Postnoon E-Paper for 15 April 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

SPREADING THE JOY OF BIRTH

BEE GEES SINGER ROBIN IN COMA

he looks forward to being with satisfied mothers and gurgling babies every day of her work life. Paediatrician Dr Kiran Krishnamurti tells us what her profession means to her.

B KNOW WHERE TO GO THIS SUMMER PG 16&17

PG 10 WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: CLEAR WITH CLOUDY SPELLS; 32°C

Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

APRIL 15, 2012 HYDERABAD

ee Gees pop legend Robin Gibb went into a coma last night, raising fears he has only days to live. The 62-year-old's family is understood to be at his bedside. PG 22 32 PAGES

ON SUNDAY

A group of Dalit students has allegedly organised a ‘beef fest’ to defy what they called the ‘Brahminical diktat on food culture’.

Is trouble cooking in OU?

REPORT ON PG 3

NOAH’S ARK OUR ONLY HOPE?

ime is running out for our beautiful blue planet, say world leaders. However, the sad fact is that the world governments are yet to agree on a common agenda for saving it. PG 13

CITY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

SUN AND SILHOUETTES

Storytelling with puppets A storytelling workshop with puppets is being organised by Oxford bookstore. The workshop aims to use puppets to recreate Indian stories set in urban and a semi-urban landscape. Where: Oxford Bookstore, The Park, Rajbhavan Road When: April 15, 5pm Contact: 91601 48444

M ANIL KUMAR

Play time Nishumbita Ballet and Theatre group will stage Suresh Chandragupt’s Home Work and Khader Khan’s Eshwar Allah Tero Naam at the Ravindra Bharati. Where: Ravindra Bharati, Saifabad When: April 15, 10am onwards Contact: (040) 2323 1245

Hard rock and games The IPL T20 games are on. Head to Hard Rock Cafe to enjoy some matches, great food and interesting drinks all through the IPL season. Where: Hard Rock Cafe, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 4pm-8pm Contact: (040) 4476 7900

Taj Mahal Ka Tender If Shah Jahan was to build the Taj Mahal today it would be quite a herculean task. The play Taj Mahal Ka Tender adapted and directed by Nagaraj Pejjai deals with such a situation wherein Shah Jahan is out to build the Taj Mahal but gets stuck between corruption and bureaucracy. Where: Nift campus Madhapur When: April 15, 7.30pm Contact: (040) 2311 0841

Mood for Mediterranean From April 13 to April 22, The Deccan Pavillion at ITC Kakatiya is offering a Mediterranean dishes. Lunch buffet is priced at `1,049, and dinner costs `1,149. Where: ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet When: Ongoing, 11am-7pm Contact: (040) 2340 0132

Marriott and Convention Centre is hosting a Goan food festival. Where: Hyderabad Marriott and Convention Centre, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 12.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Studios Preview Theatre f.or a Mexican film festival. Where: Annapurna Studios Preview Theatre, Banjara Hills, Rd No1 When: April 14-15, 5.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 4914 1234

IPL special

Every Rupee counts

Truffles Cafe is offering a great way to catch the live telecast of IPL season 5. Head to Truffles Cafe for IPL special mocktails, beverages and starters and various other delights. Where: Truffles Cafe, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing, 8am onwards Contact: (040) 2355 0105

Syn at Taj Deccan is offering interesting meal options. The concept behind Calorie for a Rupee is to enjoy a great meal priced according to it’s calorie count. Where: Syn - Asian Bar and Grill, Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 12 pm to 3.30pm Contact: (040) 6666 3939

Crepes and waffles

Nobo Borsho feast will be held at Verandah and Aish from April 13April 15. Sample the best of East and West Bengal by The Park Kolkata’s chef. An a-la- carte menu is available at Verandah and an interesting Thaali at Aish. Where: The Park, Rajbhavan Road When: Ongoing (April13-15) Contact: (040) 2345 6789

Lover of waffles and crepes? Deli9 is offering a crepe and waffle festival. Taste a variety of waffles such as fruit waffle and the classic waffle or a variety of exotic crepes such as caramel apple. The festival is on from April 7-April 21. Where: Delhi 9, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 8am to 8pm Contact: (040) 6550 6662

Goan food festival

Mexican film festival

Taste of Bengal

The Momo Cafe at Hyderabad

CINEMAS

World cinema? Head to Annapurna

Being ’together’ Together, an exhibition of paintings by Shravan Kumar GK will be on display from April 6 onwards. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing Contact: 98499 6879

The great Sunday brunch ITC Kakatiya offers The Grand Sunday Brunch. Great food is the best way to spend your Sunday. You can choose from the brunches at Deccan Pavilion, Dakshin, Kebabs

and Kurries. Where: ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet When: April 8 Contact: (040) 2340 0132

Go Splash Splash lounge is the perfect leisure destination for you to unwind. There is also great music, martinis and aperitifs. Where: The Westin, Mindspace, Madhapur When: Monday - Friday, 5pm - 10.30pm Weekends, 8am - 10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828

Water colours Iconart is hosting Aquarelle as a part of it’s Buy Art initiative. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 98499 6879

Asian barbeque The Square, Novotel, Madhapur plays host to an Asian barbeque. Sample grilled specialities from around the world. Where: The Square, Novotel, Madhapur When: Every Saturday, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422

Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 44767777, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 8800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973

CITY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Woman raped, murdered

Gold coins from POs

widow, P Devamma, was raped and murdered by some unidentified persons on Friday night in the Taranagar locality under Chandanagar police station limits. The body of Devamma, 42, was found in the bushes. She was working as maid and lived at Shivajinagar with her son P Ramesh. Her husband P Sekhar died in 2007. Nobody has been arrested in the case yet. Investigations are on.

Wife jumps into well, dead

Neela, 20, unable to bear the torture of her husband is alleged to have committed suicide by jumping into a well in Katedhan area under Rajendra Nagar police station limits on Tuesday. Her body was fished out yesterday. Her husband, S. Bhakar, is said to be an alcoholic and used to beat her up regularly. Neighbours say that there were frequent quarrels between the couple off late.

his Akshaya Tritya (April 24) invest in gold coins from India Post and get a flat six per cent off on the price of gold. The gold coins are available in denominations of 0.5 gram, 1 gram, 5 grams, 8 grams, 10 grams, 20 gram and 50 gram of 24 carat with 99.99 per cent purity, post master general AP said. Akshaya Tritya is considered auspicious for buying gold and jewellery.

Trouble cooks in OU today The trouble comes from the fact that some 2,000 students, including Dalit students from JNU Delhi and some other universities are also participating. Postnoon News

feedback@postnoon.com

smania University, famous for its academic excellence along with political stirs, is once again in the news. This time on right to food habit. A group of Dalit students under the stewardship of Sudarshan Bala Boina, a political science PhD student, has organised a ‘beef fest’ to defy what they termed imposing

on all the ‘Brahminical diktat on food culture.’ The protest feast is supposedly organised in the OU boys’ hostel, NRS hostel today evening. The trouble, Postnoon hears, comes from the fact that some 2000 students, including Dalit students from JNU Delhi, and some other universities are also said to be participating. This spells trouble. “We want to correct the ‘dirty’ image associated with beef. This is spread by the

Bhraminical culture. We want a food democracy,” said Sudarshan Bala Boina, a political science PhD scholar founder of the movement. On the other hand, some right wing student organisations are all set to counter the ‘mischief.’ They have posted bills all over the campus which read, ‘to save the Indian culture chalo NRS hostel’. It says men who are behind the movement are fake scholars and they have a political agenda which the genuine

students must defeat. Few of the key points in the bills and pamphlets distributed are: in the name of Dalit culture they are spreading poison. It’s a plan to defame Indian culture. All those who partake in the feast are culprits themselves. The ABVP, a leading student union, says that it has no link to the beef controversy. “We have nothing to do with the beef festival but I am sure common man and Hindu students will revolt,” says Ram Krishna, ABVP

national executive member. The university management decided to remain tight-lipped on the issue. The police department is on a high alert. Police have taken precautions, it is learnt. “It’s an internal affair. As far as we know the university has not given any permission so they are doing it outside. We are observing the movement from a distance and if there is any tension we will take an action,” said P Ashok, Station House Officer, Osmania University.

N SHIVA KUMAR

Subscribe Today! TRS politburo member Errolla Sreenu, Krishank Manne, OU vice chancellor S Satyanarayana, and former PCC chief K Keshava Rao at the book launch.

City author is a ‘case’ study

Postnoon News

feedback@postnoon.com

n police record he is untraceable. He carries the tag of a dozen police cases. But Osmania University student leader Krishank Manne lives on campus and he got his book released yesterday in the presence of a galaxy of leaders. Aptly named, Do but don’t die” the book detailed about his struggle for T and urges youths not to commit suicide but fight for their rights. Among others present were former PCC chief K Keshava Rao, TRS politburo member Errolla Sreenu, film director Shankar,

Zahid Ali Khan, editor of an Urdu daily, OU professor Ghanta Chakrapani, and balladeer Gaddar. Krishank in his capacity as the spokesperson for the OU JAC was involved in a lot of police cases including one under Section 307 (attempt to murder). Another charge is his alleged involvement in damaging statues in the City. However, his unsavoury past took a backseat at the book release function where he was lauded for his leadership and speakers held him aloft as a role model for the students of Osmania University. Many wonder at the law keepers who change nomenclature of people with ease.

1 Year

` 349/-

Subscription Offer

6 Months Hyderabad’s first afternoon newspaper

040 - 4067 2222 subscription@postnoon.com

` 199/-

CITY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

You’re in water queue, please wait! SRINIVAS SETTY

OSAMA SALMAN

salman.o@postnoon.com

aced with acute shortage of water, Mohammed Osman in Panjagutta requisitioned a water tanker from HMWS&SB. His request was registered on April 4 on the ‘Dial-aTanker’ hotline (token number 4555 and pin number 7762), and a text message was sent to him on his cellphone confirming his request and assured him the tank will be serving him in 10 hours. Ten days have passed and Osman is yet to see the sign of the tanker! Narrating similar experience is Sunita Singh, a resident of Road Number 14 in Banjara Hills. On April 2, she called for a tanker. It was only on April 8 that a tanker delivered water, that too after several reminders. This happened to her not once but many times. Indira C, living in an apartment in Anand Rao Colony, registered a tanker on April 12 on behalf of her apartment’s secretary. Besides this, in sheer desperation, other residents too called the hotline and registered for a tanker so that at least one of them would surely be delivered on time. Several frantic pleas followed, both by the secretary of the apartments and residents. The tanker came a week after booking. Enquiries revealed that several people have similar experience. According to the Water Board’s norms, a tanker once requisitioned is to be delivered within 10 hours. The water supply is minimal and with water taking days to come, residents are forced to buy water from private water suppliers. Taking advantage of the situation, the private tankers are making a harvest charging `2500 to `4500 per delivery! The advantage is that

Miyapur man dies in custody

eople in Miyapur are agitated after a man the police picked up yesterday died in custody within hours. Reddy, 37, was running a mobile shop in Nellore. He was picked up from Nellore yesterday by sub-inspector of police Sita Ramaiah for ‘questioning.’ Deputy commissioner of police Madhapur, Youganand said, the deceased was involved in many extortion cases. Reddy is charged with harassing a flour mill businessman Nagarjuna Rao of Miyapur. He is said to have wrested `25 lakh from Rao initially and `15 lakh subsequently. Reddy is reported to have complained of chest pain last night. He was shifted to Gayatri hospital which declared ‘brought dead.’ This morning many residents came to the police station accusing the SI of doing thirddegree method on the man that led to his death. The dead, they argued, was healthy. How come he suddenly died?

