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DECEMBER 23, 2012 HYDERABAD
SACHIN RETIRES FROM ONE-DAY FORMAT REPORT ON PG 30
One of the game’s all-time greats, Sachin Tendulkar, today announced his retirement from one-day cricket, bringing to an end a glorious 23-year-old career during which he rewrote numerous batting records.
ANAND DENIES AKUN RIVALRY
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dditional commissioner of police (traffic) CV Anand says he has nothing to do with the transfer of Akun Sabharwal.
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CITY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
WINTER HUES
X’mas, New Year treat Barbeque Nation is converted into a Christmas village to resemble the birthplace of Jesus. An exotic variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes will be served. Where: Barbeque Nation, Banjara Hills & Jubilee Hills When: December 21-January 1 Contact: (040) 6456 6693 (040) 6429 2237
Christmas brunch There is a Christmas Day Turkey Brunch at Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. Europeaninspired Ginger Bread House started from December 15. Where: Okra, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Center When: December 25, 12.30pm to 4pm
Chai-Pakora Run To spread the word about India Bike Week being held in Goa on February 2-3, 2013, a chai-pakora run will be organised in Hyderabad. Where: Secunderabad Parade Ground, War Memorial on Lamba Theatre Road Opp. cricket ground When: December 23 6am onwards Contact: indiabikeweek. in/calendar
Musical night A night of ghazals by singer Hariharan. Where: Chowmahalla Palace, Khilwath Road Moti Gali, Charminar When: December 23 7pm onwards Contact: 93965 55888
Pochampally IKAT mela Pochampally Handloom Park is organising IKAT Mela, exhibiting handloom products like hand made bed & home linen, dress materials, home textiles, stoles, scarves, sarees, and dupattas. among others. Where: The National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Exhibition Center Radhika Theater Road, Kamalanagar, Kushaiguda When: December 21 to 31 from 10am to 9:30pm Contact: 95429 76567
Bulls art exhibition A group exhibition by Avijit Roy, HR Das, Laxman Aelay, Nagesh Goud and Sreekanth Kurva on the animal bull and its characteristics. The preview was on December 22. Where: Aalankritha Art Gallery When: Up to January 2 11am to 7pm Contact: www.alankritha.in
CINEMAS
Sunrise one foggy morning at Musi river, Hyderabad, at 6:30am.
Alexander Jaya Prakash Reddy is performing a 100 minute solo. He plays a retired army officer who wants to help people with their problems by starting a helpline. It is scripted by writer Pusala. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Public Gardens, Nampally, H-01, Abids When: January 6, 7pm to 9pm Contact: (040) 2324 9045
Christmas Eve buffet Traditional turkey buffet and unliited beverages will be served at Deccan Pavilion. There will also be live entertainment. Where: Deccan Pavilion, Begumpet When: December 24 Contact: (040) 2340 0132
Photo competition Alliance Francaise, Hyderabad, is conducting a photo competition. The theme is Professions of the world. The winning entries will be sent to Paris. Where: http://hyderabad. afindia.org When: December 3 to January 6
A-Bong Live A-Bong is a group of music enthusiast Bengalis from Hyderabad.
Where: La Makaan, Lane Adjacent To C-Bay , Banjara Hills When: January 6 5pm onwards Contact: 93965 55888
Christmas carols Christmas carols will be sung by Global Edge school till the end of December at The Lobby. Where: Novotel & HICC Complex, PO Bag No 1101, Cyberabad Post Office, Near Hitec City When: December 3-31 Contact: (040) 6682 4422
Art exhibition Artist M Narayan’s work is on display. Narayan graduated from the Ken School of Art. He has participated in over 30 solo exhibitions and is known for his rural depictions. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Road no. 15, Jubilee Hills When: Up to January 2 Contact: (040) 2354 0023
Inertia Photography Photography exhibition on India by Lona Lohan. Where: Rajiv Gandhi Airport, Shamshabad When: Up to December 31 11am to 7pm
SRINIVAS SETTY
Contact: (040) 6625 0000
Christmas hampers Taj Krishna is giving out Luxury Santa Hampers and Deluxe Santa Hampers, which include Remy Martin Xo, Lagavulin 16, luxury Canali tie, Rose petal jam with cane sugar, Kalmata Olives, assorted Christmas chocolate and plum cakes to name a few. Where: Taj Krishna When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6666 2323
Concert for a Cause Apna watan, MS Foundation & Hyderapals are presenting Sounds from England. The money collected will go to the MS school for underprivileged children. The passes are available at Goethe-Zentrum. Where: Vidyaranya High School When: January 5, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 2335 0473
Painting exhibition Memories Of Another Day is an exhibition of paintings by artist Konda Srinivas. He works with acrylic and oils on canvas, specialising in semi-abstract landscapes. Where: Icon Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Up to December 25 from 11:30am Contact: (040) 3241 1554
Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973
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CITY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Three held for assault
GHMC offices open on holidays
Woman’s chain snatched
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he Chilkalguda police have arrested three persons — identified as Hari, Sai Goud and Krishna, all residents of Boudhanagar — who beat up an electricity meter reader, Narsingrao, two days ago. The meter official had disconnected their lines for non-payment of bills that led to a fracas and the attack, the Chilkalguda police said.
T Krishna Babu, commissioner, GHMC, said that the government has given an opportunity to get the regularisation of BPS and LRS applications by December 31. All circle offices of the GHMC will remain open even on holidays and the applicants can consult and clarify their doubts, if any, with the town planning officials and deputy commissioners.
wo unidentified persons snatched a gold chain of six tolas from a resident of Samtha colony, N Suvarna, on Saturday evening. The victim was returning home after purchasing vegetables from the market. When she reached near a private hospital in Samtha colony, two men on a bike whizzed past her, snatched her chain and sped away.
City-based global cyber fraud busted
CV Anand reacts
Several hundred Britons have been cheated of their cash by a City-based tech gang that worked with hackers in Delhi. Mohd SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
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n its ramifications, it may be the biggest cyber crime originating from the City. In what appeared at first to be an ordinary violation of illegal call centre operations turned out to be a big racket involving many local players in the City and some in Delhi. It all came out with the arrest of three men by Central Crime Station (CCS) on Friday. The arrested have been identified as Ahmed, Ateeq ur Rehman and Daulat Khan. In all probability, they are only functionaries, while the kingpins are yet to come out as they have political connections, CCS inspector Shyam Babu said. The gang had launched many call centres in different parts of the City three years ago. They hired a property at Nalgonda Crossroads and made it the headquarters of the operations. They established links with some hackers in Delhi who
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Problematic Ukash
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f you paid by Ukash, you may be able to get something back if you contact Ukash quickly, though in all honesty, it’s unlikely. These scammers operate from India (the phone number is rented, and gives the appearance of being a UK number. It isn’t). Also, report to the police, and action fraud on 0300 123 2040. Sadly, there is little chance of recovering your money, but by reporting it here and to the authorities, you may save others from being ripped off. (With inputs from NT Balanarayan)
would get them information on UK companies. The racket runs something like this. The fake call centre guys from Hyderabad use the contact information they got from the Delhi-based hackers to get in touch with their victims. They ask them to visit quickandeasyloans.co.uk, which initiates a Skype call to the call centre. Once the initial link has been made, the fake call centre contacts them through VoIP and
makes their “business proposition”. The online transfer is done generally via Ukash or Western Union. They would first congratulate the prospective victims and inform them about the sanctioning of their loan and then ask them to deposit something like 100-200 pounds in the fake account operated by the racketeers. Flushed with enthusiasm, the loan-seekers would not mind a small sum like that.
The initial investigation reveals that the gang would be earning anything between `1-2 lakh a day from different people. This way, they have made a pile in the past three years. This originated in UK a few years ago but it is sourced in a city like Hyderabad. Only a comprehensive inter-state investigation will show us the exact magnitude of the crime, the police say.
dditional commissioner of police (traffic) CV Anand on Sunday said that he had no clash with the erstwhile DCP (south zone), Dr Akun Sabharwal. Nor did he have any hand in the transfer of the officer. The ACP was responding to a Postnoon (December 22) report on the ego clash of the two officers during the security arrangements at Mecca Masjid in the aftermath of communal tension in the Old City last month. Dr Sabharwal had reportedly expressed his displeasure at Anand’s intervention in security arrangements that reportedly led to much heart-burn in official circles. Anand said, “I have no problem with Akun and I’ve never involved myself in his transfer. “In fact, I only helped him with his deputation and I have been his hand-holder for long in Central Zone and never involved in his job because I am looking after traffic wing and he is overseeing law and order situation of south zone. “I was sent to Old City on Friday by the police chief to assist Amit Garg, addl commissioner of police (law and order).”
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CITY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
GHMC lands double blow
New Year starts with a big bang for lessees of municipal properties in the City. The cash-starved corporation, under the prodding of the Lokayukta, is not only going to charge market rent on them, but is about to slap over 12 per cent service tax on them. Md NIZAMUDDIN
nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
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hops in municipal complexes and markets will have to bear a service tax of 12.25 per cent soon. With the recent streamlining, the GHMC estates wing is ready with new proposals including hike of rents on par with market rates once the new tenders begin in March 2013. With a prospective rent hike and a new tax, commercial lessees will be in a state of daze. “Allah!” exclaimed KB Iqbal, treasurer and acting president of MJ Market Association. “They already hiked the rents to almost 1,000 per cent recently. I do not understand why again. I shall be taking up the matter of service tax, which was never heard of before.” There are over 699 units in 17
complexes spread across four circles — Kapra, Uppal, Circle 8 and Secunderabad — and 2,277 units in 25 markets spread across seven circles, including Circle 4, Circle 11 (Serilingampally[S]) and Circle 13 (Patancheru and Ramachandrapuram).
EVEN THOUGH THE GHMC HAD HIKED THE RENTS FOR ITS PROPERTIES A YEAR AGO, THE REVENUE GENERATED CONTINUES TO BE MEAGER AS COMPARED TO PRIVATE PROPERTIES IN THE SAME LOCATION. Putli Bowli Complex, Abids Complex and Sultan Bazaar Complex, with 128, 85 and 84 units respectively, are complexes having the largest number of
units in the highly commercial areas. Hissam Gunj, Monda Market, Nalagandla Market and Mahboob Chowk Market, with 381, 259 and 210 units respective-
ly, are the three markets with maximum number of units under GHMC. But for most of these units, the rents continue to be in two and three digit num-
bers. Even though the GHMC had hiked the rents for its properties a year ago, the revenue generated continues to be meager as compared to private properties in the same location. Therefore, it is contented that the lessees can afford to give same values as private property from March this year. But what further flummoxed the commercial tenants is the proposal to charge service tax. Though it is a directive from the government, the GHMC ought to go slow on a simultaneous burden on lessees, complain tenants. “Do they want to kill us?” asked Jairaj Gupta, a lessee. What more, there will be a change in the mechanism of collection. Following large scale allegations of rent inspectors colluding with tenants, collection will henceforth be assigned to bill collectors and tax inspectors. “It won’t be a burden on these officials, as they are good at doing this job,” said an estate official.
