Postnoon E-Paper for 16 march 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

FLASH

It’s that time of the year again, when petrol-heads rev up their engines and usher in the new Formula One season. With Australian GP on Sunday, it’s going to be a great year.

A NEED FOR SPEED

FRENCHMAN NABBED In a shocking incident that points to transnational gangs’ involvement in gun running in the City, the Crime Control Station police last night picked up a French national and seized two firearms and 35 live cartridges from his possession. A thorough probe has been ordered into the case.

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`25,523 crore for Sarwa Siksha Abhiyan, 2,500 schools to be set up in private sector Government Standard gold customs duty doubles to 4% and non-stanto retain 51% dard to 10% in Central PSUs White paper on black money to be tabled this session

Personal income-tax limit raised from `1.8 to `2 lakh Agriculture credit target raised to `5.75lakh crore

Airlines allowed to raise upto $1bn via ECBs

`15,850 crore to be allocated to Integrated Child Development Scheme

Excise duty on cigarettes raised by 10%

Budget 2012 FM serves mediocre Budget.

Aviation, retail, banking sectors given boost.

Revenue deficit for 2012-13 projected at `1,85,752 crore

`14,000 crore for rural drinking water and sanitation Implementation of Direct Tax Code is deferred

`50,000 crore tax exemption for retail investors under Rajiv Gandhi Equity Scheme Import duty on large cars increased to 24%

GDP to grow 7.6% in 2012-13

Mega Handloom cluster to be set up in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh

12% excise duty imposed on branded retail garments

ENGINES TO DRIVE INDUSTRY

P7&8

`100 crore for NG Ranga Agrictulture University, Hyderabad

NO AID FOR MONDA VICTIMS As GHMC faults revenue officials for delaying release of aid citing procedure, it is an agonising wait for the families of victims deprived of their breadwinners. P6

Page Two

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

DAILY ROTE

The perfect smile Mona Lisa’s Smile starring Julia Roberts will be screened at Prasad’s Lab Preview Theatre. The movie deals with how an art teacher makes the conservative girls question their societal roles. Where: Prasad’s Lab Preview Theatre, Banjara Hills, Rd No 2 When: March 16, 6.30pm Contact: (040) 2360 8015

M ANIL KUMAR

Water colours Iconart is hosting Aquarelle as a part of it’s Buy Art initiative. It features water colour paintings. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: March 20 onwards, 11.30 am Contact: 98499 6879

Bengali food festival A Bengali food festival is being held at Firdaus, Taj Krishna. Sample a variety of Bengali delicacies. Where: Firdaus, Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills, Rd No1 When: Ongoing, 11.30am onwards Contact: (040) 6666 2323

Dance tribute A tribute to MS Subbulakshmi will be payed through a dance and ballet recital by renowned Kuchipudi dancer Haleem Khan. Where: Lamakaan,Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: March 16, 7.30 pm Contact: 96427 31329

Unique buffet Yellow Chilli is offering a lunch buffet which is truly different. The Buffet which costs `199 (Monday to-Friday) and `249 (Saturday and Sunday). The dinner buffet costs `299 and `349. Where: Yellow Chilli, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 23383838

Celebrating vivah Wedding shopping on your mind? Head to Celebrate Vivah 2012 — Wedding Exhibition, a luxurious wedding exhibition. Where: Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre, Tank Bund When: March 16, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Women in India Women changing in India is an exhibition of books and paintings that depict women. The exhibition is being presented by Magnum Photos and Zubaan.

CINEMAS

Where: Kalakrithi Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 10 When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 6656 4466

Tradition and innovation An exhibition showcases 58 designs which are a combination of tradition and innovation. Where: Salarjung Museum, Afzal Gunj When: Ongoing, 10am onwards Contact: (040) 2452 3211

Temple Art A painting exhibition titled, Temple Town is on display at Iconart Art Gallery. The exhibition presents art work by Karunakaran and Satheesh Kanna. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: 98499 6879

Reflection of women Aiana — Reflection of Women, a painting exhibition is being conducted at Kala Bhavan, Saifabad. The exhibition is by Bhavana and Sindoor. Where: Kala Bhavan/ ICCR Art Gallery, Saifabad When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2323 6398

Mystic Five Alankritha Art Gallery presents Mystic Five. Where: Alankritha Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2311 3709

Thaali festival Spice Junxion is offering a variety of favourites from different regions such as Rayalseema and Telangana. The unique aspect of the thaali is that it represents the traditional home-style cooking. Where: Spice Junxion,Banjara Hills,Rd No 1 When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6666 3939

Musical evening Catch an evening of Jazz, Blues, Pop and Rock by artistes such as Shakila, Sarosh, Sukanya, Sanchita, George Hull, Ujjal and Joe Koster on Saturday, March 17. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: March 17 Contact: 96427 31329

Acting workshop Samahaara — an acting and dancing workshop is being held to help you hone your acting skills. The workshop focusses on a variety of topics such as understanding the basics of stage acting and character

analysis, stage geography etc. Where: The Actor’s studio, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7pm to 9pm Contact: 98854 04784

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

Sacred Women On the occasion of Shrishti Art Gallery’s 10th anniversary an exhibition called Women-Sacred and the Temporal is being held.. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No15 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2354 0023

New works New works by artists Laxma Goud and Ramesh Gorjala will be displayed at Gallery Space. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 65541836

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

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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

No respite for inter students M ANIL KUMAR

EDUCATION Sudeshna Koka sudeshna.k@postnoon.com

he City’s intermediate colleges and students heaved a sigh of relief today with the Board examinations drawing to a close. However, it was not smooth sailing all through, with students forced to deal with glitches through the exams. For starters, on the first day of the examination, there were major glitches with the APSRTC bus system. Despite the APSRTC arranging for 125 special buses to various exam centres, many students reached late due to delays. This, after the APSRTC had assured students that buses would reach exam centres one hour before time. As many as 70,284 first year students were late on day one. A total of 19.58 lakh students had appeared for the exams this year in 2,488 centers. While most exam centres were well equipped, some feel seriously short in terms of facilities. Students were forced to grapple with frequent power cuts and

lack of furniture. In some centres, students were forced to sit on the floor while writing the exam. “The benches in my exam centre were very dirty. We had to

dust the furniture before we could sit on it, besides every time we moved the benches would creak loudly,” said Shruti S, first year student, who was writing her

Political battle spills over into cable market CRIME Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com

he top brass of police have appointed DSP intelligence SK Mohd Ismail to inquire into the internecine wars waged by hundreds of cable operators in the City. The gangwars have, in the past, led to murder and mayhem and continued to create law and order problems. The police will now go through the records and identity of those involved in cable operation. In the absence of proper records the police have often found difficulty pinpointing blames on suspects, police said. The issue is reminiscent of Mumbai in the past when underworld dons like Dawood Ibrahim and Chotta Rajan

polarised cable operators to wage wars against each other for dominance. In the recent past three cable operators were killed in the gang wars in Hyderabad. Additional commissioner of polcie Amit Garg on Thursday convened a meeting with senior officials of cable operators like Digi Cable, Siti Vision, C Channel and Hathway with representatives like Manish Mathur, RVR Chaudry, RK Singh, Shiva Rama Krishna attending. Garg strictly warned the officials to rein in their operators or face the law. “No leniency,” he cautioned them. He told them if they were ready for the war, so are the police. Garg told them the police have evidence of those involved in cable operation indulging in anti-social activities or getting support from unsocial elements. This is the first time in a decade a toplevel police has delivered a strict warning to the cable operators. This apart, the Task Force officials also are kept in the loop. The City police commissioner AK Khan has issued orders to keep a vigil. DCP G Ramchander Rao also summoned cable operators to verify identities. Postnoon gathered that the directive has come from the CM to keep a watch on the cable operators. What lies underneath are the unseen hands of big politicians too. According to sources Siti Vision cable is reportedly owned by the brother of PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana and it has grown to be the leading cable operator in AP in a short while.

exam in Westely Junior College. Power cuts were another major problem. “The examination hall, where I wrote my exam, had only two ceiling fans. But they were not of much help thanks to frequent power cuts,” laments Sumona K, a first year student, Mehmood Jr College. In a more positive light, this year the incidence of students being helped by invigilators was comparatively low. During the mathematics exam however there were a large number of cheating cases. As many as 61 first year students and 93 second year students were caught for copying. In terms of difficulty levels, it was the physics paper that had most second year students stumped. “It was very tough. There were several unexpected questions and many of us did not do well,” says Vikyath Arya, an intermediate second year student from Sri Chaitanya Junior College. Although the exams are over students are only half relieved because their greater battle — competitive exams — are round the corner with only a week’s break for most.

CRIME BRIEFS Love story ends in tragic suicide HYDERABAD: In a tragic end to a love story, Raj Sekhar, a 26 year old man who had a love marriage with Jaya Rani, 23, three years ago was found dead last night in their rented flat in Gandhi Kuteer under Narayanguda police station limits. Jaya was away when the man is believed to have hanged himself with a rope tied to the ceiling fan. Police are interrogating the wife for the possible reasons.

Speeding biker kills 50-year-old man HYDERABAD: Rajesh Khanna, 50, a labourer was killed in a road mishap on Thursday night at Moazam Jahi market under Begum Bazaar police station limits. A preliminary police report said that the man had a few drinks and was walking back home when a speeding bike hit him. He suffered head injuries. Passersby helped to get him to a hospital near Moazam Jahi market but the doctors declared him dead on arrival.

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Museums, pylons, parks to commemorate CBD ENVIRONMENT Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

eeping in view the importance and significance of the world conference on biodiversity in October this year, the CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy has formed a steering committee headed by himself. The steering committee will consists of cabinet ministers and officials of the State government including GHMC. He held a detailed review meeting on Saturday last to examine all issues threadbare to make the event a grant success. A State- level coordination committee headed by Chief Secretary has also been formed to oversee various works. During the meeting the CM had announced that the State would build a museum, pylons and parks to commemorate the event and keep it in the memory of residents of Hyderabad forever. The chief minister has asked the officials to arrange world class cultural programmes to showcase India and Andhra Pradesh. He has also told the officials that they cannot allow the citizens to suffer because of the movements of the VVIPs and have told them to arrange dedicated lines for them. The GHMC Commissioner said that 125 kms roads in the City have been earmarked to be improved and footpaths will be created. The Chief Minister has directed the officials to chalk out a comprehensive tourism plan for the delegates. He has directed the GHMC commissioner to undertake beautification works like drainage and walling of the grave yards. He has also told the officials to constantly review the food, cultural

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NEWS BRIEFS DSC exam postponed, to be held in August HYDERABAD: The DSC examination scheduled to be held in May has been postponed. The government has decided to first hold the TET in June and later conduct DSC in August. Secondary education minister K Parthasarathy held discussions on the matter with the chief minister on Thursday. Later he told the media that actual dates of the examinations would be announced later. He also announced that SLET would be conducted in May by the Osmania University.

HC stays Metro rail works HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued an interim stay on the Metro Rail works in some areas of the City. Responding to petitions, the court has directed that works in Ameerpet, Sri Krishna Nagar, Madhura Nagar and Yusoufguda be halted. The court has cautioned the government that it could not change the alignment as it liked. It counseled that change in the alignment was improper if done without people’s consent.

COUNTDOWN TO 11TH CBD

Work being outsourced

eeping in view of its financial condition and lack of help from the State government, the corporation has come up with the idea of outsourcing its works to private corporate companies. These corporate companies have to adopt a particular stretch of roads and modernize it with their funds. In return, the corporation will allow these companies to promote themselves on those roads. aspects as well as security and transport arrangements for the delegates particularly the VVIPs such as the Heads of Countries. He has ordered the chief secre-

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tary to take steps to release funds immediately required for the arrangements. Massive makeover planned for the City have been made. All

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the roads leading to the venue from the airport, railway stations, star hotels and places of historical and tourist importance are identified for comprehensive improvement. Nodal Committees have been formed headed by the principal secretaries for reception, accommodation, food & protocol, transport, security, city beautification, cultural programmes, exhibition, media, medical and health. Heads of governments of 13-20 countries are expected. The officials entrusted with the responsibility of decking with the decking up the City are also studying the improvement that the earlier venues in the world have undergone. The Biodiversity Conference so far has been held in Indonesia, Argentina, Slovakia, Kenya, Canada, Netherlands, Malaysia, Brazil, Germany and Japan.

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Three workers die in accident HYDERABAD: Three daily wage earners died in a road accident near Nagaram village under Keesara mandal of RR district on Thursday. According to information, the trio died instantantly when a concrete mixer lost control due to tyre puncture and hit the two-wheeler which they were riding.

Six-day-old found in farm house ONGOLE: A six-day-old infant was found abandoned in an agricultural field in Mottigondi village under Ardhaveedu mandal of Prakasham district on Thursday. The villagers, who found the infant, have admitted it to Kambham hospital. The villagers suspect that an unwed mother must have abandoned the child.

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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

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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Are you a property owner? Pay `100

‘No in-my-face protests’ POLITICS

Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

Postnoon News

n an interesting turn of events, the GHMC found that out of a total 12 lakh odd property owners, over 50,000 paying less than `100 a year! This was revealed by GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu. The commissioner had announced that the corporation would undertake a thorough reassessment of these properties in the coming two months. "We have found such large number of property owners keep paying the paltry sum as property tax. It’s surprising reassessment was not done. We have decided to undertake a detailed reassessment survey to evaluate the actual property tax to be levied on these properties. The process will begin next month and would be over by the end of May," Krishna Babu told Postnoon. According to the commissioner, the expense borne by the corporation to deliver property tax demand notices to the residents is more than `100 than what is being levied to these over 50,000 property owners. "Well, we incur more expenses to deliver the demand notices than what these people pay as tax," he said. During the ongoing financial year, the corporation has already over `490 crores so far as against the target of Rs500 crores for the ongoing financial year 2011-12.

feedback@postnoon

ooks like Speaker Nadendla Manohar has had enough of the aggressive protests of the Opposition. He advised the members of the Opposition not to push the placards on to his face over the podium. “I have excellent vision and can see the placards where you hold them at your seats. You don’t need to shove them in my face to get my attention,” the Speaker buttressed his point. The Speaker’s reaction was triggered by the Opposition protests demanding the 26 GOs to be tabled in the House and government’s explanation of the details. The CM was not in the House as he is Delhi to finalise the list of candidates for Rajya Sabha seats. Minister for legislative affairs Sridhar Babu said the issue was sub judice and under CBI probe. “In this context, how can we place the GOs and other details on the table of the House,” he questioned. He regretted that for the last one week the business of the House was not being transacted and urged the members to co-operate.

