YUVRAJ OUT OF HOSPITAL The all-rounder has been discharged from hospital and tweeted that he couldn’t wait to be back home.
POLLS BEGIN
People have turned up in large numbers to vote this morning in all the 7 constituencies. Polling averaged 17 per cent till 11am.
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MARCH 18, 2012 HYDERABAD
SMUGGLERS SCARE COPS
I HOPE TO MATCH BIPASHA IN JISM 2: SUNNY PG 21 32 PAGES
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ON SUNDAY
CALL OF THE ROAD
To be away from the hustle-bustle of city life is a distant dream for most of us. But this coming weekend could just be your chance. PG 16&17
WIFE KILLS HUBBY
In a blood-curdling incident, a wife allegedly doused her sleeping husband with petrol and burnt him alive in their home in Maruthi Nagar under the Malkajgiri police jurisdiction and bolted from PG 3 the scene last night.
REPORT ON PG 4
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PAGE TWO SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER JOURNEY
Sunday brunch
M ANIL KUMAR
Enjoy those lazy Sundays with a special Sunday brunch. Enjoy a spread of world cuisine, a dip in the pool and live food. Where: Aqua, The Park, Somajiguda When: March 18, 12.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2345 6789
Cotton and silk mela Bring out your shopping bags. Lepakshi Cotton and Silk Mela is on at Satya Sai Nigamagamam. Choose from a variety of cotton and silk sarees and dress materials. Where: Satya Sai Nigamagamam, Srinagar Colony. When: March 18 to March 25 Contact: (040) 23235028
Fusion brunch Sunday brunch goes international at Fusion 9. the spread includes a live pasta counter, a wide array of salads and delicious desserts. Where: Fusion 9, Banjara Hills When: March 18 Contact: (040) 6557 7722
Photo exhibition A photo exhibition titled Milestone is on at Iconart Gallery. The exhibition which is being held till March 19. The photographs by 16 photographers are based on the Himalayas. Where: Iconart, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: 98499 68797
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
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
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.
CINEMAS
Where: Yellow Chilli, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 23383838
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
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
Asian barbeque The Square, Novotel, Madhapur plays host to an Asian barbeque. Sample grilled specialities from around the world — from lebanese to Japanese to even South Indian. Where: The Square, Novotel, Madhapur
When: Every Saturday, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422
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
Wraps and rolls Rolls — boring did you say? Head to Promenade at Ameerpet for a wide variety of rolls to suit everyone from the vegetarians to the non-vegetarians. Sample sea food rolls, grilled chicken rolls,cabbage roll, stir fried vegetable wraps and much more. Where: The Promenade, Ameerpet
When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6678 8888
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
Go Splash Splash lounge is the perfect leisure destination for you to unwind. During the evenings, there is also some great music, martinis and aperitifs. Where: The Westin, Mindspace, Madhapur When: Monday - Friday, 5pm - 10.30pm Weekends, 8am - 10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828
New works Lover of art? 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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CITY SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
MIM man held for extortion
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einbazar police arrested on Saturday a former corporator of MIM, IBrahim Qureshi, on charges of extortion. Inspector Sukhdev Singh said Ibrahim had demanded `1 lakh from a person in the area who was reluctant to pay up. Ibrahim is said to have threatened him with dire consequence if he did not cough up the money.
Idol re-installed
Chains snatched
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The idol of Nalla Pochamma Ammavaru was re-installed in the renovated temple in the Secretariat on Saturday. Chief Secretary Pankaj Dwivedi was the chief guest. It has been a custom for incoming chief ministers to offer puja in the temple before taking over reins of the State.
wo women were robbed by some unidentified snatchers in two incidents in the City on Saturday. In the first incident, Bharatamma, 55, was sweeping in front of her house at Chandrayangutta when a biker sped away snatching her gold chain weighing five tolas. In the second incident two men on scooter snatched a necklace from a woman at Dasaram Basti.
Role reversal; wife kills hubby ZAN VARIN
MOHD SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: In a blood-curdling incident, a wife has allegedly doused her sleeping husband with petrol and burnt him alive in their home in Maruthi Nagar under the Malkajgiri police jurisdiction and bolted from the scene last night. M Raghu, 45, died on way to hospital. His wife, M Pushpa, 40, was not found when the ambulance reached home to shift the victim to the hospital. Their two children were said to have been somewhere out at
night when the incident took place. They came back and found their father in throes of pain after being severely scalded. They summoned the ambulance. The tragic saga the two of their three children told the Malkajgiri police Inspector A Venkateshwarlu has many loose ends. The couple have three children, Tulsi, 22, Sampath, 20, Shanti, 18. Tulsi is married. Raghu, hailing from Uppal, has been a realtor. Of late, he was not doing very well in his business but Pushpa is said to have been demanding huge sums from him. Venkateshwarlu told Postnoon on Sunday how the relationship of the husband-wife had soured for some time.
It so happened recently that Pushpa, after a serious bout of noisy quarrel, poured boiling milk over him. Earlier, she is alleged to have poured scalding oil when he was asleep. Information the inspector gathered pointed to an incredible story. The husband and wife are reported to have been partners in drinking. The couple used to drink at night and sometimes quarrel broke out afterward. It is not clear what the grownup children did when this happened. Sampath is working in a private company and the daughter is in college. Not long ago Raghu lodged a complaint with the Malkajgiri police that his wife had attempted to kill him. The police sum-
moned both and their relatives. In a detailed discussion the two parties agreed to abide by the advice of the police and relatives to sink their differences and live peacefully. But, since last few days, fight resumed. It is said that following a serious quarrel a week ago, he had stopped drinking with his wife. The two also slept separately. Initial interrogation of the children, neighbours and relatives revealed that Pushpa had a love interest and that too rankled in the mind of Raghu. Raghu had moved in from Uppal and built a home for his family 10 years ago. The police have registered a murder case against wife. Body is kept in the Gandhi hospital mortuary.
M ANIL KUMAR
Bicyclone hits City
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e came; he rode, and declared the first cycle track of Hyderabad on Necklace Road open for the City. The Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy came in a sports outfit — a white tee-shirt, grey pants and a cap on. He rode the sports Hercules with the ease of an adolescent. A sizeable crowd of enthusiasts clapped hands and urged him on. Giving him company was Mayor Mohd Majid Hussain, who was in casuals. The cycle track from Sanjeevaiah Park to Prasad’s IMAX on Necklace Road will be open for cyclists and joggers from 5 am to 7am every morning. Motor vehicles are disallowed in this period. The concept was conceived by GHMC and the Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC).
Speaking on the occasion, the Mayor said, “We want the City to be healthy and so want to encourage the habit of cycling among citizens. This is just one of the initiatives. We will start another cycling track in Hitech City and in due course of time, have a 125km cycling track in the City.” Minister Danam Nagender and Tollywood biggies Venkatesh and Suresh Babu attended the Bicyclone. The best part of the project is that from March 19, 100 bicycles and helmets will be kept at Necklace Road and one can simply drive there and pick up a bicycle. Till March 31, there will be no fees and a nominal amount of around `100 per month will be charged after that for maintenance. “A great initiative,” agreed most of the people at the spot. (Report by Osama Salman)
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4
CITY SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Smugglers checkmate cops
About 3,000 cases of timber smuggling are pending in courts and tonnes of Red Sanders, endemic to AP, are being chopped off. Arming all the beat guards with modern guns and equipment and give them orders to ‘shoot to hurt’ is the only way to prevent it, say top forest officials RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA
rahul.r@postnoon.com
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ndhra Pradesh’s most precious flora, Red Sanders, is being slaughtered by smugglers from within and across the borders. But the State forest managers reverse their palms in helplessness for want of powers and armed guards. Red Sanders is the most famous endemic species that earned the State a pride of place in the world biodiversity map. The forthcoming World Convention on Biodiversity makes a mention of this species pointing out that this is found only in AP and nowhere else in the world. And yet 8.50 crore population are unable to guard them from the ruthless axe. Forest officials say the State has seized 7,000 tonnes of Red Sanders in the past 10 years while equal quantity of timber may have been cut and carted out of the State on the sly. In the last eight months, a total of 958 tonnes of Red Sanders have been seized from smugglers. A total of 1,078 cases were booked against 1,857 people involved in smuggling the endangered wood. Additional PCCF of the AP Forest
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Red Sanders, Maoists, and Kerala
ed Sanders have been one of the most prized woods, deemed sacred for rituals since ancient times in Hindu and Chinese cultures. The wood from Red Sanders is used to make musical instruments and furniture. Powdered Red Sanders wood is supposed to possess medicinal properties. However, due to rampant exploitation and over cutting of these trees they have been listed as an endangered species by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). Forest officials say shooting the smugglers at sight when spotted cutting the trees is the only way to prevent the plunder.
department, DK Pandey was plain in his observation. He said with a tinge of sadness how the timber mafia run free in the forest. “The Forest Act as such is a toothless, weak law. Most of these people who are caught smuggling Red Sanders get bailed out and commit the same crime again. It is mostly poor daily wage labourers who get caught in this act. They are what we call the ‘third base’ of the smuggling chain. The first and second are made of businessmen and middlemen or contractors respectively. If the ringleader is caught he or she is out on bail in a jiffy, thanks to the weak laws we have here.” Guards made scarecrow The system of
POSTNOON E X C L U S I V E
monitoring forest zones and divisions is weak. It is futile to have guards who are not equipped with the proper arms to safeguard the wealth of our jungles which is why smugglers are given such a free hand. Additional PCCF B Murali Krishna said, “Most of these offenders obtain bail as we do not have stringent laws. This makes it easy for the smugglers to take advantage of the situation. A jail period of 1 to 2 years is hardly strict and this is why we have more than 3,000 offenders with cases of smuggling pending
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against them.” “We have mobile police parties that patrol the divisions, with 5 armed constables in each patrol unit. They are equipped with firearms and are authorised to only apprehend, not kill. We have placed orders for 250 more guns that are to be distributed to each division. Also we have placed a proposal to the Union ministry to amend the act and initiate a more tougher law to prevent smuggling,” he said.
ast November the directorate of revenue intelligence had foiled a bid to smuggle out Red Sanders worth crores of rupees to Dubai through Kochi Port. It was then the Intelligence realised the gravity of the clandestine operations to denude AP of its precious tree. The intelligence also identified the kingpins of the racket and their connections with some Maoist groups in Andhra Pradesh. The DRI has reportedly confirmed that the chiefs of the Red Sanders smuggling racket, Shafeeq from Thalassery, Kannur and Shahul Hameed from Chennai, are stationed in Dubai. It is said that they have been shipping the Red Sanders, a much sought after raw material in the music instrument and toy industry, to Hong Kong and China via Kochi- Dubai. AP is the only State where Red Sanders grow. The Red Sanders smuggling racket has an international network with operations spread over in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Dubai, Hong Kong and China. The agency has already sought the assistance of the Interpol for getting Shafeeq and Hameed, presently in Dubai, back to India.
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FOCUS SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Homeward Bound
Fancy sweet shops might seem like the obvious choice, but it's really the home-grown enterprises that locals and NRIs alike are flocking to
Padmini C
padmini.c@postnoon.com
B
ack in the 1990s, an enterprising woman in Vijayawada named Chagarlamudi Vijayakumari with her husband Ratna Kishore started operating a small in-house establishment with a view to provide authentic home-made sweets and savories, chutneys and pickles to nearby neighborhoods. They named it Swagruha foods. Little did she know that her shop would in the next two decades grow to become a brand, and more importantly, a businessmodel replicated by hundreds of other households across the State. Chagarlamudi Madhubabu, her son, now continues
Vijayakumari's legacy. What was once a small-scale enterprise with an initial investment of `5 lakhs and consisting of 20 employees is now a trademarked brand with over 200 employees, with an annual turnover of `3 crore. Not just that, Swagruha has expansion plans as well. “We have always enjoyed a loyal customer base locally. We have had people come to us for over 20 years. But more and more, we are getting a lot of orders from across the country and internationally too. NRIs are increasingly yearning for traditional homemade foods. So we are going to cater to that demand. In the next year or so, we'll be opening more outlets in the State, definitely one in Hyderabad. Also we will be opening one in the US for our
5 things you must try at Swagruha foods Pootharekulu Bobbabtlu Sunni Undalu Chekkalu Bandar Laddu international customers,” reveals Madhubabu. While other establishments following the business model might not have enjoyed the scale of the original's success, a majority of them are thriving. Sri Madhura Swaghruha foods in Begumpet is a case in point. Its proprietor Srineevasa Rao says that he started the shop six years ago and has seen his orders multiply in number and volume over the years. He says,
“After roaming the world, people are now coming back to wanting traditional Andhra delicacies like bobbattlu, putarekulu, arisalu, kaajalu, chakkilalu, boondi laddu, burelu. Bulk orders are our bread and butter. And most of them seem to be coming from people who are leaving the country, or visiting from overseas.” But it’s not all sunshine and daisies for the small fish in the pond. And there plenty of those. In fact, those in the business estimate that there are as many as hundred different Swagruha establishments in the city alone. Yasu, who has been an employee at Swetha Swagruha at Anand Nagar Colony for the past ten years has seen the ups and downs of the business. He says that it's very labour intensive
and high risk. “Unlike the big sweets shops, we can't afford advertising or any such marketing gimmicks. It's purely word of mouth. So the quality of food decides our fate. Sometimes, there are a lot of orders. Then we work around the clock. Sometimes, there are none and we have to throw away a lot of food. Because it's homemade and there are no preservatives, it rots quickly. Summers are particularly tough due to the heat, but the bright side is that now the marriage season will start and orders will pick up,” he says smiling with hope. For the present the cancerous talons of globalisation and corporation don't seem to have affect these endearingly humble home-grown enterprises. Here's hoping they will stay that way.