Activists demand stricter RTI rules N SHIVA KUMAR
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t a meeting with the State Right To Information commissioner convened by the United Forum For RTI, problems and complaints flew thick and fast. Most of the complaints addressed to the commissioner were about the negligent attitude and the apathy shown towards RTIs filed on various problems. More serious issues like attacks and murders of RTI applicants were also addressed, although most of the problems were only given a cursory glance by the commissioner, who promised to look into the matters. According to TV Bhaskar, RTI activist and editor of a magazine based from Guntur, there have been two alleged murders of RTI activists who probed into land dealings in the State. “One person, Sagar, was murdered when he filed an RTI about agricultural land divided into plots and sold. When he filed the RTI asking the appellate authority about the 10 per cent remuneration collected by the gram panchayat in the last five years, there was no response to his RTI. He was then murdered and the police closed his report saying it was a family feud. Another activist, Suryanarayana, from Guntur was killed in a similar
fashion when he filed an RTI about land encroachments by some senior politicians.” Other complaints, though not of such serious nature, were also addressed. Dozens of problems relating to the GHMC, water board and APPSC were brought up. One such complaint about the water board was addressed by S Chadra Reddy, a teacher who was given a rough
treatment by the water board officials at Serilingampally. “They dug a ditch in front of my house saying that I had two water connections. When I met the chief engineer and other officials and asked them to prove it, they replied saying that I was at fault. After I filed an RTI about this matter on October 31, they very casually forwarded it to the PIO on December 1. And their
reply too was unsatisfactory. Authorities at the water board say that after the RTI Act has been passed, ordinary citizens have assumed an air of authority over officials.” The commissioner assured people that all the complaints would be looked into, although many of the complainants believe nothing will ever be cleared. RTI commissioner
Jannat Hussain said, “I assure you that most of your complaints will be looked into. As for the issue of reducing the reply period from six months to three months, we are yet to discuss it and amend the rules. Other complaints regarding RTIs being disposed off quickly without satisfactory replies will also be looked into and I shall see to it that these issues are addressed.” The commissioner, however, with all his assurances, could not explain why despite five years of the RTI Act, organisations like GHMC and the water board were lax and apathetic towards the RTIs applied. One activist alleged that the GHMC had found a new way of answering all the questions with just one answer or that the filed RTIs kept running into first appeal and second appeal without any effect, causing an irreversible waste of time. Some activists further accused the commissioner of only making promises in the air. “I fail to understand why four information commissioners did not turn up,” said a leading RTI activist and leader of It’s Time to Make a Difference. “It was their bounden duty to interact with people. The commission is unable to take strict action against institutions and officials who either delay information or dilly-dally with the demand.”
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CITY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Warming up for the fight
In its bid to enthuse grassroots party workers before the 2014 elections, the Congress plans to hold a series of regional conventions across the State. FILE PHOTO
The decision to hold conventions came after the AICC AP incharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, asked the party leaders to hold similar programmes across the State. He also asked the State leaders to get party workers geared up for the elections by instilling confidence in them.
INKESHAF AHMED
ahmed.m@postnoon.com
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fter giving his opinion on Telangana to the Central leaders, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and the party machinery are getting busy to enthuse grassroots workers with a series of Hyderabad-like ‘brainstorming’ sessions across the State.
VIJAYAWADA TO BE THE FIRST VENUE ?
THESE CONVENTIONS WOULD PROMOTE THE GOVERNMENTS’ PROGRAMMES AND ALSO ACT AS A PLATFORM TO GEAR UP FOR THE NEXT ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS. Party circles call it a ‘warming-up’ for the General Elections. Simultaneously, the CM and PCCI chief would be distributing spoils of office for
nominated positions to prevent the outflow of leaders to YSRC. The party conventions would also be taking stock of the state of affairs in the TDP, YSRC and
TRS, it is said. “Yes, we have decided to hold regional conventions across the State. These conventions would promote the governments’ programmes and
also act as a platform to gear up for the next Assembly elections,” Congress senior leader and MLC R Padma Raju told Postnoon.
The Pradesh Congress Party is planning to hold the first regional convention in Vijayawada of Krishna district or in Prakasam district. Most of the party leaders are inclined to hold the initial regional meeting in Vijayawada, owing to its importance in the State’s political scene. PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana also visited Vijayawada three days ago and held discussions with party leaders on the issue of holding the convention. An official announcement by the PCC president will be made after getting AICC leaders’ approval on the venue of the meeting. The Congress leaders are planning to hold the meeting in the first week of January.
City math whiz kids honoured
Anubha K Singh
anubha.k@postnoon.com
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his year is being celebrated as National Mathematics Year in honour of renowned mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujam Iyengar, as it marks his 125th birth anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, the Nischal Math Genius Awards 2012 was held in the City. The award function was held by Nischal’s Smart Learning Solutions Pvt Ltd (NSLS), an organisation mentored by 17year-old child prodigy and double Guinness World Record holder Nischal Narayanam. The awards were held as part of a competition where the organisation conducted free math tests in many schools in the twin cities. The final round of the competition was hosted by Nischal himself. The aptitude tests were spread across two months and nearly one lakh students participated in the tests. A total of 1,200 students selected through this process vied for the awards in the final round of the NMGA2012 exam, held at Ravindra Bharathi auditorium on December 22. Speaking on the occasion, Nischal said, “My aim is to convert math fear into math joy. This aptitude test was a step to
Students from schools across the twin cities participated in the competition to test their mathematical skills.
N SHIVA KUMAR
achieve that aim. Though the entire exercise was mammoth, it turned out to be a true delight to unearth great math talent and potential in our schoolchil-
dren. I have published several books for easy understanding of mathematical concepts and have also established math labs to develop problem-solving
skills in students.” K Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu, presented the prestigious awards to the 10 winners of the competition from differ-
ent schools in the City. S Jaipal Reddy, Union Cabinet minister of earth sciences and technology; K Parthasarathy, minister of secondary education, Padma Vibhushan Professor Emeritus and advisor, CR Rao, AIMSCS; RV Ramana Murthy, chairman, AP State Cultural council; Chukka Ramaiah, IITian; Prof V Kishan Rao, registrar of Osmania University; Prof P Purushotham Rao, chairman, board of studies in commerce, Osmania University; Prof K Yadagiri, director, Telugu Academy; Prof V Kanna, former pro-vice chancellor, HU; Prof PV Arunachalam, former vice-chancellor, Dravidian University, Kuppam; Prof Sudhakar Agarkar from Homi Babha Centre for Science Education and Prof HO Gupta, former head of workshop dept, NCERT were the other dignitaries present at the event.
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NATION SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Flights at IGI suspended
Virbhadra may take oath on Dec 25
Railways to seek fare hike
NEW DELHI: Flight operations at
SHIMLA: Virbhadra Singh is likely to take oath as
the IGI airport here remained suspended for over an hour after the city witnessed the first dense fog of this winter today. Around 20 flights were delayed while two were cancelled as the fog enveloped the airport suddenly around 7am. The situation had started to improve after 8.30am, said officials.
the next CM of Himachal Pradesh on December 25, a senior party leader said here. He said, before taking the oath, Virbhadra would visit Delhi to meet senior Congress leaders, including party president Sonia Gandhi, to discuss the formation of the new government. Virbhadra was formally elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party on Saturday night and his name for the CM's post was subsequently cleared by the leadership.
NEW DELHI: Faced with a deficit of
Police evacuate protesters Sonia Gandhi had come out of her residence and met protesters. She told them, “I can’t tell when justice will be delivered, but surely it will be.”
over `20,000 crore in the passenger segment, the railways is keen on raising passenger fares between 5-10 paise per km to generate about `4,000 crore revenue. The hike could come close on the heels of railways finalising the broader contours of the proposed Rail Tariff Authority, which would be placed before Cabinet in January.
Mobile app to help women in distress NEW DELHI: Women in the country can now look forward to alerting their friends and family through the push of a button on sensing danger using a mobile application called 'Fight Back'. Developed by mobile value-added services provider CanvasM, the application tracks a user’s location and sends SOS messages to selected contacts in case of an emergency. The company is also in the process of integrating the solution with Delhi
THE APP TRACKS A USER'S LOCATION AND SENDS SOS MESSAGES TO SELECTED CONTACTS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. Police’s back-end IT infrastructure. While the application is free for consumers in the Delhi-NCR region, other users will need to
pay a subscription fee of `100 per annum. Fight Back is available for smartphones running on Android, Blackberry and Symbian operating systems. The company said it will soon come up with a similar SMS-based application so that the benefits can be extended to non-smartphone users as well. While the application has been available for some time now, it has seen about 3,000-4,000 PTI downloads.
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ew Delhi Police today evacuated a number of protesters from Raisina Hill and outside Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's residence where they had stayed put since last night to protest against the gang-rape of a 23year-old woman. The protesters, most of them students who spent a chilly night in the open after they fought pitched battles with police throughout the day yesterday at Raisina Hill, were taken into a bus by police in an early morning operation. Around 6.30am, police
suddenly moved buses into the area, made announcements about clamping Section 144 of CrPC prohibiting assembly of more than four persons in the area and herded the protesters into the buses. Most of the around 50 protesters at Raisina Hill could not do much as dense fog had hampered visibility. Protesters shouted slogans inside the bus. Outside Gandhi’s residence also, protesters were taken into a bus. Police have been deployed in abundance in Raisina Hill and India Gate anticipating
protests throughout the day, today being a Sunday. In a surprise move late last night, Gandhi had come out of her residence and met protesters. According to a protester, Gandhi told them, “I am with you. I can’t tell when the justice will be delivered, but surely it will be. We will do something.” When the protesters asked for a deadline, she said, “I can’t give you a deadline but action will be taken.” The detentions came as part of a police plan to contain protests near Raisina Hill, the seat of power.
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/095 Rs.1 9/: e c 4 r Pri Rs.5 Cove r Price: : 50% g e f n f i O l Sav Tota
Police clamp prohibitory orders Seven Metro stations closed
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lamping down prohibitory orders in New Delhi district, police today asked youths protesting against the gang-rape of a young woman to stage demonstrations either at Jantar Mantar or Ramlila Maidan. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been issued in New Delhi area except Jantar Mantar. The police move came a day after thousands of youth clashed with police.
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nticipating more protests on the gang-rape of a young woman, seven Delhi Metro stations near Raisina Hill and India Gate were today closed for public. Last night it was decided to close four stations — Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan and Race Course — but this morning, it was extended to three more — Barakhamba, Mandi House and Khan Market.
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WORLD SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
‘Syria chem weapons safe’
2 die in China fire mishap
MOSCOW: Chemical weapons in Syria
YAN’AN:Three people were killed and
are under the control of the government, which has consolidated them in one or two locations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. "As of right now, the (Syrian) government is doing all it can to safeguard those weapons," he said. "We are following all leads concerning chemical weapons," Lavrov said.
20 others injured after a fire engulfed a commercial building in Northwest China's Shaanxi province on Saturday morning, local authorities said. As of 9pm, two bodies had been retrieved by firefighters but the victims' identities were yet to be ascertained, according to the press office of the Yan'an municipal government.
Plebgate victim ‘opens up’ LONDON: The British cabinet minister forced to quit over claims he called Downing Street police officers "plebs" claimed Sunday he had been "stitched up" in his first full account of the furore. Andrew Mitchell said abusive phrases attributed to him were "hung round my neck in a concerted effort to toxify the Conservative Party and destroy my political career".
Egypt ‘okays’ Morsi charter
ASH N’ FLAMES
The Muslim Brotherhood, which President Mohamed Morsi hails from, and the official Al-Ahram newspaper reported that about 64% voted for the charter.
CAIRO: A majority of Egyptian View of the Copahue volcano spewing ashes from Caviahue, Neuquen province, Argentina, some 1500 km southwest of Buenos Aires on Saturday. The authorities of Chile and Argentina issued yellow alerts due to the eruption of the Copahue volcano, placed in the border between both countries. AFP/ANTONIO HUGLICH
‘N Korea missile can do 10,000km’ SEOUL: North Korea's recent rocket launch amounted to the test of a ballistic missile capable of carrying a half-tonne payload over 10,000 kilometres, the South Korean defence ministry said Sunday. North Korea launched its threestage Unha-3 rocket on
December 12, insisting it was a purely scientific mission aimed at putting a polar-orbiting satellite in space. Sunday's estimate was based on analysis of an oxidizer container — recovered from the rocket's first-stage splashdown site — which stored red fuming nitric acid to fuel
the first-stage propellant. "Based on our analysis and simulation, the missile is capable of flying more than 10,000 kilometres with a warhead of 500600 kilograms," a defence ministry official told reporters. Without any debris from the second
and third stages to analyse, the official said it could not be determined if the rocket had re-entry capability — a key element of inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology. Most of the world saw the North's rocket launch as a disguised ballistic missile test.
voters have backed a controversial charter in a two-round referendum that deeply polarised the country, ruling Islamists and official media said on Sunday. The Muslim Brotherhood, which President Mohamed Morsi hails from, and the official Al-Ahram newspaper reported that about 64 per cent voted for the charter, according to preliminary results. Turnout over both rounds was roughly 32 per cent, according to Muslim Brotherhood figures posted on its Twitter account. The results are based on reports from returning officials from the vast majority of stations over the two rounds, which were held a week apart. The
election committee will announce the final results within two days. On the eve of Saturday's polling, clashes in Egypt's second city Alexandria left 62 people injured as stone-throwing mobs torched vehicles, underlining the turmoil gripping the Arab world's most populous nation. Eight people were killed and hundreds more injured in clashes between rival demonstrators on December 5 outside Morsi's presidential palace in Cairo. Some 250,000 police and soldiers were deployed to provide security during the referendum. The army has also positioned tanks around the presidential palace since early this month. AFP
‘Only some info came via torture’
US condemns Kenyan attack that killed 45
Maduro prepares for the big post
WASHINGTON: Acting CIA director Michael Morell
WASHINGTON: The White House condemned Sunday
CARACAS: With President Hugo Chavez recovering
said that Zero Dark Thirty, the Hollywood take on the hunt for Osama bin Laden, exaggerates the importance of information obtained by harsh interrogations. The movie by Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow tells the story of the decade-long search after September 11, 2001 that climaxed in the raid in May on the Al-Qaeda terror leader's hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Morell's message states that "multiple streams of intelligence" led CIA analysts to conclude that bin Laden was hiding in Abbottabad. He acknowledged that "some" of the information "came from detainees subjected to enhanced techniques. But there were many other sources as well."
