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

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 HYDERABAD

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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy's announcement on Tuesday that his government will allow FDI in multi-brand retail has produced an uproar among the estimated 1.5 crore kirana (provision) shops in AP. They are preparing for a massive showdown with the government, calling it a betrayal of the common man.

REPORT ON P8

‘BETRAYAL’ CRY KIRANA MERCHANTS

WANDERLUST On World Tourism Day, we take a look at the way tourism and travel have become an integral part of our lives and the world economy.

P16&17

RAPID T MOVEMENT

FLASH

MINISTERS DEMAND T MARCH

In a sudden development, Telangana ministers today held a meeting and demanded the T march on Sunday be allowed. Senior leader and minister Jana Reddy announced their collective resolution.

COUNTDOWN TO CoP HYDERABAD 2012

FUMES TO WELCOME CoP DELEGATES

A schoolgirl runs past members of the Rapid Action Force deployed at Osmania University Campus ahead of the Chalo Secretariat march called by the students of T-JAC on Thursday. N SHIVA KUMAR

Toxic fumes from plastic bag-making units are putting the residents of Shastripuram and Tatanagar at risk of various illnesses such as cancer.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

city events

PETALS EXHIBITION

PETALS exhibition will be held at Taj Krishna on October 12. The exhibition being will display the ethnic and contemporary works of new designers along with a collection of jewellery and various lifestyle accessories.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

Afternoon

26°C

21°C

26°C

33°C

Cloudy with thunderstorms

Mostly clear

Mostly sunny

New Delhi Mumbai Max 33 Max 34 Min 23 Min 26 A mix of cloud and sun

Scattered thunderstroms

Chennai Max 31 Min 26 Scattered thunderstroms

Bangalore Max 29 Min 21 Scattered thunderstroms

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES acclaimed storyteller Jo Blake Cave on September 27 at 6pm at Oxford Bookstore, The Park. The session is open to all age groups. Where: Oxford Bookstore, The Park, Somajiguda When: September 27, 6pm Contact: 91601 48444

ART Life together Iconart Gallery is hosting Life Together, a group show featuring sculptures, paintings and prints by 22 artistes. A preview for the exhibition will be held at the Gallery on September 28. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: September 28 onwards, 11.30am to 7pm Contact: 98499 68797

DINING Mediterranean food fest Take a trip and experience a variety of Mediterranean delights such as bruschetta and seafood marinara pasta, bruschetta and antipasto at Truffles cafe. Where: Trufﬂes Cafe, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 10 When: Ongoing, 8am onwards Contact: (040) 2355 0105

Recent and retrospective A painting exhibition by artist Sudip Roy will be held at Kalakrithi Art Gallery from September 28. Where:Kalakrithi Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: September 28, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466 Calligraphy art On the occasion of Vinayaka Chathurthi, Sri Parameshwar Raju presents a series of calligraphic artworks based on Lord Ganesha. The exhibition will be held at Truffles Cafe, Jubilee Hills. Where: Trufﬂes Cafe, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 10 When: Ongoing, 11 am onwards Contact: (040) 2355 0105

MUSICAL LINE-UP: Devotees carry musical instruments for the Ganesh immersion procession. The past few days M ANIL KUMAR have seen numerous processions as devotees bid adieu to the idols as a part of the festivities. Ikebana exhibition An exhibition of Ikebana and Painting where you can witness a fusion of metal, petal and paint. It’s a journey of scrap in the arms of petals and paint by Sharmila Agarwal. Where: Rainbow Art Gallery, Balyogi Paryatak Bhavan, Begumpet When: Ongoing, 11am to 7pm

SHOWS Play time Lamakaan will be hosting Manch Theatre’s A Plateful of Plays on October 6. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1

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

When: October 6, 7.30pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329 Photo talk My photographic journey in Asia — a talk by well known French photographer Thierry Girard with a slideshow of his works in China, Japan and India will be held on October 3. Where: Alliance Francaise, Banjara Hills, Rd No 3 When: October 3, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2770 0734 Film workshop A film making workshop and a film appreciation workshop is being held by Yavanika films. The workshops will

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

be held on weekends. When: September 29 onwards, 11am onwards Contact: 94904 40986 The refund A play titled The Refund will be presented at Lamakaan . The play takes a dig at the state of the education system in the country. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: September 30, 7.30pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329 Story time Oxford Bookstore and The British Council will be organising an innovative session on The Art of Storytelling with internationally

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

Oktoberfest Taj Krishna is hosting the annual Oktoberfest at its coffee shop, Encounters. The festival offers an array of German delicacies like meatloaf, bockwurst, steckerfishz and beers to satiate your taste buds. Where: Encounters, Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 6666 2323

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, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

City

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

DOES THE T-STIR POSE A THREAT TO CBD? 41% 59%

YES (A) NO (B)

TODAY’S QUESTION

DO YOU THINK THE CBD IS DESTROYING THE CITY’S GREEN COVER? A)

YES

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

LIQUOR RETAIL

MRP rule a paper tiger

Liquor sale constitutes around 20 per cent of government revenue but consumers are being robbed while the government and shopkeepers claim otherwise. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com

last three months.” In case of other alcoholic beverages like beer or breezers, there is a `5 increase above MRP.“ Refrigeration charges have been added and then rounded off,” a shopkeeper explained.

iquor in Hyderabad continues to be sold at a price higher than the MRP. Despite the recent ACB drive against liquor mafia in the City, the unofficial price hike continues to be common at various wine shops in the City. For example, Jubilee Hills alone has over five wine shops that sell liquor — hard liquor and other alcoholic beverages — at an average price of `5 to `30 above the MRP. A wine shop on Rd No 36 charges `30 extra for a 750 ml white rum. Asked why are they charging more than the MRP, the

Foreign Liquor sale during 2010-11 and 2011-12 Period Oct 2010 to March 2011 April 2011 to March 2012

No. of cases 8385 28845

Value in Rs. 16.67 crores 43.90 crores

APBCL has made `14,846.36 cr against `13,429.65 cr in 2011.

