TRAIN-JEEP SMASH KILLS 15
LOCKED AND LOADED In a world where power is still measured
Fifteen people were killed and three others seriously injured when the Mathura-Kasganj Express rammed into an overcrowded jeep at an unmanned railway crossing at Hathras in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. The injured have been admitted to a local hospital, railway authorities said. P11
in the amount of military punch that a country packs, some countries spend a fortune in staying armed to the teeth. We take a look at five of the world’s largest standing armed forces and summarise their lethal inventory. P16&17
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STOKING TROUBLE Police suspect plot to stir up communal trouble in the City after a youth, caught while setting a bike ablaze, talks about his mysterious paymaster. ASTROLOGERS TAKE FIRE FOR QUIPS Three astrologers have kicked up a storm of protest in the City following their ‘uncharitable’ observations about men and women in Ugadi calendar. Criminal cases are likely to be slapped P4 on them.
I’D LOVE TO DO RAJKUMAR HIRANI’S FILM: AAMIR KHAN P22
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Page Two
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Spirit of Twin Cities
PATRIOTIC FERVOUR
Journée de la Francophonie Alliance Francaise Hyderabad gears up to celebrate — French through Journée de la Francophonie (Day of french speaking communities). Catch a book launch and reading of the book Les Mangues de TaraTara’s mangoes and other stories in both English and French. A painting exhibition by Laxman Aelay will also be displayed. Where: Alliance Francaise, Banjara Hills, Rd No 3 When: March 20, 6.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4481
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) 2323 5028
Kebab and grill festival Relish a feast of Kebabs and Grills as chefs from the Indian and Continental kitchens take the challenge to serve you a myriad of Indian kebabs and western grills Where: Okra, Marriot Hotel and convention centre, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 7pm Contact: (040) 2752 2568
Handloom expo Gurjari handloom and handicrafts expo features handloom bandhni and patola saris, patchwork, ethnic block printed dress materials and traditional handicrafts like Kutch embroidery, leather puppets, tribal craft, wood carving and furniture. Where: Huda open auditorium When: Ongoing, 10am onwards
Sale time Good earth plays host to an end of season sale. The sale is on a variety of products such as home textiles, crockery, decor, silver plated accessories etc. Where: Good Earth, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: March 21 to 25 Contact: (040) 2333 8000
Unique buffet Yellow Chilli is offering a lunch buffet which is truly different. The Buffet which costs `199 (Monday to-Friday) and `249 (Saturday and Sunday). The dinner buffet costs `299 and `349. Where: Yellow Chilli, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12
CINEMAS
School children run with the national flag during the Aviation 2012 air show at Begumpet.
When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2338 3838
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) 6554 1836
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
Dramaybaaz Dramaybaaz — a theatre fest for solo performances. Walkin selections will be held on March 21 and March 22. The finals for the event will be held from March28-29. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: March 21 and 22, 10am to 5pm
Contact: 83411 20303
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 great music, martinis and aperitifs. Where: The Westin, Mindspace, Madhapur When: Monday - Friday, 5pm - 10.30pm Weekends, 8am - 10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828
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
N SHIVA KUMAR
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
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 a variert of wraps and rolls such as sea food rolls, grilled chicken rolls,cabbage roll, stir fried vegetable wraps etc. Where: The Promenade, Ameerpet When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6678 8888
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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Is the bike-burning funded?
CRIME BRIEFS Mother held for killing her son
Cops nabbed a man red-handed while he was torching bikes near Charminar. Investigation reveals a new angle—someone has been funding the activity
HYDERABAD: In yet another
PIC FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE
CRIME Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
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he mysterious bike burning incidents in the City have took a new twist last night with the arrest of a youth from Karnataka who confessed to have torched many bikes in the City. The youth was caught redhanded while trying to torch a bike at a commercial complex at Chellapura near Charminar. What startled the ACP South Zone M Rammohan Rao is the man’s claim that he has set ablaze several bikes in the City and it was all for money. This alerted the police about the incidents and the ACP has got in touch with his counterpart at Santosh Nagar S Say Krishna and together they took the man to many spots where the bikes were burnt, many of them in
Madannapet area (12 bikes were burnt in Madannapet). Rao told Postnoon , “Sometimes he tells his name as Hemanth, another time as Prashanth, then it is Mohanty and so on. The man is smart, versatile and multi-lingual. He can speak Telugu, Hindi, Urudu, English and Kannada though he says he is a dropout of pre-university. He hails from
Bidar and says he has severed ties with his parents and family and lived alone in Hyderabad.” Both the senior police officers suspect a conspiracy to ignite communal trouble with this kind of mischief. “Someone seems to be funding him,” observed Rao. In all, 32 bikes have been set on fire on the sly in the City in the last three months. While a
‘Killer’ wife held, new twist to story
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few of them were identified as mischief done based on personal enmity, many others remain to be worked out. The arrested man’s interrogation and taking him along to the spots are believed to throw more lights on the incidents, police said. A special team has been formed to take the man to Bidar to ascertain his antecedents. Meanwhile, another bike-burning incident was reported last night. A bike belonging to MA Gafoor, a student, was parked in front of his home in Darabgunj colony under the Madannapet police station limits. Under the cover of darkness, unidentified people doused the bike with and set it on fire. Gaffoor and his family raised an alarm and the neighbours gathered but the criminals escaped. But the police have recovered a pair of slippers and the dog squad has been put on the job.
case of burning alive, one Syed Sultan, 30, was allegedly set ablaze (while he was asleep) by his mother Zuleeqa Begum, 60, on Sunday night at their home in 18 IDPL Indira Nagar under the Balanagar police station limits. It is said that he was jobless and an alcoholic and fought with his mother regularly.
Cops conduct raids, bust sex racket HYDERABAD: The SR Nagar police carried out raids at different places like Ameerpet, Ellareddyguda, Ashok Estate, Sanath Nagar and Shamlakunta Park and busted a sex racket. The police have arrested the alleged kingpin, Sri Laxmi, 32, of Guntur district and 11 customers. They also rescued five sex workers and seized `20,000 in cash and six mobile phones from the accused. The SR Nagar police inspector P Krishnamurthy said Srilaxmi had hired girls from the Rajahmundry, West and East Godavari areas, and ran the racket.
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Pushpa, who is charged with murdering her husband, M Raghu, on Saturday night and had disappeared from the scene soon after, has finally been arrested. Raghu’s severely burnt body was found in their home in Maruthi Nagar in Malkajgiri. Their two grown up children Sampath and Shantipriya who pleaded they were absent when their father ‘acci-
dentally got burnt’ had summoned the ambulance and police. Initial interrogation of Pushpa by inspector A Venkateshwaralu threw up suspicion that it was all a conspiracy involving wife, her alleged paramour, and their children too. When the man was burnt alive her lover was at home, it is now admitted. In fact, the woman has reportedly told the police that Raghu was first poisoned and was almost dead when he was set on fire. The inspector told Postnoon the couple had been at loggerheads over her alleged love, whose identity the police are yet to reveal. There had been regular fights over the other man, it is reported.
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Astrologers receive brickbats for ‘outrageous’ comments Three astrologers have kicked up a storm of protest in the City following their ‘uncharitable’ observations about men and women in Ugadi calendar. Criminal cases are likely against the astrologers
SOCIETY Babu Gogineni feedback@postnoon.com
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ves and righteous men in the City have moved the Human Rights Commission (HRC) on Monday following some observations three astrologers had made in their panchamgam (calendar) on the occasion of Ugadi. Calling it ‘atrocious’ the agitators want the astrologers hauled up in the court. The agitation continued on Tuesday. It’s learnt that the Human Rights judge will hear the case in the afternoon.
What they say Inauspicious timing of menarche, or the first menses of a girl, could cause disease. Further, it could mean a shorter life span for her or her husband, or even lead to the birth of bad children. Menses at an inauspicious time is indicative of murderous inclinations in the girl, and could also lead to unchaste behaviour. Girls who get their first period in the evening are likely to become thieves; if it happens after sun set, she would become a prostitute; if it happened at midnight, she may have emaciated breasts, and early widowhood could be her fate. The prognosis is bleak, but, thankfully, there are remedies for those who have their first period on a Sunday, Tuesday, Saturday or on dates 1,4,6,8,9,12,14, of the month, or on new moon days.
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Almost no one is spared, but the astrologer’s website tells you that it will cost only a few thousands to perform santhi to appease the planets, and to remedy the dosham or defect. Three astrologers who wrote the above in their Panchangams scheduled to be read in public with pomp and ceremony at the forthcoming Ugadi New Year celebrations on March 23, failed to foresee what was in store for them: they have been hauled to the HRC by women and child rights organisations. The Indian Constitution and International Law protects the dignity of all
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humans; Indian Penal Law punishes whoever outrages the modesty of women, and Indian law protects the girl child from any attacks on her self esteem and her right to privacy. “But, we are doing it only to help them. What is this fuss all about?” bewailed a TV astrologer, who failed to recommend a more auspicious time for the legal action to defend the dignity of women. Head of a Vedic Research organisation, he accused the complainant victims of being anti-Hindu. The breath taking stupidity of the astrologers’ claims is not the
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real issue,the contemptuous and outrageous suggestions made by them is. It is time to fight the infamy – misogyny or the hatred for women that has been, and still is, displayed with impunity by men and is responsible for the adverse ratio of 930 women to 1000 men. That is why the Chairperson of the HRC, Justice Kakru, suggested that a criminal case be filed. Reports are pouring in that criminal cases are being filed against the astrologers in different parts of the State. (The writer is an international humanist and human rights activist)
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Women file complaint with APHRC U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com
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peculiar petition was filed in the APHRC yesterday by a group of women alleging that an Astrology guide in the name of Kalachakram violated the rights of girl child. The women wanted the court to take action against the astrologer Srinivasa gargeya. The astrology prediction book for the year 2012-13 to be followed from this Ugadi has stated that if a girl attains puberty in such and such a time , she is bound to run away, become a prostitute or become a widow. There are other predictions where the girls would be doing bad things. The HRC Judge Peri Peddi Reddy suggested that the women who were led by Devi, a consultant of UNICEF, file a review petition on Tuesday. The Judge, who discouraged the women saying that this issue will not come under the HRC preview later admitted the petition when he came to know that it was violation of rights. Srinivasa Gargeya the author of Kalachakram Panchangam said that he has nothing against girls or women. It was for protecting the girls from bad behaviour. It can be stopped when the parents check the time of puberty and then know about their future. The bad time and behaviour can be stopped once they come to know about the future of the girl child he opined. On the other hand Madhusudhan from Jana Vignana Vedika said that they would be filing a police case in this regard on the predictions by Srinivas Gargeya. Srinivasa Gargeya quoted the Supreme Court saying that Astrology is a science and there was nothing wrong in predicting the timings and behaviour of women. He said that all astrology books have a chapter on behaviour of men and women. But all of them are in Sanskrit while he wrote in Telugu, which now became a controversy.
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Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
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Stop this waste of public money POLITICS srinivas.u@postnoon.com
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Akbaruddin Owaisi
Jayprakash Narayan
Akbaruddin Owaisi, the MIM leader, also found fault with the attitude of the government. The Opposition and the ruling party are whiling away time in the name of cases against students and employees, but it is not bothered about the losses the jamming causes, nor is it worried at the cases foisted on the innocent minorities, he said. Akbar said that it is almost a year since the Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy had promised to look into the cases registered against minorities, but nothing has happened. The House going without trans-
acting business is not acceptable, he said. Both the Opposition and the government are wasting public money. He said that the MIM would extend its support to the TDP on the demand of tabling the 26 GOs pertaining to the six ministers. He also found fault with the deputy speaker Bhatti Vikramarka for allotting time for the TRS to protest. They have bunked the House for such a long time for participating in the bypolls, how can you allocate time for a protest, he questioned? He said it was time the government behaved responsibly.
Breakfast Assembly style Postnoon News
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s soon as the Assembly was adjourned by Speaker Manohar today after disallowing adjournment motions, the MLAs trooped out and went into the canteen in hordes. It was breakfast time! Some legislators, amused as they were, told media that they knew they would have a break for breakfast soon after the House met because it has been happening all these seven days. What about Speaker? “He too needs his morning fill, doesn’t he?” said one MLA, adding, “He’ll be having his breakfast in his chambers.” But, MIM MLAs were not excited at the prospects of protein. “Yeh to shera mamool hogaya” (It’s become a custom). But the main Opposition TDP’s MLAs did not agree that they were responsible for stalling the House. They said they were doing the Opposition dharma — in this instance demanding a discussion on the controversial 26 GOs.
Rachabanda a grand success, says govt POLITICS
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total of 29,61,454 ration cards were issued during Phase I and II of the Rachabanda programme as a result of which an equal number of families were benefited. This was disclosed by the minister for Civil Supplies, D Sridhar Babu in the State Assembly in a written reply to a question. While 5,41,964 ration cards were issued during Phase I of the Rachabanda programme, 24,19,490 cards were issued during the Phase II of the programme, he explained. Explaining about the steps taken by the government provide ration effectively to the beneficiaries,
the minister said that all steps were taken to include all the beneficiaries into the Dynamic Key Register and the supply of essential commodities were being done asper this through the Public Distribution System at subsidised rates to all eligible card holders below poverty line. In reply to another question, the minister for Housing Kanna Laxminarayana said that under the Rachabanda Phase I and II programmes 3.64 lakh houses and 6 lakh houses respectively had been sanctioned. The minister further said that as many as 27.52 lakh houses were sanctioned and completed during the period 1995 to2004.
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It’s a long wait for parents here ADOPTION
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U Srinivas
oksatta party chief and MLA Jayprakash Narayan (JP) hoped people would reject both the Congress and the TDP for their ‘irresponsible behaviour in wasting precious public money.’ JP said lakhs of rupees are spent on holding Assembly sessions and continued disruption of proceedings by the Opposition for some reason or other is a challenge to people and democracy. “It costs the exchequer about `2 lakhs per hour for running the Assembly.” Talking to Postnoon after the House was adjourned without transacting any business on Monday; he said results of the seven by-polls in the State itself will reflect public anger. He disagreed with the government stance that discussing the controversial government orders will be sub judice. “I don’t think there is any harm if the legislators discussed in the House the GOs though the case is in Court. The government must come forward for a discussion or table the GOs issued by the six ministers,” he said. People will no longer keep quiet and will revolt if the government continues to hide corruption charges, he predicted.
