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

HAVE YOU HAD ‘THE TALK’ YET? If you’ve been avoiding discussing sex and contraception with your children, it’s about time you did.

MPACT

POSTNOON UNLOCKS ROOM 119

After our report yesterday, Room No 119 was hastily unlocked and given a new occupant. The room which was once the power centre of KVP Ramachandra Rao, and vacant for more than a year has now been allotted to the new Textiles Minister G Prasad Kumar. P3

P13

HOMETOWN GLORY Returning from the brink, Adele talks about how she became Grammy’s golden girl. P8

Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 HYDERABAD

WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: CLEAR: WINDY AT TIMES; 26°C

32 PAGES

MONIK WALMSLEY

DOCS CALL OFF STRIKE Over 4,000 junior doctors called off their 50-day-long strike in the early hours of Wednesday following protracted negotiations with Minister for Medical Education Kondru Muralimohan. MLC K Nageshwar took the initiative to end the imbroglio. But, the junior doctors announced that they would resume the strike, if the government doesn't give written assurance in four days.

ABUSED WIFE FINALLY SNAPS A battered wife finally reached the end of her tether with her abusive husband. As he slept, 28-yearold Shanti Jyoti poured kerosene over him and set him ablaze. He succumbed to his injuries. REPORT ON PG 3

Page Two

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

MOBILE BABA

Dance Fiesta

N SHIVA KUMAR

Soorya festival, an exotic feast of Kerela’s various dance forms will begin from February 16. 40 artists from all over the country will participate in the event. Where: NSKK High School, Ferozeguda When: February 16, 6pm Contact: 9010403034

Group exhibition Muse Art Gallery will play host to a group exhibition titled ‘An Artful Art’. It is a contemporary painting exhibition by a group of 26 artists. Where: Muse Art Gallery, Tank Bund When: Ongong, 11am Contact: 93964 44424

The Indian Mosaic An exhibition of paintings titled ‘The Indian Mosaic’ will be on display at Iconart Gallery. Where: Iconart, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 6.30pm Contact: 98499 68797

A suitable lunch Syn presents three lunch offers to suit your needs. There is a lunch for those in a hurry, a lunch for the calorie conscious and a lunch for those who are planning a reunion with pals. Where: Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills When: Everyday, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6666 3939

Martini ‘n music Enjoy winter evenings with martinis and crooner Kelly. A perfect mix for a perfect evening! Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Every Evening Contact: (040) 6666 232

1975 and 2011 is on display at Salarjung Museum. Where: Salarjung Museum When: Ongoing, 10am Contact: (040) 2457 6443

Cognac and Cigar The Seasons Bar opens up again as a Cigar and Cognac lounge with a wide selection of cognac, rare whiskies, single malts and cigars. Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 7pm Contact: (040) 6666 2323

Eat in the dark Have you ever wondered how it feels to eat in the dark? Come and experience this. Pay `499 to enjoy a 4-course meal worth `1,000 at Dialogue in the Dark. Where: Dialogue in the Dark, Inorbit Mall, Hitech City When: Ongoing, 12.30pm Contact: (040) 6460 3341

International pizza festival Pizza lovers this is the news for you! News Cafe is host to the International Pizza Festival. Where: News Cafe, Inorbit Mall, Hitech City When: Ongoing, 12.30pm Contact: (040) 6460 3341

French thrills The French film Dernier Etage Gauche Gauche ( Top floor, right wing) will be screened. The film deals with a state prosecutor who is taken hostage. Where: Prasads preview theatre, Banjara Hills When: February 15, 6.30pm Contact: (040) 2360-8015

Bronze sculptures

City in pictures A pictorial essay depicting the city of Hyderabad between the years of

CINEMAS

Recent bronze sculptures will be on display at Kalakriti Art Gallery. The sculptures are by artist Tapas Biswas. Where: Kalakriti, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 12.30pm Contact: (040) 6656 4466

live musical play is being staged at Rabindra Bharti. Where: Ravindra Bharthi, Saifabad When: Ongoing, 4pm Contact: (040) 2323 3672

Documentary special Lamakaan plays host to a documentary film festival.The film festival will also feature introductory speeches by filmmakers about the art of documentary making. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 7pm Contact: 96427 31329

Nizami celebration Head to Jewel of Nizam at Masab tank for a Nizami treat. As it get’s set to celebrate it’s first anniversary, sample on various cuisines from around the country. Where: Jewel of Nizam, Masab Tank When: Ongoing, 11.30 am Contact: (040) 66110130

Lunch specials

Aladdin and his lamp Alladin and the lamp of magic, a

Nautanki Galli offers its expansive lunch buffet. Head to Nautanki Galli for an interesting option. Where: Nautanki Galli, Madhapur When: Every day, 12.30pm onwards Contact: 78930 10000

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

Hyper Local

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Junior doctors call off strike PIC: N SHIVA KUMAR

STRIKE A Saye Sekhar saye@postnoon.com

fter a protracted dialogue for over five and a half hours, till 5 am on Wednesday, AP Junior Doctors’ Association called off its 50-day-long strike. Representatives of junior doctors announced at the Secretariat that they would call of the strike formally after they received the assurances in writing. They made 13 proposals for their 11 demands. If the government did not give the assurances in writing, the doctors would resume their strike after four days. Member of Legislative Council K Nageshwar mediated the talks between the government and the junior doctors. Minister for Medical Education Kondru Murali Mohan, special chief secretary G Sudhir and director for medical education Vasanth Prasad participated in the discussions with the 10 representatives of the junior doctors.

Conflicting versions emerged on the demand for an enhanced stipend from three different sources. While the junior doctors announced that the government had “consented to hike the stipend” from April, the minister said that the government would “take a call on the issue” in April. MLC Nageshwar said that the government would finalise how much was the

hike in the stipend in April. The government would release `65 crore in four months to improve infrastructure in the casualty and emergency wards in government hospitals. A special committee would be constituted to look into the rural service issue and three junior doctors would accommodated in it. Murali Mohan constantly contacted his Cabinet colleagues in the

Woman sets hubby ablaze

CRIME Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com

n a criminal reversal of roles, a wife, said to be much-harassed, set ablaze her husband at Habeeb Fathima Nagar, Borabanda, a few days ago. He succumbed to his burns in Gandhi hospital on Sunday. Jay Prakash, 35, was allegedly burnt alive by his wife Shanti Jyoti, 28, on February 7. Inspector Borabanda Ram Mohan Rao said that Shanti wife had confessed to the crime. She pleaded that she had reached the end of her tether as far as tolerating torture was concerned. The couple had been married for eight years and have two children. Jay Prakash was working as a labourer

and Shanti as a maid in the neighbouring homes. Jay Prakash developed drinking habit and that almost always ended in acrimony and violence in which children suffered a traumatic experience. On February 7, when he fell asleep after the usual bout of quarrel and violence, Shanti took a decision to end the episode by doing away with the ‘good for nothing’ husband. She poured kerosene on him and lit a match. His screams brought others in the neighbourhood to the scene and he was shifted to the hospital with severe burns. At the time of his admission the doctors’ strike was on. He died after a few days of battling for his life. Shanti has been arrested for murder. Though not on police record, neighbours had reportedly told the police that Shanti had developed a fancy for another person and that too was a cause of the quarrel.

sub-committee — Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, J Geeta Reddy, and S Sailajanath — before finally ‘conceding’ the demands. Nageshwar lauded the patience of the minister in resolving the stand-off. In fact, the representatives of people’s organisations and students’ organisations came in support of the junior doctors, while the Telangana Government Doctors Association “unsuccessfully” negotiated with the striking medicos to call off the stir. Meanwhile, the government issued an order asking principals of teaching hospitals not to sign the applications of striking house-surgeons for postgraduate medical entrance examination. Interestingly, the last date for the applications is today. Another reason that mounted pressure on the striking doctors is the issuance of notices by the HC in response to PIL on the strike. The media is already projecting the deaths in the emergency wards as a fallout of junior doctors’ strike, eroding public sympathy to the agitation.

IMPACT Prasad bags 119, others fume

he Room No 119 has got its salvation, after all! The room that had played a pivotal role in the governmental fulcrum has been kept locked after its famed occupant, KVP Ramachandra Rao, quit his position as advisor to the CM more than a year ago (refer to Postnoon of Feb 14). The room has now been allotted to the new Textiles Minister G Prasad Kumar. Several ministers and top officials had angled for this room but in vain. Postnoon had pointed out a secret belief that the occupant of the room will become too big for comfort for the CM as Rao was seen as the driver of the YSR bandwagon and the de facto ruler from 2004. The General Administration Department has now alloted the room on the directive from the CM. A Secretariat functionary said, Kumar seemed to have convinced the CM that he would never be threat to his gaddi, but it is also possible that Kiran who dismisses such beliefs wanted to prove that he does not care for superstition. But sources said many ministers who had demanded the room are privately fuming now.

Hyper Local

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

V-Day tally: 9 weddings, 30 activists in custody Sudeshna Koka sudeshna.k@postnoon.com

hile they performed nine marriages free of cost for couples caught on Valentine’s Day, the Bajrang Dal also found themselves, at the end of the day, in the police lock up. Some 30 Dal activists were picked up by the Begumpet police when they created a ruckus at a leading hotel and a pub in the area. These venues were conducting V Day celebrations. The Dal leaders however, claimed that their bid to cleanse the Indian culture of a foreign corrut concept like Valentine’s Day was largely successful. They had caught some 30 couples in various places of the City and its periphery and sent them home after counselling. “Celebrating Valentine’s Day is not our culture and we are creating awareness about our cul-

ture by doing this. We had divided ourselves into eight groups and our men were posted all over the City. However, fearing our presence, not even one couple was spotted in any of the city parks,” said the Dal leader Kumar. Rallies were also taken out all over the City in protest of Valentine’s Day celebration. More than 100 Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) students took out a rally at Paradise, Secunderabad and burnt Valentine cards and other such related material. “Celebrating this festival is not our culture and secondly these are just marketing strategies by several international companies. We have burnt all Valentine’s related materials. We have sent messages and information to all school and colleges to not encourage such activities and that the youth should stay at home on February14,” said Ram Krishna, ABVP national executive member.

Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com

yderabad is going to polls today, not to elect a government official, but to voice their views on the selection process of RTI commissioners. The polling is being conducted by the United Forum of RTI Campaign after it found fault with the procedure followed for the selection of eight information commissioners that took place on January 31. They claim people of the State are concerned about the issue — some even disillusioned. “We have been raising our voice over the issue for the last ten days,” said B Ramakrishna

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

198 155313

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

155333 23431178 23431179 MUNICIPAL CORPORATION: Commissioner & Spl Officer 23262266

Raju, convener, United Forum for RTI Campaign. “We also met Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, but he was very adamant and flatly refused to change the commissioners. The selection procedure does not follow the rules, and we feel let down.” The committee has organ-

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

HOSPITAL: General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospitals, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital,

47-year-old man, Mohammed Shameem, was caught at the RGI Airport while he was travelling on a fake passport from UAE to Hyderabad. Shameem belongs to Bihar and he went to UAE a few years ago for a job where his employer had taken his passport and didn’t return it. Unable to return home, Mohammed sought the help of an agent and at a cost of 300 Dirham he got a fake passport.

groundnut dealer, Syed Aziz, was robbed by two fake policemen on Tuesday night at Gowliguda Chaman under Afzalgunj police station limits. Forty year old dealer Aziz, a native of Vanparthy in Mahbubnagar distircit was going to Central Bus Station with his collection when two men in civil clothes stopped him and said they are from Vigilance Department and wanted to check his bag and robbed him of `5.50 lakh in cash. In a show of ‘generosity’ they left `39,000 in the bag for him. Aziz lodged a complaint with the Afzalgunj police.

Police raid results in man’s death

ised 10 polling centres in different parts of the city. The polling starts at 10 am and ends at 5 pm. In all the other district headquarters polling will be held on February 21. The results will be announced on February 22. Sashank Rajwadi, RTI Activist and Associated with National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), said that people are not happy with the selection process and credentials of the candidates. “We have met the CM and Governor and have apprised them of the lapses, purposely made. We want to spread awareness and inform citizens about the lapses and get their voices heard.”

WATER SUPPLY: Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply

OTHER NEWS Man held with fake passport at airport

Pseudo police rob dealer of `5.50 lakh

Polls to choose RTI commissioner A SUDHEER REDDY

City centres for voting n Secunderabad at Rethifile bus stop (reservation counter side), Ramesh 9848536688 n Nampally Public Gardens bus stop, Ramulu 9948888169 n Jubilee Hills bus stop, Sujatha 9391188092 n Kukatpally, Ramadevi 9912371633 n LB Nagar municipal ward, Loknath 9849995538 n Hitech City Cyber Towers, Sashank Rajwadi 7842439062 n Lingampally Chanda Nagar, Ramakrishna Panasa 9052311911 n Charminar bus stand, Naseer 9866121730 n Exhibition entry side, Umesh 9849493009

LB Nagar 155313 23307328 23313163 27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666

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

39879999 27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445

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

police raid on a gambling den led to the accidental death of a person on Tuesday. The Prakasam district police raided a gambling den at Nalagalakuru on a tip-off that some people were playing cards. On noticing the arrival of the police, one of the gamblers, Madhava Rao, fled the place, fearing arrest. As he was running, he fell in the village tank and died instantly. Enraged by the death of Madhava Rao, the villagers held the police captive. They launched a dharna demanding “justice” to the family of the deceased.

