Postnoon E-Paper for 27 December 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 HYDERABAD

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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER N SHIVA KUMAR

TRS MLAs

TRICKED! The TRS, which had been opposing the Telugu Conference, was in for a rude shock when their callertunes were suddenly changed to a song ‘welcoming the conference’. In the meantime, Telangana unions protested against the WTC this morning.

REPORT ON P5

Billed as a benchmark for male attractiveness and female charm, the sexiest people of the year list is always the most awaited one. Find out who made Postnoon’s list.

SEXXY!

P16&17

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

city events

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. It will be held at Vidyaranya High School on January 5 from 6pm.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

Afternoon

19°C

13°C

19°C

28°C

Clear with cloudy periods.

A mix of clear and cloudy skies.

A mix of cloud and sun.

New Delhi Mumbai Max 21 Max 31 Min 9 Min 21 Clear, sunny skies.

Clear, sunny skies.

Chennai Max 29 Min 25

Bangalore Max 29 Min 16

Chances of thunderstorms.

Mostly cloudy.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES of paintings by Vijay Gille at the gallery on Chai wallah and other stories. The preview is on December 27 at 6.30pm. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Up to January 12 11.30am to 7pm Contact: www.iconart.in Bulls art exhibition A group exhibition by Avijit Roy, HR Das, Laxman Aelay, Nagesh Goud and Sreekanth Kurva on the animal bull, its nature, characteristics and what it represents.. Where: Aalankritha Art Gallery When: Up to January 2 11am to 7pm Contact: www.alankritha.in

DINING Christmas lunch There is a special three course Christmas meal, which includes olive and parmesan in light citrus dressing, plum cake with vanilla ice-cream, three bean salad and Turkey platter. Where: Hard Rock Café Banjara Hills When: Up to December 30 from 12pm to 3pm Contact: (040) 6463 6375 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 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 6456 6693 (040) 6429 2237

SHOWS Christmas carols Christmas carols will be sung by Global Edge school till the end of December at The Lobby as part of Christmas celebrations. Where: Novotel & HICC Complex, PO Bag No 1101, Cyberabad Post Ofﬁce, Near Hitec City, Hyderabad. When: December 3-31 Contact: (040) 6682 4422

ART Inertia Photography Photography exhibition on India by Lona Lohan till December 31. Where: Rajiv Gandhi Airport, Shamshabad When: Up to December 31 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 6625 0000

FOR A LIVING: An old man pulls an overloaded cart at Assembly road in Hyderabad. N SHIVA KUMAR

Court Martial Court martial is a play written by Swadesh Deepak, a popular India playwright and novelist, that was published in 1991. The play is directed by Nagaraju Pejjai. Where: NIFT Campus, Madhapur When: December 30. from 7:30pm Contact: (040) 2311 4537

School of Art. He started work in 1991. He has participated in over 30 solo exhibitions and several group art shows. He is known for his rural depictions. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Road no. 15,

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. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Public Gardens,

Art exhibition Artist M Narayan’s work is on display. Narayan graduated from the Ken

Commissioner & Spl Officer

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

198 155313

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

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333

Jubilee Hills When: Up to January 2 Contact: (040) 2354 0023 Chai wallah art show This is an upcoming exhibition at Iconart gallery.There is an exhibition

WATER SUPPLY Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospital, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital, LB Nagar

155313 23307328 23313163

27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999

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

27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445

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

Nampally, H-01, Abids When: January 6, 7pm to 9pm Contact: (040) 2324 9045 A-Bong Live A-Bong is a group of music enthusiast Bengalis from Hyderabad have formed a band and will be performing live. Where: La Makaan, Lane Adjacent To C-Bay , Banjara Hills. When: January 6 5pm onwards Contact: 93965 55888

MISCELLANEOUS Photo competition Alliance Francaise, Hyderabad, is conducting a photo competition. The theme for the contest is Professions of the world. The winning entries will be sent to Paris. Where: http://hyderabad.afindia.org When: December 3 to January 6 Pochampally IKAT mela Pochampally Handloom Park is organising IKAT Mela, exhibiting handloom products like hand made bed and home linen, dress materials, 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

Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec-bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999 UK VISA OFFICE VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7

Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

City

TODAY’S QUESTION

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

WILL MIM’S OPPOSITION TO T-STATE AFFECT ITS FORMATION?

SHOULD RAPE CASES BE PUT ON THE FAST TRACK IN COURTS? 92%

YES (A) NO (B)

YES B)

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

SPECIAL

CRIME

Home minister’s district a crime hub?

A sucker is born every second!

Women are in five pivotal areas of governance in Ranga Reddy district, yet it continues to rank high in crimes against women.

Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com

he home minister’s district faces the highest number of dowry cases. Ranga Reddy district, the native district and constituency of Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy recorded 658 dowryrelated cases this year as against 547 last year. The district has also earned a dubious name for murder cases. Last year it saw 74 murders, which has come down to 51 this year. The irony is that the district is ruled by women. The collector, superintendent of police, and another senior police officer are all women. In 2012, bone-chilling crimes were reported from Ranga Reddy district, which partly falls in Hyderabad City. Harassment of wives, driving many of them to death by the cruelty of their husbands and in-laws, have regularly been reported. The number of suicides are also on the rise. The most bizarre crimes are reported from this district. The total crimes registered in the 19 police stations of the district crossed 1,840

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

Crimes reported in the last two years YEAR 2011 2012

MURDER 74 51

RAPE 55 24

as against 1,796 last year. But the superintendent of police S Rajkumari said the crime chart would have gone through the roof had the police not taken a concerted effort to stem the rot.

KIDNAPPING 23 21

DOWRY CASES 547 658

Rajkumari had initiated an awareness programme in the mandals to dissuade the youths from committing suicide. Debt, dowry cases, failure in love, minor’s abduction and sexual offences are

TOTAL CASES 1796 1840

rising because public awareness is considerably low, she said. Loan sharks destroy many lives, police observed. Rape cases have come notably down to 24 from 55 last year .

CRIME

Loanee commits suicide

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

yed Moinuddin, 40, who operated a kirana shop in Attapur committed suicide by hanging himself in his shop on Tuesday. All he did, said Rajendranagar police, was take a loan of ` two lakh from a couple of private financiers and he paid back nearly one lakh but at the end of the day, was told that what he paid was interests, not the principal sum. Recently, he was unable to pay

for one month and the two financiers came flexing their muscles, threatening to kill him. Scared and dejected, the man is said to have decided to end his life. On Tuesday night, he did not return home. Family members came searching and the shop was found shuttered. As they saw no lock, they knocked for several minutes in vain. They then forced their entry into the shop and found him hanging by the ceiling fan. A suicide note in his pocket narrated his misery and the financiers’ cruelty.

espite awareness of financial crimes, people continue to fall for them, and the latest victim lost `18 lakh. Ravi Kumar, a resident of Banjara Hills, has been giving advertisements in leading dailies regarding his business (not specified) which needs investors. He was promising extremely attractive bonus, interests and prepaid cheques to assure the potential investors. Recently, SN Raju approached Kumar and offered `18 lakh. The money was paid in two cheques. Kumar reportedly assured Raju that he would be paid `2 lakh bonus last September. This was a very attractive offer. But Raju never saw the colour of the money, said ACP of Mahankali, GP Vasu Sena, who is investigating the fraud. A panic-stricken Raju approached Kumar and got the shock of his life when the latter gave evasive replies. Upon making enquiries about Kumar, Raju found to his utter horror that dozens of people had lost their money in a similar manner before. Why hasn’t anybody done anything about it? “For one, people don’t trust the local police, who will prove bigger robber-barons than the original,” a neighbour of Kumar’s told Raju. Secondly, those investing in this kind of shady business know it’s not white money. But Raju wanted his money back. He approached a Secunderabad court which has now asked the police to probe the matter and report to it.

city THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 LAST YEAR... HERE

CIVIC

GHMC’s New Year gift

is the year by when our world will by fully urbanised if the current trend is anything to go by. Already 50 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban centres.

Here’s a chance to barter your land with the civic body. Propose it to the Corporation which, if it likes, will forward it to State government and the deal is done!

High handed university? ast year we had reported how the prestigious JNTU had abruptly cancelled the ﬁnal semester exams for the B.Pharma and B.Tech without citing any valid reasons. It was only after extensive probing by the media did the University admit that the exams had been cancelled due to Boxing Day festival. This year once again JNTU is mired in controversy.

DECEMBER 27, 2011

NUMEROLOGY

2050

This is invasion of our privacy and rights. We are opposed to WTC. The new message of WTC was activated on my phone number and other TRS MLAs’ numbers. Koppula Eeswar, TRS MLA See page 5

THINGS WE LEARNT TODAY

The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.

Crimes against women highest in home minister’s dist. So what if the home minister is a woman. Crimes against the fairer sex continue to sky-rocket across the State, especially in her district.

Taking a loan? Avoid private ﬁnanciers. A man recently ended his life when he harassed by private ﬁnanciers. He had borrowed `2lakh from them and had already returned `1lakh.

Have a piece of barren land? Exchange it with the GHMC. According to a new policy land owners can now barter their land with the civic body. Of course, it ﬁrst needs to be approved by the General Body, which rarely meets.

TRS MLAs left sputtering in rage. The party was in for a shock when their caller tunes were changed praising the ongoing World Telugu Conference.

It might lose out on funding, but GHMC will still plan big. They might lose out on JNNURM’s funding, but the civic body still has grand plans for Phase II.

Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com

s your property not yielding the expected returns? Would you like to exchange a land, barren or low yielding with a property of the GHMC in a prime location? You can now approach the Corporation and ensure your proposal is listed in the agenda of the next Standing Committee. It appears that the TDP leader Teegala Krishna’s land exchange offer that was approved in the Standing Committee meeting earlier has set a precedent for others to try their luck. The proposal put forward several times during the former mayor Banda Karthika Reddy was at last approved in the Standing Committee meeting recently. Surprising everyone was the move of Congress members, who opposed it and within a week approved it. What could be the reason? Your guess is as good as ours.

Here is another such proposal of land exchange in the agenda of the meeting to be held on December 27. This time it is in Kavuri Hills, which is close to the Hi-tech City. The scheme is yet to catch up but it will in the days to come. Observers feel that Thursday’s meeting will reveal an understanding between the two partners — Congress and MIM. If the exchange scheme is approved, it is assumed that the bond is strong between the two parties and the ‘coordination’ is good. Else, if rejected one has to understand that the Congress leaders might not have received the call from the exchanger of land. It has become a routine for the mayor and Standing Committee members to approve projects in the weekly meetings. But the number of proposals awaiting clearance at General Body meetings have piled up. Even this Thursday’s meeting, where both MIM and

How it is done

The Standing Committee agenda for December 27, contains 27 items, most of which are related to drains and construction of roads. Congress members will sit together and complete their job, there are several projects to be discussed. But most of the big projects, which needs a nod from Opposition corporators would be kept in abeyance till the next general body meeting. The Standing Committee agenda for December 27, contains 27 items, most of which are related to drains and construction of roads. But the big projects that were approved in the earlier meeting like Skywalk at Secunderabad station (with a estimation of `7.2 crore), beautification of Musi river (with `752.25 crore) and construction

n n n n

The exchange of land with the GHMC is limited to its jurisdiction The proposal is to be first put up at standing committee If the standing committee approves it, it will go to the general body meeting Finally the land exchange has to be approved by the State government

of fish markets and sports complexes in three places (Kukatpally, Nacharam, Begumpet) and two places (Mughalpura and Gowlipura) respectively are awaiting approval in the general body. Interestingly, some of the projects like slab construction over nala with `1.51 crore at Kukatpally were approved in January and construction of sports complex at Adikmet with `3.5 crore was approved in the Standing committee in November last year.

NEWS BRIEFS Opposition seek CM’s intervention

Mother, baby charred to death in their home

Jairam to launch cash transfer scheme

Speaker to give top priority to Telugu

he Opposition in GHMC has sought intervention of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for conducting the general body meeting. TDP and BJP, in separate representations pointed out that several public problems needed to be addressed, as no meeting was held since May 2012 and the budget is also yet to be discussed.

woman and her one-and-a-half year old son were charred to death in a ﬁre at their house in a village in Andhra Pradesh early this morning, the police said. The woman noticed the blaze when she woke up at around 5.30am at her house in Kakaravada village of the district. However, the blaze was too huge for her to escape.

nion minister Jairam Ramesh will launch the direct cash transfer scheme from Gollaprollu Mandal of East Godvari district of Andhra Pradesh on January 2, a senior ofﬁcial said on Wednesday. Stipends, pensions and schemes will be launched from the Gollaprollu mandal on that day, she said.

ndhra Pradesh Speaker N Manohar today said top priority would be accorded to the Telugu language in transacting business of the House. “We will take all the steps necessary to use the Telugu language in Assembly affairs, sessions and other matters related to the House,” Manohar said.

city THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

POLITICS

Jai Telangana goes Jai Telugu conference!