"in the strongest terms" a tribal attack in southeastern Kenya that left 45 dead, amid fears of growing tensions between rival communities. Villagers were hacked to death and their homes were torched in Friday's attack on the village of Kipao in the Tana delta region, an area where deadly tribal violence killed another 100 people earlier this year. The victims included women and children. "The United States condemns in the strongest terms the renewed violence in Kenya's Tana River region," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement. "This latest incident represents a disturbing escalation of the tragic violence witnessed by these communities in August and September."
from cancer surgery in Cuba, his designated heir Nicolas Maduro is spotlighting his own leadership in case of an early presidential vote, experts say. "Today, Maduro is completely different from when he was just the foreign minister: he is the vice president but he also is the handpicked successor (of Chavez) and the de facto acting president," said Luis Vicente Leon, who leads the Datanalisis pollster. Since Chavez headed to Cuba on December 10 for a fourth round of cancer surgery since he was diagnosed in 2011, Maduro has worked on honing his skills as a higher-profile leader in his own right in this OPEC member sitting atop the world's largest proven oil reserves.
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COMMENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
A pathetic government
Where’s the PM?
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am so glad the Delhi rape case victim is showing signs of recuperation. But the government’s treating of the whole episode is proof that they consider incidents like these as commonplace. They will understand only when they go through something similar.
hy has not the Prime Minister not spoken yet about the horrific incident in Delhi? Is he still in shock or is he in search of the right words for the perfect reaction that will bring succour to the victim, God this nation is in shambles!
Rama Devi via email
EDITORIALS THIS IS THE UGLY truth about India Nine years ago Sonali Mukherjee’s life changed forever when three fellow students decided to teach her a lesson for spurning their advances. While the girl lay asleep in her hostel room, the three broke in and poured acid, Tezaab, something that is used to clean rusting tools, on her face. Sonali is 27 now and even after 22 subsequent surgical procedures, she remains blind and partially deaf. Those demonic dastardly boys, who after being jailed in remand, roam free on bail, while the case is mired in the juggernaut that is the Indian judicial system. God knows if she will get justice in the near future, perhaps ever, for it’s been nine years since the tragedy happened. But amid all this, Sonali shows that those dastards could only mar her face, but could not break her spirit. While there are many cases like hers where victims choose to stay in the dark, away from the eyes that stare, Sonali contested in KBC and won. She was quite unabashed and unconcerned while her story drove millions of viewers to tears. As Big B said, she is the epitome of courage. She is courage, for we know how hard it is for women who may have suffered like her to endure living in a society like ours. And the scariest of all is that, according to the London-based charity Acid Survivors Trust International, about 1,500 acid attacks are reported globally each year. But many more victims do not report their injuries to the authorities and instead suffer in silence. And what did the government do in her case? They have shown nothing but abject apathy. In one if the many letters she wrote she would prefer to commit suicide rather than live in continuous pain. This is the ugly truth about our nation where “women are deemed goddesses”.
Venugopal G via email
EDITORIALS Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 040-4067 2222.
Shinde must quit
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he Union home minister’s response to the protest over the Delhi rape case is utterly apathetic. Instead of apologising to the whole nation for failing to do his duty, he is being headstrong and unreasonable. If you have any shame left, quit. Suma Rajan via email
Nero continues to fiddle while Rome burns From the hip
SYED SHOAIB
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istory, they say, repeats itself ! All schoolchildren grow up to be adults and all these adults… well… those who were fortunate to attend school grew up on adages as this. Yet, does anyone learn anything from them? Proverbs and common sense adages are supposed to have come up out of years of collective wisdom and seldom proved wrong. The old wise heads that coined them may have lost themselves in collective anonymity but the truth of what they said can never be lost, not among the crowds, not among the slipping moments of time. It is over 48 hours since Delhi has been pouring out in anger and anguish at the dastardly rape of a young girl on its roads. Repeatedly, Delhi has seen the rape and dishonour of its women in moving vehicles and this time its citizenry is roaring in rage. They have had it enough. The frustration and anger is pouring out in a tumult across the streets of the capital. Anger writ large on their faces, the old and the young, men and women, all of Delhi actually, march towards the powers that are, braving Delhi’s withering cold. It’s a spontaneous outburst and noteworthy that the leaderless mass of humanity can move in such purposefulness towards the Parliament, seeking answers, demanding reassurance from those that they had housed in the portals of power. The time for reckoning is here. They are asking their representatives in whom they vested their own power as to what these representatives are doing to give them their basic right, the right to a safe and secure life. Delhi is the most unsafe city in the country for women to live in. In this year alone, 661 cases of rape have been registered in Delhi. Is it not a shame! Was it not enough for the Delhi police
to see the writing on the wall? That this state of complacency could not continue for long? The keepers of law and order made this another crime statistic. A moronic insensitive police failed to see the ruin, the utter betrayal of a woman behind the numbers. No attempt to find out the cause of the nightmare on the roads of Delhi was made, nor any attempt to prevent such crimes. Had the police top brass looked into these figures and made an attempt to analyse these, even had a heart to empathise with the victims of these crimes, they would have come out with preventive solutions. It needed the murderous rape and the anger of an entire city for the police to sit up on their lard-filled bottoms, to
realise that things had badly skewed out of control. And to top the cake they congratulate one another on a job well done. Ah! Marie Antoinette! Does your soul continue to linger here on Earth? A big 80 per cent of the police administration is engaged in VIP bandobust; most of this is to pander to the outgrown monstrous egos of the political elite; leaving only 20 per cent of the police force to do its primary job; add to this an overworked, understaffed force that just pretends policing and the result is there for all to see. Two days of protests, and why is the government reluctant to reassure its citizens that it is there for them, that it will act to secure the lives and honour of the women of not only Delhi but
that of all in the country? Why are they cowering behind the barricades of police shields and lathis and refusing to talk to the common man on the streets? Has the government become so bankrupt of courage and resources to drum up succour to protect lives of the common man? Or do they just not care? It is strange to see the wall of silence broken by a few platitudes by the Union home minister. It needs great courage and even greater honour to stand up before the citizens and admit that they have failed them absolutely. They know that to admit such failures will have the opposition on their heads, like vultures for their carrion on the election battle ground. And courage, alas, is severely wanting in our politicians!
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BUSINESS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Advance tax up by 7.5 per cent
IKEA seeks application review
A
urniture retailer IKEA has approached FIPB again seeking a review of its application so that it is allowed to open a cafeteria at its proposed single brand retail stores. The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approved IKEA’s proposal to invest `10,500 crore to open retail stores, but pruned the list of items it wants to sell.
dvance tax collection registered a marginal increase of 7.5 per cent in the third quarter to `78,000 crore, reflecting the impact of slowing economy. ”Advance corporate tax collection have shown seven per cent growth, while advance tax collections from individuals and firms have shown 12 per cent growth during the period,” a senior finance ministry official said.
F
10 lakh new jobs in 2013
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ob seekers can look forward to a prosperous new year with more than 10 lakh new jobs expected across various sectors, including FMCG and retail, says a survey. The projected number of new jobs in 2013 is way higher than the estimated seven lakh employment opportunities created this year, according to the MyHiringClub.com survey.
Know consumer credit rights to protect ratings Any bank or financial institution should take necessary steps to update the inaccurate or erroneous data in credit reporting, upon request from a borrower. Satya Vishnubhotla
report (CIBIL report) used in arriving such decision. This right gives the consumer to understand the exact reasons behind rejecting his application and have an adequate opportunity to resolve the same.
feedback@postnoon.com
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eja is a senior bank employee working with a reputed multi-national bank in India. She rose through the corporate ladder of one of the biggest financial institutions with her stupendous selfdiscipline. She keeps everything organised and plans everything in advance. Her financial discipline made her a go-to place for all her friends and relatives to take long term financial decisions. However, since the last few days she is worried about the
RIGHT TO DISPUTE UNFAIR REPORTING Every Credit Information company like CIBIL, shall provide an opportunity to the consumer to dispute unfair reporting in his credit report. Also, any bank or financial institution should take necessary steps to update the inaccurate or erroneous data in credit reporting, upon request from a borrower. Every lending institution has a binding obligation to update accurate credit information on a periodical basis to a credit information company like CIBIL. This right gives a consumer adequate opportunity to ensure right reporting is done on his credit profile.
EVERY LENDING INSTITUTION HAS A BINDING OBLIGATION TO UPDATE ACCURATE CREDIT INFORMATION ON A PERIODICAL BASIS TO AN INFORMATION COMPANY. changes which are taking place in India with regard to credit information laws, where organizations like Credit Information Bureau of India (“CIBIL”) are playing a significant role in rating the financial conduct of an individual. The reason for this concern was a recent incident. She had applied for a credit card with a bank and obtained a lower limit, which made her confused about her past credit history and how the same was reported by her lenders to CIBIL. As a bank employee and being a favorite among friends for giving financial advice she did some research to learn what are the rights available to a customers against the credit reporting done by his/her own lending banker! Reserve Bank of India, in association with ministry of finance, carefully regulates the
RIGHT TO PRIVACY INFORMATION
Credit Information laws in India in the form of Act, regulations and rules framed there under. Teja came to know recently that the following are the most important rights available to a consumer in safeguarding one’s own credit profile from unfair credit reporting practices:
RIGHT TO REQUEST DISCLOSURE Every bank or financial institution who is a member of CIBIL, denies credit or any other service to a borrower on the basis of his credit information report (CIBIL report) shall within 30 days of its decision, send a writ-
ten intimation about the rejection including reasons. Also the concerned bank or financial institution shall forward a copy of the CIBIL report relied upon for such decision. The consumer has a right to request disclosure of reasons for rejection of his loan application and provide a copy of the credit
OF
Any Credit information company like CIBIL shall take all such necessary precautions that the credit information received from member banks and financial institutions is properly and accurately recorded and processed to generate a credit report without errors. Also, it should ensure that the personal and financial information of a consumer is protected against loss, unauthorised access or modification. This right gives the consumer, his ability to demand accurate credit reporting and data security. The author is an employee of iCrediZen Inc., a company providing solutions for CIBIL issues and Credit card problems.
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INTERVIEW SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
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n a conversation with Postnoon, K Basi Reddy talks more about his experience as a film producer and the future of digital technology in Telugu film industry.
You have been a flag bearer of digital technology in Telugu cinema for almost 10 years. Are you facilitating this change so that more filmmakers will jump onto the digital bandwagon? Digital technology in films has been there for almost 10 years now and I am happy that I started this fire. Technology is less expensive now to show your creative capabilities to the audience. My aim is to make this technology economically viable and also make films which will be accepted across the world rather than catering to the audience in a particular state. I believe we have the right talent here in terms of creating high standard VFX, but the problem lies in the creative aspect of the films we make. We don't have enough educational institu-
One of the biggest complaints against low budget films is the quality of production. Is that something which bothers you? The visual quality of Oka Romantic Crime Katha wasn’t great, but people didn’t care about it. The centre of focus should be content and its proper execution. Paranormal Activity was shot with a handycam within a budget of $15,000 and it
made about $150 million. Did anyone talk about the quality of that film? The most important thing is that people need to be captivated by the product.
Most low budget films find it difficult to get a good release. Everyone keeps cribbing how their films couldn’t get good number of theatres to screen their films… It's not lack of theatres. A lot of small time producers don't invest additional money to screen the film in prime theatres, most of which
have not been converted to digital. If you want to screen your film there, you need to spend at least `10 lakh which is a huge sum for a small film producer. Any exhibitor would want to screen a star driven film because that would pull the audience to the theatres. More than lack of theatres, the biggest challenge is to get the people to the theatres.