Cop injures ‘glassmate’ it is delivered within a few hours of making a call. The regular water tanker supplied by the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is just `400, but the waiting period is phenomenally long. Osman, who went to HMWS&SB office in Somajiguda to find out the status of the tanker, alleged that many of the tankers were being sent to the ministers’ homes in adjoining areas. “I was made to wait for two hours by the manager, and even then I did not get a tanker. It was like being taken on wild goose chase,” he recalled. A resident at Marredpally, who wished not to be identified, said that in desperate times, he has had to buy private tankers. “My monthly budget went haywire. But it is better than waiting for days for the HMWS&SB tanker,” he said. “When we are provided water properly, there won’t be a

OSMAN, WHO WENT TO HMWS&SB OFFICE IN SOMAJIGUDA TO FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THE TANKER, ALLEGED THAT MANY OF THEM WERE BEING SENT TO MINISTERS’ HOMES. need to buy any tanker, public or private. There is an imbalance of water supply. While some areas have water overflowing, there are others that have a major scarcity,” she said urging the water tankers to be provided faster by the HMWSSB. A source at HMWS&SB revealed that this summer, there are close to 5,000 water tanker pending requests. When contacted, D Sundara Ram Reddy, director in-charge (technical), HMWS&SB, brushed aside the complaints. “Un-

less it is a commercial requirement, we don’t take so much time for domestic supply, and certainly not four to five days to deliver the water tanker. We have 527 water tankers for this purpose, apart from 136 tankers especially for slum areas, each making eight trips each. We deliver about 4,000 water tankers every day,” he said. When asked why the frequency of water tankers is not increased to cater to the growing needs, Sundara said the Board’s objective is to provide water through pipelines. “If we start providing a lot of water through tankers, we will not be serving our purpose,” he said. However, he did not deny about giving priorities to ministers. “They are VIPs and we need to push their requests to the top. There is nothing that we can do,” he said. But as an afterthought, the official said this did not mean the Board ignored general requisition.

scuffle between two drunken police constables at a public place led to filing of a case in Nacharam police station limits on Saturday. Ayub, who is working as driver of LB Nagar DCP (Traffic) was allegedly attacked by a police constable Prabhakar Reddy. Reddy is working as Mobile Patrol vehicle driver of the same station. Both Reddy and Ayub were drinking with the police constables of Malkajgiri police station at Noma Kalyana Vedika in Mallapur. Reddy had an altercation with Ayub. Fracas developed into a fisticuff. In a fit of rage, Reddy is said to have abused and attacked Ayub. Others in the party had reportedly tried to pacify the two but in vain. Later, Ayub, injured in the quarrel,lodged a complaint against Reddy in Nacharam police station. Inspector has summoned the two and witnesses to find out how it all began.

August Kranti of Andhra Pradesh

U Srinivas

srinivas.u@postnoon.com

ugust has a pernicious effect on the kundli of AP politics. All the governments right from NTR to Kiran Kumar faced crisis of one kind or another in August. It all started from the time when the former chief minister NT Rama Rao was dethroned by Nadendla Bhaskar Rao, the

then finance minister who ruled as CM for one month. NTR was ousted on August 15 in 1984. Later Chandrababu Naidu staged a bloodless coup on August 23 in 1995, and dethroned NTR for the second time and came to power. Again, the CBI included YSR’s name in the FIR in August 2011. On August 21, 2011 some

ministers threatened to resign from Kiran Cabinet when the CBI conducted raids on Jagan Mohan Reddy. There was an agriculture crisis in August 2002 when several farmers committed suicides. Now, YSRC spokesperson Ambati Rambabu is confident that they will win all the 18 seats in the by-polls and by August the stage will be set for a coup against Kiran sarkar.

Boosting the YSRC morale is the astro-forecast. Mulugu Ramalingeswara Vara Prasad, a leading astrologer says, the CM’s stars are bright but the stars of the government and the State stars are weak. He said, “there could be some political crisis in August.” But Kiran camp dismisses this. They say there is no alternative to Kiran and stars or no stars, he will stay.

Many of Kiran’s detractors enjoy telling a tale of August coup in wait. “After YSRC wins all the 18 seats, there will be a political earthquake of 10 Richter scale,” declares Ambati with a visible pleasure. But L Rajgopal, MP from Vijayawada, has an antidote to August woes. He says the Telangana issue will be sorted out in August and the State will have a smooth sail ever after.

FOCUS SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

On the trail of the emperor Antarctica boasts almost twice as many emperor penguins as previously thought, researchers have discovered using satellite mapping technology to count the iceberg-huddling birds

n international team of scientists led by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) found 595,000 birds, far beyond previous estimates of 270,000 to 350,000, according to the study on Thursday in the open-access journal PLoS ONE. It is now thought that the satellite mapping approach can provide a way to monitor the long-term health of the emperor population. This technique employs the technique that locates individual colonies, by searching for big brown patches of guano on the white ice. High resolution imagery is then used to work out the number of birds present. "We are delighted to be able to locate and identify such a large number of emperor penguins," said lead author and BAS geographer Peter Fretwell and added, "If we want to understand whether emperor pen-

SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN WORRIED THAT GLOBAL WARMING MAY RESULT IN ICE-MELTING, PARTICULARLY IN NORTHERN ANTARCTICA, THAT COULD ENDANGER THE PENGUINS' HABITAT guins are endangered by climate change, we have to know first how many birds there are currently and have a methodology to monitor them year on year. This is the first comprehensive census of a species taken from space." He also told BBC, "This study gives us that baseline population, which is quite surprising because it's twice as many as we thought, but it also gives us the ability to follow their progress to see if that population is changing over time.” Emperor penguins are the largest kind of penguin, standing up to four feet (1.2 meters) tall. They cannot fly but are known for their revolving group gatherings to stay warm on the ice in wind chill conditions of 76°F (-60°C). The males also tend to their partner's egg while the female goes off to hunt for fish and krill. The emperor breeds in the coldest environment of any bird species on Earth Satellite imagery clearly showed the penguins' black and white colours in contrast to the ice, and researchers were able to count 44 colonies along the Antarctic coast, seven of which were previously unknown. Scientists have been worried that global warming may result in ice-melting, particularly in northern Antarctica, that could

endanger the penguins' habitat. The new method for tracking their numbers may help with efforts to monitor the species, said co-author Phil Trathan, also from the BAS. "Current research suggests that emperor penguin colonies will be seriously affected by climate change," he said. "An accurate continent-wide census that can be easily repeated on a regular basis will help us monitor more accurately the impacts of future change on this iconic species." Co-author Michelle LaRue from the University of Minnesota said the technique

should enable other species to be more accurately counted, too. "The implications of this study are far-reaching: we now have a cost-effective way to apply our methods to other poorly understood species in the Antarctic, to strengthen ongoing field research, and to provide accurate information for international conservation efforts." Collaborators on the study also included the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Australian Antarctic Division, with additional funding from the US National Science Foundation.

NATION SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Neem tree under attack

Asia’s first research centre

NEW DELHI: Often looked upon as a panacea for many ills, the popular neem tree is under attack from a new voracious pest that is found to devour the leaves of the wonder tree, say scientists. The pest has been identified as ‘Cleora Coronaria’ belonging to a family of moths and previously known as a minor pest of the neem tree, referred to as ‘Arishta’ or reliever of sickness in ancient Sanskrit texts.

Maoists set new deadline BHUBANESWAR: Maoists in Odisha

PATNA: With only about 2,000 Gangetic river dolphins left in India, down from tens of thousands just a few decades ago, the Bihar government is planning to set up Asia’s first research centre to strengthen conservation efforts to save the endangered mammal. An official in the chief minister’s office said the Gangetic dolphin research centre would be set up in Patna, where dozens of dolphins can be seen.

have set a Wednesday deadline for the government to meet their demands in exchange for the release of ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Jhina Hikaka whom they have held captive for over 20 days. A Maoist leader who calls herself Aruna said in a statement sent to some local reporters Sunday that the government has to 29 prisoners in Balipeta village of Koraput district April 18.

Cong, BJP clash for Capital’s civic bodies NEW DELHI: Voting began today (Sunday) morning for elections to Delhi’s newlyformed three civic bodies that is witnessing a tough fight between the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. People queued up outside 11,543 booths across the capital to vote for elections of the trifurcated Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Over one crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 2,423 candidates for 272 seats. While the corporations of north and south have 104 wards each, the east Delhi corporation has 64.

A total of 30,000 armed police personnel have been deployed at the booths to ensure free and fair elections. The BJP, which rules the

corporation, had swept the 2007 elections in the then unified MCD with 168 seats. While Sunday’s election will see a straight contest

between the Congress and the BJP, though parties like the Samajwadi Party have also fielded candidates. The polling will end at 5.30pm. For the first time, 50 per cent seats (136) have been reserved for women candidates. Interestingly, the capital is also for the first time witnessing the participation of eunuchs as contestants in the polls. With Delhi assembly elections due in end-2013, the results will have significant impact on the morale of the parties. The votes will be counted IANS on Tuesday.

RECORD SKILL DISPLAY Rohan Kokane, a Guinness World Record holder for the farthest distance covered limbo skating under cars, shows his skills in Hubli on Saturday. PTI

SC: Haj dole only once in a lifetime NEW DELHI: The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to restrict Haj pilgrimage at government subsidy to Muslims only as a “once in a lifetime” affair as against the existing policy of “once in five years”. In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the government said the new guidelines have been framed to ensure that priority is given to those applicants who have never performed Haj. “This is a major change introduced for the first time. Restrict the number of pilgrimages to a Haj applicant through HCOI (Haj Committee of India) to ‘once in a lifetime’ as against the existing ‘once in five years’. This will ensure that the Haji will benefit from government subsidy only once in his/her lifetime. It will also ensure that priority is given to those applicants who have never performed Haj,” the Centre said. The government, however, refrained from disclosing the amount of subsidy being incurred by it for 2012 saying, “The exact figure in respect of the travel subsidy to the pilgrims going through Haj Committee of India for 2012 will be known after the Hajis completed their Haj journey and return to India.” According to the government, priority will be given to those who are in the 70 plus category and those who had unsuccessfully applied thrice earlier for the subsidy. The Centre’s affidavit comes in the backdrop of certain searching questions raised by the apex court.

Man wins 30-year legal battle NEW DELHI: It took over three decades for a former Food Corporation of India employee to win a legal battle over withholding of his two pay hikes by the public sector company on charges of indiscipline. Senior Civil Judge Ajay Goel ruled the case in the favour of former FCI official N P Singh in March this year, holding as illegal the PSU’s March 17, 1987 order on his pay cut.

“In view of findings, instant suit is decreed with cost in favour of plaintiff (Singh) and against FCI and inquiry report is declared illegal and is set aside and the FCI is restrained from giving effect to order dated March 17, 87,” said the court, which was assigned the case in March, 2009. “The FCI is directed to release and refund the amount of increments of the plaintiff with-

held by FCI on the basis of order dated March 17, 1987,” the judge added. A Patiala-resident, Singh worked as an grade II assistant with the FCI headquarters at Delhi in 1981 when a complaint was filed against him by his colleague, accusing him of tampering the office records relating to his provident fund and lacking integrity. The complaint also accused

him of using “hot words” against the colleague. After a departmental probe, the FCI on March 17, 1987 held Singh guilty of resorting to indiscipline and penalised him by withholding two increments of his pay. Singh challenged it in 1988 in a court on which the verdict has come now. The allegations were denied by Singh contending that the PF

record in question was never in his custody and the penalty was imposed on him in a “stereotype manner” without any proof. He also contended that on the allegation of exchange of “hot words” it was not proved who started the altercation. The court after examining 12 witnesses agreed with Singh’s contentions and quashed the 1987 order against him. PTI

WORLD SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS FABRICATION

Kim gives first speech

400 escape Pak jail

Sudan tensions rise

PYONGYANG: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un delivered his first ever public speech on Sunday at a major military parade in Pyongyang to mark 100 years since the birth of the country's founder Kim Il-Sung. The commemorations came just two days after a satellite launch timed to mark the centenary fizzled out embarrassingly when the rocket exploded.

PESHAWAR: Some 384 prisoners

KHARTOUM: South Sudan has accused Sudan of launching further bombing raids on its territory and against its forces. The governor of Unity state says several people were killed in its capital Bentiu when a plane dropped bombs on a market. South Sudan also says its troops came under air attack in the oil-producing Heglig region.

including militants escaped early on Sunday from a jail in northwestern Pakistan after an attack by insurgents armed with guns, grenades and rockets. More than 150 heavily-armed Islamist militants stormed the central prison outside Bannu bordering the lawless tribal regions where Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants operate.