N SHIVA KUMAR

TRS MLAs are outraged that their caller tunes were changed without their permission to welcome people to the Telugu meet. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

RS MLAs were in for a rude shock this morning when the caller tunes of their mobile phones were changed to “Welcoming World Telugu Conference,” without any official intimation. TRS has boycotted the conference in protest against the government apathy to its demand for a separate state. When one calls a Telangana leader (TRS) on mobile, the caller gets a tune of the ongoing World Telugu Conference (WTC) at Tirupathi and the female voice pipes in with an invitation to attend it. The caller tune

asks the caller to make the WTC a success by taking part in the three day conference. “Atrocious,” blurted out TRS leader and MLA Koppula Eeswar. “This is invasion of our privacy and rights. We are opposed to the World Telugu Conference. We have also expressed our protests. The new message of WTC was activated on my phone number and other TRS MLAs’ numbers, replacing our existing proTelangana caller tunes. We tried to change it immediately but in vain,” Eeswar told Postnoon. Calling the entire act a conspiracy and violation of their legal rights, Eeswar said they would complain to the AP assembly speaker on the issue.

“The act of the government and telecom company violated our legal rights. They should have sought our permission before executing such an act. All the party MLAs will complain to the speaker on the issue,” he said. “The conduct of the conference is nothing but a conspiracy by the government to kill the separate Telangana sentiment and the culture and heritage of this region. Telugu language was actually born in Telangana. But the State never accepted this fact and is trying to promote a Telugu dialect spoken in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions,” said another TRS leader. No one from the government could explain this as nobody took responsibility.

POLITICS

MIM sneers at big brother

Congress leaders have no hope of resuming power at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, after their relationship with the MIM party turned sour. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

According to the GHMC Act, a no-confidence motion cannot be moved against the incumbent mayor within three years of him assuming office.

he Congress, the senior partner in power at the GHMC, seems to have given up hope of retrieving the mayoralty from its junior partner MIM. The Congress and MIM joined hands to share the five year mayoralty on an unwritten understanding. According to it, the Congress will have its mayor for the first two years, the MIM will have it for the next two years and the fifth year would again be given to the Congress. Though this type of agreement is not valid in a court of law, the Congress honoured the agreement and gave the office to MIM after two years. Banda Karthika Reddy was replaced by Mohd Majid Hussain. Now the catch is, the MIM, a party ruled by the Owaisi brothers, announced it was severing its ties with the Congress for the latter’s “anti minority stance.” Naturally, in such a situation, the MIM was expected to make its mayor quit. But Hussain continues to be in office and the Congress corporators are fretting

and fuming at the “indecency” of its partner. The present incumbent will be in office till January 2014. The most important reason for the Congress losing hope is the existing rules of GHMC. “We have given up hope on getting the final and fifth year for occupying the mayor’s post. We can’t negotiate with the MIM on the issue as there seems to be no scope for it as the political friendship

between the two lay shattered. Besides, the GHMC rules book does not allow a no-confidence motion against the Mayor.,” APCC general secretary and senior Congress leader from Hyderabad G Niranjan told Postnoon. According to Section 91 of GHMC Act-1955, a no-confidence motion cannot be moved against the incumbent mayor within three years from the date

of assuming the office of the mayor or deputy mayor. Apparently, the very rule of the act seems to have boosted the confidence of the MIM and its mayor to complete the entire term of 3 years without leaving the office. Upping his ante against the MIM party, Niranjan alleged that the MIM party had no moral right to continue in the mayor’s position when it severed ties with the Congress party.

“How can the MIM continue in the mayor’s position after ending its relationship with us? MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi said that he was withdrawing support to the UPA government at the Centre. The MIM should have quit the Mayor’s post immediately after the withdrawal of support,” he said. Another party leader and MLC MS Prabhakar Rao also expressed similar views and added that the party high command and ministers should take a call on the issue. “Since there is no provision in the Act to move a no-confidence motion against the mayor, our party leadership and the ministers from Hyderabad should take a call on the issue.” Rao was confident that the MIM would honour the agreement after completion of its term.

city THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

RTI

Pvt builders to face the heat The Lok Ayukta court is taking up the issue of lake encroachments, which the GHMC had earlier ignored. These lakes had shrunk by more than half, thanks to private builders. N SHIVA KUMAR

RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com

wo issues were given serious importance in the Lok Ayukta court. Justice Subhash Reddy issued warnings and serious orders of investigation and inquiry while dealing with two cases related to lake and nala encroachment filed by RTI activists. He commissioned a team to investigate and the same will be considered before the court in its next session on January 23, 2013. The two complaints filed by a group of RTI activists from Chandanagar were about encroachments of the Medi Kunta lake (also known as the WIPRO lake) in Nanakramguda and encroachments of a nala in Eerla Cheruvu in Madinaguda by private builders. In the case of the Medi Kunta lake, two private builders had fenced “weir and

January 2011, however, the GHMC did not bother to look into this issue. RTI activists believe this is a plain case of corruption and nothing else. Elsewhere, on the Eerla Cheruvu’s naturally formed ‘nala’, encroachments had

In the case of the Medi Kunta lake, two private builders had fenced “weir and surplus course” of the lake, causing the lake to flood in 2010. surplus course” of the lake, causing the lake to flood in September 2010. Another encroachment had appeared on the buffer zone of the lake, which is considered directly within Full Tank Level of the lake and no permissions are to be sanctioned

for any construction there. The Medi Kunta lake’s issue also highlighted a written letter by the executive engineer of the irrigation department who warned the GHMC when the encroachments started coming up. This was in the month of

CRIME

Cops bust cricket betting racket

shrunk the size of the nala from 15 feet to 3 feet. This was done by a private builder who dumped mud and boulders to reduce the width and size of the nala for constructional activity. This has caused the nala’s water to be diverted which has submerged a

few apartments in the locality. Two other encroachments have shrunk the size of the nala, one of which was sanctioned by the GHMC itself which paid no heed to the nala while issuing permissions or survey numbers, say RTI activists. According to one RTI activist, “When we filed the complaint in Lok Ayukta, the first encroachment was still in its constructional phase. Now, the builder has finished construction and has raised 4 floors in that building.” The complaint was registered in July 26, 2012. Justice Subhash Reddy directed the officials from the GHMC and the HMDA to investigate this matter with the complainants and issued strict warnings to the authorities in both the cases. The hearing will be taken up again after the inquiry is done in January 2013.

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ased on a tip-off, the Mangalhat police on Tuesday evening raided a house in Jungur Basti in Lower Dhoolpet and found one Udha Ram Singh alias Udesh, 37, accepting India-Pak T20 cricket match betting from punters. Investigation revealed that Udha Ram Singh and another person Ravi Narayan alias Laddu were accepting cricket betting in the house by using cell phones, portable television. While the cops managed to catch Udha Ram Singh, Laddu escaped by throwing the chits and money. The police seized total cricket betting

amount of `1,33,200, two cell phones, portable televisions and some chits from Udha Ram Singh’s possession and took him to the police station. The police have launched a manhunt for Laddu. The arrest was made under the supervision of D Srinivas, assistant commissioner of police, Gosha Mahal division, Hyderabad by G Sridhar, inspector of police, Mangalhat and K Narahari, additional inspector of police, Mangalhat with the assistance of SIs M Ravi Kumar, L Bhadraiah and the staff of the Mangalhat police station, Hyderabad. NSS

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classifieds THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

JNNURM

GHMC prepares for Phase-II Given the fact that most of its work is still pending, the GHMC stands to lose JNNURM funding. Yet the civic body is already making plans to implement works under the second phase of government funding. Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com

ven as the GHMC is on the brink of losing the JNNURM (Jawarlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) funds, it is planning projects for JNNURM Phase-II. Under this the GHMC has planned a ‘Storm water drainage master plan’, with an estimation of `6,245 crore. Named the Integrated Storm Water Drainage Project, the GHMC will seek at least `6,000 crore from the government under JNNURM. A comprehensive study was conducted by Voyants Solutions Pvt Ltd in the City into 16 zones for storm water design based on topography. The firm proposed rectangular shaped cement concrete sections, as the existing drains are not scientifically designed. In most drains about 90 per cent are found having insufficient capacities and need to be reconstructed.

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Under this proposal, the construction of major nalas and improvement of tanks under Phase-I for 360 kms would cost `1,931 crore. While cost towards land acquisition or land compensation for 900 acres will cost `2,070 crore. The cost towards

PETITION

Cops to register case against Ram Jethmalani T

structural compensation, which stand at an estimated 28,000 housing units is `480 crore. The cost towards Rehabilitation and Resettlement of 14,000 houses is approximately `630 crore. The tentative cost for construction of minor drains under

Phase-II is `1,600 crore.

PROJECTS UNDER JNNURM IN LIMBO Under the JNNRUM-I, a total of 71 storm water drains of 169.210 kms should have been remod-

elled, after Kirloskar Consultants submitted a report, in view of the City flooding in 2000. But after the GHMC was formed in 2007, the preparation of a comprehensive master plan and micro level storm water drain network plan for the entire GHMC area was entrusted to Voyants Solutions Pvt Ltd. Nearly `142.37 crore was provided under JNNURM in 2006 for four major nalas. But three of them continue to be labelled ‘work in progress’, while another is still in the planning stage. Another `124.10 crore was provided under the same scheme in 2009 for improvement of five strom water drains. But almost all of them remain in limbo. According to the officials, for some the nalas the GHMC had to call the tender five times, but there was no response. “Even though the deadline for securing funds was extended to December 2013, I do not think most of the projects will be completed,” says a senior official.

STAGE SET

he Malkajgiri Court has directed police to register a case against BJP senior leader and eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani. A petition was filed against Jethmalani for making controversial remarks against Lord Srirama and Lakshmana. Responding to the petition, the court has directed that a case be registered against him under Sections 295 and 295-A of the IPC. It may be recalled that Ram Jethmalani caused ripples saying that Rama was not a good husband, so he does not worship Ram. Speaking at a function where a book on “Man-Woman Relationship” was released two months ago, Jethmalani said Rama was a bad husband as he sent his wife Sita to forest without any reason. Even as his remarks caused a stir, Jethmalani refused to apologise and declined to withdraw his remarks. He maintained that he had not done any wrong. NSS

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Against the backdrop of TRS boycott, the World Telugu Conference got off to a colourful start today at Tirupati. President Pranab Mukherjee reached Tirupati to declare it inaugurated. Jnanpith winner C Narayan Reddy, New Jersey deputy speaker CH Raveendra, Akkineni Nageswara Rao and crickter Azharuddin are participating.

city THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

THE URBAN JUNGLE

India must be a role model

Rapidly urbanising populations face unique challenges, especially in developing countries. India faces the problem more acutely than other countries in South Asia.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

ur planet will be nearly fully urbanised by 2050 if the current trend is of any indication. Already 50 per cent of the world’s population live in urban centres. This urban expansion will be especially burdensome for developing countries, where 82 per cent of the world's population currently lives, according to Vital Signs Online Service of Worldwatch Institute. When cities fail to meet these essential needs on a large scale, they create areas known as slums, where households typically lack safe drinking water, safe sanitation, a durable living space, or the security of a lease. According to UN HABITAT, 828 million people in developingworld cities are considered slum dwellers — one in every three residents. Slum populations are expected to grow significantly in the future, and UN HABITAT projects that 6 million more people live in slums every year. The World Health Organization identifies the rapid

increase of urban populations, especially slum populations, as the most important issue affecting health in the 21st century. The agency cites overcrowding, lack of safe water, and improper

sanitation systems as the primary factors contributing to poor health among the urban poor. Slums often become breeding grounds for diseases like tuberculosis, dengue, pneumonia, and

cholera, and slum dwellers contract water-borne or respiratory illnesses at much higher rates than people in rural areas do.

ASIA FACES THE HEAT

Asia, among developing world, faces this transition more acutely than Africa. In Asia, India feels the heat more than any other country. India will have to give serious thoughts to slum-like dwelling centres in urban centres. Upgrading slums is going to engage the government’s attention more than before. The time when we realise that our salvation lies in finding proper solutions to the problem of slums, if we want people to maintain average health,. is fast approaching.t Planners believe providing urban amenities to rural would be a solution. Semi-urban set up can delay the onset of a mega city, which in its wake brings mega problems too. If it is not done, cities and their slums will continue to grow as long as rural populations continue to migrate to cities to find economic and other opportunities, such as access to cultural amenities, education, and healthcare.

South Asian countries where half the world’s poor live 1. India

5. Nepal

2. Afghanistan

6. Maldives

3. Bangladesh

7. Pakistan

4. Bhutan

8. Srilanka

HIGHLIGHTS

n Census data in 2010 indicates that cities are home to 3.5 billion people, or 50.5 per cent of the global population. n The UN Population Division projects that between 2011 and 2050, the world's population will increase by 2.3 billion people, bringing the total population to 9.3 billion. n The industrialized world has little room to urbanize further: It was 78 per cent urban in 2011, and by 2050, it is expected to be approximately 86 per cent urban. By comparison, the developing world was only 47 per cent urban in 2011, a share that could reach 64 per cent by 2050. Compiled by PK Surendran

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

focus

MOUNTAIN GHOST

Experts believe just 300 to 500 adults survive in Nepal, and few can claim ever to have seen the secretive, solitary “mountain ghost”, which lives 5,000 to 6,000 metres above sea level. Despite its name, it is not a close relative of the leopard and has much more in common genetically with the tiger.