Postnoon News

t’s an irony that journalists who highlight problems of others find themselves at the receiving end — in this case, sympathy of politicians. With frequent adjournment and little business transacting in the House, the mediapersons have been literally relegated ‘sentry duty’ in the corridors of power. Health minister DL Ravindra Reddy who visited the media lounge in the Assembly opined that there should have been some ventilation as there was no AC. MLA Jayasudha too took notice of the ‘outstanding’ nature of the pressmen, opined that there should be adequate seating arrangement for them. She went to the extent of providing cool water and also snacks for the scribes.

Slim chances of victory, little interest for Congress tickets Drained by bypolls, leaders want to conserve resources for 2014 elections

POLITICS U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com

he Congress is worried over the next round of by-elections to 17 Assembly seats. While the YSR Congress is raring to go, the Congress leaders belonging to the respective constituencies are jittery. The bypoll is necessitated by the disqualification of the Congress rebels owing allegiance to YSR Congress Party. Adding fuel to their fear, a local television survey s is portraying doom for the party in the bypolls. Talking to Postnoon, the Congress leaders said that not many of them are interested in contesting as they are not sure of winning them. This was reflective in the statement of the minister Jana Reddy who said only a miracle can save the party in the bypolls and, 2014 general elections too pose a big challenge. The Congress leaders are also concerned about the drain on their resources due to frequent bypolls. Will they have enough to fight the all-crucial 2014 elections if this sequence of bypolls continues, party circles ask. Though the party leadership has identified some candidates in some con-

t is learnt that the Congress party might opt for the leaders who are from Chiranjeevi group and have earlier lost the elections in 2009 as PRP candidates. They got good percentage of votes last time. Kothapalli Subbarayudu is one such candidate from Narsapuram. In other constituencies, too, the erstwhile PRP candidates could be fielded. But the future strategy depends on the results of the bypolls of the seven constituencies. As per the survey done by the State government with the help of some agencies, the chances for the Congress are bleak.

stituencies, there were no applicants for the party tickets so far. This is the first time that there is no lobbying for a Congress ticket and that the leaders at the helm of affairs, that is, the PCC chief and the CM have to convince the contestants. There always was a demand for the Congress tickets but the scene has changed. Some ministers who were not involved in any of the issues said that the party image was taking a beating due to some faulty decisions taken by the YSR government. They quoted examples of land issues, court verdicts, and CBI and ACB cases. The Assembly session is already in trouble with just another two weeks and majority of the business pending.

The Speaker said substantial discussion was done on the matter and that he can only facilitate the discussion. “If the members do not co-operate, the House cannot be run, he said and ruled out adjournment motions. “The ministers have looted the people and if we use the word ‘tainted’ they get agitated, TDP leader Ashokagajapathi Raju said. “Assembly is a constitutional body and the ministers are accountable to the people,” he added. Julakanty Rangareddy of CPM said that it is time that the Speaker should take control of the situation and run the House. At this point, the Speaker intervened and said that it was not right to blame the Chair in the House on the allegations being made outside. Loksatta leader Jayaprakash Narayan seconded the Speaker said that it is a serious issue. “The decorum and dignity of the House must be protected first. It is not right to accuse each other as corrupt day in and day out. The ministers will not resign without proof,” he said. “The files must be placed on the floor of the House. We must not behave like kids saying that there is no information; court is coming in the way and other things,” he urged fellow members.

Want to read GOs, read from website: Minister tells MLAs Postnoon News

egislature affairs minister D Sridhar Babu on Thursday told the Assembly that the government would inform the House and the people immediately after the six ministers received notices in Jagan assets case. Immediately after the House reassembled at 12.43 pm after a brief adjournment, the TDP members rushed to the Speaker’s podium and raised slogans demanding that the government place the 26 GOs and relevant files before the Speaker for examination by the legislators. Making an effort to convince the agitating members, Sridhar Babu said that all the 26 GOs issued by the government were available in the government website. The contents of the GOs would also be available online. The government was also awaiting receipt of the SC notices by the ministers. Stating that the TDP members were deliberately making a hue and cry on two words spelt by the Supreme Court “Issue Notice”, he criticised the main Opposition members for stalling the proceedings in the House for the past three days and wasting its precious time meant for discussing the public issues — power supply situation and farmers’ problems. Deputy Speaker Bhatti Vikramarka, who was in the chair, adjourned the House for the day at 12.50pm when the TDP members failed to respect his appeal to resume their seats and cooperate for smooth running of the House. NSS

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REAL ESTATE GACHIBOWLI TO VATTINAGULAPALLY ORR FACING HOUSING PLOTS FOR SALE. NEAR MICROSOFT, WIPRO, ICICI, INFOTECH, KOKAPET IT SEZ. CONTACT - 9989354333

MODULAR KITCHEN

No aid for Monda victims As GHMC faults revenue officials for delaying release of aid citing procedure, it is an agonising wait for the families of victims deprived of their breadwinners. N SHIVA KUMAR

GOVERNANCE Md Inkeshaf ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

T COMPUTERS

Nandan visits CTE

r Rohit Nandan, chairman and managing director of Air India, visited the Central Training Establishment, Hyderabad. He was in the City for the India Aviation 2012. He inspected the simulators, cabin crew training school, management training center etc. Mr Nandan offered support to make the CTE a world class centre.

he families of victims of Monda Market building collapse are to see the colour of the money promised by the mayor and district administration. While the mayor Mohd Majid Hussain had announced `1 lakh ex-gratia from his fund to the families of the victims, Hyderabad district collector Natarajan Gulzar had announced `50,000 ex-gratia under Apadbandhu scheme. The mayor was prompt in instructing his office to process the applications of the family members of victims for the compensation while the delay is at the official level, it’s learnt. But, district revenue officials are making the family members run from pillar to post with one excuse or another. Hurt and humiliation are reflected in their lamentation. “The mayor gave us good response and directed the officials concerned to speedily get the work done. But, the revenue officials are making us run from one place to the other. I went to the collector office three times. But the officials instead of helping doubled my problems. After accepting the application, they are now saying that they are not the authority concerned to accept the application,” said M Ajay, son of M Bikshapathi ,one of the victims of Monda Market incident. Ajay who works as a salesman in an organisation, has said that he wasted three days and more than `1000 to make the rounds of district collectorate. Some other victims say after submitting applications, officials are now asking them to submit the same at ESeva centres. Meanwhile, bitten by humiliating

experiences kin of late Safiulla have decided to give up `50,000 announced by the collector under the Apadbandhu scheme. According to Zafarulla, brother of late Safiullah, the district officials are asking for voter id which the family do not have. “We don’t have identity proof to substantiate our identities. But we have all identity cards including voter id issued in Bihar, their native place. “Revenue officials demand local identity proof. Are we not Indians? I don’t know what to do?” he says helplessly. Meanwhile, the officials of GHMC are fuming at the attitude of the revenue

officials. They are questioning the veracity of the claims made by revenue officials of Hyderabad for denying aid to the family of late Safiullah. “I don’t think there is any rule which prevents a victim of an accident which took place in the jurisdiction of a particular district, from receiving an aid. The Apadbandhu scheme is meant for helping poor victims,” said GHMC assistant town planning officer Philips to Postnoon. Phillips has been appointed as nodal officer to ensure speedy extension of the aid to the victims of monda market building collapse.

THE FACES OF HYDERABAD Ravi Vadagam, Actor, Rama Naidu Studios M ANIL KUMAR

avi V came all the way from Palakol in East Godavari district to pursue his acting dreams. He has acted in quite few Telugu films in the past four years. He started off doing small roles but slowly and steadily he is climbing up the ladder. He has acted in movies like Maghadeera and Khaleja but he says his got his biggest break with Naga Chaitanya’s Josh. Today, he has an MS Raju film and Eega in his kitty. Ravi says that since childhood he had an interest in

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

films and Chiranjeevi had always been his inspiration. But his parents insisted that only after he completed his education would he be allowed to pursue his acting dreams. He owes his career to his mother, who inspired him to face all kinds of challenges. His family supported him throughout. Right now Ravi essays comedy roles but his ultimate aim is to essay negative characters. He says that he is very happy with the his career and is sure he will gain better roles.

Business

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Matters of saving and spending

It’s all about the business N SHIVA KUMAR

Prudhvi Raju K Prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

The business of aviation

lobal business aircraft manufactures are bullish about the Indian market and are launching a wide range of new features in their aircraft to attract customers.

Cheaper business aircraft Dassault Falcon, a large cabin business aircraft manufacturer, has launched the 2000S. The first plane is to be delivered by 2013. The Falcon 2000S is an improvised version of its existing 2000 and will compete with the Gulfstream 280 and Bombardier 300. The aircraft will be 10 per cent cheaper, with 20 per cent more cabin size, compared to its competitors in the super mid-sized category, said Vadim Feldzer, Communication Manager, Dassault Falcon.

Fuel-efficient business aircraft Hawker Jet has introduced the 4000 business jet with a composite airframe. The fuselage is made up of 100 per cent composite material. Technology used in the Boeing787 Dreamliner is used on the aircraft to decrease the input costs.

Fastest business aircraft Gulfstream has introduced the G650 with a range of 15,000 kilometres and a top speed of Mach 0.925 making it the fastest and longest-range business aircraft.

NUMEROLOGY

2014 Is when the Greek economy is expected to exit recession according to the IMF.

nfrastructure is a major issue for development of the business aviation industry in India. India has only 150 airports, compared to 4,000 airports in say, Brazil. Those using corporate jets have to go through many security checks, just like any other general passenger, which is eating into their valuable time, said Rohit Kapur, president, Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA). The ultimate advantage of a business aircraft is to save time and go to remote places that do not have access to major airports. Both these needs are compromised with security checks and fewer feeder airports, he said. There is 15 to 17 per cent import duty on private category aircraft and there is also heavy taxation on the import of aviation turbine fuel and spare parts. The government has to think of the long-term benefits this sector is going to create in terms of employment, fuel taxes, and landing and navigation fees, rather than temporary benefits like import duty, he said. The government has to create

THUS SPAKE... “Ask us for the 10 deepest lakes in the United States and we will give you decent results based on those keywords, but not necessarily because we understand what depth is or what a lake is.” Amit Singhal, Google fellow and online search veteran on Google’s semantic search plans

the infrastructure in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, especially in areas that are not well connected to major airports. At these locations there is enough business from the mining and real estate sectors. There is a need for alternative airports catering to business

aircraft. There should be at least 450 airports to manage the current demand, said Karan Singh, managing director, BAOA. There are 580 business aircraft in India (that includes around 300 helicopters and 200 business jets). Charter operators

own 60 per cent of these aircraft and the rest are privately owned. The average growth witnessed by the sector has been 12.5 per cent over the past decade, which slowed down to about seven per cent in 2011 due to infrastructure and policy issues.

Embraer bullish about the executive jet market

The British government intends to cut income tax for the country's highest earners, and will announce details in next week's annual budget. Finance minister George Osborne is likely to use his budget to announce he is reducing the top rate of income tax from 50p to 40p, the Guardian newspaper reported, citing government sources. Osborne is under pressure from to slash the top rate in order to stimulate growth.

APPLE WATCH Gadget-lovers in Australia and Japan became the first people to snap up the new iPad on Friday, with Apple looking to tighten its grip on the tablet market with its third generation launch. Just before the worldwide rollout began, New York-traded shares in the company shot above $600 for the first time, as investors looked to cash in.

Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com

he business jet sector is set to grow by 390 to 485 aircraft by 2021 in South-Asia, out of which 90 per cent of those sales will come from India. There are 130 to 140 private jets in India and the market is growing at 10 per cent, said Jose Eduardo Costas, vice-president, marketing and sales, executive jets, Embraer (right). Asia-Pacific will rise to a 16 per cent share, from its current five per cent share in the business jet sector. The market in these countries is maturing with corporate profits at record levels, bouncing back after the global recession in 2008-9. However, the company is pessimistic about the European market, he said Used private jet sales stand at 10 per cent, compared with 15 to 16 per cent during the height of the recession. There is always demand for pre-owned jets. Bigger cabin planes have strong demand in the pre-owned market. However, second-hand jets have higher operating costs and customers have to pay a higher price for buying bigger cabin jets, he said. Meanwhile, Air Works India Engineering will create a spares repository for all Embraer executive jets in India as the part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two.

TAXMAN COMETH

PAPER TIGERS The MoU paves the way for parts for Embraer’s Phenom 100, Legacy 600, Legacy 650 and Lineage 1000 to be housed at the Air Works’ facility in Bangalore. The facility will serve as a central hub from which these parts will be dispatched to eight Embraer Authorised Service Centres (EASC) located across the country. Embraer India has a reduced turn-around time for the procurement of parts for their aircraft and a complete range of services is offered for all its aircraft in the country. India is the third country in the Asia-Pacific region in which Embraer has placed a parts depot.

US newspaper advertising revenue fell 7.3 per cent last year to $23.94 billion, according to figures released by the Newspaper Association of American, continuing a six-year slide. Print advertising revenue fell 9.2 per cent to $20.69 billion compared with the previous year while online advertising revenue rose 6.8 percent to $3.25 billion.

Business

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Matters of saving and spending

NUMEROLOGY

0.8% is how much Germany’s economy will expand this year after 3 per cent in 2011.

THUS SPAKE... “Providing for a further two billion people by 2050 and improving the living standards for all will challenge our ability to manage and restore those natural assets on which all life depends.” Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report

CASH IN THE ATTIC New York will see glittering echoes of America's Gilded Age this year with the auctions of jewellery and other property belonging to legendary philanthropist Brooke Astor and the reclusive heiress Huguette Clark. Astor died in 2007 at the grand old age of 105. On September 24–25, Sotheby's will auction Astor's art, furniture and jewellery collections, the auction house said Thursday.

GREEK TRAGEDY Standard & Poor's rated Thursday new Greek bonds issued under its bond swap at CCC, or still vulnerable to default, and indicated it would likely assign the same rating for the country. After the swap is completed "we will likely consider Greece's selective default to be cured and assign a forward-looking sovereign credit rating to Greece," the agency said.