Spl buses for Sivaratri

he APSRTC will be running special services on the occasion of Sivaratri for devotees to visit Shaivite pilgrim centres in the State. The RTC will ply 300 special buses, according to MD of the corporation B Prasada Rao. The temple town identified for the services are Srisailam, Amaravati, Kotappakonda, Edupayala and Vemulavada.

AIRLINES Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec’bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999

UK Visa Office VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7 Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

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

Hyper Local

House committee on land to be scrapped Assembly adjourned after the Speaker rejected the TDP demand to take up the issue of liquor syndicates for debate U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnnon.com

POLITICS

he House committee appointed earlier by the Government on land allocations is set to be scrapped today. It may be noted that YS Vijayamma, wife of former chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy, found fault with the Government for including the allocations of lands during YSR regime only in the probe. She wanted all the allocations to be probed and to this extent she has written a letter to the government. The government is yet to make a decision over the matter. The Assembly lobbies are abuzz with the talk that the Government is all set to scrap the House committee. On the other hand, the chairman of the

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

legislative council Chkrapani has announced this morning that the MLCs will also be included in the proposed new House com-

mittee. The new committee will have MLCs and MLAs in the name of a joint legislature committee (JLC). Major industries minister J Geeta Reddy informed the House in the last session that the government was ready to order a JLC enquiry into the land allocations, as demanded by the Opposition members. “But the appointment of a Joint Legislature Committee will be preceded by a discussion,” she said. The Assembly was adjourned after the Speaker rejected the demand of the TDP to take up the liquor syndicates issue for debate. Meanwhile, floor leaders of different political parties, except the TDP, met the Speaker. The House is yet to resume its proceedings by the time this newspaper went to press.

Nay for the class, Aye for the perks Md Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

GHMC

hey fret fume and tonguelash officials for dereliction of duty, but when it comes to learning the process, they act busy! The first orientation programme for corporators on Rajiv Awaas Yojana (RAY) held at Jubilee Hills on Tuesday barely had eight corporators to begin with, and 30 by noon, as against 75 corporators that were invited.

Piqued at the absence of corporators, the Mayor Mohd. Majid Hussain and Commissioner M T Krishna Babu directed the officials to hold another meeting on Wednesday at the GHMC for those who ‘bunked the class.’The RAY will bring `308 aid from the Centre and it is one of the biggest urban development programme.

I think the reason for poor absence of corporators is the venue, which was far for many. The commissioner has been instructed to hold the second day programme at Panwar Hall for the absentees.

I would call it a corporator’s dereliction of duty. Distance is a lame excuse. If you have the will to serve, you will go to any place to attend such meetings, aimed at welfare of the public.

S Srinivas Reddy, TDP Floor Leader

Bangari Prakash, BJP

Hyper Local CLASSIFIEDS FABRICATION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

A ‘power’less summer

ahmed.m@postnoon.com

Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com

T I’m not antiTelangana: Governor

ndhra Pradesh Governor, ESL Narasimhan has said that he was not anti-Telangana. The Governor arrived here this morning to participate in an agriculture-related program at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. When media asked him about the Opposition leaders’ remarks branding him as antiTelangana, he said as the Governor of the State, he neither belonged to a particular region nor opposed to any.

Average electricity consumption 221.8 MU 239.3 MU

Electricity deficit recorded in other states between April 1, 2011 and January 2011-

A major reason for the dearth in electricity supply is hydel generation. The total hydel generation during the current year till January has been 5,484 MU, as opposed to 6,623 MU last year. Total hydel potential available now1230 MU Total hydel potential in 2011- 2452 MU

Karnataka - 10.6 percent Tamil Nadu 7.7 percent Maharashtra 17 percent Madhya Pradesh - 15.8 per cent Uttar Pradesh - 11.3 percent Bihar - 22.1 per cent Rajasthan - 4.1 per cent Gujarat - 0.4 per cent

January 2011January 2012Increase- 8 per cent

“The Discoms in the state have already tied up 1,100 MW of power (26 MU per day) from February to May this year. In fact, the peak demand we met in January 2012

was 11,099 MW against 10,848 MW during the same period last year registering an increase of 2.3 per cent,” defended Ajay Jain, chairman and managing director, AP Transco.

THE FACES OF HYDERABAD AS Bhola Singh, Tennis coach, GVK Tennis Academy

hola Singh has successfully merged work and play. How? By becoming a tennis coach. He has been in the coaching field from a young age but the biggest turning point in his career was when he qualified as a professional coach from the NIS (National Institute of Sports). Armed with this certificate he was able to procure a coaching position at GVK Tennis Academy. Bhola first start-

Aishwarya Yerra A city is defined by the people who live and work in it. Here we take a look at the human threads that make up our urban tapestry

TDP targets the youth Md Inkeshaf Ahmed

POWER he power-cuts are going to haunt you yet again, as the dearth in electricity supply is only going to get worse — the shortfall is predicted to be as much as 25 per cent. The electricity generation deficit in Andhra Pradesh is lower than that of the national average. While the state recorded a deficit of 6.2 per cent between April 1, 2011 and January 31, 2012, the national average is 8.1 per cent. However, that doesn’t spell relief for the citizens. According to a highly placed source at the Energy Coordination Cell, people will experience powercuts as they did last year. “We are expecting around 10 per cent shortfall in power supply in February, 28 per cent in March, 25 per cent in April and around 8 per cent in May,” he said. The biggest constraint in supply of electricity can be linked to reduced generation of gas-based independent power projects which are generating only around 1300 megawatts (MW), whereas the total installed capacity is 2500 MW. This is due to the reduced gas supply by Reliance Industries Limited. The coal stock position in NTPC Simhadri is precarious. A silver lining, if any, is that the average deficit during January was 3.8 per cent, while in Tamil Nadu, the deficit was 13.8 per cent and in Karnataka, it was 13.2 per cent. Meanwhile, our source also confirmed that the electricity department will buy power at a budget of `1000 crores in the coming weeks.

ed playing the sport when he was 12. He says that he’s been very lucky that his parents gave him a free hand in choosing his career and are pleased with his progress. The best part of his profession, he says, is that he works with children and he enjoys their company. Coaching just began as a hobby and today it is his profession. His future plans? He wants to open his own tennis academy.

PIC: AISHWARYA YERRA

DP calculates a midterm poll both at the State and at the national level after the results of the five States are known. Keeping this in view, the TDP chief, Chandrababu Naidu is undertaking a 62-day mass contact programme across the length and breadth of the State to mark his 62nd birthday. Naidu will personally lead the programme, it is learnt. Meanwhile, the SC cell of the TDP has asked its leaders to take out a 62-day-long yatra to reach out to the Dalit community. The publicity wing of the TDP is also geared up with a lot of inspiring slogans and issues to sway the voters. In its ‘Yuvatharangam,’ the youth contact programme held recently, it came out with bills and pamphlets instilling confidence among the youth with messages like ‘don’t be scared of anything. You can achieve wonders: The moment you fear you are doomed.’ Speaking to Postnoon, senior TDP leader and MLA Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy agreed that there is a radical change in party’s outlook when it comes to youth and farmers. “There has been a paradigm shift in our policy towards youth and farmers. We have been raising farmers’ issues since the last 7 years. Now, we want to attract youth towards the party,” he said.

NEC to organise overseas education conclave

eptune Education Consultants (NEC) is going to organise a conclave for providing information about the options to study overseas. NEC is exclusively bringing in seven universities from Australia to a One Day Fair on February, 21 at Fortune Katriya, Somajiguda between 11 am and 6 pm, said BSG Srinivas Rao, chief consultant, NEC. Counselling for conventional and unconventional educational programs in UG, PG and PhD’s are being offered along with merit scholarship opportunities of upto 10,000 AUD during the fair, he said. The team at NEC would also deliver information about countries like Canada and New Zealand. The participating universities from Australia are Flinders University, University of South Australia, Australian Catholic University, Deakin University, La Trobe University, University of Western Sydney, IIBIT- University of Ballarat.

Hyper Local

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Men are responsible for girl child HEALTH Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

ast week Shahana fought a week-long battle for her life and succumbed to her burn injuries and left behind six daughters. Two days ago 24-year-old Someshwari died in a similar fashion at Visakhapatnam’s King George Hospital leaving behind two daughters. In May 2011, a pregnant woman in Kurnool breathed her last along with her unborn daughter. There was one thing common between all these three unfortunate and untimely deaths — all three women were brutally murdered by their husbands for bearing girl children. Shocked? Don’t be. Despite the progression our society has made and women’s lib movements, there are still several people out there who’ll do anything to have a son. From scouting around town for doctors who can offer them a sure shot way to have a baby boy to requesting for medicines to help decide the sex of the baby as per will, people are

willing to go to great lengths. And if everything fails and they are still blessed with baby girls, they’ll simply hack the woman to death, blaming her for “ill luck”. “On more than one occasion I’ve been approached by “concerned” couples wanting to ensure that their future kids will be boys. What is annoying is these people are well educated and yet they don’t seem to understand that these things cannot be controlled. The sex of the child depends on the chromosomes and there’s not much a woman

It’s a peculiar situation perhaps no other state Legislature has ever faced. Many MLAs who defied the party whip and challenged the speaker to disqualify them come to Assembly in what could be called political cross dressing

It’s fancy dress in Assembly!

POLITICS U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com

can actually do to control the gender,” says Dr Anuradha Panda, a gynaecologist at Apollo Hospital. It is a well known fact that the woman’s ovum only has the X chromosome, whereas the man’s sperm contains the X and Y chromosomes. When the X chromosome from the man’s sperm meets with the X chromosome from a woman’s ovum it forms a girl child. In case a Y chromosome fuses with an X chromosome it forms a boy. “There have been anecdotal reports to suggest

o one knows what’s what. The Chiranjeevi’s PRP members come with the Congress kaduva (shawl) to the Assembly. Congress MLAs who voted against the government come in YSRC kaduva, and Chiranjeevi who is technically still the PRP chief continues to occupy the front row though practically he is a Congressman and should be sitting in the order of the Congress rank.

The speaker Nadendla Manohar seemed to be unable to settle the matter because essentially these issues remain political, not just a rule of law. Now, keep Chiranjeevi on the front row, it said the Chief Minister is keen on making him the deputy leader of the House. But it may not happen this session, it is said. TDP is making use of the curious situation. The TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu said that the Congress is in a piquant situation and unable to take any decision with regard to Chiranjeevi, Shoba Nagireddy and also the Congress MLAs who defied the whip. Shoba had urged the Speaker to identify her as an independent. The TRS leader Harish Rao found fault with the speaker acting like a Congress leader and was not acting independently like a speaker in the house. YSR Congress leaders also demanded openly that the Speaker must act against them as they openly defied the whip before him on the floor of the house. CPM leader Julakanti Ranga Reddy also found fault with the speaker that he was not able to take any decision and was acting on the party lines which was objectionable.

that men who drink or smoke are more likely to have daughters since the Y chromosome usually cannot survive the toxicity of these lifestyle habits. However, this is not yet a scientifically proven fact,” says Dr Divya T Sudarshan, a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Happy Women Clinic, adding, “It is quite common for people to come to us seeking help to ensure they have sons. And this is especially true after a couple already has two daughters.” While doctors firmly refuse to entertain any such requests, they say that more than medical, this is a social problem. “Despite being so well educated people still can’t appreciate the birth of a girl child. They still try and seek out centres that illegally offer sex determination services,” says Dr Anuradha. “It’s no longer just a biological aspect. It’s about how the society perceives the role of a woman. Unfortunately, usually the man’s mother or sister also egg him on when it comes to preferring a son over a daughter. Ethically, as doctors we don’t even try to find out the gender of the baby before it is born,” says

Sex determination still prevails

n Hyderabad, female foeticide cases have come down when compared to earlier. According to a senior police official, earlier nearly 15 to 20 cases of female foeticide were reported each month. “Though the reasons for these foeticides are not clear, there were several such cases in areas like Ameerpet, Begumpet, Banjara Hills and Cyberabad,” said the official. He added, that there are still clinics in the City that offer sex determination. “So far, we have information about 10 such centres and also of some corporate hospital providing these facilities. But officially, we don’t have any records of these,” he said. Mohd Subhan

Dr Divya. But that does not deter these people. While in the City, no diagnostic centre will take the risk of determining the sex of the child (thanks to the stringent laws and undercover squads) there may be a few centres on the outskirts or in small towns that still offer these services.