According to a FICCI report, there are close to 10,000 theatres in the country. Fifteen years ago, Andhra Pradesh had
The quest for a digital future SRINIVAS SETTY
HEMANTH KUMAR
that the audience is there, but we are afraid to take that brave step to push a film which doesn’t have stars.
Ironically, I struggled for more than a year to find distributors for this film back here in Andhra Pradesh, because they did not think it would run. Basi Reddy tions which can train the existing people to be more qualified. Digital technology is not just about making films. In this domain, the future is going to be all about gaming, animation and VFX. It is yet another Y2K opportunity for the Indians.
Theatre experience is unparalleled, but building more big theatres is perhaps not the best thing to do. There's a huge chunk of people who want to watch the film in the comforts of their home on their huge TV sets. As the middle class grows and the screen size of TV grows in their homes, such people will come less to the theatres. It’s better to make films available for home viewing soon before the film is pirated on a mass scale. Another thing which we can look into is generating revenue through DTH, payper-view model, because people who are more comfortable with watching a film in their home will not come to the theatres anyway. Another thing that I foresee happening is the emergence of what I call as 'Aam Aadmi' theatres which have a seating capacity of 50-100. If you can price the tickets at `10-20 and offer them a better sound system and bigger screen size which they can’t have at their home, people will come to watch then. To cater to the people properly, we have to segment them methodically.
We can look into generating revenue through DTH, pay-perview model, because people who are more comfortable with watching a film in their home will not come to the theatres anyway. Basi Reddy You are not in favour of building more theatres? No. I would love to have an IMAX in every B class centre, but only one, so that everyone has the opportunity to witness the event on the big screen. Today, only the affluent of Hyderabad come to the theatre. At the same time, I want to see less seating capacity theatres because when the real estate price becomes big, then their ROI is not as much as it should be, especially when you drop the prices of tickets. So that they don't buy pirated content. If someone wants to watch a film on DTH, I'll be more than glad because I have a gut feeling that he wouldn't have come to the theatres anyway to watch that film.
You seem to have struggled a lot to release your film 7 Days in Slow Motion. Well, for starters, we produced 7 Days in Slow Motion which was directed by Umakanth Thumrugoti. It’s a simple film about a young boy who’s passionate about films, but his mother forces him to spend almost all his time studying. One day, he finds a camera and decides to make a film within seven days. It’s an interesting insight into how adults behave from the point of view of the young boy. We have screened 7 Days in Slow Motion in several international film festivals and it was received extremely well. Ironically, I struggled for more than a year to find distributors for this film back here in Andhra Pradesh, because they did not think it would run. Our audiences are mostly star-centric and if your film doesn't have a star, they'll not come forward so easily to buy tickets. But there have been few films in recent few years which didn't have stars, yet they went on to become good hits, such as Ala Modalaindi, Ee Rojullo, Oka Romantic Crime Katha. What I say is
nearly 2,500 theatres and that number has now come down to around 1,800. Isn’t there a need to build more theatres in the state since we have a huge population which is always growing?
Future plans? I want to create an environment to make meaningful, sensible and commercial films.
Can they co-exist in harmony?
K Basi Reddy, the Chairman of Digiquest India Pvt. Ltd, has been a pioneer in his own right. From backing niche films like Sonthaooru, Oka Romantic Crime Katha and 7 Days in Slow Motion, to running one of the leading art studios in the country, Basi Reddy has come a long way.
I have a proven example.I have done it four times and this is the fifth time.
How would you define commercial cinema? A film, which people appreciate, and the producer makes his money plus 20% profits. You don't have to make 100% profit all the time.
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WELLNESS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
THE
EVERYDAY EXERCISE !
Functional fitness training includes a combination of exercises that help improve your body balance, stamina and power. According to WebMed, functional training prepares your body to deal with real-life situations, teaches different muscles of your body to work with each other, and trains you to support your own body weight.
BE
PUSH-UP! CHIN-UP! PULL-UP!
THE LEAN , MEAN MACHINE
Want to get fit army style? Then boot camps are for you. For the uninitiated, boot camp is a type of group physical training programme conducted by gyms, personal trainers, and former military personnel. Boot camp training often commences with dynamic stretching and running, followed by a wide variety of interval training, including lifting weights/objects, pulling rubber TRX straps, pushups/situps, plyometrics, and various types of intense, explosive routines.
Well, if you have a phobia of the possibilities of a barbell landing on your chest while doing a bench press, or dropping a dumbbell on your girlfriend’s foot, then get back to the basics. Body weight may not appear fancy, but it works and how! Push-ups, sit-ups, dips, and chin-ups are anywhere, anytime exercises. If you want proof, check out Robert Di Nero in Cape Fear. He was forty-six when he starred in the movie and see what great shape Di Nero achieved without hitting the gym.
SO,
WHERE ’ S YOUR GROUP ?
EAT, WORK,
Training with likeminded people can help boost your morale and reach your fitness goals faster. Three or four people who want to meet the same goals form a group and have a personal trainer. This will also reduce the cost of training per person. Exercises are often set to music.
V H AVE
PLAY !
Worksite health promotion is an evolving trend to improve the fitness of workers to benefit the organization at large. These programmes target long-term physical and mental health benefits of employees. Various activities with specific goals, including medicinal and nutritional counselling, are incorporated. A healthy work environment is established within the organization.
FUN
AND
STAY
FIT
Don’t want to stick to regimens of rigid movements yet want to lose fat and have some fun? Try Zumba. This consists of a combination of Latin American dances, hip-hop, belly dancing and other dance styles. Zumba claims to burn anything from 300 to 600 calories depending on the intensity of your workout. If not anything, you will learn some steps of Salsa, Mamba, Flamenco, and have fun till the session ends.
If getting into shape is one of your New Year resolutions, check out our top fitness trends to look forward to in 2013.
FIT FOR
2013?
12
ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Renaissance traditions
Akram back on his toes
Ceremony at the Mayan ruins
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n January 30, Christie’s New York will present Renaissance, a sale devoted to the artistic traditions that flourished in Europe from 1300 to 1600. A highlight of Old Masters Week in Rockefeller Plaza, the sale will celebrate the golden age that produced some of the most extraordinary innovations in poetry, music and literature, painting, sculpture, and architecture.
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year ago, Akram Khan was told his dance career was over. Now, with the Olympics ceremony under his belt, two films on the boil and three shows on tour, Britain's bestknown choreographer could hardly be busier. The 38-year-old ball of energy is in Paris with his most personal work to date, DESH, a full-length solo exploring his family roots in Bangladesh.
eremonial fires burned and conches sounded off as dawn broke over the steps of the main pyramid at the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza on Friday, making what many believe is the conclusion of a vast, 5,125-year cycle in the Mayan calendar. Some have interpreted the prophetic moment as the end of the world. The hundreds gathered in the ancient Mayan city, however, said they believed it marked the birth of a new and better age.
S BALAKRISHNA
Master of many Cartoonist, photographer, graphic designer, movie producer, painter... there's little that JJ Reddy has not done in the creative arts. Postnoon speaks with the artist about his vibrant journey before the opening of his painting exhibition at Muse Art Gallery. Art Fantasia: An Exhibition of Paintings by JJ Reddy Where: Muse Art Gallery, Marriott Hotel, Tank Bund When: On till December 28.
fields since then. My first job was as an illustrator in Mumbai. I later worked as a cartoonist and my work was published in Newstime and Vipula. I moved to corporate photography, then to computer graphics, then to digital film-making.
JYOTSNA NAMBIAR
jyotsna.n@postnoon.com
T
hough he's preparing to shift his paintings from his gallery to Muse Art Gallery, where an exhibition of his works will be held, artist JJ Reddy graciously agrees to speak to me about his creative journey. Excerpts from the interview.
And now you've returned to painting.
How did you get into art? I used to sketch caricatures of my teachers when I was in Class III! Even when I was doing my B.Com (Hons), that craving, that passion for art was always there. When I was studying at the Indian Institute of Management and Commerce, I held my first art exhibition in 1978. I've worked continuously in creative
The City in pictures
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ovotel Hyderabad Airport is proud to play host to the exhibition of photographs ‘Inertia’ by Lona Logan. Lona has been a resident in Hyderabad for the last seven years. Originally from Australia, her professional background is in the field of welfare studies and business. She has always had a love for photography, but the experience of living life in Hyderabad and India in general, has awakened her senses to a new approach. This is what she captures in her images. n Where: Novotel Hyderabad Airport, Shamshabad n When: Upto December 31
“I hope to have an exhibition where I can show both my analog and digital work some time in the future.” JJ Reddy
As I like to say, life has turned full circle. Earlier, I used to concentrate on being the first in everything. I was the partner and creative director for the first graphic work station in the State. I was the producer and director of the first digital movie in Andhra Pradesh. Ours would have been the first in India, but the censor board took some time in giving us the certificate. For the past three years, I have been working on my paintings seriously.
What were your creative influences growing up? I grew up reading a lot of comics.
(Laughs). Among Indian painters, there was Raja Ravi Verma. I was also influenced by Rembrandt and other European masters.
What next? I began painting on canvas seriously three years ago. Now, it's a lifelong plan. That is, both painting and digital movie production. In digital art, you can go to a microscopic level and make alterations. I hope to have an exhibition where I show both my analog and digital work some time in the future.
This is your first art exhibition in a long time. What's going through your mind now? I'm feeling wonderful. When Kaali Sudheer, the curator of the show, said at a press conference that this would be the biggest and most wonderful art exhibition, I was ecstatic. But I want people to come see the paintings and judge for themselves.
Breaking the mould
K
ids love butterflies, flowers and art. Now what better combination to look out for than this one. Come on over and be a part of the Creative Art Week and have fun creating a collage with flowers and butterflies and also paint away to your heart’s content.The age group is 2-5 years. The registration fee will come upto `400. n Where: Treasure House Saptaparni Building, Plot No 21 Raod No. 8 , Banjara Hills n When: December 24-25, 11 am - noon
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ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Killer plant species An insect-trapping pitcher plant in Venezuela uses its downward pointing hairs to create a ‘water slide’ on which insects slip to their death, new research reveals. The research was published on December 19, in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Hairs on plants, called trichomes, are typically used to repel water.
Plants can smell too A study at Penn State found that when tall goldenrod plants sense the sex attractant released by male fruit flies, they produce their own chemical defenses. Those defenses make the plants less appealing to female fruit flies. The attack isn’t deadly, but plants serving as fruit fly nurseries tend to produce fewer and smaller seeds.
Long-term effects According to a study in the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management, when invasive plants spread, they can leave behind a “legacy” of alteration in the native soil. Even after an invading species has been controlled, its effects can inhibit the regrowth of native plant species. Researchers tested soil conditions for changes in composition.
Saving the turtle’s nest AFP
Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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etween November and March, several species of sea turtle, including the Olive Ridley, travel thousands of miles to nest on the sandy shores of Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest. “Just a few have so far been spotted. The long, wide beaches of the Bay of Bengal in the Sundarbans look empty,” Pradip Vyas, director of the Indian government’s Sundarbans Biosphere project, told AFP on Thursday. “We are monitoring the six islands where sea turtles lay their eggs but we fear they are not coming in large numbers due to degradation of the sea, pollution and climate change.” Straddling Bangladesh and India, the 10,000 square kilometre (3,900 square mile) Sundarbans is famous for being
Conservationists have expressed alarm over the low number of turtles arriving on the coast of east India and Bangladesh for the nesting season, blaming overfishing and climate change for the decline.