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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
imes are changing and so is society’s perspective. Today the growing demand for children to be adopted, shows that the trend is catching on and adoption is no longer met with scepticism. There are more than 1,462 couples waiting for adoption for the last four years in the department of Women and Child Welfare (DWDCW). This long wait is due to the distinct variation in the demand and supply of children. At present there are only 226 children in the department, hence the delay. “These children are between the ages of one and five. They have been abandoned and are brought to the department. It’s a good indication, that there is more demand and less supply. Only then will the parent know the value and take really good care of the child,” said Balu, training official at Sishu Vihar A couple who wants to adopt a boy child has to wait for more than four years and a girl child a minimum of two years. “Irrespective of the child being a girl or boy we want to go for adoption but looking at the long wait we have decided to go and adopt in Karnataka as it’s a quicker process there,” says Nandini P, a software employee.
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No of normal girl child: 166 No of special needs girl child: 67 No of normal boy child: 60 No of special needs boy child: 26
There are many other couples who are waiting to adopt a child. “The demand for adoption is very high in AP. But we do not have enough children hence parents will have to wait. Moreover, the adoption process is very strict,” said an official. As a practice, couples are not shown all the children. They are shown only three children, with similar features, to choose from. The pre and post paper work is a long and tedious process. Parents have to go through a series of counselling sessions and produce infertility certificates. Once the adoption is done, the parents should update the department for five years about the child’s growth. Amongst the 319 children at Sishu Vihar 93 are special children. These children are either physically handicapped or are HIV positive. Last year seven special children were adopted by foreign couples and by NGO’s.
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Candidates file RS nominations
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our Congress candidates have filed their nominations for elections to Rajya Sabha, on Monday. Chiranjeevi, Palvai Govardhan Reddy, Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar and Renuka Choudari handed over their papers to the Legislative secretary.
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A homegrown trainer base A Professional help, free of cost, Trainer’s Base, is Hyderabad’s own product and it completes four years of its service in training the trainers
TRENDS Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com
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raining trainers is an onerous task. And, of late, this area has received much attention. While many are upstarts with little credibility, the Trainer Base Hyderabad group, started in March 2007, gives an established framework of training. Bhaskar Karampudi, an MBA with about 17 plus years of experience in human relations, learning, and development- related areas conducts the sessions. The membership and sessions are free of cost. However, there are some criteria to join the group. “The group meets regularly every Sunday. Trainer Base Hyderabad was started to network with trainers and also with individuals who aspire to become trainers. The purpose of this group is to meet up on a regular basis to discuss, share and exchange knowledge, skills and abilities and work towards fulfillment of mutual goals. Currently there are a total of 204 members in the group” said, Bhaskar Karampudi “I am a member of this group since February 2010. For me this is the one and only group where you can gather immense knowledge. After my first meet up with the group I decided to attend regular meet-ups with trainer base team. I honed my faculties of public speaking and training skills from the Trainer Base and undoubtedly it’s a good source to get trained” said Santosh Kumar, member of Trainer Base.
Meet-ups Each meet-up is focused on a particular topic and participants are oriented on various aspects including right from the
basic fundamental concepts, to designing the framework for a workshop (using proven models like ADDIE), delivering the workshops, using various training tools and techniques, choosing appropriate training methodology, evaluating the effectiveness of training (using models like Bloom’s Taxonomy) etc. Couple of sessions are also conducted on designing, developing and using Behavioural assessments and psychometric tools; implication of tools like MBTI, DISC, FIRO-B, 24PF, CPI, TKI, KTS, Thomas, Harrisons, Saville, etc. It takes about 6 - 8 months for one full cycle of topics to be completed.
Criteria to join the group
n You are a trainer who is interested in
upgrading your skills and sharing your experiences with other trainers. n You are an individual interested in transforming yourself into a trainer and make training as your hobby or
THE FACES OF HYDERABAD Ashok Kumar, Frankie maker
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s soon as afternoon sets in Ashok is seen bustling about, getting the Frankie stand outside Heritage Fresh at Jubilee Hills ready. From starting in the afternoon till the night, he makes countless number of Frankies. Like an expert he fries the Frankie bread and then adds the stuffing and seasons it with onions and masalas to create the perfect Frankie roll. The funny part is Ashok, who originally hails from Orissa has a limited interest in cooking. The 25- year old used to work as a lorry driver in Orissa’s iron mines.
Aishwarya Yerra A city is defined by the people who live and work in it. Here we take a look at the human threads that make up our urban tapestry
When the iron mines shut down he came to Hyderabad four months back and this is his first job. Even though he is not too interested in cooking as a Frankie maker he is earning some money which he is able to send back home too. And this has made his parents happy too. But he says that his ultimate interest lies in driving and if he gets the opportunity to be a driver of any sort, he will take up the job. Ashok says he is not that kind of a person who plans too much into the future and prefers to take his life as it comes.
part-time or full-time career For those without any experience of training, there are a couple of essential criteria for joining the group such as: n You should be fluent in English n You should be a keen observer n You should have a genuine interest in helping people mould their future n You should have a real passion for training n You should be willing to spend at least 3 hours each week (usually on a weekend) for the offline meet-ups and utilise the opportunity to learn.
Achievements While most of the participants of the sessions have been able to get into the training industry as freelance trainers, many of them have been able to secure employment with training departments of reputed organisations and some have even become entrepreneurs by setting up their own training companies!! DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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To my daughter’s in-laws with love(?) SOCIETY Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com
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aundry basket (mailydan)- `500, silver mug (lootha)- `175, curtains (parda)- `2,000 — these are some of the absurd things that are listed in the book of dowry/jahez that you may have to give when you get your daughter married. Marriage is not a bed of roses, in fact, what hurts the most are the thorns that adorn this beautiful flower aka marriage. What resembles a fancy greeting card, once removed from the envelope, has a pretty picture of a yellow and red rose surrounded by pink sunflowers; you’d easily be deceived as if it were given by a well wisher. But as soon as you open it, its contents are nothing short of a robber list.
Confused? The card inside carries a list of almost everything that you might need when you are going to start a new home — from the utility items such as a microwave, fridge to the truly bizarre such as a lemon set and a stool. The irony here is that there is a provision where the bride’s family has to tick what all they are willing to give and if more than one, specify the number as well. What is even more shocking is that there is a religious quote justifying the giving of dowry. At the
back, there is a box which the father or guardian of the bride has to sign assuring that the items will be given at the time of the wedding. This is the new trend in the City where dowry is no longer under-the-table or behind closed doors. Hamed*, a victim of this malicious practice, said that when he received this from the groom’s family during his daughter Zakia’s* wedding, he was shocked. “I didn’t know how to react. I knew that I had to give some of these items to my daughter, but this is ridiculous. I am left with no choice but to accept it as this is a common practice now,” he lamented. He pointed out that such
sheets are printed in the Old City and are more common in minorities. The evil practice unfortunately spreads its roots to all classes and all section of the society. “Until I experienced this myself, I always thought it was more prevalent in the lower-middle-class. However, I personally know people from the uppermiddle-class who indulge in such practices as well,” said Hamed. Fareeda Hussain, joint secretary, All India Women Conference, said that it is a moral obligation of the man to take care of his wife. “The woman is only supposed to take with her what is necessary. The culture has penetrated such that depending upon the status of the man, dowry is asked. This is becoming increasingly common SATYAPRASAD
What religious leaders say Moula Moulana Rahim Qureishi, assistant general secretary, All India Muslim Law Board: The practice of dowry or jahez is prohibited in Islam. Due to the fact that many families can’t afford to give such high amounts, many girls are not getting married. It is shameful. In fact, the groom has to give the bride a mehr (a token amount as security) and not the other way around. It is shameful. among the minorities as well. Even educated people are asking for dowry. Giving household items also qualifies as dowry. This
Ajay Pandey, Sanatan Darpan Masik Patrika Sampadak: In the past, dowry was given to the girl for her security and maintenance after her marriage. It was a clean practice. But with the government getting involved, the whole practice has become corrupt. People have become greedy and ask for extravagant amounts as dowry. This practice should stop immediately. Many families are facing problems due to this. must stop as this will only decay society,” she opined. *Names changed upon request.
Himalayas come to Banjara Hills ART Rahul Ramakrishna rahul.r@postnoon.com
I
t was a pleasant treat to the enthusiast of lens man’s art at Iconart gallery, Banjara Hills. A collection of Himalayan photography by 16 photographers over the past 5 years presented a feast for the hungry eyes. That snowy wonder, a marvel of nature, has never ceased to charm us. The exhibition had the great mountains in their varied moods, though much maligned by man’s overdrive . Satyaprasad Yachendra, one of the 16 photographers who had contributed to the exhibition says, “The Himalayas have always fascinated me. The pure rapture of bliss that I experience there is beyond words.” And what better way to share that joy than the lens-
es that speak volumes with each shot?” Speaking about his passion, Satyaprasad said, “ I travel to the Himalayas every year. I have been to North Sikkim, Kashmir, Tibet. Ladakh, to me, will always be the ultimate place for salvation.” The photographs revealed a humane side of the Himalayan mountains. “The Himalayas can never be a picnic spot. To me, they serve a higher spiritual purpose.” However, environmental effected the Himalayas. Says Satyaprasad, “The Pangom Tso lake had been featured in a Hindi movie. After that incident, it has attracted scores of tourists who come and leave behind so much junk and trash. For the first time in ten years, the lake water has froth in it.” And, he says, it would be a sad day when these majestic mountains that guarded this Country for ages, shrink.
Hyper Local
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
8
GHMC efforts to go down the drain The civic body’s `106 crore facelift plan ahead of CBD will be undone by the Metro Rail project works COUNTDOWN TO 11TH CBD
Md Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com
T
he State’s refusal to fund the mega world biodiversity conference in October is not the only worry of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Much of the money which it will spend eventually for the grand world event will be wasted as the Metro rail will pulverise the work soon after the event. The GHMC has drawn up a roadmap of renovating and mending 123 kilometres of roads to host the event. Roads apart, installation of signage, portraits, reconstruction of walls around grave yards, renovation of fountains, parks and traffic junctions will be undertaken. However, some of these roads fall along the Metro rail route. The MiyapurCharminar road, AmeerpetMadapur road and many other arterial roads will face bulldozers after the event is over. It’s not the GHMC alone; the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is also engaging sprucing up works which will be lost under the rail.
Some of the works being undertaken by GHMC for COP-11 on Metro Corridor routes
Ameerpet-Shilparamam. Begumpet- Ameerpet (via Dharam-Karan Road) Madapur-NFCL junction - `46 crores Ameerpet- Charminar junction - `60 crores
The works being undertaken by Road & Buildings Department and NHAI included MiyapurCharminar (via Ameerpet, Nampally and Afzalgunj) and Madapur-NFCL Junction at a cost of `106 crores. The loss due to demolition afterward for metro rail is estimated to be around `160 Crore. GHMC’s additional commissioner (Planning) K Dhananjay Reddy agreed that much of the roads being developed by the corporation will be demolished for the Metro Rail. He takes the stance that the inevitable has to be accepted, “The roads developed for the Biodiversity event are doomed. We can’t avoid it. To achieve something, you must lose something,” he said philosophically. Reddy feels the pain but argues, “Both CBD COP-11 and Metro Rail project are important for the City. Aren’t they?” But, who will compensate the corporation remains unanswered. For now, the GHMC has already come to an understanding with Metro Rail officials on stalling their work in certain routes till the biodiversity event is over.
The sojourn of a German journalist Back home in Germany, Philipp Dudek is approving and dismissing off copies as the boss of the newspaper he works for. In Hyderabad for a month, he dons the role of a journalist, he once used to be
VISITORS Indira Altluri indira.a@postnoon.com
P
hilipp Dudek, the managing editor for the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper in Germany is in India for a few weeks as part of the Journalist Exchange programme. And he was one of the team of four nominated for the CNN Young Journalist award for the year 2008. We met up with him to know what propels his affair with journalism, and the game of words. We ask Philipp what triggered off his passion for becoming a journalist, “When I was 16, I knew I always wanted to become one. My parents subscribed to the Taz, an independent, left-wing newspaper with a very limited circulation. They did not do stories others put their spotlight on, but took really unusual and offbeat issues. I was very motivated by the paper, and years later, I worked with the Taz for 7 years, right
from when I was 23.” When the G8 Summit took place in Germany, Philipp and his team of four friends took an unpaid leave to pursue their passion for grass root journalism. He recalls his experience with the summit, “Four of us friends went with accreditation to the G8 Summit which was held in Heiligendamm, Germany, in 2007. There, we worked on the online blog of the summit using social-networking forums such as Twitter and Video-logging to give it publicity. And when we applied for the award online, we were immediately nominated. We lost to another team, but it makes us immensely proud that the jury loved our work, and found it difficult to choose a winner.” As with any journalist, Philipp too has his share of ‘far-from-pleasant’ stories to narrate. He recalls being in the middle of a chaotic situation, while covering a march of Neo-Nazis in the city of Leipzig. He tells us, “I was working with a news agency called the Evangelische Pressedienst and was covering a rally of 400 Neo-Nazis. There were 25,000 protestors, and
just 1,000 policemen there. In a whiff, things got out of control, and there was violence. It was scary to see stones and bottles flying in the air, and the police whipping people with canes.” The air is charged up with Philipp’s recollection of the ghastly memories as he adds, “My colleague held his Press ID in the air for the police to differentiate us from the public. But then, we ended up running like never ever before. It gives me shudders recollecting the incident.” We wanted to know about Philipp’s experience in Hyderabad, and weren’t really surprised when he told us, “The politics of traffic here is interesting. I do not want to take the auto for just two kilometers to reach office, so I walk. And each time I reach office, I wonder how I ever managed it — people just don’t obey rules here!” But his liking for the City is evident when he says, “I am leaving for home soon, and I don’t feel good about it.” Perhaps this statement summarises what the City does to its visitors — showing a bit of the bad and the ugly side, but also giving a taste of the good, the better, and well, the best.
17,339.58 65.55
5,272.75 15.70
BSE
NSE
Business
10g= `28,100
GOLD
1kg= `57,500
SILVER
`50.24
DOLLAR
POUND TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012 9
Matters of saving and spending
Painting picture of success Husband-wife pair guides growth despite intense competition from biz majors Prudhvi Raju K
N SHIVA KUMAR
prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
B
ehind every successful man, there is a woman, it is often said. But what is underplayed is that behind every successful woman, there is a man. Kavitha Batulla, cofounder, Om Sai Andhra Paints acknowledge the fact. “It is my husband’s support at personal and professional life that helped a `5 lakh valued company in 2002 to achieve a turnover of approximately `70 lakh this fiscal,” says Kavitha. “We were busy with our jobs and then the thought occurred, ‘Why don’t we work for ourselves and build a company. Let us take the benefits of the hard work we do, instead of giving it someone else,’” Kavitha explains the inception of the business. The enterprise, that started at a mere 500 sq ft plot in Balanagar in 2002, had a tough time in first three years. “I often did not have electricity for three months after starting the plant. The government officials were demanding the bribes which I resisted. I went to the senior officials in the board and eventually got the connection,” she says.