Hyderabad’s first afternoon newspaper

Subscribe Today! 1 Year

` 349/6 Months

` 199/-

040 - 4067 2222

subscription-cir@postnoon.com

Focus

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The story behind the news

Michael Thurston

ritish soul diva Adele made a storming comeback at the Grammys on Sunday, performing live for the first time in four months and winning a clean sweep of six prizes at the US music awards. The 23-year-old, who cancelled all her shows in October to undergo throat surgery, was given a standing ovation after singing Rolling in the Deep to a star-studded audience at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The tune won the best song Grammy, to go along with wins in the five other categories in which she was nominated — best record, best album for her breakthrough 21, best short video, best pop album and best pop artist. Speaking afterwards, she admitted she had been scared when told she had to have the surgery — but that ultimately it was good to be forced to silence her usual “mouthy” manner. “It was a bit traumatic having to have the surgery... being silent in such a noisy world — everything’s so noisy in my world — it was actually a bit of a blessing in disguise,” she told reporters backstage. “Thank God my voice healed, and I stuck to all the rules that they gave me. and I’ve actually never been happier... I really enjoyed having to be quiet. I’m so mouthy, it was quite nice to be forced to be quiet,” she added. During the show Adele took to the stage with producer Paul Epworth, who she called “the best producer in the world,” before launching into the worldwide hit from her breakthrough second album 21. Her solo voice soared out of the darkness into the opening lyric, before a thumping drum kicked in, followed by a choir for the chorus. She earned a raucous standing ovation from the crowd and mouthed “Thank you” at the end. Speaking before Sunday’s show, Adele — known for her trademark bouffant hair, generous figure, liberal swearing and raucous Cockney laugh — said it was “an absolute honour” to perform, but also “of course nerveracking.” Four months ago, the singer-songwriter had announced, “heartbroken”, that she was cancelling her sold-out US tour due to a haemorrhage she likened to a “black eye” on her vocal cord. “Singing is literally my life,” she wrote on her blog. “It’s my hobby, my love, my freedom and now my job. I have absolutely no choice but to recuperate properly and fully, or I risk damaging my voice forever.” She is now the first living artist since The Beatles in 1964 to have had two top five hits in the British singles and albums charts simultaneously. 21 topped the 2011 yearend charts in Britain, the US Billboard 200, and lists in other countries including Canada, Australia, France, Germany

HOMETOWN

GLORY Returning from the brink, Adele talks about how she became Grammy’s golden girl

NOW AND THEN n n

n n n n

Born: In Tottenham, North London as Adele Laurie Blue Adkins on May 5, 1988 Signed up: Offered a recording contract from XL Recordings after a friend posted her demos on Myspace (2006) Breakthrough: Hometown Glory, released in October 2007 Debut album: 19 (2008) Latest album: 21 (2011) Awards & recognition: Eight Grammy awards, UK's bestselling album of the 21st century for 21, Brit Awards Critic's Choice Influences: Jill Scott, Etta James, Billy Bragg, Peggy Lee, Jeff Buckley and The Cure

and the Netherlands. Despite her success, Adele remains unaffected and close to her roots. She has been unflappable in the face of a controversy over her weight, after haute couture designer Karl Lagerfeld suggested that she’s “a little too fat.” He later backtracked on the comments. The British singer’s reply, to US television in an interview airing this weekend, is that she refuses to conform to the industry’s standard of what a pop music diva should look like. “I’ve never seen magazine covers... music videos and been like ‘I need to look like that to be a success,’” the British singer said in an interview for CBS’ 60 Minutes news programme. “I don’t want to be some skinny Minnie... I don’t want people confusing what it is that I am about,” she said. “I’m just writing love songs. I’m not trying to be pop. I’m not trying to be jazz. I’m not trying to be anything. I’m just writing love songs and everyone loves a love song.” After Sunday’s show, she was asked what she thought of the man who broke her heart, inspiring her record-breaking records. “I think he’d be very happy for me,” she said, adding: “I’m very very proud of myself... it hasn’t really sunk in, we all just keep laughing. It’s incredible.” AFP

India‑View

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

India unveiled

ROGUE IN UNIFORM

India to up Iran biz despite US pressure

A woman police officer punishes a young couple as they were celebrating Valentine’s Day in Dhanbad, Jharkhand on Tuesday. PTI

56 seats go to poll in UP Polling began LUCKNOW: today amidst tight security for the third phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections for 56 seats in 10 districts that will decide the fate of three cabinet ministers, a minister of state, 29 sitting MLAs and 14 former ministers. “Voting began at 7am for the third phase of Assembly elections and is continuing peacefully amidst tight security arrangements,” Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said.

More than 1.75 crore voters are expected to cast their votes to seal the fate of 1,018 candidates in the polling to be held in CSM Nagar, Sultanpur, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. Fate of 1,018 candidates in 10 districts, including Amethi and Rae Bareli, and Naxal-infested districts Chandauli, Sonbhadra and Mirzapur would be decided in the third phase. PTI

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi with Raj Babbar during an election meeting in Agra on Tuesday. PTI

Vaz Goa campaign triggers row PANAJI: Poll officials in Goa have sought expert opinion from the Election Commission (EC) over British MP of Indian origin Keith Vaz campaign for a Congress candidate that has kicked up a controversy. Speaking to reporters, Joint Chief Electoral Officer NS Navti said that the EC had been asked to ascertain whether an elected representative of a foreign country could participate in an campaign in India. “We have asked the EC for an expert opinion on this matter,” Navti said. Vaz on Sunday campaigned in

NEW DELHI: In spite of sanctions by the US and the European Union, and Israel linking Tehran to the attack on an Israeli embassy car here, India is set to step up its energy and business ties with Iran, with a commerce ministry team set to visit Tehran soon. The team is expected to go later this month to discuss steps to expand India’s trade with Iran, part of a larger strategy to pay for Iranian oil, highly placed sources said. Despite the Western sanctions on Iran, India recently sealed a payment mechanism under which Indian firms will pay for 45 per cent of their crude oil imports from Iran in rupees. Not just oil, India is also stepping up the refurbishing of the Chabahar Port in Iran and a strategic railway link that will offer it direct access to Afghanistan and the energy-rich Central Asia. India made it clear on Tuesday that there was no evidence to link any country to the audacious Monday attack. “It is premature to take any country’s name,” home secretary RK Singh told reporters. “We don’t have any idea who planted the bomb. The perpetrators will be known only after the investigation is completed.” PS Haer, a former ambassador of India to Iran, said since New Delhi enjoyed strong relations with both Israel and Iran, it will be careful not to be drawn into any partisan stand. “The incident will not affect India’s ties with Iran. Why should India give in to others’ assumptions and pressure to compromise its ties with Iran?” Haer said. Ajai Sahni, a terrorism expert, said it was very unlikely that the attack would ever be traced to the Iranian state. But he said India could come under extra pressure as Israel may leverage the incident to

A policeman checks the contents of a bag carried by a motorcycle rider near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi. PTI

Foreign experts could be behind sticky bombs, say police NEW DELHI: The sticky bomb used in the terror attack on the Israeli embassy car was used for the first time in India and could have been made by foreign experts, a senior police official said. Delhi commissioner BK Gupta said a sophisticated incendiary palm-size device was used in the blast, a first of its kind in a terror attack in India. “This has been giving officials cause for concern that portray Iran as a rogue regime. The American Jewish Congress has told Indian ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao that it was “deeply troubled” by India’s efforts to intensify trade relations with Iran “at the very moment when the US and fellow democracies are applying new economic pressures” on Tehran. India continues to buy Iranian oil and expand eco-

the bomb was perfectly made and we have never seen such a bomb in Delhi. Maybe, it was made by foreign experts,” said Gupta. Gupta further said it is premature to say who planted or made the bomb. Sources involved in the investigation said that sticky bombs and silencer-fitted weapons are the latest tactics being adopted by insurgents in Baghdad and other places. IANS nomic relations with Iran. Iran used to supply 12 per cent of India’s oil imports, but for some time its share has dropped to 10 per cent. Last week, as the EU asked India to broker talks with Tehran over its atomic programme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pitched for a resolution of the issue by giving “maximum scope” to diplomacy. IANS

DMK ex-minister’s residence raided Keith Vaz the Benaulim Assembly constituency in South Goa district for Valanka Alemao Vaz has however dismissed this saying that his campaigning was a “personal issue”. IANS

CHENNAI: The homes of former DMK minister Thangam Thenarasu and his relatives were raided across several places in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday for allegedly accumulating assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, said the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).

In a statement issued here, the DVAC said: “On specific information that Thangam Thenarasu, while serving as the minister for school education in the government of Tamil Nadu from 2006 to 2011, acquired properties in his name and in the name of his family members to the tune of several lakhs. In this connection, a preliminary

enquiry was conducted.” According to the DVAC, during the preliminary enquiry, a prima facie case has been made out that the former minister had accumulated assets that were disproportionate to the tune of `82,97,535 in his name and in the name of his family members from May 2006 to March 2010. IANS

Around the World

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Beyond Borders

Santorum surges ahead

Republican presidential candidate, Rick Santorum rallies supporters in Tacoma, Washington on Monday. WASHINGTON: Rick Santorum’s drive to capture the Republican presidential nomination gained momentum on Tuesday as he surged to the front of the field in national polls and

AFP

extended his lead over Mitt Romney in his rival’s native Michigan. But Romney’s supporters were just rolling out the big guns — massive spending on

television and radio ads — that drove previous poorly funded challengers from the field in key states like Florida and Iowa. Michigan, where Romney was born and raised, is looming as a crucial, must-win state for the candidate, who has struggled to convince Republicans he is the man to go up against President Barack Obama in November elections. “I am a son of Detroit,” Romney proclaimed in an oped piece published on Tuesday in the Detroit News ahead of the February 28 primary vote. A new television ad also touted him as a hometown boy. But national polls showed Santorum surging ahead of longtime frontrunner Romney and the ground shifting rapidly against the former Massachusetts governor since he lost

three state nominating contests to the former Pennsylvania senator last week. All four remaining Republican candidates — Santorum, Romney, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich — have agreed to take part in a CNN-hosted debate in Arizona on February 22, less than a week before the primary takes place there and in Michigan. Romney, whose father was once the state’s governor and head of a now defunct auto company, used his op-ed to attack Obama’s bailout of the auto industry.” It was unclear how that message will go down in astate that has experienced a long struggle with economic decay, a plunge into auto industry bankruptcies, and now a bailout-backed recovery. AFP

GLOBE AT A GLANCE Chinese vice-president meets US president WASHINGTON: Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping called on US President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday and delivered a letter from Chinese President Hu Jintao. Xi is presently undertaking a five-day US visit. According to BBC, the 58-year-old Xi is widely expected to succeed Chinese President Hu Jintao, who must retire as head of the Communist Party later this year.

Putin loses ground in St Petersburg ST PETERSBURG: As protests against the rule of Vladimir Putin shake Russia, his popularity is also eroding in St Petersburg, the city where he was born and built his political career. Only 47 per cent of the electorate in Russia’s second city intend to vote for him in the March 4 presidential elections, according to an opinion poll.

Syria rejects UN ‘anti-humanity’charges DAMASCUS:

Syria on Tuesday rejected UN charges of crimes against humanity, as monitors accused President Bashar al-Assad’s forces of launching one of their heaviest assaults yet on the protest city of Homs. The Syrian government’s crackdown on 11 months of pro-democracy protests has been centred on Homs, which has been under a relentless barrage of machinegun fire, shells, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades for 10 days. Monitors said 18 civilians died Tuesday, six of them in Homs in the barrage which began before dawn, amid fears over the worsening humanitarian situation in the central city. “Two rockets are falling a minute on average,” Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said.

Italy cruise ship passengers file $528m lawsuit MIAMI: Thirty-nine survivors of the Costa Concordia cruise ship that capsized off Italy last month filed an amended lawsuit in Florida State court on Tuesday seeking more than half a billion dollars in damages. The suit filed against Miamibased Carnival Cruise Lines Inc., and its subsidiary Costa Cruise Line which owns the Costa Concordia seeks $78 million in damages and $450 million in punitive damages. AFP

Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad waving national flags during a rally in Latakia on Tuesday. AFP

China sends envoys to discuss Syria BEIJING: China which drew ire by vetoing a UN resolution on Syria, said on Tuesday that one of its diplomats met the Arab League head to discuss the crisis and another envoy would soon go to the Middle East. China and Russia have faced a barrage of criticism for blocking the UN Security Council resolution condemning the bloody crackdown on Syria, including from Arab nations with which Beijing normally has good ties. In a bid to explain why Beijing vetoed the resolution, Li Huaxin travelled to Egypt to meet the head of the Arab League, the foreign ministry said.

Syrians who have fled to neighbouring Jordan said the situation was unbearable, and monitoring groups say more than 6,000 people have been killed since Assad’s forces began their crackdown. “The situation in Syria has become unbearable and what the media broadcast is nothing but a tiny fraction of the painful reality,” a 26-year-old computer engineer said. A video uploaded to YouTube by activists showed a powerful blast striking what they said was Baba Amr, sending flames shooting into the sky and a plume of black smoke over the rebel stronghold.

UN vote on Thursday The UN General Assembly will vote Thursday on a new resolution calling on Syrian President to put a stop to deadly attacks on civilians, diplomats said. AFP

5 injured in Bangkok blasts

n Iranian national lobbed two bombs in Bangkok on Tuesday, one at a taxi that injured the driver and the second at police that bounced back from a tree and exploded, injuring both his legs. Three more people were injured in another bombing in the Thai capital. The Iranian threw the bombs around 2 pm outside the Kasempithaya School in Sukhumvit 71 road, the Bangkok Post reported. The man carrying a black

Thai bomb squad officials inspect the site of the explosion in Bangkok

bag hurled the first bomb at a taxi after the driver refused to take him as a passenger. The driver was injured. When police arrived at the scene, the Iranian threw a second bomb at them. But the bomb hit a tree and bounced back at him and exploded. The bomber, who lost both his legs in the blast, was taken to hospital. According to Xinhua, another bomb blast took place in Soi Pridi Banomyong 31 in the city, injuring at least three people. IANS

China’s Vice President Xi Jinping and US Secretary of Defence Leon E Panetta arrive before their meeting at the Pentagon. AFP

Protests on Bahrain uprising anniversary DUBAI: Bahraini police dispersed protesters who made several attempts on Tuesday to mark the anniversary of last year’s uprising by marching to the site of the protest that was brutally crushed. Several marches took off from Shiite villages on the outskirts of Manama hoping to reach the Capital’s Pearl Square, where demonstrators had camped last year.