“Overfishing has emerged as a threat to sea turtles coming to beaches of the Sundarbans,” said Subrata Mukherjee, India's senior Sundarbans official, adding that up to 1,500 boats now catch fish along the coast. “A large number of sea turtles die after they are caught in fishing nets,” Mukherjee said. In the last five years, the Sundarbans were hit by two devastating cyclones, killing more than 5,000 people living in the villages along the forest. “The nesting grounds of the marine turtle are being destroyed due to erosion and deposition of fresh sands. This is happening largely because of climate change,” said Anurag Danda, an Indian WWF wildlife expert. “Sea turtles are also avoiding the Sundarbans because of fierce winds during cyclones,” he added. AFP
Endangered in India
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the largest wildlife home for endangered Bengal tigers, but it is also a habitat for many rare marine species. In Bangladesh, which is home to 60 per cent of the forest, wildlife experts said the number of turtles arriving on the pristine coastline dropped by at least 50 per cent in the past 10 years. “It’s a very grim picture,” said SM Rashid, head of the Dhaka-based Centre for Advanced Research in Natural Resources and Management. “In the 1990s, we could spot 50-60 turtles nesting in our beaches in a night. “But now the number has come down to a maximum 10,” said Rashid, whose team in June successfully bred a critically endangered turtle using an artificial beach habitat. Environmentalists blame a spike in fishing and climate change causing sea levels to rise and more cyclones for the alarming drop in turtle population, and they say that humans stealing eggs is another major problem.
ahirmatha in Orissa used to be one of the largest arribada nesting sites in the world. An arribada nesting site is when thousands of females come ashore to nest in the same area. Over the past five years at Gahirmatha, there has been an arribada nesting event in only two of those five years. Additionally, between 1996 and 2002, the average size of nesting females declined at that site, indicative of a declining population. Declines in solitary nesting of Olive Ridleys have been recorded in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Throughout the Indian Ocean, nesting populations of Olive Ridleys have declined due to both killing of nesting females at solitary nesting beaches and a directed fishery for the species concentrated at the major arribada nesting beach in Orissa during the 1970s. Expansion of the shrimp trawling fishery in the eastern Indian Ocean in the mid-1970s has also resulted in numerous Olive Ridley deaths. Source: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov
FOOD SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
ALL YOU WANT
You have posted the cards, hung up the decorations and sent out the gifts, so it’s time for some pampering. Gift yourself and your family a wonderful 1. In the midst of music
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t the Water Side cafe tuck into a Christmas Eve dinner full with carol singers to regale you as you eat. The invite also includes unlimited beverages and wine-based cocktails. Eighty covers are available. Where: Water Side Cafe, Taj Banjara Time: December 24, 7pm, onwards Price: `1,500+ taxes (`1,800 AlI-inclusive).
3. Bubbilicious brunch
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he bubbilicious brunch gets a Christmas special twist with yummy festive cuisine to gorge on.A Christmas special traditional meal will be available for all those who want to indulge in the spirit of the festival. Prego also offers a Christmas special menu that has a variety of dishes to choose from. Where: Prego, Westin Mindspace Convention Time: December 25, 12pm-4pm Price: `1,999 + taxes
4. Celebrate in style
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elish a four course menu for lunch and dinner specially prepared at the Tre-Forni Restaurant and Bar— Park Hyatt for this special occasion. Enjoy a four course lunch and dinner with wine and champagne. Where: Tre-Forni Restaurant and Bar —Park Hyatt, Banjara Hills Time: December 24, 25, Noon onwards Price: `2,500 + Taxes (per person)
2. Taste the turkey
5. Jolly good meal
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t’s time to be merry in Hard Rock style! Join them for a delicious three course Christmas meal, drinks and loads of fun at Hard Rock Cafe. Vegetarian menu includes three bean salad with olive and parmesan in light citrus dressing, vegetarian platter, Christmas plum cake with vanilla ice-cream and the Nonvegetarian menu includes three bean salad with olive and parmesan in light citrus dressing, Turkey platter, Christmas plum cake with vanilla ice-cream. Where: Hard Rock Cafe, Banjara Hills Time: December 24 to Sunday, December 30 Noon – 3pm
Vegetarian: `1,300* Non-vegetarian: `1,300*
CHRISTMAS FOOD GUIDE
On Christmas day celebrate with friends and family while indulging in an unforgettable feast that has been laid out at the Okra. Presenting the delectable Christmas day Turkey Brunch with traditional delights such as Turkey, Mince Pie, Christmas pudding and mulled wine. Where: Okra, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Center Time: December 25, 12pm-4pm Price: `2,000 and `2,200
14 &15
FOR CHRISTMAS Christmas meal or ring in 2013 with a glass of wine. We present the ultimate food guide for Christmas and New Year’s in the City. 1. The taste of Hyderabad
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avour the taste of Hyderabad with Master chef Jahangir and listen to some melodious singing by Mohammed Moinuddin who will be presenting the best of ghazals. Where: Firdaus, Taj Krishna Time: December 31, 9pm onwards Price: `3,000( + taxes) per person.
2. A royal feast
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4. A lavish buffet
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erandah, at the Park will be holding a delicious buffet, welcome cocktail/mocktail along with a special offer for kids between the ages of 5-12. Kids also will get to enjoy a special 50% off on their bill. Make this a perfect family night. Where: Verandah, The Park Time: December 31, 8:30pm to Midnight Price per person: `2,000.
3. Food station n extensive buffet meticulously put together to cover popular global cuisines. The food selection revolves around a concept of a thriving marketplace with myriad stations and counters of eatables. Enjoy the live cooking theatres, an exquisite individual dessert buffet and a made to order ice cream counter. Guests will also be treated to a live performance by DJ Stan. Where: Collage, Ista, Gachibowli Time: 7.30pm - 11pm Price per couple: `6,900 + taxes (AI) Additional person: `3,450 + taxes (AI) (Ladies only)
5. Pamper your senses
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NEW YEAR FOOD GUIDE
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waiting guests at Via Milano is a four course dinner by their award-winning chef, open bar and a live DJ. Prepare to feast on some gorgeous gourmet delights. There is nothing better than the feeling of being pampered on New Year’s eve. Where: Via Milano, Jubilee Hills Time: December 31, 7pm onwards Price: `3,500 for couples
Note: Please make prior reservations at the restaurants listed. There are early bird discounts as well in some places.
hearty meal with an elaborate multi-cuisine buffet with live interactive counters awaits you here. Also enjoy the traditional Sufi Qawalli to soul stirring Jazz to high energy DJ music to a medley of performances from DJ Rohit and Kelly Johnson to name a few and finally welcome the New Year with extravagant fireworks. Where: Mogra Courtyard, Taj Falaknuma Time: All day Price: `10,000, per person.
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HISTORY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Dec 24
1865: In Tennessee, a group of Confederate veterans convened to form a secret society the "Ku Klux Klan." The KKK engaged in terrorist raids against African Americans and white Republicans at night.
Dec 26 Dec 27
Dec 25
1979: The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty of 1978. Within a few days, the Soviets had secured Kabul, deploying a special assault unit against Tajberg Palace.
1914: German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and commence to sing Christmas carols. The Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed, they shook hands with them. 1831: British naturalist Charles Darwin sets out from Plymouth, England, aboard the HMS Beagle on a five-year surveying expedition of the southern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The information proved valuable in developing the evolution theory.
Dec 24
Dec 27
2004: A powerful earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, sets off a tsunami that wreaks devastation across the Indian Ocean coastline. The quake was the second strongest ever recorded and left an estimated 2,30,000 dead.
Dec 29
2007: Benazir Bhutto, a former Pakistani prime minister and the first democratically elected female leader of a Muslim country, is assassinated at age 54 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
1895: The Lumière brothers perform for their first paying audience at the Grand Cafe in Boulevard des Capucines, marking the debut of the cinema.
Dec 28
1170: Archbishop Thomas Becket is brutally murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights of King Henry II of England. Henry was forced to do penance at the Archbishop’s tomb. 1922: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is established, comprising a confederation of Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, and the Transcaucasian Federation. It was the first country in the world to be based on Marxist socialism.
Dec 30
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SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012 1
2
3
4
5
1 Nithin & Nithya Menen 2 Rina 3 Radhika, Jaideep 4 Veena, Jyothi 5 Manchu Lakshmi 6 Anjana Sukhani 7 Moon Moon
7
6
Blenders Pride Hyderabad International Fashion Week 2012 is being held at Vivanta by Taj, Begumpet. The four-day event will witness 15 acclaimed Indian designers coming together to set new fashion trends.
ALL EYES ON THE S BALAKRISHNA
Selling dreams
Destination Cyberabad Property Show which features exclusive properties from locations in and around is being held from December 22- 23, at Westin, Mindspace Raheja IT Park. An additional facility for spot home loans will also be provided by banks.
RAMP
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CINEMA SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
Charmee shakes a leg with Ram Charan
A
fter hogging the limelight with her jig in the item number Sakkubhai in Damarukam, Charmee is all set to shake a leg with Ram Charan. She recently shot for an item number titled Nellore in Ram Charan’s upcoming film Naayak. “Ful nite shoot for #NAYAK ... Having fun shaking legs vit Ram charan ... Hope u guys make dis song too a hit .. Wait til Sankranti to watch (sic),” Charmi posted on Twitter and even gave a glimpse of her look from the song. Naayak stars Ram Charan, Kajal Aggarwal and Amala Paul in lead roles. VV Vinayak has directed the film and DVV Danayya has produced it. The music, composed by Thaman, has been received well and the buzz is that Ram Charan has done a stunning job with his dances in several songs. The film is going to hit the screens on January 9.
PRABHAS starrer Mirchi to release in February
P
rabhas’ upcoming film Mirchi has wrapped up its shooting and it’s gearing up for release in the first week of February. For a long time, there was confusion over when exactly the film might release. Initially, there was buzz that the film would lock horns with Naayak and Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu in January; however, it’s now confirmed that Mirchi has dropped out of the box office race during Sankranthi. Koratala Shiva is making his debut as a director with this film which has Prabhas, Anushka and Richa Gangopadhyay in lead roles. Pramod Uppalapati and Vamshi Krishna are producing the film under UV Creations banner. Talking about the film, the producers said, “We recently wrapped up the film’s shooting in Bangkok and currently, the film is in post-production. The audio will be launched in the first week of January.” Devi Sri Prasad has composed the music.
Iddarammayilatho’s cast lands in Bangkok T he principal shooting of Puri Jagannadh’s upcoming film Iddarammayilatho has finally begun in Bangkok. The film stars Allu Arjun, Amala Paul and Catherine Tresa in lead roles and most part of the film will be shot in Bangkok and New Zealand. “Bangkok welcomes me! ! #Iddaramayilatho to start rolling from trow :-) ♥ Young and energetic team. . High spirits! ! Wish us luck tweeps:-) (sic),” Amala
Paul posted on Twitter yesterday. Producer Bandla Ganesh has already spent a bomb on Allu Arjun’s costumes in the film and recently, a photoshoot was done with Allu Arjun in 60 different costumes. This is the first film which Puri Jagannadh is directing after Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu. Devi Sri Prasad is composing the music and Amol Rathod is the cinematographer. The film might release in mid-2013.
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CINEMA SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
BARFI!
OUT OF OSCAR RACE
Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 to be out in June Y
amla Pagla Deewana 2, starring Dharmendra, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, will hit the screens on June 7 next year. The romantic comedy, a sequel to the 2011 film Yamla Pagla Deewana, has been directed by Sangeeth Sivan. It also features Anupam Kher and Johnny Lever in supporting roles, with Neha Sharma and debutant Kristina Akheeva as the female leads. Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 had a long shooting schedule in London, which ended early IANS December.
Sonam Kapoor to take tips from Rekha
A
ctress Sonam Kapoor has been roped in to play the female lead in the remake of the 1980 hit Khubsoorat. Before starting the shoot, the young actress reportedly wants to take tips from Rekha, who played a chirpy and fun-loving girl in the original. “She wants to understand the character well and take Rekha’s advice how to go about it,” a source said. The original classic comedy was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Shashanka Ghosh is expected to helm the new version, which will be produced by Sonam’s father Anil and IANS sister Rhea.
D
irector Anurag Basu’s Barfi! has failed to qualify for the best foreign language film category for the 85th Academy Awards, according to the latest Oscar shortlist. The film, featuring Ranbir
Kapoor as a deaf and mute boy and Priyanka Chopra as an autistic girl, earned rave reviews and enjoyed box office success. Of the 71 films that qualified for the Oscars from across the world, nine have
been shortlisted, which will further compete to make it to the final five nominations. The nine selected films are Amour (Austria), War Witch, (Canada), No (Chile), A Royal Affair (Denmark),
The Intouchables (France), The Deep (Iceland), KonTiki (Norway), Beyond the Hills (Romania) and Sister (Switzerland). The final list will be announced on January 10. IANS
THE LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
MOMMY TIME Well, it’s Christmas and you must pamper your mothers today too. After all, she’s been doing that ever since you were born.