Rajesh with Kavitha
Apple, the technology giant has sold a whopping three million of its new iPads within just three days of launching the latest version of its blockbuster tablet computer. The California-based company launched the third version of the iPad on Friday with new features including an improved display, better camera, faster processor and support for AT&T's and Verizon's fourth-generation LTE cellular networks. Apple announced that it has sold three million new iPads the same day that the company said it will put its nearly $100 billion
NUMEROLOGY
$100
million
loan facility contract was signed by the NTPC with Mizuho Corporate Bank to be used towards capital expenditure for procurement of goods and services for the ongoing and new projects.
THUS SPAKE
Kavitha Batulla The company’s product Goldseal is competing with majors like Asian Paints, Burger, ICI and Nerolac. And playing with the big boys is no easy game, Kavitha explains. The big players strategically decrease the prices of products when the raw material prices are at a peak cost. They maintain this price level for almost three months to remove the small companies from the market. “I have no option than to lower the product price and continue in losses,” she says. “We try to offer at 20 per cent lower prices than multinational brands without compromising on the quality. We are skipping the middle man and providing product and painting services directly
to the customer. It is just word of mouth of our existing clients that has helped us to expand the business,” says husband Rajesh, who is the CEO. “Painting is highly capitalintensive industry. There should be frequent money infusion to purchase raw materials. If any of the client or dealer did not pay the credit in the promised time, the business would get stuck. We offer products on credit to only to trusted clients to keep money floating,” he explains. The company has expanded to a 5,000 sq ft facility, with the allotment of land from Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh (Aleap). “It enabled us to reach a turnover to `40 lakh in
2010-2011. We will be touching approximately `70 lakh turnover this year. We want to continue this 100 per cent growth for next two years and will run the factory at full capacity,” he says. Running a business with the life partner does not a guarantee a smooth operation process. Kavitha says “We have differences in managing the company. However, we compromise at the end of the day. Differences are part and parcel of life either it is work or family,” Rajesh says “Married life is a journey of being together. I am happy that I could spend the maximum number of hours with my wife, that would not have been possible without venturing in to business together,”
Apple sells 3 million new iPads in 3 days NEW YORK: In a new record for
`79.75
cash reserves to use by beginning to pay a quarterly $2.65 dividend and through a $10 billion share buy-back programme. During the conference call with investors to discuss Apple's plans for its cash stockpile, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company had a "record weekend" for its latest iPad but had not given the exact sales figures. Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing Philip Schiller disclosed the figures later in a statement. "The new iPad is a blockbuster with three million sold, the strongest iPad launch yet," Schiller said.
The new iPad is already available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and the US. "Customers are loving the incredible new features of iPad, including the stunning Retina display, and we cannot wait to get it into the hands of even more
customers around the world," when it becomes available in 24 more countries from March 23 and through Apple online stores. The new iPad, available in black and white, is priced between $499 and $829 depending on the various models and configurations. Apple has reduced the cost of iPad 2 which is now available at a price of between $399 and $529. Cook said Apple has sold 55 million iPads since the trend setting tablet computer was first launched in 2010. The first iPad took 28 days to hit one million sales, Apple said. PTI
"The two budgets for the Olympic Games, the operating budget to the organising committee, which is extensively raised through the private sector sponsorship, television revenues, ticket sales that was set in 2005 and it remains at that figure. It's balanced and we will deliver within that framework," Sebastian Coe, chairman, London organising committee.
STRIKE EXTENDED The All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation Monday extended by two more days their strike to protest the government's budget proposal to hike basic customs duty on standard gold bars and gold coins.
GOOD NEWS The BSE benchmark Sensex recovered by over 73 points in early trade on Tuesday, snapping a three-session losing streak, on fresh buying by funds and retailers at attractive lower levels. The 30-share barometer, which had lost over 645 points in the past three sessions, recovered by 73.11 points, or 0.42 per cent, to 17,346.48 with metal, realty and capital goods sector stocks leading the recovery. The widebased National Stock Exchange index Nifty, moved up by 13.95 points, or 0.26 per cent, to 5,271.35 points.
India‑View
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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
India unveiled
‘Manmohan’ to star in movie empathising men The sweet evolution of Bengali sandesh KOLKATA: Like soccer, it gives a sweet kick. Like Kolaveri di, the Tamil song gone viral on the net, it’s a rage. Born and reborn in new avatars and a symbol of the Bengali sweet making genius, the sandesh has undergone brilliant evolution to keep up with the contemporary palate. How else does one explain the widespread fame and ever increasing popularity of this sweetmeat, made of cottage cheese, that exists in over 100 varieties, with latest ones like chocolate free kick, kolaveri di and butterscotch sandesh? “Sandesh is not only a bestselling sweet, it is also the most versatile as it can be given any shape, colour, texture and flavour. There are over 100 varieties of the confection including chocolate variations,” Dulal Gupta Sharma, secretary of the West Bengal Sweetmakers NEW DELHI: Sparrows are seen as a mascot for ecological conservation but birdwatchers are worried that adverse environmental factors such as shrinking habitat may be driving them into hiding. Ecologists warn these small, highly social birds, that often nest in nooks and niches in and around human settlements, may also go the vultures’ way if enough awareness is not created about them. “Sparrows are amongst the most abundant bird species in urban areas, but we still need to conserve their habitat. Otherwise they too may go the vultures’ way,” Mohammed Dilawar, president of Nature Forever Society, said. “Earlier, the vultures were amongst the most abundant birds in urban areas but now, due to loss of habitat, they are almost gone. Same could happen with sparrows,” he said. “In our country, there’s a gap in scientific knowledge. The statistics of species populations are often outdated. So we are launching a bird monitoring system on World Sparrow Day, March 20,” Dilawar added. He however declined to
Association said. Sharma, who is penning a book on the history and evolution of the sweet industry in the state, said “Sandesh, which literally means ‘message’, traces its origin to the age-old tradition of sending sweets along with good news, especially about childbirth or marriage and as time elapsed, the sandesh of today evolved.” Varieties of sandesh, an essential component of Bengali hospitality, has names that reflect flavouring, texture, shape, size, design, ingredients, as also the poetic fancies and advertising flair of their creators. Examples are deshgourob (glory of the nation), manoranjan (heart’s delight), monohara (captivator of the heart), pranahara (captivator of the soul), abak (wonder), nayantara (star of the eye), etc. IANS
CHANDIGARH: As he walks slowly wearing a white kurtapyjama and a light-blue turban, anyone could mistake him for the most powerful man in India — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But Delhi-based transporter Gurmeet Singh Sethi does not mind. So much so that he even accepted an offer from TV personality Suhaib Ilyasi of India’s Most Wanted fame to be the part of a film that highlights the misuse of the Dowry Act against men. The role he is playing is not hard to guess! The film, 498A — A Wedding Gift, produced by Ilyasi, briefly features Sethi in his role as Indian prime minister. “Suhaib asked me if I would do the role of our honourable prime minister and so I thought over it and accepted it,” Sethi told IANS here during a trip to promote the film. Producer Ilyasi, who claimed that he himself had been a victim of Section 498-A (Dowry Act of the Indian Penal Code) and was even arrested for the same after his wife committed suicide, said “When we approached him, he was very skeptical that the role should not offend the prime minister. “So he thoroughly read that script, got the approval of a friend and ex-judge of the Supreme Court. After he was satisfied, he accepted the role.” Sethi may not be part of the high-profile power circles in New
Suhaib asked me if I would do the role of our honourable prime minister and so I thought over it and accepted it. Gurmeet Singh Sethi Delhi but he was once a member of the Congress. “Once I was sitting in a Congress party meeting and Sonia Gandhiji kept looking at me, talking for 15 minutes. Even the media there had their cameras focussed on me. It is funny how people mistake me for Manmohan Singhji,”
he claimed. “In the film, a bunch of advocates come up to me and say that Section 498-A should be amended and I say I will look into the matter and see what can be done,” he said explaining his short role in the movie. Sethi says he enjoys being the lookalike of the prime minister. “When I go to the Connaught Place market in Delhi to get my shoes polished, youngsters confuse me for Manmohan Singh. Once the crowd got so excited to see me that they made me sit where I was,” he said. On being asked if he really knew the prime minister, he takes out his smartphone and shows pictures of him and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In Chandigarh, Sethi was flanked by two ‘security men’ holding toy guns. The security guys were actually two youths having a shot at acting. The movie deals with the subject of the Dowry Act being misused against husbands and their relatives. Ilyasi says the narrative of the film is based on the alleged harassment of his friend, Syed Ahmed Makhdoom, who committed suicide in 2009 after being booked under Section 498-A. “He committed suicide after leaving a video message wherein he tells about all he went through. When he lost his patience, he decided to end his life,” Ilyasi claimed. IANS
A goodbye to house sparrows? describe the working of the system. Giving the reasoning behind selecting the common sparrow as a mascot for ecological conservation, he said, “Sparrow is like an umbrella species for all the birds that dwell near human settlements. Also, it is much more recognisable than many other species. People often talk about conserving the tigers or other more glamourous species, but that is sad. All species need equal attention and conservation.” Surya Prakash, the science officer at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), claimed that numbers of sparrows weren’t a concern. He said that people didn’t know what to look for or where. “I come across many people who claim that the sparrows are going down but would not know about the situation,” Prakash said. “Most of the times, these people don’t have any valid statistical
data and end up creating false alarms. And then, if you want to find something, you should know where to look. You can’t find a sparrow if you look for it in a mall in Gurgaon,” he added. Prakash claimed that the sparrows were not dying out but often, due to changes in their living environment, they shift their nesting sites to other locations. Primarily grain eaters, sparrows also eat insects and scavenge upon anything in small quantities. Amongst the most recognisable wild birds, the common sparrow can often be seen on the window ledges and garden trees, twittering busily. However, there are still some safe havens for the city dwelling birds, according to the veteran birdwatcher. “Even here, at JNU, we have a large number of sparrows. Or in old Delhi you can find big flocks of sparrows,” he said. IANS
India‑View
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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
India unveiled
Mukul inducted in cabinet Mamata’s trusted lieutenant prefers low profile KOLKATA:
NEW
Trinamool DELHI: Congress leader Mukul Roy was today (Tuesday) sworn in as a cabinet minister. He has been inducted to take over as the new railway minister from party colleague Dinesh Trivedi. Roy, minister of state for shipping, took the oath on Tuesday morning as cabinet minister. Several Union ministers and leaders from other political parties were present at the ceremony headed by President Pratibha Patil. Trivedi had to resign after TMC chief Mamata Banerjee opposed the hike in passenger fares announced by him in the Rail Budget presented in Parliament last week. IANS
Mukul Roy, Mamata Banerjee’s trusted lieutenant, has been with the TMC since its founding, particularly during the party’s movements against land acquisition at Singur and Nandigram, but has always preferred a low profile. The 57-year-old Roy, who was not into politics initially, was the non-executive director of the United Bank of India from 2002 to 2005. He became a member of the RS from West Bengal in April 2006 and in August the same year was appointed member of the Committee on
Urban Development as well as a member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs. In April 2008, he was appointed his party’s all India general secretary and in May 2009 became minister of state in the Shipping Ministry. When Mamata Banerjee resigned as the railway minister after becoming Chief Minister of West Bengal, Roy was handed additional charge of the Railway Ministry. On July 11, 2011, when PM Manmohan Singh directed Roy to visit the site of derailment of the Guwahati-Puri
15 killed as train rams into jeep at crossing HATHRAS (UP): Fifteen people were killed and two others were seriously injured when the Mathura-Kasganj Express rammed into a jeep at an unmanned railway crossing here this (Tuesday) morning. The accident took place
LET THERE BE LIGHT
at the unmanned railway crossing near Madu Railway Station at 7.19am in the district. The jeep was carrying 17 passengers, superintendent of police Chandra Prakash said. While 15 people were killed on the spot, two of the
Nita Ambani, chairperson, Reliance Foundation, stands with blind children at the launch of the first Braille newspaper in PTI/ SHASHANK PARADE Hindi, in Mumbai on Monday.
OFAJ to roll out 5,000 Pinaka rockets every year The Ordnance Factory Ambajhari (OFAJ) is all set to enhance its manufacturing capacity of Pinaka rockets from the present 1,000 rockets to 5,000 every year for the Indian Army, sources said. “Pinaka rocket is operable at
extreme conditions of temperature ranging from 10 degree Celsius to 55 degree Celsius. These rockets, with a payload of 100kg, have a striking range of 40km. It has already been tested and inducted into the arsenal of the Indian Army,” sources said.
injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, he added. Railway sources in Delhi said the mishap took place when the jeep tried to cross the track even as the train was approaching. PTI
CCTVs to keep vigil on Goa beaches PANAJI: Over three dozen
NAGPUR:
Express in Assam, he openly defied him. He was relieved of the Railway portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle on July 12 the same year. Born on April 17, 1954 at Kanchrapara near Kolkata in North 24 Parganas district to the late Jugal Nath Roy, he did his schooling at the Harneet High School at Kanchrapara. He did his B.Sc (Part I) from Calcutta University. He actively participated in drama, quiz and inter-school science exhibitions during his student days and was a member of the Bharat Scouts and Guides. PTI
CCTV cameras will soon start capturing all the activities on Goa’s crowded beaches, as part of the state government’s initiative to curb illegalities on the shores. Goa Tourism Department has moved a proposal to install more than 36 CCTV cameras at vital locations, which will be monitored 24X7 by a dedicated control room in the capital city of Panaji. Tourism director Swapnil Naik said that the state Tourist Department security force, a semi-police force in the making, will be empowered to monitor these cameras through a dedicated control room. The Tourist Security Force is still being formed, as recruitment for this elite force was held back by the erstwhile Congress-led government and now the BJP-led government is expected to revive the process. The proposal for CCTV cameras worth `2.5 crore is likely to figure in the state budget that will be presented by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday. Naik said, “At present,
cameras do exist at 18 locations, which monitor the activities only during the day. They don’t have a night vision facility.” Goa has 105-km long beach stretch. Drishti Special Response Pvt Ltd, a private firm assigned the job of keeping life guards on the beaches, is handling these low-visibility gadgets, capturing black and white images. “The existing cameras would be upgraded and additional cameras with night vision facility would be installed on the beaches,” Naik said adding that similar cameras are also proposed to be installed at churches and temples, which are huge tourist attractions. According to the officials, the cameras will be able to keep a vigil on the activities on the beach even during the nights. DGP Kishen Kumar, during his recent visit to the beach had expressed dissatisfaction over the security arrangements here. Kumar had assured to step up the security to avert any possible terror attack. PTI
NATION AT A GLANCE Roy parries questions on rail fare hike NEW DELHI: Widely expected to roll back the lower class fare hike proposed by his predecessor Dinesh Trivedi, Mukul Roy today parried questions on what he plans to do about the hike. “Whatever I have to say I will say in Parliament as the Railway Budget is the property of the Parliament,” said Roy, who was today elevated to cabinet rank to take over as the Railway Minister, said. He was asked if there would be any roll back in the hike in passenger fares. “Since I am the Railway Minister, I will reply to the debate,” he said.
