5 Sanjaa 61 (Hassan) AM Tograllu 13 6 Tico Tico 61 (S Abbas) A Imran Khan11 7 Spanish Conquest 60.5 (Srinivas R) A Joshi 4 8 Apprise 58.5 (Netto) S Sreekant 7 9 Kohinoor Angel 58.5 (Vatsalya) N Rawal 6 10 Iceland 54.5 (S’narayan) Khurshad Alam9 11 Nano Splendour 50 (Vatsalya) J Vikas 3 12 Seno Rita 50 (S’narayan) Harinde rSingh 14 13 Cherry Hill 49.5 (D’Silva) Kuldeep Singh 5 14 Tripple Eight 49 (Z Shaikh) NitinSingh 10 Selections: 1 Tico Tico 2 Airborne Magic 3 Sanjaa

Days Best: Decathlon

Jackpot Race Nos:5,6,7,8, and 9 1st Treble Race Nos:1,2 and 3 2nd Treble Race Nos:4,5 and 6 3rd Treble Race Nos:7,8 and 9 Tanala Pool Will Operate OnAll Races Wehere There Are Five or More Starters. False Rails are Up:

Sheer Genius in brilliant form

MOIN UD DOWLA TROPHY

Sheer Genius, Da Xia, Ice Lolly and Proof caught the eye when horses were exercised this Thursday morning at the Malakpet racecourse in the City.

South Zone Interstate Under-14 Cricket tourney from 10–23

HYDERABAD: South Zone Interstate Under-14 Cricket Tournament will be played from Jan 10–23 at Uppal and Gymkhana grounds from 9.30am onwards. The tournament will be played as a two-day format with each side playing 90 overs. The under-14 teams of Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad, Kerala, Andhra and Goa have committed to playing the tournament.

13 Star Value 50.5 (S Abbas) Ch K Chary 12 Selections: 1 Mr.Khoashteep 2 Kings Cruise 3 Fine Racer

5th Race:The Sweet Girl Plate (Div-I) (about) 1100 Metres, Cat-II; A handicap for horses, 5 year olds and upward, rated up to 75. 2-40 P.M. 1 Kohinoor Supreme 62 (Vatsalya) S John 8 2 Cristiano 59.5 (S Abbas) A ImranKhan 10 3 Dream Deal 59 (Hassan) J Vikas 12 4 Vijaysheel 58 (Deshmukh) P S Chouhan 13 5 Key Note 56 (Netto) A M Tograllu 1 6 Metaforce 54.5 (S Abbas) KiranNaidu 11 7 Rich And Famous 53.5 (Satheesh) KAnil 6 8 Rohini Star 53 (Srinivas R) p Venkat 2 9 Commanche Gold 52 (Prasad R) N Rawal` 9 10 Rose Queen 52 (Laxman S) C Henrique 3 11 Ziglar 51.5 (Vatsalya) Ravinder Singh 5 12 Ann Arbor 50.5 (D’Silva) Kuldeep Singh 7 13 Krithiman 50.5 (A Sharma) NitinSingh 4 Selections: 1 Commanche Gold 2 Vijaysheel 3 Metaforce

SAND TRACK 800 METRES

Amazing Weapon (Henrique) 12.5, 600/46 Easy. White Wind (P.Venkat) 59, 600/44 Moved well. Dancing In The Rain (Imran Khan) 1-0, 600/44 Easy. Aphrodisiac (app) 56.5, 600/42 Pleased.

SAND TRACK 1000 METRES Tarrannum Handa from Delhi plays Zainab Ali Sajjad of Andhra Pradesh, whom she defeated 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, at the Secunderabad Club on Wednesday in the Bheema Cements Secunderabad Club Open singles. SRINIVAS SETTY

Da Xia (Ajit Kumar) 1-12, 800/57, 600/44 Urged. Ice Lolly (Kuldeep Singh) 1-13, 800/56.5, 600/42.5 Impressed. Queens Neckalce (Sreekant) 1-18.5,

800/1-3, 600/48 Easy. Ek Ek Ek (rb) Asta La Vista Babe (rb) 1-15, 800/58, 600/44 They finished together. Sheer Genius (rb) 1-7, 800/53, 600/40.5 Caught the eye.