THE SOS GUIDE Nidhi Bhushan nidhi.b@postnoon.com
n Spa vouchers: A relaxing body massage is the ideal gift for your stressed-out mother. All you need to do is head to the Opium Spa and pay for a voucher of your choice, the spa will then email your mother the voucher for her use. Massages start at `2,000
n Digital photo frame: Spend some time to fetch out some special photographs of the family and upload them in this photo frame. Decorate the frame with a red ribbon and keep it on your mum’s bedside at night. Waking up to family moments is one of the best gifts she can get, think about it. Transcend 8” with 4GB memory; cost: `6,999
n Dinner set: Colourful dinner sets is the way to go. You can easily buy the set and make your mum a special meal on Christmas Eve. Can you imagine her surprise? You can even indulge in some home shopping for your mother, she’d love it. Cost: `3,840 for 31 pieces
n Saris: This is the easiest gift to give your mother. You can be sure she’ll love it. Price range at Fabindia: `890 – `8,000
n Bag ‘em: Now is the time to pamper your mum with some delicious looking Hidesign bags. Their new range is as follows: Acropolice 01 (the mustard bag): `4,395 Estelle small (Sridevi’s bag in English Vinglish): `2,595 Ganga 01 (green bag) `8,695 Ganga 02 (turquoise green) `6,495
n Pens: Whether a Shaeffer or a Mont Blanc, pens for fathers will never go out of vogue. They love them and the best part is that they actually use them too. So, why not make their day with some ink? Cost: At Sailor – `8,000 – `15,000; At Mont Blanc: `25,000 – `55,000
n Watches: A smart watch is never a bad option, especially for fathers. And, the time is right to invest in one as most watch brands have introduced a range of yummylooking watches to choose from. We’ve selected three from the Tommy Hilfiger collection that you might want to indulge in. Metal strap: `12,495 Leather strap (orange): `10,995 Leather strap (blue): `8,995
n iPad mini: Anything gadgety generally works for men, so this would be one of the safest gifts to give. It is available in all technology showrooms. Cost: Starts at `21,900
DADDY’S COOL Selecting a gift for your dad can be difficult most times. One, they would give you what’s-the-need lecture and two, there is hardly anything he doesn’t have already. Here’s a list that might make him happy anyway. n Kindle: If your dad enjoys his books, this is the gift to give. Easily available in all technology showrooms, Kindle is something worth spending for. Cost: `6,999 approximately
n Bar set: Though this is not available as one unit, you can always put it together, wrap it nicely and gift it. It’s worth the trouble. Cost: `3,500 approximately
22&23 It’s that time of the year again — people are more selfless, much nicer, and certainly jollier. That’s what the Christmas spirit is all about — making someone’s day, telling your near and dear ones how much you love them and most of all showering them with special gifts. If you haven’t already done your Christmas shopping, don’t worry, it’s not too late. Postnoon gives you a last-minute gift guide.
TIME FOR FRIENDS Isn’t it ironic that even though you are aware of what your friends like and dislike, it’s the hardest to gift them something. Well, let’s try anyway, here’s the list: n Cosmetics: Pampering your friend with a gift from Lush and Mac is the best idea this Christmas. With their festival hampers, you can certainly make your friend’s day very special. Lush Christmas hamper cost:`750 – `2,700 Mac festival hamper cost: starts at `2,500
PAMPERING YOUR KIDS Christmas is just another excuse to pamper your already pampered children. But then again, how can you leave them out of this special holiday. So, go on and spoil them silly. n Books: This Christmas you can also give your child a few books from the Amarchitra Katha series. Books are priced at `50 each.
n Video games: Most children today prefer a PS3 to a cricket bat. That’s okay, let’s make our peace with the reality. There are a number of games, unlike our regular hopscotch and hide and seek, that would make your child feel over the moon. You can even pamper your child with Kinect that costs `11,000. Angry Birds (PC version): `499 for basic and `599 for the Rio version. Angry Birds for PS3: `3,500 Book of Spells for PS3: `2,500
n Funky speakers: You can even indulge in some cute angry birds speakers available at Origin Games. Single speaker (pink): `2,300 Big speaker that can be connected to your computer, iPod, etc: `5,500
n Barbie: Little girls would never stop loving these perfect-figured dolls, so why not interest them with a few this Christmas? Holiday Barbie: `2,100 Shopping Barbie: `1,299 Wedding Barbie: `1,699
n Stuffed toys: Easily available and quite reasonable on your pocket, stuffed toys make all children happy and excited. And, you can get a substantial variety at Inorbit mall in the City.
n Board games: Friends love it. There’s a reason why games like Monopoly, Pictionary, Life and Scrabble are still the highest selling. Monopoly costs: `450 for India edition, `725 for property trading edition and `1,499 for electronic banking edition. Cluedo cost: `399 Guess Who cost: `399
n Noise-cancelling headphones: All of us also have that one gamer friend who would spend a good 12 hours in front of the TV while you party around him. How he’d wish for something like this! So, be his Secret Santa and make his day. Cost: `6,999 for Siberia V/2 steel series, 100% noise cancellation.
n Calvin and Hobbes 3-book series: One can safely say that this is on everyone’s wish list. A big plus would also be that you can borrow the books from your friend whenever you’re in the mood to read them, wink wink. Cost: `5,999
n Jacket and accessories: The colour red is in and here to stay. Priced at `2,299, the red overcoat available at Lifestyle in Inorbit Mall is worth the effort. Also, you can pick up some stuff from Accessorize where the costliest item – bags – will only make you `4,470 poorer. They’ve got some great Christmas gifts to give.
n Fish Pedicure: This is one gift you can give to your male and female friends. It’s different and according to us, a bit unnerving. You can surprise your friends with this unique pedicure available in Inorbit Mall. Cost: starts at `275
n Little Black Tee Jewellery organiser: All of us have that psycho Monica-like friend who’s extremely organised about her things. This is the ideal gift to give to someone like that. Looks like a corset, the organiser has several pockets that one can use to store trinkets, the best part, you can hang it in your cupboard with clothes. Cost: `1,799
CINEMA SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
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CINEMA SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
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CHAI TIME SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
SUNDAY CROSSWORD
ACROSS
Winners!
Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally
132 ‘— — Called Horse’ 133 Clairvoyance 135 Onetime Montreal player 137 — up (confessed) 139 Merchandise ID 140 Backspace on a PC 142 El Dorado loot 144 Infuriated 148 Popular running shoes 150 Helium and methane 153 Mortgages 155 Starlet’s aspiration 156 Helen of radio soaps 157 Galahad’s mother 158 Kelp 159 ‘Garfield’ pooch 160 Papyrus is one 161 Looked happy 162 Thanksgiving dinner 163 Lawman Wyatt —
DOWN 1 Butcher block 2 Japanese soup 3 Europe-Asia range 4 Extra inning 5 Continuing 6 Saffron dish 7 ‘En garde’ weapons 8 Lo- — graphics 9 On the water 10 Officer wannabe 11 AAA suggestion 12 Many millennia 13 Surrounded by 14 Pageant wear 15 Cream puff 16 San — Capistrano 17 Resistance unit 18 Shih Tzu, eg (2 wds) 19 New Orleans school 20 Big hammer
Play & Win
Please send in your filled-in entries to Postnoon, #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033. The winners will be announced on this page in Sunday’s edition.
FOLOWING ARE THE
30 Pertaining to ocean trenches 32 World War II pope 34 The same, legally 38 Navy noncom 39 It’s wreaked 41 Dawn 42 Helga’s husband 43 ‘— when?’ 44 Chaplin persona 46 Rectangular 47 — Fifth Avenue 49 Brunch libation 51 Low-lying clouds 53 Normans’ neighbours 54 NYC art gallery 56 Surrealist Salvador 59 Move like a butterfly 61 Sports ‘zebras’ 63 Boxing jabs 64 Western star Lash — 65 Bangs 67 Ms MacGraw 68 Board member 69 Glossy paints 70 Depot (abbr) 73 Mosque officials 75 — — costs 77 Night racket
VOUCHER LUCKY WINNERS FOR THIS WEEK:
81 Track meet org 82 Damage the finish 84 Legendary kingdom 85 Befriends a lion 86 Thumbs-up critic
87 Vocalist — Gorme 91 Contented murmurs 92 Frilly 93 Type of tiger 94 Abrasion 95 Promoted GIs 96 Newt 99 Weaver’s frame 102 Rembrandt paintings 103 Fragments 104 Riverbank dweller 105 Physicist Nikola — 107 Home in the woods 109 Portable boat 111 Norse god of thunder 114 Not ‘dis,’ in Brooklyn 117 Measured off 119 Belgian river 121 Tic-tac-toe win 122 Scent 123 Attitude 124 Pleasure trips 125 Ballpark official 126 Raised, as prices 127 Practices 130 Safari bosses 134 Choir selection 136 Modeled 137 Rolex rival 138 ‘Robinson Crusoe’ author 140 Noble Italian family 141 Mr Morales 143 Patron saint of Norway 145 Zilch 146 Sheik colleague 147 Fathomless 149 High school subj 151 — vous plait 152 WSW opposite 154 Land in ‘la mer’
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
1 Dirty streak 5 ‘Phantom of the —’ 10 Bring about 16 Sudden shocks 21 Former Italian currency 22 Ponytail sites 23 Kind of energy 24 Trailer rental (hyph) 25 Hot — — oven 26 Web-footed birds 27 Turndown 28 Not skimpy 29 Means of escape 31 Primate 33 Shower feature 35 Family man 36 Rains ice 37 Tingle 40 Go to bat for 41 Birdcall 42 FDR - DDE link 45 Chromosome 46 Buckeyes’ sch 48 Ms Shriver 50 Displaced person 52 Safety feature (2 wds) 54 Finance degs 55 Ancient Roman poet 57 Wk day 58 Growl 59 Pete Seeger’s music 60 — Little of ‘The Wire’ 62 Shore fliers 66 Crowning point 67 Just about 69 Where les enfants learn 71 Bell tower sound 72 Like a snake 74 Trotted 76 Weighs, as evidence 78 Painter — Angelico 79 Skip over 80 Buddha’s name 83 Private retreat 85 Pop singer — Marie 88 Honshu volcano 89 Camel stops 90 Wretchedly bad 93 Major-domos 95 Beauty parlor special 97 Sweater sz 98 Rock formed from clay 100 Building wing 101 Morning necessity 106 Novelist — Ambler 108 Candle holder 110 Rigorous 112 Overdue 113 Stand in good — 115 Exercise system 116 Greer and Roach 117 Wharf locales 118 Greet the moon 120 Tailless cat 122 ‘Uh-oh!’ 123 Barbie maker 124 Self-defense art 128 Bagel companion 129 Rapper Dr — 130 Pen brand 131 Mexican Mrs
1. Jesica P 2. Rohit N 3. Jeevprakash 4. Masood M 5. Sneha S
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CHAI TIME SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
STAR POWER Date 24-12-2012
As per Hindu panchang
THIRUVAIKUMAR
thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in 040-27177230 / 9949870449
TAURUS
GEMINI
Satisfactory and expected results likely in your plans, thoughts and ideas. Blood relatives will help you. New debt, medical expenses and competition likely. Act wisely to come out of these.
You might be worried about spouse or children. Chances that you will face problems related to property, land and vehicle. Minor tensions likely in the family and also in financial matters.
Your social status and influence is set to rise. You work hard and sincerely to complete all duties. You will meet childhood friends unexpectedly and cheer yourselves in their company.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
You will march forward with a determination in all actions. Success will be yours because of plan. Though there might be minor obstacles in certain events, they will get solved in no time.
Your talk might face opposition but at the end you will win over enemies. Tension in the family will go. Expected dues will come and surprise you. Misunderstanding with spouse likely.
You need to understand your strengths and weakness. With your strength you will achieve many things but keep away from work that might fail due to weakness. Businessmen will prosper.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
You might face a lot of hurdles and events which will test your patience. However, businessmen will overcome all hurdles and succeed. Believe that the situation will soon change.
You have mixed effects of good and bad. However, no major problem is seen. You might have unwanted apprehensions and fear. Try to come out by thinking positively or practice yoga.
Hurdles and interferences will increase while executing work. Employees might not get proper recognition even though they struggle hard and work sincerely, which will upset them.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Your comforts are set to increase. Businessmen will prosper in a big way. Growth that will cheer you is certain. Some have a bright chance to buy a vehicle. Real-estate deals will bring you gains.