Avalanches strikes Gurez area, 1 killed SRINAGAR: One person was killed while two others were trapped under heaps of snow as two avalanches struck Gurez area near the Line of Control in Bandipora district of Kashmir. A civilian vehicle with five people on board including the driver were caught in the avalanches which struck around 7pm last evening, a defence spokesman said. He said three people were pulled out alive by a joint rescue team of civil administration and army while two persons were still trapped. One of the rescued persons succumbed to injuries later.
Yeddyurappa camp to boycott assembly BANGALORE: Only two ministers and two MLAs loyal to the former chief minister will attend the assembly, minister Basavaraj Bommai said. Yeddyurappa camp claims support of about 70 MLAs; Yeddyurappa has agreed to presentation of budget by CM Sadananda Gowda’s government tomorrow, added Bommai.
BSY sets reinstatement deadline for Tuesday BANGALORE: Leadership tussle in the faction-ridden ruling BJP in Karnataka on Sunday reached a breaking point with scam-hit former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa setting a 48-hour deadline to Tuesday evening for his re-instatement.”Wait for 48 hours my friends, you will know,” he said on Sunday ahead of the Assembly’s Budget session. CM DV Sadananda Gowda is to present the budget on Wednesday but Yeddyurappa seems determined to prevent this.
Maoists issue demands over Italian hostages BHUBANESWAR: Maoist rebels in India who are holding two Italians hostage issued a series of demands on Monday, including a call for tourists to be banned from travelling to see indigenous tribal people. Paolo Bosusco, 54, and Claudio Colangelo, 61, were abducted on Wednesday in Orissa in what is believed to be the first kidnapping of foreigners by the left-wing militants.The Maoists have issued 13 demands for the release of the Italians.
Around the World
12
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Beyond Borders
Regimes take the battle online Governments learn to use Facebook and Twitter to strike back against democracy activists DOHA: Twitter and Facebook have been widely credited with enabling citizens to upend dictatorial regimes. But while oppressive governments were initially caught off guard by the new media tools, those still in power appear finally to be catching on. In some cases they are happily embracing social networking to play Big Brother in a way never before possible. Many governments struggling with dissent appear to be using a double-barreled strategy to fight back against the so-called Facebook revolutions: classic repression and by promoting their own views using the very same platforms. “The thought police already have a presence online in these countries,” said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, the Middle East and North Africa program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists. “And they have a very heavy presence on Twitter, Facebook and other social media networks. They go out there and intimidate people. And they accuse people of being heathens. And call for their heads.” Jeffrey Ghannam, a media lawyer and analyst in Washington, thinks the propaganda strategy will win out over subjugation. “It’s my sense that Arab governments will focus less on control, filtering and blocking — though those efforts will not completely disappear — and begin to assert their own views in the Arab cyberspace,” he said. “Consider the cases of so-
called Bahraini twitter trolls and the Syrian cyber attacks that go after critics of these respective Arab regimes. The official Arab government view is increasingly in the mix,” he said. “Another example is the way the SCAF (Egypt’s Supreme Council of Armed Forces) uses Facebook and Twitter. It may not be beautifully done, and it does draw tens of thousands of critical remarks online that are viewable, but the SCAF is contributing its views. These are all significant developments and point to increasing government engagement in the Arab
cyberspace.” Some of the official efforts smack of classic public relations techniques. In Bahrain, the government launched an online campaign called “We Are All Hamad,” asking supporters to post pictures of Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s ruler, on their Facebook and Twitter pages. In Tunisia, government officials, including President Moncef Marzouki (@Moncef_Marzouki) have joined Twitter. The royal family in Jordan, as well as the mayor of Amman, Jordan’s capital, also
use Facebook and Twitter to speak directly to constituents. These regimes, however, have a long history of using heavyhanded tactics and are apparently not about to give up on old habits. Many, in fact, have learned that social media can help identify potential targets of their crackdown. This nascent trend, however, has not led authorities in these countries and elsewhere to give up old habits. Many have continued to opt for the more traditional and heavy-handed response. Last month, for instance,
Australia proves unlikely abode ORANGE: A rural Australian gold mining and farming town famous as the birthplace of Waltzing Matilda poet Banjo Paterson seems an unlikely home for refugees fleeing decades of conflict in Sudan. But what started with a single pioneering family has become a thriving community of more than 300 people from the strife-torn north African nation who call pastoral Orange home. “Maybe its best town in the world, especially the weather,” explained Sudanese refugee Fathi Shouma in broken English. Shouma’s road to peace has been a long one — he and wife Neimat Darar spent three years in an Egyptian refugee camp after fleeing their native Nuba Mountains, in South Kordofan, amid raging civil war. It was a time they would sooner forget; women were known to
(L)David Hoskins with his Sudanese employee Tag in his vineyard. (R) Sudanese children take part in the “Merge” program for refugee children where they can learn how to swim and ride a horse in Orange, Australia. AFP/AMY COOPES vanish and there were stories of refugees being killed for their organs, with overcrowding, heat and disease a fact of daily life. An influx of Sudanese have
made it a home away from home. At the time of last census in 2006, some 24 per cent of people in Australia on refugee visas at that time were from Sudan, making it
the number one country of birth for humanitarian migrants to Australia. Though they’re less than one per cent of the town’s general pop-
Moroccan authorities arrested 18year-old college student Walid Bahomane on charges of “defaming Morocco’s sacred values” by posting unflattering pictures and videos on Facebook that poked fun at King Mohammed VI. Authorities also convicted another student, Abdelsamad Haydour, 24, earlier in the month for criticising the ruler in a video posted on YouTube. These developments have taken place in a country largely praised for its response to citizen discontent over the past year. In November, Morocco held peaceful parliamentary elections as part of a governmental reform process initiated by the king that also included a new constitution. In Saudi Arabia, 23-year-old journalist Hamza Kashgari faces charges of blasphemy, an offence that carries the death sentence, for tweeting an imaginary conversation he was having with the Prophet Muhammad. The uproar over Kashgari’s comments prompted the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abdul-Azeez ibn Abdullaah Aal ash-Shaikh, to issue a fatwa against Twitter, which he told “real Muslims” to avoid as a “platform for trading accusations and for promoting lies,” according to an article in The National. Authorities in the region are now also turning to old laws — such as emergency laws, anti-terrorism laws and press laws — to justify the arrest, fines and incarceration of individuals for online expression. GLOBALPOST ulation, the Sudanese account for about 11 per cent of Orange’s multicultural community. Two-thirds of them are children and the move to rural Australia has been a sometimes challenging experience. Local cultural programmes include horse-riding and learning to swim in the bright blue waters of the local swimming pool — rites of passage for the town’s children but very foreign experiences for the young refugees. For the parents, too, it can be overwhelming to navigate the bureaucracy of schools, job-seeking and tenancy with little or no English and very often no reading skills due to the oral nature of South Sudanese languages. Local retirees Sam and Jenny Grosvenor were assigned to help Fathi and Neimat with simple tasks — filling out forms and reading the newspaper — but their relationship has blossomed over the years into a firm friendship. They helped Darar find work as a meat-packer at the local supermarket and Shouma got a petrol station job. AFP
Around the World
13
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Beyond Borders
Russia joins Syria truce calls
GLOBE AT A GLANCE China to step up patrol in disputed islands
DAMASCUS:
BEIJING: China will increase maritime
AFP/YOUTUBE
Russia has added its voice to growing calls for a humanitarian truce in Syria, a move hailed by the US after deadly clashes rocked a district of the capital near the heart of the embattled regime. France meanwhile pressed the UN Security Council to adopt a statement backing international envoy Kofi Annan’s mission to end the bloodshed that has cost an estimated 9,100 lives in the past year. President Bashar al-Assad’s security forces launched attacks in several regions, opposition activists said. Pre-dawn fighting in a heavily guarded area of Damascus, the capital’s fiercest since the revolt against Assad’s regime erupted, came as residents still reeled from deadly weekend bombings. At least three rebels and a member of the security forces were killed in the upscale western neighbourhood of Mazzeh, state television and monitors said. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said four rebels were killed. In Mazzeh, overlooked by Assad’s clifftop presidential palace and home to several
Romney eying Illinois haul CHICAGO: White House hopeful Mitt Romney is looking for a big win in President Barack Obama’s home state on Tuesday as he fights to clinch the Republican nomination and focus on November’s general election. Underdog Rick Santorum was pushing for an upset as he rallied conservatives to stay true to their principles rather than giving their votes to a moderate just because he is the “choice of the establishment Republicans.” That upset appears unlikely, however, and a resounding win in Illinois on Tuesday would provide Romney with powerful momentum ahead of Louisiana’s primary Saturday and contests in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington DC on April 3. “Mitt Romney is headed for a blowout victory in Illinois,” Public Policy Polling said on Monday in releasing a survey that showed Romney with a 15-point lead over Santorum, up from a 9point lead in a Rasmussen poll released on Friday. The former Massachusetts governor also has a commanding lead in the all-important delegate count. AFP
Flames rise from a car following what opposition activists said was shelling by Syrian government in Homs on Monday. embassies, terrified locals were awakened before dawn by the rattle of gunfire. Against this backdrop of violence the new Syria statement, calling for possible “further measures” unless Assad carries out UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan, could be voted on Tuesday by the UN Security Council. First talks on the statement will be held on Tuesday and France’s UN envoy Gerard Araud said he hoped it would be adopted the same day. It calls on Assad and Syria’s
opposition to “implement fully and immediately” Annan’s sixpoint peace plan. It says the council will “consider further measures” if nothing is done within seven days of any adoption. Russia and China have twice used their powers as permanent members of the 15-nation council to veto resolutions on Syria. They said the resolutions aimed at regime change and that they opposed any sanctions. While both have since put increased pressure on the Syrian government, diplomats
said both could oppose the reference to new measures. But in a new sign of the diplomatic urgency over Syria, the Security Council is also negotiating a press statement proposed by Russia condemning the bomb attacks in Damascus and Aleppo at the weekend. Araud said the presidential statement is “very limited” to Annan’s mission in a bid to reduce any potential opposition. In Russia, International Committee of the Red Cross chief Jakob Kellenberger met foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, whose country is an ally of Damascus and has some influence on the regime. “The two parties call for the Syrian government and armed groups to immediately agree to a daily humanitarian truce to allow the ICRC access to the wounded and to civilians who need to be evacuated,” the foreign ministry said. Moscow “underscored the need to allow the ICRC access to all detained persons in Syria following the protests” against Assad’s regime. The United States welcomed what it saw as a change in the Russian stance. AFP
LTTE fabricated videos to gain sympathy: Ex-rebel COLOMBO:
The Tamil Tigers fabricated video footage to demonise Sri Lankan military and distributed them among international media to gain propaganda advantage, the now defunct LTTE’s former media co-ordinator has claimed. Velayudam Dayanidhi alias Daya Master told stateowned ITN television that fabricated footage produced in 2002 during the ceasefire with the army was distributed internationally. “The footage used by Channel 4 are those fabricated footage issued by the LTTE,” Daya Master said. The British Channel 4 television telecast video footage titled Sri Lanka killing fields 1 and 2 and Sri Lanka killing fields - war crimes unpunished which it alleged carry incriminating evidence of war crimes committed by Lankan troops. The government has dismissed the Channel 4 videos as fabrications. On the allegation of LTTE chief V Prabakaran’s 12-year-old son Balachandran’s killing by army
surveillance in a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea to guard its territorial rights, the official Xinhua news agency said late on Monday. The uninhabited but strategically located island chain known as Diaoyu in Chinese is believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves, and is at the heart of a long-running diplomatic dispute between China, Japan and Taiwan.
Wife says Santorum not ‘anti-women’ WASHINGTON: White House hopeful Rick Santorum’s wife hit back at claims that her husband is “anti-women,” and denied that if elected he would make it harder for women to gain access to contraception. Karen Santorum defended her husband, who has come under fire for his opposition to birth control measures and abortion.
A mini-tornado tore apart the city of Townsville in Australia today, ripping roofs of houses and injuring nine people. AFP
North Korea invites UN nuclear inspectors SEOUL: North Korea has invited the UN atomic watchdog to send inspectors to help implement a nuclear deal with the United States, a senior Pyongyang official has said. The North’s chief nuclear negotiator Ri Yong-Ho made the comments in Beijing on Monday evening, according to video footage of his remarks aired on Tuesday by South Korea’s KBS television.
Peru cancels British ship visit in show of support LIMA: Peru on Monday canceled a visit by a British navy frigate in solidarity with Argentina’s claims over the British-controlled Falkland Islands. The decision underlines Peru’s support for Argentina over the south Pacific archipelago, known locally as the Malvinas, foreign minister Rafael Roncagliolo told the official news agency Andina.
Sri Lankan government supporters denounced a US move at the UN HRC, to censure the government over alleged crimes against humanity in the final phase of its separatist war. AFP in the latest Channel 4 video, Daya Master said Balachandran was under tight protection of LTTE guards and he may have been shot by LTTE guards when he tried to flee.
The government has accused the Channel 4 of running a smear campaign against Sri Lanka to coincide with the on going UN Human Rights Council (HRC) sessions in Geneva. PTI
The grey wolf that reportedly killed a woman and attacked a boy is killed by the authorities in Zaozhuang, China on Monday. AFP
Comment
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Fair, free and forthright
My thoughts... and yours too
Editorials GOVERNMENT MUST see bigger picture
T
he GHMC has been forced to look elsewhere for funds after the State government turned down its proposal seeking assistance to spruce up the City for the upcoming international biodiversity conclave. It is disturbing for the man on the street that the civic body will now be postponing 87 crucial development projects such as building flyovers and widening of roads to divert funds for giving the City a facelift. After the beating its image has taken owing to multiple agitations and shutdowns in the last three years, if the City wants to re-establish its credentials as an investment hub, it needs to ensure that the City offers infrastructure of international standards. Now that the State government has made a short-sighted decision to deny funds to the GHMC, it is only natural that development in this crucial segment will come to a standstill. The ruling class needs to see the bigger picture of a successful international event possibly yielding massive returns in terms of investor confidence rather than coming out with knee-jerk reactions.
WHY WE LOVE Apple
T
hey’ve given us some of the most path-breaking technology — they changed the way we listen to music, view photos and flaunt our gadgets. They improvise, revamp and constantly churn out new products. And more than anything, we are delighted with the $2.65 quarterly dividend they’ve just announced.