Engines to drive industry N SHIVA KUMAR

Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com

here were six major players in the aviation sector displaying their advanced commercial airline engines at India Aviation 2012 — GE, Rolls Royce, International Aero Engines, Pratt and Whitney, CFL, and Power Jet. And although the aviation sector has slowed down globally, these companies have not been affected by it and are optimistic about India being a key market for them. “Globally, it’s been a fantastic year for the aircraft industry. In 2011, GE provided engines to 200 aircraft, and about 3,000 CFM engines (a joint venture between GE Aviation and SNECMA) to single-aisle aircraft. The volume shows that the aviation sector is growing. Yes, it has slowed, but it will bounce back soon,” said Sohinder Singh, regional marketing director for South-Asia, GE Aviation. Pratt and Whitney, a key player in the market has received an order for 2,500 engines globally. “People will not stop flying. The growth in the middle-class will make aviation cheaper and sustainable. Airlines will buy aircraft and they will need engines,” said Palash Roy Chowdhury, managing director-India, Commercial Engines and Global Services, Pratt and Whitney. International Aero Engines (IAE) too is estimating a 10 per cent growth in their sales at 470 engines as opposed to 420 in 2011 and has 2,000 engines yet to

be delivered. The Indian market looks bright, says Chris Bewley, regional vice-president, Asia and Middle East, IAE. “Indian aviation might be going through a slump, but it still looks bright. We are set to deliver about 40 engines to Indigo airlines,” he said. “The Indian market has been good for us. Pratt and Whitney has sold 450 aircraft engines in India. All the Bombardier 6-series have our engines. India is going to drive the aviation industry,” affirmed Palash. “The passenger traffic in India had increased by 18 per cent last year. Only over the past three months, it has reduced to eight per cent,” said Sohinder. Four out of every six aircraft engines are

either GE or CFM, he claimed. The new technology that aircraft engines use, aims to lower fuel burn. Power Jet’s SaM146 aircraft engine can save 20 per cent fuel, the company claims. “In our engines, the blade and disk are integrated and this reduces fuel burn,” said Bruno Palacious, SaM146 product marketing director, Power Jet. The SaM146 is currently being used in the Sukhoi on display at the exhibition, and is touted by the company to be the most advanced engine running. Pratt and Whitney’s new technology is that of introducing a geared turbofan in the engine. “This will not only lower fuel burn by 15 to 20 per cent, but also

reduce carbon emission by 75 per cent. This results in the airline saving nearly nine per cent, and for Indian airlines that have the highest operational costs, this can be a huge saving,” said Palash. The focus of GE at the exhibition has not been their aircraft engines, but fuel and carbon solutions for airlines. The software on the aircraft takes inputs and gives a solution to saving fuel. Typically, an airline can save up to five per cent on fuel. “Jet Airways has a fuel bill of about $1billion annually. Saving three to five per cent literally translates to $30 million in savings, and last year, they had losses of about the same,” said Sohinder.

Private players set to take bold plunge

WASTE NOT Better known as a dumping ground for used electronic goods from developed countries, Africa is set to outstrip Europe in the volumes of ewaste it generates within five years. "One study suggests Africa will generate more ewaste than Europe by 2017," said Katharina Kummer Peiry, executive secretary of the Basel Convention on hazardous waste.

Postnoon News

xperience has proved to us that airports operated by private players are better maintained. India is soon to get its own first privatised regional airport in Gulbarga by the third-quarter of 2012. Regional Airport Holdings International Limited (RAHI) is setting up two greenfield airports in Karnataka — Gulbarga and Shimoga. With India poised to be the

third largest aviation market by the end of this decade, the aviation revolution has already begun. It is estimated that Indian aviation will see an investment of about $120 billion over the next few years. The greatest ideas are those that make the world smaller and cities bigger, reads a brochure of RAHI, and come June this year, the Gulbarga airport will be the first of its kind in the country. Speaking to Postnoon, Umesh

Kumar Baveja, founder and chairman of RAHI, said, “We aim to encourage the demand for air travel between tier-II and tier-III cities. Development of these cities will result in robust growth of hitherto inaccessible regions.” “The Karnataka government provided us land to develop the airports and will be the first regional airports to be commissioned in India on a PublicPrivate-Partnership (PPP) model. The government does not have

enough funds to build, develop and maintain airports at all regional hubs and this is where this model would boost the sector. We will build the airports at a budget of about `200 crores each,” says a confident Umesh. According to Umesh, Gulbarga is a great location to develop an airport. Two-thirds of India’s lime reserves are located in the nearby areas and will give the city an untapped edge when the business booms. Asked what advantage RAHI would have on developing these airports, Umesh said, “Out of the 692 acres given to us in Gulbarga, 370 acres will be used for building the airport, and out of 653 acres in Shimoga, the airport will constitute 343 acres. The rest of the land will be given to us to develop our ventures.” Whether the development of the regional airports will help boost the economy, only time will tell. Rahi: Hall A; Stall 37

India‑View

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

India unveiled

Rising star takes charge of UP Ammu Kannampilly

NEW DELHI: A 38-year-old engineering graduate was sworn in Thursday as the head of India’s most populous state, having bested the heir to the country’s leading political dynasty in a watershed election. Akhilesh Yadav’s meteoric rise to become the youngest ever chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has thrust him into the national spotlight, where supporters tout him as the poster boy for a new generation of reformist, techsavvy politicians. The prize of UP, which returns the largest number of MPs to the federal parliament, was sweetened by being won at the expense of another young, but far more famous politician, Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi, the son, grandson and great-grandson of Indian premiers, had staked substantial political capital on winning UP back for the ruling Congress Party, but could only help it to a humiliating fourth place showing. Yadav’s Samajwadi Party exceeded expectations to win an absolute majority in the 403-seat state assembly — a victory largely attributed to his campaign efforts. Gandhi, 41, could only watch in envy as his rival dominated headlines in the national media after the landslide, with the Mail Today hailing the ‘Man of the

Governor Banwari Lal Joshi (L) and Chief Minister of UP Akhilesh Yadav speak during the swearing-in ceremony in Lucknow on Thursday. AFP/ STR Hour’ and the Hindustan Times renaming UP ‘Akhilesh Pradesh’. Although Yadav cannot boast a lineage as illustrious as Gandhi’s, his family has long been a major force in UP politics. His father, wrestler-turnedpolitician Mulayam Singh Yadav has served three terms as the state’s chief minister and founded the Samajwadi Party, which he still leads, in 1992. During campaigning, the 72year-old was still seen as his party’s choice for chief minister,

but Akhilesh’s soaring popularity led his father to step aside earlier this week. Born on July 1, 1973, to Yadav and his illiterate wife, Malti Devi, in the village of Saifai in UP, Akhilesh grew up far away from the public glare. While his father decried ‘elitist’ English-language education in India in an effort to rouse his party’s low-caste voter base, Yadav quietly completed a master’s degree in marine engineering in Sydney, Australia. Few expected him to become

a successful politician, particularly after he briefly broke ranks with his family to marry an upper-caste college graduate. His father finally acquiesced to the match, threw him a grand wedding in 1999 and, barely a week later, asked him to run for public office. Yadav won a seat in the national parliament in 2000 and was re-elected in both the 2004 and 2009 general elections. Yadav’s preference for Indian clothing, his insistence on speaking Hindi in public and his defer-

ential stance towards his father, whom he addresses as ‘Netaji’ (respected leader), have all played well in conservative UP. Behind the scenes, he is credited with modernising a moribund party known more for its noisy campaigns featuring Bollywood stars and its ties to alleged criminals than for its record on governance or development. Yadav made an effort to woo young voters, promising jobs and a greater share in India’s economic growth. The devoted iPad user even convinced his father, who earlier criticised the use of computers and blamed them for taking jobs away from people, to promote a scheme offering free laptops to students. On the campaign trail, the father-of-three took his party’s bicycle symbol to heart, cycling around constituencies with a message he summed up as: “No abuse. Nothing too caste specific. Just talk development and hope.” “He’s young, he’s affable, he’s educated and he’s worked hard,” said Zoya Hassan, a politics professor at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University. “Young people voted for him in the hope that as a young person he would understand their aspirations,” Hassan told AFP. “But he will have a host of challenges, from governance to development to law and order and providing livelihoods.”

Tech marvel of diverting avalanches Vishal Gulati

MANALI (HP): It will not only provide all-weather connectivity but also protect from calamities. The engineering marvel that is the Rohtang tunnel, being built under the 3,978m Rohtang Pass in the Himalayas, will literally divert avalanches using snow galleries. The 14-km stretch before and after the 8.8-km horseshoeshaped tunnel, considered India's most strategically important infrastructure project, has as many as 13 avalanche-prone stretches. Using ingenuity and technical dexterity, Indian and European engineers have designed snow galleries, or concrete roofs covering the roads, that will divert avalanches and keep motorists safe. "These anti-avalanche structures will greatly reduce the risk of traversing the route and make the highway all-weather till the mouth of the tunnel," said Border Roads Organisation (BRO) chief

engineer (Project Rohtang) PK Mahajan. The ambitious project is aimed at ensuring all-weather connectivity to Keylong in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district.

Most of the avalanche-prone areas are located on the south portal towards Dhundi, 25km from here, Mahajan told IANS. At a couple of points on the route, avalanches occur every year. The snow galleries would

allow avalanches to pass overhead without affecting the traffic inside, Mahajan added. The Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASA), based in Chandigarh, has designed mechanical structures to counter avalanches in the area that remains under snow even during peak summer. Officials of SASA, a Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratory, said the snow galleries have been designed after studying local dynamics of avalanches like velocity and force. It's the first time that SASA has designed snow galleries. He said the length of the gallery varies from 100m to 130m and would be constructed at altitudes ranging between 3,053m and 3,080m. "Work on one gallery is on; others will start soon. Sensors would be installed at 13 points on the road to monitor the behaviour of the snow round the year," he added. The `1,495-crore project is being built by the BRO,

an inter-services organisation under the Defence Ministry, in collaboration with StrabagAfcons, a joint venture between India's Afcons Infrastructure Ltd and Strabag SE of Austria. Over 350 BRO men and 24 experts from Germany and Austria have been working day and night to excavate the tunnel despite continuous sub-zero conditions to meet the February 2015 deadline. Of the 8.8km-long horseshoe-shaped tunnel — 1,880m from the south portal and 755m from the north portal — about 2.5km has been dug since work commenced in June 2010. The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the Rohtang tunnel project in September 2009. The foundation stone was laid by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on June 28, 2010. Once ready, the tunnel will be a boon for the cold deserts of Lahaul Valley, where over 20,000 people remain cut off from the rest of the country in winters owing to the closure of the Rohtang Pass.

India‑View African students seek education to up business LUDHIANA: Dulce Vania from Mozambique is studying for a management degree in India and is also a budding entrepreneur — she exports human hair to her homeland. “I have stated a smallscale human hair export business. Back home, it is used for making various accessories,” Vania told IANS. Studying for a management course in finance from the Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE) at Baddowal, close to the industrial hub of Ludhiana, Vania says that African students studying in India are trying to pick up entrepreneurial skills. “Things back in our country have started to get better, but it still needs a lot of improvement. Some students here have started to work on small-scale,” she said. Ugandan Ilahi Marian is a pharmacy student at the PCTE. She hopes to open a well-equipped drug store back home to help enhance the health facilities there. “There are only 10 multispeciality hospitals in the whole of Uganda as far as I know. There is an urgent need to enhance the health sector as for every 1,000 people, there is just one doctor,” Marian told. African students find it cheaper to study in India — and that too in a system that is better than in their own countries. “In India, people make things simple for us to understand,” said A Semlambo of Tanzania. IANS

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

India unveiled

Battered baby Falak dies of cardiac arrest NEW DELHI: Brutally beaten, bitten her skull broken and limbs fractured, little Falak fought a bitter battle with life for nearly 60 days. But the twoyear-old’s heart gave way finally Thursday night, after five critical surgeries and two earlier heart attacks, despite valiant efforts by doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. “The baby died of cardiac arrest. She suffered cardiac arrest at 9 p.m. and was declared dead at 9.40 p.m,” Deepak Agrawal, assistant professor neurosurgery at AIIMS, told IANS. AIIMS Trauma Centre chief M.C. Misra said the baby had fluctuations in her heart rate since morning. “We tried to revive when she had the attack at 9 p.m. but sadly we couldn’t,” he told IANS. According to Agrawal, the baby’s heart had weakened due to cardiac arrests on two previous consecutive occasions — Jan 20 and 21. “The atmosphere is very grim in the hospital because all the staff was emotionally attached to her,” he added. The toddler had been battling for survival at AIIMS since she admitted with a fractured skull, bruises and human bite marks all over her body. Falak had undergone five life-saving surgeries. Doctors March 9 had said that her condition had improved “nicely” and that she was likely to be discharged in a week’s time. The police had arrested 10 people in the case including the

government act was projected in a bad light. Dikshit who had demanded a token `1 as damages in her

Raids on firm linked to ex-TN governor’s son CHENNAI: Vigilance officials today conducted raids at a business establishment here in which former Tamil Nadu governor Surjit Singh Barnala’s son is a partner and premises of two others, including a former vice-chancellor, in connection with a corruption case. Raids were in progress at Barnas International Private Limited’s office in Vepery in which Jasjit Singh Barnala is a partner and his associate M Najimuddin’s residence at Egmore, Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption sources said. Officials also raided former vice-chancellor of Anna University D Viswanathan’s residence at Thiruvanmiyur.