Military bars 10 key Egypt candidates CAIRO: Egypt's election commis-

EDUCATION

US Midwest put on tornado watch TEXAS:

A severe storm threatens to bring tornadoes to a vast swathe of the Midwestern US, forecasters are warning. States ranging from Texas to Minnesota have been put on alert.

sion said on Saturday that ex-spy chief Omar Suleiman, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Khairat alShater and Salafist politician Hazem Abu Ismail are among 10 candidates barred from running for president. Commission official Tarek Abul Atta told AFP that Suleiman had been disqualified because he failed to get endorsements from 15 provinces as per law. Shater, who was released from prison in March last year, has been barred because of a law that states that candidates can only run in elections six years after being released or pardoned, Abul Atta said. Shater had been in jail on charges of terrorism and money laundering during the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak who was forced out of power last year by massive street protests. Abu Ismail is out of the race because his mother holds another nationality, violating election rules which state that all candidates, their parents and their wives must have only Egyptian citizenship. Last week an Egyptian court had cleared the way for Abu Ismail to join the race after ruling that his mother was not a US citizen. Others who have been disqualified include Ayman Nur, who caught the world's attention when he challenged Mubarak in 2005 presidential elections. Nur was imprisoned shortly after those elections and released on health grounds in 2009. He was

Thousands of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist movement supporters take part in a demonstration in Tahrir Square in Cairo. AFP/KHALED DESOUKI banned under the same rule as the mission's decision, MENA reportMuslim Brotherhood's Shater. ed. Although the decision was "This is a political decision," expected by some it threatens to Muslim Brotherhood lawyer create an upheaval on the political Abdelmonein Abdel Maqsud said. scene, less than six weeks from the A Brotherhood member, Sobhi election which is due to take place Saleh, said on state television: May 23 and 24. "The legal battle is not over." A source close to Suleiman, Abu Ismail also hit back: "They cited by the state-run MENA news want to play a game. This is a vioagency, said the former spy chief lation of Egyptian law and the conplans to contest the decision and stitution," he told the Islamist teleintends to provide the necessary vision station, Hikma. documents to show that his candiEarlier the electoral commisdacy is valid. sion issued a statement saying 10 The Muslim Brotherhood — of the 23 candidates vying for which last week announced a secEgypt's top job had been disqualiond candidate, Mohammed Morsi, fied "because they do not fill one or in case the first one was disqualimore of the required conditions." fied, said it too will appeal the comThey were not named.

But the disqualified candidates have 48 hours to appeal the decision. A total of 23 candidates had registered for Egypt's first presidential election since a popular uprising toppled Mubarak last year. The remaining candidates include former Arab League chief Amr Mussa, who also served as Mubarak's foreign minister for 10 years. Other candidates still in the race also include former Brotherhood member Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh and Mubarak's last Prime Minister, Ahmed Shafiq. Egypt's Islamist-dominated parliament on Thursday approved a bill that would ban members of Mubarak's regime from standing for public office, but it needs the support of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to become law. Saturday's decision came a day after thousands of Islamists rallied in the streets of Cairo against exregime candidates, namely ex-spy chief Suleiman, Mussa — who also served as foreign minister — and Shafiq. Liberal and secular groups also do not wish to see the return of Mubarak-era figures, but they stayed away from Friday's protest. They have instead called a demonstration on April 20 to denounce what they see as Islamist monopolisation of political life in AFP the country since the revolt.

UN monitors prepare for Syria

Iran, world powers set for in-depth talks

6.5-strong quake rattles Vanuatu

UNITED NATIONS: A small advance group of UN

ISTANBUL: Iran and world powers agreed in talks here

monitors is preparing to go to Syria to oversee the ceasefire, hours after the Security Council voted for its deployment. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he would make firm proposals in days for a larger group of about 250 people. The mission comes as a BBC reporter says the ceasefire appears in danger of collapsing in some parts of Syria. Activists said at least 20 people were killed as violence flared on Saturday in Homs and at a funeral in Aleppo. The US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, condemned the bloodshed saying it raises "renewed doubts about the sincerity of the regime's commitment to the ceasefire". She said the resolution was an important opportunity to stop the bloodshed.

to hold a more in-depth meeting in Baghdad next month where, Western nations warned Tehran, much must be done to ease fears that it is seeking nuclear arms. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said there had been "constructive and useful" talks in Istanbul on Saturday with Iranian chief negotiator Saeed Jalili but cautioned that the meeting in Iraq on May 23 must "take us forward in a very concrete way." Echoing her, the US and other Western nations stressed the need for the next round of discussions to get to the core of the almost decade-old standoff over Tehran's nuclear programme. The Istanbul talks involved the so-called P5+1 grouping — the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — and Iran.

SYDNEY: A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the South Pacific island of Vanuatu on Sunday, but there was no tsunami warning. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage either. The quake struck at a relatively shallow depth of eight kilometres, around 150 kilometres south east of the capital Port Vila. Vanuatu lies on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a zone of frequent seismic activity caused by friction between shifting tectonic plates. The earthquake hit shortly after 9am (around 2200 GMT Saturday), USGS said. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an information bulletin but no alert, saying "a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii".

COMMENT SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Profile low-end cars

Giving art its due

hile I love your coverage of cars, I have a serious complaint too. I have been contemplating buying a car for a while now. There are so many brands to choose from that it is very confusing. It would help if instead of all the time featuring premium cars, you come down to earth and give the commoner an insight into keeping in mind things that will help them buy an affordable car. Sagheer Pasha Krishna Nagar

he world over, handmade things are more expensive that those made my machines. Sadly, that is not the case with produce of India. As a consequence, artisans who slog over these fine products, end up with very little returns in terms of money to show for their toil. If we showcase works of such kind, like you did yesterday, things hopefully will change for them. Priya Murthy Nampally

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

Fail the devil

fter the number of cases of dirtying religious places, we are faced with a new nuisance; someone has damaged the statue of Dr Ambedkar that too on the day of his anniversary. It is obvious that vested interests are behind all this. Let us go one up on them. Let us remain calm with all this. They will give up on this when through our inaction, their objectives fail. Suhasini John West Marredpally

EDITORIALS HAJ RULING endorses justice The Supreme Court has come out with an exemplary ruling when it said a person can avail of government’s haj subsidy only once in his/ her lifetime. With the number of requests for haj subsidies increasing, the apex court’s directive couldn’t have come at a better time. Islam prescribes the pilgrimage to Mecca should be done at least once in a lifetime and there is no wrong in the government subsidising the otherwise prohibitively expensive trip. Repeat visits can be made at their own expense. When the same people avail of the dole repeatedly, several others who are in real need of state support for their spiritual quest are denied it. Justice is an essential component of any religion without any exception. Equity should be considered when government gives subsidies like this because the financially needy have no other means to seek spiritual solace. The next step should be reducing and simplifying the paperwork for haj so that the pilgrims are not exploited by travel agents or quacks who promise them hassle-free passage to the holy land.

WHY WE LOVE... Dinesh Trivedi Former railway minister and Trinamool MP Dinesh Trivedi is again in the news for some candid speak that is sure to ruffle his criticism-allergic party chief. Condemning the attack on the professor who uploaded cartoons of Didi on Facebook, Trivedi said such lampooning is an essential element of democracy. So he has indirectly slammed Mamata’s intolerance of all and sundry critical and underlined that the populist leader borders on dictatorship. Now, that’s some candid talk.

Counselling is better left to the pros From the Hip SYED SHOAIB

ustice R Subhash Reddy while admitting a writ petition by Kotha Karthik, a techie, has ordered the authorities to probe the numerous calls (said to be a little too many, of which 166 were made late during the nights) between January 1 and March 20, 2012 by superintendent of police Shyam Sundar in connection with a dowry harassment case under Section 498A filed by Yadlapalli Gopipriya against her husband Karthik. Karthik’s family wants the alleged clandestine relationship between the SP and Gopipriya to be brought out in the open. Details of the calls made, with telephone numbers and talk time

have been submitted to the court. In response, Gopipriya’s father has offered an explanation that it was he who made the calls from his son’s phone as the family received threatening calls; Gopipriya has denied allegations, made by her estranged husband, of a romantic affair between her and the SP. Even if we do accept that the calls, which are supposed to be 582 in number, were made in connection with the dowry harassment case, what fails logic is the other revelation that 1,944 messages were exchanged between the two parties. The odd times of the calls also raises doubts about the motive of these calls. While accepting the SP’s image of a hot-headed straightforward officer, if one were to even take the view that the plight of the victim moved him in his official capacity to lend succour in the form of uplifting her morale and giving her

courage, it could have been done in a more acceptable manner. Police officers are not trained counsellors, so it would have served the purpose better if the kind SP had referred the matter to a trained counsellor rather than attempted it himself. It is not unknown for police in their position of authority to exploit the vulnerabilities of those who seek their protection for personal favours. The hapless and hopeless victim is forced by circumstances to clutch at even chimeras to get justice. The issue here is not whether the two are morally wrong or right, it is about the keeper of the law going to the extreme of favouring one person in such a way that the ends of justice become manipulated. It is the responsibility of law-enforcement authorities to be impartial, unbiased and transparent. With a finger of doubt pointing towards the SP, evidence collected by the police becomes suspect

in the court of law. To that extent the victim becomes a loser. On the part of the SP, he should know that this kind of unusual contact with a complainant would not go unnoticed and is also not the usual investigative practice adopted or permitted in such cases. The alleged relationship of the SP and Gopipriya, however, does not absolve the husband; if it is proved that he is guilty of the crime that he has been accused of. An internal investigation within the police department should clear the cloud of doubt around the case now and should be able to sift out the true facts so that the ends of justice are met. Also, it would serve the police department well, if, as part of their personnel training they are sensitised on dealing with such situations sagaciously. The writer works for Postnoon.

BUSINESS SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Yuan trading band widened

he IMF welcomed a decision by China's central bank on Saturday to widen the yuan's trading band against the dollar in a major step towards loosening currency controls. The yuan is currently allowed to trade 0.5 per cent on either side of a midpoint price set by the central bank every trading day. The new rules will come into effect on Monday and allow yuan to fluctuate by up to 1.0 per cent either side.

‘Germany must do more’

illionaire investor George Soros has called on Germany to contribute more to help save the euro, according to an interview published in the weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag. "The Germans should decide if they want the euro or not. If so, they have to carry out financial transfers. If not, they should leave the eurozone," said Soros, also a major philanthropist and author.

US pick likely to head WB

espite an unprecedented challenge from two developing-world candidates, Washington's 66-year lock on the presidency will almost certainly remain intact when directors meet on Monday to fill the post. Even after one of the challengers dropped out on Friday to push his support to the other — Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala — they won't be able to overcome US-EU backing for the US nominee, Jim Yong Kim, analysts say.

Tier II/III real estate story: Then and now HARDCASTLE MCCORMICK

Realty Check SANJAY DUTT

he demand fundamentals of the India story are now focused around all cities that have sufficient economic activity, be it industrial, service sector-driven or incentive-driven programmes by the State government. In Gujarat, which has seen considerable industrial progress, the key cities of Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara come readily to mind. Baddi in Himachal Pradesh and Pantnagar and Rudrapur in Uttaranchal attracted a lot of residential developers that met with success, thanks to proactive Government policies. In the South, Coimbatore, Vizag and Kochi emerged, either thanks to a large investor segment or as the outcome of sufficient economic activity. Towards the West, Pune, Nasik and Nagpur are noteworthy in this context. In all cases, developers positioned their development close to industrial hubs, targeting a totally different price segment and making the most of it.

WHAT

WENT WRONG ?

That said every developer was inspired to create a national footprint six to seven years ago. While this was a worthy ambition, it was poorly conceived as a plan since many of them did not factor in State government-level regulatory challenges such as local municipal laws. They also did not consider that they may not have had the requisite financial resources, organisational depth and knowledge of the local markets to manage and execute projects in Tier II and Tier III cities. Nor had they accurately gauged the demand fundamentals of these locations. Such developers proceeded to enter into land acquisition on their own equity and were caught short-footed, not realis-

ing that the property cycles were then at their peak, and that there was bound to be a correction — if not a fall.

THE

DAWN OF REASON

Major players are now going to re-align their positions vis-àvis unexplored territories. There is now a very clear realisation that it is extremely difficult to become a genuine pan-India player in every geography and real estate segment. Moreover, developers today have woken up to the fact that there is only limited capital available to real estate players today — capital that is earmarked for residential projects, construction funding against achieved leases and signed contracts, or for cities displaying sufficient demand even in subdued market conditions. In the current context, it makes sense for developers to restrategise and focus on their core geographies. For example, if a certain developer is extremely accomplished as a res-

idential player in the South, having high credibility and sufficient brand recall in this region, such a company would ask itself how wise it is to experiment in the North or the West, and whether it would not make more sense to expand in the South. Likewise, developers accomplished in IT projects would now concentrate on geographies that feature a healthy IT component, and avoid branching out into cities that lack a sufficient volume of such activity. Such developers would see the virtue of focusing on IT-centric cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Pune, and re-think on plans to invest in cities that lack Information technology activity.

THE EDGE OF THE LOCAL DEVELOPER

Tier II and Tier III cities still represent a great story, especially in terms of affordable housing for industrial work-forces. However, this story may no longer be suitable for some of

the larger developers. These are locations where the strength of regional players will come into play. There is at least one strong developer in every region. These brands have demonstrated that they understand their geographies better than any players who arrive from the outside to experiment on the Tier II / Tier III story. The success of these local developers will inspire larger developers from beyond a region’s borders after the fundamentals of that area’s demand are captured sufficiently and the markets are sanitised in terms of municipal and financial market stabilisation. In the next one to two years, developers will have realigned their business strategies sufficiently to leverage the potential of Tier II / III cities that have sufficient market drivers or are witnessing considerable investor activity (such as Kochi, Surat, Mohali and Chandigarh).