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NATION SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS FABRICATION
EC withdraws proposal
I could have been chief
Another warrant issued
NEW DELHI: The Election
MUMBAI: India’s first woman IPS
NEW DELHI: A court on
Commission has decided to withdraw its proposal for setting up an autonomous body for imparting electoral training to professionals within and outside the country as it gives “no additional benefit”. Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, said that the proposal be withdrawn.
officer Kiran Bedi has said that she could have become the first woman police chief of the national capital had she made some compromises. “I could have compromised to become the Delhi CP but I did not. Had I done so, my self-esteem would have gone down,” Bedi said.
Saturday issued an arrest warrant against another Iranian suspect in an attack last month on an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi, a report said. Israel has accused Iran of masterminding the attack. But India has held back from blaming traditional ally Tehran for the incident.
Maoists take two Italians hostage ALEXCARATA
REAL ESTATE GACHIBOWLI TO VATTINAGULAPALLY ORR FACING HOUSING PLOTS FOR SALE. NEAR MICROSOFT, WIPRO, ICICI, INFOTECH, KOKAPET IT SEZ. CONTACT - 9989354333
Polling begins for Tamil Nadu assembly bypoll CHENNAI: Voting for the bypoll in Sankarankoil Assembly constituency of Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district began amid tight security at 8am today (Sunday), in which 13 candidates are in the fray.
NEW DELHI: Two Italian tourists have been taken hostage by Maoist rebels in Orissa, the NDTV news channel said on Sunday quoting unnamed sources. The two Italians were reportedly kidnapped when they were taking photographs of local women bathing in a river. The channel reported that the incident occurred in the Kandhamal district of Orissa, one of several states where armed Maoist rebels have waged a decades-long battle to overthrow state and national authorities. Local police in Kandhamal were not immediately able to confirm the report when contacted by AFP. “The Maoists have said that the release of the tourists depends on the government’s response to their demands,” NDTV said without giving further details. The government describes the Maoist movement, which often targets police and soldiers with deadly roadside mine ambushes, as India’s biggest internal security threat. The insurgency, which began in 1967, feeds off land disputes, police brutality and corruption, and is strongest in the poorest and most deprived areas of India, many of which are rich in natural resources. The rebels claim they are fighting for the rights of neglected tribal people and landless farmers and say their ultimate goal is to capture India’s cities and overthrow parliament. They have kidnapped government officials and police officers in the past to raise ransom AFP payments and negotiate other demands.
Hyderabad, Delhi top plaints list NEW DELHI: Over 2,800 complaints were registered at various airports for issues like poor service, bad food, lost luggage or other problems, with Delhi and Hyderabad topping the list. Out of 2,888, 587 complaints were registered at the Delhi airport while Hyderabad stood second with 236 complaints, followed by Bangalore and Nagpur airports with 186 and 170 complaints respectively. Of the six private-run airports, Mumbai and Cochin registered the lowest number of complaints with 32 and 34 complaints respectively, official figures show. Similarly, the airports run by Airports Authority of India were also not far behind. Of the AAI-run airports, most number of complaints were received at Ranchi, Madurai, Ahmedabad, Calicut and Jaipur airports. Ranchi topped the list with 190 complaints followed by Madurai and Ahmedabad with 144 and 141 complaints. 117 at Calicut and 112 were registered at Jaipur and Calicut airports. Of the metro airports, 82 complaints were registered at the Chennai airport while the least of 10 at the Kolkata airport, official figures show. In 2009 and 2010, 2,503 and 2,220 complaints were received by the Ministry of PTI Civil Aviation.
Muslims being misled: Rushdie NEW DELHI: Acclaimed writer Salman Rushdie, author of the controversial The Satanic Verses as also bestsellers like Midnight’s Children and Shame, on Saturday denounced “disgraceful vote-bank politics” being practiced in the country and said “95 per cent of Muslims in India are not interested in violence being done in their name”. Returning to India two months after he was stopped from attending the Jaipur Literary Festival, Rushdie spoke at the concluding dinner at the two-day India Today Conclave at the Taj Palace Hotel here. The event was marked by tight security presence but devoid of the kind of protests that had marred the Jaipur event by radical Muslim groups protesting his visit. Rushdie, who was happy at the “lack of interest and protest in my visit” this time around to his land of birth, was, however,
severe on politicians of the subcontinent, both in India and Pakistan, who pandered to “religious fanaticism” and indulged in “political opportunism”, an allusion to those who cancelled their speaking engagements at the conclave because of his presence. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, as well as Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan, stayed away citing “other engagements”. The Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaaf leader said he could not come to the same venue as Rushdie who had done “immeasurable hurt to Muslims” with his allegedly blasphemous references in Satanic Verses. Rushdie said “Deobandi bigotry” and “kneeling to mullahs” had not worked for the Congress, alluding to their recent loss in the state elections during which
Ninety-five per cent of Muslims in India are not interested in violence being done in their name.
the party was accused was trying to win over Muslims in Uttar Pradesh with inducements of job quotas and other blandishments. Rushdie, who addressed a packed hall that greeted him with frequent applause, spoke out strongly against “public apathy”, against violence and intolerance of cultural freedom, saying, “Freedom is not absolute, if you don’t defend it, you lose it. If you give in to the threat of violence, there won’t be less violence, there will be more.” Rushdie began by joking at being “promoted” as the keynote speaker at the closing gala dinner after Imran Khan dropped out. But he then proceeded to target Imran with his verbal barbs, describing him as a “dictator in waiting”, a person who is not very well read (“during his playboy days in London he was known as ‘Im the Dim’”) and also one who lied about not knowing that he would be here
as the organisers had told him about his presence as far back as last month. Rushdie said “immeasurable harm” was caused to Islam by terrorists who attacked India, by Osama bin Laden who had taken refuge in Pakistan and by fanatics like those who killed former Punjab governor Salmar Taseer, whose son, writer Aatish Taseer sat on the dais with Rushdie and was in conversation with him. Rushdie said common people were more sensible than their leaders and 95 per cent Muslims in India were not in favour of the violence and the things being said in their name. “India always had a long and hoary cultural and religious tradition of accepting free speech. Every day, there is a price for hooliganism by bigots,” he said, “disgraceful vote-bank politics taking place”. Rushdie said the customs ban on the import of The Satanic Verses in the age of IANS the internet was absurd.
7
WORLD SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
FARC kills 11 soldiers
More radiation for Chavez
BOGOTA: Marxist FARC rebels
CARACAS: Ailing President Hugo
attacked a Colombian army unit on Saturday and killed 11 soldiers, the army said. The troops were hit by an “indiscriminate” strike by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Arauca department, in the east of Colombia, the army said. A mid-ranking official and 10 privates were killed, the statement said.
Nazi camp guard dead BERLIN: Former Nazi death camp
Chavez, just back from cancer surgery in Cuba, said he would start radiation treatments “in the coming days,” amid rising drama over his health as he seeks reelection late his year. “Now I have to start radiation in the coming days to attack any new threat. This cancer is not going to be the end of Chavez,” the leftist president said.
guard John Demjanjuk, convicted last year in one of the last trials linked to the Holocaust, has died aged 91. The Ukrainian-born man was found guilty of more than 27,000 counts of accessory to murder from the six-month period when he was a guard in Poland at the Sobibor death camp in 1943.
Turmoil threatens Obama’s Afghan endgame AFP/MASSOUD HOSSAINI
WASHINGTON: Deadly set-
backs, an Afghan leader at the ‘end of the rope’ and pressure from a public weary of sacrifice are threatening to upend President Barack Obama’s endgame for America’s longest war. The central premise of US war policy — leaving behind a stable nation that Afghans can secure and thwart an Al-Qaeda resurgence — appears in question. Relations with President Hamid Karzai are plumbing new lows after an American soldier launched a rampage against civilians, then was airlifted out of the country to face US military justice. Deadly riots that followed the burning of Korans by Americans, a spate of incidents in which Afghan soldiers turned their guns on NATO tutors and regular combat deaths have posed the question: is the war still worth it? US-backed reconciliation talks with the Taliban meanwhile have collapsed, dampening hopes of a political settlement to guarantee stability after NATOled forces leave in 2014. Is US strategy in trouble? A furious Karzai this week called for a withdrawal of US forces from villages after the massacre of 16 civilians and demanded an accelerated transfer of security control. His outbursts have deepened the feeling among some in Washington that Karzai, once seen as a hero, is an unreliable
A US soldier walks next to a line of military vehicles as another soldier looks on during a ceremony on the outskirts of Kabul. ally unworthy of US sacrifices. Obama was forced to call Karzai twice in a week, as the Afghan leader admitted that he was at “the end of the rope” with US missteps. Moeed Yusuf of the US Institute for Peace warned that such incidents could undermine efforts to keep Obama and Karzai “on the same page.”
“If this continues, I don’t see how one can hold on to the strategy, which is in large parts dependent on having the goodwill of the average Afghan.” US ambassador to Kabul Ryan Crocker, however, hinted that Washington believed Karzai was venting for domestic political reasons, telling “PBS Newshour” he was right to be
“pretty upset” over the massacre. But the latest setbacks, as NATO plans to scale down to a support role in 2013, focused attention on the compromised nation foreign troops will leave behind. “What we hand off, when we hand off, at best is going to be a stalemate,” said Stephen Biddle of the Council on Foreign
Relations. “I don’t personally think there’s any reasonable expectation the Afghan National Security Forces are going to be able to substantially expand the zone of control that they receive from us.” Given such a pessimistic outlook, some analysts say it may be time to limit the exposure of NATO trainers. When will troops come home? Obama said on Wednesday he planned no “sudden” changes to a plan that will complete the pullout of 33,000 surge forces this summer, though a larger drawdown is almost certain next year. But could increasing the pace of departures squander gains made in the blood of 3,000 dead coalition troops? “It gives hope to our enemies, which might be one reason why we see the Taliban announcing they are walking away from the early stages of peace talks,” said Max Boot, also of the Council on Foreign Relations. “Why should they negotiate when they know our time, our commitment is waning and our presence is time limited?” But to stay on longer would require leaders to explain why they are leaving young men to die in Afghanistan when progress seems so incremental. With Osama bin Laden dead and AlQaeda dismantled in Afghanistan, publics in NATO nations may wonder whether two more years AFP of sacrifice is worth it.
Rights activist to be German prez
Republicans battle in Obama’s home state
Asian countries to double cash swap
BERLIN: Former East German rights activist Joa-
CHICAGO: Republican White House hopefuls waged
chim Gauck is set to become Germany’s next president today, with hopes high he will restore dignity to the office in the wake of two scandal-tainted predecessors. Gauck, 72, enjoys the support of all of Germany’s mainstream political parties, assuring his election by a special assembly that will gather at the glass-domed Reichstag parliament building in central Berlin. Gauck helped drive the peaceful revolution that brought down communist East Germany and later fought to ensure that the public would be granted access to extensive files left behind by the despised Stasi secret police after reunification in 1990. He overAFP saw the archive for the next decade.
battle on Saturday for Illinois as the primary in President Barack Obama’s home state loomed as the next key test for candidates. Weekend votes were also being held in Missouri and the territory of Puerto Rico, but Illinois appeared to be a new gut check for Republicans struggling to keep momentum in the race for the nomination to challenge Obama in November. Polls showed former senator Rick Santorum within striking range in Illinois of frontrunner Mitt Romney, who has a commanding lead in the all-important delegates count but has been weakened by his failure to AFP clinch the nomination.