‘Pak PM’s indictment is a defining moment’ ISLAMABAD: The contempt of court case in which Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been indicted by the Supreme Court is a defining moment in Pakistan’s history, said a Pakistani daily. He was on Monday indicted by the SC for refusing to reopen corruption cases against President Zardari. The indictment could jail him for 6 months and disqualified from office.

Rovio Asia senior vice president Henri Holm poses with an ‘Angry Birds’ doll during the official Facebook launch in Jakarta. AFP

18,107.88 259.31

5,495.70 77.72

10g= `28,350

1kg= `56,950

`59.21

BSE

NSE

GOLD

SILVER

DOLLAR

Business

Matters of saving and spending

POUND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 11

Firstobject Technologies to target `150 crore revenues

K Prudhvi Raju

Vivek Hebbar, chairman

prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

Firstobject HYDERABAD: Technologies Limited (FTL), an IT solutions provider with focus on education, is aiming at an annual revenue of `150 crore, out of which 40-45 per cent would come from e-learning initiative in the financial year 2013-2014. FTL clocked an annual revenue of `63 crores in FY 20102011. The company got 80 per cent revenues from IT and ITeS (offshore) and 20 per cent from elearning and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). The domestic businesses would only contribute to 25 per cent of e-learning revenues and the rest is netted from producing e-learning content to various international businesses and universities. As part of the expansion in elearning segment, Firstobject Technologies signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sri Krishnadevaraya University (SKU) in Anantapur a couple of days ago. The MoU will cover the education and training of students of SKU in a practical environment. It will help students by enriching teaching methodologies and making training more

practical and employment oriented. It also enhances the faculty’s knowledge on industry. It will be in force for a period of five years. The MoU did not contemplate any revenues now. However, FTL believes there is an opportunity to generate revenues in the future. This will also help FTL to prove its potential in the e-learning segment. The MoU with SKU is the first milestone to work with various universities across India. The company is in talks with many other universities and soon

GVKPIL posts net loss of `14.5 crore PostnoonNews

HYDERABAD: GVK Power and Infrastructure Limited (GVKPIL) posted a consolidated net loss of `14.50 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2011 against a net profit of `41.91 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The loss during the quarter was attributed mainly to the restricted supply of gas for the power projects as a result of which the plants did not operate at full capacity. There is also a loss on account due to foreign exchange fluctuations and interest cost. The consolidated profit for the nine-month period (AprilDec 2011) was ` 82.34crore against profit of `118.11 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. The lower profit was mainly on account of inter-

est due on loans taken for acquisition of interest in airports. GVK Gautami (464 MW ) Power, GVK Industries (235 MW) Phase I and the (220 MW) Phase II projects have recorded a revenue of `411.35 crore for the third quarter against ` 409.24 crore for the corresponding quarter of the previous year. GVK Jaipur Expressway has recorded a revenue of ` 58.79 crore for the third quarter against `48.67 crore for the corresponding quarter of the previous year registering an increase of 21 per cent in the revenue in the quarter. Mumbai International Airport and Bangalore International Airport had recorded revenues of `332.49 crore and `138.98 crore respectively and registered 11 per cent growth against the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

would come with an announcement, said Vivek Hebbar, chairman, Firstobject Technologies. This will be a win-win situation for both parties. Professionals in the company will integrate practical knowledge and prepare quality interactive video content in all subjects of science and engineering after referencing wide range of books. This will help even the average student to be become self- reliant and be competent enough for the industry, he said.

Talking about the growth opportunities in e-learning, he said it’s huge. There is a dearth of human resources in various colleges and schools in the country and this e-learning initiative will fill the gap and make students more efficient. A student will have the flexibility to learn at his own pace and time with the interactive 2D and 3D content. FTL is set to launch e-school concept which will empower schools with e-learning facilities. It will give franchisees to schools and add value to their teaching. It is also going to launch a set of DVDs from playschool to Class X for various boards like CBSE, ICSE, AP Board, Tamil Nadu board and Maharashtra Board in the next academic year (June 2012). The CBSE DVDs for classes VI to IX and X are already available in the market at a price of `400. The company will also launch a call centre with academicians to answer the questions of students who are learning through e-content, said Hebbar. FTL has plans to give this elearning DVDs at subsidised price to government schools. The company has invested around `20 crore in the field and it sees a robust growth in years to come.

Postnoon News

HYDERABAD: Ramky Infrastructure Ltd, a City-based integrated construction and infrastructure company, has reported a net profit of `53.16 crore during the third quarter ended December 31, 2011, compared to `46.51 crore in the

`77.39

Sensex regains 18,000 level MUMBAI: The BSE benchmark index, Sensex, on Wednesday regained 18,000-point level by rising nearly 209 points in early trade on sustained buying by funds and retailers on betterthan-expected quarterly earnings by corporates. The 30-share index, which had gained almost 100 points in last two trading sessions, shot up by 208.76 points, or 1.17 per cent, to trade at 18,057.33 with all sectoral indices, led by auto and realty, gaining up to 2.63 per cent. The wide-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange moved up by 60.25 points, or 1.11 per cent, to 5,476.30. Brokers said besides encouraging quarterly corporate earnings, firming trend on other Asian bourses on expectations of a solution to Greece’s debt worries boosted the trading sentiment. Betterthan-expected quarterly earnings by Tata Motors and other blue-chip companies and easing inflation were other positive factors, they said. Tata Motors shot up by 6.68 per cent to ` 285.80. The rupee gained 8 paise to trade at ` 49.28 per dollar on the Interbank Foreign Exchange market in early trade on Wednesday amid firm stock markets. Dealers said continued foreign capital inflows in the Indian market and selling of dollar by exporters, mainly kept rupee’s sentiment firm.

Ramky net up 14 pc corresponding quarter of the previous year, registering an increase of 14.30 per cent. The net income was `939.89 crore for the third quarter, compared to `835.62 crore in cor-

responding quarter of the previous year. The EBITDA has increased by 32 per cent to `144.12 crore from `108.91crore in the year-ago period.

SOARING INTO THE SKY

TS Kalyanaraman, chiarman and managing director of Kalyan Jewellers with the newly-acquired Phenom 100 aircraft, a seven-seater jet. This is made by Embraer, Brazil and is 61st private jet in India.

Comment

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

Editorials ON VALENTINE’S DAY a love shunned

cross the US today, same sex couples lined up to get married. They knew it would not be allowed, but they braved the elements to prove their point anyway. Love knows no boundaries of race, colour or creed, and it does not stumble at the gender hurdle either. As another Valentine’s Day came and went with all the pomp of a truly vacuous ‘festival’, few thought about all the gay men and women in India who continue to share their love in the shadows, lurking, rather than shouting it from the rooftops. That India is medieval when it comes to matter relating to homosexuality, or for that matter, sex, is well-known and documented. But as we strive to make our presence felt on the world stage, we must stop ostracising our own. For those who love another of the same sex there will be no divine smiting; nor will the alleged afterlife be spent in Dante’s Inferno. So why make their lives a living hell.

WHY WE LOVE Lalu Prasad

alu Prasad Yadav never fails to entertain, be it a speech in Parliament or deposition in a multi-crore bribery case. In the latest hearing of fodder scam, he had the gall to say that allegations against him is just a modern continuity of insult to his community. He brought the house down with his witty counter arguments while denying the charges made against him. One might argue that a `950-crore scam is no laughing matter — try telling that to Lalu!

Iran-Israel imbroglio in Indraprastha Fusillade Arun Koshy Philip

ith Iran being blamed for the simultaneous magnetic bomb attacks on Israel embassy personnel across different parts of the globe, India finds itself in a particularly difficult diplomatic fix where it has to make some hard choices. India imports 12 per cent of its crude from Iran and has continued to do so despite immense pressure from the EU and US to stop it and choke Iran’s finances, which they say, is funding its covert nuclear weapon programme. Iran has been a friend of India and has honoured its commitments on supply of oil and bilateral trade despite India voting against it in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meetings, siding with the US and its allies. However, with more evidence emerging about the similarity in the modus operandi of the attackers in using ditto style that was used to assassinate key Iranian nuclear scientists and the coincidence with the anniversary of killing of Hezbollah leaders, India would find it difficult to believe the Persian republic’s story. Since the end of the cold war, India has been slowly but steadily strengthening its ties with Israel. Counter-terrorism and defence are areas of shared interest for both countries, bordered by hostile neighbours and constant targets of terrorist attacks. Co-operation in these fields has grown multi-fold in the last two decades. Today India is the largest customer of Israeli military hardware and sources a substantial chunk of its high-end weapon platforms from the Jewish state. Israel has also emerged as India’s second largest military supplier after the Russian federation. Israel has gone out of its way to persuade the US to allow it to sell sophisticated weapons systems it developed with American collaboration. The attack on Israeli diplomatic personnel on Indian soil has been a first and comes

Moral cops are losers

Deadly doc strike

The fervour with which the self-appointed moral police is going about their ‘saffron crusade’ against Valentine’s Day smacks of hypocrisy. These outfits are nothing but a common forum for all sexually frustrated losers who missed out on their chance to romance either due to social compulsions or out of sheer cowardice. Why don’t they direct their anger towards social evils such as abuse of women, human trafficking, superstitions and dowry? Or is it that they don’t have a problem with these as these are indigenous issues they are proud of? Just one advice for Bajrang Dal Sunitha A and their ilk — get a life. Secunderabad

This letter is in reference to the doctors’ strike story in your paper. The fact the general secretary of the AP Junior Doctors’ Association says that it's okay to sacrifice people's lives for their "higher cause" is simply terrifying. But the real reason to worry is that the doctors have to resort to this. It means that the state of public healthcare in the country has come down to this. While the juniors believe that their ends justify their means, and the government is trying to take a stand, it's still the common man that's caught in the cross-fire. I hope that this issue is resolved at the earliest. Rama Devi, Panjagutta

close to the two countries celebrating establishment of diplomatic ties in January 1992. The ease with which the attack was carried out in broad daylight very close to the prime minister’s official residence has also exposed an embarrassing hole in the radar of the dozen-odd security agencies tasked with keeping the Capital secure. Tensions are high in West Asia. Israel is preparing for a unilateral pre-emptive air/missile strike on Iran, with or without the US support. A cornered Iran, feeling the economic crunch of harsher EU-US sanctions, is threatening to cut off oil supplies to Europe and close the Straits of Hormuz — a vital route for international oil trade. The US has responded by sending its carrier group to international waters close to Iran and has vowed to defeat any attempt to block

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

oil routes. Iran responded by testing additional land-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles and unveiling two indigenously built submarines. The current dicey situation is also a wakeup call for Indian planners and the need to diversify from the country’s over dependence on import of oil and military hardware. Another key area that needs addressing is intelligence gathering. Despite all the gung ho about overhaul of security apparatus after 26/11, several terrorist attacks have taken place in the country — the Delhi incident being the latest feather in the cap of intelligence failures. A conflict is looming and the ripples of the tensions have reached Indian shores. It is time for India to man up and tell its squabbling West Asian friends to stop dirtying its backyard.

Bajrang Dal goondaraj The report on the Bajrang Dal forcibly marrying off a couple in Moinabad is really shocking. However, more shocking is that the police are still sitting mum. Does putting up posters a few days in advance warning people about their mad antics count for an explanation? No, it doesn't. If Valentine's Day is their problem, they better stay inside their houses and not bother parents or their wards. What might the parents have gone through on seeing this forced marriage cannot be fathomed. By allowing this incident to take place, the police has aided these Nischal Patel hooligans. Kukatpally

Suarez is a disgrace Luis Suarez is a disgrace to football. He may have apologised for being uncivil to Patrice Evra, but I doubt he meant it. This is the second time he has been in the spot for racism. He should be banned from playing the beautiful game that transcends countries, race and colour. It’s a wonder that he has not learnt a lesson despite getting an eightmatch ban. And it’s an even worse disgrace that Liverpool coach Kenny Dalgish came out in support of Suarez. For a man of his repute, he should have been more responsible. Raju Srinivas Mehdipatnam

H‑Factor

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Hypertension, a silent killer

If you’ve been avoiding discussing sex and contraception with your children, it’s about time you did have the talk

Have you had ‘the talk’ yet? Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

icture this — it’s a lazy Sunday afternoon and you’re lounging around reading your favourite book or listening to a great soundtrack. Just then your 4year-old walks up to you demanding to know how he was born. What’s your response? “Errrrr a stork brought you from heaven”, or “Daddy and I went to the hospital to bring you”, or is it some lame story about the birds and the bees? Wouldn’t it just be simpler to tell your munchkin that he came from Mama’s stomach? This would at least in a way prep them for the allimportant “talk” in the future when they’re old enough to understand things. According to experts, talking to your kids about sex early on helps them deal with the act in a more responsible manner when they are older. “It’s about time we did away with the bogus about a stork visiting or a kind fairy bringing the baby. While we’re not saying tell the child about the act itself, you can begin prepping them for the future by telling them bits and pieces from a young age. For instance, if your little one is curious about how they were born, simply tell them they came from mama’s stomach,” says Dr Savita Date Menon, a psychologist. Dr Divya Sudarshan, a gynaecologist and obstetrician, who often sees patients who’ve had unprotected sex or young girls who try to use emergency contraception to abort their babies, believes it is extremely important to educate youngsters well in advance. “By the

time the child is 8 or 9 years old, parents should begin talking about sex to them, so that they are better informed. Once the children reach puberty and begin dealing with various body changes, being informed about these things helps them understand their bodies better,” she says. A healthy discussion is the key to ensuring that your child understands the nitty gritties of life and is able to make informed and responsible choices in the future. “Contraception is also an important topic to be dealt with. Ensure your talk with your child is a step by step process. First help them understand their own bodies and the

changes they go through as adolescents. Then talk to them about the act of sex, in the process dealing with the topic of contraception as a protection,” says Dr Savita. Despite arguments that putting young girls on the pill may not be such a great idea, doctors say, it could instead ease out a lot of problems. “It is perfectly alright to put a girl on the pill from the age of 15 or 16. It can help sort out a host of hormonal problems,” says Dr Divya, adding, “The one way to tackle the problem of misuse of emergency contraception pills would be by hiking their prices. Girls often due to lack of awareness end up botching up their health. The government

instead should regulate prices in such a way that emergency contraception is priced exorbitantly while regular contraception pills are made more affordable. This is simply because an emergency contraceptive pill has as much as 1500mg of hormones, while a regular pill would only have around 20mg. Such high doses can affect the health.” So the next time, your child walks up to you with a question about the birds and the bees, talk to them frankly about it. At the same time avoid overloading them with information at a young age. Instead, deal with it as a step by step process and ease them into a responsible adulthood.