THE

LONG -TERM VIEW

When it comes to long-term property investment, there is definitely no reason to look only at the metros. India has the highest rate urbanisation among the BRIC nations. About 854 million people will live in Indian cities by 2050 — that is more or less the combined population of present-day USA, Brazil, Russia, Japan and Germany. In the coming decade, India will add 95 million people to its already dense urban fabric, nearly one-fourth of its current urban population. India needs more cities, and the ones which are growing now will grow exponentially in times to come. Among the ones that bear watching by long-term property investors are Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Kochi, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Vishakapatnam, Vijayawada, Chandigarh and Ludhiana. The author is CEO Business), Jones Lang LaSalle India

INTERVIEW SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Spreading the joy of birth She looks forward to being with satisfied mothers and gurgling babies every day of her work life. A pediatrician Dr Kiran Krishnamurti tells us about what her profession means to her JAIWANTIKA DUTTA DHUPKAR

feedback@postnoon.com

r Kiran Krishnamurti is one of the reasons why taking your child to a specialist is no longer a harrowing experience. Modest and unassuming, the pediatrician with more than two decades of practice to her credit, she knows just what it takes to have happy, gurgling babies around. From a time of limited awareness about specialised disciplines like child healthcare, to now, when awareness has considerably increased, Dr Krishnamurti has seen it all through the eyes of her patients. “I have been fond of kids from a very young age. Yes, tackling

children’s illnesses can be very challenging and that probably drew me to this field apart from the fact that during my time this was a coveted branch of medicine and rather difficult to get admission into,” she says. Yet, Dr Krishnamurti says the turning point of her career as a doctor was when she was training in a community hospital in Mumbai, with patients from the most marginalised sections of society, “When, as a registrar of pediatrics, I sat at my desk in my ward in the evening, I found myself surrounded by snot-dripping, unkempt little patients on my lap, hanging from my shoulders, or just standing around me…I loved every moment of it. This affirmed my faith in my choice of specialisation,” she says with a smile. Today, several very impor-

tant people owe Dr Krishnamurti for the health of their offspring. Dr Krishnamurti remembers all her patients fondly. One memory she has is of an 800gm baby born to a couple after 15 years of being married. “This was almost 25 years ago when neonatal care in the private sector was still in its very nascent stages, and I would visit the baby at least three times a day for almost two months and then I sent her home healthy and her parents ecstatic. She is now the mother of a two year old boy who is also my patient,” the doctor says happily. Has a lot changed for Hyderabad’s babies with the corporatisation of the medical field? Dr. Krishnamurti admits that the change has been huge. “Corporatisation has made available to us highly advanced

I have been fond of kids from a very young age. Yes, tackling children’s illnesses can be challenging and that probably drew me to this field apart from the fact that during my time this was a very coveted branch and rather difficult to get admission into radiological and pathological investigations. Critical and intensive care are no longer only for the privileged few. Specialists and super specialists from every conceivable field are now available under one roof, which

makes it convenient, especially for people with multisystem disorders. Corporatisation has made organised research in the private sector possible and this body of data is priceless if used appropriately,” says the doctor while saying that though there are demerits, the babies of Hyderabad have quite a healthy future to look forward too! Truly humanitarian, Dr Krishnamurti believes like a true pediatrician, in the joy of birth. She quotes John Donne to get her message across: No man is an island, entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent. Any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind, And therefore never ask for whom the bell tollsIt tolls for thee.

INSIGHT SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Picture panorama

AFP/ STR

AFP /HANDOUT/US NAVY/ KAROLINA A. MARTINEZ

Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) transits through the Arabian Sea on April 5. The United States is keeping the pressure on Iran with the presence of two aircraft carriers close to the Gulf region ahead of the resumption of nuclear talks with Tehran this week.

From protests in Bahrain to explosions in Mexico, sporting events in the White House and in England â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a quick glimpse at the happenings around the world

A Bahraini Shiite Muslim boy sits on the sidewalk wearing a gas mask during clashes with riot police after a demonstration in the village of Belad al-Qadeem, south of Manama, on April 12.

AFP/ ANDREW YATES

AFP/ ARIF ALI

Liverpool's English forward Andy Carroll (L) scores his team's third goal past Blackburn Rovers' English goalkeeper Paul Robinson during the English Premier League football match between Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool at Ewood Park. AFP/ HECTOR GUERRERO

A firefighter stands amid the disaster caused by an oil pipeline explosion in San Isidro Mazatepec, 30 km from Guadalajara city, Jalisco State, Mexico on April 12.

A lightning is pictured over Lahore City during a thunder storm that was followed by heavy rain on April 13.

AFP/ BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI

Sailors of Team Artemis Racing get on their boat after it capsised during the first Fleet Race of the America's Cup World Series (ACWS) off Naples. The ACWS series allows teams and their sailors to prepare for the Louis Vuitton Cup.

US President Barack Obama does pushups during a basketball shooting drill during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 9 in Washington, DC. AFP/ MARIO LAPORTA

AFP/ DIBYANGSHU SARKAR

Hindu devotees throw holy flammable powder to a fire as they perform rituals to celebrate the Gajan Festival in Kolkata on April 12, 2012. The festival falls on the last day of the Bengali calendar which also coincides with the birth of Lord Shiva

ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Argentina’s new art district

n international artist unveiled a new work at Auckland Art Gallery - blowing up balloons and popping them. The performance art was called The Ability to Blow Themselves Up and launched a three month exhibition called Made Active exploring the idea of action through painting, sculpture, installation and performance art. Made Active runs until 15 July and includes 25 exhibitors, seven of which will contribute live performances on weekends throughout this period.

DENVER: A Denver artist has created a portrait of Florida shooting suspect George Zimmerman using more than 12,000 Skittles — the candy that 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was carrying when Zimmerman fatally shot him. The 3-by-4-foot portrait was done by 31-year-old Andy Bell, an art student about to graduate from Metropolitan State College in Denver. The candies are glued to plywood and varnished. The portrait is hanging at RedLine Gallery in Denver. Bell titled it “Fear Itself.” He tells The Denver Post he’s not judging Zimmerman but commenting on the divided opinions about the case.

The choices we made “L

ost in societal complexity, swept away by populistic measures, perpetually running after never attainable dangling carrots…We sometimes portray a very amusing picture of ourselves. Are we the same individuals who carry certain biological genes that are supposedly unchangeable or are we the obvious results of the choices we made as we evolved?” This is what Ramakanth’s new exhibition at Muse Art Gallery titled The Choices We Made seem to proclaim. The gallery will be showcasing a series of 35 paintings by him. This is his third

ART FOR DUMMIES

Art with a bang

Zimmerman portrait with Skittles

he Cuban artist collective Los Carpinteros is showing three large-scale installations at Buenos Aires’s Faena Arts Centre in May. They have created a new site-specific sculpture especially for the arts centre’s 700 sq ft “Sala Molinos” exhibition space and are also installing two earlier works—a Piper Comanche single-prop plane pierced by arrows and a sprawling shantytown neighbourhood built entirely from corrugated cardboard.

solo exhibition. The paintings follow contemporary norms with a greater emphasis on idea and lesser dependence on craft. Last year Kalakriti Gallery had hosted his second solo exhibition of paintings titled The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and Other Works, needless to say the exhibition was very well received. Ramakanth is a firm believer of concept driven art, where the idea is to throw light on the concept behind the art, where more attention is given to the tools and techniques used in the process of making the art. One look

he exhibition opened at The Muse -Art Gallery at Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and convention center on Saturday, April 14 at 6.30 pm. The exhibition will be on till May 14.

at his paintings and one can see a post modernist theme running through them. Apart from painting, Ramakanth is a well-known advertising and branding professional heading RBC Worldwide and Ramakanth advertising. His interests are not limited to the canvas alone. He is also the founder member of Ananda Priya — a foundation for arts and learning. The institution aims to an institution that aims to provide the community the opportunity to enjoy access to Indian classical music, dance and contemporary painting.

Art of Cubist-Realists

A visual language that developed contained realism and geometric simplicity. Vaijayanthi Kari

feedback@postnoon.com

hile cubism confused people tremendously, since it deviated drastically from the classical principles of art, a few cubistinspired American artists developed a less radical version of it. The Precisionists as they were called, created a representational system in

tune with their times. Artists like Charles Demut and Georgia O'Keeffe took special interest in the architecture of industrial buildings. Their pictures completely lacked the presence of humans or nature. The visual language that they developed contained realism and geometric simplicity. Their main themes were inclusive of industrialization and mod-

ernisation of the American landscape. But Demut and Charles Sheeler considered themselves strictly American and avoided any European influence on their work. The range of abstraction in the movement differs from the work of one artists to another. Precisionist works act as foretellers for the appreciation of Pop Art. As it dealt only with pure

form, precisionism gradually moved towards Abstraction. To this day it continues to be one of the most important influences on the early 20th century art. George Ault, Ralston Crawford, Preston Dickinson and Morton Schamberg are a few of the other contemporary precisionists who came to be associated with the movement.

ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

More icebergs than before?

Remarkable catfish found

he study, published on March 22 in the journal Zootaxa, describes a new species of suckermouth armoured catfish, Cordylancistrus santarosensis, on the basis of five specimens collected in the trans-Andean Río Santa Rosa (Gulf of Guayaquil drainage) near the southern coast of Ecuador. C santarosensis measures up to 71 mm in length, has wide and depressed head and rounded snout.

arth's average global temperature has increased by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) since 1880, according to Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Two-thirds of that warming has happened since 1975. As more ice melts under glaciers and ice sheets—particularly in Greenland and Antarctica—the water lubricates the ice masses, sending them to sea, and eventual breakup, at a faster rate.

Gujarat’s green scene

he northern region of Gujarat State in western India (map) is semi-arid and prone to droughts, receiving almost all of its rain during the monsoon season between June and September. But for the past three decades, many crop and dairy farms have remained green — even during the dry season. That's because farmers have invested in wells and pumps, using massive amounts of electricity to extract water from deep aquifers.

Noah’s Ark our only hope? Time is running out for our beautiful blue planet, say world leaders. However, the sad fact is that the world governments are yet to agree on a common agenda for saving it

PK SURENDRAN

pksurendran@gmail.com

he meeting in Rio de Janeiro next month of sub-national governments on biodiversity decade will have Indian representative Dr R Hampaiah, chairman of AP biodiversity board attending it. The UN had declared 2011-2020 as the biodiversity decade for the world to chalk out a time-bound plan to arrest the decimation of biological diversity that spells doom for the planet’s ecosystem. Time is running out fast, say world leaders, for saving this beautiful blue planet, the only home for millions. However, the sad fact is that the world governments have not yet agreed on a common agenda for implementation. Technology and human intervention have been proving a mighty challenge to Mother Nature and her system.

In the future, coastal cities no more?

ccording to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) the sea levels have seen a rise of 6.7 inches in the last century, and if the alarming rate of global warming continues, the sea water levels may rise up to 22 inches by 2100. This will mean that island like Maldives and Tuvalu and low-lying areas like Bangladesh will go underwater, and important cities like Mumbai, Shanghai and Florida will become vulnerable to the water grave like the legendary city of Atlantis. Many more coastal towns such as Vizag, Kochi, Kolkata will go down under sea.

The Rio meeting together with the June climate change Rio+20, again, in Rio in June will set the tone for the crucial CBD-COP 11 being slated for October 1 to October 19 in Hyderabad, India. Governmental representatives from 193 countries are expected to participate and this one is billed as the largest world gathering in India after Independence. A galaxy of world leaders and some 12,000 people are going to be in the city for the longest meeting that has ever taken place in India. Dr Hampaiah said there would be nearly 430 sub-committee meetings of which 50 are to be solely centred on India. India, used to be one of the few rich biodiversity nations but it has been losing its status fast

COUNTDOWN TO 11TH CBD

Magnitude of Hyderabad world CBD n n n n n

Countries expected to represent Heads of State Participants in all Number of days in all Total sub-committee meetings

190 13 12,000 19 450

thanks to the wanton destruction of forests, conversion of marsh lands and agriculture fields for construction and business purposes, unchecked pollution, and over population. Alternative energy, water crisis, pollution and loss of forests are the chief perils confronting India, and the world at large. “There are enough problems for the country to discuss,” admit-

ted Hampaiah. He is expected to brief the world gathering at Rio about the agenda being set for the Hyderabad gala meeting. But, technocrats and scientists the world over agree on one thing: Humanity’s future is to be decided by how fast it shifts to a clean, green alternative energy. While the State Biodiversity Board is all prepared with detailed agenda, the GHMC, the host and the State Government are still looking towards New Delhi for funds. The GHMC has however taken an initiative seeking corporate participation. “Let us do whatever by our own,” reasoned Mayor Mohd Majid Hussain. The world meeting will be rare opportunity for Hyderabad to promote tourism and business at a global level, it is pointed out.