SAND TRACK 1200 METRES

Peadalo (Joshi) 1-33.5, 1000/1-18, 800/1-2, 600/46 Easy. Enrapture (Kiran Naidu) 1-30.5, 1000/1-15, 800/1-0, 600/46 Easy. Proof (Anil) 1-26, 1000/1-11, 800/56, 600/42 Pleased. Doubtful (KiranNaidu) 1-32, 1000/-17, 800/1-3, 600/49 Easy.

sports

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

KOOYONG CLASSIC

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL

Hewitt crushes Berdych Lleyton Hewitt took just 88 minutes to subdue his Czech opponent, Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 6-2, who admitted he was struggling with his game

MELBOURNE: Lleyton Hewitt pronounced himself in near-perfect form after a 6-3, 6-2 demolition Thursday of world number six Tomas Berdych sent the Australian into the final of the Kooyong Classic. Hewitt, who won the title on his first appearance at the eightman exhibition in 2011, took 88 minutes to subdue his Czech opponent, who admitted he was struggling with his game. Former world number one Hewitt, about to play his 17th straight Australian Open, will face either Marcos Baghdatis or Juan Martin del Potro for the Kooyong title on Saturday. "In the end I felt really good," said the veteran Australian, now ranked 82nd after undergoing a second foot operation a year ago. "Berdych has such weight of shot and hits so cleanly, I needed a few games to get used to his game. "I got confidence and didn't

allow him to dictate. It was a good scoreline for me, but it was tighter than it looked. "The body felt great, my con-

AITA-PLAYERS CLASH Ministry firm with policy

NEW DELHI: AITA's efforts to rope in US-based Prakash Amritraj in the Davis Cup squad to negate a boycott threat from the top players came to a nought

on Wednesday with the Sports Ministry sticking to its policy that only Indian passport holders can represent the country. In the wake of revolt by eight top players, including Somdev Devvarman, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna, the AITA was trying to bolster its line-up by including an inform Amritraj in the squad for the South Korea tie, beginning February 1. In December 2008, the ministry had formulated a policy on the participation of sportsperson in international events under which it had decided that only Indian citizens were eligible to represent the country. PTI

fidence was up and I was really happy with my ball-striking. I attacked his serve and put him under pressure, more than he

was giving to me," the 31-yearold added. Berdych said he had concerns about his game. AFP

Anderson to face Benneteau SYDNEY: Kevin Anderson became the first South African to reach the semi-finals of the Sydney International in nine years with victory over Denis Istomin. Anderson accounted for the Uzbek 6-4, 6-3 in 84 minutes and will face Julien Benneteau of France in Friday's last four. The last South African to reach the last four was Wayne Ferreira. Anderson is bidding to claim his third ATP title after previous victories in Delray Beach and Johannesburg. "It's always good to start the year off on a good note," he said. "It's still just the second tournament and my sights are set on the Australian Open, but this is a great opportunity for me. I'm really pleased to be in the semifinals." Anderson, is coming off a successful week at the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth for South Africa, where he beat Fernando Verdasco and John Isner. "I've had a really good offseason. Practised hard. I think the Hopman Cup was a fantastic event," he said. "I felt it was a great opportunity for some very good preparation. AFP

ARMSTRONG DOPING TROUBLE

Tenacity paid off for investigators LOS ANGELES: Travis Tygart says he spent years probing the biggest doping scheme in sports history, and received death threats, including one chilling warning he would get a bullet to his head. The US Anti-Doping Agency chief described the sophistication of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal, which included the use of untraceable cellphones, makeup to hide needle marks and an offer of a $250,000 donation from one of Armstrong's representatives to USADA in 2004. An investigation into the scheme resulted in the American cyclist being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life. AFP

Will grill Lance: Oprah WASHINGTON: Lance Armstrong will face a no-holds-barred interview with Oprah Winfrey, her cable TV network promised, as speculation mounted that the cycling icon might ﬁnally confess to being a drug cheat. "Armstrong has no editorial control and no question is off-limits," Nicole Nichols of Winfrey's OWN cable TV network told AFP in an email, adding that the disgraced cyclist is getting no payment for the interview. Nichols also said the 90-minute interview at Armstrong's home in Austin, Texas — to be aired January 17 on the OWN network and online worldwide — "is not live."

SPORTS BRIEFS Rafter called to resolve row

Isner out of Australian Open

Djokovic bids for hat-trick

Dustin hopes to carry over form

SYDNEY: Tennis Australia chiefs said Thursday it was up to Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter to resolve a dispute with troubled young star Bernard Tomic over his availability for the competition. Rafter last month suspended Tomic from next month's opening Asia/Oceania tie against Taiwan for his unprofessionalism and questionable efforts at times last year. Over the past week Tomic, 20, has countered by declaring himself unavailable for the second round, due in April, ending a press conference at the Sydney International on Wednesday saying he had spoken with Rafter.