CONSERVATION

FRANKIE TAGGART Agence France-Press

Yak insurance plan saving Nepal’s snow leopard The global snow leopard population is estimated at just 4,080-6,590 adults according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

he remorse felt by Himali Chungda Sherpa after he killed three snow leopard cubs in retaliation for his lost cattle inspired him to set up a scheme to prevent other herders from doing the same. Sherpa lost his cattle near Ghunsa village at the base of Mount Kangchenjunga on the Nepal-India border, later finding their remains in a cave beside three sleeping snow leopard cubs. The Nepalese herder put the cubs in a sack and threw them into the river, finding their bodies the next day. “From that night onwards the mother snow leopard started crying from the mountain for her cubs, and my cattle were crying for the loss of their calves. I realised how big a sin I had committed and promised myself that I would never do such a thing in the future.” Four years ago Sherpa, 48, founded with other locals an insurance plan for livestock that conservationists say is deterring herders from killing snow leopards that attack their animals. In doing so the scheme has given hope for the endangered cat, whose numbers across the mountains of 12 countries in south and central Asia are thought to have declined by 20 per cent over the past 16 years. Under the scheme, herders pay in 55 rupees ($1.50) a year for each of their hairy yaks, the vital pack animal that is also kept for milk and meat, and are paid 2,500 rupees for any animal killed by the endangered cat. “The (Himalayan) communities have been able to pay out compensation for more than 200 animals since the scheme started,” WWF Nepal conservation director Ghana Gurung told reporters at a presentation in the capital Kathmandu. “The community members are the ones that monitor this, they are the ones who do the patrolling and they are the ones who verify the kills.” The global snow leopard population is estimated at just 4,080-6,590 adults according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which lists the animal as “endangered” on its red list of threatened species. Experts believe just 300 to 500 adults survive in Nepal, and few can claim ever to have seen the secretive, solitary “mountain ghost”, which lives 5,000 to 6,000 metres above sea level. Despite its name, it is not a close relative of the leopard and has much more in common genetically with the tiger, though it is thought to have a placid temperament. “There has never been a case of a snow leopard attacking a human,” Gurung said of the animal. It does, however, have a taste for sheep, goats and other livestock essential for the livelihoods of farmrs

and is often killed by humans either as a preventative measure or in revenge for the deaths of their animals.

‘THREAT’ TO LIVELIHOODS

Sherpa now campaigns to convince Himalayan farmers that killing snow leopards is wrong, but has been frequently told they need to kill the animal to protect their livelihoods. “I swear if I can catch a snow leopard. They rob our animals and our source of livelihood,” herder Chokyab Bhuttia told the WWF. The insurance plan, which also covers sheep and goats, was set up with 1.2 million rupees donated by the University of Zurich. Since the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Snow Leopard Insurance plan was launched four years ago no snow leopard is thought to have been killed in retaliation for preying on livestock since. Locals, who count the number of cattle attacked as well as tracks, fecal pellets and scratches in the ground, believe snow leopard numbers have significantly increased. “There is now an awareness among people that the snow leopard is an endangered animal and we have to protect it. The insurance policy has made people more tolerant to the loss of their livestock,” Sherpa said. He believes protecting the snow leopard is vital to boosting the economy in an area which gets just a few hundred trekkers a year, compared with 74,000 in Annapurna. “If a tourist sees a snow leopard and takes a picture of it there will be publicity of our region and more tourists will come,” Sherpa said. Evidence of the scheme’s benefits will remain anecdotal until the publication next year of the results of a wide-ranging camera trapping survey. But locals are optimistic about the animal’s future, according to Tsheten Dandu Sherpa, chairman of the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council. “In this area there was never any poaching of snow leopards for trade. They were killed only as a retaliatory act by livestock owners,” he said. “Now with this insurance policy there will definitely be protection of the snow leopard and its numbers will increase.”

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Business

TURKEY WILL KEEP BUYING GAS FROM IRAN

Turkey will keep buying natural gas from neighbouring Iran as Western allies raise pressure over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Wednesday. "It is out of question for us to take a step backward," Yildiz was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency.

CEMENT INDUSTRY 2012

Cracks in cement floor

Power shortage has dealt a crippling blow to the industry already suffering from tight liquidity conditions and reduced government spending on infrastructure.

PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

“T

he cement industry in the state has registered a negative growth with consumption falling to 12-14 lakh tonnes from 16-18 lakh tonnes in the state. Political uncertainty coupled with sand and power crisis resulted in slow down of the industry. The fall of real estate prices, tight liquidity conditions and less spending by government on housing and infrastructure decreased the consumption by around 15 per cent in the state,” said KV Vishnu Raju, chairman and managing director, Anjani Portland Cement. He further added, “Earlier, the government spending on housing and infrastructure used

KV Vishnu Raju, CMD, Anjani Portland Cement.

Requirements n n n

The power crisis took its toll on the cement industry, which is very power intensive. There has been power cuts for almost 16 days in a month for last 18 months. to facilitate the growth of the industry. However, there is a huge cut down in spending on infrastructure projects except for Pulichintala project and Metro. “The power crisis took its toll on the cement industry, which is very power intensive. There has been power cuts for almost 16 days in a month for last 18 months. “It is better to shut down the factory rather than the running on cost intensive alternatives like generator. However, due to heavy transportation costs, the state cement companies did not lose out their market to the

counterparts in other states.” Talking about the competition, he said,” It is also severe because of more than 40 national and international brands competing in the state market. On the other side, It takes almost five to six years to setup a cement industry. There are various statutory clearances and there is also need to look at availability of land, limestone, mining leases and statuary clearances,” “Cement is one of the core industries, which plays crucial role in nation building. Historically, cement consump-

tion in the country grew at an average multiplication factor of approximately 1.2 times of the GDP growth rate. This proves a strong co-relation between the growth rate of the country and consumption of the cement,” he observed. “The government should continue investing on infrastructure and housing for nation building. The policies should also encourage citizens in buying houses and promote the usage of cement in infrastructure. For instance, substituting black-top roads with cementconcrete roads.

Promoting Housing and Infrastructure projects Adequate supply of power Policy framing to encourage cement consumption Adequate coal supply

“These roads are around 10 times more durable compared to black-top roads with 20 per cent extra initial spending. This will facilitate and promote the Indian cement industry rather than spending on imported Bitument (raw material for black top road) and losing out valuable foreign exchange,” Raju explained. “In long term, Indian cement industry has strong growth potential. The per capita cement consumption in India stands at 156 kg against the world average of 356 kg. We are bullish about the market from 20142015. Government might also start spending on infrastructure and housing projects next year with nearing of 2014 elections. FDI in retail will also act as a facilitator in the growth of the industry,” he envisioned.

for

China's economic boom has seen its coral reefs shrink by at least 80 per cent over the past 30 years, a joint Australian study found Thursday, with researchers describing "grim" levels of damage and loss. Scientists from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology said their survey of mainland China and South China Sea reefs showed alarming degradation. "We found that coral abundance has declined by at least 80 per cent over the past 30 years on coastal reefs along the Chinese mainland and adjoining Hainan Island," said the study, published in the journal Conservation Biology. Coral loss in the South China Sea was compounded by poor governance stemming from competing territorial claims.

NUMEROLOGY

$1.1

is what Toyota will pay to settle a class action lawsuit launched by US vehicle owners affected by a series of mass recalls.

MARVELL FINED $1.1 BN A jury on Wednesday hit Marvell Technology Group with a billion-dollar verdict, ruling that the US chip maker "willfully" infringed on patents held by Carnegie Mellon University. Northern California-based Marvell violated CMU patents on technology that increase the accuracy of reading data from high-speed magnetic disks, according to a verdict delivered in federal court in the state of Pennsylvania, where the university is based. Jurors rejected the argument by Marvell that the CMU patents were not valid and ordered Marvel to pay $1.1 billion in damages, according to the K&L Gates legal team that represented the university at trial. The award could be tripled based on a ﬁnding by jurors that the patent infringement by Marvell and subsidiary Marvell Semiconductor was "willful."

BSE 5,907.00 `54.78 5,209.05 DOLLAR`55.14 17,179.95DOLLAR NSEPOUND `86.60 `88.37 POUND BSE NSE GOLD`31,000 10g SILVER `57,800 1kg

24C

GOLD `29,500 10g SILVER `53,000 1kg

CHINA BOOM KILLING CORAL

98.90

33.65

Since our country is a union of states, we abide by its federal character and, therefore, are bound by the consensus on the issue, ANAND SHARMA, COMMERCE MINISTER

19,426.34 8.88

ANAND SHARMA, 1.40 COMMERCE MINISTER

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

nation

HEADMASTER KILLED A school headmaster was stabbed to death by some unidentiied persons in front of his house in interior Manipur. The police said Leimapokpam Jugindro was strolling after dinner on December 25 night at Wangkhem Mayai Leikai in Thoubal district when he was stabbed.

HALL OF SHAME

42-yr-old woman drugged, raped and dumped on road A senior police official said Agra cops allegedly refused to register a case. NEW DELHI: In another shocking case of gangrape, a 42-yearold woman was sexually assaulted by three men who dumped her in south-east Delhi last night. The woman, the mother of a young boy, who hails from Jaipur, alleged that she was raped in Uttar Pradesh and dumped in south-east Delhi’s Kalkaji area last night. One of the suspects named by the victim Dileep Verma was picked up from Agra and brought to Delhi for further

interrogation, Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said. Verma claimed that he has known the victim for the last five years. The fresh incident came to light around 9.15 PM when a passerby saw the woman lying on a road and called the police. The victim had gone to Vrindavan on December 22 and was returning home yesterday. She claimed she met Verma there and he accompanied her in a car to her hometown. On the

way, Verma’s two friends joined them. “She told us that she was gagged, sedated and raped by the trio. They took turns to rape her,” a senior police official said. The official said after they started the journey from Vrindavan and it is claimed they visited an ashram where she was alleged raped after being drugged. Police said she was conscious and taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre where she is undergoing

treatment. A case of gang-rape under section 376(G) has been registered. Three teams have been formed and are raiding several places to catch the other two accused. A senior police official said it is alleged that the woman had earlier tried to get a rape case registered in Agra against Verma but after investigations, police did not file any case. Police was verifying it, the official said. PTI

LAST HOPE Delhi gang-rape victim arrives in Singapore

Physically challenged minor girl raped in Mumbai MUMBAI: A physically challenged minor girl was allegedly raped by two men in the suburban Chembur area of Mumbai, police said today. The two accused took the 15-year-old girl, who is hearing and speech impaired, to a toilet in Chembur area yesterday afternoon and allegedly raped her. The victim lived in a shanty with her parents in Chembur, police said, adding that a case has been registered against the two unknown persons while the girl has been sent for medical examination. However, the police is ﬁnding it difﬁcult to identify the culprits as the victim was not in a position to provide details. Police suspected that the accused could be from the same area.

PM: Safety of women top priority NEW DELHI: The issue of safety and security of women was of the highest priority, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Thursday and asked all chief ministers in the country to pay special attention to this critical area. Addressing a meeting of the NDC, the PM said “no meaningful development” could take place without the active participation of half the population. And this participation, he said, cannot take place if their safety was not ensured. “Women and girls represent half the population and our society has not been fair to this half; there can be no meaningful development without the active participation of half the population and this participation simply cannot take place if their (women) security and safety are not assured,” the PM said. “We must reflect on the problem which occurs in all states and regions of the country and requires greater attention,” he added. IANS

he 23-year-old student, who was gang-raped on a moving bus in New Delhi, had arrived at Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth Hospital for further treatment and was in an “extremely critical condition”, the hospital said on Thursday. “The patient arrived at Mount Elizabeth Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit at 9:05 a.m. this morning in an extremely critical condition,” said the hospital spokesperson, adding that the girl is being examined and the hospital is working with the Indian High Commission. “We request that the privacy of the patient and family be respected,” the spokesperson said in a statement. Xinhua quoted the Straits Times as saying that the girl was flown to the city-state at about 2 a.m., accompanied by “her parents and a team of Indian doctors led by Dr Yatin Gupta, head of the critical care unit at Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital, where she was under treatment”. AFP/IANS

Pick

at the

airport,

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

World US to reach debt limit on Dec 31

MASSIVE FINBACK WHALE BEACHED IN NEW YORK A massive whale, some 60 feet long, beached itself on Wednesday morning in New York City, where, despite rescue efforts, it seemed to have little chance of survival. Experts said the ailing whale was a finback, the second biggest animal species in the world after blue whales.