TOKYO: Japan and 12 other Asian countries is likely agree to double the amount of funds available under a regional currency swap pact amid uncertainty over the European debt crisis, a report said on Sunday. Japan, China, South Korea and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are to agree to double the fund from the current $120 billion this month, Japan’s Nikkei daily reported, citing unnamed sources. The currency swap deal, known as the Chiang Mai Initiative, is designed to prevent a financial crisis in countries with relatively small foreign exchange reserves by giving them a safety net against future liqAFP uidity shortages.
8
COMMENT SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Solve water woes now
A good evening-out
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et’s not wait for more Venkat Rajus to happen before we wake up to what the city is bound to face over the next few months. Though he set himself on fire in an intoxicated frenzy, it is not difficult to understand frustration one goes through when deprived a basic need. Rajesh Kumar Kukkatpally
hank you for the write up on Ratna Pathak Shah. While theatre artists do not wait for the world to go along with them to entertain them, they do need support in terms of numbers in the audience. The feeling of an evening well spent one feels after watching a play. Qumer Parveen Mehidipatnam
WHY WE LOVE... Julian Assange After being on the run for almost a year now Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has said he will run for Australian Senate in 2013. Wikileaks exposes have shredded the facades several world leaders had maintained before their unsuspecting populations. Indian leaders too had their share of embarrassments after candid conversations they had with US officials on sensitive topics were made public. Assange is currently under virtual house arrest in the UK and battling extradition to Sweden, where he faces sex crime charges — which he says are politically motivated. Well Australia can expect some Sach Ka Saamna moments.
Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 040-4067 2222.
Telugu fame growing
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elugu wikipedia scoring 50,000 articles made a heart-warming article. With English conquering all aspects of our communication, and news of fall of Telugu as a language in current usage doing the rounds lately, this has come at just the right time to repose faith in our mother tongue. Sneha Rahul Banjara Hills
Build leadership, don’t just follow
EDITORIALS WHY BOLD MAKE cowardly choices Several outspoken leaders including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah pulled out of a programme attended by controversial author Salman Rushdie in the Capital under one pretext or the other. All three, who portray themselves as men who are not afraid to speak out their mind and take bold positions on controversial issues, have for reasons best known to them, chosen to avoid any move that would upset their vote bank. India’s image had taken a beating after Rushdie was kept out of the Jaipur Literary Festival citing threat to his life from terrorists — something about which the host state, the Centre and the intelligence agencies had contradicting versions. Be it minority or majority, our politicians show their true colours and refuse to stand up to bigots. We couldn’t agree more when Rushdie responded by tweeting: “Sad that leaders supposed to be next generation are behaving in old-fashioned way. I hope they will grow up”.
EDITORIALS
KAIPU
From the hip SYED SHOAIB
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hen Greg Chappell commented on the attitude of Indians on shirking responsibilities and our tendency of letting elders such as parents and teachers take decisions for us, I gave it a long and hard thought. I had to. I always liked the gentleman, the spunk in him. His limited success as the coach of the Indian cricket team and the number of rub-offs he has had with his wards notwithstanding. The average Indian, though, was highly affronted at the comments and took it as viciousness of Greg once again. The fact is that every society develops traits conducive to its survival. USA, for one, had to have people with an independent cussedness to brave unknown frontiers and take on pioneering challenges. With the presence of highly volatile governments at the centre where rulers were generally aggressors, India had to put its money on achieving cohesiveness in the village and the family. The indigenous populace mostly inhabiting its villages had developed the art of containment and self-sufficiency. It had to have obedient members for its security, nay, for its very survival. In a joint family that owned land, which could never be sold, it had to have orderliness among its varied members, cutting across age and gender. This orderliness got reflected in society in its caste system, where the village panchayat made decisions. It would have had to pay a high price in terms of the very existence of the members of the family or village if it were to allow inexperienced youngsters to make experimental blunders. Therefore selfeffacement of oneself was a virtue. This form of discipline actually helped to have stability and security in the real rural
India, while it was raging on the peripheries, with regime changes and aggressions. That is how the Indian populace was saved from being swept off in a deluge considering the number of aggressions it faced. With this system, it closed itself and put up a barrier to the uncertainties of the outside world and that perhaps is what saved the culture and ensured its continuity till today — for 5,000 years. Despite the strong boundaries drawn in Indian society, there was provision for individuals to rebel and break out of the constraints of the society. Becoming sanyasis was one such way out, for example, for people that rejected the ordered society, when their individuality could not be contained in the framework laid out by the elders. However, the opportunity to give place for individualism was made in a way that it caused least disturbance. This form of obedience of
FOR THIS WE WILL NEED TO COME UP WITH PLANNED WAYS OF FOSTERING LEADERSHIP QUALITIES IN INDIVIDUALS NOT ONLY IN THE FIELD OF SPORT BUT IN OTHER WALKS OF LIFE TOO. Indians is the strength that binds millions of Indians speaking different tongues, following different religions and living in diverse corners into a tangible union. This is a trait not inculcated by the Brits, but recognised by them and utilised for their advantage, just as Greg, an outsider, was quick to observe. We need to hand it to him. He took his job seriously and studied the drawbacks of the Indian psyche perhaps to build strategies to overcome them.
He has woken us up to this quality that we had taken for granted. It is for us to see how, despite the boundaries, we develop strong leadership. Without commenting on the disturbance that Western societies are facing due to an excessive expression of individualism, we need to understand that the trait that has evolved as a response to historical situations in the country and has stood us in good stead for thousands of years must not necessarily be bad, but perhaps we need to supplement this with qualities that will lead us to innovate, experiment and take leaps into challenging arenas. For this we will need to come up with planned ways of fostering leadership qualities in individuals not only in the field of sport but in other walks of life too. This perhaps is the challenge for our civilisation today. The writer works for Postnoon.
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BUSINESS SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Lagarde cautiously upbeat
India a top investor in UK
Americans more optimistic
BEIJING:IMF chief Christine Lagarde
NEW DELHI:India has been the top
NEW YORK: Americans are now more
international investor in Britain for three consecutive years, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said. “European nations have taught us industrialisation in the last 150 years. But now, the economic scenario has been reversed. India has been among the top international investors in the UK and is hence providing employment to Britons.”
optimistic about finding work than at any time since before President Barack Obama took office, according to a new poll released today by Gallup. The poll said 19 per cent believe that now is a good time to find a “quality job,” up from 13 per cent in February, the highest level of optimism since September 2008.
said on Sunday that measures taken to fight financial woes in Europe and the US were starting to pay off, in a cautiously upbeat assessment of the global economy. Lagarde was in Beijing for a two-day trip to attend a forum on China's development and hold meetings with her Chines economic counterparts, before she travels to India.
Is the Arab world the next hot spot for gaming?
PROTSENKO PAVEL
Sunday Soup JEB BOONE
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ven with the sound of distant shelling rattling the windows, LAN centers in the often blacked-out Yemeni capital of Sanaa always host a steady stream of youthful revolutionaries, or politically apathetic FIFA soccer nerds, rapping away on keyboards and Playstation controllers. Yemen is the Arab world’s poorest country, but many of its younger citizens still manage to play video games in their spare time, even on days when real life violence flares. FIFA, Electronic Art’s popular soccer title, is far and away Yemen’s most-played video game. Other titles like Counterstrike 1.6 and Red Alert are not far behind. When you are gaming in a public LAN center in a capital gripped by revolution, political instability and shortages of just about everything, however, the power will always eventually go out. Gamers cry “Ya Rab!” — meaning “oh lord” — in desperation when their matches are cut short. They angrily slam halfempty glasses of tea down on tables and head back into the newly-darkened streets. No matter the obstacles, though, Yemen’s gamers always find a way — a testament to the growing popularity of gaming across the Middle East and North Arica. The Arab world now has one of the fastest-growing communities of gamers around, according to a report by Reuters and statistics released by Sindibad Business, a research group based in the UAE. According to Sindibad, about 60 per cent of the 350 million people in the Arab world are younger than 25, with internet penetration in the region at about 70 million users, a more than 300 per cent increase over the last five years. Internet penetration is expected to reach 150 million users by 2015, Bahjat Homsi, the company’s founder,
told Reuters. Reuters also cited the success of one of the world’s first Arabic language video games, Unearthed: The Trail of Ibn Battuta, which is essentially a no-frills rip off of the game Uncharted. In Unearthed, you play Fares, a young Arab adventurer in search of the lost works of Ibn Battuta, a famed 14th century Arab explorer that chronicled his travels across Africa
and Asia. The game can be played in both Arabic and English. The YouTube video was posted to popular Saudi Arabiabased gaming news site SaudiGamer.com, one of the first websites of its kind in the Arab world. The founder of the site, Mashhoor al-Dubayan, told Reuters that the increasing interest in his site has boosted his gaming ambitions from a hobby
to a viable commercial proposition. “After just a year of running it, we started seeing a business opportunity and began relationships with major companies (as sponsors). Next week, I’ll be leaving my job to stay with SaudiGamer full-time,” he said. Electronic Arts is also looking to release Arabic language versions of FIFA in 2012. Other large US- and Europe-based
developers are also hoping to expand their reach in the Arab World as well. In places like Yemen and other poor or rural parts of the Arab World, internet penetration still hasn’t broken 10 per cent. But that hasn’t stopped pioneering Arab nerds from building their own computers, setting up LAN networks, and playing their favourite games. GLOBALPOST
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INTERVIEW SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
The essential entrepreneur
At 31, Ameera Shah is the MD and CEO of a multi-crore conglomerate that she built from the scratch. We talk to her about her incredible journey, women entrepreneurs, healthcare and more Padmini C
padmini.c@postnoon.com
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ot surprisingly, Ameera Shah’s name has been doing the rounds across boardrooms in the country. After all, she took her father Dr Sushil Shah’s pathology practice, and in less than a decade, transformed it from a single-lab facility into the multi-crore conglomerate it is today. Apart from being the MD & CEO of Metropolis Healthcare, she is the co-chairperson of FICCI’s Healthcare Committee and Secretary of the IAPL (Indian Association of Pathology Laboratories) and the recipient of a number of awards including Young Achiever and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. And she is just getting started.
Snapshots nFirst Job: I did an internship with a call center to raise money for charity. It was the hardest job I’ve ever had. nLikes: Spending time with family and friends nBiggest influences: Parents nInterests: Sports (Tennis, Badminton, Squash) nBest kept secret: Whenever I’m upset with my team, they bribe me with sweets. I have to have desserts around me all the time! When we catch up with her, it’s towards the tail end of the day and she’s still between meetings. However, she lets no visible signs of fatigue or irritability show. After all, meetings with her top level team with a focus on expansions, key acquisitions, innovations, exploring growth opportunities are part of her daily routine. “I’m trying to incorporate a culture of democracy, learning and a pursuit for constant innovation and excellence,” says Ameera. “That is my biggest challenge and my focus for the next five years,” It’s no wonder that Metropolis Healthcare is now among the leading diagnostic centres not just in the country but in South Asia and Africa.
We start off chatting about the rising clamour in the European Union for more women to be on the boards of companies. As the MD & CEO of a company herself, what is her take? “It’s not a question of capability as much as it is about commitment. Companies are usually apprehensive that for women, their career will take a backseat once they get married or have children. However, that’s slowly changing. When women are able to shoulder the same amount of responsibility and make equal commitments as men, we’ll definitely see more women in the boardrooms,” says Ameera with confidence. Indeed, Ameera makes it seem only too easy. But she has had her share of dark times. “In all aspects of my life, I have had dark phases,” she says thoughtfully. “When you are younger, there are a lot of insecurities and influences. But with age, you get more comfortable, smarter, stronger and better as I have. The important thing is to have some self-awareness. When you see who you ultimately want to be, you evolve to get there.” Ameera’s personal motto is never to just get along with what life has to offer but to fight for what you want. And so she has. Ameera has a very concrete vision for herself and her company. “Our philosophy is to pursue excellence. The profits will follow. The important thing is to remember that we can only be as good and prosperous as the community around us. So we try to give back as much as we can,” says Ameera, whose company also has programmes for people who cannot afford their services. Needless to say, she is not enthused with the state of healthcare in the country. “We are a young people that should grow to become a healthy population. But, obviously, that isn’t happening. It’s almost as if healthcare is an orphaned sector. I cannot comprehend why the government doesn’t take it more seriously when healthcare related expenses are the very thing that’s bankrupting the poor. There must be more investment directed towards it, especially primary healthcare,” asserts Ameera. Does she have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? “I see a lot of people today who in their relationships and their careers are afraid to experience new things. Either they have had a bad experience, or they are too afraid to fail. The confidence I have today, I got by falling and learning from it. So you’ve got to put yourself out there… if for nothing else, at least to know if you have failed… or succeeded.”