SYDNEY: John Isner has withdrawn from next week's Australian Open with a knee injury, tournament organisers said. The bigserving Isner, who was seeded 12 at the first Grand Slam of the season, injured his right knee during the Hopman Cup in Perth last week and was forced to withdraw from the event. He had further problems during his straight-sets loss to fellow American Ryan Harrison in his first match at the Sydney International. Open organisers said Isner had bone bruising in his knee. "Doctors have told me that continuing to play on the knee could result in a more serious injury," Isner said.

SYDNEY: Novak Djokovic will grapple with his growing rivalry with Andy Murray and the enduring powers of Roger Federer as he bids for the first Australian Open hat-trick of the professional era. Rafael Nadal's withdrawal has robbed Melbourne Park of a repeat of last year's final, when Djokovic finally tamed the Spaniard at 1:40 am after a record, 5hr 53min final which left him with bleeding toes. But the Serbian will face a stiff challenge from the newly assertive Andy Murray, fresh from his first Grand Slam win and keen to avenge his final and semi-final defeats to Djokovic in Melbourne in 2011 and 2012.

HONOLULU, HAWAII: Dustin Johnson, Carl Pettersson and Mark Wilson are some of the top contenders at the Sony Open as the PGA Tour's first full-field event of the season begins Thursday. Johnson is fresh off his victory at the weather-plagued Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua course. The tournament was supposed to end Monday but several days of high winds also forced officials to reduce the event to 54 holes. The seven time PGA Tour winner is hoping to carry the momentum from the Kapalua event over to the Waialae Country Club where he has finished no worse than tied for 16th in seven Sony Open appearances.

sports

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

SRI LANKA’S TOUR OF AUSTRALIA

Lanka look for fresh start

Sri Lanka are banking on the return of Lasith Malinga to give them a fresh start in the ODIs. ROBERT SMITH Agence France-Presse SYDNEY: Sri Lanka are banking on the return of slinging paceman Lasith Malinga to give them a fresh start in the one-day series against Australia, starting in Melbourne on Friday. The explosive Malinga, whose unusual “slingshot” action makes him difficult to face, was keenly missed by Sri Lanka in their three-Test mauling by the Australians as he concentrated on the shorter forms of the game. In missing the Tests, he became one of the standout bowlers in Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars. Sri Lanka go into the series reinvigorated by the addition of

Three debutants for Oz MELBOURNE: Australia will field three debutants in the ODI series opener against Sri Lanka. Aaron Finch and Phil Hughes will be the openers with Usman Khawaja coming in at number three. Squad: George Bailey (capt), A. Finch, P Hughes, U. Khawaja, D. Hussey, G. Maxwell, B Haddin, C. McKay, M. Johnson, M. Starc, X. Doherty. Akila Dananjaya, Upul Tharanga and Ajantha Mendis along with Jeevan Mendis and Thisara Perera, who have been playing in the Big Bash League. “I think it’s going to be a

fresh start because there are a few guys who will be joining us as well,” Angelo Mathews said. “It’s very disappointing the way we played in the Test matches but I think we need to get

ICC RANKINGS

India need to win 5-0 for ODI top spot The Ind-Eng series throws open the race to the No.1 team as India will have to inflict a white-wash to be numero uno.

DUBAI: The five-match oneday series between India and England will throw open the race to the number one team and Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men will have to inflict a whitewash on the visiting side to regain its numero uno status on the Reliance ICC ODI Championship table. India is playing England in a five-match ODI series starting on Friday in Rajkot and the only way the hosts, currently ranked third, can regain their number one ranking is by winning all the five matches of the series. A 5-0 win will see India jump two places to claim the top spot. England too will be aiming to carry its Test form into the ODI format and win its first series in India in 28 years, and cement its status as the numberone ranked side.

Vengsarkar, Wadekar defend Dhoni

South Africa too can move to the top of table as they are playing New Zealand in a three-match series starting on 19 January in Paarl. However, the Proteas can only go top if it wins all three matches against New Zealand and India wins its series, but fails to complete a clean sweep. England currently leads second-ranked South Africa by a fraction of a point. PTI