CONNECTICUT SHOOTING AFTERMATH

AFP

BUSH SR IN ICU

LA residents swap guns for veggies

Authorities promised there would be no questions asked at the drive-thru style event, where owners handed over weapons.

WASHINGTON: The United States government will reach its statutory 16.39-trilliondollar debt limit — a ceiling imposed by Congress — on Monday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said. In a letter Wednesday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Geithner said the treasury would take “extraordinary measures” to postpone the day the US could default on its liabilities, but could not say how long it had. Geithner warned that if the White House and US lawmakers fail to agree on a budget compromise to prevent the economy plunging over the “fiscal cliff”, also due on December 31, then he could not be sure when the money would dry up. He said the extraordinary measures — halting the issuance of securities to state and local governments — could create approximately $200 billion in headroom that under normal circumstances would last about two months. But he added: “However, given the significant uncertainty that now exists with regard to unresolved tax and spending policies for 2013, it is not possible to predict the effective duration of these measures.”

After more than a month in hospital battling bronchitis, former US president George HW Bush has taken a turn for the worse and is in intensive care with a “stubborn fever,” a spokesman said Wednesday. “He’s had a series of setbacks now that have landed him in guarded condition in the ICU,” spokesman Jim McGrath told AFP. “Early last week it was looking good, but then it seemed a couple of dominoes started falling.”

NUMEROLOGY

$5.6

LAPD officers collect guns during the LAPD Gun Buyback Program event in Van Nuys area, north Los Angeles, on December 26. By noon LAPD collected more then 420 handguns, rifles and shotguns. AFP PHOTO / JOE KLAMAR

VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA: Long lines formed Wednesday as Los Angeles gun owners turned in weapons for up to $200 worth of groceries, in a gun buyback event brought forward after the Connecticut school shooting. Authorities promised there would be no questions asked at the drive-thru style event, where owners handed over weapons including assault rifles and Uzis directly from their cars, in exchange for grocery store gift cards. But a couple of pro-gun activists also turned out to protest against the Gun Buyback Program organised in traditionally liberal Los

Angeles, trying to dissuade owners from giving in weapons to be destroyed. Sergeant Rudy Lopez of the LA Police Department (LAPD) told AFP the event was going well compared to previous years. “It’s looking very positive,” he said. “People want to do something to do their part to get more guns off the streets,” he added. Lopez said police would check the weapons handed in, to make sure they are not reported as stolen or lost, and hand them back to their rightful owners if they are. All other weapons were due to be melted. The fact that police were asking no questions was a key

incentive. “See that? That’s a silencer,” said Lopez, pointing an assault weapon. “That’s illegal. We didn’t say anything.” By the end of the day a total of 1,016 weapons, including 41 rifles, had been handed in Van Nuys, north of LA, one of two locations where weapons could be turned in. Police even ran out of grocery cards at one point. Weapons turned in also included TEC-9 semi-automatic handguns, as well as World War II rifles and vintage shotguns, one dating from 1895. Gun owners were given up to a $100 grocery store gift card in exchange for handguns, rifles and shotguns, or up to a $200 card for automatic weapons.

NEWS BRIEFS Nationalised Spanish bank has negative value

CAR rebels close in on capital

Mandela discharged from hospital

Storm leaves five dead in Philippines

MADRID: Bankia, which was nationalised in May at its own request, has a negative value of 4.148 billion euros ($5.49 billion), Spain’s state-backed FROB bank restructuring fund said Wednesday. The ailing bank’s parent, BFA, has a negative value of 10.4 billion euros ($13.8 billion), the FROB said in a statement.

BANGUI: The UN is evacuating staff from the Central African Republic and the US has warned its citizens to leave as rebel ﬁghters close in on the tense capital Bangui. France also deployed troops to protect its embassy after it was attacked by demonstrators calling for the former colonial power to help push back the rebels.

LONDON: Former South African president Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital, the South African presidency announced Wednesday. Having been hospitalised 18 days ago, he was treated for a lung infection and gallstones. Mandela will, however, continue to receive treatment at his home in Johannesburg.

MANILA: Tropical Storm Wukong left ﬁve people dead and three missing as it cut through central Philippines, following devastating Typhoon Bopha that killed hundreds earlier this month, ofﬁcials said Thursday. The toll from the latest storm was relatively low as the public were quick to take precautionary measures.

billion

North Korea’s trade with China has nearly tripled to $5.6 billion since 2007, data published by South Korea showed Thursday, underlining the isolated state’s deepening dependence on its only major ally.

SYRIA TOLL SPIRALS The death toll in Syria’s civil war has passed 45,000, a watchdog said Wednesday, as peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi looked to Russia for help in his faltering bid to ﬁnd a negotiated settlement. Washington meanwhile gave a cautious welcome to reports that Syria’s army police chief had defected to the opposition. “In all we have documented the deaths of 45,048 people,” Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP. More than 1,000 people had been killed in the past week alone, he added.

I will deploy all my efforts to boost the Egyptian economy, which faces challenges but has also big opportunities for growth, and I will make necessary changes. Mohamed Morsi Egypt President

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Technology FLYPAST

Physics of Santa

This year, Santa delivered gifts to 200 million children spread over 200 million square miles in 24 hours. With 2.67 children in each household, 75 homes to visit, and an average distance of 1.63 miles between homes, how fast does Santa need to travel?

'No, not the speed of light'

times faster than the Hale-Bopp Comet at top speed.

92,418

times faster than your car at 55 mph.

THAT'S ZUCKS Facebook gets a lot of backlash for its poor privacy settings and turns out the social network founder mark Zuckerberg's shoulder just had an oops moment. Randi Zuckerberg — older sister to FB CEO — posted a photo from a family gathering to Facebook (of course). It popped up on the Facebook newsfeed of mediaite Callie Schweitzer who subscribes to Zuckerberg. Assuming the photo was a public one, Schweitzer tweeted it to her nearly 40,000 Twitter followers. Mark was not pleased and demanded answers on Twitter, only to realise the mistake was her own. It's okay Randi at least you can call brother to get it fixed.

WHAT' THAT SONG?

130 TIMES SLOWER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT.

Google recently took on Shazam and Soundhound with a feature that lets users identify songs that you hear in public places. The irritating part was that Google would only let people buy the censored version of the song from its store after identifying it. Google is not the ﬁrst one to be stuck with such an issue. Apple too experienced the same issue soon after it debuted iTunes Match. Whether this challenge is simply inherent to music matching services or something else is at play remains unclear.

(But still really fast.)

Sell 'em all

His average speed would have to be

5,083,000

8,000

More than 8,000 times faster than air force one.

209

Nearly 209 times faster than the apollo 11 at top speed.

6,095

times faster than Felix Baumgartner's supersonic freefall.

Samsung has really ambitious sales targets. In 2013, for example, they plan to sell half a billion mobile phones. In 2012 alone, Samsung shipped an estimated 420 million devices. If we go by next year's projections, it's aiming for a 20 percent jump in devices shipped. Seeing how well their phones are selling in the market one won't be surprised if they pull it off. Of the 510 million devices forecast, 390 million units are expected to be smartphones, while the remaining 120 million will be feature phones. They won't be depending entirely on Android though as they plan to increase the sale of phones running Windows 8.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Comment As the poet said, ‘Only God can make a tree’ — probably because it’s so hard to figure out how to get the bark on.

UNDERWEAR POLITICS

EUROPE IN CRISIS Yann Ollivier The European Union’s rotating six-month presidency has lost much of its authority in recent years as the eurozone crisis and increased powers for Brussels have undercut its role and importance. The shared presidency, which Ireland takes over from Cyprus in January, was originally intended to allow each country to set and drive the EU agenda during their term, and highlight their contribution to the EU project. It still does that to a degree but now at 27 members, soon to become 28 with Croatia in 2013, the impact has been diluted, all the more so since the office of the President of the European Council was formally established in 2009. Herman Van Rompuy currently holds that post, presiding over the council of EU leaders as the top political representative of the group, and overseeing the regular summits in Brussels. The Lisbon Treaty which established the president’s office “really undercut the rotating presidency of the EU,” said Yann-Sven Rittelmeyer, researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). “The rotating presidency takes on all the work to prepare (for the summits) ... but once things get serious and difficult, Van Rompuy steps in to resolve any problems directly with the leaders,” said one EU diplomat. If the rotating presidency has lost some of its allure, there is no sign that any member state would pass on the opportunity, one diplomat said. The presidency is “the best way of getting a feeling for the balance of advantage in the corridors.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHADI-WEARERS BUT SERIOUSLY

Woody Allen Film-maker

A presidential crisis

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS

While hundreds of millions of millions of users across the world cussed and cursed about the insensitive privacy settings of Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerburg ignored them. And now he is livid after family photos ‘leaked’ on social networks and blogs. What goes around comes around.

Ajay Hotchandani

Article 1 Section 1.01 The name of the organization is National Association of Chadi Wearing Indians. This organization shall also be known as “NACHWI”. Article 2 Section 2.01 The purpose of NACHWI is to promote underwear education and awareness. Article 3 Section 3.01 Membership is opened to any male (XY chromosome irrespective of religious beliefs) who wears underwear. Members must be at least 50% Indian (at least one parent must be 100% of Indian decent). Section 3.02 A NACHWI application form must be submitted in order to be considered for membership. Membership may be granted to any person who meets the minimum requirements (Article 3. Section 3.01), and supports the purpose of the organization (Article 2. Section 2.01). Section 3.03 Membership will be terminated if you stop wearing underwear for an extended period of time, or if you switch to a style of underwear deemed unacceptable by NACHWI standards. Exemptions will be made on medical grounds, with the

approval of another NACHWI member who makes the decision while eating a cheese sandwich or french fries. Section 3.04 If a member wishes to resign he must execute the following: take a pair of his underwear and write on it “I am no longer a man, I am a sissy boy who wears girls underwear!”, and then show this underwear to all his friends, colleagues and fellow NACHWI members. Article 4 Section 4.01 NACHWI underwear must be one of the following styles: boxers, boxer briefs or regular underwear. Any style of underwear besides the previously mentioned are deemed unacceptable and will result in immediate termination of membership or being denied membership. Unacceptable styles include, but not limited to, bikini briefs, novelty underwear, speedos, banana-hammocks, thongs, jockstraps (unless partaking in a sporting activity where protection is vital), athletics, G-strings, low rise, nylon, and trunks. Section 4.02 Only acceptable colour of underwear are black and any dark variation of blue. Grey and white are acceptable however we do frown upon its use. If you have any doubt about the color, then it is probably a violation of the color code. Section 4.03 Prints and patterns

are only acceptable on boxers. Prints and/or patterns must be kept to a minimum and will only be allowed if it was received as a gift. Section 4.04 Novelty underwear may only be worn the day before and the day of the actual occasion i.e. Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s day. Underwear must comply with Article 4, Section 4.01. You must fill out NACHWI Form 17 and be approved to wear novelty underwear. Section 4.05 Underwear may only be worn on your head for entertainment purposes and for no longer than 30 seconds. You must fill out NACHWI Form 23 and be approved before commencing with it. Section 4.06 It is unacceptable to wear another man’s underwear. No exceptions! Section 4.09 At least once a year you must make a donation to a charity of your choice. Section 4.10 At least once a year you must handwrite a letter to your parents. Article 5 Section 5.01 Underwear must be worn to NACHWI meetings. We will follow the honor system on this one and trust that you are telling the truth. No one will check to see if you are telling the truth. Article 7 Section 7.01 If someone wants to join NACHWI but does not

meet the ethnicity requirement (Article 3. Section 3.01) they may apply to be an Honorary NACHWI (H-NACHWI) member. The application must be submitted on behalf of a current NACHWI member. Section 7.02 Minimum qualification requirement for applying to be a H-NACHWI are: (a) Partake in a choreographed Indian dance during a wedding ceremony. (b) Swear in the native language of the NACHWI member sponsoring him. (c) Eat rotis using his hand and not wrap up the food in it like a burrito. (d) Name 3 Bollywood stars and outline the plot of most Bollywood movies. (e) Must have at least one CD with Bollywood music. (f) Address elders as Aunty and Uncle. (g) Understand that we may ask more favours of you that then mob/mafia would of their own family. Section 7.03 H-NACHWI have an equal say in local chapter. Section 7.04 The same rules and regulation that apply to NACHWI members also apply HNACHWI members. Article 8 Section 8.01 Members may suggest amendments, however final decision regarding amendments can only be made my General Council of NACHWI.

EDITORIALS Treat Little Master with some respect AP unfair to fairer sex

ven after the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar from ODIs, there are those who say it should have happened earlier. The question is, now that he has can we not just let it be? One member of the fabled 1983 world cup winning team has been quoted as saying: “If one goes on playing for 25 to 30 years, records are to be created.” But could he have played like Sachin? Consider the hassles that he has had to endure. Once the Indian team was such that if he did not play, there was not any hope at all. Then his injuries. Remember the game against Sri Lanka in which he would writhe due to backpain? He scored a century then. And about claims that the world’s greatest batsman should score at least a ﬁfty now and then even in the worst phases of bad form: what happened when the greatest batsman needed just one run for the perfect batting average. He got out for a duck. So let it be.