Cong sets out to woo SP, Mulayam in no hurry LUCKNOW: Thursday saw the politi-

key accused - Rajkumar Gupta, the man alleged to have handed over Falak to his 14-year-old girlfriend who brought the baby to the hospital claiming to be her mother. Another woman — Pratima has also been arrested in the case. She was part of the human trafficking racket that exploited Rajkumar’s teen aged girlfriend. Pratima had got Falak from Laxmi and given the child to Rajkumar who in turn handed

her over to the teenaged girl whom he allegedly sexually abused. Laxmi, who is also under arrest, had befriended Munni Falak’s biological mother and persuaded her to leave her abusive husband and re-marry. She had arranged for a second husband for the 22-year-old Munni, and also kept her three children including Falak with herself and subsequently gave them away. IANS

HC for Dikshit to settle out of court NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was today suggested by the Delhi High Court to settle out-of-court her defamation case against BJP leader Vijender Gupta. “Why don’t you settle the issue out of court?” Justice Kailash Gambhir said, asking the counsel to sit together and persuade their clients to resolve the matter by April 24. The chief minister had filed the suit against Gupta for allegedly erecting hoardings across the city, accusing her government of conniving with private discoms and committing corruption in determining new power tariff. The court passed the order after senior counsel Sanjay Jain, appearing for Gupta, submitted that his client had no intention to malign any individual but the

NATION AT A GLANCE

suit, had alleged that the BJP, under Gupta’s leadership in June 2010 had erected hoardings in Delhi proclaiming that

her government had ‘openly looted thousands of crores of rupees’. The suit said Gupta had hoardings put up, accusing the Delhi Congress government of misrepresenting facts to city residents on power tariff. The advertisements also claimed the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) was going to recommend reduction in power tariff, but the ‘chief minister came in the way’. Dikshit moved the court after Gupta refused to tender a ‘public apology for the slander’ as demanded by her. As per the suit, the hoardings were erected at Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, Shankar Road, Hari Nagar, Jhandewalan, Delhi Gate, Rani Jhansi Road, Najafgarh Road, etc. PTI

cal stock of Mulayam Singh Yadav soaring once again. On one hand while the wrestler-turned-politician got his son Akhilesh Yadav sworn in as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, on the other he had the Congress party wooing him like never before. With Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee breathing fire on the hike in passenger fares in the rail budget presented by Union Railways Minister Dinesh Trivedi and the strength of the UPA II in the Lok Sabha appearing on the edge, Congress left nothing to imagination.

UP cabinet approves Samajwadi’s polls sops LUCKNOW: In its first cabinet meeting, the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday approved the promise made by the Samajwadi Party (SP) in its manifesto to distribute free laptops and tablets to students passing out of class 10 and 12. At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the government also cleared installation of CCTV cameras at all major intersections in the state capital and take measures to ensure that encroachments of graveyards in UP were stopped. Chief Secretary Anoop Mishra said that they would provide laptops, tablets to students passing out from Sanskrit Pathshaalas, Madarsas, UP Board, ICSE and CBSE.

58.8pc households in Maharashtra have TVs MUMBAI: About 58.8 per cent of households in Maharashtra have TV sets while 13.3 per cent have computer/laptop and 69.1 per cent have telephone/mobile in their households, as per the data on “housing, amenities and assets” in the 2011 census. The respective figures at national level are 47.2, 9.5 and 63.2 per cent, Ranjit Singh Deol, director Census operations, Maharashtra, told reporters here. The share of households having two wheelers is 24.9 per cent and four wheelers is 5.9 per cent and these figures at national level are 21 and 4.7 per cent respectively, he said. The Census in Maharashtra was taken in two phases.

Around the World Anti-graft war took Bo down? BEIJING: Until now a rising political star known for busting gangs and reviving Maoist ideals, Bo Xilai, the former head of China’s Chongqing city, attracts fascination and scorn in equal measure. The 62-year-old had been seen as a leading contender to access the top rungs of power in China, but in a dramatic reversal of fortune, he was sacked as Chongqing head on Thursday after being embroiled in a rare public scandal. Bo has a master’s degree in journalism. The former commerce minister is known for his suave and open demeanour. But his media-savvy personality has irritated some fellow politicians in the Communist Party’s powerful 25member politburo — which he joined in 2007. Bo’s revival of ‘red’ culture in the Chongqing — including sending officials to work in villages and pushing workers to sing revolutionary songs — has drawn accolades and concern. Bo also set about fighting graft when he came to power in Cho-

ngqing, in a crackdown that saw scores of officials detained and executed, their lurid lives exposed. For nearly two decades from 1985, he spent his time in China’s northeastern rustbelt, first as mayor of Dalian, a decaying port city which he is credited with transforming into a modern investment hub. He then became governor of Liaoning province and in 2004 became China’s commerce minister, dazzling foreign counterparts with his can-do attitude. Outside observers said his move to Chongqing, a metropolis of more than 30 million, would propel him out of the limelight, but his anti-mafia and pro-Maoist campaigns proved them wrong. However, those who had praised Bo as relatively liberal soon grew disillusioned — particularly with his corruption crackdown, which many say was carried out with contempt for the law. It was ultimately this campaign that brought him down, after his former right-hand man, Chongqing’s ex-police chief, last month visited a US consulate and reportedly asked for asylum. The event is still shrouded in mystery, but analysts say those who disliked Bo may have seized on this incident to derail his bid to gain more power. AFP

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Beyond Borders

Republicans; a broody lot NEW YORK: The White House might need new interior decoration if a Republican beats President Barack Obama in November: getting those spare bedrooms ready for starters. In an unpredictable Republican primary contest to pick Obama’s challenger, the strikingly large families surrounding several leading candidates have been one of the few constants. Frontrunner and descendant of polygamist Mormons Mitt Romney has five sons. Main challenger Rick Santorum has seven children and libertarian Ron Paul five. Former candidate Jon Huntsman has seven, while Michele Bachmann has five — and no one can top her 23 foster kids. Obama and his wife Michelle? Like most couples in the country, they have just two. If the Republican broods resemble political versions of the family circus troupe, that’s because they are. Santorum often comes flanked by his multiple children at campaign events, the male members emulating their dad in matching sleeveless sweaters. Ron Paul’s son Rand not only helps his father on the trail but is himself a US senator and seen by some as a potential inheritor of the family mission to get into the White House. There are few exceptions to this election’s unwritten rule. Newt Gingrich has only two children, although he married three times, as does Rick Perry, the Texas governor and brief presidential wannabe. The mirror image applies to

Clockwise; Mitt Romney and family, Sarah Palin and family, Michele Bachmann and family, Rick Santorum and family. Democrat bigwigs. Obama’s vice president, Joe Biden, has a modest three offspring, while Hillary Clinton, a 2008 candidate, has just the one. Sociology professor Susan Brown, at Bowling Green State University, said the Republican candidates are far out of the mainstream. “The average number of children per woman in the United States is just a little over two. Most couples have one or two children and even the number

with three has declined. Very few have four or more,” she said. Large families fit well with the candidates’ fervent faith — Mormonism for Romney and Huntsman, Catholicism for Santorum, and Evangelical leanings for Bachmann and Palin. Paul is less openly religious, but strongly opposes abortion and as a doctor he helped deliver 4,000 babies. These living examples of family values also bolster the candidates’ strong positions against

Nothing sporting about it Football incident kicks up racial row in Hong Kong HONG KONG: A violent incident in a school football match in Hong Kong has sparked an ugly race row after a video was posted online showing a Caucasian boy kicking a Chinese opponent in the head. Parents of the Asian boy filed a police complaint after the weekend’s under-12 game between ESF Lions and Kitchee Escola descended into chaos, with fathers and the ESF coach engaged in an angry on-field altercation. A video of the match showing the 10-year-old ESF player making contact with the Kitchee boy’s head has been viewed more than 50,000 times and generated a torrent of often racist commentary against “gweilos”, or Caucasians.

“These are English Men... Shame of mankind!” wrote one viewer on the YouTube website. Others called the coach and mainly Caucasian players for the English Schools Foundation (ESF) team “animals” and “white scum”, and demanded the government stop subsidising the

English-language school system. “The Hong Kong government should cancel its funding of the ESF. Gweilos should leave Hong Kong immediately,” said one user. “Gweilo” means “ghost man” in Cantonese and is often used as derogatory slang to describe people of European decent. Other commentators however said the incident was bad enough without the racist abuse on the Internet. “I am not sure what is worse, the coach, the young thug, the refs or the tirade of racist comments in this thread,” wrote another viewer. But some other commentators said the ESF boy may have misjudged his kick and not meant to hurt his opponent.

abortion. Santorum backs up his arguments with the harrowing tale of how he and his wife Karen took home the body of their miscarried baby, who’d lived for just two hours, so that their other seven children could share in their grief. Tea Party darling and presidency flirt Sarah Palin, with five kids, talks movingly of her love for her youngest son Trig, who has Down Syndrome, while Bachmann recalls drawing political inspiration from a miscarriage. AFP An ESF-affiliated company that organised the match asked a lawyer to contact the suspected uploader of the video, one of the Kitchee boys’ parents, to ask them to take down the YouTube video. “I understand that the parent of the injured child has referred the matter to the police and we will cooperate fully with any police investigation,” ESF chief executive Heather Du Quesnay said in a letter to parents on Thursday. She expressed concern for the injury to the Kitchee child but said the video clips should be “closed down because of the distress that the offensive comments were causing to the ESF Lions player and his family”. Kitchee Sports Club chief executive Ken Ng said police had made inquiries about the incident and taken a copy of the video. He downplayed the seriousness of the racism expressed in some of the comments on YouTube. AFP

Around the World India sanctions reports speculative: US WASHINGTON: Amid reports claiming America has threatened India with sanctions if it does not reduce its Iranian oil imports by June end, US officials today said Washington and New Delhi are having “productive conversations” on the issue and termed the report as “highly speculative”. “Recent headlines on India and Iran have been highly speculative,” a US Government official said, referring to the reports appearing in a section of American and Indian media. The report quoted Obama administration officials as saying that India has failed to reduce its purchases of Iranian oil, and if it doesn’t do so, President Barack Obama may be forced to impose sanctions on New Delhi. “No decisions have been made and we continue to have productive conversations with India on this important issue,both in New Delhi and in Washington,” the official said. “We welcome statements from Indian officials that India is seeking to diversify its crude oil sourcing and encourage this positive trend,” the official said. In response to a query, sources in the Indian embassy indicated that US officials have reached out to them to convey that the news reports were “not an accurate reflection” of the US policy. AFP

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Beyond Borders

Karzai wants security baton passed in 2013

AFP/MASSOUD HOSSAINI

KABUL: The Taliban broke off contacts over peace talks with Washington on Thursday and the Afghan president demanded US troops leave village outposts, just days after an American soldier massacred 16 villagers. Hamid Karzai also called for a transition of the nation’s security from NATO control to the Afghan government in 2013 rather than the previous deadline of 2014, after meeting visiting US defence secretary Leon Panetta. That plan had been floated by Panetta ahead of a NATO meeting in Brussels last month, but the US-led coalition insists that it will only withdraw its combat troops by the end of 2014. The announcements from the Islamist militia fighting US troops for 10 years and by Karzai, Washington’s key ally in Kabul, came hard on the heels of the shooting spree by a US soldier, who has been detained and flown out of the country. The fallout overshadowed Panetta’s two-day visit to Afghanistan, which was planned ahead of the shooting and aimed at calming relations already hurt by last month’s burning of Korans at a US base.

GLOBE AT A GLANCE World’s tallest man finally stops growing WASHINGTON: Good news for Turkey’s Sultan Kosen, at eight foot three (2.51 meters) the world’s tallest living man: he can now say with confidence that he’s finally grown up. Nearly two years after gamma ray radiosurgery at the University of Virgina, doctors confirmed that Kosen, 29, has overcome acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder that caused him to keep growing well into adulthood.

Norwegian military aircraft goes missing OSLO: A Norwegian military transport

Blue Hackle, a US-based security and risk company in Afghanistan, handed weapons over to Afghanistan’s Public Protection Forces (APPF) during the ceremony in front of local and international media representatives. The Taliban made no mention of the killings as it announced the suspension of contacts with US officials in Qatar over a prisoner swap — talks that had built up hopes of a political solution before US troops leave. “It was due to their alternating and everchanging position that the Islamic Emirate was compelled to suspend all dialogue with the Americans,” the Taliban said on their website. But the White House denied it had changed the terms of the reconciliation dialogue. “The terms have been as

I’ve stated them on many occasions,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney. Earlier, Karzai’s spokesman Aimal Faizi quoted the president as telling Panetta “We’re ready to take over all security responsibilities now,” adding “We’d prefer that the process be completed in 2013, not 2014.” Karzai then told Panetta that US-led international forces should “be withdrawn from villages and relocated in their bases”, his office said in a statement, without specifying a timeline. AFP

plane with five people on board was reportedly missing on Thursday. The Hercules aircraft was coming from a northern Norway airport to Sweden. While participating in the annual exercise coded Cold Response, the aircraft did not land at Sweden’s Kiruna airport as expected.

A dog named Yoda that won an “ugliest dog” contest last year has died. She was 15. AFP

Indonesia sends illegal waste back to Britain LONDON: Indonesia has asked Britain

Obama beats his own drum

Barack WASHINGTON: Obama turned up the intensity of his reelection bid on Thursday, debuting a movie glorifying himself as a president who made ‘tough’ decisions that dragged a traumatized nation out of crisis. The 17-minute film, soberly narrated by Tom Hanks, is packed with pensive still photos of Obama, and testimony to his toughness from backers like former president Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden and top political aides. It opens with footage of Obama’s euphoric victory rally in Chicago in 2008, recreating the hope and expectation of that campaign, but perhaps inadvertently pointing to the difficultly of recreating that heady moment in time. “Time and again, we would see rewards from tough decisions he had made, not for quick political gain, but for long-term and enduring change,” Hanks said. “So when we remember this moment and consider this president, then and now, let’s

remember how far we have come and look forward to the work still to be done.” The film, called The Road We’ve Traveled and directed by Oscar winning director Davis Guggenheim, comes across as an effort to convince Obama supporters, perhaps disappointed by his presidency so far, that they should sign up to fight for him again in November’s election. The film is essentially a greatest hits of the Obama presidency, putting the most positive spin possible on his domestic, economic and national security policy, and skipping over bitter feuds that have raged since he was elected. Republicans are sure to mock the movie as a grandiose attempt to disguise an administration they consider a miserable failure, with unemployment still above 8.3 per cent and many Americans yet to feel the benefits of a recovery. The film’s most dramatic moments surround Obama’s decision to order a special

forces raid deep into Pakistan which killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden last May, and the reality that he had to make the final call alone. “If he was wrong, his presidency was done,” Vice President Biden says, over a shot of a black and white photo of Obama staring alone out of a window in the White House. The successful raid was “the ultimate test of leadership, a victory for our nation, and there would be many others,” Hanks intoned. Clinton says he hopes he would have made the same tough call as president. Other top aides describe how Obama inherited an economy in “cardiac arrest” and on the brink of collapse amid the worst meltdown since the 1930s. “When he faced his country, who looked to him for answers, he would not dwell in blame or dreamy idealism,” Hanks says. “The tough decisions he would make, would not only determine the course of a nation, but reveal the character of the man.” AFP

to take back 1,800 tonnes of waste after inspectors found liquid and illegal mixed waste in containers marked as “scrap metal,” Britain’s Environment Agency said today. The agency confirmed it had launched an investigation after inspectors at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta conducted a spot check of the 89 containers in January.