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WEEK IN PICTURES SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
FINDING THE STRENGTH
From celebrating togetherness to remembering loved ones, we bring you this week in pictures AFP/JUAN BARRETO
AFP/ YOSHIKAZU TSUNO
IN FOND REMEMBRANCE People gather for a remembrance service in Lommel, in honour of the victims of the bus crash in Switzerland, on March 15. AFP/ YORICK JANSENS
GET WELL SOON A supporter of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is seen under a national flag during a rally in Caracas on March 10 to wish President Hugo Chavez a prompt recovery from cancer surgery.
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE A pair of Caribbean flamingos extend their necks during courtship at the Saitama Children's Zoo in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo on March 14.
AFP/ SERGEI SUPINSKY
THE LADY IN RED A model displays a creation from the collection of Ukrainian fashion designer Bobkova during Ukrainian Fashion Week in Kiev on March 15. AFP/ YASUYOSHI CHIBA
AFP/ POOL / YOSHIKAZU TSUNO
A YEAR LATER Japanese Emperor Akihito (R) and Empress Michiko pay their respects before an altar during a memorial service for the victims of the earthquake, in Tokyo, on March 11.
THE TRUSTY STEED Britain's Prince Harry chases a ball during the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, on March 11, in Campinas, some 120 km north of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The annual Polo Cup is designed primarily to raise funds and awareness for Sentebale’s work supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho, South Africa, and some of the money raised will also go to Brazilian charities.
AFP/ ATTA KENARE
IN THE FACE OF DANGER An Iranian female Ninja demonstrates her Ninjutsu skills in a martial arts club in the city of Karaj, 40 kms west of the capital Tehran, on March 15. Martial arts has become popular among Iranian women in recent years as more than 3,000 women train in Ninjutsu in private clubs under the supervision of the Islamic republic's Martial Arts Federation.
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ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Seth’s rhythmic lyricism
No gain for culture
INDIA: Vikram Seth's new anthology of
INDIA: Culture has gained marginally in
poetry, The Rivered Earth, has poetry, calligraphy and music. The slim anthology, inspired by Seth's tryst with 17th century celebrated poet George Herbert, was unveiled at Penguin India's Spring Fever Festival in the capital, marks a new chapter in the writer's life — an empathy with the spiritual and Herbert''s works.
the budget for 2012-2013 with an outlay of Rs.1,447 crore (Rs.14.47 billion/$300 million) against Rs.1,378 crore (Rs.13.78 billion/$273 million) in the previous fiscal. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had benefited the most in the 2011-12 fiscal ending March 31.
Leave literature alone INDIA: Literature is best left alone in the spirit of celebrated French-Swiss filmmaker Jean Luc-Godard's philosophy that good literature makes bad cinema, says filmmaker and writer Saeed Akhtar Mirza. The filmmakerwriter, who was in the capital recently to promote his new book The Monk, The Moor & Moses Ben Jalloun, is known for his original screenplays.
Colours of the past Pune-based artist Dhananjay Chandrakant Sastakar captures beauty in the simple things of an age gone by fleme.v@postnoon.com
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he monochromatic colour compositions in Sastakar’s paintings arrest your sight and you wonder what they are trying to tell you. Ask Sastakar and he is very clear about his inspiration: “I paint to bring to life India’s forgotten heritage. These are the colours… the pictures... of a forgotten past.” You can't help but agree when he talks about the gradual change that’s come in our lives. Sastakar grew up in a chawl. While most people in urban areas prefer multi-storied apartments and designer homes, Sastakar is happy with the architecture of the past. “The residences of today are very unlike the mansions of the village landlords, the wadas with their ornate doors, and the bustling chawls that breed friendship,” Sastakar says with feeling. The places that appeal to Sastakar are the villages of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Kerala. Cities like Old Bombay and Hyderabad too
are inspirations to him. Though his latest collection White Houses is said to be inspired by Goan architecture, a closer look will reveal flashes of the aforementioned places. The essence of Sastakar's paintings is a fusion of cultures seen through old windows, cramped buildings, narrow lanes, tilted balconies, falling roofs, ornate gateways, and marvellous forts; in the backdrop of the new concrete structures, these elements stand out. Sastakar finds beauty in the simple things of life — roses growing out of tin dabbas, clothes hanging on balconies, broken tiles, open windows, just like his guru, the late cartoonist Mario Miranda. Sastakar also draws inspiration from Salavador Dali. Among his contempo-
Upcoming shows n
n n
His 20th solo show will be held at Nehru Centre Art Gallery in Septmeber A show at Bajaj Art Gallery Private shows in Pune and Mumbai are also in the pipeline
raries he appreciates work of artists like NS Bendre, Vaikuntham and Ram Kumar. Sastakar has been a painter for the past 15 years. He started off as an illustrator in a national daily but soon realised his calling lay elsewhere. In 1994, he painted his first canvas — of the chawl he lived in. At present Sastakar works at the Abhinav Kala Mahavidyala, Pune, as an assistant lecturer in art. When he is not teaching, he paints. Till date, Sastakar has done 19 solo shows, designed 500 book jackets for various publications, participated in 150 group shows. Sastakar does not believe in marketing his works. Yet his work is widely appreciated and his patrons include Cyrus Mistry, the chairman-designate of the Tata Group. What is the best compliment he has received till date? “When people say, ‘I was reminded of my home, my childhood. I lived in such houses,’ that's what gives me the utmost satisfaction." “Every buyer is an artist himself and when buyers have questions for me, I feel my work is done.”
SRINIVAS SETTY
FLEME VARKEY
Creating music on canvas
ART FOR DUMMIES
What do music and art have in common? Almost everything, say Synchromists
Padmini C padmini.c@postnoon.com
I
n 1912, a pair of American artists, Stanton Mac DonaldWright and Morgan Russell founded a movement of art that came to be known as Synchromism. The central concept of the movement was that sound and colour share a very similar wavelength. In other words, they believed that a
painter can arrange colours in a painting much the same way a composer orchestrates notes in a symphony. And if that wasn't revolutionary enough, they sought to evoke both visual and auditory stimuli through a symphony of colour. The Synchromist paintings were abstract and expressive and were at first glance thought to resemble fauvist or
even orphism. But in an interview with the New York Times, the founders of the movements rubbished these ideas and said that to confuse them was ''to take a tiger for a zebra, on the pretext that both have a striped skin”. Other American painters who experimented with Synchromism include Thomas Hart Benton, Andrew Dasburg, Patrick Henry Bruce, and Albert Henry Krehbiel.
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ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
No interest in environment
Cleanse ballast water
Jonglei protects wildlife
CHICAGO: They have a reputation for
MICHIGAN: Oceangoing cargo ships
SUDAN: A new headquarters building
being environmentally minded dogooders. But an academic analysis of surveys spanning more than 40 years has found that today’s young Americans are less interested in the environment. The findings go against the widespread belief that environmental issues have hit home with today’s young adults.
will be required to zap their ballast water with ultraviolet light, chemicals or other treatments before dumping it in U.S. waters under a regulation by the Coast Guard in order to prevent species invasions that damage the environment and cause billions in economic losses. The long awaited rule, however, comes two decades later.
was inaugurated in wildlife-rich Boma National Park on Friday in South Sudan's conflict-ridden Jonglei State. Conservationists and South Sudanese government officials hope that the establishment of protected area management and local governance infrastructure can contribute to stability, eco-tourism and economic growth.
Focus on India’s biodiversity P K Surendran pksurendran@gmail.com
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Africa’s war with e-waste gets bigger A frica, which has traditionally been confronted by thousands of tonnes of electronic waste shipped from Europe for disposal, often under dangerous conditions, is increasingly dealing with the e-waste generated locally Better known as a dumping ground for used electronic goods from developed countries, Africa is set to outstrip Europe in the volumes of e-waste it generates within five years, experts said Thursday. “One study suggests Africa will generate more e-waste than Europe by 2017,” Katharina Kummer Peiry, Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention on hazardous waste, told reporters. “At the current rate ... by 2017 we’ll be faced with so much ewaste —even more than in the EU,” said Miranda Amachree of Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.
There is population growth ... and there is the penetration rate — there are increasing numbers of people with access to these devices
Kummer Peiry The two major contributing factors are population growth and increased availability of mobile phones, computers and accessories, the experts said on the sidelines of the Pan-African Forum on E-Waste at the UN environment agency in Nairobi. “There is population growth ... and there is the penetration rate —there are increasing numbers of people with access to these devices,” Kummer Peiry said. “You have to bear in mind that there are efforts undertaken at all levels to increase access —
it’s part of development,” she said, describing the growth of both the population and the penetration rate as “exponential.” Kenya for example exonerated information and communication technology (ICT) equipment from import duties in 2008, in an attempt to boost access. Zambia followed suit last year. “The use of electric and electronic devices ... is still low in Africa compared to other regions of the world but it is growing at a staggering pace,” said a report launched last month summarizing findings from the E-waste Africa Programme of the Basel Convention. The convention, which regulates the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, was adopted in 1989 and took effect three years later. In Africa “in the last decade, the penetration rate of personal computers has increased by a factor of 10, while the number of mobile phone subscribers has
increased by a factor of 100,” the report said. Africa, where most recycling is informal, “needs to move towards more formal recycling in order to ensure precious metals are properly extracted from say, mobile phones,” Kummer Peiry said. Achim Steiner, the head of the UN environment agency UNEP, that is hosting the threeday forum, said a seeming problem can be turned into an opportunity if the right recycling measures are put in place. “From one tonne of cellphones, minus the batteries, you can extract 3.5 kilos of silver, 340 grammes of gold, 140 grammes of palladium and 130 kilos of copper,” he told reporters, adding that the cost of smelting recycled metals is “three or four times less energy intensive than smelting virgin ores. But that sort of recycling will only happen if Africa is given access to the necessary technologies,” Steiner AFP warned.
he world biodiversity conference (CBD COP11) being held in Hyderabad in October will, for the first time, bring together President Prathiba Patil, Vice President Mohammad Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. They will be addressing the world leaders on the urgent need of a global solidarity for preserving global biological diversity. India is one of the 12 mega diversity countries in the world. The country possesses about 8 per cent of global biodiversity occupying the 10th position in terms of plant species, out of the 25 hot spots of biodiversity in the world. The North- Eastern region ranks sixth in it. But, India’s pride of place is COUNTDOWN TO 11TH CBD
threatened not by Nature but by our foolish deeds. Experts taking part in the mega event say the problem of keeping up India’s biodiversity is borne out of the greed in which the word ‘development’ is often used to silence the pro-Nature advocates. That sustainable development is complimentary and not contradictory, is conveniently forgotten in the race For instance, is it necessary to denude 20 acres of forest lands for the sake of a hydro project or thermal project is never seriously discussed. Herein lies our problem. The country, therefore, gets a golden opportunity to come to terms with this concept and prove that India can remain one of world’s great bio hot spots.
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FOOD SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Nutrition high in San Diego
Use of caramel safe says FDA
For pie-making novices
SAN DIEGO: In honor of the National
INDIA: Reacting to the ongoing row over
CONNECTICUT: A fresh berry pie
Nutrition Month, Foursquare mobile app has ranked San Diego among the top 10 Healthiest Eating Cities in America. San Diego came in fourth behind Honolulu; Burlington, Vt.; and San Jose. The rankings were determined by counting how many Foursquare users checked in at , salad shops and juice bars in those cities
the use of alleged high levels of caramel contents by leading beverage players Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra said that no such case was found under their jurisdiction. The two beverages were under fire for the alleged carcinogenic nature of the caramel used by them.
graces the cover of Perfect Pies by Michele Stuart, Connecticut’s awardwinning pie wizard. It’s a tempting introduction to the goodies packed in this little volume. Crust-making tips, toppings, fillings - plus a chapter on savory pies - make this a fine choice for pie-making novices, as well as bakers seeking inspiration.