READERS’ VIEWS

rime against women, especially marital violence, continues to be ignored in AP. That the State believes in only lip-service for women welfare is clear from the fact that AP does not have a vibrant Women Commission, a statutory body. The Commission remains headless and therefore its works stunted. This is in the backdrop of crime against homemakers increasing by leaps and bounds. Ranga Reddy district is the perfect example. The home district of home minister has seen 658 dowry-related cases of violence in 2012 as against 547 last year. What a shame! Probably, we should not be carping at the ruling party and the government, for did we not hear the outrageous statement of Congress satrap Botsa that women should not venture out alone at night? Government must wake up.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

tELEVISION

SPARTACUS NEW SERIES

Based on watching advance copies of the first two episodes of Spartacus: War of the Damned, the Starz franchise is coming back strong for its final season. Compelling new villains Marcus Crassus (Simon Merrells) and a young Julius Caesar (Todd Lasance) are fun additions, while star Liam McIntyre seems more confident in the lead role for the second time around.

IT’S SHOWTIME

Coming Soon...

NEW SERIES

After a somewhat lukewarm year for television, 2013 promises to be a blast with some big stars descending to the small screen with brand new shows. THE FOLLOWING

Top Chef, Just Desserts 2

What does Crazy, Stupid Love, X Men First Class and Hollow Man have in common? The incredibly talented Kevin Bacon! And now, he makes his television debut with a thriller drama series called The Following. Eight years after a serial killer is arrested, a copycat killer seems to be following in his footsteps. Bacon plays an FBI agent who comes out of retirement to investigate. James Purefoy (of Resident Evil fame) plays a serial killer who’s gathered a cult following and is training his followers to kill for him. Having delivered us hits like Dawson’s Creek, Scream and The Vampire Diaries, we have little doubt this one from Kevin Williamson will be a killer show.

The popular American reality series, Top Chef, Just Desserts 2 spins off with 14 cheftestants facing some of the most difficult and creative challenges seen thus farfrom fairytale showpieces and edible room décor to high-class. Each episode features two challenges — a quick-fire heat that tests basic abilities and an elimination round that assesses versatility and innovative prowess. The winner earns $100,000. The show was first shown on AXN from December 19 at 8pm.

DID YOU KNOW

Airs: January 2013.

THE CARRIE DIARIES

DECEPTION

HANNIBAL

Remember the incredibly cute Luke Brandon from Confessions of a Shopaholic?And the iconic Morpheus from Matrix? And the evil villain from Casino Royale, Le Chiffre? How do they all fit together? The answer’s NBC’s new drama Hannibal. Reimagining the Thomas Harris’ novels, the series follows a time when crime analyst and profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), who is haunted by his ability to empathise with serial killers, is teamed up with Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) brilliant psychiatrist and closet serial killer. Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus) adds to the brilliant cast as Agent Jack Crawford. Airs: Midseason.

When you have a new show that comes from Liz Heldens, the maker of NBC’s Friday Night Lights, it is already making news. But when the cast includes someone like Tate Donovan, whom we just saw in Argo, all the more reason to pay attention. In a brand new show, Laz Alonso plays FBI agent Will Mareno who recruits former partner Joanna Padget (Megan Good) to work undercover so she can infiltrate the wealthy family she grew up in to solve the murder of Vivian Lawson, the notorious heiress who was once her closest friend. Donovan plays Edward Bowers, father of the deceased. Airs: June

THE AMERICANS

If you couldn’t get enough of the fantastic Keri Russell in August Rush or the Waitress, wait no longer. Russell returns to T.V with The Americans which critics say will “quench your thirst for more Homeland.” Russell and Matthews Rhys star as Russian KGB sleeper agents who pose as a normal couple in 1980s suburban America. Phillip and Elizabeth must balance their relationship, along with the network of spies and informants that are under their control. The Americans, is a taut series that crackles with incredible performances rooted in character perspectives never explored on a U.S. television series, “ said John Landgraf, president of FX. Well, we can’t wait.

Airs: Yet to be decided.

Who was Carrie Bradshaw before she became the uber popular New York Star columnist? Before she became a icon of everything that represented the modern woman? Carrie Diaries aims to present the answer. If it was Sarah Jessica Parker that become synonymous with Carrie in Sex and the City now it will be Anna Sophia Robb (of Charlie and Chocolate Factory, Soul Surfer, fame) who will be essaying her role in this prequel. The show will follow Carrie in her senior year of high school in the early 1980s while she asks her first questions about love, sex, friendship and family while navigating the worlds of high school and Manhattan. Airs: January 2013

Rome’s

five acres of outdoor “period” sets comprise the largest standing set in the world, to date. In this British historical drama, the turbulent transition from Roman republic to autocratic empire is sketched both from the aristocratic viewpoint of Julius Caesar, his family, his adopted successor Octavian Augustus, and their political allies and adversaries.

TRENDING...

Celebrated character actor Charles Durning, whose myriad TV credits included Rescue Me, Evening Shade, Now and Again and Everybody Loves Raymond, died on Monday of natural causes in New York City, according to AP. He was 89. Durning scored his ﬁrst of two Oscar nominations for his role as a comically crooked governor in 1982’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

CBS is evidently very happy with co-host Gayle King on their daily morning show CBS This Morning, as it has been revealed that there are plans to expand the show to a third hour, to be hosted by her. Tentatively to be titled On Call, the expanded hour will focus mainly on medical issues. No word yet of when the new show will make its debut, but it will be next year.

spotlight

MOVE YOUR BODY

Spend Thursday night with DJ Yuvraj as he churns out the best of commercial and hip hop tunes at Spoil pub in Jubilee Hills. The fun begins at 8pm.

A TOUCH OF NOSTALGIA 1

REVISITING THE PAST Jagirdars College & The Hyderabad Public School Old Students Association organised an annual alumni reunion dinner on Wednesday night. Former students of the school were seen having a gala time at the do.

1 Aishwarya, Shreya, Snigda, Ramya, 2 3 4 5

Srija Keerthi, Aishwarya, Malvika, Vishnavi, Anvitha, Famina Akila Samhita, Spandana Panusha

6 Anisha, Sara 7 Srisha, Avantika 8 RS Kathri 9 Aishwarya, Akaksha, Anushka 10 Keerthi Chathurvedi 11 Nida Khan

N SHIVA KUMAR

A WARM WELCOME

Governor E S L Narasimhan, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha and others welcomed President Pranab Mukherji at Begumpet airport on Wednesday.

BEST FOOT FORWARD Showstopper Ganesh Venkatraman, poses with the Centro owner Sridhar and designer James Ferrera at the recently concluded Blenders Pride Hyderabad International Fashion Week.

18 S BALAKRISHNA

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

health

CANNABIS MAKES PAIN MORE BEARABLE

Cannabis can make patients feel less bothered about pain. Researchers from the University of Oxford have found the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis doesn’t reduce the intensity of pain, rather it makes it more bearable. Brain scans revealed the ingredient known as THC, reduced activity in areas linked to the emotional aspects of suffering.

HOLIDAY DIET

The right way to a buffet

This party season, not only do you need to fight the temptation to over indulge, you also need to pay attention to the foods you choose to combine and consume in buffets. DEEPASHRI V deepashri.v@postnoon.com

t’s that time of the year again where you go to delicious buffets almost every day, with so many varieties of starters, main course and desserts, that choosing what to eat becomes a mind boggling affair. And you take everything on your plate, to have a little bit of this and that, so that you emerge victorious by leaving nothing untouched and getting the full worth of your money. “Choose what is healthy for you,” said Charita Mazumdar, chief dietician at Apollo Hospital, Secunderabad. “Quantity and quality matters. Restrict yourself.” Did you know that having fruits after a meal will lead to fruit sugars fermenting in the stomach? Or that banana milkshakes and smoothies will form toxins in the

body and slow the mind? Did you know your body will consume a lot of energy to digest a combination of tomato and pasta, leaving you feeling lethargic after the meal? These are just some of the many wrong combinations of food listed in MindBodyGreen, a wellness guide. There are foods which when taken in the wrong combination can wreck havoc in our body and mind. Incorrect combinations lead to ama over a period of time, said Vijayalakshmi B Rani, an ayurvedic practitioner at a private clinic, Dr Vijayalakshmi's Speciality Ayurveda. Ama can be defined as toxins accumulated in the body due to indigestion. “Over a period of time, toxins get collected in the body. When it reaches a cellular level (after digestion), it leads to heart diseases, diabetes and even cancer.” Ayurveda, the science of food combination and its impact on the body being a vast subject in itself, Vijayalakshmi pointed out some of

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

the foods we can avoid combining in our daily lives. Having a fruit or vegetable salad after a heavy meal, mixing egg with milk or having cheese and salad with raw meat can hamper digestion. All those who love Rasmalai, brace yourselves! The doctor said paneer and milk are contradictory foods. Many of us like having rice with milk instead of curd, and this too, she said, is a bad combination. How does one enjoy a meal if one has to remember this exhaustive list of what-not-to-eat-withwhat? The mantra is to keep it simple and eat healthy! Don’t over indulge in type of meal, said Anju Sood, diet and weight management consultant in Bangalore. “Buffet is a complete, wholesome meal. What people need to be sure of is making the correct selection,” she said. “Fried items with deserts are very unhealthy. It leads to obesity.” Given that each of our body constituencies are different, the dos and don’ts of eating differ from person to person.

HOUSECALL

PTSD Coach

Lymphoma

PTSD Coach was designed for veterans and military service members who have — or might have — posttraumatic stress disorder. The app educates users about PTSD and provides self-assessment tools. In addition to finding support, users can access tools for managing daily stress and relaxation skills.

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that occurs when lymphocytes, white blood cells that form a part of the immune system and help protect the body from infection and disease, begin behaving abnormally. Abnormal lymphocytes may divide faster than normal cells or they may live longer than they are supposed to. Lymphoma may develop in many parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, spleen.

Avoid n n n

Having the wrong combination of foods can cause fermentation, indigestion and in the long run, cardiovascular diseases, hypertention and diabetes. Honey turns poisonous upon heating. Milk should not be combined with melon, banana, cherries or sour fruits. The modern sandwich, which is a combination of raw food (lettuce), cooked food (meat) and fermented food like cheese, is hard to digest. Fruits are best when eaten alone. When combined with cooked food, they putrefy. Sources: Joyful Belly, HealthWorld Online, Healthyfooddata

DID YOU KNOW? Artificial limb was used in 1540 The first artificial limbs were used in 1540. In 1529, French surgeon, Ambroise Pare introduced amputation as a lifesaving measure in medicine. Soon after, Pare started developing prosthetic limbs in a scientific manner. In 1863, Dubois L Parmeleemade an improvement to the attachment.

PIONEERS James Thomson James Alexander Thomson is an American developmental biologist best known for deriving the first human embryonic stem (ES) cell line in 1998 and for deriving human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in 2007. University of Wisconsin developmental biologist and stem cell researcher, James Thomson received patents related to a method of “isolating embryonic stem cells of humans and primates.”

health THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

STUDY

RESEARCH

‘Ultrasound

As the food clock derails

safer than CT scans’ Ultrasound is being used more frequently than CT scans to detect appendicitis, though surgeons say this is more difficult to perform in general hospitals.