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PHAEDRUS
Hard talk PK Surendran
T
he day of budget, our staff reporter and photographer went around shops and restaurants in Jubilee Hills for a quick uptake of popular views on what was being read out in Parliament. They came back exasperated saying nobody knows anything about budget! A couple of youth (we are a young paper, you know) even evinced surprise that it was the budget day. “Was it?” he asked, and his girlfriend suggested helpfully, “I think so.” And, those few who at least knew it was the budget day, had not bothered to sit at home and watch the annual ritual unfolding where the finance minister of the day reads out the conviction; who pays how much. It all is a foregone conclusion, though. If you imagine a rich man going out with a pail of tasty meat to be distributed around and he gives the meat and juicy bones to the powerful that are lapping at his heels and a few crumbs once a while at the silent multitude, you get a fair idea what the budget drama is all about. I don’t blame the kids who innocently asked if it was the budget day. I am with them but, at the same time, I can’t stop wondering at the youth’s mental vista. What is it that does interest them? Even the debilitating Kargil war on the border was another computer game for many, for you remember that soft drink advertisement which carried the last words of a young army major as he fell prey to terrorists’ bullets were — yeh dil maange more! But I do marvel at the government’s insensitivity because they are all elders and honourable people (you would hasten to add like Brutus?) and they are supposed to know what the aam aadmi faces today. The raising of income tax by `20,000, for instance, which in effect means you get a tax relaxation of `4,000 per annum, was one comic relief, as all you earn a salary know. Everything from salt to lifesaving drugs was taxed higher; everything from paper pin to marbles was made cheaper — what a relief! You can play marbles when you are feeling the
Tap youth power
Lasting love affair
The article on Somali pirates was very informative and interesting to read. Maritime crime is something that not many people in our country know about. On the other hand, why have they taken to this is also evident — lack of employment opportunities, poverty staring them in the face and a conflict-torn state. It’s sad that it is the youth which is the most affected in this. Young lives which should be spent learning something productive and good have taken to looting and murdering. If the powers that be take it on themselves to improve Somaila’s condition, then probably one will see a change. Kavita MLA Colony
Kolkata: City of joy, Tagore and poetry, the headline spoke volumes about the article. The article also was equally good. It makes me nostalgic about home. The author has very vividly captured the spirit of the land, without being sarcastic and neither is she heaping praises. All the places mentioned in the story have their own stories to tell. I still remember very clearly the food, the taste and the smell of Kolkata is something that is difficult to forget. What the writer says is true; my love affair with Kolkata will never end. Nishcal Chakroborty Begumpet
hunger in your gut, you know. No government worth its salt will add a mug of petrol to an inflationary fire. The FM did it, and, who can blame him? I, for one, will not, because look at the general awareness! We are collectively sedated and have withdrawn to our private shell where we keep dreaming of cabbages and king. To know what a budget has come to be, one could analyse who the beneficiaries are. A leading economic TV did a good job on the budget day. Its scroll news and update detailed with each concession announced who the beneficiaries are. Each big relief had some private leviathans claimants, and some PSUs too. And, each of those companies had been repeatedly figuring in Forbes’ 100 richest
TALK BACK Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
people on earth. Good job, FM! If there be a Nobel Prize for the most submissive silent people in the world, India’s silent billion, will win it hands down. We have only one Mamta to throw tantrums. And, one who spoke a bit realistically, Dinesh Trivedi, was handed down the verdict — out. Tailend: While we met stoic calm in most about the budget, there was this sterling fellow who called FM, an old MCP. His argument was that the FM should henceforth be a young man in whose heart beats with love for the other sex, for then he would not snatch the joy out of a girl whose first passion is a gold jewellery. He was referring to the hiked duty on gold. Voila! A man, at last!
Note of thanks
Spread your goodness
This is with regards to your story called Call of the Wild. I'm new to Hyderabad and I was wondering what to do over this long weekend that is coming up. Just then, a friend suggested that your article on the same could help. So I made plans to go to Nalmalla waterfalls. Therefore I wrote to say thank you. I would really appreciate it if you published more of these articles that will educate newcomers to Hyderabad about the local food joints, getaways, things to do and more.
I happened to be at the airport waiting for my plane and saw a copy of Postnoon's weekend edition. I have to say that it is really impressive. In my knowledge, I have not come across a newspaper with content and layout like this, especially in Hyderabad. It's really refreshing to see something that's far removed from the usual stuff that appears in national newspapers. Your hyper-local approach is particularly appealing. But I think that you should work towards more visibility in the city as I have never seen it in my area. O Saloni Sindhi Colony
Love Singh Ameerpet
At the workplace
CV Sana Mirza
sana.m@postnoon.com
W
e live in a competitive world, where we are constantly gnawing and pulling at each other in the rat race of what we call careers. There are plenty of options in the market but finding a job that you truly enjoy might be a bit of a run. Remember the saying, “The first impression is the last impression.” Well, technically, it is through your curriculum vitae or CV that you can make an impression on a potential employer. The CV is regarded as the most important tool that bridges the gap between you and the employer. It essentially conveys your skills and experience, in return making you an apt choice for the role applied for. “Your CV is on a piece of paper, so an important point that you need to keep in mind is that, you have to keep it real,” advises Imran Khan, head of event management, Purple Haze Projekts. He then goes on to add, “Do not mention unnecessary details on your resume. The HR has a lot of resumes to read.” Most of the times, it so happens that individuals applying for jobs try to make their resume sound too perfect, taking guidance from the Internet or through books. Resumes tell a great deal about you and your purpose is to get the interview
ODD JOBS Mini Singh
n Snapshot: Past life regression
is a form of therapy in which the client is hypnotically regressed to a previous life to recover memories of past lives or incarnations, with the aim of understanding and letting go of current neuroses, fears, or addictions; essentially to improve the quality of life. n Qualifications: Past life regression therapists are trained and certified, just as other therapists are by institutions that are credible in that field. The International Board for Regression Therapy (IBRT) is just one among the wellknown accrediting bodies that
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Resumes bridge the gaps between the employer and you. Doing it right is essential. So are you on the lookout for a new job? Postnoon gives you a few tips on creating the right resume
impressions
rather than have it slam dunked in the garbage can. Some of the common mistakes in a resume are simple spelling errors, inconsistent layouts and plagiarism. “The HR knows what he or she is looking for,” says Nikita Rao, an ex-HR recruiter. “Before you start, jot down all the points that you would like mentioned in the CV. Only put information that seems relevant and choose facts that highlight
your talents and skills,” she advises. Your resume talks about who you are and trying to define yourself through someone else’s words may not do you good. It may cost you the opportunity, so be careful. Apart from putting together all the information, it is mandatory that your resume carry a cover letter. Since a resume sums up all your skills and experience, a cover letter gives
you the chance to express “the intangibles” not readily apparent from the factual content mentioned in your resume. “A well-written cover letter to go with the CV is always an added benefit and should convey enthusiasm for the employer to take notice,” says Azhar. A well-drafted resume opens to you numerous avenues. So make sure to make a positive impression.
15
Building a career HR perspective Supretha Amancherla
G
etting ready for an interview might be a daunting task not just for freshers but also for experienced individuals looking for a job change. Experience matters but for freshers the mantra would be to stick to the truth and not exaggerate. A good CV would be simple and will provide the required information to the company. Having a diverse skill set is not always desirable; highlighting your unique skills is the right way to go about it. Recruiters are trained to zero in on the unique skills on your CV, so the CV should consist of all the vital information and make sure to keep it short and sweet. Right references from the previous workplace is always a plus. Try to build your CV as per the job requirements and always consult your recruiter before you do so. Make it a point to study about the desired job position before going to the interview and make your CV accordingly. Always keep your CV updated and check for spellings and typos to avoid a bad impression. Candidates who were part of social causes, sports or were freelancing must mention such points in their CV. The author is head of creative department at Purple Haze projekts
Down memory lane also coordinates educational and training activities. In India, MS University, Baroda, offers a one-year diploma in hypnosis. There are several PLRT centres across the world, such as the Hypnosis Motivation Institute (California). n Background: Dr Brian Weiss, a graduate of Columbia University and Yale Medical School, was a very respected and established psychotherapist. However, his professional life was thrown off-track one day when his psychotherapy patient, Catherine, began spewing details of her past-life
Past life Regression Therapist (PLRT) traumas during a regular hypnosis session. Unbeknown to the doctor, the patient had regressed to a phase that apparently occurred before her current birth. While these past-life reviews set Catherine free from her anxiety and nightmares, Dr Weiss had to choose between continuing his respectable practice or sharing his new findings about past life regression with the world. After a lot of soul searching and discussions with his family, Weiss decided to risk being mocked and
shared his new findings with the world so that others could benefit from past life regression. Past life regression theory depends on the assumption that every human being is an eternal entity that has appeared in the form of more than one person throughout the ages of time. Lessons learned from past lives as well as issues that have never been resolved from those lives can complicate a person's present understanding of self and of the surrounding world. However, a belief in past life is
not essential to benefit from therapy. n Job Description: As a PLRT, you will guide your clients into their subconscious through hypnotherapy to help them address their psychological issues that can range from substance abuse to irrational phobias. Alternately, your clients may be seeking a better understanding of themselves, or even spiritual evolution. By exploring the previous lives of patients, you can help them understand why they are the way they are. The author is a Hyderabad-based commentator.
H‑Factor
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
Hydration is the key Exhaustion, heat and dryness — dehydration is a common problem faced during the summer season Anishaa Kumar anishaa.k@postnoon.com
S
ummer usually spells bright sunny days, holidays, fun-filled outings, ice-creams and lazy afternoons. Fun apart, this season also brings with it a major problem — dehydration. Although dehydration may occur due to various reasons such as illness, diarrhoea and vomiting, summer and excessive heat are one of the main causes for dehydration. “Dehydration simply refers to the condition when the body fluids come down due to the low intake of water. The body experiences dryness as the heat makes the water evaporate,” mentions Dr Kumuda Raghavan, a family physician. According to Dr
Pramati Reddy, senior consultant physician, Apollo Hospital, Jubilee Hills, “Dehydration can also occur due to an inadequate water intake, exercise, diarrhoea, dryness, vomiting and infection. The underlying factor in all of them is that the body’s water level goes down and it has to be replenished. During summer sweating is also high which plays a role in lowering the body’s water level.”
“Dehydration can cause various problems such as urine infection and kidney stone formation as well. Heat stroke is another common problem many people face in the summer.”
TAME THE SUN
Symptoms In a mild case of dehydration, a person may experience dryness and in an extreme case they may feel very tired, explains Dr Kumuda. Dr Pramati adds, “Some of the symptoms of dehydration include dryness of the tongue, dryness of the lips
Prevent dehydration n Drink plenty of water n Stay in the shade. If possi-
ble avoid the afternoon sun (12 pm to 4 pm). n Wear light summer clothing that absorbs sweat. n Eat fruits that are rich in minerals and electrolytes such as melons, oranges and apples as well as berries such as strawberries etc. n Avoid anything with caffeine in it like tea and coffee. Caffeine pulls fluid from the body thus causing dehydration.
and dryness of the skin. Dehydration may result in lowering of the BP and can affect the kidney function as there is no urine output and in severe cases the patient experiences dizziness.” Dehydration can also lead to more severe complications. Dr Kumuda says,
Treatment As the name suggest, dehydration is low levels of fluids in the body, hence replenishing these is important. “If a person suffers from dehydration they should be given fluids such as water, butter milk, coconut water or things like electrolyte, ORS or even a simple combination of water, salt and sugar. In an extreme case IV fluids will have to be given for which hospitalisation will be required,” explains Dr Pramati.
What is ORS Whenever someone mentions dehydration, ORS is something that comes to our mind. ORS stands for Oral Rehydration Salts. The ORS powders are easily available in the market and are easy to use. Apart from the packaged ORS powder one can also make a similar solution at home. The procedure is very simple. You just need to add six teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt dissolved in 1 litre of clean water.
Prevention Dr Kumuda suggests that one should drink plenty of liquids, especially water and natural products such as tender coconut water. It is advised to avoid cold drinks. Dr Pramati explains, “These drinks contain excess sugar and also make you thirstier instead of quenching your thirst. Sticking to plain water is a better idea.” It is also important to keep the body temperature lowered, thus eating food with a high water content is also a good idea.