All hurdles, delay and tension will disappear. Unknown persons will help you in a big way. Debt problems will be under control. Businessmen’s profits increase. Social status is set to improve.
You have to march ahead relentlessly despite hurdles and delays. You fulfill all wishes of your family. You perform events at home in a grand manner. Good financial inflow is likely.
SUMAA TEKUR
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Justice – There’s confusion about what’s right and wrong. Your beliefs and perceptions of morality will undergo major changes in the near future with new experiences.
The High Priestess – You discover something new about the occult and are keen to go down that road. You realise there are many people who’re just like you.
Strength – No matter how difficult the circumstances, you come up trumps. You feel good about your ability to fight odds and emerge triumphant.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Ace of Swords – There are clouds of confusion. Still, you’re able to display clarity of thought. You’re clear of what you need and where you’re headed.
The Chariot – Overseas travel to an exotic location is indicated. Though it’s work related, you end up having quite a good time during your free hours.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Nine of Wands – Success is imminent. You’ve worked for it and are almost there. Just one last test remains and you get everything you’ve ever wished for.
Six of Swords – Overseas contacts give you something to think about. It changes perception of where the world is headed and how economies are changing.
Two of Pentacles – You’ll be forced to do the balancing act. You must admit that you actually quite enjoy it even. Work and family lives are intersecting.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Two of Cups – Listen up, singles. You meet someone from the opposite sex and the chemistry is immediate. You might deepen your commitment to engagement.
The Wheel of Fortune – Times are not going to be the same all the time. If they’re bad now, things will look up. This card urges you to keep your chin up.
The Emperor – Love is in the air. You discover a new love for your partner and this keeps you going in the marriage. Do something nice like throwing a surprise.
Four of Wands – Good fortune strikes and you deserve it. You’ve been working very hard of lately and lady luck has been eluding you.
NON SEQUITUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE POOCH CAFE
STRIP TEASE
AGNES
ARIES
TAROT READ Date 24-12-2012
The magician A magician was working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. The audience would be different each week, so the magician allowed himself to do the same tricks over and over again. There was only one problem: The captain's parrot saw the shows every week and began to understand what the magician did in every trick. Once he understood that, he started shouting in the middle of the show. "Look, it's not the same hat!" "Look, he's hiding the flowers under the table!" "Hey, why are
all the cards the Ace of Spades?" The magician was furious but couldn't do anything, it was the captain's parrot after all. One day the ship had an accident and sank. The magician found himself on a piece of wood, in the middle of the ocean, and of course the parrot was by his side. They stared at each other with hate, but did not utter a word. This went on for several days. After a week the parrot finally said, "Okay, I give up. What'd you do with the boat?"
Vol: 2, No 157 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
28
CINEMA SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
ASHTON
KUTCHER
FILES FOR
DIVORCE
FROM DEMI MOORE A
shton Kutcher has officially filed for divorce from Demi Moore, more than a year after the couple called it quits. The Two and a Half Men star filed his petition Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the former lovebirds’ split, E! News has confirmed. He filed for the divorce from Demi under the name “Christopher Kutcher.” The separation date and property rights of each were listed as “to be determined.” Kutcher requested that each party pay their own legal fees. The actor has moved on, canoodling around the globe with former That ‘70s Show costar Mila Kunis. Moore had been linked to Vito Schnabel earlier this month but both have since denied any relationship. Kutcher and Moore tied the knot in September 2005. It was her third marriage, his first.
Ben Affleck considering a Senate run?
B
en Affleck has officially entered Alec Baldwin and George Clooney territory—he, too, is being asked if he has considered running for public office! In Washington, D.C,. to testify before Congress about the humanitarian crisis in the Congo, the Argo star and director sat down to talk politics with Bob Schieffer in an interview airing Sunday on Face the Nation. And, like Clooney and Baldwin, Affleck appears quite comfortable playing the role of Hollywoodstar-and-activist, no official title necessary. “For one thing, the state of Massachusetts currently has two extraordinary senators, so there is no vacancy,” Affleck replied when Schieffer asked if he had thought about running for an empty seat in his home state if Sen. John Kerry was picked to be Hillary Clinton’s replacement as Secretary of State.
Emma Roberts: Jennifer Aniston is a great pole dancer
E
mma Roberts has revealed that her co-star Jennifer Aniston is an “amazing” pole dancer. The actress stars opposite Aniston and Jason Sudeikis in the upcoming comedy We’re the Millers, about a marijuana dealer who creates a fake family in order to smuggle drugs into the US. Roberts recently explained to E! that Aniston, who plays a stripper in the movie, impressed her fellow cast members in the role. “She’s really good,” Roberts said. “I saw bits and pieces of it and she is amazing. It was unreal! She looks really hot.” When asked what she would rate Aniston’s pole dancing skills out of 10, Roberts replied: “[She’s] like a 20!” Jennifer Aniston was recently named the dream apocalypse companion in a public poll.
29
ENTERTAINMENT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
GOING SOMEWHERE Where is Lounge Piranha? And what does 3 Sevens mean anyway? We take time off to trouble singer/songwriter Kamal Singh, who answers patiently... making a living. But yes, many more listeners have exposure to music. So maybe everyone gets something. There are bands left, right and centre, but it is only the ones who know how to package themselves well that make a killing out of it.
ELIZABETH SOUMYA
elizabeth.s@postnoon.com 3 Sevens has been around for a while, isn’t it? 3 Sevens has been my ongoing solo project for a long time. It was somewhere in 2002 when I started doing stuff on my own. Around that time that I played at the Freedom Jam and things began to happen slowly. I grew up with music in the Northeast of India. When I was 10, the guitar was the most common instrument that everybody played, so music was part of everything. When we got a drum kit in Church it was like a big thing. Then, I went to school in Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu where our principal and her husband encouraged music a lot. I think they were part of the Madras Christian College Choir.
There are spiritual themes in your music with references to angels (destiny) and the Bible (rotting lilies)? Well, there is some conflict inside. I’ve studied theology and
Most tracks have been around. The new song online is an instrumental — Leibak Haruba which means harvest festival, Leibak is mud soil or ground in Manipuri. Then there is Russian Roulette Gandhi; both are completely different from each other. In a couple of days, I might come out with Silent Night...just to wish everyone Merry Christmas! An album will be out early next year. I don’t like sticking to one thing. I play it by the ear, if I don’t like the tuning I change it, fool around. Also of late, I have been considering using Manipuri drums. I don’t like sticking to formulas. Why three sevens? Well it is sort of a spiritual thing. Number 7 denotes a sort of completion in many faiths, like 7 pheras, 7 dips in the river Jordan in the Bible and so on.
PERVEZ RAJAN
What happened to Lounge Piranha? How is making music now different for you? Actually LP went on hibernation which became prolonged and now it seems difficult for it to come back. In fact when Rohan left [ex-bassist, LP] things had started going downhill. Now it doesn’t seem possible, we need bass to play the awesome top hits. We had Shalini [Mohan] for a bit then we tried playing a three piece set, punk noise sort of a thing, but it frizzled out. Personally, for me it’s nice. This is how I was always doing things. Being solo, musically I have ideas, and things I want to do and it’s easier to do them. There are fewer issues to deal with, I do what I am comfortable with. There’s less strain and I can move at my own pace.
Tell us about your recent work in your project 3 Sevens?
did study the Bible, so maybe it just came naturally. But there’s nothing I am trying to teach or preach and few people who pay attention perhaps ask me about it, others don’t. But the conflict isn’t just spiritual it’s with everything even with how musicians are treated by organisers
Hathaway cried watching herself in ‘Les Miserables’
and whether or not one needs to react to it and get stuck with the label of being not easy to work with. For example if I have to pay to take my mother for a gig I am playing at, it’s a conflict too. There are more live gigs now than perhaps there ever
were? Do you think times are really good for musicians today? Music is a big fat business. In my opinion only the crumbs reach musicians. If you are well networked and make friends then perhaps you can exploit all of these opportunities and try
A
ctress Anne Hathaway says she broke into tears after watching herself on big screen in Les Miserables. In the film, Hathaway plays the role of Fantine, an ill-fated prostitute dying of tuberculosis. And she admits she was in tears when she saw herself in the epic musical drama, reports usmagazine.com. “I cry, but I think it’s because I’m still connected to the experience of mak-
Any Indie bands that you currently follow? I’ve noticed some good metal acts from Mumbai and Delhi in the recent past. I also like Sulkstation. I saw Bhayank Maut at the recent National Law School Fest and like their new sound, it’s very cool. Kamal Singh Laisram is a Bangalore-based singer and songwriter. He’s also responsible for Hynoowl, a range of trippy clothes and accessories. You can hear 3 Sevens here : https://soundcloud.com/3sevens Kamal Singh performed at the recent Bacardi NH7 Festival last week.
ing it, the process. For me, when I see it, I actually have to be aware when I’m doing press, because it brings me a lot closer to Fantine,” she told MTV News. “She’s so broken that I actually have to protect myself a little bit. So when I saw it, I did cry, but not because of what I was doing (on screen). It was because I was back in the process of making it,” she added. IANS
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SPORTS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
TENDULKAR
announces one-day
‘I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup wining Indian team,’ he said. MUMBAI: One of the game's alltime greats, Sachin Tendulkar, today announced his retirement from one-day cricket, bringing to an end a glorious 23-year-old career in the format during which he rewrote numerous batting records. "I have decided to retire from the One-Day format of the game. I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup wining Indian team. The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest," the 39-year-old said in a statement released by the BCCI today. "I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future. I am eternally grateful to all my well wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years," he added. Tendulkar, considered the most complete batsman in modern cricket and one who was considered next only to the leg-
RETIREMENT
endary Sir Donald Bradman, retires from the ODI format at the top of the run-getters' list. Tendulkar goes out after amassing 18,426 runs in 463 onedayers at an average of 44.83. The diminutive right-hander has an astonishing 49 hundreds in the format, including a double hundred -- the first in this form of the game. Tendulkar made his ODI debut against Pakistan way back in 1989 and interestingly he is quitting the scene just ahead of another series against the archrivals. The Mumbaikar, who made himself unavailable for Twenty20 after playing just one game in 2006, will now remain active in only the Test arena. The brightest moment of his ODI career came last year when he finally became part of a World Cup winning Indian team after five previous PTI appearances.
Bangalore stadium turns fortress for India-Pakistan T20 With the Taliban, like the Ram Sena, promising to disrupt the match, organisers are taking no chances. BANGALORE: Heavy security has turned the Chinnaswamy stadium here into a fortress for the first of the T20 matches between arch rivals India and Pakistan Dec 25. With the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) handing over the stadium to the city police Saturday for sanitising and securing it from any potential trouble, hundreds of police personnel moved in and around the venue.
ABOUT 5,000 POLICE PERSONNEL WILL BE DEPLOYED IN AND AROUND THE STADIUM AND ALONG THE 1KM ROUTE FROM THE STAR HOTEL WHERE THE TEAMS WILL STAY. About 5,000 police personnel will be deployed from Sunday in and around the stadium, along the 1 km route from the star hotel where the two teams will stay and the city centre where the venue is located. "As maintaining law and
order and providing security are our primary duty, we will take stern action against anyone trying to disrupt the match," city Police Commissioner Jyotiprakash Mirji said Saturday. Asserting that there would be no compromise on the security of players and spectators, the police chief told reporters that no protests or demonstrations would be allowed in and around the stadium from Sunday to Tuesday. "As the governments of both the countries have agreed to hold the bilateral series, no organisation will be allowed to disrupt the match," Mirji said. The police chief made the observations in light of recent statements by the right-wing Hindu organisations like Shiv Sena and Sri Ram Sene threatening to disrupt the series between the two neighbouring countries. In addition to heavy deployment, there will be round-theclock surveillance from Sunday to Tuesday, with closed circuit televisions (CCTV) sets installed in and around the stadium, the players' bus route and the hotel they stay. "Vehicular traffic will be
restricted and parking banned 1 km in and around the stadium on the match day from 11am to midnight. A bomb squad and a dog squad will be engaged to prevent any untoward incident," Mirji said. To prevent disruption and unruly behaviour in the sta-
dium during the match, fans will not be allowed to take articles like bags, food items and even water bottles. "Fans will be frisked more this time at the entrance to ensure they do not carry any harmful object into the stands."