FOOD SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

The cookie maker

Spaghetti kitchen in Pune

S Aerotherm, the baking technology company, has introduced two valueadded products called the Cookie Filling Machine and Rusk Toast Automatic Panning Machine. The former which is sourced from Sandore, Italy, can handle 100 kg of cookie filling in one hour. The latter is a rusk baking technology which provides the muchneeded crispness to the final product.

Dietary golden jubilee

aving made its mark in the culinary landscapes of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata, the Italian fine dining restaurant Spaghetti Kitchen has now opened in Pune's upmarket locality, Amanora Park Town. The restaurant's USP is Italian flavours, handcrafted by Bill Marchetti, celebrity chef. It is one of the chains owned by Pan India Food Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

he Indian Dietetic Association (IDA) has announced that its golden jubilee celebrations will be held during its upcoming national conference in Hyderabad between November 29 and December 1, 2012. The conference will be hosted at the National Institute of Nutrition(NIN). The theme for this year's conference is “Indian diets and health: In retrospect and prospect.”

Park Hyatt brings Italy to the City Led from the front by chef Grandi who commands an efficient army in full view of a salivating gallery, Tres Forni is Italian to its core

Chef Magnifico! Just 21, Chef Matteo Grandi confesses his love for food and admits there is nothing beyond cooking

SANA MIRZA

sana.m@postnoon.com ANDREW JOSEF

feedback@postnoon.com

he problem with Italian food is that everyone thinks they can cook it, and sure many might give it the right old college try, but few can master the intricate flavours with their blanket of freshness, and Kandinsky colour. When the Park Hyatt decided to put its stamp on Hyderabad’s crowded gastronomic landscape, Italian was not on their mind. But an alignment of circumstances forced their hand, and in all honesty, the city is better for it. Tres Forni is more than just another faux-Tuscan outlet dishing up pasta on the wrong side of al dente; it’s more than just a pizzeria with aspirations beyond their station; and above all it avoids the ‘Indianess’ that is so often used to massacre European cuisine. Tres Forni is Italian to its core. Ignore the Chinese chandelier that looms above the restaurant like a guest who’s turned up for a blacktie do only to find he’s arrived sans trousers, and you will be transported. Maybe not to the Genoese coast, from where the 21-year-old Matteo hails, but somewhere really close. Pizza features heavily on Tres Forni’s menu, as it should considering the name means ‘three ovens’ in Italian. But this is proper pizza, with crust as thin as an inefficient criminal’s alibi, and toppings that drip, rather than ooze like thickly mixed cement. This is pizza as it was meant to be. The Pizza al Prosciutto raises the delicate slivers of meat on to a pedestal. The mozzarella bows before its

salty essence, and the rest of the dish is merely to serve its meaty master. The vegetarian option embraces the best of Italian cuisine: fresh, flavourful and light. The red peppers, and sun-kissed tomatoes, dance lightly; no trudging here. The Tortelli di Carne Con Fonduta di Parmigiano (Ravioli stuffed with slowcooked meat and parmesan fondue) may be a mouthful to pronounce, but is as enticing as the dessert station one passes as you enter the restaurant. Another dish that stars in Tres Forni’s constel-

Name: Tres Forni Place: Park Hyatt, Banjara Hills Meal for two: `1,700 lation is the Petto di Pollo ai Porcini e Tartufo (Chicken breast and a porcini sauce). Trust us, you will never refer to a porcini as a mere penny bun again. And after you’ve succumbed to the delicious subterfuge that epitomises a well-cooked Italian meal,

the dessert options are myriad, and thankfully, light enough for you to enjoy it without feeling like a Roman senator after a particularly large feast. There’s much to like about Tres Forni; from its earthy, yet elegant décor (we refuse to acknowledge that chandelier) to a chef who’s on top of his game. But the real star of the show, the instigator of la dolce vita is the food. There may be many Italian restaurants in Hyderabad, but few can lay claim to the title of Augustus. Tres Forni certainly can.

e was only 14 when he first started as a Commis in a restaurant called Arco De Gavi in Verona which would later crown him as head chef and purchasing manager. When he was barely 6-years-old, he developed an interest for cooking. His grandparents played a major role in furthering this interest. “My grandparents ran a restaurant in Verona, so I used to tag along with them to the restaurant. I started observing my grandmother cook and helped her in whatever way I could,” explains Matteo. Matteo is only 21 and we wonder if he is too young for this responsibilty? “Age does not matter when it comes to becoming a leader, but my efforts were to match the people I work with before setting my own expectations. Being a leader doesn't necessarily need age but the right attitude with skills and that is what I srongly believe in.” A good chef is defined by his ability to create new dishes. But a lot of times, different cultures have a major influence on your cooking and for Matteo, it was no different.“Travelling definitely has helped me understand different cultures better. With contrasting food preferences between Kuwait and China, I did learn a lot which helped nurture my existing skills to adapt to the local authentic food habits,” says Matteo whose only hurdle was the language barrier. Extremely jovial, his good interpersonal skills puts one at ease instantly. When he isn't at work, he prefers cooking for himself and his friends. “I cannot think beyond cooking,”he says with a smile.

FOOD SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Aab Shola A refreshing drink for summer. Made with raw mango Noor’s Kitchen NOOR JAFRI Ingredients 1. Raw mangoes (kairees) - 4 to 6 2. Sugar - 250 to 300 gms. 3. Salt - 1 tsp 4. Freshly made jeera (cumin) powder- 1 tsp 5. Fresh mint leaves (finely chopped) a pinch 6. Water - 1 litre

Procedure 1. 1. Pressure cook raw mangoes, with

water for about 10 minutes. 2. Remove the skin and squeeze the pulp, in the water and strain it. 3. Add sugar and other spices, and make a thick syrup. 4. Bottle it and keep it in the fridge, it can last two-three days.

An Epicurean delight Goan cuisine might be synonymous with sea food, but there’s lot more to it than just fish and prawns. We find more about Goan delights at the Goan Food Festival at Marriott HEMANTH KUMAR

hemanth.k@postnoon.com

f you have never tasted Goan food, we bet that you have never come across anything like the Vindaloo or Chorizo. It’s the perfect example of the Portuguese’s influence on Goan cuisine. Tasting the Goan delicacies in a landlocked place like Hyderabad immediately transports you to the coastal regions of the West. As we began our meal with a Goan special drink Kokum Sar, Chef Susheel informs, “Goan cuisine doesn’t have a lot of variety and it’s not rich either. We don’t generally use cream or too much butter in the food.” As a result, most of the dishes taste sour and spicy due to vinegar and chillies and Goans use a lot of coconut in their gravy as well. “Portuguese introduced

vinegar into Goan cuisine and most of the dishes like Pork Vindaloo and Goan Fish curry are very spicy," Susheel adds. For starters, we were served Rawa fried fish and Ras Omelette, a popular street food made by rolling chicken gravy in an omelette along with onions and tomatoes and it’s served along with pav. The main course consists of four different vegetarian dishes like Tambdi Bhaji, Watana Ross, Tomato Saar and Papeyachi bhaji and more options to choose from if you like sea food. Chicken Sukhem and Fish Ambotik were two such dishes which caught our attention. We are told that apart from fish, Goan cuisine also has a rich variety of pork and beef. The first bite of Pork Vindaloo hits you so hard that you end up experiencing a completely new taste altogether. It is quite spicy and has a smoky flavour and goes best with Goan brown rice. This easily

was the best dish on the buffet and left us gasping for more. There’s also Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken Cadreal and Chicken Xacuti if you are looking for more variety in your main course. Before you move on to the desserts, don’t forget to try the Lamb

Name: Goan Food Festival Place: Momo Cafe, Courtyard by Marriott Date : April 6 - 22 Timings : 6.30 pm -11 pm Price : `950 (all inclusive) Phone : 040 - 27521250

Sukhem and prawn balchao on the menu. The Portuguese have lived in Goa long enough to leave their own stamp on the cuisine and you can taste it in almost every non-vegetarian dish. There are handful of desserts which are quite unique to Goa. Bebinca, a famous Christian dessert, is a foodie’s delight, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Traditionally, Bebinca has 16 layers which is made with ghee, coconut milk, flour, jaggery and lots of eggs. It’s extremely rich and sweet enough to make you crave for more. Another such dessert is Dodol which is also made with coconut milk, rice flour and jaggery extracted from palm trees. For a Hyderabadi, who’s quite used to the dum biryani or Andhra cuisine, this Goan food festival offers a unique experience. If only one could have Fenny along with all those tangy and spicy dishes!

5. Serve with crushed ice, and the water for required consistency and a dash of freshly chopped mint (pudina) leaves.

CHEF’S

NOTE :

This salt and sugary, homemade preparation, is very refreshing and healthy, than the other carbonated and scarlet beverages. It can quench your thirst and prevent from sun stroke.

Contact NoorJafri@NoorKitchen.com 203 Krishna Apartments, Road No. 4, Banjara hills +91-9441282318

HISTORY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

April 14

April 15

1828 - The first edition of Noah Webster’s dictionary was published under the name American Dictionary of the English Language.

1865 - US President Abraham Lincoln died from injuries inflicted by John Wilkes Booth.

1983 - Tokyo Disneyland opened.

April 16 2007 - In Blacksburg, VA, a student killed 33 people at Virginia Tech before killing himself.

April 17 1875 - The game “snooker” was invented by Sir Neville Chamberlain.

April 15 1705 - Queen Anne of England knighted Isaac Newton.

April 17 1985 - The US Postal Service unveiled its new 22-cent, “LOVE” stamp.

April 14 1912 - The Atlantic passenger liner RMS Titanic, on its maiden voyage hit an iceberg and began to sink. 1,517 people lost their lives and more than 700 survived.

April 18

April 19

April 20

1923 - Yankee Stadium opened in the Bronx, NY. The Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 41. John Phillip Sousa’s band played the National Anthem.

1956 - Actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco were married. The religious ceremony took place April 19.

1897 - The first annual Boston Marathon was held. It was the first of its kind in the US

1989 - Scientist announced the successful testing of high-definition TV.

SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

A groovy b’day

DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Sheetal Narang turned a year wiser as she celebrated her birthday at Altitude in Marriott. We wish you an awesome year ahead!

Charul

Rajini & Sirisha

Sumana, Lavanya & Swathi

Gurupriya

Karuna, Sheetal & a friend

Hair Raising Actor Aksha was asked to inaugurate the Aakruthi Hair Transplant Centre at Madhapur

Actor Aksha seen cutting the ribbon

Babi

Khushboo

Gayatri Reddy, Sarita, Gurupriya & Madhavi

Logo Launch

DEEPAK DESHPANDE

The Telugu film, Tuneega Tuneega’s logo launch took place at the Aros Pub in Hi-tech city

Ramanaidu unveiling the poster of the film

Sumanth Ashwin

CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

T-TOWN TWEETIES @tashu_02 A very gudmorning to u all.....have a lovely n fun filled sunday :-)

@sundeepkishan Devudu eni vishayalalo entha kashta petina oka adiripoye family ichi kapedesedu..thanks Devuda.. #lovemyfamily

@taapsee Y d hell is delhi so cold in mid april! Weather god seems 2b up2 somethng really weird!

@shraddhadas43 Up for the day! Off to bangalore and then mumbai..with 4 hrs of sleep I still feel fresh! Morning my tweeps!

Double whammy for Allu Sirish

llu Sirish, youngest son of ace producer Allu Arvind, will soon make his acting debut. Initially, he had decided to act in the Tamil remake of 100% Love and now we hear that he has bagged the lead role in Radhamohan's upcoming bilingual film Gauravam. Earlier, Naga Chaitanya was supposed to play the lead role in Gauravam; however, grapevine has it that Radhamohan has approached Allu Sirish for the film and he has reportedly signed the dotted line. While there have been no official announcements so far about Allu Sirish's projects, Radhamohan is apparently in talks with Amala Paul for Gauravam. In the past, Allu Sirish worked as an executive producer for Ghajini which was produced by Geetha Arts.