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‘Gluttony gene’ forces you to gobble non-stop LONDON: Scientists have stumbled on a ‘gluttony gene’ that converts you into an eating machine even if you are full. Mice tests have demonstrated that a mutation on a single gene broke down body-brain communication and triggered nonstop eating and rapid weight gain. But the good news is that the scientists hope identifying the Bdnf gene could help with slimming treatments as obesity is becoming a global epidemic, the journal Nature Medicine reports. Baoki Xu, who led the study at Georgetown University Medical Centre, US on variations in the Bdnf gene in mice, said, “This discovery may open up novel strategies to help the brain control body weight.” His team found the Bdnf gene has ‘short’ and ‘long’ versions which form at an early stage in the womb. Those with the ‘long’ form sent the chemical signals to say ‘I’m full’ through a ‘superhighway’ of neurons in the brain to the hypothalamus, according to the Daily Mail. In those with the short form, signals reached some brain cells but could not be picked up by the dendrites — the branch-like ‘fingers’ coming out of the cells which pass messages on to the right place. Xu said, “If there is a problem with the Bdnf gene, neurons can’t talk to each other, and the leptin and insulin signals are ineffective and the appetite is not modified.” The mice ate twice as much as those without the mutation. Humans also have this gene and it has been linked to obesity, but the researchers say it was not clear until now exactly how it worked. After a meal, the activity of this gene transmits chemical signals down a chain of brain cells until they reach the hypothalamus, which receives the message that you are full and suppresses the appetite. Scientists will now be looking at whether the faulty transmission line can be modified, to help prevent and treat obesity. IANS
H‑Factor
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
Art improves recovery from stroke ROME: Patients who appreciate music, painting and theatre have better chances of recovery from stroke than patients who do not, says a new study. Stroke is the third cause of death or disability in the Western world. More and more older people are having strokes and undergoing recovery. “We know that every six seconds there is a person affected by stroke in the world,” said study co-author Ercole Vellone, assistant professor in nursing science at the School of Nursing, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. “Identifying strategies to
improve stroke recovery and patients’ quality of life represent a priority for the healthcare system and art exposure seems to be promising,” added Vellone. For the research, 192 stroke survivors (average age 70 years) were asked if they liked or did not like art (music, painting, theatre). Quality of life was compared for patients interested in art (105) and patients not interested in art (87). Patients interested in art had better general health, found it easier to walk, and had more energy. They were also happier, less anxious or
depressed, and felt calmer. They had better memory and were superior communicators — speaking with other people, understanding of what people said, naming people and objects correctly. Vellone said, “Stroke survivors who saw art as an integrated part of their former lifestyle, by expressing appreciation towards music, painting and theatre, showed
better recovery skills than those who did not.” The research was presented at the 12th Annual Spring Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing, in Copenhagen, Denmark. IANS
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FITNESS TIPS
Tone up those arms W
hat could be better this summer than to flaunt perfectly toned arms in trendy tank tops or sleeveless kurtas. And you don’t even need to hit the gym to pump some iron for those dream arms. All you need is 10 minutes each day, some smart tips, perseverance and voila... you’ve got exactly what you need n
Bicep Curls
If you have never lifted a dumbbell before, you can start with a 1 kg weight (if you don’t have a dumbbell you always pick up a 1 kg pack of wheat or rice or whatever grocery you have at home), but you can probably handle 2 kgs. Slowly lift your arms into a curl position, and then lower them back down, with control. Repeat this around 10 times and do three sets. You can gradually increase the weight as you go along. You can also increase the number of sets and repetitions. n
Tricep Dips
These might hurt a bit, but they are great when it comes to toning your arms. Use a bench, bottom stair, or a heavy chair for this exercise. Ensure that whatever prop you use is braced against the wall so it doesn’t move when you’re mid-way through your exercise. Now sit on the prop and put your hands by your hips and walk your feet out. Lift yourself off the prop using your hands to support your body weight and dip your body to the floor (you need not touch the floor). Ensure that as you dip you go down in a straight motion. Repeat 10 times and do three sets. n
People Google symptoms for self-diagnosis WASHINGTON: Feeling edgy or upset for no apparent reason, you Google your symptoms. It turns out to be nothing serious and your fears are unfounded. More than 60 per cent of Americans get their health information online, and a majority of those decide whether to see a doctor based on what they find, a study reveals. “Wow, this is an era of selfdiagnosis,” thought Arizona State University psychologist Virginia Kwan, learning that statistic. How might information accessed online affect individual health decisions? Kwan and colleagues found that the way information is presented-specifically, the order in which symptoms are listedmakes a significant difference,
the journal Psychological Science reported. “People irrationally infer more meanings from a ‘streak’an uninterrupted series whether of high rolls of the dice or disease symptoms of consecutively reported symptoms. If they check off more symptoms in a row, the research found, “they perceive a higher personal risk of having that illness,” said Kwan, according to a university statement. The findings could prove useful for public health education, Kwan said: “With certain types of illnesses, people tend to seek medical attention at the latest stage.” Meanwhile, “People also go to doctors asking all the time about illnesses that are very rare,” added Kwan. IANS
Lateral Raises
To start, you should use a set of smaller dumbbell weights, as heavier weights tend to make you tip. Hold the weights and keep your wrists in a neutral position, so that you don’t hyper extend and you should have a slight bend in your elbow. Keep knees soft and now raise your arms, maintaining that slight elbow bend. Don’t raise the weight any higher than your shoulders. Slowly lower your arms and repeat 10 times. You can do three sets and step up as you go. n
Tricep Extensions
Hold the weight in both your hands and raise them over your head. No gradually lower them behind your head. Now raise them partially and lower again. Ensure your elbows are pointing forward at all times. Do three sets of 10 repetitions each. It is easy, when attempting this exercise for the first time, to hit yourself in the back of the head.…avoid that. Source: www.just-formom.slides.kaboose.com
Spotlight
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
20
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Coffee with Rana
Music and masti in a Big way
Actor Rana Daggubati at an interactive session with his fans at the Cafe Coffee Day Lounge, Banjara Hills on Monday. Rana spoke about his latest film Naa Ishtam over a cup of his favourite coffee at The Lounge.
Big 92.7 FM radio on Monday launched its Big Ugadi music festival. Every day, a variety of songs will be played and listeners will also be able to interact with their favourite singers.
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Shilpa
Anju Jain
Viini Singh
For the bride-to-be Nikitha Reddy hosted a great bridal shower party for her friend Rupal Gaggar at the Chai Shop in Taj Banjara on Monday. Sheetal, Poonam Kapoor & Nikitha Reddy
Shruthi & Brinda
Sumana
Pavani Khurana
Lavanya
Ridhi & Seema
Magic Screen
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
Working his way to the top
T-TOWN TWEETIES
@richyricha Thank u all for the bday wishes, tho i’m on the opp side of the world and its not March 20th yet here :P Returning 2 Michigan tom frm Cancun.
Abhimanyu Singh has come a long way from being a struggling actor to a popular choice to play meaty roles in big budget films. He tells Postnoon about his journey so far and how life has changed after Rakta Charitra Hemanth Kumar hemanth.k@postnoon.com
“P
eople still call me Bukka Reddy,” Abhimanyu Singh confesses with a certain amount of gusto, adding, “The good thing is I can see respect for me in their eyes.” Bukka Reddy was the name of the character he had played in RGV’s Rakta Charitra and he performed with such intensity that many Telugu filmmakers landed at his doorstep to sign him up for more films. In the past two years, he has done films like Bezawada, Nenu Naa Rakshasi and he’ll soon be seen in Harish Shankar’s Gabbar Singh. He has come a long way from being a struggling actor in early 2000s to an actor who has worked with filmmakers like RGV, Anurag Kashyap, Puri Jagannadh, Onir and other big names in Bollywood and the South Indian film industry. Chasing dreams is frustrating enough for anyone, but Abhimanyu Singh credits his father for inspiring him with just one quote. “I chose to study Sanskrit in St.Stephen’s College, Delhi and my parents were shocked. They wanted me to become an IAS officer. When I was frustrated and lost all hope after struggling for years in the film industry, one day I called up my father and he said, ‘I am not going to sympathise with you but always tell yourself —Either I will do it or my body will die.’ That had a profound impact on me,” Abhimanyu Singh recollects. After his breakthrough performance in Gulaal, his role in Rakta
Charitra brought him a lot of fame. We ask him what is the best compliment he has received so far. “RGV once told me that working with me was better than having sex,” says Abhimanyu chuckling. He’s in news these days for playing a record 33 characters in a TV serial named Upanishad Ganga. Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, the TV serial was shot over a period of four years. “We didn’t want to talk about the TV serial before completing 52 episodes. Since Chinmaya Mission was producing it, a lot of research went into the making of Upanishad Ganga,” Abhimanyu reveals. So did he know that he was going to do 33 characters? “I wasn’t told that in the beginning and as we started shooting, Chandraprakash saw potential in me
21
@Amala_ams Good morning all :) off to Blore and from their to the gorgeous Mysore by road for a commercial shoot... and everything evolved from there. The concept and theory behind the serial was very different from what I had done before. We didn’t do this for money or fame. Our intention was to spread the thoughts and concepts from our Upanishads through the serial,” he adds. When he was playing Bukka Reddy’s role in Rakta Charitra, it affected him so much that he started behaving like Bukka Reddy in real life too. “People think it’s easy for actors to disconnect from work, but it’s not. I completely got into the character and sometimes I didn’t even talk to people around me, no one used to sit next to me. Even I wasn’t aware that I was behaving like that. But Upanishad Ganga wasn’t like that since I was playing different roles. It was quite therapeutic,” Abhimanyu says. In his upcoming Telugu film, Gabbar Singh, he’s reprising Sonu Sood’s role from Dabangg. He’s all praises for Harish Shankar for etching a different character for him. “The film has shaped up extremely well and with all due respect to Sonu Sood, I think I have surpassed what he has done in Dabangg,” he says. So how was it working with Pawan Kalyan? “I have met very few people like him in my life. He’s extremely grounded and is a lovely artiste to work with,” Abhimanyu replies. He hardly has time to spend with his family these days and he agrees that he has a lot more responsibility to handle as an actor. “I don’t take myself seriously, but when it comes to work, I am a true professional,” he says emphatically.
@sneha_ullal Sleepy but still have a lot to do... just ordered food... locked down.
@shrutihaasan Thankyou for all the love on kanazhaga !!! yes I’ve sung it in Telugu too!Can’t wait for you to hear it !!! Xoxo tweeps nighty night !
@shraddhadas43 My God u twitpals really make me smile all the time with ur comments! Loveeee ulll!
@actressanjjanaa Was a superb workout@d gym 2day, on strict diet + strict wrk schedule frm 2day! “If v hav selfcontrol ova temptations, We can conquer everything.”
@Actor_Siddharth I didn’t know Keith floyd passed away... well his legacy remains I guess! RIP crazy chef...
@trishtrashers Thanks evryone :) Feeling much better already with all d positive energy i’m getting ; )
Magic Screen
A
ctor-producer Saif Ali Khan says it isn’t easy to please Sriram Raghavan, but he is glad the director is happy with their final product Agent Vinod. “I think we have made an entertaining film. Sriram (Raghavan) is sitting there and reading the Agent Vinod comic magazine. I just asked him how are you feeling and he said he is very happy. “It is tough to make him happy and if he is happy then it’s great,” said Saif, who had earlier worked with Raghavan in the 2004 film Ek Hasina Thi. Saif plays a secret agent who averts a major attack in New Delhi in Agent Vinod. He says he is proud of the way the capital has been captured in
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
the film. “Agent Vinod travels from Moscow to Riga, then Morocco, Pakistan, and then India, London and Cape Town. So he takes an adventurous ride and then finally averts a big nuclear catastrophe in New Delhi. I am very happy with the way we have shot in Delhi,” the 41-year-old said in an interview. “We have shot in big national capitals, but the way we shot Delhi, we all would be very proud of it. It is a splendid city with a lot happening in politics,” he added. Agent Vinod also stars Kareena Kapoor, Ram Kapoor, Prem Chopra among others and hits the theatres on March 23. IANS
It’s tough to please Raghavan
22
B-TOWN TWEETIES
@udaychopra Got the new iPad 3. The retina display is a massage for the eyes, makes you wanna keep staring at it. Is it wrong if I feel like petting it?
@bomanirani I am always nervous. Not because I am not confident of my craft but I am always unsure if I know enough about the character. He not me, so!!
@SrBachchan T 688 - And fork with left hand, Indian eating with right ... write with right, punch hold gun with left ... kick left foot, walk right first.
@shreyastalpade1 Started reading Immortals of Meluha y’day... little late but... better than never. Seems very interesting.
@NeilNMukesh Tired! Its time to hit the bed and cuddle with mintoo and watch some danger film ha ha ha (horror)
I’d love to do Rajkumar Hirani’s film: Aamir Khan
@iamsrk Today I woke up with voices in my head... and all of them were saying go back to bed. Onwards to work... the day beckons.
A
fter scoring a hit with Rajkumar Hirani in 3 Idiots, Aamir Khan is open to again working with the director. “I would love to do Raju’s film. But I want him to make the announcement. The script is very good. Raju is a very good director and a very good human being. We have spoken about a film, but it’s better if he announces it,” said Aamir. The said film is tentatively titled PK. However Aamir is occupied with his TV show Satyameva Jayate, due to which the release of his film Talaash has also been pushed towards the end of 2012. IANS
Doting father Ranvir’s woes R
anvir Shorey loves his work, but the actor finds it tough to leave his baby boy home. “Nowadays the toughest thing going to work is leaving my little son behind. Should try glueing him to my arm. Maybe no one will notice,” Ranvir posted on Twitter. The actor, who is married to Konkona Sen Sharma, became a father in 2011. Their son, named Haroon, turned one March 15. Ranvir will next be seen in Deepa Mehta’s Winds of Change, a film adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s 1981 novel of the same name. IANS
@FarOutAkhtar #uselessinformation The worlds largest rooster coinhabits the guest house I’m living in. I call him BigBeak.
@DuttaLara Time to unwind.... Realizing that there are 700000 of u here with me is HUGE!:-). Honoured to share the space! Love and Luck Always!!!
Magic Screen
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Magic Screen
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
Season 4 of Teen Mom will be the show's last
T
he upcoming fourth season of Teen Mom, which features the show’s original four cast members, all of whom were introduced on 16 and Pregnant, will wrap up the narrative arc of those ladies’ journeys. “Season 4 will be the final season of Teen Mom with Maci, Catelynn, Amber and Farrah,” MTV told Us Weekly. “They will continue to be a part of our MTV family, and we’re thankful to these brave young women for sharing their stories and helping to make a positive impact on teen pregnancy prevention.” It’s unclear whether star Amber
Portwood’s very public legal issues had anything to do with MTV’s decision, or if the network was just trying to clear their schedule for a new crop of Teen Mom girls. The channel will still produce
Jessica Simpson's
baby shower J
essica Simpson's baby isn't born yet, but she's already partying with celebrities. Simpson's celebrity pals and fellow moms Jessica Alba and sister Ashlee Simpson helped the Fashion Star mentor celebrate her baby shower. So what was the event like? "Jessica looked pretty and very happy," said a shower-goer, who also reported that the event's colour theme was pink and yellow with spring tulips and tube-shaped balloons serving as decorations. Of course, it's no surprise that pink was the colour of the day: Simpson told Elle magazine that she and fiancé Eric Johnson are having a girl and have already decided on a "non-traditional" name. And what else? "She received tons of gifts mostly wrapped in pink gift wrap and boxes," a source said. "There were several books, stuffed toys and clothes among other items." The event was a kid-friendly affair as Alba brought her 7-month-old daughter Haven and Simpson's nephew Bronx, 3, joined the festivities. We can't wait to meet Simpson's little girl!
Teen Mom 3, with girls cast from the fourth season of 16 and Pregnant, which is about to begin.Teen Mom 2 also remains on MTV’s slate. What do you think? Sad to see the original cast go?