The stringent security measures are being taken in the backdrop of two low-intensity blasts outside the stadium April 17, 2010 before IPL T20 league tie between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) began. Though there was no death, eight people, including three policemen were injured in the incident. Pakistan is playing in India for the first time post-26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Last time Pakistan played in Bangalore was Dec 8-12, 2007 when the Third Test was drawn. The previous occasion the two teams met was in the ICC T20 World Cup Sept 30, 2012 in Colombo when India won by eight wickets. Earlier this year, India beat Pakistan at Mirpur in Bangladesh March 18, 2012 by six wickets in Asia Cup. Last time India and Pakistan played an ODI in Bangalore was April 4, 1999 when India lost by 123 runs. In an ICC ODI World Cup, played in Bangalore March 9, 1996, India beat Pakistan by 39 IANS runs.
31
SPORTS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
India lose second T20 SCOREBOARD APARNA G SAI
In Mumbai MUMBAI: England defeated India in the second and final Twenty20 match here on Saturday to the square the series 1-1. Chasing 177 for victory, England reached the target when skipper Eoin Morgan (left) smashed a six of the last ball of the match. England started off on a splendid note racing to 50 in just 5.1 overs. Openers, Michael Lumb and Alex Hales tormented the Indian bowlers and fielders, smashing the ball all over the ground. But this did not last long as Lumb, who reached his half-century off just 30 balls, could not get beyond that score and was stumped by Dhoni off Yuvraj Singh’s (below) bowling. Yuvraj soon dismissed Luke Wright and Alex Hales to reduce England to 123 for three in 14.4 overs. But Morgan played a captain’s knock leading from the front with a quick-fire 49 from 26 balls. He was well supported by Jos Buttler who scored a patient 15. India failed to make an impact on the field as they once again proved to be sloppy. Dropped catches and missed fielding chances along with lackluster bowling seemed to be the main reasons for India’s loss. “We did not bowl well in the initial overs. The way we started our bowling was not a great start. Our fielding was also a letdown,” Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. Earlier, India posted a massive 177 for the loss of eight wickets. Having won the toss, England decided to field hoping to restrict India to a paltry score but India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a captain’s knock scoring 38 from just 18 balls. He was supported well by Raina who played a patient innings and remained unbeaten on 35 from 24 balls.
Fitness battle on for Clarke Robert Smith
MELBOURNE: Skipper Michael Clarke (right) is racing the clock to be fit for the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka as selectors mull whether Mitchell Johnson or Jackson Bird will be Australia’s third pace bowler. Clarke has been treating a right hamstring strain suffered in Australia’s 137-run win over the tourists in last week’s first Test at Hobart, while Johnson and Bird were added to the squad for the injured Ben Hilfenhaus. Selectors have placed
Usman Khawaja on standby for Clarke, with vice-captain Shane Watson expected to lead the Australians if the skipper fails in his fitness bid. Clarke, who has reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC Test batsman rankings, said last week his scans were “positive” and he was confident of playing. He has been having an extraordinary season, scoring 1,489 runs at 106.35 and is just 55 runs adrift of Ricky Ponting’s Australian record of 1,544 in a calendar year with a potential two innings
left in Wednesday’s Melbourne Test. Opinion is divided over the merits of left-armer Johnson and newcomer Bird for the third pace spot alongside Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc. Australia’s greatest Test wicket-taker Shane Warne has plumped for Bird, who has excelled in the last two Sheffield Shield seasons and is ideally suited to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “I think (Bird) will open the bowling on Boxing Day,” Warne said.
India: Gambhir c Bresnan b Wright 17 Ajinkya Rahane c Root b Dernbach 3 Virat Kohli lbw b Meaker 38 Yuvraj Singh c Root b Wright 4 Rohit Sharma b Tredwell 24 Suresh Raina not out 3 MS Dhoni c Patel b Bresnan 38 Ashwin c Lumb b Dernbach 1 Chawla run out (Root/Buttler) 0 Extras: (b 2, lb 4, w 9, nb 2) 17 Total: (for eight wickets) 177 Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-64, 3-71, 4-88, 5-108, 6-168, 7-171, 8-177 Bowling Tim Bresnan 4-0-27-1 Jade Dernbach 4-0-37-2 Stuart Meaker 4-0-42-1 Luke Wright 4-0-38-2 James Tredwell 4-0-27-1 England M Lumb st Dhoni b Yuvraj Singh 50 Alex Hales c Dinda b Yuvraj Singh 42 Luke Wright lbw b Yuvraj Singh 5 Eoin Morgan not out 49 Samit Patel c Gambhir b Dinda 9 Jos Buttler not out 12 Extras (b 1, lb 8, w 2) 10 Total: (for four wickets) 181 Fall of wickets: 1-80, 2-94, 3-123, 4-149 Bowling Ashok Dinda 4-0-44-1 Parvinder Awana 4-0-42-0 Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-38-0 Piyush Chawla 4-0-31-0 Yuvraj Singh 4-0-17-3
India began their innings on a disappointing note. Ajinkya Rahane was the first to go having top-edged a ball from Jade Dernbach straight to third man. Virat Kohli who replaced Rahane steadied India’s innings scoring 38 off 20 balls. But he was soon sent back to the pavilion being trapped in front of the wickets by Stuart Meaker. After which wickets kept tumbling. Though India maintained a healthy run rate throughout their innings, the fall of wickets at regular intervals undid their earlier good work. While Dhoni believed that his side had the opportunity to score at least 10 more runs, England’s accurate fielding ensured that India did not race to a score closer to 200.
Bangla wait on Pak
KARACHI: Bangladesh will wait for security clearance from the International Cricket Council (ICC) before confirming they will tour Pakistan next month for a two-match series, their top official said Saturday. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf had said that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had announced their intention to tour, making them the first team to visit the country since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan squad in 2009. “We were in constant touch with the BCB officials and they have conveyed to us that the tour is confirmed,” Ashraf told AFP. “They have also got approval from their board members and we are in touch for the schedule.” However, Nazmul Hassan (above), the BCB president, said later Saturday that the decision is still “two to four days” away as they await a security assessment by the ICC. “In my opinion, we can reach a final decision in the next two to four days,” Hassan told the BBC Bangla Service. “We will ask the ICC to complete their security assessment for match officials and then give our conAFP firmation,” he said.
Ranji Trophy Hyderabad scored 247 for 6 on Day 1 of their match against Railways on Saturday. Breif scores: Sumanth 45, B Sandeep 68, A Ashish Reddy 60 batting, Murali Karthik 2 for 60, KV Sharma 2 for 85 Cooch Behar Trophy Hyderabad Vs Karnataka at Gymkhana Karnataka 268 for 3 in 92 overs (Rohan Kadam 106, Nischal D 89, Abhinav Manohar 45 batting, Bharath KN 21 batting) A 11 One Day League Championship Royal CC 59 (T Madhu Babu 5 for 9) Lost to Starlets 60 for 1
32
SPORTS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012
City closes gap on Utd With United not in action until Sunday’s trip to Swansea, Roberto Mancini’s team desperately needed to put pressure on their bitter rivals. Pienaar winner helps Everton go fourth LONDON: South Africa mid-
Manchester City’s English midfielder Gareth Barry (2nd L) climbs above Reading defenders to score his injury time winning goal during their match at The Etihad stadium in Manchester, England on Saturday. AFP/ ADRIAN DENNIS
Steve Griffiths
LONDON: Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester United in dramatic fashion as Gareth Barry’s stoppage-time winner clinched a crucial 1-0 victory over Reading on Saturday. After labouring to break down struggling Reading for long periods, the champions broke the deadlock when England midfielder Barry headed home from a David Silva cross. That was enough to move City within three points of United and keep their title challenge alive heading into the
English Premier League results EPL results on Saturday Liverpool 4 Vs Fulham 0 Manchester City 1 Vs Reading 0 Newcastle 1 Vs QPR 0 Southampton 0 Vs Sunderland 1 Tottenham 0 Vs Stoke 0 West Bromwich 2 Vs Norwich City 1 West Ham 1 Vs Everton 2 Wigan 0 Vs Arsenal 1 Today’s fixtures: Swansea v Manchester Utd (1330 GMT), Chelsea v Aston Villa (1600 GMT)
busy Christmas programme, while Reading stay bottom after their 11th defeat of the season. “We had lots of possession but if you don’t score early it is very difficult,” Mancini said. “You need to score quickly in these games and sometimes you have to take a risk to score, but I think we deserved to win.” Reading boss Brian McDermott added: “That goal at the end is just wrong. He (Barry) is on Nicky Shorey’s back and it is an absolutely certain foul.” Arsenal climbed to third place, nine points behind City, as Mikel Arteta’s second half penalty sealed a 1-0 win over
fielder Steven Pienaar lifted Everton into fourth place in the Premier League as his team came from behind to win 2-1 at West Ham on Saturday. David Moyes' side climbed above Chelsea and Tottenham into the final Champions League berth thanks to Pienaar's second half winner after Victor Anichebe had cancelled out Carlton Cole's early opener for the Hammers. Everton enjoyed a slice of good fortune as West Ham had Cole controversially sent off soon after Anichebe's equaliser. Referee Anthony Taylor also dismissed Everton midfielder Darron Gibson in stoppage-time. Wigan at the DW Stadium. The only goal of a scrappy encounter arrived in the 60th minute when Spanish midfielder Arteta fired home from the spot after Jonathan Moss gave a penalty for Jean Beausejour’s clip on Theo Walcott. For all the talk of a crisis enveloping Arsene Wenger’s side after their humiliating League Cup defeat at League Two minnows Bradford, the Gunners have now won their last three league matches and are back in the race to secure a Champions League place. “It was very important because we beat West Brom at home and now we have two away wins,” Wenger said.
Downing ends drought LIVERPOOL, UK: Liverpool winger Stewart Downing (above) finally ended his Premier League goal drought as the Reds swept to a 4-0 victory over Fulham at Anfield on Saturday. Downing had gone 44 league matches without a goal since joining from Aston Villa in a £20 million deal in 2011 that has been widely ridiculed as a major mistake by then Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish. Brendan Rodgers, who replaced Dalglish at Anfield in the close-season, had fared no better with the under-achieving England international and Downing last week revealed he has been told he can leave the club. But the 28-year-old started against Fulham and seized the chance to put himself in the shop window. After Martin Skrtel lashed in Liverpool’s opener early in the first half, Downing set up England captain Steven Gerrard for the second goal with a fine pass and then bagged the third himself after the break. It was just his fifth goal for Liverpool, the others coming in the FA Cup and Europa League, and his first in the top-flight since he scored for Villa against his current club in May 2011. “I’m just trying to enjoy it, do the best I can,” he said.
Barça give Vilanova timely boost Barcelona were quick out of the blocks on Saturday to romp home 3-1 against Valladolid. Dermot Ledwith
MADRID: Xavi Hernandez, Lionel Messi (right) and Cristian Tello steered La Liga leaders Barcelona to a 3-1 win at Valladolid on Saturday giving stricken coach Tito Vilanova a timely boost in his battle against cancer. Vilanova left hospital earlier in the day, 48 hours after undergoing surgery to remove a tumour in his saliva gland. Jordi Roura took charge of Barca in the absence of the 44year-old Vilanova who will be out of the game for a number of months to undergo radiotherapy
and chemotherapy. The win allowed Barcelona to finish 2012 with a nine-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid with 16 wins in 17 games, the 2-2 home draw with Real Madrid being the only game in which Barca have dropped points. “The result could not be more satisfying. We have ended the year very well in a sporting sense and if we add to this the good news about Tito, we can be very happy”, said Roura. “The only way we had to help him was winning the game and, once again, the team’s attitude has been remarkable.” Alexis Sanchez should have
Malaga send Real crashing to defeat MADRID: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was under renewed pressure on Saturday after his team lost 32 at Malaga, a defeat which left the champions 16 points behind leaders Barcelona. The disappointment of the defeat was compounded by Mourinho’s controversial decision to drop goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas from the starting line-up.
opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute, but after running onto a Dani Alves pass, he somehow shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Valladolid goalkeeper Dani Hernandez was called into action on 11 minutes to stop a shot from Messi and Xavi went close with a curling free-kick after 26 minutes that zipped just past his post. Messi hit a free-kick against the post on 35 minutes after centre-half Henrique Sereno had blocked Thiago Alcantara on the edge of the area, but it looked as if the home side would survive to the interval fairly comfortably.