WASHINGTON: Ultrasound scans relying on sound waves are safer than CT scans or X-rays which use radiation to confirm or rule out surgery to remove the appendix, according to an American study. The appendix is a fingershaped pouch that extends from the large intestine. Infection or blockage of the appendix causes appendicitis, which can lead to abdominal pain, vomiting and fever. Children suspected of appendicitis are more likely to undergo CT scans if they are evaluated at a general hospital, a new study by Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis has revealed, the journal Paediatrics reports. Use of either technique can potentially reduce the occurrence of unnecessary surgeries and speed up the diagnosis of appendicitis, according to a Washington statement. But recent reports have suggested that CT scans can magnify children’s lifetime cancer risk, because of radiation. Therefore, researchers are reassessing the role of such scans and seeking ways to reduce their use, according to a varity statement. “Appendicitis is a very tough diagnosis, because its symptoms overlap with viral infections and other problems,” says study co-author Jacqueline Saito, assistant professor of surgery. “We don’t want to operate

when the appendix is fine, but if we wait too long, an inflamed appendix can rupture or perforate, making recovery more complicated and much slower,” added Saito. Saito and her colleagues analysed case records of 423 children who had appendectomies or surgery to remove the appendix, at St. Louis

Doctors’ Corner

i doctor, I am 32-years-old and pregnant for the first time. What can I eat to improve my baby’s intelligence? It seems like every parent wants an Einstein! And why not? The stress of a competitive life is a reality and the survival is of the fittest mind as well as body. I have a few small suggestions to improve a baby’s brain growth and development. Most

Children’s Hospital. In 218 patients initially evaluated at Children’s Hospital and 205 at general hospitals, researchers reviewed how the patients were evaluated for appendicitis and whether the surgery’s results confirmed the diagnosis. Using ultrasound to detect appendicitis has recently

become more frequent, especially at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “Ultrasound scans are difficult to perform correctly in this context and what specialists can do at children’s hospital may not be realistic or even available in a general hospital, which doesn’t care for children as often,” Saito says. IANS

WASHINGTON: The sinful excess of holiday eating could derail your food clock - a complex mechanism of interacting genes and molecules that keeps the metabolism in shape. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco are helping to reveal how this clock works at a molecular level. The California team has shown that a protein called PKCI is critical in resetting the food clock if our eating habits change, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports. The study showed that normal lab mice given food only during their regular sleeping hours will adjust their food clock over time and begin to wake up from their slumber, and run around in anticipation of their new mealtime. But mice lacking the PKCI gene are not able to respond to changes in their meal time , according to a California statement. The work could shed light on the molecular basis of diabetes, obesity and other metabolic syndromes, said Louis Ptacek, professor of neurology at UCSF and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. “Understanding the molecular mechanism of how eating at the “wrong” time of the day desynchronises the clocks in our body can facilitate the development of better treatments for disorders linked with night-eating syndrome, shift work and jet lag,” he added. IANS

Dr Divya Sudarshan

WANT A SMART BABY? DO IT RIGHT are common sense, but a few are simple things that one tends to miss or ignore. n eat proteins with every meal. It could be dal, fish, eggs or soya. n Take fish oil/omega 3 fatty acid/or DHA supplements once daily. n Be careful about eating fish, as they are exposed to envi-

ronmental toxins and could be high in mercury. n Take iron supplements all through your pregnancy (no sorry! Dietary foods alone cannot make up for the iron calcium and folic acid your baby needs). n Try not to get any infections or fevers. So don’t put yourself in situations where you

can. Viral infections in the second trimester especially can cause foetal compromise. There is actually no fool proof method to have a brilliant child, but mothers who relax, meditate and listen to classical music are known to have smarter kids. Also don’t be a couch potato, get some exercise as exercise improves oxygenation of your

cells, and circulation to the baby and increases endorphins, which are the happy hormones, so your baby will be cheerful and smart! The writer is a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Happy Women Clinic. You can write in to her at happywomenclinic@gmail.com or call her on 9959729444/09550448916.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Entertainment NO BARRIERS

CINE BYTES

THE NEW AGE

BAD GUY Kelly Dorji, Tollywood’s favourite villain has a talent that makes the bad appealing, and the good look better. SUNORY DUTT feedback@postnoon.com

n seeing him, people invariably tend to break into "Nuvvu Devil Aiitey? Nenu Shaitan" ( you call yourself the devil? then I am Shaitan). Famous lines from Billa that’s become synonymous with Kelly Dorji, Tollywood’s suave antihero. Since his awardwinning performance in Don a few years ago, Kelly’s put the magic into being mean and is loving it: “The Telugu film industry has been good to me. For the first time I entered an industry willingly, knowing what I wanted to be — a villain! I found that as commercial as it may seem, the concept of a strong villain is an age-old formula for the satisfaction of the masses and I offer something different — sophistication for the new age bad guy. Yet, it’s always my sole aim to make the good look better. ”Kelly reminisces on his early forays into the industry, “The Telugu language was so foreign to me! But God came to my rescue and gave me a talent I never knew I had — the ability to learn short lines on my own and when the longer dialogues were given to me, I had the assistant director speak out the lines and I would parrot him. It's not as easy as I make it sound, I would work through the nights after shooting to concentrate on dialogue and emoting. Of all the

Telugu films I’ve done so far Don tops the list in personal favourites because it taught me that hard work really does pay. All my life I never really worked so hard at anything thinking I had it in the bag. But then Don taught me to challenge myself.”Kelly will next be seen sharing screen space with Mahesh Babu in Production No. 3 (the film’s working title), with Tarak NTR Jr in Badshah and also with Nagarjuna in an upcoming film. When not playing the bad guy, Kelly spends his time in Bhutan multitasking between running his company Terton Travel, painting, managing his art gallery and being the Thunder Rider as part of the Bhutan Dragons Motorcycle Club, conducting charity rides to raise funds for the needy. So, has the long association with Tollywood taught him the language? “Yes, in my five years I can speak very little Telugu in normal life with my spotboy, Wali. It cracks him up I know, but he doesn’t judge me! Having won the Viewers Choice award for Best Villain at the Maa awards for his role in Don, Kelly says of the experience, “I was humbled that my entry was so well received. I don’t care if I never win another thing again, that was like an Oscar

for me! I will continue to work hard for the audience who showed me their love since. Though I am considering certain roles in Hindi, my place is in the Telugu film industry and I want to be considered in its recent surge in popularity all over.”

The Telugu film industry has been good to me. For the first time I entered an industry willingly, knowing what I wanted to be — a villain!

Monal teams up with Nara Rohit

onal Gajjar, who was last seen in Sudigadu, has signed a new Telugu film which has Nara Rohit in lead role. Karthikeya is directing the film and DS Rao is producing it. Currently, the film is being shot near Rajahmundry. Anup Rubens is composing the music for this romantic entertainer. Nara Rohit will soon be seen in Okkadine and later in Madrasi.

Samantha is in love!

alakrishna's upcoming film Srimannarayana is gearing up for its big release in August. Ravi Kumar Chavali has directed the film and Ramesh Puppala has produced it. The first look of the film will be unveiled on July 23 and the audio is expected to hit the stands by August 6. Balakrishna is playing.

Arrvind 2's audio launched

he audio of Sree, Kamal Kamaraju, Adonica and Madhavi Latha starrer Arrvind 2 was launched last night in Cinemax, Banjara Hills. Shekar Suri has directed the ﬁlm and it's being touted as a sequel to A Film By Aravind, which was also directed by Shekar Suri. G Phaneendra has produced it. Arrvind 2 is expected to hit the screens in early 2013.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

fashion

MICHAEL KORS REPLACED BY ZAC POSEN

FASHION DESIGNER Kors will not be a judge on the Lifetime reality competition when it returns for its 11th season on. Instead, designer Zac Posen will join Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Tim Gunn as a featured judge.

Niche perfumers infuse

eep in concentration, Tina Queralt sorts through a scatter of white paper strips sprayed with scent. She has whittled the choice down to a handful in her search for The One: the perfect perfume. One Saturday in the run-up to Christmas, the Parisian and her two daughters have come to investigate a niche perfume store called Nose, that holds more than 250 references — and the elusive promise of personalised perfumery. Opened in June, Nose is one of a new breed of stores that prides itself on cutting the marketing out of the scent business to put the

focus back on the people at either end of the chain — the creators and clients. The concept behind Nose is an online questionnaire, where clients key in details on their tastes — perfumes they have worn before, favourite keynotes — and an algorithm generates five suggested scents. “It’s a starting point, not an ending. So it enables us to understand ‘Who is the customer?’” explained the store’s co-founder Nicolas Cloutier. Tina and her daughters took the questionnaire in-store, and said the results closely matched their taste. From there a salesperson guid-

ed them through the scents of Nose’s 30 niche brands. Tina settled on “Aqua Universalis” by Maison Francis Kurkdjian, declaring herself “delighted” with the experience. A perfumer for more than 20 years, Mark Buxton is part of the team behind Nose. Two years ago he opted out of what he calls “the industry” and started his own line, which is one of those on offer in the store. When big companies develop a new perfume they typically brief the perfumers with a general idea of the smell they want, perhaps a character to keep in mind, and a price limit that affects the quality and quantity of materials used.

By contrast, perfumers say they have more room for creativity when working for smaller, niche firms because they are less constrained by cost ceilings, freeing them to use natural oils and highquality synthetics. Buxton never gives himself a price limit, and to him that’s one of the biggest advantages of niche products. “They have, in general, great diffusion and long-lastingness, and that’s because they’re using high quality products,” he said. Of course that increases the price. At Nose perfumes average around 100 euros ($132) and up. At a nearby beauty chain, the range falls

ROSSO PLANS TO CREATE A “MODERN” FASHION CONGLOMERATE

RENZO ROSSO has plans to build a multi-brand fashion conglomerate in Italy. The news comes after the announcement that the Diesel boss had bought a majority stake in Marni through his holding company.

22&23

Paris with new options Nose is one of the new breed of stores that prides itself on cutting the marketing out of the scent business to put the focus back on the people at either end of the chain — the creators and clients.

between 30 and 90 euros, with Chanel “No. 5” midway at 54 euros. Mining a similar vein, New York-based Le Labo opened a Paris branch in July, offering its own combinations of essential oils, which are kept separate from the alcohol base used for diffusion until a customer makes a purchase. Jovoy, another niche perfume boutique, opened its second shop in February. Owner Francois Henin says he looks for a connection with the people behind the brands he stocks. “What we sell is full of passion,” he said. “It’s because the perfumers are authentic that their

products are authentic, and that they will last.” “You don’t see much packaging here; we want you to see the promise of what’s inside.” Often set up by perfumers going it alone, many but not all of them French, these niche firms will typically offer a range of six to 10 perfumes, stocked in 600 to 1,000 outlets, with an average turnover of 10 million euros. The Nose team vets every new scent for quality and originality before putting it on sale. The store recently delivered its first bespoke perfume — though for that level of personalisation, prices start in the thousands.

In France, the southern town of Grasse has been the centre of perfume making since the 17th century, under Louis XIV. The sun king reportedly used so much that the scent made him ill. Up until the early 20th century, when perfumers began producing larger batches, they used to create for a single individual. Today perfumes are heavily associated with fashion and celebrities, a trend started by Coco Chanel’s “No. 5” in 1921. Since then perfumes have become a normal part of a designer’s franchise. But to Cloutier, perfumes hold a special place in that they are closely associated with memory — mirror-

ing the fact that the brain centres for smell and memory creation lie close to each other. The link is important to perfumers as well. Mark Buxton’s fragrance “Wood and Absinthe” was inspired by an evening in Corsica, when he and a friend raided the drinks cabinet and found only the notorious spirit. “This whole ambiance, this whole feeling with the absinthe, of course we were getting a bit drunk, and with the smell of the maquis, and this freshness in the air because the sun was going down, gave me the idea to capture this moment,” he said. AFP

Entertainment THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Chai Time

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.

KAKURO How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column refer-

QUICK CROSSWORD enced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once.Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so

on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.

Play & Win

voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally

ACROSS

SCRIBBLING PAD

Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally

SUDOKU

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally

1 ___ pole (Native American carving) 6 ‘I called it!’ 10 ‘Pet’ that’s a plant 14 Playful mimicking 15 A shade of beige 16 Hops-drying oven 17 HH ___ (Saki’s real name) 18 Financial aid of a sort 19 It may be drawn in the sand 20 Slamming on the brakes, eg 23 Christ the Redeemer city 24 Actor Connery 25 Cape ___, Mass 28 Kind of code used every day 31 Treeless region 35 More of the same, in research papers 37 Atlantic flier 39 Determined container weight 40 Cassette or videotape, once 43 Horn-shaped object 44 Farewell, Italianstyle 45 ‘What ___ can I say?’ 46 Nobody in particular

48 Small advantage 50 Tokyo money 51 Blockhead 53 Furthest or highest (Abbr) 55 The populace 61 Foundry waste 62 Facts sought 63 Seasoned rice dish 65 South American nation 66 Little setback 67 The March King 68 Willing partner? 69 Novice 70 Acid/alcohol compound

DOWN 1 Scottish headwear 2 Composer’s creation 3 It’s up all night at camp 4 Shortstop’s blunder 5 Nearsightedness 6 Meat slicer locale 7 Clickable image 8 Talks boastfully 9 Hollywood boulevard 10 Portico 11 It may be worn down 12 ‘It ___ what you think!’ 13 Absorbed, as a cost 21 Read intently (with

‘over’) 22 French word before ‘cuisine’ or ‘couture’ 25 About, in dates 26 Ancient Greek theatre 27 Condemn openly 29 Idle or Clapton 30 ‘___ Hall’ (Woody Allen movie) 32 How deadpan humor is delivered 33 Utilise again 34 They do work on the spot 36 Leno’s opening talk 38 Word of mock horror 41 Accumulate, as a tab 42 Business bigwig 47 Obtain as a volunteer 49 Pass by 52 Rogers of country music 54 Tuneful threesomes 55 Mere commoner 56 James Jones’ middle name 57 A long way off 58 Takeout request 59 Market oversupply 60 Life of Riley 61 Curative locale 64 Where overachievers go?

Chai Time THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 28-12-2012

As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Even those who opposed you also will now favour you. Help from top-level active politicians likely. Govt sops will come through. Delay in buying and selling of assets will be over. Businessmen might change field staff. Employees get support.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Unexpected financial fortune likely for some which will shock them with happiness. You will support children in their growth. Renovation of ancestral property likely. New customers get added to the list of businessmen.