N Korea to launch rocket next month SEOUL: North Korea said today that it would launch a rocket next month to put a satellite into orbit, a move that would breach a United Nations ban imposed after previous launches. The event was scheduled between April 12-16 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of founding leader Kim Il-Sung, the communist state’s official news agency said.

Stuffed toys are placed in memory of the victims in Sierre, in the Swiss canton of Valais where a bus crashed killing 22 children died. AFP

Comment Editorials

ASSAD’S SEXY AND he knows it

hat do Blake Shelton, Chris Brown, Right Said Fred, and America’s Got Talent have in common? They all seem to be much-loved by The Assads, Syria’s First Family. E-mails belonging to the family were leaked earlier this week shedding light on the country’s leader and his family’s unwillingness to relinquish the good life even as their nation burned. More than anything the e-mails (if they are authentic, and little proves that they’re not) show the callousness with which the Assad family treats the plight of the Syrian people. Ironically the Blake Shelton track downloaded from iTunes by Assad was God Gave Me to You. If in sooth he did, then god has an incredibly malicious sense of humour. The Assads’ penchant for Western music, not to mention him being a keen follower of the Harry Potter franchise, is in stark contrast to his rather Middle-Eastern method of dealing with popular uprisings. Of course we can’t fault Assad’s musical taste, when he plumped for New Order’s brilliant Bizarre Love Triangle, but it was his choice of an LMFAO track that clearly highlighted the man’s delusional state. Sexy and You Know It certainly does not describe Assad, but for a man hell-bent on massacring his own people there’s no accounting for his grip on reality.

WHY WE LOVE Portugal

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

nited and City out of the Europa Cup, beaten by the Portuguese!

Don’t place all eggs in the English basket From the hip Syed Shoaib

hen a parent starts off to admit his child to school, the dilemma she/he faces is whether to admit the child to an Englishmedium school or a school with the mother tongue as the medium of instruction. Despite the pull of the mother tongue, hard pragmatism wins the day and an English-medium school is the choice, particularly so in urban areas. This is mainly because of availability of better schools in the Englishmedium category. Besides, the promise of employment in BPOs, KPOs and LPOs, and the possibility of career advancement for those with better knowledge of English is too alluring. The report on countrywide school enrolment by the National University of Education, Planning and Administration (NUEPA) says that presently, over 2 crore Indian children are enrolled from class I–VIII in English-medium schools, a staggering increase of 274 per cent since 2003-04. India did capitalise on the BPO boom due to the availability of a workforce that could understand and speak English better when compared to its counterparts, even if this was by a historical accident. The result is reflected in the trends on education choices in the society. The report says that the growth of English is more in non-Hindi speaking states, mostly the southern states, which account for over 60 per cent of the students enrolled in English-medium schools in the three-year period. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, in that order, account for the highest jump in numbers in enrolment. The biggest fall in enrolment among the southern states happened in the Telugu medium in AP. Telugu-medium enrolment in the state fell from 83 per cent of the total enrolment in 2003-04 to 78 per cent in 2006, even though it has increased by 6.78 lakh in terms of numbers. TN had the largest number of students enrolled in English-medium schools in 2003. AP went ahead of TN by 2006. In AP, the number of students enrolled in English-medium schools nearly doubled in this period from 10.6

Pre-nuptial contract!

Mind boggling read

This letter comes to you in regards to your story ‘Men too get unfair treatment’, which dealt with issues faced by young men today regarding dowry. As compared to women being harassed, men hardly get to bear the brunt. I am not taking sides here as demanding dowry is wrong. I know it doesn't suit our Indian mentalities and a lot of men and women may scorn at this simple fact but I guess it’s important to sign pre-nuptial agreements, like in the West, before one gets married in order to safeguard one's property and interests.

I am a huge fan of Einstein! I was elated to see that someone actually did a centrespread on him! I am glad to have subscribed to Postnoon. Intelligent news, compact enough to make it a wonderful read. Not one single paper in the city covered his birthday. One of the greatest minds to have ever lived. What makes the story readable and what mostly catches the eye is the design along with the content. Kudos to the designing team as well as to Indira Atluri for compiling the story. Keep the good work going.

Mary S Yousufguda

Dheeraj G Secunderabad

lakh to 20.9 lakh. In TN, the numbers jumped from 14.7 lakh to 17.2 lakh; and in Maharashtra, from 10.6 lakh to 11.9 lakh. English medium also accounts for well over 90 per cent of the enrolment in the north-eastern states. However, up north, the growth of English has been sluggish except in Punjab and Gujarat where enrolment went up by over 93,000 and 60,000 respectively — not so high when compared with that in the southern states. English is now the third biggest medium of instruction for upper primary students after Hindi and Marathi and is growing across all states. The moot point is whether to accept the craze for English education or actually enforce beneficial policies in education on the parents. It is well-known that children become conceptually strong when they learn primary concepts in their mother tongue. Research has shown that the child responds to the mother tongue easily as it is exposed to the sounds right from when in the mother’s womb. Extending the argument, we may say that it is the practice of learning primary concepts in an alien language that makes us conceptually weak that is reflected in the fact that our students do not come up with innovations. We are, at best, imitators. English has become a bridge language helping us to communicate with each other and

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

overcome the language barrier raised by the host of languages that are spoken in our country. It is no longer a foreign language, moulded as it is, to the Indian environment and culture. Yet it is not the language spoken at home. Precious mental ability of the child is lost when one has to learn rhymes by rote not understood. This is the beginning of a habit where the child is taught to accept without understanding and questioning. The natural questioning inclinations of the child are stamped out at an early age that never flowers again. To that extent, original thinking is lost and we have a mass of human resource that at best can only be employed in BPOs and call centres. Is it that what we want of our human resource? Can we not utilise English for the purpose it really serves us? We need to rethink our educational policies and get the best of languages. No doubt, English is a universal language and a store of knowledge is found in it. If the quality of primary schooling is improved, English can be introduced and learnt with success at the secondary-school level as an additional language — thereby getting its benefits. For that, the schooling practices and teacher capabilities in teaching English have to be upgraded in schools where the medium of instruction is the mother tongue.

End of an era

A welcome move

Encyclopaedia Britannica's decision to end its print edition marks the end of a glorious era. When I was young, I remember how it used to be the only source of reliable information about various issues. However, the advent of digital medium has changed the way information is shared. While I understand the company's strategy to focus on online products, it's a reminder of how much the world as we know it has changed. The joy of flipping through pages might be soon a thing of the past and those big volumes of Encyclopaedia will become remnants of a glorious past. Lata Deshpande Jubilee Hills

GHMC's decision to bring remarkable changes in the city since it's going to host the biggest Biological diversity summit is a welcome move indeed. A few years ago, Hyderabad had the reputation for being the greenest city in the country; however, in the past four or five years, there have been hardly any improvements in terms of infrastructure. The roads are in bad shape and instances of traffic congestion are common these days. If GHMC's plan is anything to go by, Hyderabadis will be hoping for a miracle to occur.

Madhumathi Padma Rao Nagar

Rhythm Nation

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Let the music take control We bring to you today five great places in the city where you can go and listen to live music

Subhash’s gigs on March 23 and Priyesh and Nikhil who will revisit The Beatles, Coldplay, Eagles, Ray Charles and Pearl Jam on March 30. Then you have, Aditya and Harish playing some of the best of Hard Rock and Rhythm and Blues including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd on April 6 and finally, an expat special by The Banjara Hillbillies playing Bluegrass music on April 13. What else? Just be there and enjoy the show.

Indira Atluri indira.a@postnoon.com

Where: Via Milano, Jubilee Hills When: Saturday and Sundays egha Girish performs on Saturdays and Lohki Pai and Reuben every Sunday for brunch. Events in the pipeline include Joel &

Where: Cocos, Banjara Hills When: All week rom Tuesday to Sunday, it’s live music all the way at Cocos. One can also listen to songs in English, Hindi and Telugu. Not to forget the delicious food as an accompaniment.

iTUNES Top 10

1. We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monáe) – Fun 2. Glad You Came – The Wanted 3. 3. Wild Ones (feat. Sia) – Flo Rida

4. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson 5. 5. Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) –Gotye 6. 6. Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen 7. Drive By – Train 8. Part of Me – Katy Perry 9. What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction 10. Set Fire To The Rain – ADELE

Reuben belts out Rock and Jazz numbers on Tuesday, it’s Rock with Manoj on Wednesdays, select Hindi and English numbers by Manmohan on Thursdays and Krish on Fridays, Reuben again on Saturdays, and Vini with Jazz English numbers on Sundays. Good food and great music. That’s Cocos for you! Where: Cuba Libre, GVK One When: Wednesdays t’s a cool concept, and Cuba Libre needs to be appreciated for this. Local and International bands play here every Wednesday — no wonder why the place is packed on that day, every week! Soft Rock and Retro fans are in for a treat at Cuba Libre. The regular bands that play here are Phoenix and Alter Egoz. And

yes, there is plenty of space to accommodate other cool and talented bands here. Enjoy the spirit of Cuba Libre as you sip on your mug of chilled beer! Where: Aqua, at The Park When: Wednesdays hoenix is the band that plays at the Park. From Classic Rock, Reggae, Blues to Jazz Fusion, you name the genre and they have it. The band which plays here is known for their versatility. The band’s repertoire of songs is really vast. Rarely does one find that a song has been repeated How’s that for a music lover? Be there at 8 pm and be prepared for some mellifluous melodies by the Phoenix. While there enjoy the al fresco poolside restaurant as well.

Where: Hard Rock Café, GVK One When: Thursdays f it is the Hard Rock Café, there is always something going on. Thursday nights are for hardcore music lovers of Hyderabad to get together at the HRC. Popular bands across India and the local ones as well will keep you entertained as you enjoy the food and the ambience. Some of the bands that have performed here include Faridkot from Delhi, Phoenix and Alter Egoz from Hyderabad and Agam from Kolkata. March has been dedicated to ‘The Battle of the Bands’ where the national winner will perform with none other than Bruce Springsteen at the Hyde Park in London. If you have not been to Hard Rock, don’t call yourself a music lover we say.

Bollywood Top 10

Top 10 Albums 3. WZRD

– Agneepath – WZRD

3. Hosanna

4. Now 41

1. 21 – ADELE 2. Whitney: The greatest hits – Whitney Houston

– Various Artists 5. The Bodyguard – Whitney Houston 6. Careless World: Rise of the Last King – Tyga 7. 19 – ADELE 8. Take Care – Drake 9. Talk that Talk – Rihanna 10. Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston

1. Tore Bina – Kahaani 2. O Saiyyan

– Ek Deewana Tha 4. Thehree si Zindagi – London Paris New York 5. Raabta – Agent Vinod 6. Kahaani – Kahaani 7. Tu Mohabbat Hai – Ter Naal Love ho Gaya 8. Vo Dekhney Mein – London Paris New York 9. Jeene De – Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya 10. I will do the talking tonight – Agent Vinod

H‑Factor

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Baby’s soft spot closes by age three

Wearing out your teeth? If your teeth jar when you drink something cold or hot, you should reassess your habits Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

ow many times have you dug into that sinfully rich bowl of ice cream only to clench your jaw in pain? Or slurped up that piping hot soup to experience a jarring sensation in your teeth? Or for that matter rubbed your tongue along the length of your teeth only to realise they’re awfully thin? Sensitive teeth are a common problem and usually occur due to various reasons. This typically presents as discomfort in the teeth that can be triggered either by hot, cold or sweet foods. The pain can be sharp, sudden and sometimes jar the nerve endings.

Causes Sensitivity in the teeth usually occurs due to erosion of the teeth. “There are several reasons for the erosion – bruxism (grinding the teeth in sleep), abfraction (when teeth are constantly clenched), abrasion (due to improper brushing habits), erosion due to acid reflux etc,” says Dr Vikas Gowd, oral and maxilofacial prosthodontist at Dr Gowd’s Clinic. Often people, even adults, fail to brush their teeth in a proper manner. “The ideal way to brush one’s teeth would be with vertical, up and down, strokes and in a circular motion. But most people tend to brush their teeth hard and in a horizontal motion. This causes the upper enamel layer to wear off leading to sensitivity,” explains Dr Vikas. In acid reflux, he explains, the acid released due to various eating disorders like anorexia or following an unhealthy diet, keeps coming into the mouth. “This is extremely acidic. This causes the

tongue side of the teeth to erode. Erosion of teeth is also seen in people who drink too many aerated drinks or too much alcohol. There have been cases where professional wine tasters or alcohol testers have worn out teeth. The high concentration of alcohol can dissolve the teeth,” he adds.

Treatment When the erosion of the

teeth is at its initial stage, ie when only the enamel is worn out then desensitisation toothpastes can help. These block the exposed tubules. There are also professionally applied pastes. “However, it is best to consult a doctor before opting for over the counter desensitisation toothpastes. Simply because this way we can also treat the underlying cause for the tooth sensitivity. Else, the person risks recurrence

of the problem,” says Dr Vikas. In stage II of the problem when the dentin is exposed, doctors suggest getting a filling done in the worn out area. In extreme cases a root canal and crown is recommended. In severely extreme cases where the problem has been neglected for some time, doctors may have to pull out the tooth due to complications like an abscess or infection.