BHUBANESWAR: Former Indian captains Dilip Vengsarkar and Ajit Wadekar batted for current skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has been facing a lot of criticism of late for the cricket team’s failures. “At the moment Dhoni is the only one in form. He should continue... India do not have an option,” Vengsarkar said after reaching here along with Ajit Wadekar to attend the golden jubilee celebration of a city-based sports club. Wadekar also praised Dhoni for his performance. “He has been responsible for victory of Team India on many occasions,” Wadekar said. PTI

through that, flush it out of the system and concentrate on the ODIs. “Lasith Malinga is joining us and we have got more fire in our bowling department.... I think he’s the best bowler going

around in world cricket at the moment in the T20 format.” Sri Lanka will be encouraged by their ODI record in Australia, with four wins in seven matches last year, while they claimed their first-ever series win in Australia 2-1 in 2010. The Lions have also won their past three ODIs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, boosting their confidence ahead of the five-match series after the 3-0 battering they received from Australia in the recent Tests. Selectors have rested Clarke, Matthew Wade and David Warner from the two opening ODIs, and are fielding debutants in their top three batting spots in Melbourne — Aaron Finch, Phil Hughes and Usman Khawaja.

NEW ZEALAND VS SOUTH AFRICA

Kiwis aim to repel pace barrage

COLIN BRYDEN Agence France-Presse PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA: New Zealand batsmen were subjected to a barrage of hostile deliveries from their own bowlers as they prepared to combat South Africa’s formidable attack in the second and final Test against South Africa starting at St George’s Park on Friday. “Now that you know the challenge, the intensity and attitude that you put into training has to be as close to a match as possible,” said fast bowler Chris Martin in explaining his team’s unorthodox preparation New Zealand were blown away for 45 in the first innings of the first Test in Cape Town on the way to defeat by an innings and 27 runs. The damage was done by South Africa’s pace trio of Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn (in pic) and Morne Morkel. Although Philander will miss the second Test because of a hamstring strain, New Zealand’s

batsmen will again face a formidable challenge from Steyn, Morkel, Jacques Kallis and Rory Kleinveldt, who will replace Philander.

BRIEFS ‘9 million thanks’ to FB fans: Tendulkar NEW DELHI: Undoubtedly one of the most widely followed Indian celebrities on Facebook,

Sachin Tendulkar’s fan following on the social networking site has crossed nine million and it’s still counting. “9 million thanks!!! Thankyou for making me feel so special,” Tendulkar posted on his facebook account. Tendulkar had joined Facebook last September and within hours, had a staggering four lakh likes to his name. The cricketer started his Facebook innings with a video message welcoming everyone to his ofﬁcial page. “I’ll like to welcome you to my facebook family. As a child I always dreamt of playing cricket for India and I chased my dream of winning the World Cup for 22 years. It wouldn’t have been possible without your support. I wanna take this opportunity to thank all of you for having prayed for me and wish well for me,” he had posted.

Pietersen given full England contract LONDON: Kevin Pietersen rubber-stamped his return to the England set-up by signing a full central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Pietersen was frozen out of the international picture in August last year when he was dropped for the ﬁnal Test against South Africa over claims he sent text messages to rival players criticising then-England captain Andrew Strauss. The South Africa-born batsman subsequently returned to the squad towards the end of 2012, but was only tied to a short-term contract that was due to expire at the end of the month. However, limited-overs coach Ashley Giles conﬁrmed on Wednesday that the 32-year-old has now signed a full central contract with the ECB that puts him on a par with the rest of his England team-mates. The current set of central contracts is due to expire at the end of September.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

sports ITALIAN CUP

Juve down Milan in extra-time

BLACKBURN BID FOR BLACKPOOL BOSS APPLETON Blackburn Rovers confirmed on Wednesday they were trying to appoint Michael Appleton, currently in charge of local rivals Blackpool, as their new manager. Second-tier Rovers, owned by poultry firm Venky’s, have been without a full-time manager since sacking Henning Berg in Dec.

LEAGUE CUP

SPANISH CUP

Swansea shock bumpy Chelsea

Chelsea’s exaggerated victory-defeat swing in recent games was obvious in their 0–2 loss to Swansea.

ROME: An extra-time strike by Mirko Vucinic (above) gave Juventus a 2-1 victory over AC Milan on Wednesday and a place in the Italian Cup semi-finals. Milan had taken a sixthminute lead when top scorer Stephan El Shaarawy found the target after being set-up by fine approach work from Giampaolo Pazzini and Kevin-Prince Boateng. But Juve were level six minutes later when Sebastian Giovinco curled a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner. Juventus snatched an extra-

Milan had taken a 6thminute lead when top scorer El Shaarawy found the target after being set-up by Pazzini and Boateng. time winner when second-half substitute Vucinic allowed an Emmanuele Giaccherini pass to reach Paolo De Ceglie whose return pass gave the Montenegro international time to slot home the vital goal. Juve coach Antonio Conte said that the win was the perfect response to the weekend’s shock 2-1 loss to Sampdoria in Serie A. AFP