CINNAMON FUSION
For the love of food
In the heart of Madhapur, a brand new restaurant opens today. They promise a great dining experience and from what we’ve seen, it doesn’t get much better than this. Welcome to Cinnamon Fusion
PADMINI C
padmini.c@postnoon.com
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here are few joys in the world that compare to discovering a great place to eat. Especially if it happens to be unknown and more so if its a place you can show off to your friends. We found just the thing, and we thought you would like to know. It’s called Cinnamon Fusion and it promises the best of Indian, Oriental and European cuisines. And if their tasting menu is any indication, they walk the talk. Their menu is a neatly laid out array of dishes which fea-
tures some interesting names like Papdi Paneer, Mutton Shikampuri, Thai Yellow Curry, Pastas, Basa fish with Hunan sauce and more. Among the things we tried and therefore recommend are Sarson ka Phool, broccoli cooked in a tandoor to melt-in-themouth perfection; Reshmi Kebab with a twist —succulent meat wrapped in fluffy egg whites; Chocolate Lava (made with chocolate from Belgium and Malaysia we’re told!) and Cinnamissue — made with coffee soaked ladyfinger biscuits and a dash of *gasp* brandy. Also, be sure to get a taste of their midnight egg, which we promise will be a surprise like no other. (Hint, hint: Molecular Gastronomy) In Cinnamon Fusion, it’s not
a crime to be a vegetarian, jokes the team. Fortunately, they are not kidding. They have a refreshing number of choices in soups, entrees and maincourse across cuisines. They say that their aim is not to make new or groundbreaking dishes but to present classic dishes as they ought to be. “The idea is to preserve the essence of each dish and bring it to you in our signature style. For instance, our Italian pizzas are just like how they make them in Italy,” says Vivek Papali, the man behind Cinnamon Fusion. But wouldn’t that mean needing equipment, know-how, and most importantly, authentic produce? Yes, yes and yes. Turns out that the team goes to great lengths to ensure that their essentials come from different
parts of the world. Yes, even the cheese for their pizzas! What’s even more interesting is that their top chefs, Pratap Kumar, Swapan Roy and Khokan Debnath are not professionally trained. What they are, however, are very talented and very experienced hands that simply have a knack for making great food. At this point, we are fairly sure there is little else we need to say to recommend Cinnamon Fusion. And we didn’t even mention the free wi-fi and the live music. But let’s get straight to the best part — the price. It’s fine dining at a steal. What: Cinnamon Fusion Where: 3rd Floor, SBR Gateway, Madhapur Average Meal for Two: `1000
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FOOD SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
An unusual way of using left-over biryani to make a creative dish
Biryani Kebab Noor’s Kitchen NOOR JAFRI Ingredients:
1. Left over biryani with boneless mutton pieces : 200 gms 2. Potato (boiled) : One large 3. Green chilli garam masala and kitchen king powder : 1/2 tsp each 4. Chopped coriander, green chillies and tomatoes. 5. Bread crumbs. 6. Oil to fry
Asia on your plate
Have an appetite for culinary delights from all corners of Asia? The Asian Barbeque at Novotel offers an incredible spread of food which will leave you spoilt for choice
HEMANTH KUMAR
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
I
t takes an incredible amount of restraint to keep yourself from gorging on the enormous spread at The Asian Barbeque. It gets all the more difficult if you are a foodie. With over 100 food items on the menu, the culinary delights from Malaysia, Vietnam, Lebanon, Japan and India vie for your attention. We began with the salad which itself had 10 options including Veg Sushi, Crab Meat Sushi and Baked fish and fennel with soy. Vietnamese food or for that matter even Japanese food might catch you off guard if it’s your first tryst with this
While Mumbai may be regarded as a haven for chaat lovers, Hyderabad’s very own Maharaja Chaat Bhandar brings the flavour of the Mumbai delicacy through its vada pav, dahi puri and ragda cutlets
cuisine. It tastes bland and Sushi is traditionally raw, but it has its charm. If you love a bit of spice in your food, try Satay, a Malaysian speciality. There’s a live grill where the chef prepares a generous serving of chicken, beef, pork and vegetarian satay. You can also try the honey glazed pork and Yang Chow Fried rice if your taste buds crave for more. It’s tough to choose a three-course meal when the spread is so huge, so we tried Kibbeh, an Arab dish. Saurav, the head Chef at Novotel says, “Kibbeh is made with minced meat which is mixed with spices and nuts and then it’s fried in olive oil before it’s grilled like Kebab. It’s difficult to find good Kibbeh in Hyderabad.” There’s a live grill named Alfresco which offers Shawarma and other middle-east inspired dishes.
Where: The Square, Novotel Phone: 66824422 When: Only on Saturdays (till the end of March) Timing: 7 pm onwards Meal for one: Rs 1450 + taxes
Another interesting choice is chicken with yogurt and fresh thyme sauce which goes quite well with the rotis and naans. Labneh and Humus are quintenssential Arabic dishes which one can’t miss. “We have tried to cook everything as traditionally as possible,” Saurav says. If you are a vegetarian, there are plenty of options to choose from like Chatpata Aloo, Bharwan Karela and the Baingan green peas masala. “Indian food is a major part of our spread here and especially in Hyderabad, people insist on having biryani no matter what type the buffet is,” Saurav quips. Desserts are mouth-watering and if you are in a mood to try out something new, try the ice-cream sushi. The layers of chocolate, ice-cream and fruits melting in your mouth is a taste you won’t forget anytime soon.
THE SPICE OF LIFE SANA MIRZA
sana.m@postnoon.com
J
ust around tea time, various nook and crannies in the city light up with bandis serving a variety of snacks with chaat leading the list as an all-time favourite. Initially
operating from a bandi on wheels, the mobile eatery soon gathered some faithful customers. Maharaja Chaat Bhandar is now set up in a parking lot in Madhapur. Make your way down the menu and you will salivate at the numerous options available. They are priced very reasonably. Now, what is a chaat bandi without pani puri and Maharaja Chaat Bhandar serves one of the best pani puris in the city. This is a must-try, but there are plenty of other options avail-
rocedure: 1. Grind the leftover rice to a paste. 2. Shred and chop leftover meat
pieces. 3. Mash the boiled potatoes. 4. Mix all these ingredients together
along with the masalas, chopped coriander, green chillies and tomatoes. 5. Make round patties. 6. Roll into bread crumbs and shallow fry it in a non-stick pan. 7. Serve hot with sprinkle of chat masala or tomato sauce. Chef’s note:- It’s a complete meal in itself and as you all know how rich biryani is in calories, so weight watchers watch out for the quantity.
Contact n Noor ‘s Kitchen n Address: 203 Krishna Aptt, n Road No4, Banjara hills n Mobile - 91-9441282318 n Residence - 91-40-23356947.
able as well. “I frequent Maharaja Chaat Bhandar with my family, mostly on weekdays because it’s packed on the weekends. The dahi puri and the pav bhaaji are just brilliant! The portions are enough to fill you up,” says Mehak Gupta. While there may be a chaat bandi in every corner but if you haven’t eaten at Maharaja Chaat Bhandar, then you haven’t known the joy of wiping a running nose while you gobble down a pani puri.
Maharaja Chaat Bhandar Where:- Road No. 36 Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Opposite Orchids School Must-haves :– Pani Puri,Dahi puri, Pav Bhaji Price:– Between `15 – `45 Time:- 5 pm to 10pm
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HISTORY SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
March 18
1850 - The American Express founded Henry Wells and William Fargo founded American Express that operated as an express mail business in Albany, New York.
March 19
1831 - City Bank of New York robbed The first bank robbery in America was reported. The City Bank of New York City lost $245,000 in the robbery.
March 19
1953 - Academy Awards on TV The Academy Awards were aired on TV for the first time; and also the first fete to be held in Hollywood and NY City simultaneously.
March 20
1995 - Sarin gas attack In Tokyo, 12 were killed and 5,500 others fell ill when packages containing the nerve gas Sarin was released on five separate subway trains.
March 21
1908 - The bi-plane carries a passenger A passenger was carried in a bi-plane for the first time by Henri Farman of France.
March 21
1994 - Spielberg streak begins Steven Spielberg won his first Oscars. They were for best picture and best director for "Schindler's List."
March 22
1457 - The first printed book Gutenberg Bible became the first printed book.
March 18
March 22
1903 - Niagara high and dry Niagara Falls ran out of water due to a drought.
1989 - What a find! A 400-year-old mummy was discovered at the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.
March 22
1993 - Pentium processor’s out Intel introduced the Pentium-processor (80586) 64 bits-60 MHz-100+ MIPS.
March 23
1956 - The first Islamic republic Pakistan became the first Islamic republic. It was still within the British Commonwealth.
March 23
2001 - Mir says bye Russia's orbiting Mir space station plunged into the South Pacific after 15 years of use.
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SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Age is just a number! Who says birthdays lose their charm as you get older. Reet Sahu, for one, celebrated her birthday in style on Saturday in the presence of family and friends at Rain in Banjara Hills. Here’s wishing Reet a wonderful year ahead!
Turn that switch off
South superstar Rana Daggubati joined the cause and urged Hyderabadis to “switch off” for the Earth Hour on March 31, 2012
One for the summer Sami Alam
Anu
Shalini
Sakshi Saraf
The mayor of Hyderabad, Majid Hussain took part in the launch of Mecca Cola at Mehdi Convention Center
A culinary journey Kavitha Reddy
Nikita Reddy, Rajni & Sirisha
Gayatri Reddy
Kingfisher Explocity Great Food guide took the city of Nawabs on a culinary journey by presenting them with mouthwatering dishes
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
T-TOWN TWEETIES @RanaDaggubati
@sneha_ullal
@richyricha
@mmkeeravaani
En route Vizag!! Heading to Chaitanya college later this evening. Looking forward.
Yeii Yuvraj is discharged..welcome back #YuVISTRONG
Helllooo from gorgeous Cancun,Mexico! Having a gr8 time spending my mom's bday here :-)
Nice to see somany early risers !!
@shraddhadas43
@LakshmiManchu
@tashu_02
@pnavdeep26
My eyes stuck like a chinki coz of 3 hrs of sleep!! Off to kurnool,c u ppl there! Xoxoxo
Reached Vijag.. Tirupati in the morning. Sleep deprived.
Hey guys...so sorry....my phone ws stuck n so was I...bt now finally m bk...missed u all...hope all gud wid u guys... :-)
watchin two films bak to bak in the theatre after a long time :) #kahaani #thewomaninblack :)
Allari Naresh to star in Sattibabu’s film
A
llari Naresh will soon star in an untitled sociofantasy film. E Sattibabu is going to direct the film and Chanti Addala is going to produce it. The film was launched yesterday in Hyderabad and its principal shooting will begin in April. “The film is a socio-fantasy and it’s going to be made on a lavish scale. Kiran Kumar is designing eight sets for this film and we are all quite confident that the film will enthrall the audience,” Chanti Addala said. The lead actress is yet to be finalised. Koti is going to score the music and K Ravindra Babu is the cinematographer.
Suresh Babu to produce Sunil’s next film
A
new film starring Sunil in lead role was launched yesterday in Hyderabad. Ramanaidu, Venkatesh, Suresh Babu and Rana graced the movie launch. Suresh Babu is going to produce the film under the Suresh Productions banner. Uday Shankar, who had earlier made films like Kalisundaam Raa and Baladoor, is going to direct this
film. We hear that a new heroine might be cast in the film. The film marks a big shift in Sunil’s career as a hero with leading producers like Suresh Babu betting big on him. Thanks to the success of Poola Rangadu, Sunil has been flooded with several offers. For now, he has signed Devi Prasad’s upcoming film, which is a Telugu remake of Tanu Weds Manu.
Kajal joins Mahesh Babu, Sukumar’s film
K
ajal’s dream run at the box office doesn’t seem to end anytime soon. After playing Mahesh Babu’s love interest in Puri Jagannadh’s Businessman, she is going to team up with Mahesh Babu for the second time. Kajal has joined the cast of Mahesh Babu, Sukumar’s upcoming film. Gopichand, Ram Achanta and Anil Sunkara are producing the film on 14 Reels Entertainment banner. Interestingly, Tamannaah was Sukumar’s first choice; however, she didn’t sign the film due to lack of dates. Although, two new actresses were auditioned for the film, Sukumar and the producers weren’t impressed with the results. This is going to be the second time that Kajal is going act in a Sukumar’s film after Arya 2. The film is likely to go on floors in late April. Apart from this film, Kajal is also playing the lead role in Baadshah opposite NTR and Ram Charan, VV Vinayak’s untitled film.
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
B-TOWN TWEETIES @NeilNMukesh
@RGVzoomin
@AnupamPkher
@SrBachchan
Goa is one place I love. Used to come twice a year with friends. And my first movie "johnny gaddaar" was shot here 2. Memories attached.