Dr Kiran Krishnamurti

My son is a year old. When he was born he had two soft spots on his head. One at the back of the head and one on top of the head. The one on the back has almost closed but the one on top of his head is still quite wide open unlike in most of the other one year old babies. I have seen his head also seemed very large when he was 7 or 8 months old but it has not grown much since then. Please advise. The soft spot in front of the head is called the ‘anterior fontanelle’. This spot is quite small at birth as is the child’s head. It does widen after birth and closes anytime between six months and two-three years of age. We worry about the anterior fontanelle only if it is open beyond three years. The newborn baby has a head circumference of approximately 34cm. A one year old baby’s head circumference is about 47cm. However, of the 13cm growth that occurs in the first year, 10cm are put on in the first six months ie the head circumference of a six month old is roughly 44cm. So it is not unusual for you to feel that your baby’s head has not grown in the last three months. It is absolutely no cause for worry. (The writer is a paediatrician practising at Andromeda Centre, Somajiguda. You can write in to her at kiran_krishnamurti@hotmail.com)

H‑Factor

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Painkilling gel from the rainforest

Source of clot-busting enzyme found

LONDON: A gel from an Amazon rainforest plant could kill the most excruciating toothache in a jiffy and is far more effective than existing drugs and treatments, according to a scientist. Cambridge University anthropologist Francoise Barbira Freedman came across the plant Achmella oleracea more than 30 years ago, when living with a secretive Peruvian tribe. During her trip she suffered severe pain in her wisdom tooth. She was given the remedy by the tribe's medicine men and the discomfort 'went away immediately.'

SYDNEY: Scientists have cracked the riddle of a clot-busting enzyme, potentially opening the way to more effective therapy for stroke, heart attack and cancer. Monash University researchers, have shown how the protein plasminogen is converted into plasmin, an enzyme that sweeps disease-causing clots and clears up damaged tissue. Clinicians currently use drugs called plasminogen activators to generate plasmin in treating heart attack and stroke patients, the journal Cell Reports said. Whisstock, professor of biochemistry

Years later, she was asked to provide Cambridge with some examples of rainforest remedies, and added the plant to the list, the Daily Mail reported. She added: “It was immediately successful and we’ve never looked back.” Using extracts from the plant, the researchers developed a gel which blocks the pain receptors found in nerve endings and could be in the market in two years’ time. The gel was also considered more efficient than the standard anaesthetic used for patients with gum disease who need pain relief for scaling and polishing. IANS

Cool hands help you stick to your workouts

and molecular biology at Monash, said scientists had been trying for nearly a century to understand how plasminogen is activated to plasmin, according to a Monash statement. “Now we can see the atomic details of the plasminogen, we can finally get a detailed picture of how the system works and how it is produced,” Whisstock said. “Plasminogen only yielded its secrets when exposed to the most focused and powerful X-rays the Synchrotron can currently produce,” said Tom Caradoc-Davies, from the Australian Synchrotron. IANS

A study has proven that keeping palms cool during a workout help exercisers feel less sweaty and fatigued WASHINGTON: There is a simple mantra to stick to monotonous exercises and workouts — cool palms, a new study says. Stacy T Sims, exercise physiologist at Stanford University, California, suggested that holding a bottle of cold water may also cool palms and help exercisers feel cooler, less sweaty and less fatigued-allowing them to stick with their exercise regimen. In the study, obese women who exercised while using the AvaCore Rapid Thermal Exchange (RTX palm cooling device) improved their exercise tolerance and cardiovascular fitness. The device cooled the palms of the hand and circulating blood, thus pulling heat off the body. “Obese women often complain about sweating and getting tired because they’re walking around with extra insulation,” said Sims, who led the study. “If you can slow the rate internal temperature rises and cool someone who is obese, they don’t store as much heat and don’t feel as uncomfortable. They can do more work,” added Sims. For 12 weeks, researchers stud-

ied a group of women, 30-45 years old, who had a body mass index between 30 and 34.9, which is considered obese. Half worked out with their hands in a cylinder containing water at 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The other half used the same device with water at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Participants didn’t know the difference in their devices and did the same fitness activities, which contained the device. “The control group (not using the device) dropped out quite early,” Sims said. “The women who had the cooling device continued to participate and didn’t have an issue with attrition because they finally didn’t feel uncomfortable exercising." The findings were presented at American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Scientific meeting. IANS

F‑Folio

Because you are what you wear

Chanel

nown to have the most elaborate sets for their fashion shows, Chanel’s stage was decorated with sharp crystal stalagmites arising from the floor. The models walked around them with a strong, warrior like stance. It reflected the modern Chanel woman of the coming winter season. With clean tight pony tails, and linear embellished eyebrows, nothing was too flouncy about the Chanel models. Even details like ruffles, billowy sleeves, and feathers were applied in a controlled manner. Colours like metallic blue, silver, mustard, ruby red, green, purple, white, grey and of course black were used. The silhouette was defined by the buckled belts that were cinched at the waist. Jackets in all shapes and sizes, overcoats, shrugs, tuxedo, ankle length parkas, made sure there were a lot of options available. More feminine elegance came through the use of pearlchain accessories, chiffon blouses, and lace leggings. Designer Karl Lagerfeld made sure this collection had enough colour, styles and layering for all age groups of Chanel customers.

aris Fashion Week is the last stop among the noted fashion-capitals to present the next season’s trends. It is also the week where the biggest fashion houses hold events for their discerning clientele so that they can experience the best of what they have to offer. From February 28 to March 7, names like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Elie Saab, Yves Saint Laurent and more presented their Autumn Winter 2012-13 collections. We highlight some names that won our hearts:

PARIS,

Paco Rabanne

his show was really important for India as it was Delhi designer Manish Arora’s second collection for French house Paco Rabanne. Manish had the responsibility to show a collection which portrayed a modern brand along with a very strong sensibility. Using unconventional materials like metal and plastic was a Rabanne staple. Manish continued the tradition of using chain mail to see dresses. Rabanne used this method as well. He overcame the challenge by presenting a collection which was updated and appropriate for 2012. The looks were much more wearable this season as opposed to the last year. One of which was immediately picked up by Lady Gaga for her multiple wardrobe changes for last year’s Grammy Awards. This one would have a larger audience due to the more ready-to-wear appeal of the garments. Sports jackets, shift dresses, tunics, skirts, in rich techniques using leather, metal disks, chain, fur, etc made up this a collection. However, it required a closer look to be understood fully. The closing looks used the Paco s iconic chain technique but in a modern way by layering it over fabric and giving it a softer edge with fur trims.

Surabhi Chauhan feedback@postnoon.com

Each time the Paris Fashion Week comes, the Parisian streets become a runway of their own. We bring you more from the fashion capital

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

20&21

Stella McCartney

JE T’AIME!

tella’s strength lies in knowing what the modern woman wants. She is after all her own target audience and wears the brand very well herself along with her other high profile friends like Kate Moss, Liv Tyler, and Madonna. Having studied tailoring from the reputed Savile Row, Stella McCartney used menswear tailoring techniques which are uniquely appropriate to a woman’s body. Add this with her penchant to modernise sportswear, the looks were easy, smart and extremely wearable. The show opened with models in navy, white and black pieces. Short skirts with tucked in shirt blouses with appliqué lace work. Her signature slouchy knitwear had a mosaic pattern of grey and black. Suits such as the navy double breasted pant suit and the brown wool skirt-suit will surely be on every working girl’s wish list. She also introduced jackets that were beautifully cut in an hourglass shape. They could even pass as dresses themselves. The mannish trousers and sports varsity style inspired bomber jackets added gave her fans a variety of options. Her ethically conscious customer (Stella McCartney doesn’t use any animal skin in her designs) will have enough to choose from to wear during the day or as evening, work or party wear.

Louis Vuitton

n the last day of the Paris Fashion Week, luxury label Louis Vuitton presented a show which left everyone gasping. The presentation in itself was a spectacle. A working steam engine train rolled onto the stage with Louis Vuitton written on its side. Out came the models wearing rich garments in jewelled tones and embellished embroideries. Each model was accompanied by a uniformed porter carrying Vuitton’s luggage and handbags giving its customers plenty of options to choose from. The clothes had a soft layered silhouette paired with slouchy hats which reminded one of a Mary Poppins inspired look. Calflength skirts paired over same print trousers matched with double breast-cropped jackets were also seen. ‘Princess cut’ necklines were a hint to the class of the wearer of these dresses. Marc Jacobs gave the customers and company owners plenty to be happy about — a super luxe line of ready-to-wear garments, a whole range of leather and a great luggage and handbags line.

The writer is a fashion blogger (www.lovestruckcow.blogspot.com)

who attempts to bridge the gap between creator and consumer. As a fashion writer, she hopes to promote Indian fashion among Indians and on a global level too.

AFP

Spotlight

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

DEEPAKDESHPANDE

FLOWER POWER SPECIAL A bevy of beauties descended on the Taj Banjara poolside, Thursday. They were participating in a summer fashion show organised by the Kashti and Krishala Club. Kavitha

Priyanka

DEEPAKDESHPANDE

Vandana

Alka

Namitha Kanodia

A grand exhibition

Tara, Mani & Spandana

The Vivah exhibition being held at the Marriott is where you can find almost everything to meet your tastes in wedding costumes or apparel. Deepthi & Damayas

Sheetal & Nikitha Reddy

Aman Deep

Mehek

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Magic Screen

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Hutcherson admires his Hunger Games character

osh Hutcherson has said that he admires his Hunger Games character Peeta Mellark's commitment to honesty. The Journey 2: The Mysterious Island actor revealed that his role in Suzanne Collins's young adult dystopian story was one that he immediately connected with on multiple levels. "Peeta is all about staying true to yourself. He goes into the Games and does everything he can to maintain what he believes in and not become just another pawn," Hutcherson explained in a new interview with Parade. "Growing up in the acting world, you have a lot of opportunities to change who you are and what you believe in based on how people treat you. I never wanted to do that. And that's what Peeta's driving toward through the series."

MIRANDA KERR TO HOLD 500-PERSON YOGA CLASS FOR EARTH HOUR

iranda Kerr has revealed that she will be conducting a free yoga class for 500 people. The Australian supermodel, who has been announced as an Earth Hour global ambassador for the second year in a row, will run the class as part of the annual environmental campaign. The 'I Will If You Will' campaign aims to encourage people to switch off their lights and set a personal challenge to help save the planet. The first 500 people to upload their own challenge on Earth Hour's YouTube page will be given a pass to Kerr's class in Sydney later this year. Kerr told AAP: "I hope my first challenge inspires my friends, family and fans to make their own promise for the environment. I believe that everyone has the power to change the world that we live in. "If we all adopt simple practices like recycling, switching to energy-efficient lighting or paperless banking then we can make a difference together." This year's event will take place on Saturday, March 31.

Magic Screen

The glamour behind the glitz

Andham will be shot in foreign locales : RGV

T-TOWN TWEETIES

Dhammu audio launch postponed

ere comes yet another shocker from RGV. He has announced that his upcoming film Andham will be shot in exotic foreign locales, unlike most of his films which are usually set in the dingy places or in the bylanes of Mumbai. “The entire film will be shot abroad and I am planning to shoot the film in locales that have never been explored before,” RGV said. The film stars Rana Daggubati and RGV’s new muse Nathalia Kaur in lead roles. Few days ago, RGV was quite impressed with Nathalia after she danced for an item number in Department and decided to launch her as a lead actress in a film. Rana is sporting a new look in this film which will go on floors later this year.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

he audio launch of NTR, Trisha starrer Dhammu has been postponed by almost a week. Earlier, Alexandar Vallabha, the producer of the film, announced that the film’s audio will hit the stands on March 23, but now the date has been pushed to March 29. Even the film’s release date is going to be postponed by a week and it might hit the screens in the last week of April. Directed by Boyapati Srinu, the film has already created a lot of buzz in the industry since NTR is making a comeback with a fullfledged mass entertainer after a long time. Karthika is also playing an important role in the film. MM Keeravani is composing the music.

Nagarjuna talks about his dream project

@sneha_ullal Find your way. Ur direction... you’ll have to find it sooner or later... so y not sooner or Now?

@RGVzoomin All said nd done I wud like 2 clarify tht I hav nthng against sunny leone nd I wud luv 2 wrk wth her whenvr the opportunity arises.

@shraddhadas43 Off to mumbai now... I feel like my driver is car racing to reach the airport on time!

@actressanjjanaa A sweet line written on hospital board : “if you still want to see beautiful girls even after your death... then... DONATE UR EYES... !!”

@me_sushanth To all who have been patiently asking, will let you know the details of my upcoming film very soon :) Been totally worth the selective wait!

@pnavdeep26 Some of us work on “Principle of Rockets” doesn’t mean we aim for the sky, It means that we start working when our tail is on fire !!:p ;)

@richyricha)

hree actors from the Akkineni family might soon team up for a new film. If all goes well, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya will team up for an untitled film. Talking to scribes at an event in Nellore, Nagarjuna said, “It’ll be a dream come true for me and we have been planning a project with three of us in lead roles for quite a while now. Currently, we are in the process of listening to scripts and if everything works out well, the film might go on the floors next year.” In the past, there was a rumour that Krishnavamsi is going to helm a project with these three actors; however, there was no official announcement about the project. With this latest statement from Nagarjuna, it’s almost confirmed that the trio will team up soon. Fans of these three actors will be eagerly looking forward to this project.

Nothing better than reconnecting and catching up with oooold friends from school who are still the same after so many years!

@PriyaWajAnand I’d like to apologize to all the ppl watching ‘Lady in Black’ with my friends & I at Escape!!! Can’t tell u enough how much I screamed! Lol.

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Knight in training 5 Jackson 5 hairdos 10 Singer-actor Kristofferson 14 Opera solo 15 Having had too much to drink 16 Cheep accommodations? 17 Good bettors follow it 19 Spanish jar 20 2,000 pounds 21 Well-mannered 22 Perry Mason, e.g. 24 Illustrations and such 26 ___ Fein (Irish political party) 27 Suffix with "social" or "urban" 28 Twists out of shape 32 Billiards stroke for sharks 35 Like a plug, but not a socket 36 Follow, as a suspect 37 Suffix with "sermon" or "cigar" 38 Charlton Heston role 39 Add to the payroll 40 Roger Rabbit, e.g. 41 Currier's partner 42 Made it through crunch time? 43 One reason for italics 45 ___ Leandro, Calif. 46 Contemporary of Raymond and Agatha 47 Anatomical quintet 51 Bogart-Hepburn movie locale 54 Source of misery 55 Sound that broke the silence of the lambs? 56 Like a long shot's chances 57 Think tank product 60 Global extreme 61 ___ nous 62 Grades K-6 63 Clairvoyant 64 Type of surgery 65 Not one, to Jethro Bodine

DOWN 1 Lasagna or linguine 2 Knightwear 3 "Fee-fi-fo-fum" sayer 4 Hearing aid? 5 Esteem 6 Monk's robe 7 Ancient German character 8 Homophone for "won" 9 Penthouse views 10 Ignoramus 11 Depend (on) 12 Skye or Man 13 It may twinkle 18 CD alternative 23 Formicary inhabitant 25 Smart aleck 26 Cobbler's stock 28 Court events 29 Parade stopper 30 It keeps on rolling

31 Luge 32 Allot 33 Tiny source of energy 34 "Say no more" 35 Dinner companion? 38 Identify incorrectly 42 Borge's countrymen 44 ____ de Triomphe 45 One with a confession 47 Word with "laissez" or "savoir" 48 Fever-causing virus 49 Less plentiful 50 Rat Pack pal of Dean and Frank 51 Snakes in hieroglyph-

SUDOKU

ics 52 Ice mass 53 Infuriate 54 Some make it to Cooperstown 58 Genetic material 59 Royal flush component PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian. – Dennis Wholey

Chai Time STAR POWER

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

FOR 17-3-2012

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

TAURUS

GEMINI

Health needs to be taken care of. Tak‑ ing proper medical care is a must. Con‑ centrate on govt work to avoid delays. Negligence by employees to be avoided. Businessmen will see prosperity.