LONDON: Swansea produced the second surprise English League Cup semifinal first leg result in as many days after defeating Chelsea 2-0 at the European champions’ Stamford Bridge ground on Wednesday. If not as great an upset as fourth-tier Bradford City’s 31 defeat of Premier League Aston Villa on Tuesday, Swansea’s victory over their top flight rivals was still a surprise. Both Swansea goals in a backs-to-the-wall effort came as a result of two errors by Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. In-form Spanish striker Michu (right), signed for just £2 million ($3.21 million, 2.45 million euros) from La Liga side Rayo Vallecano, scored his 16th goal of the season in the 39th minute with a curling shot from the edge of the box after Ivanovic miscontrolled the ball. Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez brought Frank

Benitez still buoyant IAN WINROW Agence France-Presse LONDON: Rafael Benitez insisted Chelsea had been unlucky after a 2-0 defeat in their League Cup semifinal first leg tie by Premier League rivals Swansea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Both Swansea goals in a backsto-the-wall effort came as a result of two errors by Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

Lampard and Demba Ba off the bench in search of an equaliser but none came. And in stoppage time, shortly after Ba had had a penalty appeal turned down on his home debut, Swansea’s Danny Graham scored for the fourth match in a row after another Ivanovic mistake. Now Welsh side Swansea will look to seal the tie in the second leg at the Liberty Stadium on January 23, with the prospect of an improbable final against Bradford in their sights. “We’ve had some historic results already this season but to win here is very special," Swansea manager Michael Laudrup told Sky Sports. “We had to defend a lot, they had a lot of possession but to be honest they only had three good chances all night," the Denmark great added. “They gave us two goals but you have to score them. It was a marvellous fight, we are a team that always try to play but when you play the European champions away you have to change.”

BRIEFS Barca says Vilanova absent for Cordoba tie

Michu won’t fly Swans’ nest vows Laudrup

Bulgaria to appeal FIFA racism punishment

Prostitutes cram up on English for World Cup

BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova will miss Thursday's domestic cup clash with Cordoba at the Camp Nou as he seeks medical advice after an operation for cancer of the salivary gland, his assistant said. The 44-year-old coach only returned to the dugout last Sunday for Barcelona's 4-0 win over city rivals Espanyol.

LONDON: Michael Laudrup has insisted Michu will stay with Swansea during the January transfer after the Spanish striker put his side in sight of a place in the English League Cup ﬁnal. Swansea manager Laudrup described the forward as the “bargain of the season” following a 2-0 win away to European champions Chelsea.

SOFIA: Bulgaria’s football union said Wednesday it would appeal a FIFA decision that it has to play its next World Cup qualifying match behind closed doors because of racism by its fans. The BFU admitted there was discriminatory and racist behaviour against Denmark’s Patrick Mtiliga in a match between the two countries in October.

RIO DE JANEIRO: Sex workers in Brazil’s city of Belo Horizonte, which will host World Cup 2014 semi-ﬁnals, are being offered free English lessons to help them welcome the tourist onslaught, ofﬁcials say. “They will be learning everyday expressions as well as technical sex vocabulary," said Cida Vieira, who runs the Sex Workers’ Association.

CR7 hat-trick fires Madrid into quarters DERMOT LEDWITH Agence France-Presse MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo (above) responded to missing out on the Ballon d’Or by hitting a stunning hat-trick as Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo 4-0 to reach the Spanish Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg of their last-16 tie, Portuguese star Ronaldo hit two early openers before settling the tie with three minutes remaining to calm his team’s nerves after Sergio Ramos had been sent off with 17 minutes to go. Sami Khedira added the fourth in the final minute and Jose Mourinho’s men will now meet Valencia in the next round before a potential semi-final tie with eternal rivals Barcelona who knocked Madrid out last

Mourinho recalls Iker

eal Madrid coach Jose Mourinho recalled goalkeeper Iker Casillas for Wednesday’s Spanish Cup clash against Celta Vigo having controversially dropped the club captain to the bench for the last two La Liga games. Casillas had been axed in favour of deputy Antonio Adan. season at the quarter-final stage. “He was incredible — the goals speak for themselves," said Real assistant manager Karanka. Mourinho recalled goalkeeper Iker Casillas for the clash after he had controversially dropped the club captain to the bench for the last two La Liga games. It was Casillas’s 650th appearance for the club. Ronaldo, beaten to the Ballon d’Or by Lionel Messi on Monday, hit a sensational opener after only two minutes. Receiving the ball from a short throw-in the Portuguese hit an unstoppable shot from wide on the left that fizzed and bent before beating Sergio.