Billa 2's first look is a hit on the web

he first teaser of Ajith's upcoming film Billa 2 was unveiled a couple of days ago and it has become a huge hit on the internet. Ajith's recent film Mankatha was dubbed in Telugu as Gambler; however, it failed to recreate the magic at the box office unlike its Tamil version. All that might change with Billa 2, which is a prequel to his earlier film Billa, if the buzz about the film is anything to go by. The producers Chakri Tholeti, who had earlier directed Kamal Haasan, Venkatesh starrer Eenadu, is directing the film. Currently, the film is being shot in Hyderabad. Parvathy Omanakuttan and Bruna Abdullah are playing the lead roles in this film. The film traces Billa's past and how he became a dreaded don. Most part of the film was shot in Hyderabad, Goa and Georgia.

@ThisIsDSP On the way to the airport to go to TIRUPATI with "GabbarSingh" team on a charted flight to launch the 1st song.!! See u guys in Tirupati..!! @bsoumya26 Hearin of thunders n lightening in hyd...odd thing @ ts time...nature's fury!

@me_sushanth Loudest, longest thunder n lightening sounds I've ever heard in my life! So the horror sound effects in films are not so exaggerated aft all @shrutihaasan Great day at work and now ready to zzz super kicked about GS audio launch tomorrow !! See you guys soon!! Xoxo

Harish Shankar is all praises for Shruti Haasan

arish Shankar, the director of Gabbar Singh, is all praises for Shruti Haasan, who's playing the lead role in the film along with Pawan Kalyan. Ever since the film went on floors, Harish Shankar has been constantly updating Pawan Kalyan's fans about the film's progress and now that the film is nearing completion, he going gaga about the film's star cast. "Shruthi Haasan is Rockinggggg in the character of" Bhagya Laxmi" thx to her for giving the Best for the movie; (sic)," Harish Shankar posted on Twitter. Shruti Haasan is playing the role of a village belle in Gabbar Singh, which is a remake of Dabangg. Recently, she impressed the critics and audience alike in Aishwarya Dhanush's 3 and Gabbar Singh might just be another feather in her cap. The film's audio will be launched later today at Shilpakala Vedika in a high profile event. The audio promos have already become a sensation and the buzz is that Gabbar Singh has enough fire in its belly to become a blockbuster this summer. Devi Sri Prasad has composed the music.

CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

B-TOWN TWEETIES @MallikaLA Hanging with @Bode82277207 at Soho house LA,luv her:) http://pic.twitter.com/mDrmaSiF

@SrBachchan T 713 - A great fight back by Pune Warriors IPL cricket at their new Stadium, against twice Champions Chennai

@FarOutAkhtar Met @YUVSTRONG12 yesterday. So inspired by how he's taken this episode in his stride. He's a true fighter. Rock On Yuvi!!

@AnupamPkher Thank you for loving my chat on Movers & Shakers. Thank you also for liking my performance in PRANAYAM

@bipsluvurself Extremely crazy day been up forever,I feel!Night shoot wrapped nw n in 2 hrs flying to Delhi!Packing sucks!

@iHrithik Expecting d world 2 treat u fair just bcos u are good 2 everyone is exactly like expecting a lion not 2 attack u bcos u r a vegie.

@imarshadwarsi Had an awesome pre B'day party for my little Zene, by the way she wants to fire my Directors coz they make me work so much. @udaychopra I don't believe in Chicken Biryani...there is no such thing...if your not putting mutton then don't call it Biryani!!!

Anchoring better than answering questions V

eejay-turned-actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who has been busy promoting his debut Bollywood movie Vicky Donor, says asking questions as an anchor was a far more comfortable experience than being on the other side of the microphone. "Asking questions is still easy. I have been there and done that, but this is a new territory and a new zone. I am still learning," said the 27year-old.

"I think I was used to asking questions, introducing people. That is by far more comfortable. I think you need to be more intelligent than that when you answer questions," added Ayushmann, who has been interacting a lot with journalists across the country to spread a word about his movie. Vicky Donor is a film about sperm donation. It marks actor John Abraham's debut as a producer and is set for release on April 20. It also features Yami Gautam and Annu Kapoor. IANS

Is Rani star in Begum Samru?

he industry is abuzz with news that Rani Mukerji has given the nod for Tigmanshu Dhulia's next, a biopic on nautch girl Begum Samru. But the filmmaker says he is unaware, and that the actress is yet to say "yes" to the project. "I have indeed approached Rani. I don't know (that she has said yes). I came to know through the papers. Rani has not called me, and neither said yes for the film," said Dhulia. While the industry feels that Dhulia is now approaching only established stars post the success of Irrfan-starrer Paan Singh Tomar, he clarified: "I approached Rani before Paan

Singh Tomar." The movie will be Dhulia's second biopic after Paan Singh Tomar, which narrated the story of the athlete-turned-army manturned-dacoit. But the film on Begum Samru was written much earlier, he said, and added: "It's an old story. I had written this script four to five years back." Dhulia is certain that he will make the film on Begum Samru, but says he is tweaking his original script these days. "I have finished the script. But since I had written the script long back, I am making changes in it now," he added. IANS

Irrfan wants to play Dhyan Chand

fter winning accolades for his role in Paan Singh Tomar, Irrfan Khan is now keen to essay the role of Indian hockey genius Dhyan Chand in a biopic based on the legend's life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been one of my dreams to do a role on Dhyan Chand. It seems I have grown too old to play this role. But if I get a chance to do I will definitely play the role of Dhyan Chand in a film. Dhyan Chand's story is amazing and he had made the country very proud," Irrfan told reporters at the DVD launch of his film, Paan Singh Tomar. Recently Shahrukh Khan had

revealed that he has been approached to play the role of the hockey player. Dhyan Chand, who is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, is most remembered for his goal-scoring feats and for his three Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, and 1936) in field hockey while India was dominant in the sport. "Filmmakers have realised that audience want to see original cinema... films that have an identity. They want to see those films whose roots are based here. This section of audience has awakened PTI the film industry" he said.

CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Lionel Richie owes IRS $1.1 million in unpaid taxes

ionel Richie owes some money to Uncle Sam. The 62year-old music legend has a $1.1 million debt to the Feds, according to IRS documents obtained by E! News. The hefty sum is leftover from unpaid income taxes in 2010. In addition, Richie has been slapped with a lien, meaning the federal government has the right to seize his assets if he doesn't pay up in a timely manner. Fortunately, with new projects in the works it seems the All Night Long crooner should be able to scrounge up the cash to put this financial matter behind him.

Lady Gaga eating salad, dreaming burger S

inger Lady Gaga has been opposed to dieting, but she is on a diet herself these days, and seems to be struggling with it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just killed back-to-back spin classes. Eating a salad dreaming of a cheese burger #PopSingersDontEat #IwasBornThisWay," tweeted Gaga, reports people.com. The singer caused a stir when

ee Gees pop legend Robin Gibb was in a coma last night, amid fears he has only days to live. The 62-year-old's family are understood to be at his bedside, The Sun reports. A friend said: "Our prayers are with Robin. He has kept so positive and always believed he could beat this. "If there is anyone you would put money on pulling through such a dire situation, it would be Robin because he is a fighter. But this is a battle he will struggle to win." Gibb has been battling colon and liver cancer and was recently hospitalised with pneumonia. He was forced to pull out of a performance at the Royal Philharmonic's premiere performance of The Titanic Requiem in London on April 10, because he was so ill.

she tweeted the message to her 22.7 million followers. The message drew criticism from twitterati, and even by the National Eating Disorders Association. A tweet directed to Gaga from the association read: "Huh? This is the same person who recently implored girls to stop dieting?" IANS

Bee Gees singer Robin in coma

CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

D I S P L A YA

D S RATE ` 150 sq. cm

For Further Details Please Contact Abhinay 9989399972 Nandlal 9951467988 Ravi Chander 8106039919

CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

24 e

ib r c s Sub

! y a Tod

6 Months

` 199/-

1 Year

` 349/-

CINEMA SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Beyonce writes open letter to Michelle Obama

op diva Beyonce has penned an open letter to the US First Lady Michelle Obama to express her admiration and respect for her. The letter, which has been scanned and posted on Beyonce’s website, describes Michelle as “the ultimate example of a truly strong African American woman". “She is a caring mother, she is a loving wife, while at the same time, she is the FIRST LADY!!!! “No matter the pressure and the stress of being under the microscope -— she’s humble, loving and sincere. She builds and nurtures her family, while also looking out for so many millions in so many ways. Michelle, thank you for every single thing that you do for us — I am proud to have my daughter grow up in a world where she has people like you, to look up to,” Beyonce wrote in her letter. The singer recently gave birth to a girl named, PTI Blue Ivy Carter.

Justin is my protector: Aniston

ctress Jennifer Aniston has praised her actor boyfriend Justin Theroux for being a good human and also described him as her protector. The 43-year-old has been dating Theroux for almost a year now. “He’s a protector, for sure. He’s just a good human being, and so funny,” femalefist.co.uk quoted Aniston as saying. Aniston and Theroux feature together in comedy film Wanderlust. They play a couple who turns their back on their hectic New York lives to IANS live in a hippy commune.

Morgan Freeman refutes marriage James Cameron rumours wants to see The Godfather M in 3D

organ Freeman would like to make something perfectly clear: He does not plan to marry his step-granddaughter. In fact, according to the Shawshank Redemption actor, the two of them aren’t even dating. For the past several years, reports in the tabloid press and blogosphere have alleged that Freeman, 74, has been carrying on a romantic relationship with his greatgranddaughter E’Dena Hines and was planning to make her his wife. “The recent reports of any pending marriage or romantic relationship of me to anyone are defamatory fabrications from the tabloid media designed to sell papers,” Freeman stated. “What is even more alarming is that these fabrications are now being picked up by the legitimate press as well.” “These stories about me and my grandfather are not only untrue, they are also very hurtful to me and my family,” Hines added.

ames Cameron has spoken about the films that he would like to see re-released in 3D, singling out The Godfather as one he would particularly favour. The 3D version of the director’s Titanic is currently on release, and topped the UK Easter box office. Speaking to The Huffington Post about 3D, Cameron said: “Conversion has a place and it’s a place for films we know and love - Star Wars, Jaws; I would love to see The Godfather in 3D. “But it has to be done by the filmmaker. It has to be done by the director because there are so many creative choices that have to be made and it has to be done right. And the studio’s got to be willing to spend the money to do it right.” Discussing which other films of his own might be suitable for conversion, he remarked: “I think Terminator 2 would rock in 3D. But Aliens — because of the claustrophobia — might be a little too intense.” The director also commented on Kate Winslet’s recent statement that Titanic’s theme song, Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, makes her feel like throwing up. Cameron said: “All I could think was Celine is going to be p*ssed.”

CHAI TIME SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

SUNDAY CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Made mention of 6 Like chiffon 11 Kipling's homeland 16 Pipe up 21 Meter reading 22 Self-confidence 23 Props 24 Venomous black snake 25 Pythias' friend 26 Threw a tantrum 27 Cocoon dweller 28 More aloof 29 Barely scrape by 30 Dark meat option 32 Bride's portion 34 Quarry 36 Dream-state clue 37 Mystery writer — Paretsky 39 Loos or Ekberg 41 Pepper grinders 43 Daisy type 45 Suit material 47 Fishlike 49 Squelch 51 Eerie laughs 54 Eddy 55 — mater 56 Could hear — — drop 60 Says yes 61 — up? 62 Creek 64 Literary compilation 65 Taken by the wind 66 Ward off 67 Trey toppers 68 Survey findings 70 Place (abbr) 71 Posh hotel lobby 73 Spunk 74 Lizard with a fringe 75 Pasture moms 77 Future flower 78 Clearheaded 79 River bed 80 Trudges 82 Underway 83 Limerick starter 84 She saves the day 87 Poker pair 88 Darth's daughter 89 Courtesy env 93 Oval-nest builder 94 Glittering, as an eye 95 Country squires 97 Wedding rental 98 Sri — 99 Golfer's purchase 100 Language units 101 Split to join 103 Mountain curve 104 Crunchy 106 Pita treats 107 Shop tool 108 Ooze out 110 Cartoon shrieks 111 Tall and lanky 112 Hazelnut 113 Net or river 115 Swiss capital 116 Overhead honkers 117 ‘Love — Number 9’ 120 Nerdy guy 122 Column order 124 Hoop's place 128 PFC mail drop 129 1860s initials

131 Irritate 133 Sectors 135 Louis who said ‘L'etat c'est moi’ 136 Truce result 138 Could happen 140 More or less 142 Jack up 144 Fire chief's suspicion 145 — -de-lis 146 Vicar's residence 147 Henry VIII was one 148 Starbucks order 149 Lighthearted 150 War-horse 151 Player's rep DOWN 1 Art-class models 2 Major Japanese port 3 Gentler 4 It's easily deflated 5 Slight progress 6 Water sources 7 Submarine 8 Two cubed 9 WNW opposite 10 Funny Foxx 11 Rancour (2 wds) 12 Almost 13 Ms Hannah