You need to be extremely cautious to‑ day. Avoid taking any important deci‑ sions or journey. Keep your distance from bad friends as they might be rea‑ son for your loss and bad name.

Money ﬂow will be good and fortune chances too likely. You will spend a happy time with spouse and children. Those involved in romance will have a good time. Businessmen to be careful.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Maintenance expenses of ancestral prop‑ erty will exceed expectations. Monitor the same. Avoid purchase of assets today. Enemies will be successful in creating a good rapport with you; beware of them.

Your mind may be deviating from nor‑ mal thoughts to abnormal ones; avoid this. Yoga and meditation will be of great help to you. Avoid entering into dispute with neighbour or anyone else.

You might feel tensed and depressed. Avoid taking any hasty decision in the impact of the same. Maintain a calm and avoid undertaking important work today. Be alert while travelling.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

You will remain cheerful and keep the family members in good spirit. You will involve in various activities and remain successful. Hurdles faced by you all the‑ se days get over and you march ahead.

Consider training your children in vari‑ ous art‑related activities like dance, vocal, drawing or games. Be careful about your food intake; avoid junk food as chances of indigestion likely.

Health will be ﬁne. Concentrate and do things that will bring a good name in the society. Financial fortune likely today. Interaction with close friends and relatives will keep you cheerful.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Chances of receiving bad news or un‑ pleasant situations or you might come across public fury. Keep your mind sta‑ ble and avoid emotional reaction. Enemy elements might try to spread rumours.

Avoid getting irritated at the unexpect‑ ed turn of events against you. Your stock in the society is set to pile up. Good news is on the cards and you will remain cheerful the whole day.

Father's health might be a cause for co‑ ncern. Meeting ﬁnancial commitments will be a bit difﬁcult but situation will improve soon. Analyse your merits and demerits and then plan your actions.

SUMAA TEKUR

FOR 17-3-2012

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Queen of Cups – You feel emotional. Good day to listen to your heart and do somet‑ hing that makes you happy – even if ice cream topped with hot chocolate sauce.

Nine of Cups – Your every wish is about to come true. If something has been bothering you for a long time, a resolu‑ tion is near. Keep a low proﬁle today.

Ten of Swords – Bad advice has caused you to make decisio‑ ns that lead to some kind of loss. Be pre‑ pared for change. Yo‑ uʼll get up and ﬁght.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Eight of Cups – You have everything that youʼve always wanted but still feel a void, an emptiness. Remember that happiness has little to do with mate‑ rial comforts.

The Empress – Love is in the air. You dis‑ cover the romantic in you and go all out to woo your lover. Go with the ﬂow and let your feelings lead you.

The Fool – Youʼre re‑ ady to jump into a n‑ ew situation even th‑ ough you have little experience in that ar‑ ea. It will be a great learning experience. Go with the ﬂow.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

King of Wands – Ke‑ ep an open mind and take suggestions fr‑ om those around you. You donʼt have to do everything well‑wish‑ ers say, but they may have a point.

Ace of Swords – You take an extreme sta‑ nd on a crucial issue. You declare that itʼs either your way or nothing. Explore oth‑ er options and keen an open mind.

Page of Cups – Matters of the heart are in focus today. If you have been putting off some rela‑ tionship‑based deci‑ sion, today may be a good day to decide.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Temperance – You need to wait upon events to get to the right place where you can beneﬁt from them. Expect delays and obstacles but donʼt be frustrated.

Two of Wands – You need to wait upon events for them to have the right effect. It might be frustrating but the period of wait‑ ing is extremely important.

Justice – You need to take charge of your own happiness and work towards attain‑ ing your goals. Take up a hobby or a rela‑ xation activity that keeps you centred.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

SOLUTIONS

Boggle RABBIT BEAVER COUGAR BADGER GOPHER

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No 243 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Missamma 2030 Edureetha 2100 Dammu 2200 CID 2300 Challenge 0730 Maa Punyakshetralu 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Real City 0900 Movie 1200 Movie

1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Sumangali 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 Swathi 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Nippu Special 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0700 News 0730 Subhalagnam - Live 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Special Programmes 0930 Movie 1130 Adhi Matter 1200 Movie

1400 [V] Vignettes 1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Trailers 1600 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1630 [V] Humse Hai Life 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] Vignettes 2030 Indian Princess 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

‘[V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance’ at 1900 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]

1300 News Now At 1 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 10 PM 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 2330 News Now Overnight 0900 News Now 0930 The Hidden Truth 1000 News Now

‘The Newshour’ at 2100 Hrs only on TIMES NOW

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings

1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 Paduta Teeyaga 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Wow 2245 Movie 0700 Etv News 0730 Subhamastu 0800 Jeevana Jyothi 0830 Tollywood Time 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi

1400 Ardhangi 1430 Movie 1800 Meera 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupukunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Baghyalakshmi Bumper Offer 2230 Shree 2300 Chitrapuri 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Subhamastu 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Movie 1230 Mee Inti Vanta 1300 Movie

1440 Whacked Out Sports 1510 The Rachel Zoe Project 1605 The Challenger Muaythai 1700 Supernatural 1800 Chuck 1900 Wipeout 2000 Whacked Out Sports 2030 E Buzz 2100 Minute To Win It 2200 Movie - Murder By Numbers 0700 Sky Teleshopping 0800 Infomercial/30 Min 0830 Sky Teleshopping 0900 Mondo Magic Singapore 0930 Whacked Out Sports 1000 Minute To Win It 1235 Movie - Murder By Numbers

‘Murder By Numbers’ at 2200 Hrs on AXN

‘Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo’ at 2200 Hrs on IMAGINE 1400 Haar Jeet 1430 Jamuna Paar 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1600 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1630 Jamuna Paar 1700 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1730 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1800 Jamuna Paar 1830 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Gyaan Guru 2000 Dwarkadheesh - Bhagwan Shri Krishn 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Jamuna Paar 2130 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Jamuna Paar

1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Your Trades 1800 Rush Hour 1830 Tee Time With Shaili Chopra 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Your Trades 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At 10 2230 Et Insight 2300 Et Interview 2330 Your Trades 0700 Starting Up 0730 Et Insight 0800 Tee Time With Shaili Chopra 0830 The Market Makers 0900 Your Trades 0930 Investor's Guide 1000 Talking Technicals

‘Phulwa’ at 2100 Hrs on COLORS

‘Punarvivah’ at 2100 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Chhoti Bahu 2 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Hitler Didi 1830 Punarvivah 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Chhoti Bahu 2 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milaye Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Punarvivah 2300 Afsar Bitiya 0900 Hitler Didi 1230 Afsar Bitiya

1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1430 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1530 Crime Patrol - 4 1800 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1830 Crime Patrol - 2 1930 Shubh Vivah 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2030 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2100 Saas Bina Sasuraal 2130 Parvarrish - Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi 2200 CID 2300 Crime Patrol - Dastak 2330 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 0700 Telebrands 0730 Sky Star Advertising 0900 Movie - Simha 1230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai

‘Kuch Toh Log Kahenge’ at 2000 Hrs on SONY

‘Saath Nibhaana Saathiya’ at 1700 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

1350 Lara Croft - Tomb Raider 1550 The Devil's Tomb 1725 The Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers 2100 Kung Fu Panda 2250 The Dark Knight 0800 Friends 0830 Nikita1 0920 Butterfly On A Wheel 1110 Demolition Man 1325 The Cave

‘Top 10 At 10’ at 2200 Hrs only on ET NOW

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 - Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado

1445 The Flintstones 1640 Dickie Roberts - Former Child Star 1840 Speedy Singhs 2100 Final Destination 2 2300 A Nightmare On Elm Street 0800 Connor Undercover - Trash Talk 0830 Connor Undercover - Stung 0900 Problem Child 2 1100 Speedy Singhs 1315 Final Destination 2

‘Dual Survival’ at 2200 Hrs on DISCOVERY

1400 My Kitchen Rules 1500 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 1530 America's Funniest Home Videos 1600 My Wife And Kids 1630 Scrubs 1700 Rookie Blue 1800 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 1900 Outsourced 1930 Scrubs 2000 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 My Kitchen Rules 2200 Rookie Blue 2300 Outsourced 2330 My Wife And Kids 0900 America's Funniest Home Videos 1000 Criss Angel 1100 The Big Bang Theory

1400 I Should'nt Be Alive 1600 Swamp Brothers 1630 Factory Made 1700 Survivors 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 I Almost Got Away With It? 2000 Man Vs Wild 2100 East To West 2200 Dual Survival 2300 Tattoo Hunter 1000 Man Woman Wild 1100 Rebuilding Japan 1130 Destroyed In Seconds 1200 Dual Survival 1300 Food Detectives

‘Rookie Blue’ at 2200 Hrs on ZEE CAFE

Yeh Rishta Kya CID Kehlata Hai Storyline Storyline - Akshara and Naitik take Rashmi for an outing, and come across Nikhil. What will come out of this confrontation ? ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’ at 2130 Hrs on STAR PLUS

‘Supernatural’ at 2100 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Supernatural 1500 The River 1600 The Big Bang Theory 1630 The Simpsons 1700 Unforgettable 1800 Supernatural 1900 Desperate Housewives 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 Criminal Minds 2300 The Big Bang Theory 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 Dexter 0800 Person Of Interest 0900 Castle 1000 Pan Am 1100 Friends 1200 The Big Bang Theory

Meera, daughter in law had been tormented for dowry. She returns to her in-laws home without money. Family gets furious and starts beating her. ‘CID’ at 2200 Hrs on SONY

‘Final Destination 2’ at 2100 Hrs on HBO

1400 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1430 Chidiya Ghar 1700 Gutur Gu 1730 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1900 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1930 Lapataganj - Sharad Joshi Ki Kahaniyon Ka Pata 2000 I Luv My India 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiyaghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj Mein Fir 2300 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2330 Chidiyaghar 0700 Religious Slot 0800 Teleshopping 0830 Religious Slot 0900 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah

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

‘Chandni Chowk To China’ at 1230 Hrs on ZOOM 1230 Movie - Chandni Chowk To China 1600 Letz Go! 1700 Telly Talk 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Letz Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood News 1930 The Zoom Review Show 2000 Letz Go! 2100 Telly Talk 2130 The Zoom Review Show 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Link'D 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Letz Go! 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Letz Go! 1100 Your Likes 1200 Zoom Holi Party 2012 1230 Bollywood Big Story 1300 Zabar 10 1330 Telly Talk

1400 Megascience 1430 Extreme Engineering 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 The Indestructibles 1700 Million 2 One 1730 Surviving The Cut 1930 How The Universe Works 2030 Heavy Metal Taskforce 2130 Greatest Ever 2230 Heavy Metal Task Force 2330 Industrial Revelations 1030 The Indestructibles 1100 Million 2 One 1130 Extreme Engineering 1330 How The Universe Works

‘Heavy Metal Task Force’ at 2230 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE

‘Lucha Libre’ at 2200 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME 1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Aspire 1600 Galileo Extreme 1700 The 4400 1800 Entertainment Tonight 1830 Galileo Extreme 1930 Frasier 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Hawaii Five - 0 2200 Lucha Libre 2300 Jerry Springer 0700 Aspire 0730 Galileo Extreme 0800 The 4400 1000 Lucha Libre 1100 Galileo Extreme 1130 Big Wheels 1200 Aspire 1230 Galileo Extreme 1300 Movie

Playing Field

The games people play

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

CLOSE CHASE

‘Red Tanber’ ridden by Lucy Alexander (L) clears the water jump with ‘Cristal Bonus’ ridden by Ruby Walsh during The Jewson novices steeple chase on the third day of the Cheltenham horse racing Festival in Gloucestershire, England, on Thursday. One of trainer Nicky Henderson's stable staff was reported Thursday to have won £1 million thanks to an accumulator bet based on five of his boss's six winners so far at this week's Cheltenham Festival. Several British media outlets said Conor Murphy placed the £50 ($79) on Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig, Bobs Worth, Finians Rainbow and Riverside Theatre at large antepost prices in November. AFP/ANDREW YATES

Sharapova outlasts Kirilenko AFP/MATTHEW STOCKMAN

INDIAN CALIFORNIA:

WELLS,

Three time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova rallied to defeat fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the Indian Wells semi-finals Thursday. Sharapova needed three hours and five minutes to dispatch Kirilenko in their first meeting since the opening round of the 2010 Australian Open, which Kirilenko won in three sets. “I tried to keep my head up today even though I wasn’t playing my best,” said Sharapova, who won the Indian Wells title in 2006. “Towards the end I started to play better and move better.” Sharapova will face another former Indian Wells winner, Ana Ivanovic, in the semis after the Serbian eased past a stricken Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-4 in a rematch of their quarter-final contest from last year. Second seed Sharapova had cruised through her first three matches at the joint WTA and ATP event without dropping a set but she quickly ran into trouble Thursday against Kirilenko - who had won eight of her previous nine three-set matches this year. Kirilenko is getting a reputation as the WTA Tour’s iron

woman. This was the third straight three setter for Kirilenko and the second time in the tournament she has gone past three hours in a match. She became the first player in the tournament to take a set off Sharapova, breaking the former world No. 1 twice in winning the opening frame in 43 minutes. “She started very well, but it was also a poor start from my end,” Sharapova said. “I think she controlled most of the points and I was on the defence a lot. That created so many opportunities for her and she gained so much confidence after that.” Sharapova held serve in a marathon fifth game of the second set to go up 3-2. She survived several break points including one by hammering a 166 kph (103 mph) ace down the middle. It was one of six aces for Sharapova in the match. Sharapova dropped the first two games of the second set, but then won four in a row to climb back into the match. Kirilenko had to overcome a hindrance call to the win the 10th game of the second set and level the set at 5-5. Kirilenko led 30-15 on her serve when chair umpire Marija Cicak of Croatia deducted a point from her for tapping her racquet

on the ground three times in quick succession while Sharapova was hitting a shot. Kirilenko went on to win the next point. Asked if she heard the tapping, Sharapova said yes. “Unless you’re deaf, of course you notice it,” Sharapova said. “The whole stadium was quiet. It’s not something I’ve ever come across. Maybe in the 12 and unders, but not very recently. “It’s one thing if you do it once, but I think she did it three or four times. It’s not like a hockey puck or something. She forgot, I think, the sport.” Sharapova broke Kirilenko’s serve to win the second set after Kirilenko had saved two set points, and in the third Kirilenko double faulted on Sharapova’s first match point, her sixth double fault of the match. Ivanovic’s victory over Bartoli was something of a grudge match. France’s Bartoli reached the semi-finals in Indian Wells last year with a close 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win over Ivanovic. Bartoli went on to the final where she lost to Caroline Wozniacki. “I am definitely happy to be through and get my revenge,” Ivanovic said. “It was a tough match. I served well.” AFP

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

With the Australian Grand Prix on March 18 kickstarts the Formula 1 season this year. Below are the profiles of the men who are going to set the tracks scorching. RED BULL

FERRARI

LOTUS

SAUBER

WILLIAMS

HRT

SEBASTIAN VETTEL (GER) Date of birth: 03/07/1987 Wins: 21 Points scored: 773 Number of GP: 81 Pole Position: 30 Podiums: 36 First GP: 2007 (Indianapolis) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 1

FERNANDO ALONSO (ESP) Date of birth: 29/07/1981 Wins: 27 Points scored: 1086 Pole Position: 20 Podiums: 73 First GP: 2001 (Melbourne) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 4

KIMI RAIKKONEN (FIN) Birth date: 17/10/1979 Wins: 18 Points scored: 579 Number of GP: 157 Pole Position: 16 Podiums: 62 First GP: 2001 (Melbourne) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: -

KAMUI KOBAYASHI (JPN) Date of birth: 13/09/1986 Wins: 0 Points scored: 65 Number of GP: 40 Pole position: 0 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2009 (Brazil) Best result: 5 2011 championship position: 12

PASTOR MALDONADO (VEN) Date of birth: 09/03/1985 Wins: 0 Points scored: 1 Number of GP: 19 Pole position: 0 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2011 (Melbourne) Best result: 10 2011 championship position: 19

PEDRO DE LA ROSA (ESP) Date of birth: 24/02/1971 Wins: 0 Points scored: 35 Number of GP: 87 Pole position: 0 Podiums: 1 First GP: 1999 (Australia) Best result: 2 2011 championship position: 20

ROMAIN GROSJEAN (FRA) Date of Birth: 17/04/1986 Wins: 0 Points scored: 0 Number of GP: 7 Pole Position: 14 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2009 (European) Best result: 13 2011 championship position: -

SERGIO PEREZ (MEX) Date of birth: 26/01/1990 Wins: Points scored: 14 Number of GP: 18 Pole position: 0 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2011 (Melbourne) Best result: 7 2011 championship position: 16

BRUNO SENNA (BRA) Date of birth: 15/10/1983 Wins: 0 Points scored: 2 Number of GP: 26 Pole Position: 0 Podiums: 0 First GP: Bahrain (2010) Best result: 9 2011 championship position: 18

NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN (IND) Date of birth: 14/01/1977 Wins: 0 Points scored: 5 Number of GP: 28 Pole Position: 0 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2005 (Australia) Best result: 4 2011: championship position: 26

FORCE INDIA

TORO ROSSO

CATERHAM

MARUSSIA

PAUL DI RESTA (GBR) Date of birth: 16/04/1986 Wins: 0 Points scored: 27 Number of GP: 19 Pole position: 0 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2011 (Melbourne) Best result: 6 2011 championship position: 13

DANIEL RICCIARDO (AUS) Date of birth: 01/07/1989 Wins: 0 Points scored: 0 Number of GP: 11 Pole Position: 0 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2011 (Silverstone) Best result: 18 2011 championship position: 27

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN (FIN) Date of birth: 19/10/1981 Wins: 1 Points scored: 105 Number of GP: 90 Pole Position: 1 Podiums: 4 First GP: 2007 (Melbourne) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 22

TIMO GLOCK (GER) Birth date: 10/01/1982 Wins: 0 Points scored: 51 Number of GP: 74 Pole Position: 0 Podiums: 3 First GP: 2004 (Montreal) Best result: 2 2011 championship position: 25

NICO HULKENBERG (GER) Date of birth: 19/08/1987 Wins: 0 Points scored: 22 Number of GP: 19 Pole Positions: 1 Podiums: 0 First GP: 2010 (Melbourne) Best result: 6 2011 championship position: -

JEAN-ERIC VERGNE (FRA) Date of birth: 25/04/1990 Wins: - Nil Points scored: - Nil Number of GP: - Nil Pole position: - Nil Podiums: - Nil First GP: - Nil Best result: - Nil 2011 championship position: -Nil

VITALY PETROV (RUS) Date of birth: 08/09/1984 Wins: 0 Points scored: 64 Number of GP: 38 Pole Position: 0 Podiums: 1 First GP: 2010 (Bahrain) Best result: 3 2011 championship position: 10

CHARLES PIC (FRA) Date of birth: 15/02/1990 Wins: - Nil Points scored: - Nil Number of GP: - Nil Pole position: - Nil Podiums: - Nil First GP: - Nil Best result: - Nil 2011 championship position: -Nil

MARK WEBBER (AUS) Date of birth: 27/08/1976 Wins: 7 Points scored: 669.5 Number of GP: 178 Pole Position: 9 Podiums: 30 First GP: 2002 (Melbourne) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 3

McLAREN

JENSON BUTTON (GBR) Birth date: 19/01/1980 Wins: 12 Points scored: 811 Number of GP: 210 Pole Position: 7 Podiums: 43 First GP: 2000 (Melbourne) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 2

LEWIS HAMILTON (GBR) Birth date: 07/01/1985 Wins: 17 Points scored: 723 Number of GP: 90 Pole Position: 19 Podiums: 42 First GP: 2007 (Melbourne) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 5

FELIPE MASSA (BRA) Date of birth: 25/04/1981 Wins: 11 Points scored: 582 Number of GP: 153 Pole Position: 15 Podiums: 33 First GP: 2002 (Melbourne) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 6

MERCEDES

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER (GER) Date of birth: 03/01/1969 Wins: 91 Points scored: 1517 Number of GP: 288 Pole Position: 68 Podiums: 154 First GP: 1991 (SpaFrancorchamps) Best result: 1 2011 championship position: 8

NICO ROSBERG (GER) Date of birth: 27/06/1985 Wins: 0 Points scored: 306.5 Number of GP: 108 Pole Position: 0 Podiums: 5 First GP: 2006 (Bahrain) Best result: 2 2011 championship position: 6

30&31

March 18, Australian Grand Prix

May 13, Spanish Grand Prix

July 8, British Grand Prix

Sept 9, Italian Grand Prix

Oct 28, Indian Grand Prix

Albert Park, Melbourne First F1 GP: 1996 Track length: 5.303 km Number of laps: 58 (307.574 km) Top speed: 325 km/h

Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona First F1 GP: 1991 Track length: 4.655 km Number of laps: 66 (307.104 km) Top speed: 325 km/h

Silverstone First F1 GP: 1950 Track length: 5.891 km Number of laps: 52 (306.198 km) Top speed: 335 km/h

Monza First F1 GP: 1950 Track length: 5.793 km Number of laps: 53 (306.720 km) Top speed: 368 km/h

New Delhi First F1 GP: 2011 Track length: 5.125 km Number of laps: 60 (307.249 km) Top speed: 320 km/h

March 25, Malaysian Grand Prix

May 27, Monaco Grand Prix

July 22, German Grand Prix

Sept 23, Singapore Grand Prix

Nov 4, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Sepang First F1 GP: 1999 Track length: 5.543 km Number of laps: 56 (310.408 km) Top speed: 330 km/h

Monte Carlo First F1 GP: 1950 Track length: 3.340 km Number of laps: 78 (260.520 km) Top speed: 305 km/h

Hockenheim First F1 GP: 1970 Track length: 4.574 km Number of laps: 67 (306.458 km) Top speed: 330 km/h

Singapore First F1 GP: 2008 Track length: 5.073 km Number of laps: 61 (309.316 km) Top speed: 300 km/h

Yas Marina First F1 GP: 2009 Track length: 5.554 km Number of laps: 55 (305.355 km) Top speed: 320 km/h

April 15, Chinese Grand Prix

June 10, Canadian Grand Prix

July 29, Hungarian Grand Prix

Oct 7, Japanese Grand Prix

Nov 18, USA Grand Prix

Shanghai First F1 GP: 2004 Track length: 5.451 km Number of laps: 56 (305.066 km) Top speed: 320 km/h

Montreal, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve First F1 GP: 1967 Track length: 4.361 km Number of laps: 70 (305.270 km) Top speed: 316 km/h

Budapest First F1 GP: 1986 Track length: 4.381 km Number of laps: 70 (306.630 km) Top speed: 310 km/h

Suzuka First F1 GP: 1987 Track length: 5.807 km Number of laps: 53 (307.471 km) Top speed: 330 km/h

April 22, Bahrain Grand Prix

June 24, European Grand Prix

September 2, Belgian Grand Prix

Oct 14, South Korean Grand Prix

Austin First F1 GP: 2012 Track length: 5.516 km Number of laps: 56 (308.896 km) Top speed: 320 km/h Austin's circuit of the Americas is making its debut on the F1 calendar

Nov 25, Brazilian Grand Prix

Sakhir First F1 GP: 2004 Track length: 5.412 km Number of laps: 57 (308.238 km) Top speed: 315 km/h

Valencia First F1 GP: 2008 Track length: 5.419 km Number of laps: 57 (308.883 km) Top speed: 300 km/h

Spa-Francorchamps First F1 GP: 1950 Track length: 7.004 km Number of laps: 44 (308.052 km) Top speed: 330 km/h

Yeongam First F1 GP: 2010 Track length: 5.615 km Number of laps: 55 (308.630 km) Top speed: 320 km/h

Sao Paulo First F1 GP: 1973 Track length: 4.309 km Number of laps: 71 (305.909 km) Top speed: 325 km/h

Playing Field

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

The games people play

BILBAO IN EURO QUARTERS AFTER 35 YRS Manchester United crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday when they were beaten 2-1 by Athletic Bilbao, the Spanish side reaching their first European quarterfinal for 35 years after a 5-3 aggregate victory.

Athletic Bilbao players celebrate with supporters after the UEFA Europa round of 16 second leg football match against Manchester United on Thursday at San Mames stadium in Bilbao. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1. AFP/JAVIER SORIANO PARIS: Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, 3-2 down from the first leg at Old Trafford, fell to a stunning volley from Fernando Llorente and a second-half strike by Oscar de Marcos. United replied with a fine goal from Wayne Rooney in the 80th minute, but the visitors could not find the two goals they needed to take the game to extra time. It was a chastening experience for last season’s Champions League finalists, who will now have to plough all their resources into the defence of their Premier League crown, having stolen in front of title rivals Manchester City last weekend. “We can’t complain,” said Ferguson. “In the first half we let

in a very soft goal, which was the last thing we wanted. I can’t believe we lost a goal like that. “There are lessons to learn in every match. It’s disappointment, more than anything, that we didn’t play our best in the Champions League and now we’re out of the Europa League.” Bilbao, currently seventh in La Liga, will learn their quarterfinal opponents in Friday’s draw in Nyon. “It was a wonderful match,” said Spanish international Llorente. “The team played a memorable game. I don’t know if it’s my greatest moment with the club. But it’s the first time that we’ve gone past the last 16 in the Europa League, and that’s

City makes Europa exit

Sporting Lisbon supporters are photographed with a Manchester City mascot before the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 second leg football match between Manchester City and Sporting Lisbon at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on Thursday. AFP/PAUL ELLIS

MANCHESTER: Manchester City were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday, losing on the aways goal rule to Sporting Lisbon. City came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 on the night, with the last-16 tie ending 3-3 on aggregate. City had lost the first leg 1-0 in Portugal and Sporting went 20 ahead on the night with Matias Fernandez and Ricky van Wolfswinkel both on target before the interval for a 3-0 overall lead. Roberto Mancini’s side roared back in the second half as Sergio Aguero (2) and Mario Balotelli, from the penalty spot, gave hope of completing a dramatic recovery. But they were unable to find another goal as Sporting held on and City joined neighbours Manchester United in exiting the tournament. AFP

incredible.” Valencia joined Bilbao in the quarter-finals after a 1-1 stalemate with PSV Eindhoven gave them a 5-3 aggregate win. The Spaniards, the 2004 champions, took a 4-2 first leg lead to PSV and increased their advantage when Adil Rami, who was later red-carded, gave them a 47th-minute lead. Ola Toivonen grabbed a 64thminute consolation for PSV. Dutch league leaders AZ Alkmaar lost 2-1 in Italy to Udinese but progressed 3-2 on aggregate despite having defender Nick Viergever sent off in the first minute. Antonio Di Natale scored from the penalty spot and added a second on 15 minutes as Udinese pulled level on aggre-

gate. But a wonderful left-foot shot from Erik Falkenburg on the half-hour mark put Alkmaar back in control. German side Hanover trounced 10-man Standard Liege 4-0 for a 6-2 aggregate win and a place in the last eight of a European tournament for the first time. Later on Thursday, Manchester City were facing Sporting Lisbon trying to overturn a 1-0 deficit. Schalke were trailing FC Twente 1-0 and Besiktas started 3-1 down to Atletico Madrid, while Olympiakos went into their match with Metalist Kharkiv on the back of a 1-0 win in Ukraine.