Dr Sunil Kapoor

What are the symptoms of Hypertension? HBP itself usually has no symptoms. You can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, though, it can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body. This is why knowing your blood pressure numbers is important, even when you’re feeling fine. If your blood pressure is normal, you can work with your health care team to keep it that way. If your blood pressure is too high, you need treatment to prevent damage to your body’s organs. Blood pressure numbers include systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. You will most often see blood pressure numbers written with the systolic number above or before the diastolic, such as 120/80 mmHg. If you’re being treated for HBP and have repeat readings in the normal range, your blood pressure is under control. However, you still have the condition. You should see your doctor and stay on treatment to keep you blood pressure under control. Your systolic and diastolic numbers may not be in the same blood pressure category. In this case, the more severe category is the one you’re in. For example, if your systolic number is 160 and your diastolic number is 80, you have stage 2 HBP. If your systolic number is 120 and your diastolic number is 95, you have stage 1 HBP.

Causes Blood pressure tends to rise with age, unless you take steps to prevent or control it. Certain medical problems, such as chronic kidney disease, thyroid disease, and sleep apnea, may cause blood pressure to rise. Certain medicines, such as asthma medicines (for example, corticosteroids) and cold-relief products, also may raise blood pressure. (The writer is a senior consultant cardiologist at Care Hospitals, Hyderabad)

H‑Factor

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Seven-hour sleep helps high school students do better WASHINGTON: High school students seem to do better in studies when they have seven hours of sleep, rather than nine recommended by federal guidelines, a study reveals. “We’re not talking about sleep deprivation, the data simply says that seven hours is optimal at that age,” said study co-author Eric Eide from Brigham Young University (BYU). The new study, led by Eide and BYU economics professor Mark Showalter, is the first in a series where they examine sleep and its impact on our health and education. Surprisingly, the current federal guidelines are based on studies where teens were simply told to keep sleeping until they felt satisfied, said a university statement. “If you used that same approach for a guideline on how much people should eat, you would put them in a well-stocked pantry and just

ou’ve just put in a marathon 14 hours at work and can’t seem to shake that exhaustion. And these 14-hour work days have somehow become a common affair. You’re stressed, you can’t think straight, nor can you focus on anything at the moment. A vacation is not on the cards, but you need to destress before you burn out. All you want to do is crawl into bed and lie there for an eternity. Here are a few ways to help you destress when the universe seems to be conspiring against you.

GREY MATTERS n Turn up the music: On your

way home from work, listen to music that helps relax you and gets you in a good mood. Be it a slow romantic song, a foot tapping number or simply instrumental music — whatever works for you. n Take a walk: Once you reach home, don’t just crash on the

Shake that exhaustion

watch how much they ate until they felt satisfied,” Showalter said. “Somehow that doesn’t seem right,” he added. Analysing data from a representative sample of 1,724 primary and secondary school students across the country, they found a strong relationship between the hours of sleep youths got and how they fared on standardised tests. “We don’t look at it just from a ‘your kid might be sleeping too much’ perspective. From the other end, if a kid is only getting 5.5 hours of sleep a night because he’s overscheduled, he would perform better if he got 90 minutes more each night,” Eide said. The size of the effect on test scores depends on a number of factors, but an 80-minute shift toward the optimum is comparable to the child’s parents completing about one more year of schooling.

couch. Take a walk with your pet or simply hit the gym for a quick 30 minute workout. Exercise releases feel good hormones and it’s exactly what you need. n Do what you love: If you love to read, sit back with your favourite novel (romance, thriller or non-fiction) and spend the evening doing what you love. n Turn your back on work: Office work we mean. Strictly refrain from carrying office work home. The last thing you need is to let the chaos of office invade your private space. n Pamper your senses: If you’ve got the time, head to a spa. Get yourself a luxurious back massage and let yourself be pampered. If you’ve got out of office to late to manage a spa treatment then get your spouse/partner to give you a relaxing head massage. n Soak in the goodness of aromas: Run yourself a nice warm bath, throw in some aroma salt and oils and then let yourself relax as you soak in a long bath. Source: www.marcogiunta.com

Cinema Paradiso

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Hemanth Kumar hemanth.k@postnoon.com

LEARNING FROM THE MASTER

Robert McKee came to India for the first time to conduct the famous ‘Story Seminar’ and left the participants spellbound. Postnoon learns about the experience MOVIE OF THE WEEK

The cursed superhero

t is a sequel to the 2007 film Ghost Rider and features Nicolas Cage returning to the starring role as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider. Johnny Blaze, still struggling with the curse of being the Ghost Rider, is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when a secret sect of the church asks him to save a boy from the devil. At first Johnny is reluctant to use his power, but it’s the only way to save the boy and

possibly rid himself of this curse forever. The movie boasts some sensational 3-D effects, nifty nightmarish imagery and a curious sense of humour — not quite camp, but definitely in the same neighbourhood.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Director: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor Cast: Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds and Idris Elba

obert McKee’s reputation precedes him by a huge margin. Aspiring screenwriters from across the globe have sought inspiration from his highly influential book Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting. His former students have won 36 Academy Awards and 134 Emmy Awards and some of the notable celebrities who took part in his ‘Story Seminars’ include big names like Geoffery Rush, Kirk Douglas, Peter Jackson, Paul Haggis and David Bowie to name a few. For the first time in his career, he came to India to conduct the seminar at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad and more than 230 people, from various parts of the country, took part in this four-day seminar. Apart from aspiring directors and screenwriters, some celebrities from the Telugu film industry like Krish, Swathi, Srinivas Avasarala, Indraganti Mohan Krishna, Veeru Potla and a few others took part in the seminar. A few days ago, Robert McKee had told the media, ‘Writing for Indian films is quite different from writing for Hollywood. And I am not here to teach people to make Hollywood films. While Indian cinema has the richness of human element, I will not attempt to change that spirit.” One of the participants of the seminar, Hussain Sha Kiran adds, “Robert McKee’s seminar was never about how to write a story. Instead, he concentrated more on the principles, which we could use to hook the audience on to the stories we want to narrate.” McKee’s seminar was filled with examples about films like Casablanca, Kramer Vs Kramer and A Wednesday and then he would analyse how the directors used various methodologies to make an impact. “He compares movies with music. Just like music has notes and beats, movies too have similar parts with respect to the shots. What he was trying to tell us was that every shot has to be sensible and connect with the next shot,” Hussain Sha Kiran adds. ‘Go with the logic’ was one of the key aspects, which McKee touched upon in his seminar. “Everything he spoke boiled down to how the story should flow,” he says. Srinivas Avasarala, who has acted in films like Ashta Chemma and Mugguru, had first read Robert McKee’s book Story back in 2005 while doing his screenwriting diploma in UCLA. “It was the most important book I have ever read and I still refer to it quite often,” Srinivas says. He reveals that most part of the seminar was more or less the same; basically it was about what he had written in the book, but couple of sessions did help him in understanding the subtext behind the scenes. “After attending the seminar, I think I’ll rewrite a couple of screenplays that I have. It was an amazing experience,” Srinivas says. Screenplays often deal with conflicts and what ordinary people do when they find themselves in extraordinary situations. “McKee often spoke about politics, philosophy and how complex human emotions are,” Hussain Sha Kiran reveals. The whole experience of learning from McKee has left several participants like Hussain Sha Kiran spellbound and it’ll be interesting to see if some of them try to implement the lessons they have learnt. After all, Indian cinema is more complicated in terms of structure compared to Hollywood movies, which usually follow a single genre.

F‑Folio

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Because you are what you wear

SERVING THE FASHION CONSCIOUS

A peek into the collection at Also

Shiba Minai Shiba.m@postnoon.com

tarted in 2000, Also is the brainchild of Sudha Jalan. Also was started with the idea of bridging a big gap in Hyderabad fashion. Sudha says, “There was a time when people in Hyderabad did not have a place to shop for designer clothes or high-street fashion to add to their wardrobe. Also was the gate that ushered designers from all over India and brought the ‘big names’ to Hyderabad. When I started it, I wanted to bring all designers under one roof, I had everything right from furniture to paintings to gift items to designer jewellery, to absolutely everything you could ask for,” she explains. Today Also has become selective and focuses only on clothes, accessories and bags. Is there a particular reason behind it and Sudha replies candidly, “While we pioneered the entry of a lot of fashion brands into the city, the fashion scene here has changed. A lot of avenues have come up for designers to showcase their designs, so we have become selective and ensure that the exclusivity is maintained.” Also is now taken care of by Sudha’s daughter Kavitha Jalan and daughter- in-law Richa Jalan under her guidance. Some of the brands and designs that you will find under the Also roof are Manish Arora, Rohit Bal, Anju Modi, Swaoan Seema, Meera Muzzaffer Ali, Krishna Mehta, Wild Orchid by Karuna Khaitan, Priyadarshini Rao, Divya Mehta, Manish Gupta, Dosaq and Anand Kabra among others.

Also, in Hyderabad, is a store that not only has top-notch brands of India, but also promotes a lot of young and promising talent. We take a look at this boutique that believes in being exquisite and exclusive

his Rohit Bal dress is ideal for any occasion; the timeless colour combination of red and golden will make you stand out in a crowd for `34,990. There is a wide variety that ranges between `25,000 and a lakh.

f bracelets are your thing you would love this pearl bracelet with silver and golden complements. It will look good on any kind of attire. It costs only `850. There is also this red chaplet with a strings of pearls is a great add on to give that royal touch and it costs `2,700 only. Don’t miss the neatly woven golden bracelet with the Kundan style pendant. It costs `3,750.

his metal clutch made out of black metal is a one-of-a-kind piece and can be carried with absolutely anything you wear; at `3,640.

iran Uttam Ghosh designs are some of the simple yet outstanding designs that you would love to own. The colours and fabrics make you feel ummmm! This one costs `14,500.

C I

f you are wearing just black, white or any light single-coloured dress, this piece will be a great value add to your dress and will add the bling you need! This combination of red, yellow, blue and brown is great variety. The highlight is the yellow wampum. It costs `8,500.

anish Gupta is a popular designer and has a range for all budgets, starting from `12,000 up to a lakh. This dress could be yours for `27,500; the intricate lace work will make you stand out.

arrings are known to enhance the way a woman looks and Also will not disappoint you there. Stones with an emerald is a delight and costs only `2,800. This pearl one can be flaunted on any occasion and with any attire for `5,500.

oming to neckwear, Also has a selective collection of some classy pieces. This black beads, red rose and tiny strings of pearls is a great piece, that can be worn with any colour and you can sport that minimalistic look and yet display variety. It costs `8,500. Beside it is a white pearl neckpiece with a pink rose and the large amber stone is a excellent combination of many elements sewed into one elegant piece. This costs `3,350.

Spotlight

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 PIC : ROBYN BECK

PIC: ROBYN BECK

The Walk of Fame Cartoonist Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, posed with his characters Bart (L) and Homer Simpson as he was honoured with the 2,459th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday. PIC: GERARD JULIEN

Lisa Vanderpump (R), from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and her dog Giggy accepted the award for Best Dog in a Reality Television Series

Canine prowess The first annual Golden Collar Awards, was held at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday. The Golden Collar Awards celebrates Best Achievement in Acting by Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s animal actors in film and television. Awards were presented in five canine categories.

Cast members from the movie The Artist, Missi Pyle (L), James Cromwell (C) and Beth Grant (R) pose with co-star Uggie the dog

Meryl Streep at the premiere screening of the film The Iron Lady presented at the Berlinale film festival on Tuesday in Berlin. PIC: N SHIVA KUMAR

CELEBRATING IN THE NAME OF LOVE Students at the Hamstech institute of fashion and interior design celebrated Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day on Tuesday. Red was the colour of the day and most of the students were seen adhering to the dress code.

Magic Screen

The glamour behind the glitz

I’ll never do item numbers in south S ana Khan, who’s playing a lead role in Mr Nokia, has ruled out the possibility of doing item numbers in South films. “I will never do item numbers in the South. The thing is, heroines end up being typecast if they do item numbers and I don’t think people accept them in lead roles after that. However, it isn’t like this in Bollywood,” she said. The actress who made her debut in Silambattam opposite Simbu in 2008 has been part

of seven films so far and Mr Nokia is her third Telugu film. “I am a casanova in the film,” she laughs, adding, “I play a bartender who is too smart. There’ll be something or the other to look forward to for the audience every time I appear on screen.” So will she act in more Telugu films in the near future? “Of course. But I am waiting for Mr Nokia’s release and see how it goes. I have few offers but I am not in a hurry,” she said.