14 Mdse bill 15 ASAP 16 Cough-drop duo 17 Felt boot 18 Qatar rulers 19 Red as — — 20 Cause-and-effect law 31 Furry hoppers 33 Bradley and Sharif 35 Sir — Newton 38 Lopsided 40 Teeming (with) 42 Plaza 44 Gleeful shout 46 ‘Maria --’ 48 Metropolis 50 Samovars 51 Dish alternative 52 Luminous 53 ‘Time in a Bottle’ singer 54 Landscaping plant 55 Stonehenge worshiper 57 Joyous outburst 58 Pointless 59 Twangy, as a voice 61 Laments 62 Confine (2 wds) 63 Snert's master 66 Goody-goody 67 Adjust a lens

69 Old Norse poems 72 Steak cut (hyph) 73 Hot and humid 74 ‘-- — You Knocking’ 76 Scare badly 78 Advances, as money 79 Vouchers 81 Soft purple 82 Onion-flavoured roll 83 Looks after 84 Donut centers 85 Backspace on a PC 86 Dentist's request 87 Brown seaweeds 88 Director Mervyn — 90 Make amends 91 Fabulous 92 Wield, as authority 94 Lay by the pool 95 Overindulged 96 Cheers 99 Well, in Grenoble 100 Keenan or Ed 102 Price tag 105 Bridle straps 106 Renowned recluse 107 Fragment 109 Tire pressure meas 111 NASA splashdown 112 Faked out 114 When mammals

became dominant 115 Heston Oscar-winner (hyph) 116 Ptarmigan 117 Of the Vatican 118 Diva's performance 119 Clink glasses 121 Gamble 123 Atmospheric layer 125 Rust or patina

126 Prairie roamer 127 Turn inside out 130 Like many radios 132 Root crop 134 Tijuana Ms 137 Bunkhouse item 139 Percent ending 141 Cave denizen 143 31-day mo PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

CHAI TIME SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

STAR POWER Date 16-4-2012

As per Hindu panchang

THIRUVAIKUMAR

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

TAURUS

GEMINI

Good news on the cards. Benefits likely through blood relatives. Artists will receive unexpected financial inflow. Mother's health will improve. You will concentrate on purchase of a house.

Your children will feel happy as you make arrangements for their secured future. Employees may be transferred with a promotion. Businessmen will see a good profit in their new venture.

Good events to take place at home. Sports persons have bright chances to create a world record. Businessmen will see good profits. Politicians will be entrusted with new responsibilities.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Financially a comfortable situation likely. You will fulfill the commitments given without fail. All work undertaken by you complete successfully. Ancestral property is expected to come to you.

There might be minor misunderstanding amongst maternal relatives. Be careful and avoid such a situation. Son may be gifted with a government job. You might get him married too.

Enemies will be inactive and hence you will maintain your march ahead. Those to get married may finalise their marriage within their close circle itself. Politicians will earn confidence of superiors.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Obstacles in getting govt work done will be resolved. Your well-wishers who seek your growth will visit and make you cheerful. Businessmen have bright chances to go into another venture.

Marriage talks will end favourably. Some will undertake a pilgrimage. Employees might face minor hurdles at work. Businessmen need to be cautious as partners might misunderstand them.

Health problems will be over. Though there are no financial problems, be careful while carrying out financial transactions. Obstacles faced for selling old property will be resolved.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Financial and moral support from father likely. Some friends might have differences with you. Minor obstacles likely in the purchase of house or land. Relatives and neighbours upset you.

Some have a bright chance to buy a house. Renovation of present residence likely. Expenses need to be kept under control. One of the blood relatives might settle abroad.

You will be benefitted even through enemies. Those longing for a female baby will be blessed with one. Family business will prosper well. Some have bright chances to get a good job.

TAURUS

GEMINI

Five of Swords – There are too many people trying to get a piece of the pie and it bothers you that you cannot even bail out right now. Don’t let your guard down.

Knight of Wands – You’re feeling youthful, adventurous and ready to take on the world with your new and creative ideas. Romance is in the air. An old flame returns.

Queen of Pentacles – Take up a hobby, such as painting or gardening, to achieve greater work-life balance. You need to take your mind off all the serious work.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Two of Pentacles – Work-life balance will put you in a difficult spot and you’ll have to make tough decisions. It’s possible if you keep an open mind.

King of Cups – You’re deliberately being put in a position where you need to make tough decisions. You cannot escape. Understand and decide carefully.

The Tower – Big changes are on the way. It may be related to the job and may even bring about changes in your living situation. Keen an open mind.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Six of Pentacles – Finances are in focus. You need to manage your money better. Help is at hand. You need to ask for it and you’ll get the right advice.

Three of Swords – Some loss or disappointment is possible. Heartbreak is possible. Something that you hoped for may not be panning out as you had planned.

The World – The world is at your feet and all your plans are working perfectly. If there are any minor glitches, you have it in you to manage them.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Four of Pentacles – The financial stability is making it seem worth it despite the lack of challenge in your current position. You’ll stick on despite the boredom.

Seven of Swords – There’s some secrecy and conspiracy involved in a project. You’re not being told the entire truth and that is hindering your ability to judge.

The Moon – Pay attention to what your mother is saying. She may seem confused and may not be making sense. But there are subtle messages that help you.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

The best of puns

Ink pen

COMICS

SUMAA TEKUR

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ Date 16-4-2012

bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two-tired. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart. A lot of money is tainted. It taint yours and it taint mine. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis. In democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes. Reading whilst sunbathing makes you well-red.

Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you Aflat minor. The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered. The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end. What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead giveaway). When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds. When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.

Vol: 1, No 273 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

WACKY WORLD SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Coromoto’s 900 Flavors

oromoto, an ice cream shop in Merida, Venezuela, is probably the closest you can ever get to Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans from Harry Potter’s wizarding world. The place sells ice creams of virtually every flavour you can think of. You’re sure to come across a few strange flavours like onion, chili, mushrooms, wine and even garlic. The ones you’d probably never want to try are egg, sardines-in-brandy and macaroni-and-cheese flavoured ice creams.

Bone Chapel of Portugal

FB stat update on the run

apela dos Ossos, or the Chapel of Bones, is a structure with interiors covered completely in human bones – sounds like the stuff that scary houses are made of, right? Located next to the Church of St. Francis in the medieval Portuguese town of Evora it is actually a place of worship. The 16th century chapel is a large room that has been adorned with the bones of over 5,000 monks.

ravis Nicolaysen doesn't hide that he's running from police. Sometimes he even pops up on Facebook to provide updates and ask friends where he might crash for the night. The day after the Facebook exchange, police issued a statement asking for information leading to Nicolaysen's arrest. The 26-year-old hasn't checked in with his parole officer since January and is wanted for assaulting his girlfriend in March.

AFP / ANDREY SMIRN

RAIN OVER ME

A municipal worker washes the upper part of the 70-meter high monument of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, at the Gagarin Square in Moscow, on April 11, 2012. Russia celebrated the Aviation and Cosmonautics Day today which happens to be the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin making the first manned space flight in 1961.

A masterpiece drawn in chalk

ustam Valeev, 20-year-old street artist from Sterlitamak, Russia, uses simple pieces of white chalk. With this he creates incredibly detailed portraits right on the pavement of his home city. Rustam practices his skills on rough pavement. Although his street art hasn’t been featured by any important Western media outlets, his beautiful portraits have gone viral on some of the most popular sites in Russia.

Man has over 20,000 bird memorabilia

t all started when Lawrence Cobbold was 9 –years-old, when he purchased a picture of a bird . At 38, his house is filled to the brim with bird ornaments. His place is so full of bird memorabilia that he has to wash up, do his laundry and have his meals at his parents’ house. In the past 25 years or so, Lawrence has managed to collect over 20,000 ornaments related to birds. His treasures could all be worth about £40,000 ($63,000) according to his own estimation.

Frozen foam for your beer

lever folks at Japanese brewing giant Kirin have figured out how to create frozen foam and dispense it on top of a beer like a person filling a cone with soft-serve ice cream. The beer is said to have a creamier taste and texture due to the frozen foam than regular beer in an icy mug. As the foam melts, it won’t dilute the beer with water as regular ice cubes would because the foam itself is, of course, beer.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

METRE

6S 162

Faf du Plessis (CSK)

10 4S347

Ajinkya Rahane (RR)

HIGHEST SCORE

Ajinkya Rahane (RR)

BEST BOWLER

5-16

Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)

Kings look to rein in Knights It was even-steven, but our execution wasn't good, we have struggled in the first six and the last few overs. Just wanted to check who wanted to bowl, asked YoMi [Yo Mahesh] whether he wanted to bowl and he looked positive, so threw him the ball. That is how you learn. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, CSK Captain

Faf du Plessis (CSK) 157 runs

Munaf Patel (MI) 10 wickets

BRIEF SCORES: PWI VS CSK

RAJESH RAVINDRAN

rajesh.r@postnoon.com

hen Kolkata Knight Riders take on Kings XI Punjab at Eden Gardens, both teams will be brimming with confidence. The Knights are buoyed that they beat the Rajasthan Royals while the Kings are bucked up that they broke the dark horse of this edition of the IPL, Pune Warriors, who are atop the point table. Both teams beat their opponents in their last matches by restricting them to low totals and chasing it. Surely one need not expect anything different in the teams’ tactics this time, too. And if this be their game plan, then Kolkata has a sliver of an advantage, for their bowling seems stronger. It was the fine performance of the spin triumvirate comprising Shakib Al Hassan, Sunil Narine and Yusuf Pathan that shook the Royals and bundled them out for 131. If these three click again, then we are in for some serious treat of spin bowling. Especially

Shakib, for he says the Eden Garden is like his home ground and he knows this pitch like the palm of his hand. As for the Kings, they will be riding on the excellent form of Shaun Marsh and Dimitri Mascarenhas. Shaun played brilliantly. Not only did he steady the ship, with his 64 from 54 ball he ensured that she made it to the dock; ample fireworks for the fans too in the form of seven fours and a six. It’s a remarkable comeback for a player who was out for seven

KKR VS KXIP AT 4 PM ON SET MAX in his last match. This sudden rise to form of Shaun is something that bodes well for the Kings. And if Mascarenhas fires like he did against the Warriors, then the Kings’ burdens are further lessened. This man of Sri Lankan descent could be detrimental with the bat, too. He holds the record of scoring for England against India; 30 runs off an over of Yuvraj Singh, who bowls spin, in an ODI at the Oval in London. Spinners of the Knights, be warned.

CSK 155/5 IN 20 OVERS (RAVINDRA JADEJA 44, RAHUL SHARMA 2/16) LOST TO PWI 156/3 IN 19.2 OVERS (JESSE RYDER 73, YO MAHESH 1/22)

22 The number of balls taken by PWI’s Steven Smith to score his 44 against CSK. His quick-fire innings saw him smash four fours and three sixes.

P W L T PT NR PWI 4 3 1 0 6 0.491 MI 4 3 1 0 6 0.361 DD 3 2 1 0 4 0.82 KKR 4 2 2 0 4 0.305 RR 4 2 2 0 4 0.183 CSK 5 2 3 0 4 -0.108 RCB 3 1 2 0 2 -0.417 KXIP 3 1 2 0 2 -0.583 DC 2 0 2 0 0 -1.95 P-played; W-win; L-lost; T-tie; NR-net run rate; PT-points

Kings XI Punjab’s Praveen Kumar (R) celebrates with teammate Harmeet Singh after taking a wicket against Pune Warriors India in the former’s previous clash in Pune on April 8. AFP/PUNIT PARANJPE

WALL CONFIDENT OF RR

R RR vs RCB at 8pm on Set Max

ROYALS TO CLASH IN BENGALURU G APARNA SAI

feedback@postnoon.com

osing two back to back matches, both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals now face an uphill task when they meet each other today in Bengaluru. While RCB lost their last clash to Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan went down fighting the Kolkata Knight Riders. RCB put up a brilliant show when they played CSK.