25
Chai Time
KAKURO
How to play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play Kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
SCRIBBLING PAD
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa
26
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Indian garment 5 ‘... and make it fast!’ 9 Bettor’s bet 14 Queenly role for Liz 15 Old king of rhyme 16 ‘Come here ___?’ 17 Curriculum sessions to overcome? 20 Man from Katmandu 21 It’s held in the hold 22 .com kin 23 Adj modifier 25 Advanced degree in mathematics? 26 Bit in a feedbag 29 CD track 31 ‘I saw a mouse!’ 33 Seize before it passes 35 Brushes with the law 38 Typewriter type size 39 Traffic jam causes, sometimes 41 Blithering fool 43 ‘For fun it’s a wonderful toy’ item 44 Applesauce topper 46 ‘Help!’ et al 47 ‘Graphic’ opening 51 Word preceding a woman’s birth name 52 Rugged coastline feature 54 ‘Quiet on the ___!’ 56 Third-Sunday-in-June honoree 57 Turn a deaf ___ (ignore) 59 Apply improperly 61 Tripper-uppers 65 Bad and then some 66 Cafeteria offering 67 Bottom-of-the-barrel stuff 68 Christmas dinner bird 69 ‘To be,’ for Caesar 70 Classic Icelandic poetry DOWN 1 Biscuits served with tea 2 Reflective power, as of a planet 3 Took another turn on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
4 Extremely small amount 5 Insured event 6 ‘Do re mi fa ___ ...’ 7 ‘30 Rock’ co-star Baldwin 8 Nut used for pie 9 Hooligan 10 ‘Hair’ do 11 ‘___ now or never!’ 12 Poker term 13 Warrant officer’s superior (Abbr) 18 ___ mode (topped with ice cream) 19 Dinner discards 24 Bridal concealers 26 ___ Day & the Knights (band in ‘Animal House’) 27 Play a role 28 Title’s first word, often 30 Best man’s best friend, often 32 Mournful bell sound
34 Resin in adhesives and paints 36 Unlike sign language 37 Barbershop sounds 39 Dental concern 40 Touring company 41 Wayfarer’s lodging 42 Deserved recognition 45 Future woman 48 Brought forth 49 Disguised, in a way 50 City in western Texas 53 ‘Once upon ___ ...’ 55 ‘___ death do us part’ 57 Australian ratites
SUDOKU
58 ___, tens, hundreds 60 Catch of the day, perhaps 61 Bend under pressure 62 Number for the show? 63 Venusian vehicle, eg 64 Sign along an interstate PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
THOUGHT OF THE DAY The fellow that agrees with everything you say is either a fool or he is getting ready to skin you. – Kin Hubbard
Chai Time STAR POWER
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR
As per Hindu panchang
FOR 21-3-2012
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118
TAURUS
GEMINI
Though situation is favourable for em‑ ployees at workplace, they are advised not be negligent and hasty. To ensure this, practise yoga and meditation. Hur‑ dles to perform events will disappear.
Expenses might overtake income. Be careful about spending to avoid major financial crisis. Anger beyond certain limits and appreciating enmity will spoil your life; keep away from them.
Family will be cheerful. Children will make you happy and cheerful. Avoid unwanted arguments with the spouse to avoid split in the family life. Pregnant women need to be more cautious.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Hurdles faced by children will be over. Your stock is set to pile up provided your anger is controlled well and you adopt a soft appraoch. Never magnify anybody's mistakes.
Never allow a third person's interference in problems faced between the couple. Avoid ego; both sit together and recon‑ cile problems to lead a happy life. Busi‑ nessmen to postpone decision making.
Avoid degrading others as the same might bounce upon you. Never be a headstrong person and avoid being emotional. Some have chances to undertake a pilgrimage.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Breaks faced in performing marriage of your daughter will be over. Strained friendship and relationship will resume on their own. Your nice talk can do the magic to continue the same.
To continue the happy atmosphere at home, you have to adjust with everyone. In children's issues, never adopt a rigid mentality. Give them suitable freedom to keep them happy, they then do good.
Happy events are to take place continu‑ ously. Children will make you proud. Those planning to go abroad will get the right opportunity and channels get cleared. Businessmen will double profits.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Rather than being rigid, a flexible app‑ roach will yield rich dividends. Family will enjoy a very pleasant atmosphere. Misunderstanding with spouse will be over. Businessmen will be a relieved lot.
Accept a distant transfer, which might force you to stay away from family, as itʼs a good turning point in your life. Ex‑ penses and income will be on par. Cont‑ rol speculation and wasteful expenses.
Court case regarding ancestral prop‑ erty will finally end in your favour. Avoid blaming anyone taking sugges‑ tions from others. Govt officials need to work wil a cool approach.
SUMAA TEKUR
FOR 21-3-2012
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Eight of Wands – Youʼre in a lucky ph‑ ase and will infuse fun and creativity in‑ to an otherwise staid project. Romance is in the air, and keeps you on your toes.
Justice – You need to take charge of your own happiness and work towards attain‑ ing your goals. Take up a hobby or a re‑ laxation activity that keeps you centred.
Eight of Pentacles – You need to enhance your skills and make the most of bookish knowledge, applying it to the daily job routine. It will take you a long way.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
King of Cups – Love is in the air. Your romantic partner is wooing you with flow‑ ers, candlelight din‑ ners and all things nice. Go with the flow and have a good time.
Ace of Swords – You take an extreme sta‑ nd on a crucial issue. You declare that itʼs either your way or nothing. Explore other options and keen an open mind.
The High Priest – Dip into your intuition to make decisions today. Logic might say one thing and you might feel another. You have to live through that conflict.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
Five of Swords – Do not get into petty fights that take you nowhere. You do not feel like you won even if you did. Steer clear of mis‑ chief mongers.
Eight of Cups – You have everything that youʼve always want‑ ed but still feel a void, an emptiness. Reme‑ mber that happiness has little to do with material comforts.
Queen of Cups – Yo‑ uʼre thinking with yo‑ ur heart and are not doing very well hid‑ ing your true feelings. This may not be a good idea in a profes‑ sional environment.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Four of Pentacles – You feel a strong need to achieve a financial goal, and you need to make compromises to reach there. Donʼt be afraid to change.
The Hermit – You need to be left alone to think and plan ahead. Tell loved ones and close friends you need time away and they will respect your need.
The Hanged Man – You achieve spiritual awareness and are able to control emo‑ tions. You suddenly begin to see the wo‑ rld differently. Your perception changes.
SOLUTIONS
Boggle PINT QUART OUNCE GALLON
Number game
Suduko
Scrabble
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ
27
Vol: 1, No 247 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Missamma 2030 Edureetha 2100 Bhale Chancele 2200 CID 2300 Challenge 0730 Maa Gramadevatalu 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Chaganti Sanatana Dharmam 0900 Bhale Chansule
1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Sumangali 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 Swathi 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Heartlo Battery 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Movie 1130 Aha Emi Ruchi 1200 Jeevitha Chakram 1230 Maa Inti Aada Paduchu 1300 Chittemmaa 1330 Gorintaku
1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Suvreen Guggal 1600 [V] Trailers 1630 [V] Zabardast Hits 1830 [V] Suvreen Guggal 1900 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1930 [V] Humse Hai Life 2000 [V] Suvreen Guggal 2030 [V] Gumrah 2130 [V] Trailers 2200 [V] Vignettes 2230 [V] Humse Hai Life 2300 [V] Suvreen Guggal 2330 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 0700 [V] Trailers 0730 [V] Zabardast Hits 0800 Mind Blasting Mornings 1100 [V] Fresh Songs 1200 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1230 [V] Suvreen Guggal 1300 [V] Humse Hai Life 1330 [V] Steal Ur Girlfriend
‘[V] Humse Hai Life’ at 1930 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]
1300 News Now At1 1330 News Now 1800 6 Pm 1830 Live Report 1900 Primetime 1930 The Game 2000 News Now At 8 2030 Live Report 2100 The Newshour 2200 The Newshour - Plus 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 0800 The Morning News 0900 News Now 1200 Live Report 1230 News Now
‘The Game’ at 1930 Hrs only on TIMES NOW
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings
1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 Super 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Ali 369 2245 Movie 0800 Subhamastu 0830 Jeevanajyothi 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi 1230 Star Mahila
1400 Nagani 1430 Movie 1800 Meera 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupukunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Comedy Club 2230 Shree 2300 Bindass 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Gopuram 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Sri Raghavendra Vybhavam 0930 Mahadevi 1000 Bindass 1030 Baghyalakshmi Bumper Offer 1130 Jeevana Vignanam 1200 Mee Inti Vanta
‘Business Tonight’ at 2100 Hrs only on ET NOW 1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1530 Tomorrow's Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Markets Tomorrow 1800 Rush Hour 1830 Brand Equity Special 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Markets Tomorrow 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At10 2230 Leaders Of Tomorrow 2300 Starting Up 0900 First Trades 1000 Hot Stocks 1100 Buy Now Sell Now - The Stock Game 1130 Buy Now Sell Now 1200 Market Sense 1300 Business Day 1330 Markets Now
1255 Movie - Shoot 'Em Up 1440 Whacked Out Sports 1510 The Rachel Zoe Project 1605 The Challenger Muaythai 1700 Supernatural 1800 Chuck 1900 Most Daring 2000 Supernatural 2100 24 2200 Fear Factor 2325 Whacked Out Sports 2355 Chuck 0830 Infomercial/30 Min 0900 Sky Teleshopping 0930 Whacked Out Sports 1000 The Rachel Zoe Project 1100 Most Daring 1200 Movie - World Trade Center
‘World Trade Center’ at 1200 Hrs on AXN
1400 Haar Jeet 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1530 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1600 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1630 Jamuna Paar 1700 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1730 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1800 Jamuna Paar 1830 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Gyaan Guru 2000 Dwarkadheesh 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Jamuna Paar 2130 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Jamuna Paar 2330 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb
‘Sasural Simar Ka’ at 1930 Hrs on COLORS
‘Ram Milaye Jodi’ at 2130 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Choti Bahu 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Afsar Bitiya 1800 Hitler Didi 1830 Punar Vivaah 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Choti Bahu 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milaayi Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Punar Vivaah 2300 Afsar Bitiya 2330 Hitler Didi
1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1430 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1530 Crime Patrol - 2 1600 Crime Patrol - 3 1700 Crime Patrol - Dastak 1800 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1830 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1900 Crime Patrol - Dastak 1930 Shubh Vivah 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2030 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2100 Saas Bina Sasuraal 2130 Parvarrish 2200 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada 2230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 2300 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2330 Crime Patrol - Dastak 0900 Kahani Comedy Circus Ki 1030 CID 1200 Shubh Vivah 1230 Dekha Ek Khwaab
‘Dekha Ek Khwaab’ at 2030 Hrs on SONY
‘Sasuraal Genda Phool’ at 1930 Hrs on STAR PLUS 1400 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1500 Navya 1600 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1630 Sasuraal Genda Phool 1700 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1730 Star Parivaar Awards 2012 – Aapka Star Aapke Shehar 1800 Navya 1830 Ruk Jana Nahin 1900 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1930 Sasuraal Genda Phool 2000 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2030 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 2100 Diya Aur Bati Hum 2130 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 2200 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 2230 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 2300 Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?
MOVIES OF THE DAY AND OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
1200 Executive Decision 1435 Duma 1635 Million Dollar Baby 1915 Crocodile Dundee 2100 Cradle 2 The Grave 2255 300 0745 Friends 0815 Looney Tunes - Back In Action 1000 Ocean's Eleven 1215 The Matrix Revolutions 1445 Million Dollar Baby
1440 Crocodile 1640 Open Water 1820 Iron Man 2 2100 2 Fast 2 Furious 2320 Virtuosity 0815 Dick Tracy 1030 Morning Glory 1245 2 Fast 2 Furious 1500 Virtuosity
1400 My Kitchen Rules 1500 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 1600 Scrubs 1630 My Wife And Kids 1700 Rookie Blue 1800 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 1900 Outsourced 1930 My Wife And Kids 2000 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 My Kitchen Rules 2200 Haven 2300 Outsourced 2330 My Wife And Kids 0900 America's Funniest Home Videos 0930 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 1000 Scrubs 1030 My Wife And Kids
‘I Almost Got Away With It?’ at 1900 Hrs on DISCOVERY 1400 Dino World 1600 Swamp Brothers 1630 Factory Made 1700 My Naked Secret 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 I Almost Got Away With It? 2000 Deception With Keith Barry 2100 Man Vs Wild 2200 Dual Survival 2300 Tattoo Hunter 1000 Man Vs Wild 1100 Wildlife
‘Gyaan Guru’ at 1930 Hrs on IMAGINE
1400 Parichay 1430 Balika Vadhu 1500 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1530 Uttaran 1600 TBC 1630 Parichay 1700 Sasural Simar Ka 1730 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1800 Uttaran 1830 Balika Vadhu 1900 Hawan 1930 Sasural Simar Ka 2000 Balika Vadhu 2030 Veer Shivaji 2100 Chhal Sheh Aur Maat 2130 Parichay 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado 2330 Balika Vadhu
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‘Haven’ at 2200 Hrs on ZEE CAFE
Yeh Rishta Kya Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat Kehlata Hai Storyline - Anshu is missing. Will Akshara, Naitik and the entire family be able to find him ? ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’ at 2130 Hrs on star plus
Storyline - Neha is stunned to find that Kabir addresses her as Aditi and is clueless about where Rishi has disappeared and who Kabir is. She tries to seek help from the police. ‘Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat’ at 2100 Hrs on colors
‘Joey’ at 2300 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Supernatural 1500 Pan Am 1600 Joey 1630 The Simpsons 1700 Dexter 1800 Supernatural 1900 Desperate Housewives 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 Person Of Interest 2300 Joey 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 Person Of Interest 0800 Las Vegas 0900 Pan Am 1000 Person Of Interest 1100 Desperate Housewives 1200 Two And A Half Men 1230 The Simpsons 1300 Joey 1330 Friends
1400 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1430 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1500 Lapataganj 1530 F.I.R 1600 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1630 I Luv My India 1700 Gutur Gu 1730 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1900 Chidiyaghar 1930 Movers And Shakers 2000 I Luv My India 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiyaghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj 2230 Movers And Shakers 2300 F.I.R 2330 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 0945 Ring Wrong Ring 1030 Gutur Gu 1100 F.I.R 1130 Chidiyaghar 1230 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
‘Chidiyaghar’ at 2100 Hrs on SAB TV
‘Cradle 2 The Grave’ at 2100 Hrs on WB
1430 Storm Chasers 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 Faces Of Earth 1730 Weapon Masters 1930 Machines 2000 Oddities 2030 Heavy Metal Taskforce 2130 Mythbusters 2230 Futureweapons 2330 Industrial Revelations 1030 Faces Of Earth 1130 Storm Chasers 1330 Machines
‘Shootout At Lokhandwala’ at 1230 Hrs on ZOOM 1230 Movie - Shootout At Lokhandwala 1600 Let'z Go! 1700 Telly Talk 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Let'z Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood 1930 All Most Famous 2000 Style Strip 2030 Let'z Go! 2100 Zabar 10 2130 Let'z Go! 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Page 3 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Fresh Mornings 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Fresh Mornings 1100 Your Likes 1200 Planet Bollywood
‘Jerry Springer’ at 2200 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME
‘Oddities’ at 2000 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE
1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Big Wheels 1600 Galileo Extreme 1700 The 4400 1800 Entertainment Tonight 1830 Galileo Extreme 1930 Frasier 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Hawaii Five - 0 2200 Jerry Springer 2300 The 4400 0700 Big Wheels 0730 Aspire 0800 Galileo Extreme 0900 The 4400 1000 Bellator 1100 Jerry Springer 1200 Big Wheels 1230 Entertainment Tonight 1300 Galileo Extreme
Playing Field
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
The games people play
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Solid start for Tiger ORLANDO: Tiger Woods made his return from a left Achilles tendon injury at the $2.15 million Tavistock Cup on Monday, joining Justin Rose in a nine-under par 63 four-ball pairing for Team Albany. Eight days after withdrawing with tendon tightness from the final round of the World Golf Championships event at Doral, Woods teed off in the 36-hole challenge between rival clubs, open only to club members and invited guests. Showing no apparent limp, Woods opened with back-to-back birdies, added two more before the turn, hit an approach at 10 to five feet before Rose birdied and pitched from a bunker within inches from the cup for a birdie at 11. Woods and England’s Rose combined for 10 birdies with a lone bogey at the par-4 16th in the better-ball format of the exhibition event, which matches sixman teams of PGA players from Isleworth, Albany, Lake Nona and Queenwood. Isleworth led after day one at 26-under with host Lake Nona second at 24-under, defending champion Albany third at 23under and Queenwood fourth at
EIGHT DAYS AFTER WITHDRAWING WITH TENDON TIGHTNESS FROM THE FINAL ROUND OF THE WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS EVENT AT DORAL, WOODS TEED OFF IN THE 36-HOLE CHALLENGE 17-under. The event concludes on Tuesday with a singles stroke-play format. Health fears abounded over Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, when he walked off at Doral after hitting his tee shot on the 12th hole. But Woods rested his leg and received medical treatment and said last week he would play in the Tavistock event, the US PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational that begins at Bay Hill on Thursday and at the Masters, which starts April 5. Former World No. 1 Woods has won six titles at Bay Hill in his career. Last year, Achilles and knee injuries kept Woods sidelined for
almost four months, keeping him from playing in the US and British Opens. Woods, ranked 18th in the world, has not won any toursanctioned event since the 2009 Australian Masters, just before the start of his infamous sex scandal, and has not won a major crown since limping through a playoff to capture the 2008 US Open. But Woods has been in solid recent form. He won the World Golf Challenge charity event he hosts last December, shared third at Abu Dhabi to open the 2012 season and shared second at the Honda Classic earlier this month after shooting a 62 on Sunday, the best final round of Woods’s career. The US duo of Bo Van Pelt and Sean O’Hair fired 11 birdies and an eagle at the par-5 15th for the low round of any pairing at 13under 59. Four duos were next at nineunder including Woods and Rose, Americans Bubba Watson and Charles Howell for Isleworth and Lake Nona pairs Ben Curtis of the United States and Peter Hanson of Sweden and Ross Fisher of England and Retief Goosen of South Africa.