Ram Charan first look in VV Vinayak’s film

am Charan and Kajal’s untitled film under VV Vinayak’s direction went on floors earlier this month. The film’s first look was unveiled yesterday and it’s touted to be yet another action entertainer. “The film went on floors on February 6 and we are filming action sequences in several places near Charminar. Akula Siva’s story is the highlight of the film and I am confident that this film will be a treat to fans of Ram Charan Tej,” VV Vinayak said. Since Ram Charan and VV Vinayak are teaming up for the first time, there’s lot of positive buzz about this film. Apart from Kajal, another heroine will play an important role in the film but the makers are yet to cast a heroine. DVV Danayya is producing the film and Thaman is composing the music.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

T-TOWN TWEETIES

@actressanjjanaa My sweetest love fantasy is I want to go n spend a night in d moon with my beloved, n look @ al d stars in d sky more closely (any 1 game? Hahaha)

@shrutihaasan Being an artist is the biggest blessing god has given me. It is my meditation my medicine my mania and my magic.

@shraddhadas43 It’s really really true dat when u want something and try being happy all the time,u get more than what u want and even more happiness! Nite.

@RanaDaggubati Forget about phone signals dropping. With the EDGE/3G down for an hour or so, almost felt handicapped with the GSM. #technologydependence.

@me_sushanth

SIDDHARTH

takes a risk for Love Failure S

iddharth is so confident about his upcoming film Love Failure that he has decided to release the film on his own. “Recently, I met Ramanaidu garu and he advised me to release the film on my own only if I am extremely confident about the final product. After taking the feedback from a test audience, I have decided to take the risk,” Siddharth said. He’s teaming up with leading producer Bellamkonda Suresh to distribute the film across the state. Siddharth has also produced the film apart from playing the lead role. Amala Paul is his co-star. Balaji Mohan has directed the film in both Telugu and Tamil. The film has got a U certificate from the censor board and it’s going to release on February 17.

Such a contrast in thought... For some, this day means the world and for others, it’s just another day...

@sundeepkishan 25th consecutive yr of being single on Valentine’s Day... lol... but no regrets or complaints, have more ppl on my side of the court 4 company :)

@RGVzoomin If all the loads and tonnes of luv celebs keep giving away 2 their fans cn b converted 2 currency al their fans will become richer than Mukesh Ambani.

@pnavdeep26 All said and done I see no harm in being single ever! But if u insist Mr Valentine, find me one n I’ll try again! lolllll :)

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

BOTTOMS UP! The Hindi film industry no longer adheres to the norm that only men should drink. The new-age heroine knows her Margaritas and Bloody Marys well. In short, women drinking is no longer a big deal Isha Mukoo Isha.m@postnoon.com

rash and bold, that’s your Bollywood babe today. A decade ago, women drinking in movies could only mean two things — either she was the vamp or the heroine was drinking some spiked concoction given by some scoundrel. Clearly, tinsel town has emerged from this phase. Now, the 21st century woman is not afraid to drink or be seen drinking. Let’s see how Bollywood is portraying the thinking drinking woman of today.

Kangana Ranaut: It would be unfair if we are talking about drunken divas on screen and not mention Kangana who by now should be quite a pro at drinking. Kangana enacted the role of a troubled drunk and depressed woman so well that at times it almost looked real in her film Gangster. Even in Fashion, the actor played a troubled character who found solace in drinking and drugs. She did full justice to a broken woman who finds peace in the bottom of a glass or a bottle.

Kajol: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was one cult film. Apart from the fact that it showed how young love conquers all, one can’t forget the drunken act by Kajol. Gulping down a whole bottle of Cognac, which she takes from Shah Rukh Khan, to keep herself from freezing, she goes on a drunken tour of the streets singing Zara sa jhoom lu main followed by no memory of the previous night after getting up with a hangover the next day.

Priyanka Chopra: This actor and her director Vishal Bhardwaj seem to share quite a spirited connection. In 7 Khoon Maaf she plays the cheated wife who takes to drinking to drown her pain and sorrows. She was also seen sporting the bottle in Kaminey, which has one of the most memorable drunken acts by a female in recent times on the big screen. A drunken Piggy Chops is seen demanding sex from Shahid. The scene was enacted so beautifully by both the actors that it looked quite authentic and did not crass.

Deepika Padukone: A woman drinking in a movie has evolved from being immoral to fun. This leggy lass was seen in two of her movies; a song in Love Aaj Kal where she gets sloshed with Saif Ali Khan and is roaming the streets of Delhi without any worries and the other being Break Ke Baad where she is projected as a total carefree girl drunk and slurring nonsense though the course of the movie. Deepika’s acts in both the movies just show how girls just wanna have fun.

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Amitabh still in pain

mitabh Bachchan has revealed that he is still suffering from extreme pain after undergoing an abdominal surgery. “The morning has been nightmarish. There has been incredible pain in the region of the surgery, and the spasms so acute that they brought me to the level of a scream …which is saying a lot, for, my resistance to pain has been quite satisfactory in the past,” Amitabh wrote on his bigb.bigadda.com on Monday night. “But the doctors were immediately summoned and after change in the dressings and painkillers, there seems to be now some semblance of relief,” he added. IANS

B-TOWN TWEETIES

@realpreityzinta Busy day at work on Valentines but guess what... Met some wonderful fans, got tonnes of roses & had a great day at work ! Ting :-) Perfect !

@TheShilpaShetty

Colors acquires Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa

Watched “The Vow” with my boyfriend on Valentines ;) such a beautiful film...soooo romantic... Yes @TheRajKundra is my Boyfriend ;)

@NeilNMukesh The action scenes have taken a toll on me. In excruciating pain on the shoulder blade.

@udaychopra Valentine’s Day hunh?!!! Well... apni toh ladki ki kadki chal rahi hai boss but Happy Valentine’s day anyway!!!

opular dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, which aired on entertainment channel Sony since 2006, has now been acquired by Colors, which has already signed up dancing diva Madhuri Dixit as one of the judges for the upcoming season of the celebrity-based show. The show, inspired by international show Dancing With The Stars, saw Madhuri on the judges’ panel in its fourth season too. But that time, she was busy travelling between India and the US, where her family — her husband, and two kids — was then settled. The actress has now shifted base back to India, and is expected to be more relaxed on the sets as she doesn’t have to think of travelling far away after every shooting schedule, said a source. IANS

@SrBachchan T 654 -I do believe that ultimately we cannot justify ourselves. As much as we cannot explain, interpret or communicate ourselves either...

@iamsrk

Spread love, today and always, tweets B-Town

t’s Valentine’s Day and Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar among others have sent out a whole lot of love to their friends, family and fans. Here’s what they had to say: Shah Rukh Khan: To all of you...a very happy Valentine’s Day...hope you all find love that makes you laugh...sing and dance. Big hug to you all..keep loving always. Karan Johar: Happy Valentine’s

Day!!! To everyone in love...just know you’re in the best place ever. Abhishek Bachchan: Celebrate your love everyday! Not just once a year. Madhur Bhandarkar: May this Valentine’s Day be filled with love, understanding, and contentment as you journey through life with those you hold dear. Akshay Kumar: Happy Slavery Day to all devoted men! If we can’t appreciate the woman we love on Valentine’s Day, then we don’t deserve them. So, be a Man and PAMPER your lady just like ME :) IANS

they say there is no ‘I’ in a team be a part of the team but I like the ‘I’ in individuality...independence...in tegrity & intelligence too.

@shahidkapoor Wireless beats by Dr Dre...................... What do I say ... I’m a fan !!!!!!! So unreal.

@bipsluvurself GM all! Flying to Nagpur for #JodiBreakers promotions:)

Magic Screen

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

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Matt Bomer comes out of the closet

Singer Joy Williams pregnant

oy Williams has revealed that she and husband Nate Yetton are expecting their first child. The Civil Wars singer announced via Twitter page that she will give birth to the baby in June. “Beyond elated to share that Nate & I are expecting our first child in late June!!! My baby bump & I will see you on the red carpet. :)” she wrote.

att Bomer, star of USA’s White Collar and living Greek statue, is having a big moment right now. Even though he’s been leading the aforementioned police procedural for twoand-a-half years, he’s recently signed on to a whole mess of bigname projects, including the Soderbergh-directed stripper tale Magic Mike, the film adaptation of The Normal Heart, and a guest role on Glee. And this weekend, he publicly addressed his sexuality for the first time while accepting an award at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards. He thanked his partner, Simon Halls, and their three children in his acceptance speech: Bomer was generally considered to be in the “glass closet,” meaning that many in the industry knew he was gay.

Kim and ex-boyfriend

on lunch date

im Kardashian and her footballer ex-boyfriend Reggie Bush reunited for a lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel over the weekend, according to a website. Onlookers said the two were laughing and smiling during the date — sparking rumours of a possible reconciliation. Sources claim the exes have been spending a lot of time together during the last few days.

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

With Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen charmingly recreates Paris in the twenties, an era of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein and Picasso

ROAD TO OSCARS

A Journey into the past Padmini C padmini.c@postnoon.com

fter a blazing run with cult movies like Manhattan (1979), Annie Hall (1977), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) and Bullets Over Broadway (1994), it seemed that Woody Allen could do no wrong. He has a rightful place among the most brilliant filmmakers in the history of cinema, it was said. Then came the 2000s. He could do nothing right. Film after film got ripped apart by the critics all over the world. After 10 consistently mediocre films in the past decade, even ardent fans agreed — Woody Allen was as good as finished. And just then, Allen hits back

with the charmingly beautiful Midnight in Paris signalling to all his detractors that he shouldn’t be written off, yet. Gil (Owen Wilson) is a Hollywood screen writer and wannabe novelist about to be married to the shrew-in-waiting Inez (Rachel Mc Adams). They are in Paris on a holiday. He’s in love with everything ‘Pareesian’ and wants to move here so he can complete his novel, tracing the footsteps of his literary heroes from the twenties. She, with her rich Republican parents, wants nothing more than the good life. Gil’s wish comes true when one day he hops into a waiting car at midnight and suddenly finds himself transported to the Paris of the twenties. He’s at a

party with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Dali, Hemingway and Picasso where he meets and falls in love with the latter’s beautiful mistress, Adriana. Just when he thinks he’s exactly where he wants to be, he realises that even those in the golden era hark back to another previous golden age making us question if we should wish for a utopian past instead of making the best of the dystopian present. As Allen’s stand-in, Wilson does a brilliant job and carries the film through to the end. Funny, witty and very entertaining in its re-imagination of the Twenties, the film invites us to be a part of Gil’s and Allen’s shared fantasy. And we’ll only be too happy to accept.

Chai Time

KAKURO

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

SCRIBBLING PAD

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Jessica of Hollywood 5 Tot’s first word, sometimes 9 Trumpet part 14 Flowerless plant 15 “Don’t leave home without it” card 16 Square footage measures 17 Neglect to include 18 Tour de France, for one 19 Blame bearers 20 “Good Will Hunting” star 23 112.5 degrees away from S 24 One of Columbus’ ships 25 Wharton degree 26 Tub trio of rhyme 27 Taken-back auto 29 ___ in turkey 32 Pouter’s expression 35 “As Good as It Gets” star 37 Put into position 40 Spaghetti recipe phrase 41 Another “Good Will Hunting” star 43 Relaxation’s partner 44 Yoko born in Tokyo 45 Trick 46 Ball belle 48 Zip 49 Use an old-fashioned phone 51 Large primate 54 Another “As Good as It Gets” star 57 Distinguishing feature 59 Milky stone 60 Kind of rock or rain 61 Voluntarily forgo 62 Paul in “Scarface” 63 Just OK 64 Eyeballed amorously 65 This, in Havana 66 Meat and veggie dish DOWN 1 Prefix for “mentioned” 2 Auto seen much too much in an auto shop

3 Payola, e.g. 4 “No” voter 5 Man with a controversial theory 6 At full speed 7 State formally 8 Ice-rink feat 9 Tramp 10 Wavy lines, in comics 11 Grassy pastures 12 Dyeing tank 13 It can turn one into many? 21 One-eighty from SSW 22 Urge forward 26 Disappear, as a snowman 28 Vigorous spirit 29 Thing to hum or whistle 30 Kitchen pests 31 Proofreader’s notation 32 Note from the boss

33 Arabian Sea nation 34 “What have you been ___?” 35 Cannabis plant 36 Parsley, e.g. 38 Compulsively dependent 39 Make watertight, in a way 42 Rex of classical tragedy 46 Ornamental flower 47 “Hold on Tight” rock group 48 Born yesterday 50 “Sorry, got plans” 51 Yachtsman’s neckwear 52 Composure

SUDOKU

under duress 53 Provide with income 54 Monopoly square 55 Alaskan city 56 Highlands miss 57 Double standard? 58 Joplin composition PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Everyone is a genius at least once a year. The real geniuses simply have their bright ideas closer together. – Georg C Lichtenberg

Chai Time STAR POWER

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot

Date 16-2-2012

THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118

TAURUS

GEMINI

Businessmen need to initiate good ef ‑ forts to expand their horizon by enter‑ ing new areas. But this is not the right time to make fresh investments. Farme‑ rs need to act with extra caution.

Problems will be resolved in the busi‑ ness. There are chances that partners may get separated. Avoid fresh debts to expand business. Farmers have good harvest and proﬁt, expenses increase.