Batting first, the Challengers posted a formidable 205 but some lackluster bowling saw them lose the thriller. Meanwhile, Rajasthan seemed to have lost their way when they took on KKR. Posting just 131 on the board, RR failed to defend the target as sloppy fielding saw them dig their own grave. Both the teams started the tournament on a winning note, but now seem to have lost their momentum. While RCB boasts of big players in their side, the Royals, though considered to be one of the underdogs, can still resist the Challengers attacks.

ahul Dravid has taken a bit of cue from Shane Warne's leadership quality and says Rajasthan Royals could beat any side on a given day, including a strong Royal Challengers Bangalore, with whom they lock horns in an Indian Premier League match today. "I noticed Warnie keeping things simple and giving players, especially youngsters to express their views in last IPL. I am doing a bit the same this year. "We don't over complicate things, neither have long meetings and practice sessions. We do things with intensity," the Rajasthan skipper told reporters at the pre-match press conference. Dravid went on to say that he believed his team could beat any side on a given day as it did in first two games. "We have lot of potential to surprise lot of teams," he added. Even the two games which RR lost were quite close, Dravid said, adding, "It is not that we have been completely out-classed." Looking to perform better, Dravid said to be competitive in this tournament, RR should start winning games away from home. "We know we are a tough to team play at home. We haven't had a great record away. We want to improve upon it. It is quite a young squad so there are chances we PTI lose on away pitches," he said.

PLAYER OF THE DAY JESSE RYDER: The Pune Warriors’ player rattled the opponents bowling when PWI took on Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. to help his team to victory over CSK with seven wickets in hand. Losing wickets at regular intervals, it seemed like the Pune Warriors would find it a little difficult to reach the coast but Ryder along with his Australian teammate Steven Smith guided their team to victory. The 27-year-old player scored a quick-fire 73 which came of just 56 balls. His superb innings saw him smash seven fours and a six. Although he kept losing partners at the other end, yet he maintained his composure hitting boundaries regularly to keep the required rate under check.

SPORTS SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

When tails wag, miracles occur The number of genuine tailenders has diminished though cricket has turned into a thoroughly professional affair. Twelfth Man BABU KALYANPUR Twelfth Man

t needed a twist in the tail for Australia to script a great victory against the West Indies in the first Test in Bridgetown, Barbados. A fighting partnership of 77 for the last wicket between Nathan Lyon and Ryan Harris got Australia past the 400 mark before Michael Clarke took the brave decision to declare the innings 43 runs behind. It paid off as the West Indies collapsed and the Australians successfully chased the target of 191 in fading light. The last wicket partnership once again put into focus the value of tailenders with the bat. Coaches have now been demanding that their nine, ten and jack put in a bit of practice with the bat too. In the not so distant past, the lower order meant that the opposing openers would already be loosening up for their turn with the bat. A few swings with the bat with more misses than hits typified the tailender. They provided comic relief to the tenseness of Test matches. Back in the sixties and seventies, India’s ace spin bowlers Bishen Singh Bedi and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar were among the worst of the lot. However, Bedi did improve his batting in the latter stages of his career and actually swung his way to a maiden fifty against New Zealand which included a few sixes. Chandrasekhar had a polio affected hand which made batting difficult. To his credit, he did get to a top score of 22 in 80 innings which included 23 ducks. England had Bob Willis who

once forgot to bring his bat to the crease. Willis played only shot amongst forward prods – a sort of circular drive which sometimes connected. Willis too managed a half century more through optimism than ability. Phil Tufnell was another who always pushed forward regardless of the merit of the ball. He did occasionally provide stiff resistance merely by frustrating the bowler. Then there was Devon Malcolm who exited the crease as fast as his bowling. Monty Panesar carries the flag now for England. His batting seems to be improving though.

Glenn McGrath always won a lot of ‘Ooh Ah’ when he came into bat. He is second on the list of zeros. But McGrath got a little better in the winter of his career and managed to score 61 in a Test against New Zealand. Courtney Walsh provided a lot of entertainment when he came into bat if he did last a few balls. He holds the record for the most number of zeros – 43. Walsh did get a few runs once in a while and managed 30 as his highest score. Danny Morrison of New Zealand had 24 ducks to his name. But in his last Test he added 106 for the tenth wicket with

Nathan Astle to save the match. His contribution was just 14. The biggest current day rabbit must be the Kiwi batsman Chris Martin. In 98 innings, he has scored 119 runs at average 2.42. This includes 33 ducks and puts him fourth on the list. The number of genuine tailenders has diminished though a cricket has turned into a thoroughly professional affair. Even if they can’t bat much, tailenders can still produce the perfect forward defensive thrown in with a few drives if the coach’s directives are adhered to. That’s what Lyon did to win a Test match for his country.

Louis leads in KL, but barely KUALA LUMPUR: Louis Oosthuizen clung to a oneshot lead after three rounds of the rain-affected Maybank Malaysian Open Sunday as he eyed immediate atonement for last week’s US Masters heartbreak. The South African, completing his last seven holes after repeated showers on Saturday, bogeyed the 13th but birdied the par-four 16th for a 69 and 13-under-par 203, keeping his nose ahead of Stephen Gallacher. Scotland’s Gallacher, starting the day a shot back from Oosthuizen, briefly snatched the lead with a pair of birdies but he dropped a shot on the 17th and remains alone in second at the European and Asian Tour event. Spain’s Rafael CabreraBello, Ricardo Gonzalez of

Martin Kaymer was five off the lead on eight under par, and first-round leader and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel shot 70 to go seven under. Argentina and England’s Danny Willett were two back at 11 under par, with India’s Jyoti Randhawa and David Lipsky of the United States on 10 under. Former world number Martin Kaymer was five off the lead on eight under par, and first-round leader and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel shot 70 to go seven under. Six-time European Tour winner Alvaro Quiros was three under while New Zealand major-winner Michael Campbell, searching for his first win since 2005, was two under. One week ago at Augusta, Oosthuizen came agonisingly close to winning his second major but he lost out on the second play-off hole to free-hitting American Bubba Watson.

SPORTS SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Gold Cup winner put down at Aintree LIVERPOOL: England: The gruelling Grand National came under renewed fire on Sunday after the “unacceptable” death of two horses at the notorious Becher’s Brook fence prompted passionate calls for a radical safety review. Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised and According to Pete were both put down after falling at Becher’s Brook, taking the total of fatalities at this year’s three-day Aintree meeting to three. Two horses also died in the 2011 Grand National, leading officials at the course to modify the daunting Becher’s challenge. “The death of two horses at the Grand National, bringing the total to three at the Aintree meeting, is totally unacceptable,” Gavin Grant, the chief executive of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) told the BBC. “In its current format, the risks to horses are not appropriate and we want an urgent examination of the Grand National, including a number of fences such as Becher’s Brook, where horses are continuing to die despite safety improvements.” Other animal welfare campaigners blasted Saturday’s race as “the worst kind of mob

entertainment”. “The Grand National is a disgusting and shameful spectacle masquerading as sport,” said Andrew Tyler, the director of Animal Aid. “For anyone who genuinely cares about horses watching this race was an utterly depressing and melancholy experience.” Synchronised had already

shown signs of distress before the race started when the nineyear-old unseated veteran jockey Tony McCoy. The horse broke away and it was several minutes before animal and jockey were reunited, delaying the start of the race by 10 minutes. In a damage-limitation exercise, Aintree owners, as well as the British Horseracing

Authority (BHA), moved to confront the gathering storm. Tim Morris, the director of equine science and welfare for the BHA, said: “In both cases the horse incurred a fracture to the leg and the humane option was to put the injured horses down.” He added: “We will examine closely the circumstances which led to both incidents.”

Bolt throws down Olympic gauntlet KINGSTON: Double sprint world record-holder Usain Bolt made a triumphant start to his 2012 season under rainy conditions on Saturday, joking the weather would prepare him for the 2012 London Olympics. At the UTech Classic in Kingston, Bolt anchored the Racers 4x100 relay to victory in a season’s world-best 37.82 seconds, defeating an MVP club relay with Asafa Powell and Britain’s Dwayne Chambers that ran in 38.27 seconds. “I am always a bit nervous before my first race but I got through it OK and that’s good,” Bolt said. “I’m always wondering if I’m still fast, even if I’m doing well in training, so it is always good to come out here and run.” Bolt’s relay teammates were reigning world 100-meter champion Yohan Blake, Mario Forsythe and Kimmari Roach. Bolt said he wanted to run the 200 meters on Friday but poor weather forced him not to compete. Saying the rain did not affect his performance, Bolt said he knows he might face similar weather during pre-Olympic events in Europe this season. “This is what we are accustomed to in Europe and I went out there and executed,” Bolt said. Bolt brushed off health worries, saying he was fit “though not as smooth as I want” and downplayed anxiety over the late start to the season, saying it was coach Glen Mills decision about when he would run. “It’s all about the coach,’ Bolt said. “He decides when and where I run. It’s always up to him.”

Italian football off as player dies ROME: All weekend football in Italy has been called off following the death of Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini (right, on stretcher) on Saturday, the Italian Football Federation said. The 25-year-old, on loan from Serie A side Udinese, collapsed on the pitch during a second division game at Pescara and was later pronounced dead in hospital. Morosini’s death comes just under a month after Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest during his side’s FA Cup quarter-final match with

Tottenham, prompting calls for more stringent medical checks on footballers. The Italian Football Federation general manager Antonello Valentini responded to Saturday’s tragedy by suspending all remaining weekend football, starting with the Serie A match between AC Milan and Genoa. The match had been due to kick-off at 1600 GMT. Fans already at the San Siro stadium responded to that announcement largely with applause, although some jeered. Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Petrucci later invited all Italian sports federations to observe a minute’s

silence in memory of Morosini. Morosini suffered a suspected heart attack during the first half of the match. He collapsed suddenly and was treated on the pitch before being taken away by ambulance to the Civile Santo Spirito hospital in Pescara. But he was later pronounced dead. The player had been conscious when put in the ambulance. “He looked me in the eyes when he entered the vehicle,” Pescara chief executive Danilo Iannascoli told Sky television. “Morosini fell, he tried to get back up but fell again. Our masseur realised what was happening.”

SPORTS SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Isner faces Monaco HOUSTON: US second seed John Isner outlasted Spanish third seed Feliciano Lopez 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Saturday to reach the final of the $442,500 ATP US Men’s Clay Court Championship. As a result, the powerserving American ensured he will rise from 10th to ninth in the ATP rankings on Monday, passing Mardy Fish to become the top-rated US player in the world. “That has been one of my goals for a long, long time,” Isner said. “I’m so happy to accomplish it.” Isner, who sparked a US semi-final Davis Cup triumph on French clay to book a semifinal date with Spain in September, will seek his

The ‘41’ club Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi took their La Liga goals tally this season to a record-breaking 41 each on Saturday. MADRID: First, Cristiano Ronaldo (above) broke his own mark of last season by scoring in the 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Sporting Gijon. Later Saturday, Messi grabbed a brace as Barcelona also hit back from a goal down to defeat Levante 2-1 as the champions stayed four points behind Real with the mouthwatering, season-defining El Clasico to come next weekend. On a night of landmarks, Real’s third goal was their 107th of La Liga this season. It puts them level with John Toshack’s Real Madrid team of

the 1989-90 season with Jose Mourinho’s side still with five matches to play. “The records come as a result of the work of all the players who have given so much and deserve to be champions,” said Real assistant coach Aitor Karanka. “For those who say that Jose Mourinho is a defensive coach then you just need to look at these statistics.” Levante went ahead against Barcelona from a 23rd-minute penalty converted by Jose Barkero. But Messi then hit a second

half brace with his second goal, from the penalty spot after a foul by Pedro Botelho on Juan Cuenca, drawing him level with his great Portuguese rival Ronaldo on 41 league goals. “This result is important in lifting us for the upcoming match in London and then the Madrid game,” said Barca coach Pep Guardiola with his side facing Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. “Now we are going to think about the Chelsea match. We have won the last three titles but if they win this time then that will be that.”

Mancini silenced Derek Davis

NORWICH: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini shrugged off suggestions that had Carlos Tevez (below) been available all season they would have won the Premier League already.

City moved within two points of leaders Manchester United with an emphatic 61 win over Norwich City at Carrow Road with Tevez hitting a hat-trick. It was the Argentine striker’s fourth goal in two games and many fans feel that had Tevez not gone on a self-imposed exile, Manchester City would now be champions. “Tevez was out for six months and it is only in the last month that we have come off the top,” said Mancini. “Tevez is not the only player who has been out. We have also been without Aguero for two games, Vincent Kompany was out for a month with injury and Lescott too for four weeks. The team did well without Carlos for six months.” Aguero grabbed two goals and Adam Johnson made it six to keep the title race alive although Mancini insists United will not be caught.

fourth career title in Sunday’s final against Argentina’s fourth-seeded Juan Monaco, who beat US qualifier Michael Russell 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in the other semi-final. “It’s going to be difficult for me,” Monaco said. “I will have to be ready with my returns.” Isner has held serve in 44 consecutive games at the only ATP clay-court event in his homeland, although he was pressed for the first two sets by the Spaniard. “I knew going into this match it was going to be tough,” Isner said. “I always find myself playing my best when my back is against the wall and tonight was no different.”