WINNING BITE
Tiger Woods of USA hits a shot during the first day of the 2012 Tavistock Cup at Lake Nona Country Club Monday in Orlando, Florida. AFP/DAVID CANNON
Ryo gets special ticket PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA: Japan’s 20-year-old golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa has accepted special temporary membership on the US PGA Tour for the remainder of the 2012 season. The tour was announced on Monday. Ishikawa’s runner-up showing at the Puerto Rico Open on March 11 gave him $582,471 in only six PGA starts, boosting him beyond the $411,943 he needed to qualify for an exemption to join the series for the rest of the year. The move gives Ishikawa unlimited sponsor exemptions for 2012. Previously, as a nontour member, he was limited to a maximum of seven sponsor exemptions and 12 PGA events. While Ishikawa will not earn points toward the season-ending
US PGA playoffs as a special member, he will have the chance to earn full membership for 2013 if his prize money total is among the top 125 players for the full 2012 season.
US PGA Tour Ishikawa, who missed the cut at last weekend’s Transitions Championship, will play in this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill after earning eligibility by being among the top 50 in world rankings as of last week. Ishikawa, who is ranked 50th this week, has accepted a special invitation to compete in next month’s Masters tournament, the year’s first major championship at famed Augusta National Golf Club. AFP/SAM GREENWOOD
Marc Lopez (L) and Rafael Nadal of Spain pose with the winner’s trophy after defeating Sam Querrey and John Isner of USA 6-2, 7-6(7) in the finals of the men’s doubles of the BNP Paribas Open AFP / ROBYN BECK at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 18, 2012 in Indian Wells.
Playing Field
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
The games people play
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Aamer blames Butt
RIPPLE EFFECT
Australian swimmer James Magnussen celebratates after winning the men’s 100 metre freestyle AFP/DAVID MARIUZ final at the Australian Olympics swimming trials in Adelaide on Monday.
LONDON: Disgraced Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Aamer said on Monday that former captain Salman Butt had betrayed their friendship by involving him in the spot-fixing scandal that has seen him banned from cricket and serve time in a British prison. The highly-rated 19-year-old was released from jail last month after serving half of a six-month sentence for his part in the scandal during the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan in 2010. His former teammates Butt and Mohammad Asif are serving sentences of 30 and 12 months respectively, handed down by a British court in November, after the trio were found guilty of corruption and receiving illegal money. The International Cricket Council (ICC) also banned all three players, with Aamer receiving the minimum five-year punishment after he was found guilty of deliberately bowling no-balls
as part of a plan orchestrated by Butt. “I’m so angry with Salman,” said Aamer in an interview with former England captain Mike Atherton broadcast on Sky Sports on Monday. “He used to call me ‘innocent one’. Like how an elder brother would speak to a younger one,” he added in comments translated by Sky into English from Urdu. “He should have helped me instead of involving me in all this.” AFP
Beijing Ducks out on ‘Tiger’ hunt BEIJING: Ex-NBA bad-boy Stephon Marbury will attempt to lead the Beijing Ducks to victory this week in their first ever Chinese finals, seeking to upset the mighty Guangdong Tigers. Beijing face the four-time Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) champions — and their point guard Aaron Brooks, formerly of the Houston Rockets — in the best-of-seven finals starting Wednesday. Marbury, a two-time NBA AllStar who played for the New York Knicks, has been instrumental in the Ducks’ run to the final. On Sunday he scored a gamehigh 30 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out eight assists as Beijing beat Shanxi Brave Dragons 110-98 to win the best-offive semi-finals, three games to two. In each of Beijing’s two other semi-final wins, the star guard surpassed 50 points, an amazing feat for a 35-year-old. “This is the best feeling I have ever had playing basketball. There is no better feeling than this — reaching the finals,” Marbury, his eyes tearing up with joy, told AFP
after Sunday’s win. “Since I came here, I said my goal was to make it to the finals. A lot of people said I was crazy, but this team showed me something totally different from the teams that I’ve been on in the past.” Marbury has reinvented himself since arriving in China in 2009 following a tumultuous 13-year NBA career that saw supreme talent on the court, but often poor offcourt behaviour and various spats with coaches and team-mates. In China, the multi-millionaire has led by example, taking his gritty, muscular game and infecting a roster of young Beijing players with fight and tenacity. He has also embraced the culture while working to sell his “Starbury” brand of shoes and sports apparel with a catchy “love is love” marketing campaign that reflects his feelings for basketball and the team camaraderie needed to win. “This team has worked hard, they did the extra things, shooting the ball before and after practice, doing the extra running,” Marbury said. AFP
Stephon Marbury (C) of the Beijing Ducks drives to the basket against the Shanxi Xinyu in their Chinese Basketball Association semi-finals match in Beijing.
AFP
Playing Field
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
The games people play
Tough test awaits City MANCHESTER: Manchester City go into Wednesday’s match at home to Chelsea knowing they face a significant test of their Premier League title hopes. City’s 1-0 defeat at Swansea on March 11 saw Roberto Mancini’s men lose top spot in the table for the first time since October. Local rivals Manchester United’s 5-0 thumping of Wolves on Sunday means City will kick-off against a revived Chelsea four points behind the champions. United have a simpler run ahead of their trip across town to Eastlands in the third last game and City supporters acknowledge another slip at this stage could potentially kill off their hopes of a first title since 1968. Mancini could call on Carlos Tevez for the first time since September after the Argentina forward returned from three months of selfimposed exile in his homeland. The striker has made two appearances for the reserves and could feature against Chelsea, almost six months since falling out with Mancini after refusing to come off the bench against Bayern Munich. City defender Joleon Lescott insisted the squad would haveno problems welcoming back Tevez into first team action.
Manchester City’s Italian manager Roberto Mancini. AFP/PAUL ELLIS “He’s like a new signing. He’s not been injured so he is not going to be struggling too much in terms of sharpness and fitness,” Lescott said. “All the boys are excited and can’t wait for him to get playing again,” the England international added. “Over the last two years he has probably performed at the highest consistent level as anyone else, so none of us discour-
age what Carlos has done for the club and obviously what he continues to do.” Roberto di Matteo takes his fifth-placed Chelsea side to Eastlands in search of a fifth straight win since taking over from the sacked Andre VillasBoas. Two of those wins have been in the FA Cup against opposition from the Championship, with Birmingham and then Leicester
City eliminated from the knockout competition. But the 4-1 Stamford Bridge success in the Champions League against Napoli, which overturned a 3-1 first leg deficit in extra time, has already gone down in history as one of the club’s greatest nights. In addition, Fernando Torres has also finally found the net with the Spain striker scoring twice in the 5-2 win over Leicester on Sunday to end a goal drought of five months. Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech said he had expected Torres to come good sooner or later. “Fernando has been doing really well but he was just unlucky not to be scoring,” Cech said. “He has had a lot of assists, has been working hard for the team and it was great to see him get his reward. “He must be delighted because as a striker you think of goals and on Sunday he scored twice and that is great for his confidence.” Cech is convinced Chelsea can take advantage of City’s poor recent form. “They have a great squad, full of internationals and great players,” he said. “They had a good start to the season and after a few bad results things are looking different. “But there is still a long way to go. If they get three points from Wednesday then they will still have a chance to win the League, but obviously we want to stop this happening.” AFP
Resurgent Gunners eye third spot LONDON: Arsenal will look to continue their recent resurgence when they travel to Everton eyeing third place in the Premier League on Wednesday. The Gunners bid for Champions League football next term had seemed doomed earlier in the season but a run of four straight wins has taken them to within a point of thirdplaced arch-rivals Tottenham and three clear of Chelsea. All of those recent victories
were against high-calibre opposition too, with Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle beaten in the Premier League and AC Milan defeated in a Champions League second leg clash, although the Italians did go through on aggregate on the night. Inevitably Arsenal will look to top scorer Robin van Persie, with him likely to be the centre of a three-man attacking unit also comprising England’s Theo Walcott and Gervinho of the Ivory Coast.
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SNIPPETS ‘Lionel Messi is richest footballer’ PARIS: Argentina’s Lionel Messi is the world’s highest-paid footballer, followed by David Beckham of England and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, according to France Football magazine. Barcelona talisman Messi earns some 33 million euros ($43.5 million) a year with a 10.5-million-euro salary, 1.5 million euros in bonuses and 21 million euros in advertising and other contracts. Former Manchester United midfielder Beckham, now at LA Galaxy, takes home 31.5 million euros, largely due to his 26 million euros’ worth of advertising and endorsement contracts. Real Madrid’s Ronaldo earns 29.2 million euros, from a 13-million-euro annual salary and 15.5 million euros from offthe-pitch revenue, France Football said in an article to be published on Tuesday. Ronaldo’s coach at the Camp Nou, Portugal’s Jose Mourinho, topped the list of highest-earning managers with 14.8 million euros a year, followed by Paris Saint-Germain’s Carlo Ancelotti (13.5 million euros). AFP
Pep still believes the Cup’s Real’s MADRID: Pep Guardiola on Monday said he was still convinced that his Barcelona side will not win La Liga, despite two dropped points by rivals Real Madrid at the weekend. “My opinion wouldn’t have much value if I went back on what I said a few days ago. Of course mathematically we can be champions but I still think the same thing: we won’t win La Liga,” he told a news conference. Real had their lead over Barca cut to eight points on Sunday after an unexpected 1-1 draw at home to Malaga, a day after the Catalan club beat Seville 2-0 away. A cautious Guardiola warned that Real will drop very few points but Barca had too much ground to make up, whatever supporters wanted to believe. Barcelona on Tuesday take on Granada while Real go to struggling Villarreal.
Playing Field
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
The games people play AFP/PAUL ELLIS
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Ronaldo set for new football role SAO PAULO: Former Brazil star Ronaldo, a member of the local organizing committee of the 2014 World Cup, on Monday registered his interest in becoming president of the country’s football federation. “I would like to begin my political career in football. I want to become a football politician,” he was quoted as saying in an interview in the Folha de Sao Paulo daily. Ricardo Teixeira, who led the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) since 1989, stepped down this month and also resigned his post as head of the organizing committee. His 22-year stewardship of CBF was marred by controversy, with repeated calls for his resignation amid allegations of financial irregularities in Brazil and abroad.
Reds hope to retain form LIVERPOOL: Liverpool may be enjoying plenty of cup success but the trip to QPR offers the chance for them to get their Premier League campaign back on track. The Reds won through to the FA Cup semi-final, where they will meet either Everton or Sunderland, with a 2-1 win over Stoke on Sunday. Kenny Dalglish’s team have already won their first trophy in six years, by beating
Championship side Cardiff on penalties in the League Cup final. That undoubted progress has not been matched in the league where they sit seventh in the table, 10 points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and just three ahead of newly-promoted Swansea. While their indifferent home form has attracted plenty of criticism, they have also struggled away from Anfield.
Their tally of six victories is more than they have managed in front of their own fans but, as well as just one draw, they have suffered seven defeats. The Anfield club have already spent two years outside the Champions League and finishing outside the top four for a third straight year would do significant harm to their prestige, as well as income. QPR need the points for
different reasons, as they look to get out of the relegation zone, and Jay Spearing expects Mark Hughes’ men to offer stiff resistance. The game at Loftus Road is the start of a run of five successive Premier League games. And Liverpool midfielder Spearing, 23, is also adamant that the Reds’ Cup success can not result in them coasting in the league. AFP
Muamba’s condition improves
Arsenal’s Johan Djourou (R) arrives at the London Chest Hospital where Bolton Wanderers’ Fabrice Muamba is being treated. AFP/MIGUEL MEDINA
ALONDON: Bolton Wanderers player Fabrice Muamba was on Monday said by doctors to be breathing on his own again, although he remained in an inten-
sive care unit after his on-field cardiac arrest. A statement issued by the hospital where the 23-year-old is being treated said: “Fabrice Muamba
remains in intensive care at The London Chest Hospital. “He is continuing to show signs of improvement this evening. He is currently able to breathe independently without the aid of a ventilator.” The statement added: “He has also been able to recognise family members and respond to questions appropriately. “These are all positive signs of progress. However, his condition remains serious and our medical staff in intensive care will continue to monitor and treat him. “His family and club would like to thank the media for continuing to respect their privacy at this time.” Muamba slumped onto the turf towards the end of the first half of an FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane stadium in London on Saturday. Millions of TV viewers saw medical staff attempting to resuscitate him on the pitch as players, who were visibly shaken, looked on before Muamba was stretchered off the field. AFP