Employees might face obstacles in complet‑ ing duties. Superiors might bring more pres‑ sure on them. Need to act with patience. Transactions will go smooth for business‑ men. They will complete hard work also.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Politicians need to act with responsibility. Avoid getting into new efforts. Exercise ma‑ ximum caution while communicating with high command. Artists will be successful if they act with patience and shrewdness.

Farmers earn a good income through crops and other channels related to culti‑ vation. Happy events to take place at home. Politicians will be appreciated by high command. New posts likely for some.

Businessmen might face confusion. They will make new debts for unplanned expen‑ diture, which needed to be avoided. Far‑ mers will face competition and opposition. To taste success they need to struggle.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Politicians will gain friendship with peo‑ ple of high esteem.Their social status also will improve. Artists will achieve a lot with best efforts put in. They will fulﬁll wishes of their fans and get appreciation.

Businessmen will gain much importance in the midst of co‑businessmen. Transaction will go smoothly and proﬁts will soar. Poli‑ ticians likely to receive powerful posts. Th‑ eir organising skills will be appreciated.

Indirect opposition for businessmen will reduce. They can contemplate fresh investments. Politicians will see their inﬂuence, increase in society. All efforts will become achievements.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Artists will face a downslide in their market. Opportunities will be less and ﬁnancially a difﬁcult time ahead. Women need to control their wavering mind. Wasteful plans will reduce strength.

Public will appreciate good service done by politicians. Enemies will become we‑ ak. Even they will be relieved from legal cases ﬁled against them. Artist will do well and their dreams will be realised.

Employees will be overburdened with work, but they will complete them suc‑ cessfully and get appreciation from superiors. Financially a sound position likely. Businessmen will face obstacles.

SUMAA TEKUR

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

The Chariot – Travel is indicated. You may travel for work or pl‑ easure. Either way, it will be an important journey, in which y‑ ou meet new people and get new ideas.

King of Wands – You have new ideas and your creativity quo‑ tient is high. Your conﬁdence should run high today. Trust yourself and you will gain acceptance.

Strength – You ﬁnd tremendous inner strength to manage a difﬁcult situation. You understand yourself better by knowing how you have tackled trouble.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Ten of Pentacles – Finances are in focus. You will be deter‑ mined to meet all your ﬁnancial goals this year and get that raise you have been eyeing.

Seven of Cups – Material possessions are your main focus. But you also need to clear your mind and get clarity in other areas of your life.

The Moon – Your m‑ otherʼs on your mind; also moody and want to be left alone. The‑ se mood swings will push people away or give wrong signals.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Two of Swords – Donʼt get into the tr‑ ap of taking the sides of extremes all the time. There is also a middle path and a compromise can be struck. Be open to it.

Nine of Pentacles – Y‑ ouʼre happy in the w‑ orld that youʼve creat‑ ed for yourself, surro‑ unded by things you like – movies, music, art, pets, hobbies, etc.

The Emperor – Youʼre in control and are feeling conﬁdent about the choices youʼve made so far. You also have empa‑ thy, which attracts others to you.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

The Wheel of Fortune – Life is all about ups and downs. You are not going to feel happy all the time. Take it in your stride and go with the ﬂow.

Ace of Cups – Emotions run high. This is a good day for beginnings. Start that project you have been thinking of all these days. Itʼll go well.

King of Cups – You have it in you to change situations to your advantage. With a combination of emotions and intellect, you can attract success.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

SOLUTIONS

Boggle NEON ARGON RADON HELIUM METHANE

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No 213 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 040-40672 222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Sri Shanidevuni Mahimalu 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Missamma 2030 Edureetha 2100 Challenge 2200 CID 2300 Challenge 0700 Silver Screen 0730 Just For Fun 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Chaganti Arunachala Mahatyam 0900 Bhale Chancele

1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Sumangali 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 No. 23, Mahalakshmi Nivasam 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Anveshana 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Movie 1130 Aha Emi Ruchi 1200 Jeevitha Chakram 1230 Maa Inti Aada Paduchu 1300 Chittemmaa 1330 Gorintaku

1400 [V] Vignettes 1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Trailers 1600 Love Kiya To Darna Kya 1700 [V] Zabardast Hits 1800 [V] Fresh Songs 1830 [V] Humse Hai Life 1900 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1930 [V] Humse Hai Life 2000 [V] My Big Decision 2100 [V] Vignettes 2130 [V] Trailers 2200 [V] Steal Ur Girlfriend 2300 [V] Humse Hai Life 2330 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 0700 [V] Trailers 0730 [V] Zabardast Hits 0800 [V] Mind Blasting Mornings 1100 [V] Fresh Songs 1200 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance

‘[V] Humse Hai Life’ at 1930 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]

1300 News Now At1 1330 News Now 1800 6 Pm 1830 Live Report 1900 Primetime 1930 The Game 2000 News Now At 8 2030 Live Report 2100 The Newshour 2200 The Newshour - Plus 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 0800 The Morning News 0900 News Now 1200 Live Report 1230 News Now

‘The Game’ at 1930 Hrs only on TIMES NOW

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings

1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 Wow 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Adurs 2245 Movie 0800 Subhamastu 0830 Jeevana Jyothi 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi 1230 Star Mahila

1400 Ardhangi 1430 Movie 1800 Veera Naari Jhansi Laxmi Bhai 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupukunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Luckku Kickku 2230 Shree 2300 Bindas 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Gopuram 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Sri Raghavendra Vybhavam 0930 Ayurveda Jeevana Vignanam 1000 Bindass 1200 Mee Inti Vanta

‘Business Tonight’ at 2100 Hrs only on ET NOW 1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1530 Tomorrow's Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Markets Tomorrow 1800 Rush Hour 1830 Brand Equity Special 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Markets Tomorrow 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At10 2230 Leaders Of Tomorrow 2300 Starting Up 0900 First Trades 1000 Hot Stocks 1100 Buy Now Sell Now - The Stock Game 1130 Buy Now Sell Now 1200 Market Sense 1300 Business Day 1330 Markets Now

1540 Breaking The Magician's Code - Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed 1635 Got To Dance 1800 Chuck 1900 Wipeout 2000 Supernatural 2100 Minute To Win It 2200 Fear Factor 2300 Guinness World Records Smashed 0930 Whacked Out Sports 1000 The Millionaire Matchmaker 1100 Minute To Win It 1200 Got To Dance 1250 Csi - Crime Scene Investigation

‘Supernatural’ at 2000 Hrs on AXN

1400 Haar Jeet 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1600 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1630 Dwarkadheesh 1700 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1730 Haar Jeet 1800 Beendh Banuga Ghodi Chadhunga 1830 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Gyaan Guru 2000 Dwarkadheesh 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Beendh Banuga Ghodi Chadhunga 2130 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Gyaan Guru

‘Veer Shivaji’ at 2030 Hrs on COLORS

‘Hitler Didi’ at 2000 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Dance India Dance 1800 Hitler Didi 1830 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Choti Bahu 2 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milayi Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Bhagonwali 2300 Afsar Bitiya

1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1530 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada 1600 Crime Patrol - Dastak 1800 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1830 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1900 Crime Patrol - Dastak 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2030 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2100 Saas Bina Sasuraal 2130 Parvarrish 2200 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada 2230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 2300 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2330 Crime Patrol - Dastak 0900 Parvarrish 0930 Dekha Ek Khwaab 1000 CID 1200 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1230 Dekha Ek Khwaab 1300 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada

‘Kuch Toh Log Kahenge’ at 2000 Hrs on SONY

‘Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya’ at 2230 Hrs on STAR PLUS 1400 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 1430 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 1500 Navya 1530 Diya Aur Bati Hum 1600 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1630 Sasuraal Genda Phool 1700 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1730 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 1800 Navya 1830 Ruk Jana Nahin 1900 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1930 Sasuraal Genda Phool 2000 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2030 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 2100 Diya Aur Bati Hum 2130 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 2200 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 2230 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 2300 Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?

MOVIES OF THE DAY AND OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

1400 Sphere 1630 300 1830 The Matrix Reloaded 2100 Harry Potter And The HalfBlood Prince 0742 Friends 0812 Friends 0852 Beowulf 1048 Exit Wounds 1234 You've Got Mail

1255 Sherlock Holmes 1540 The World Is Not Enough 1825 The Bourne Identity 2100 Black Water 2250 Death Race 2 0900 Krippendorf's Tribe 1100 The Making Of - Speedy Singhs 1150 Death Race 2 1350 The Bourne Identity

1400 Outsourced 1430 Scrubs 1500 Rizzoli And Isles 1600 Rookie Blue 1700 Outsourced 1730 Scrubs 1800 E News 1900 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 2000 Outsourced 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 Rizzoli And Isles 2200 Rookie Blue 2300 Outsourced 2330 Scrubs 0700 Slot 0800 Rizzoli And Isles 0900 Rookie Blue 1000 Outsourced 1030 America's Funniest Home Videos 1100 Rizzoli And Isles 1200 Rookie Blue 1300 Slot 1330 America's Funniest Home Videos

‘The Survivors’ at 2300 Hrs on DISCOVERY 1400 Get Out Alive 1600 One Man Army 1700 Man Woman Wild 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 Man Woman Wild 2000 Belly Of The Beast 2100 Equator 2200 One Man Army 2300 The Survivors 1000 Belly Of The Beast 1100 Man Woman Wild 1200 Get Out Alive 1300 Wild Discovery

‘Haar Jeet’ at 1900 Hrs on IMAGINE

1400 Parichay 1430 Balika Vadhu 1500 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1530 Uttaran 1600 Phulwa 1630 Parichay 1700 Sasural Simar Ka 1730 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1800 Uttaran 1830 Balika Vadhu 1900 Hawan 1930 Sasural Simar Ka 2000 Balika Vadhu 2030 Veer Shivaji 2100 Phulwa 2130 Parichay 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado 2330 Balika Vadhu

‘Rookie Blue’ at 2200 Hrs on ZEE CAFE

Dekha Ek Khwaab Storyline - Monia will be very upset with Rajmata after she will get to know everything from Aakash’s mother on phone. ‘Dekha Ek Khwaab’ at 2030 Hrs on SONY

‘The Shield’ at 2200 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Castle 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 The Shield 2300 The Big Bang Theory 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 The Shield 0800 Las Vegas 0900 Charlie’s Angels 1000 The Shield 1100 Desperate Housewives 1200 Two And A Half Men 1230 The Simpsons 1300 The Big Bang Theory 1330 Friends

Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak? Storyline - Priya and Aditya met at nursing home,Priya tries to convince Uttraa but she doesn't listen. ‘Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?’ at 2300 Hrs on STAR PLUS ‘Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince’ at 2100 Hrs on WB

1400 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1430 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1500 Lapataganj 1530 F.I.R 1600 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1630 Chidiyaghar 1700 Gutur Gu 1730 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1900 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1930 Lapataganj 2000 Chintu Chinki Aur Ek Badmash Family 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiyaghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj 2230 F.I.R 2300 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2330 Chidiyaghar 0900 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah

‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ at 2030 Hrs on SAB

‘Pyaar Ke Side Effects’ at 1400 Hrs on ZOOM 1400 Movie - Pyaar Ke Side Effects 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Letz Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood News 1930 Link'D 2000 Zabar 10 2030 Letz Go! 2130 Link'D 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Style Strip 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Fresh Mornings 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Fresh Mornings 1100 Zoom Box 1200 Garma Garam 1300 Planet Bollywood News 1330 Zabar 10

1400 Oddities 1430 Mythbusters 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 Sci Fi Science 1700 One Step Beyond 1730 Future Weapons 1830 Best Of Discovery Science 1930 How Do They Do It? 2030 Sports Science 2130 Food Detectives 2200 Deconstructed 2230 Showdown - Aircombat 2330 Some Assembly Required 1030 Sci Fi Science 1100 One Step Beyond 1130 Mythbusters 1230 Best Of Discovery Science 1330 How Do They Do It?

‘Showdown Aircombat’ at 2230 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE

‘Survivor’ at 2300 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME 1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Aspire 1600 Galileo Extreme 1700 Survivor 1800 Entertainment Tonight 1830 Galileo Extreme 1930 Frasier 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Hawaii 5.0 2200 Jerry Springer 2300 Survivor 0700 Big Wheels 0730 Aspire 0800 Galileo Extreme 0900 Survivor 1000 Bellator 1100 Jerry Springer 1200 Aspire 1230 Entertainment Tonight 1300 Galileo Extreme

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The games people play

Rome 2020 a pipe dream Barnaby Chesterman

Lin is in as Toronto gets Knicked TORONTO: Jeremy Lin scored a game-high 27 points and a career-high 11 assists as the New York Knicks extended their win streak by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat Toronto 90-87 on Tuesday. Lin scored the game-winning three pointer with 0.5 seconds left in the fourth for the Knicks who have won six consecutive games. Lin also surpassed Shaquille O’Neal’s league record for the most points in his first five games

as a starter. Lin has 136 points over that span, compared to O’Neal who scored 129. “I just wanted to make sure I got a good shot at the end of the clock,” Lin said. “We had so many active hands. Everybody with deflections, rebounds and we clamped it down. Lin got off to a slow start Tuesday but picked it up in the second half. “The coverage was little different today, something I hadn’t seen,” he said. “I just tried to stay

ROME: Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti withdrew Rome as a candidate to host the 2020 Olympic Games, describing a planned bid as “irresponsible”. Just a day before the deadline for submitting host city bids to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Italian leader decided the current economic crisis would make such a financial commitment untenable. “After a difficult evaluation we’ve arrived at the unanimous conclusion that the government believes it would not be responsible in the current conditions in Italy to take on these guarantees,” said Monti in a press conference. “We don’t feel capable of taking on a financial commitment that could burden the Italian

finances over the coming years. In another moment of history we could have carried the risk, but not now.” The contenders for the 2020 Games are now Madrid, Baku, Doha, Istanbul and Tokyo. Whilst Spain too is embroiled in a severe financial crisis, Alejandro Blanco, the head of their National Olympic Committee, told AFP they would not be following in Rome’s wake. “The withdrawal of Rome changes nothing for our candidacy,” said Blanco by phone. “It is not the time to be talking about that.” The government took the decision even though only nine of the 42 sites required to host the Games would have needed to be built from scratch, the others solely needing to be renovated.