The amount of love celebs donate to their twitter followers is directly proportional to how well they want their films to do
Wake up with a smile and go after life.... Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it. Life is Beautiful.:)
T 686 - Asia Cup over soon and then IPL .. opening extravaganza in Chennai .. and yours truly a small part of it ...nervous as hell !!
@ActorMadhavan
@udaychopra
@realpreityzinta
@FarOutAkhtar
The least one can do is live a life as fair and Honestly as u can without hurting others n just doing your duty.1st step 2wrds repayment.
Watching masterchef again and The Dalai Lama is on it and he loves cheese!!! then it's gotta be awesome I mean it's The Dalai Lama
Disappointed hearing all budget discussions on TV ! Is everyone so negative or r v going in2 a deeper hole as a country! Comments people?
@sachin_rt Congratulations. The 100th 100 albatross no longer drapes your neck. Well deserved. Well earned. Well done.
I hope to I match Bipasha in Jism 2: Sunny
ndo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone hopes that with Jism 2, she can at least match the standard that Bipasha Basu set with the prequel. “I have seen her (Bipasha) and she is gorgeous and amazing in the first movie. I hope I can meet up to her standard and not let her down in Jism 2,” the 30year-old said in an interview. “I want to do a good job and I hope everybody likes the movie,” she added. Sunny took part in Bigg Boss 5, and she got lucky when filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt decided to offer her Jism 2. She is set to start shooting soon. Bipasha, who made headlines for her steamy scenes in the 2003 film Jism, is sure Sunny will do a good job. “I don’t know her but (Mahesh) Bhatt saab always casts someone who suits the role. So I am sure she will do a good job,” said Bipasha. Jism 2 also stars Randeep Hooda and Arunoday Singh.
IANS
Sajid admires Mithun-da
S
ajid Khan, who has brought together three veteran actors - Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty in Housefull 2, says his personal favourite is Mithun-da whom he has idolised ever since he was a kid. “Dada is my number one star since I was born. I have never ever hero-worshipped anyone more than Dada. Arguably, I am Mithun-da’s biggest fan. I used to do his mimicry, I used to talk like him, I have seen every film of Dada,” the 40-year-old said in an interview.
“The only person in this entire film and in my all three films, whose first shot I took and
touched his feet, that is my Dada. I love Dada so much,” he added. Meanwhile, Sajid says the public sees him as a brand. That’s why after delivering a hit like Housefull, he feels a slight pressure of not disappointing his audience. “There is always pressure. If you make a flop film then you are under pressure to make a hit film. If you make a hit film then you are under pressure to surpass your own standard or at least deliver another hit because the audience also has expectations. IANS
Ekta inspires most women in showbiz
E
kta Kapoor’s is a rare success story in a male-dominated space. But it continues to inspire many women who wish to make a mark in showbiz, says actress Bhairavi Raichur. “Women today are rocking, aren’t they! Women have always been around, but yes their presence has increased now,” said Bhairavi, who has turned producer with “Chhal Sheh aur Maat” after acting for over 15 years. “But if you talk about women in the industry, then Ekta Kapoor is the one who changed the face of television,” Bhairavi said. IANS
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
T
hey may be a couple in real life, but on screen Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are about to clash over item numbers in the film Agent Vinod. Who does it better? Many are asking if Kareena’s mujra song, Dil mera muft ka, will be overshadowed by Saif ’s Pyaar ki pungi. The latter is described as a number that catches your attention in the first 20 seconds because of its comic, cheeky notes and free footsteps. When asked about the song, Saif said: “There is a sequence in the film where Agent Vinod is being watched by CCTV cameras...and
SONAM TO STAR OPPOSITE
DHANUSH IN NEW FILM
A
ctress Sonam Kapoor has landed the role of a Varanasi girl, who studies in the capital’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in Raanjhanaa. She is cast opposite southern star Dhanush. The decision was taken after intense discussions between director Aanand L Rai of Tanu Weds Manu and Sonam. As per the script, Dhanush plays a local Varanasi boy, and Sonam essays a Varanasi girl educated in Delhi. Sonam will now spend time on the JNU campus to grasp the conduct and ideology of students there. “The culture of education at the JNU is radically different from other universities in Delhi and across the country. At JNU students, both male and female, are very politically aware,” said a source from team of Raanjhanaa. “They talk intelligently on national issues. They dress sensibly, hang out at specific cafes in Delhi, attend seminars and protest actively on national issues. The director Aanand Kumar wanted Sonam to imbibe all of these traits. And they also speak fluent Hindi,” the source added. When it comes to her spoken Hindi, Sonam, according to the source, needs to work as hard as Dhanush. Dhanush is in Mumbai working on the dubbing of the Hindi version of his wife’s film 3. He has been working with a Hindi coach, trying to get the language right. IANS
he is behaving in a certain way, so we thought we should do an extension to that and we did the song.” Composed by Pritam Chakraborty, Pyaar ki pungi has been written by lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya and choreographed by Jasmin Oza. Mika has sung it. Since Agent Vinod, a sleek spy thriller, is full of action and thrills, director Sriram Raghavan didn’t give much attention to the songs as it can shift people’s interest and the essence of the movie. So Pyaar ki pungi has been especially created and used as a promotional number. The song plays in the background during one of the scenes in Agent Vinod with a punchline saying, “Catch the other side of (Majnu) Vinod.”IANS
Will Saif’s item number overshadow Kareena’s ‘mujra’ Distribution reason for long delays in Bollywood W
ell-known documentary filmmaker Ashvin Kumar, who had to wait for four years to release his first feature film The Forest, says the unsystematic distribution system in the industry is the reason behind such a long delay that is often killing good content-based cinema. “For the last four years, I have been walking to every door to release the film. There are many companies in Bollywood who made me wait for a year or so, and then they backed out. So you can imagine how much time I spent to get the distributors,” Kumar said in an interview.
Kumar has merged complications of human relationship with wildlife in The Forrest, a triangular love story with a subplot of a man-eating leopard. It will hit the screens across April 13. Nandana Sen, Ankur Vikal and Javed Jaffrey are playing the lead roles in the movie. “There is very, very good space for content-based cinema here, we just need to train our country. Today everybody is running after the star but what about content-based cinema? “Filmmaker like Anurag Kashyap had to wait for years to release Gulaal and now me. I had to wait for four years. Despite contentbased cinema doing well at the boxoffice, distribution system is ruined in Bollywood in such a way that they are only interested in one kind of film,” he added. Made at a budget of `6.5 crore, The Forest, an 86-minute movie, will be released by PVR cinemas. For promotion, the 38-year-old is depending upon word of mouth. Praising the crew, he said “We got a great international crew who took cuts on fees because they IANS believed in the project”.
CINEMA SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
D I S P L A YA
D S RATE ` 150 sq. cm
For Further Details Please Contact Abhinay 9989399972 Nandlal 9951467988 Ravi Chander 8106039919
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24
CINEMA SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Longoria excited about being single
A
fter stepping out with a smile this week to celebrate her 37th birthday with pals, Eva Longoria says her face tells the whole story. “I feel very excited about my life and I’m excited about things to come," the actress told a magazine, speaking out for the first time since her split from Eduardo Cruz. “There are so many things on the horizon.” Also on the agenda is promoting the series finale of Desperate Housewives and going on a Europe trip for L’Oreal. One thing that doesn’t excite her so much: turning 37. “It’s an uneventful age,” she says “After a certain age, you stop celebrating.”
Is Kristina Houston engaged?
T
he eyebrow-raising relationship between Whitney Houston’s daughter and the man raised by the singer as a son may have gone one big, baffling step further. Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, was spotted with a ring on her engagement finger following days of very public PDA with Nick Gordon. One source tells a magazine, “Yes, they are engaged, but the family is trying to coax her away from it. “ Another source says, “Nick asked Krissi about a week ago to marry him”
25
CINEMA SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
One Direction’s race to the top
B
I’m not an attention seeker
RIHANNA
S
inger Rihanna says her daring fashion choices aren’t for seeking attention in public. “Dressing is always so spontaneous, it always depends on the mood, plus the occasion, plus your little badass daring touch that I like to put on my outfit every time. I don’t do things for the response or for the controversy. I just live my life,” showbizspy.com quoted Rihanna as saying. The 24-year-old, who has also designed a collection for fashion brand Armani, said: “The clothes that I like and the clothes that I’m attracted to sometimes are sheer, sometimes are bold, sometimes very daring.” Many a times she is also caught without her essentials, but that’s not attention seeking either, she argues. “I get caught a lot of times without wearing a bra … but it was never my intention. If I don’t wear a bra, that means I didn’t want to wear a bra. It’s not usually for attention, it’s just because it would mess up the outfit completely,” she explained. IANS
ritish boy band One Direction is only going one way next week on the Billboard 200 and that’s straight to the top. The quintet’s “Up All Night,” is poised to sell between 165,000175,000 copies, which should be enough to top Adele’s “21”, which will likely remain at No 2 with sales of 150,000-160,000 copies. Should One Direction bow at No 1, it will mark the first time a British group’s debut album has come onto the chart in the pole position. Take that Fab Four. While we saw all kinds of weird movement
on this week’s chart because of Google Play and Amazon’s 25-cent album deals, it looks like the only clear beneficiary next week (besides the fans) will be Guns N’ Roses’ greatest hits, which will likely zoom up to No 3 with sales of up to 80,000 copies. This week’s No. 1, Bruce Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball,” likely falls to No 4, while Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Hits” rounds out the top 5, according to Hits Daily Double. Most of the titles in the bottom half of the Top 10 look familiar: Drake’s “Take Care” will likely be No 6, “Now That’s What I Call Music” at No 7 and Adele’s “19” at No 8. Gotye’s “Making Mirrors” makes its first appearance in the top 10 as it will likely leap 16-9, based on the strength of single, “Someone That I Used To Know.” “Some Nights” is likely to return to the top 10 (it previously held No. 3), rising 13-10.
Butler plans to attack the President’ s home
B
utler is developing the project about a Secret Service agent who must foil a terrorist attack on the president’s residence; Millennium Films is the studio. Gerard Butler is attached to star in a White House-set action film called Olympus Has Fallen. Butler’s agency confirms the 300 star is developing the project, from writers Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt, which centers on an ex-Secret Service agent who must foil a terrorist attack on the president’s residence. Millennium Films is currently seeking a director for the project. Butler will produce with Millennium’s Mark Gill. Avi Lerner is executive producing with Trevor Short. Butler’s most recent films, Machine Gun Preacher and The Bounty Hunter, have been box-office disappointments. But he stars in the upcoming surfing movie Of Men and Mavericks, directed by Curtis Hanson.