You will succeed in accepted challenges and earn a name. Friendship with persons of high esteem will materialise. Court verdicts will go in your favour. Speculative transactions will bring decent gains. Some may be forced to change residence.

Administrative ability will increase. You will solve old problems with your different and innovative approach. Son will get a job in the firm of his own choice. Relatives will extend support and help. Real-estate deals will bring you decent gains.

You will change your approach to attain success. House will be renovated and an annex added. You perform daughter's marriage in a grand scale. Son will go abroad to continue his studies. Friends will whole-heartedly help your growth.

Success is yours in all undertaken work. You are fortunate enough to meet the person whom you were longing to. You will make plans for securing children's future. Old friends and other religion people will extend help.

You will get close to those who are holding high and powerful offices. You will complete all undertaken work at a faster pace with their help. You will guide your children and make them leave their bad habits. Indirect opposition likely.

Work will end at a faster pace, well within the scheduled time. Share in ancestral property will come. Postponed marriage talk will resume and get finalised. Your social status is set to increase. You extend a helping hand to your friends.

Your soft and wise approach will do the magic and work will get completed smoothly and perfectly. Home atmosphere will remain cheerful as happy events are to take place. Friends and relatives will entrust you with responsibilities.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Ace of Wands – You’re brimming over with new ideas and you need to communicate these to the people who matter. Take notes of your ideas so you keep track.

LEO:

The Hanged Man – Spiritual awareness will ease the pain of grudges and unnecessary negative thoughts you’re holding on to. Open your heart and mind.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

The Lovers –You need to take a tough call regarding a property or real estate deal. Weigh your options and think with the head, not heart.

SAGITTARIUS:

Seven of Wands – You’re feeling tired and need to rest. Use the end of the year to look back, review your decisions and plan ahead for the year to come.

TAURUS:

Six of Cups – An old friend will find you on Facebook or through the good old telephone. The surprise will take you down memory lane and refresh you.

CANCER:

Two of Wands – Patience is key to make things work and allow them to happen on their own time and course. Don’t make impulsive decisions.

VIRGO:

The Hermit – This is a metaphor for the lonely person in search of the light. You are that person today. You’re in the quest for deeper meaning to your existence.

SCORPIO:

Eight of Pentacles – You need to do something more in order to get ahead in career. Upgrade your skills, learn something new. Or just keep an open mind.

CAPRICORN:

Four of Cups – A job offer springs up and you’re left wondering how that happened. It opens up your life and nothing ever seems difficult to manage.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Four of Pentacles – The financial stability is making it seem worth it despite the lack of challenge you feel in your current position. You stick on despite boredom.

NUMBER GAME

Be careful of others’ feelings. You don’t want to hurt anyone or do anything that will make them see you in bad light. Be sensitive.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: King of Cups –

POOCH CAFE

Financial position will improve for the good. Old problems will get resolved. Home loan will get sanctioned. You encourage your children, knowing their capabilities. Good news from long distance will arrive. Businessmen make gains.

for 28-12-2012

Three of Cups – It’s celebration time! Be prepared for a string of good news to hit you, regarding work and also family life. Time to relax and undo the year’s stresses.

NON SEQUITUR

Hurdles will disappear and work gets completed. Flow of money will be on expected lines. Avoid negligence while executing govt work. Avoid standing guarantee for anyone in their financial needs. Businessmen face tough competition.

SUDUKO

New efforts will yield the best results. Enemies will become inactive and you will gain an upper hand. A very strong financial position likely. A court case that dragged for long will end in your favour. Friendship with VIPs likely.

Boggle CUBA MALTA ARUBA BERMUDA JAMAICA Vol: 2, No 161 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

Entertainment THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

DIVA ON SCREEN

CINE BYTES

LADY GAGA

confirms movie project with photographer Terry Richardson

Rihanna and Chris Brown spend Christmas together

resh off her big bucks donation to a Barbados hospital, Rihanna spread more holiday cheer in Los Angeles, taking in the Lakers game with Chris Brown today. While the on-again/off-again duo has yet to conﬁrm they're back in a relationship, they sure did look cozy when they were spotted coupled up courtside as they watched the Lakers take on the Knicks.

DIANE AND JOSH ARRIVE IN PARIS

ady GaGa has announced that she is making a film. The documentary-style project, as revealed by GaGa on Twitter, will be produced in partnership with her friend and frequent collaborator Terry Richardson. “Merry Christmas little monsters!” GaGa wrote on Christmas Day. “Terry Richardson @Terry_World is making a #LadyGagaMOVIE documenting my life, the creation of [new album] ARTPOP + you! “Thank you for being so patient waiting for my new album ARTPOP, I hope this gets u (sic) excited for things to come. I love you with all my heart! “I love you @Terry_World thank you for believing in me and my fans, I have looked up to you and your work for so long, it’s a dream come true! Richardson and GaGa have previously collaborated on a book of photographs titled Lady GaGa x Terry Richardson. GaGa will make her major movie debut in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills.

iane Kruger and Joshua Jackson touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport in France on Christmas Eve. Diane and Josh made it to her native France just in time for the holidays. Josh has been in Vancouver continuing work on Fringe, which recently celebrated its 100th episode. Diane has her own small-screen project in the pipeline, having signed on to star in the new FX pilot The Bridge.

Hemsworths spend Christmas with Miley

hris and Liam Hemsworth hit up a Whole Foods in LA together on Christmas Eve. They were joined by Chris’s wife, Elsa Pataky, and their baby, India, who is celebrating her first Christmas this year. The foursome took their haul back to Liam’s fiancée Miley Cyrus’s house for a big meal together.

Entertainment THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

CINE BYTES

Taylor Swift

takes no. 1 for most charitable celebs

Jessica Simpson confirms she is pregnant with second child

essica Simpson has ﬁnally conﬁrmed her baby news. After weeks of hiding her bump in baggy black clothing, the Fashion Star host posted a photo on Twitter Christmas morning, showing her daughter Maxwell Drew sitting in a patch of sand with the words “Big Sis” inscribed in it.

PREGNANT KATE MIDDLETON STEP OUT FOR CHRISTMAS MASS

ate Middleton and Prince William joined the Middleton family for Christmas mass at St. Mark’s Church in Engleﬁeld, Berkshire, England today. Kate wore a burgundy coat to cover any hint of a baby bump. The Duchess and Prince broke from tradition to spend Christmas with her family instead of the royals.

‘Les Mis’ No. 1 with $17.5 Million

aylor Swift’s whirlwind romance with One Direction cutie Harry Styles isn’t the only thing making headlines for the superstar. The 23-year-old Red singer was named the No. 1 “celeb gone good” for 2012 on DoSomething.org’s most charitable stars of the year list. So what made T Swift jump to the top spot after being No. 20 last year? Two main things stood out for the young performer. Swift was recog-

nised for donating a whopping $4 million to the Country Hall of Fame museum and was also the youngest person to receive the Ripple of Hope Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Center for her charitable efforts. Taking the No. 2 spot was another young singer — Miley Cyrus! The soon-to-be Mrs Liam Hemsworth was honoured for her promotion of Saving Spot! Rescue, a non-profit organisation dedicated to finding a home for dogs

from high-kill shelters, along with raising awareness for other charitable organisations like Save The Music Foundation, the Starkey Hearing Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Rounding out the top five were Channing Tatum for raising millions for the Rainforest Foundation, Lady Gaga for starting her Born This Way Foundation and Justin Bieber for the Believe Charity Drive and Pencils of Promise.

niversal’s Les Miserables opened to a strong No. 1 on Christmas day with an expected take of $17.5 million, surpassing industry expectations. The film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical stars Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe, and was directed by Tom Hooper.

sports

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

HYDERABAD TRACK WORK

Molecule, Ruffiano catch the eye

HYDERABAD: Vijayshaurya, Ruffiano, Molecule, Magical Spell, Star Striker and Sheer Genius caught the eye when the horses were excercised here this morning: Sand Track 800 Metres: Star Striker (rb) 56.5, 600/42 Pleased. Suchiman (app) 1-0, 500/44 Moved freely. Rio Grande (rb) Coral Springs (Kuldeep Singh) 57.5, 600/44 They finished together. Molecule (rb) 57,600/43 Moved on the bit. Palm Springs (Kuldeep Singh) Prince Of Arabia (rb) 56.5, 600/42.5 They finished together. Garibaldi (rb) Santa Monica (Kuldeep Singh) 58, 600/44 They moved together. Pakat Pakat Pakat (Nitin Singh) 1-1, 600/45 Easy. Combined Force (Alikhan) 55.5, 600/42 Moved well. Strategic Command (Togrolu) 56.5, 600/42 Moved well. Our Mascot (Imran Khan) Excluisve Lady (Kiran Naidu) 1-0, 600/45 Former finished a length in front. Swift Arrow (K.Alam) 1-2.5, 600/47.5 Easy. Palace Affairs (Ajit Kumar) 58, 600/44 Moved well. Young Sapper (Joshi) 53.5, 600/41 Impressed. The Challenge (Togrolu) 56, 600/43 Moved well. Ice

Mountain (Anil) 58.5, 600/45 Easy. Hard Hit (Nitin Singh) 10.5, 600/45 Easy. DonValentino (rb) Blazing Asian (Kiran Naidu) 57.5, 600/44 They finished together. Rajkumari (Togrolu) 1-1, 600/45 Easy. Sand Track 1000 Metres: Vijayshaurya (Joshi) 1-11.5, 800/54.5, 600/41 Impressed. Drayton (Imran Khan) 1-18.5, 800/1-1, 600/46 Easy. Magical Spell (Joshi) 1-12, 800/55, 600/41 Pleased. Surya Lakshmi (Ramana) 1-8, 800/53, 600/40 In rousing form. Sand Track 1200 Metres: Sheer Genius (M.Mark) 1-24, 1000/1-8, 800/55, 600/41 Caught the eye. Inner Strength (Imran Khan) Tico Tico (Kiran Naidu) 1-31, 1000/1-13.5, 800/57.5, 600/40.5 Former finished 2 lengths in front. Ruffiano (M.Mark) 1-28, 1000/1-10, 800/55, 600/41 Impressed. Sun Bird (rb) 1-29, 1000/1-14, 800/1-0, 600/47 Easy. Sand Track 1400 Metres: Kohinoor Revanta (Nitin Singh) 1-50, 1400/600 in 58 Easy. Windsor Manor (M.Mark) 1-44, 1200/128, 1000/1-13, 800/57, 600/44 Moved on the bit.

ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY

India suffer 3-5 loss

Through to the final, defending champs, India, suffered a shock 3-5 defeat at the hands of Malaysia in their last league match.

DOHA: Already through to the final, defending champions India suffered a shock 3-5 defeat at the hands of Malaysia in their last and inconsequential league match of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Wednesday. India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the summit clash tomorrow after the latter defeated Japan 5-2 in another rounrobin league match earlier in the day. India had defeated Pakistan 4-2 via penalty shootout in the inaugural edition in Ordos, China last year after both sides were locked goaless in the regulation time of the final match. Malaysia needed to beat India with a six plus goal margin to qualify for the final and they were cruising along with 4-0 lead in the 38th minute. But, India doused the Malaysian fire late in the game with three goals, denying them a big-margin victory required to

make it to the final. Malaysia took the lead after missing out two penalty corners earlier. Following the abortive second penalty corner, the Malaysians made use of a long corner to go up (1-0). Within a minute, Abdullah Shahrun Nabil enlarged the lead. Young forward Fitri stunned Indian goalie PR Sreejesh with a reverse hit to enhance the lead to three nil in the 27th minute.

KOREA EXHIBITION

Injured Sharapova drops out

PARIS: Maria Sharapova has suffered a pre-season scare with a neck injury forcing the world number two to withdraw from a planned exhibition match in South Korea against Caroline Wozniacki. The Russian star had been

due to face the Dane on Friday in Seoul but she wrote on her Facebook page that she has been ordered to rest before heading for Australia where she is due to start her season in Brisbane next week. “For everyone in Korea,

HOPMAN CUP

Serbian duo keen to atone Serbian glamour pair, Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, hope it will be a case of third time lucky when they join forces at the Hopman Cup

BY SCOTT COGHLAN Agence France-Presse PERTH, AUSTRALIA: Serbian glamour pairing Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic hope it will be a case of third time lucky when they join forces at the Hopman Cup starting on Saturday. The duo are top seeds for the $1 million tournament at the new Perth Arena, and the long-time friends will be competing in the event together for the third time, having also teamed up in 2006 and 2011. However, the unique mixed teams tournament has not been a happy hunting ground for the pair, with near misses at both of their previous appearances. Their first attempt was under the banner of Serbia and Montenegro,

India earned their first penalty corner in the 32nd minute, but vice-captain V R Raghunath could not make any difference to the scoreboard. India also wasted two more penalty corners in the first half. Fitri again struck in the 27th minute (3-0), giving Malaysia much hope at lemon time. Within three minutes after change of sides, Faizal Saari made it 4-0 for Malaysia when he ran down from the right flank. PTI

and they missed the final in favour of eventual champions Taylor Dent and Lisa Raymond of the United States on a countback of sets won during the round robin stage. Last year, they went one better

and qualified for the final, only for Ivanovic to be ruled out with an abdominal strain, allowing Belgium to take their place in the title playoff, which was again won by the United States. AFP

I’m sorry I had to withdraw from my exhibition match. I woke up the other day with a neck pain and after doing a few tests, the doctor wants me to take the next few days without any playing,” Sharapova wrote.