The government took the decision even though only nine of the 42 sites required to host the Games would have needed to be built from scratch, the others solely needing to be renovated

aggressive.” New York’s Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and nine rebounds in his first game back after missing four consecutive following the death of his brother. The point guard Lin has carried the Knicks on his back during the win streak. He had a career-best 38 points against the Los Angeles Lakers and followed it up with a 20-point performance in a 100-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Proteas aim to sweep Kiwis for #1 spot WELLINGTON: South Africa open hostilities Friday against New Zealand on a six-week tour they hope will climax with a 3-0 Test sweep that would see them topple England from the top of the Test rankings. The tour begins in earnest with a Twenty20 international in Wellington but most attention will focus on next month’s Test series as South Africa, currently second in the ICC world rankings, look to become top dogs. England’s lead in the rankings was slashed to a single point after their humiliating 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan, meaning South Africa can overtake them if they post a similar scoreline in the Test series against New Zealand. However, the Proteas have never managed a clean sweep in a three-Test series against the Black Caps and coach Gary

The Proteas have never managed a clean sweep in a three-Test series against the Black Caps and coach Gary Kirsten conceded his charges may have trouble adapting to unpredictable wickets. Kirsten conceded his charges may have trouble adapting to unpredictable wickets.

“For any team it takes a bit of time to adjust to the weather and wickets,” he said. “The wickets

can be quite different every time you come here.” The tour, including three T20 internationals, three one-day internationals and three Tests, will provide a gauge for New Zealand coach John Wright of how far his team has come following his appointment in December 2010. Wright guided the Black Caps to the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup in a campaign which included a shock quarter-final win over South Africa that was marred by an ugly spat after Proteas batsman AB de Villiers, now the one-day and T20 skipper, was run out. New Zealand also scored a rare Test victory on Australian soil to draw a series with the Baggy Greens in December and Wright has unearthed a rich seam of young talent, including batsman

Kane Williams and seamer Doug Bracewell. And they are confident after a string of comprehensive wins over Zimbabwe over the past month in a Test match, three onedayers and two T20 matches. Kirsten, whose team is coming off a Test series win over Sri Lanka last month, said the World Cup bust-up with New Zealand was in the past and his players would not be drawn into a slanging match with the home side. “I don’t think we’re going to be worrying too much about what New Zealand are doing,” he said. “We feel if we play really good cricket and don’t say anything we’re going to win more games than we’ll lose. If New Zealand feel they want to get verbal with us, that’s their business.”

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The games people play

Vettel ready to do it all again JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA: World champion Sebastian Vettel said Monday his back-to-back title triumphs in the last two years would count for little when the 2012 Grand Prix season gets underway in Australia on March 18. On the day when Red Bull used the Internet to unveil their new “fourth generation” RB8 car, the 24-year-old German took the time out to dwell on his hopes of making it a hat-trick of world titles. “It’s difficult to say (what will happen). Every season we start from zero again,” Vettel said. “Unlike other sports, in tennis for instance, you’re the number one in the world and there is a certain gap between you and the number two. “You have this cushion and it doesn’t matter if it’s one year or another year, you still have it. “Whereas for us it all starts from zero again, zero points, where everyone has the same chance and we are all building our new cars. “Until we put them on track to race each other we don’t really know. So we’ll see, but I’m as confident as I can be at this point. “Hopefully we will have a good couple of days testing with the car to prepare well for the season.”

Vettel had his second world title last year sown up by early October with three races still to go. Team-mate Marc Webber went on to take third place. Together, their all-conquering Red Bulls dominated the constructors championship, finishing well ahead of McLaren and Ferrari. Their performances prompted Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone to declare that he

would prefer if there was more of a competition in the sport and Vettel agrees that he has set himself near impossibly high standards. “Obviously we had a great year (last year). We’ll always look back to 2011 and think how special it was,” he said. “To be honest you don’t start the season with expectations to have the same or a similar season again.

“We know how hard it is to be that consistent, always there and finishing nearly every race on the podium. “The target is obviously to try to do it again, to get everything out of ourselves, so we’ll see how we get on with the new car.” “Obviously we hope our car is better than all the others, but it will be difficult because the cars will be fairly similar, with the gaps closer than they have been.”

US, Bahrain GPs will take place: Bernie PARIS: Bahrain and the United States were included on the calendar for the 2012 Formula One world championship on Wednesday despite serious concerns over the two venues. The debut American race at Austin in Texas has been in doubt to a financial wrangle while the security situation in Bahrain, which led to the cancellation of the 2011 race, has returned to haunt organisers after a bomb exploded outside the British Embassy in Manama at the week-

end. Austin’s Circuit of The Americas, where work had been halted, has been at the centre of a row over its sanctioning fee between local promoters and Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s commercial ring-master. “Mr Ecclestone received his cheque today,” Red McCombs, one of the event’s financiers, said. “We want to thank the fans, the local officials and businesses that have encouraged us, the State of Texas, Circuit of The Americas’ staff and Bernie himself.”

France, Ireland game for March 4 PARIS: The postponed Six Nations match between France and Ireland will now be played on March 4, the tournament’s organising committee announced on Tuesday. The game was supposed to have been played on Saturday but English referee Dave Pearson was forced to postpone the match minutes before the kick-off because parts of the Stade de France pitch were frozen and posed a danger to players. Dubbing “very regrettable” the postponement that “left thousands of supporters disappointed and frustrated”, the Six Nations Council said the game would now kick off at 1500GMT on Sunday, March 4, at Stade de France. “French and Irish ticket holders unable to attend the match will receive a full refund of their match ticket. Final details of the refund mechanism should be available tomorrow (Wednesday),” the council added. Six Nations chief executive John Feehan said: “We are delighted that we have agreed a new date and time for the 6 Nations France vs Ireland match in the 6 Nations window. “We are also delighted that the FFR have announced a ticket refund scheme.” But the decision was met with anger by some French rugby clubs and the Irish Rugby Football Union, which expressed its disappointment with the decision to stage the game on Sunday. “While understanding the difficulties that a postponed game brings to the international and club rugby schedule, the IRFU had proposed to the Six Nations that the preferred alternate date for the game was Saturday, March 3, with an afternoon kick-off,” the IRFU said.

Playing Field

The games people play

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

Wenger worried about pitch Barnaby Chesterman

MILAN: Arsene Wenger said he was worried about the state of the San Siro pitch ahead of Arsenal’s meeting with AC Milan here on Wednesday. The San Siro is shared by both AC Milan and their bitter city neighbours Inter Milan meaning it gets played on twice as often as other grounds. It usually needs to be relaid several times a season, something that

happened again just a few days ago. “I’m a bit worried about the quality of the pitch, it doesn’t look exceptional but hopefully it will be better (on Wednesday),” said Wenger. “They told me tomorrow it will be much better, it has been relaid on the flanks very recently. “When you relay a pitch like that it takes time to settle and become flat and at the moment it isn’t.” Wenger continued: “We will try to play our game, Milan are a good side but we think we are also a good side. “We will go to attack, they cer-

tainly will as well, it will be an exciting game.” It is the second time in four seasons that these two have met at this stage of the competition and last time Arsenal progressed thanks to a 2-0 success here, following a scoreless draw at the Emirates. Only one player remains from that Arsenal side but Wenger believes his new breed still have the capability to repeat that result. “When we played here Milan had won the Champions League the year before but we knocked them out. We had an upcoming team full of confidence.”

Rangers head into administration Alec Kennedy

GLASGOW: Scottish champions Rangers saw their hopes of a successful title defence all but ended when they were hit with a 10-point penalty for entering administration on Tuesday as the 140-year-old club battles for its financial survival. Rangers, who were 15 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League table earlier in the season, now trail leaders and arch-rivals Celtic by 14 points following the penalty handed down by league chiefs. They are awaiting a tribunal verdict which could leave them with a bill of up to £75 million ($118 million, 90 million euros), should they lose a dispute with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the British tax authority, that threatens financial meltdown for the already loss-making Glasgow giants. Rangers remain second, but with their lead over third-placed Motherwell cut to nine points. Craig Whyte, the Rangers owner, said in a statement: “The club did not want nor anticipate having to take this course of action today but had no option. “We had hoped that continued dialogue with HMRC would

mean a decision on administration would not have to be taken for 10 days while all other avenues were explored. “Due to its cost structure, the club has been loss making for many months. “At no stage has a solution been sought where my personal interests were put before the club’s. “The club and our supporters come first,” he added ahead of Saturday’s home match against Kilmarnock at Ibrox.” But Whyte’s position came under fresh scrutiny when administrators Duff and Phelps said they’d been appointed after the non-payment of “circa £9 million in tax” following the takeover of the club in May 2011. The HMRC case against Rangers centres around the previous Ibrox hierarchy’s decision to pay players using employee benefit trusts (EBTs). Although EBTs are not illegal, HMRC insist tax contributions were due on the salaries players were receiving. Rangers draw an average home gate at Ibrox of 46,000 — higher than leading English clubs Liverpool and Chelsea — yet are still facing the prospect of going out of business.

Sorry Tevez returns to Man City MANCHESTER: Carlos Tevez returned to Manchester on Tuesday insisting he wanted to end his long-running feud with Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini and play again for the Premier League leaders. The Argentina striker, returning from his homeland, has not played for City since incensing Italian manager Mancini by refusing to warmup while on the bench during a Champions League tie away to Bayern Munich on September 27. Mancini has indicated his willingness to make peace with Tevez if the player apologises to him. Tevez’s return which saw him undergo a medical after spending an hour at their training complex appeared to receive the thumbs up from his fellow players. “All I can say...is that all the players are excited to have Carlos, Kolo and Yaya [Toure, returned from the African Nations Cup] back to help achieve our goal,” tweeted centreback Joleon Lescott. Tevez, during a Fox Sports interview broadcast in translation on Britain’s Sky Sports News on Monday, said: “I do not think I was wrong, but if they [the club] think so I apologise. “I am ready to return, to win and do the best for the club’s shirt,” he added. “Hopefully I can help City to be champions again.”

Carlos Tevez arrives at the Manchester airport.

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012

The games people play

Manchester duo gear up for Europa challenge

Pirate Irwin

PARIS: The city of Manchester were

Barça victory sets them on their way PARIS: Holders Barcelona all but sealed their place in this season’s Champions League quarter-finals after beating German opponents Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 away in their Last 16 first leg clash on Tuesday. They could well be joined by Cypriot side APOEL, who came away from French giants Lyon trailing 1-0 but the fairytale side of this season’s competition has every chance of turning the tables in three weeks time. Barca took their time to make their evident superiority tell as the poor run of four away matches without a win appeared to have an effect on the players. However, two goals from Chilean star Alexis Sanchez (above), the first one set up by three-time world player of the year Lionel Messi, who also grabbed the third which was the best of the match. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, who faces an almost impossible ask in retaining the domestic league title as bitter rivals Real

Madrid have a 10 point lead, admitted his side had taken time to assert their authority. “I think the second half was good, we used the space better after we took the lead,” said Guardiola. “We tried to improve our game, we had a few chances in the first half, but perhaps the final pass was missing. “But we were playing away and we came into the game after the break.” Lyon deserved to win against an APOEL side that relied on the safety-first tactics that have paid off so handsomely thusfar this season in which they have become the first Cypriot side to reach the knockout stages of the elite competition. Alexandre Lacazette got the only goal shortly before the hour mark in a match that the French hosts may come to regret they were too cautious in their approach as they kept leading scorer Bafetimbi Gomis on the bench at kick-off.

hoping to see their two football sides fight out the Champions League final but instead on Thursday both sets of fans will have to make do with the lesser fare of the Europa League. However, both face tricky second round ties if they are to progress a step closer to the final on May 9 in the mundane surroundings of Bucharest rather than the glamour of the Champions League final in Munich on May 19. Bigspending City — who finished third in a tough Champions League group behind Bayern Munich and Napoli — have to travel to defending champions Porto in Portugal while United, who surprisingly finished below Benfica and Basel, are away at Dutch giants Ajax. City manager Roberto Mancini (above) insists that he will select a strong side to play the Portuguese champions, whose high standards of last season when they were all but unbeatable domestically and in Europe have slipped

and they trail Benfica by five points in this term’s title race. Indeed while the Premier League title remains the Italian’s top target he is also looking to add some European silverware to the trophy cabinet and with City having lost out on retaining the FA Cup the Europa League has taken on added importance. “I will play a strong team against Porto. We want to win the Europa League because it is an important trophy,” Mancini told the Sunday Mirror. “We have no game next week (having been knocked out of the FA Cup) so we can concentrate fully on a good performance. It will be difficult to go through because Porto are a top team, but we want to do the best we can in this competition. “We were disappointed not to do well in the Champions League, but it was a difficult group and we were unlucky to go out with 10 points.” Porto, though, will fancy their chances of coming out of it best as they are unbeaten in seven home European matches while City have just one win in their last seven away trips in Europe.