26
CHAI TIME SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
SUNDAY CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Humane org. 5 Quartet member 10 Cultural 16 Ambergris source 21 Comic actor Bert — 22 Walking — — 23 Put into words 24 Of hearing 25 Waterless 26 — del Sol 27 Half-shell item 28 Limerick starter 29 Like a scorpion 31 Roman law 33 Chocolate snacks 35 Ariz. neighbour 36 Fab Four member 37 Rani's servant 40 Have a hot dog 41 Invited 42 Adj modifier 45 Totally obvious! 46 Rain gear 48 Not allow 50 What spies do 52 Clergy member 54 Hot soak 55 Corn storage 57 Family nickname 58 Attacked (2 wds) 59 Big name in soccer 60 Kite part 62 Singer — Summer 66 Cake decorator 67 Old-timey 69 Win back 71 Call for 72 Antlion larva 74 ‘— Daba Honeymoon’ 76 Asimov or Hayes 78 Univ. degree 79 X-ray units 80 Bowling piece 83 In the dark 85 Sailing vessel 88 Legally binding 89 Toast in Guadalajara 90 Violent storm 93 Goddess of health 95 Shout derisively at 97 So! 98 Eccentric 100 Always, to Byron 101 Small rodents (2 wds) 106 Put up drapes 108 Cheekier 110 Hot and humid 112 Ruin a nylon 113 Clan leader 115 Northern Iraqi 116 Pete Seeger's music 117 Adorable one 118 Swell, in space (hyph) 120 Just OK (hyph) 122 Glowing ember 123 Narrows down 124 Zoomed past 128 Work with needle and thread 129 Ballpark fig 130 New England catch 131 Destiny 132 Bad-mannered 133 Cooking spray brand 135 Lascivious 137 North Dakota city
139 Sooner than anon 140 Naugahyde coating 142 Wield an ax 144 Abolished 148 Egg protector 150 Misgivings 153 Frat quarters 155 About 2.2 lbs 156 Moss and Jackson 157 Volcanic rock 158 Homer's epic tale 159 Gouda cousin 160 Bed linen 161 Term papers 162 Nostalgic fashion 163 Zip DOWN 1 Eastern European 2 Remove the rind 3 Face part 4 Strong devotion 5 Ambrosia ingredient 6 Sufficient 7 Rodeo gear 8 Found a perch 9 Aloud 10 Powerful adhesive 11 Quaker pronoun 12 Paycheck abbr 13 Its HQ is Brussels 14 Grenoble's river
15 Boxed breakfast 16 Thai temples 17 Say what? 18 Sports palaces 19 Rio Grande town 20 Huddle count 30 Thick of things 32 Per person 34 — Redding of R&B 38 NBC rival 39 Poker Flat creator 41 Shaggy bovine 42 Plant parasite 43 Circumpolar constellation 44 Part of VCR 46 Slander 47 Ra's symbol 49 Vitamin in liver 51 Provide help 53 Pendant jewelry 54 Admirer 56 Short lives? 59 Dartboard locales 61 Maui cookout 63 Himalayan country 64 Indira's father 65 Explained further 67 Theorem ender 68 Colorful bird 69 Scabbard fillers 70 Stovetop item
73 Jacket feature 75 Gainsay 77 Sized up 81 Common creeper 82 A mean Amin 84 Prepares (2 wds) 85 Lesley — of ‘60 Minutes’ 86 Red flower of Hawaii 87 Saudi neighbour 91 Express grief 92 Accepted 93 Some electric utilities 94 Not bankrupt 95 Twitch 96 Cathedral town 99 Extra 102 ‘— never fly’ 103 Pentium producer 104 Egypt's capital 105 Discharge 107 Barely touch 109 Detroit dud 111 Tabloid topics 114 Donut qty 117 Mooch 119 Legionnaire's hat 121 Run up a tab 122 Yield, as territory 123 Sub launching 124 Demolishes 125 Team cheer
126 Form a thought 127 River in a waltz 130 Brutus betrayed him 134 Talking birds 136 Builds an appetite 137 Cherry or lime 138 Like some chests 140 Goose-down item 141 Diminished by
143 Hum 145 Chic beach resort 146 Vitality 147 Geodesic — 149 Kickoff stand 151 Bond rating 152 Underhanded 154 Bullring shout PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
27
CHAI TIME SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
STAR POWER Date 19-3-2012
As per Hindu panchang
THIRUVAIKUMAR
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9949870449
TAURUS
GEMINI
All disappointments will be over and you will climb the ladder of success on all fronts. Employees will feel relaxed as problems with colleagues will vanish. They will be courageous.
You have to act with patience and full involvement in all work undertaken. Avoid venturing into new efforts for time being. Never criticise any experienced persons at work place.
Good effects will increase. At this juncture it is necessary for you to avoid fake prestige and rigidity. Negligence in official works might spell trouble. Avoid arguments with superiors.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Patience alone can do good for you. Adopt a slow and steady wins the race policy. Avoid dictating terms to any one at workplace to get co-operation from all. Remain peaceful at home.
Act with caution to avoid any type of trouble in future. Avoid acting in haste, which is not good for you at this point of time. Also don't behave as if you alone know all worldly issues.
Avoid dictating terms with anyone at office. Working by showing a lovable approach will yield great results. To maintain peace, remain at home. You have to adjust with all family members.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Sweet talks will do wonders in getting work done. Troubles at workplace will disappear. At the same time, avoid any criticism about the management as it will spell a lot of trouble; be careful.
You have to put in untiring efforts to keep your growth graph looking up. Working with a greater level of selfconfidence will yield good results. But avoid thinking you alone are the cause.
A time in which troubles disappear and wishes get fulfilled. Your problems at workplace because of rumours will get over. Your skills will be exposed and proper recognition will be yours.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
You will see career growth looking up as per your expectations. Those who aim high will grow high. Abilities you have will be appreciated at workplace and will be suitably rewarded.
You will feel peaceful by acting with a good amount of patience. Never adopt a mentality, which reflects that you alone can perform. Avoid acting in haste. You must complete all work.
Both your self-confidence and bold decision-making levels will be at their high. Unwanted apprehensions you had in the mind will disappear. However, there are chances of tension.
SUMAA TEKUR
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Two of Pentacles – You need to make time to spend with your family. Workrelated travel may stress you out but it’s nothing you cannot handle.
The Wheel of Fortune – Nothing ever stays the same. You need to realise and appreciate the fact that bad times will eventually end.
Death – Keep your mind open to drastic changes to your living and working situation. It may not be a physical movement. It could be a change in perspective.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
The Tower – Changes are in the offing. You might change residence or move jobs. It will be for the best. You will take time to settle in.
The World – You might be afraid of approaching a strict boss or a spouse who you think will not understand your problem. But it has to be communicated.
The Magician – You come across several synchronicities. They were always there. But you begin to notice them now. You have the ability to make the most of it.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Ten of Wands – Learn to delegate responsibilities so you don’t feel burdened. You don’t have to do it all by yourself. But yes, the quality of work may not be best.
The Tower – Be prepared for change. You cannot avoid change from coming into your life and uprooting you. You can keep an open mindset to tackle it.
Nine of Wands – There’s some contradiction in the news coming your way. What you hear is not aligning with what you see. Wait, don’t believe anything.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Seven of Cups – There is some confusion over your decisions. You may not have gotten what you expected from a new job – a letdown, at least with the pay.
Three of Cups – All your hard work and effort are paying off. The results are out and you are shining. You’re in the spotlight with your bosses and clients.
Two of Cups – Doing a job with a partner is likely to be a bigger success than trying to do it on your own. Be open to partnerships.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
Republicans and Democrats
R
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ Date 19-3-2012
epublicans spends hundreds of dollars and hours of work decorating the yard with outdoor lights and Christmas displays. Democrats save their time and money, and drive around at night to look at *other* people's lights. Democrats' favourite Christmas movie is ‘Miracle on 34th Street.’ Republicans' favourite Christmas movie is ‘It's a Wonderful Life.’ Right-Wing Republicans' favourite Christmas movie is ‘Die Hard.’
Republicans always take the price tag off expensive gifts before wrapping. Democrats also remove price tags off pricey gifts... and reposition them to make sure they are seen. Democrats wear wide red ties and green sports jackets during the festive season. Republicans do too, all year. Democrats' favourite Christmas carol is ‘Deck the Halls.’ Young Democrat's favourite Christmas carol is ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.’ Most Republicans try. ... more next week
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WACKY WORLD SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Batman to the rescue
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atman fans in Brazil now have a reason to rejoice, as this is probably the closest they will ever get to their favourite super hero. Inspired by the role played by Batman in the protection of Gotham city, officials of Taubate, Brazil have gotten a real-life Batman for their protection too. The Brazilian superhero is actually a former soldier, Andre Luiz Pinheiro, who has been hired to patrol the streets of Taubate.
New York’s Jedi Club
The God Squad
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ntil now, only angels were able to drop in from the skies, but not anymore. Russian priests will be joining in pretty soon, complete with church and everything.Confused? The elite unit of priests that are currently being trained as a part of the Russian Army. Once the training is complete, they will be able to drop in along with their mobile churches, to hold services for Russian troops posted around the world. Their code name – The God Squad.
lynn Michael calls his students a “bunch of Star Wars dorks.” But that doesn’t mean he’s any less passionate about the sci-fi series himself. Especially since he’s created a whole club on the concept of Jedi, and teaches his trainees how to use the Force to navigate the pressures of living in New York City – be it a stressful workplace, a rowdy bar or a crowded subway. His project is called the New York Jedi Club.
ANGELS BY YOUR SIDE
AFP/ANDREW YATES
A-Team fan spends $50,000 to convert van
A UNITED KINGDOM, Cheltenham : Performers with painted bodies arrive for the start of the second day of the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival in Gloucestershire, western England, on March 14. The genteel Georgian town of Cheltenham will become the centre of the universe for jump racing enthusiasts as it plays host to the 2012 National Hunt Festival.
40-year-old businessman, Tag Majid, has done something that will make ATeam fans the world over both proud and jealous. He’s actually spent $50,000 to convert an old and bashed-up 1985 GMC Vandura Van into a replica of the legendary vehicle driven by BA Baracus on the show. It took him over eight months to complete the project and the vehicle is now decked out in all the colours and features of the original show van.
Shattering nerdiness at Spaghetti Bridge Building competition
Bikini-Clad Baristas sell it steaming hot
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o what if geeks can’t lift heavy weights? They sure can build bridges to do their lifting for them. And that’s exactly what Peter Sandor of Hungary has done. He built a 967 gram bridge made of spaghetti that was able to hold a whopping 384.06 kg, before it shattered into pieces. The bridge was made for Okanagan College’s 29th annual Spaghetti Bridge Contest, in Kelowna, Canada, as a part of Engineering Week. Contestants from around the world brought in structures made of spaghetti to be tested by pressure added in increments. The bridge that held the maximum weight before it broke was declared the winner. Sandor, a student of engineering at the College of
Nyiregyhaza, in Hungary, was awarded the ‘heavyweight champion’ title, hands-down. The pasta-engineering efforts of this 23year-old bright young student won him $1,500.
t Java Girls, you don’t just get hot coffee, you get it served by hot women too. And to top it all off, they’re wearing nothing but bikinis and boots. I guess there couldn’t be a better way for men to kick-start their mornings. Java Girl’s latest franchise opened in Orlando last November, although the concept has been around since the early 2000s. Other branches are located in Oregon and Texas. The Orlando franchise of Java Girls is coowned by Todd and Bill Brognano, and thought to be the only bikini coffee shop located in central Florida. The shop employs only women, dressed in either bikinis or lingerie.
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SPORTS SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
3rd Grand Slam for Wales
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Dirk stars for Mavericks
youthful Wales team seized a third Grand Slam in eight seasons with a hard-fought 16-9 victory over France, delivering on the rich promise that first came to light at the World Cup. And coach Warren Gatland vowed that the goal now would be to start turning over the world's top-ranked countries, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. "There was a relief at the fact that we hung on and won the game," said Gatland.
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he Dallas Mavericks, trying to gain momentum in their NBA title defence, defeated Western Conference rivals San Antonio Saturday 106-99 to halt the Spurs' three-game winning streak. Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points to lead the Mavs and Jason Terry added 17. Rodrigue Beaubois, playing against illustrious compatriot Tony Parker added 16 points and matched his career-high with eight rebounds.
Hirscher still in a daze
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arcel Hirscher said on Saturday he was still coming to terms with his achievements of winning the World Cup giant slalom title and virtually securing the more coveted overall crown. Thanks to Hirscher, Austria's men will boast a first World Cup overall champion since 2006. It is a prize that many skiers covet more than Olympic gold because of the season-long battle for points. “It's still completely unreal,” he said.
‘Little’ John jolts Joker Hard-serving American John Isner’s remarkable run continued as he stunned world No. 1 Novak Djokovic to book an Indian Wells final showdown with world No. 3 Roger Federer.
Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor watch John Isner and Novak Djokovic in action. AFP/HARRY HOW
John Isner receives congratulations from Novak Djokovic of Serbia after the former beat the latter 7-6(7), 3-6, 7-6(5) at AFP/HARRY HOW the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday in Indian Wells, California.
INDIAN WELLS: World number 11 Isner fired his 20th ace of the match to topple defending champion and top seed Djokovic 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) on Saturday. Federer used an ace on match point to seal a 6-3, 6-4 victory over world number two Rafael Nadal as the two renewed their epic rivalry with their first meeting at the Indian Wells Masters. Isner’s first victory over a world number one ensures he will move into the top 10 in the world rankings for the first time. “Not many people can say they’ve ever beaten the No. 1 player in the world,” said the 26year-old American Isner. “I’ll always be able to say that. “I’m just going to keep on riding this wave I’m on and see how far it can take me.” For Djokovic, 24, it marked a
ISNER’S VICTORY OVER A WORLD NUMBER ONE ENSURES HE WILL MOVE INTO THE TOP 10 IN THE WORLD RANKINGS. second straight semi-final defeat after he fell at the same stage in Dubai to Andy Murray earlier this month. Reigning Australian Open champ Djokovic is now 14-2 on the season. “It’s frustrating when somebody serves over 70 percent of the first serves in and with that angle and with that speed and accuracy,” Djokovic said. “But I played him before. I knew I had to stay patient and just wait for the chance. I had some chances. I didn’t use them.”