LEAGUE CRICKET St Andrews defeat Karimnagar

Brother John Of God HCA U-14

Quarters (Round 2) St Peters High School 224/6 (Kapil 41, Shiva Datta 47, Vikas Rao 47 n.o.) bt Bhavans Sri Ramakrishna Vidyalaya 109 (Md Junaid Ali 51, Shiva Datta 6/32). St Andrews High School 196/6 (Mohul Bhowmick 95 n.o., Sohail 40) bt Karimnagar Dist 103 (Akash 45, B. Vijayendra Singh 5/23) All Saints High School 212/6 (Ibrahim Ali Siddiqui 106 n.o., Durgesh 3/28) bt St Joseph Public School 142 (Santosh 43, Vamshi 3/26).

St Patriks High School 183 (Vamshi 46, Najeeb Sohail 3/32) bt Royal High School 175 (Aahan Reddy 35, Anirudh 3/31). Gowtham Model School 367/4 (Ajay Dev 101, MSR Charan 104, Md Taha Sheikh 112 n.o.) bt Khammam 75 (Ajay Dev 5/20, B Revanth 3/34). Mahboobnagar 240/8 (Manjunath 40, Dharma Teja 51, Khayyum 63 n.o., Suraj Goud 3/37) bt HPS B 96 (Zubair 5/26). Cal Public School 378/2 (Abhinav Kumar 107, Syed Ali Hyder 145 n.o., Abhishek Reddy 57 n.o., Surya Teja 48) bt Mahesh V B 122 (P. Shantan Reddy 60, Surya Teja 3/18, Satwik 3/31).

sports

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

SRI LANKA’S TOUR OF AUSTRALIA

Clarke breaks Ponting record Clarke became Australia’s highest run scorer in a calendar year with another century as his team took an iron grip against Sri Lanka.

Australia’s Michael Clarke celebrates scoring a century against Sri Lanka on the 2nd day of the second Test on Thursday. AFP/WILLIAM WEST

MELBOURNE: Captain Michael Clarke became Australia’s highest run scorer in a calendar year with another century as his team took an iron grip on the second Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday. Clarke passed Ricky Ponting’s previous national record of 1,544 runs and went on to score 106 to continue his stellar 2012 as a heavy defeat loomed for the hapless Sri Lankans in Melbourne. But it was yet more misery for Shane Watson, who missed out on his third Test century and his first hundred since October 2010 when he fell for a Sri Lankan trap on 83. At tea, Australia were 332 for six with Mike Hussey on seven and Mitchell Johnson

BACK ON TRACK Pakistan to play in WI, hope to host India

KARACHI: With an intention of hosting India in August next year, the Pakistan Cricket Board has convinced its West Indies counterpart not split the national team’s scheduled tour to the Caribbean and instead play a full series in July. The sources in the PCB confirmed that Pakistan will now be travelling to the West Indies in July 2013 to play a full series of two Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 International. “The problem is now sorted out and our team will be touring (WI) in July as planned earlier,” a source said. The tour had ran into trouble when the West Indies cricket board suggested to

the PCB to either postpone the series by a few weeks or to split the tour as they wanted to host India and Sri Lanka for a short ODI series, also in July. But the PCB insisted on the tour in July as it is planning to convince the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to play a series in August when both teams have windows open in the period in the ICC future tours program. “Pakistan is very hopeful and keen that India can be convinced to come to Pakistan because India has made it clear it does not have a policy of playing any bilateral series in a third country,” the source said. PTI

not out 11. Australia had stretched their lead to 176 runs over the tourists with four wickets still intact, leaving the undermanned Sri Lanka looking down the barrel. Clarke began the Melbourne Test needing 56 runs to break Ponting’s national record and upon his dismissal he had amassed 1,595 runs at 113.92 in Australia’s final Test of the year. He was caught by rival skipper Mahela Jayawardene in the slips off Shaminda Eranga in the middle session. The Australian skipper, who was in doubt ahead of the game with a injury, has also scored a triple century and three double centuries in

an extraordinary 2012. It was not a chanceless innings with Clarke having a let-off in Rangana Herath’s 17th over when substitute ‘keeper Kumar Sangakkara missed a tough stumping chance on 54. He was also dropped by Tillakaratne Dilshan on five late on Wednesday’s first day. Clarke put on 194 runs for the fourth wicket with Watson, who soon followed his skipper back to the dressing room after again failing to convert a half-century into a ton. Watson’s patient 265minute vigil came to an end when he pulled Dhammika Prasad straight to Thilan Samaraweera at deep midwicket and he trudged dejectedly from the ground. AFP

Scorecard Sri Lanka 1st Innings 156 Australia 1st Innings (150 for 3 overnight) Cowan c M. Jayawardene b Prasad 36 D. Warner c Prasad b Mathews 62 P. Hughes run out (Dilshan) 10 Watson c Samaraweera b Prasad 83 Clarke c M. Jayawardene b Eranga 106 M. Hussey not out 7 M. Wade c Eranga b Prasad 1 M. Johnson not out 11 Extras: (b5, lb3, w6, nb2) 16 Total: (6 wkts; 96 overs) 332 Fall of wickets: 1-95, 2-117, 3-117, 4-311, 5-313, 6-315 Bowling: Welegedara 14.4-6-38-0 Eranga 20.2-2-90-1 Prasad 21-2-81-3 Mathews 10-3-33-1 Herath 26-6-64-0 Dilshan 4-0-18-0

GEARING UP FOR A NEW YEAR

Murray targets more majors ABU DHABI: Andy Murray believes his landmark US Open triumph has lifted so much pressure off his shoulders that his path to more Grand Slam glory in 2013 is now free of self-doubt. World number three Murray became the first British man since 1936 to win a major when he defeated Novak Djokovic to clinch the US Open in September, with his triumph coming in the slipstream of his Olympic Games gold medal. Now he is determined to build on his breakthrough year, starting by easing into the new campaign with a three-day exhibition in Abu Dhabi before heading to Australia for the season’s first Grand Slam tournament. “In the last three, four or five years there has been significant pressure in my mind and I feel

more relaxed and more relieved after winning the US Open,” Murray told the Gulf News on Wednesday. “So I think from my side I hope to take pressure off myself and will be able to play a little bit more relaxed and hope to repeat my Grand Slam win. “I don’t know how I will feel going into the first round of the Australian Open so it will be a new feeling for me and I just have to deal with it.”

Murray knows the spotlight will be trained firmly on him when Wimbledon comes around in June. Fred Perry, in 1936, was the last British man to win Wimbledon although Murray came close in 2012, reaching the final before slipping to a tearful defeat to Roger Federer. “All the players would want to win Wimbledon. It’s six months away and there can be a lot of changes in terms of sport by then and I haven’t started thinking about it right now,” Murray said. “But you know every year when it comes around that I’m desperate to win and do well and do a bit better each year and keep improving on grass. It’s an incredibly tough event and lot of pressure during that time of the year and I always look forward to trying to win it.” AFP

SOUTH AFRICA VS NEW ZEALAND

Davids, Phangiso clinch series for Proteas PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA: Henry Davids hit his second successive half-century and Aaron Phangiso took crucial wickets as South Africa beat New Zealand by 33 runs in the series-deciding third and final Twenty20 international. Davids struck 68 at St George’s Park in a South African total of 179 for six and Phangiso

dismissed New Zealand’s big guns, Martin Guptill and captain Brendon McCullum, in successive overs, effectively ending the touring team’s challenge. New Zealand finished with 146 for nine. “South Africa played a very good game,” said McCullum. “There were some clutch moments and they stood up and applied some pressure.

Against a good side, they expose you. We weren’t quite at our best but throughout the series we’ve seen some improvements and we can take some heart out of the series.” Davids, who made his debut in the first match of the series, hit seven fours and two sixes. A third wicket stand of 89 with Justin Ontong (48) enabled South

Africa to overcome a poor start. Left-arm seamer Mitchell McClenaghan was again the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, taking two for 24 off four overs. McClenaghan, originally picked only for the T20 series, will stay on to replace the injured Tim Southee in a two-match Test series starting in Cape Town on January 2. AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

sports

O’DRISCOLL AXED BY FOREST’S KUWAITI OWNERS Nottingham Forest’s Kuwaiti owners made the shock decision to sack manager Sean O’Driscoll on Wednesday just hours after the club’s 4-2 win over Leeds. Forest moved to within touching distance of the play-off places in English football’s second tier thanks to their victory.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Walters double helps Stoke Steven Gerrard put Liverpool into an early lead but Walters replied almost immediately before Kenwyne Jones headed the hosts in front. LONDON: Jonathan Walters (L in pic) scored twice as Stoke beat Liverpool 3-1 in an entertaining affair under the lights at the Britannia Stadium on Wednesday. Steven Gerrard put Liverpool into an early lead from the spot but Walters replied almost immediately before Kenwyne Jones headed

Gripes for Ferguson despite thrilling win MANCHESTER, UK: Manchester United’s 4-3 victory over Newcastle United opened a seven-point gap at the top of the Premier League table, but the news was not all positive for Alex Ferguson and his team. The veteran manager revealed after the game that Wayne Rooney has a knee ligament injury that will sideline him for up to three weeks, having already ruled him out of an amazing game that saw Newcastle take the lead on three occasions, only to lose to Javier Hernandez’s 90th-minute AFP winning goal.

Results on Wednesday: Aston Villa 0 Tottenham 4 (Defoe 57, Bale 61, 73, 84) Everton 2 (Osman 52, Jagielka 77) Wigan 1 (Kone 82) Fulham 1 (Berbatov 8) Southampton 1 (Lambert 85-pen) Man Utd 4 (Evans 25, Evra 58, Van Persie 71, Hernandez 90) Newcastle 3 (Perch 4, Evans 28og, Cisse 68) Norwich 0 Chelsea 1 (Mata 38) QPR 1 (Cisse 68) West Brom 2 (Brunt 29, Green 49-og) Reading 0 Swansea 0 Stoke 3 (Walters 5, 49, Jones 12) Liverpool 1 (Gerrard 2-pen) Sunderland 1 (Johnson 53) Man City 0

the hosts in front. After the break Walters made it 3-1 with a superb finish and despite some late pressure, Stoke held on for a more-than deserved win. Luis Suarez was booed when the announcer read out his name as the home faithful did not forget the dive that the Uruguayan pulled off at Anfield in the October meeting

Jol blasts Berbatov for shirt gesture

LONDON: Fulham manager Martin Jol described striker Dimitar Berbatov as “stupid” after the Bulgarian was booked for a bizarre T-shirt gesture after scoring in Wednesday’s 11 draw with Southampton. Berbatov scored his sixth goal for the London side after

eight minutes at Craven Cottage before Rickie Lambert levelled five minutes from time. Berbatov was yellow-carded for his celebration which involved revealing a T-shirt which read: ‘Keep calm and pass me the ball’. “It was a bit stupid and I will have to have a word with him,” said Jol. “He probably thought he would get away with it as he never gets booked. It wasn’t the brightest thing to do but he wanted to make a statement. “He tells the youngsters every day to play with confidence, keep the ball and don’t be afraid. You need confidence and self-belief to play your football. He wants us to play in a certain style and that is the message he’s trying to get across.” AFP

between these two. While Suarez did not get anything for that then, Stoke manager Tony Pulis was livid he was not punished but it was hard to argue against Howard Webb’s decision to hand Liverpool a penalty in the second minute of this clash. Ryan Shawcross tugged Suarez’s shirt in the area and the

Reds striker went down before Gerrard calmly slotted home the penalty. However, minutes later Shawcross helped Stoke grabbed what many will say is a trademark goal as he launched a long ball forward that Jones nodded on to Walters and the Republic of Ireland international raced through before firing home. AFP

Thirteen proves lucky for Mata and Chelsea JON WEST NORWICH, UK: Juan Mata was the Chelsea match-winner after his goal turned out to be enough to defeat Norwich City 1-0 at Carrow Road on Wednesday. The Spain international broke the deadlock seven minutes before half-time to record his 13th goal of the season. It turned out to be a valuable one as Rafa Benitez’s side were able to close the gap on Manchester City, beaten 1-0 at Sunderland, in second place. Chelsea are now four points behind last season’s title winners, and have a game in hand. There was no place in the Chelsea starting line-up for either Frank Lampard or Eden Hazard even though both had scored in Sunday’s 8-0 victory over Aston Villa, a record defeat for the Midlands side.