Isner closed the two hour, 45 minute match out with his 20th ace in front of a crowd of about 15,000. Djokovic, who saved a match point in the 12th game of the third set to force the tiebreaker and saved two match points on his own serve in the final tiebreaker before Isner closed it out, finished with eight aces and two double faults. “That’s why I play this game, to be able to enjoy moments like that,” Isner said. “The stadium was packed, there wasn’t an empty seat in the house, and everyone was on their feet. Cheering for me, too. “It was very special when that last ball went by him and I knew I had won the match. “It was a weird feeling, a very nice feeling. It’s something that you don’t experience every day. So I was just trying to take
Novak Djokovic’s girlfriend Jelena Ristic cheers him during his semifinal match against John Isner. AFP/ROBYN BECK it all in.” One of the sport’s great rivalries was on display in the second semi-final between 16time Grand Slam winner Federer and reigning French Open champ Nadal which started three and a half hours late and was played in difficult windy and rainy conditions. “I had a good day. It was a great match in tough conditions,” Federer said. “It was so difficult but man I couldn’t be more happy. I played amazing. “We both expected rain, and it did rain a few times.”
Federer even had a few extra minutes to think about what turned out to be his final ace after officials pulled the players off the court because of rain just as he held match point leading 5-4 and 40-30. He returned a few moments later and hammered the final nail in the coffin — a 125 mph ace that ended the one hour, 31 minute match. “I thought about going down the ‘T’ but when I was tossing the ball in the air I thought I would go the other way,” he said. AFP
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SPORTS SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Yuvraj out of hospital The 30-yr-old all-rounder tweeted that his treatment was over and he couldn’t wait to be back home
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ndia’s World Cup cricket hero Yuvraj Singh announced Sunday that he has been discharged from hospital after undergoing chemotherapy for a cancerous tumour. “3rd chemo cycles over, back from hospital n I am free.... Can’t wait to be back home,” the 30year-old all-rounder said via Twitter from the United States,
YUVRAJ ALSO DOFFED HIS HAT TO INDIAN CRICKETING SUPERSTAR SACHIN TENDULKAR FOR ACHIEVING THE “UNACHIEVABLE”. where he has been receiving treatment. Left-handed Yuvraj, named man of the tournament after India’s World Cup triumph at home last April, was diagnosed with a rare condition, mediastinal seminoma — a malignant tumour between his lungs —
soon after the event. Thousands of well-wishers, including US cycling great Lance Armstrong, have sent messages to the player, who is known for his aggressive batting and disciplined spin bowling. Thanking fans for their support, Yuvraj also doffed his hat to Indian cricketing superstar Sachin Tendulkar for achieving the “unachievable” after becoming the only player to score 100 international centuries on Friday. “Overwhelmed and full of emotions Tendulkar take a bow What he has achieved is immeasurable and what he has done is unachievable,” he said. Yuvraj, who scored 362 runs and bagged 15 wickets in nine World Cup matches, has not played competitive cricket since taking part in two of the three home Tests against the West Indies in November. He has scored 8,051 runs in 274 one-dayers and 1,775 in 37 Tests since making his international debut in 2000.
Sick Magnussen sizzles Despite illness, the 20-year-old topped the qualifiers ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: World champion James Magnussen shrugged off illness to storm into the 100-metre freestyle semi-finals, leaving Ian Thorpe in his wake, at the Australian Olympic selection trials on Sunday. Magnussen, who won the world crown in Shanghai last year, clocked 48.26 seconds in his heat to top the qualifiers into Sunday’s night top-16 semifinals in Adelaide. The 20-year-old said he was ill but was unfazed by it as he had overcome sickness before in winning last year’s world titles while suffering from pneumonia. “I won a world championships having pneumonia so if anything it hasn’t really worried too much. If I have to swim with one lung, so be it,” he said. “I’m feeling a bit crook (ill) again... I was sort of hoping this morning just to stay nice and light and not have to push myself.” Matt Targett (48.85) was second fastest qualifier ahead of Tommaso D’Orsogna (49.18) and former world record holder
Australian swimmer James Magnussen looks on after the heat of the 100m freestyle during the Australian Olympic AFP/ DAVID MARIUZ selection trials swim meet in Adelaide on Sunday. Eamon Sullivan (49.29) with former world silver medallist Michael Klim, 34, the 11th fastest with 49.79. But there was no place for five-time Olympic champion Thorpe, who finished with the
21st fastest time of 50.35 and, after failing to qualify for the final of the 200m freestyle on Friday, he will miss out on the London Games. Samantha Hamill was fastest qualifier into Sunday’s
women’s 200m butterfly semifinal in 2:11.14 ahead of Jessicah Schipper (2:11.87), while reigning champion Brenton Rickard (2:15.08) topped the men’s 200m breastAFP stroke heats.
Volvo fleet set for big battering WELLINGTON: Six skippers steeled themselves for a 36-hour battering on Sunday as they left Auckland at the mid-point of a Volvo Ocean Race that remains too close to call. By the halfway stage of the 39-year-old contest the winner is often well ahead of the rest of the fleet, but at the start of Leg 5 to Itajai in Brazil Spanish leaders Team Telefonica boast only a 15-point advantage. That can quickly be wiped out, as each leg earns the winners 30 points. “I have been following this race closely since 1981 and I don’t think we’ve had one edition... where we still simply don’t know how it’s going to be settled by this stage,” said team Sanya skipper Mike Sanderson, 2005-06 winner. Sanderson proved his point Sunday by guiding Sanya, last in the standings, out of Auckland harbour first after an hour’s superb navigation around an inport course. They led marginally from Abu Dhabi, Puma and Telefonica.
RACE HQ IN SPAIN ON SUNDAY DELIVERED A WEATHER WARNING TO THE FLEET WITH A HUGE STORM EXPECTED TO HIT IT WITHIN A DAY. He will not have long to rest on his laurels as the fleet heads 6,705 nautical miles towards their eventual destination to Itajai in Brazil via the Southern Ocean and then Cape Horn on the tip of South America. Race HQ in Spain on Sunday delivered a weather warning to the fleet with a huge storm expected to hit it within a day. Waves of up to eight metres — potentially boat-breaking conditions — are expected. Aucklander Sanderson will not be alone in worrying about his boat which has already been forced to suspend racing to effect bow and rigging repairs. Abu Dhabi had to fix a crack in their rigging Friday rather than contest a practice race and Groupama, Leg 4 winners, spent much of the week repairing a large hole in their bow which could have sunk them 100 miles from Auckland. Neal McDonald, a sailor on overall leaders Team Telefonica competing in his sixth race, said the trip to South America still had the potential to frighten even the most experienced campaigner. “The Southern Ocean is a long way from home, a long way from land and a long way from any help,” said the 48-yearold. “If anything happens to you, your best bet for assistance is another competitor — nobody else is there, that’s for sure.” AFP
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SPORTS SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Fulham drown in Swan‘sea’ LONDON: Swansea turned on
the style as Gylfi Sigurdsson’s double inspired an impressive 30 win at Fulham on Saturday. Brendan Rodgers’ team have earned plenty of plaudits for their eye-catching play since last season’s promotion from the Championship and they delivered one of their best performances of the campaign to rout the Cottagers thanks to two goals from Sigurdsson and a Joe Allen strike. After beating title challengers Manchester City last weekend, this was further proof that Rodgers and his entertaining team have what it takes to make their mark in the top flight. They are up to eighth in the Premier League table after their third successive victory, while Fulham slip to 11th. “It’s a very tough league with some wonderful teams but today we were incredible," Rodgers said. “I felt it was our biggest game because last week we played well and won against a great team, but then comes a game raiser and we were phenomenal. “The passing and tempo was fantastic but our defensive play, such as pressing and blocking, was tremendous as well." Rodgers was forced to make one change to the starting lineup that beat City as Wales defender Ashley Williams saw his run of 169 consecutive appearances brought to an end by a virus and was replaced in central defence by Garry Monk. That switch initially seemed to trouble Swansea and Dutch goalkeeper Michel Vorm had to be at his best to keep out efforts from Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele. However, Rodgers’ men gradually found their rhythm and
Fulham’s Malian midfielder Mahamadou Diarra (L) vies with Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson during their English Premier League football match between Fulham and Swansea at Craven Cottage in London, England, on March 17, 2012. AFP/ MIGUEL MEDINA Sigurdsson saw a low effort flash wide in the 29th minute. Fulham did not take heed of the warnings and found themselves a goal behind in the 36th minute. Wayne Routledge darted down the right flank and sent a
cross to the back post, which was nodded across goal by Scott Sinclair for Sigurdsson to head home. Swansea looked in total control now and they doubled their advantage in the 66th minute. Sigurdsson, on loan from
Hoffenheim, played a neat onetwo with Routledge before bursting through to shoot past Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. The Cottagers contributed to their own downfall when Swansea sealed the points in the 77th minute.
A poor pass from former Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos allowed Swansea to work the ball towards Allen. Senderos compounded his error by standing off Allen and the midfielder took full advantage to fire home.
Bolton’s Muamba collapses during match LONDON: Bolton footballer
Fabrice Muamba was “critically ill” in hospital on Sunday after collapsing suddenly during his team’s FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham. The 23-year-old Kinshasaborn player was rushed to hospital after harrowing scenes towards the end of the first half at White Hart Lane on Saturday, when the midfielder sank to the turf with no player near him. Several paramedics were seen attempting to revive the player before he was stretchered off the field after 41 minutes with the scores at 1-1. Referee Howard Webb called the players off the field before an announcement shortly afterwards that the game had been abandoned. A joint statement from Bolton and the London Chest Hospital released at 9:30pm local time (2130 GMT) Saturday said Muamba was in intensive care. “Bolton Wanderers can con-
Referee Howard Webb (right) looks on as Bolton’s English midfielder Fabrice Muamba is treated by medical staff after collapsing during his FA Cup quarter-final football match against Tottenham Hotspur. AFP/OLLY GREENWOOD firm that Fabrice Muamba has been admitted to The Heart Attack Centre at The London Chest Hospital where he is in a
critically ill condition in intensive care," the statement said. “No further information will be issued at this stage. The club
and hospital request that the media and public respect the family’s privacy at this time." Earlier, players, fans and millions of television viewers had watched in shock as paramedics treated Muamba on the ground at White Hart Lane. Several players from both teams were in tears as the seriousness of the situation became apparent and fans sang Muamba’s name as he was treated. The stricken footballer’s condition prompted an avalanche of concern on social-networking site Twitter, with the words “Pray for Muamba” trending hours after he was admitted to hospital. Muamba’s Bolton team-mate Stuart Holden tweeted: “Praying for you Fab. Hope he’s OK. Thoughts with him and his family." English football stars were quick to express their concern, with Manchester United defend-
er Rio Ferdinand tweeting: “Come on Fabrice Muamba, praying for you." Arsenal and England midfiedler Jack Wilshere, who played with Muamba during a loan spell at Bolton, added: “Hope Muamba is okay. Thoughts with him." Middlesbrough defender Justin Hoyte — a former youth team colleague of Muamba’s at Arsenal — posted: “I seriously hope my best friend in football is OK. Stay strong bro please please stay strong." Britain’s Sunday newspapers were united in their anguish for the young player. The Sun on Sunday summed up the situation with the headline: “When football no longer matters." “Quite rightly our great game of football was forgotten, deemed a ridiculous irrelevance as the horrifying events unfolded," Rob Beasley wrote in the tabloid. AFP
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SPORTS SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (L) scores against Sevilla while the latter’s goalkeeper Andres Palop looks on during their Spanish League football match on Saturday at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Sevilla. AFP/CRISTINA QUICLER
Messimerism fails to pep Guardiola up MADRID: Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola watched Lionel Messi register his 150th league goal in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Sevilla, but admitted that even the little master can’t win La Liga this season. “Forget the league, we are not going to win,” said Guardiola, whose bitter rivals Real Madrid can restore their 10-point cushion against Malaga on Sunday. “If this team has anything then it is that it competes, but there has been another side which has been better and achieved better results than us and there is no need to smooth over the fact.” Despite his black mood, Guardiola insisted that his team would keep going until the end. “Players at Barcelona go out to win. We have a very difficult tie in the next round
of the Champions League (against AC Milan) but we are not going to hold back in the league and rest players,” he said. A sublime chip from Messi brought up the Argentine’s 150th league goal for Barcelona, and his 14th in the last six games, after a Xavi Hernandez free-kick had put the champions ahead after 18 minutes. Guardiola put out his strongest side as Barca continued their pursuit of Real with the only surprise the absence of Carles Puyol from the defence with Javier Mascherano chosen to play alongside Gerard Pique at centre half. Adriano started at left-back in place of Eric Abidal who will be out of the game indefinitely as he awaits a liver transplant. AFP