PEAK TIME CHARGES EXTRA! salesman asked the customer to buy if he wants or disappear! A low-priced IMFL brand bottle rum which is priced at `237, is sold for `5 extra. A salesman of a shop on the way to Madhapur, was good enough to ladle out a reply, “Charges have gone up since the

On a given day, during peak hours from 9pm to 10pm, the charges are raised from `3 to `10. To top it all, payments made through credit or debit card will be charged two per cent in excess as part of the “transaction charges”. So, during peak sale hours, the cheapest brand of whiskey, priced at `75 for a 175 ml bottle which according to the APBCL

(Andhra Pradesh Beverage Corporation Limited) is the standard MRP, is sold at `80. The 750ml bottle is sold at `305 as against the standard `295. For an average number of five cases of hard liquor, some vendors make `1,200 a day. The only relief is that this trend is not present in wholesale wine shops. Excise officials claim to have knowledge about this

but say that proper action can be taken if a complaint is lodged. An official from the excise and prohibition department said, “We normally act on a complaint. Also, we conduct a drive to check if liquor is being sold above the MRP. We will look into this matter soon.” So far, the APBCL has made `14,846.36 crore as against `13,429.65 crore in 2011.

city THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

COP

LAST YEAR... HERE Public left in a lurch

Toxic fumes to welcome CoP delegates

ast year we had reported how the Kiran Kumar government had ordered enhanced police protection to the government ofﬁcials during the Telangana turmoil. The 14-day strike was marred by violent protests. But while care was being taken to make sure that the ofﬁcials who were reporting to duty received security, the public was forgotten.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

NUMEROLOGY

3,000

was the number of lakes existing in the City earlier. Hyderabad was referred to as the City of gardens and lakes. Now,. the number has come down to a three-digit figure.

Walmart has become bankrupt in its own country. China put it in the dustbin by saying that it (Walmart) would destroy the local retail sector. Ghanshyam B, HKMA See page 3

THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.

City of biodiversity doesn’t care for its lakes. While the GHMC is going out of its way to promote Hyderabad as the City of biodiversity, City lakes are dwindling in number with no one to take deﬁnitive action for their protection and preservation.

Liquor consumption in the City is a costly affair. Despite ACB’s recent drive, consumers have been paying a high price for liquor. The mark-up is between `5 to `30.

Kirana merchants cry foul over FDI in retail. The decision to allow FDI in retail has merchants up in arms. They believe that this could be detrimental to the Indian retail sector.

False information being provided on green RTI requests? Recent RTIs ﬁled regarding planting and uprooting of trees in the City have received replies that are a far cry from reality.

Plastic bag making factories prove health hazards. Residents are suffering due to toxic fumes from these areas.

Toxic fumes from plastic bag-making units are putting the residents of Shastripuram and Tatanagar at risk of various illnesses such as cancer. Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com

ot far away from the Shamshabad Airport where CBD delegates will be landing, smoke billows from hundreds of industrial units scattered across the neighbourhood of Shastripuram and Tatanagar. Blatantly violating various labour norms and GO-111 for years, these units are blamed by the locals for causing various kinds of diseases such as cancer. Even as the GHMC commissioner takes pride in revealing that Hyderabad was the first City in India to release its biodiversity index, thousands of residents of Shastripuram are fighting for their health. “My mother is fighting for her life with cancer, while one of my relative’s child was born with blood cancer,” said a resident. According to the inhabitants, the locality is one of the oldest layouts in the City, but continuous neglect has prompted businessmen, most of whom are from other states to start the plastic bags-making units. The residents who found that the air contained high levels of ‘dioxin’, started complaining to the government. But for years no serious efforts were made by the civic authorities. “We have been fighting for relocation of units from the area, but unfortunately nothing has been done. There were a few demolitions recently but more than hundred units still exist, making us breathe poison,” says MAH Asif, an activist. If this is the situation in the residential areas, the Mir Alam

tank is the worst affected water body in the City whose waters regularly absorbs pollutants that have been dumped by the workers. The biggest irony is the close proximity of the area to the National Police Academy and ANGRAU (Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University), where the creme of bureaucracy is trained. Deuskar, a retired IPS officer fought for almost 10 years for relocation of these units, the result of which is slowly appearing. “No residential area should have these kinds of industrial units that release pollutants and toxins in air,” points out Deuskar. As most of the industrial units are managed by businessmen who hail from other States,

several labourers are also nonlocals. Most of them are unaware of the health hazards, therefore work in very dangerous conditions. “Almost four to five have lost a limb or have badly damaged parts of their body. This is a serious violations of the labour and a human rights norms,” explains Asif. In the recent action initiated by the GHMC, only 36 units were demolished from the 193 units which were given notices. However, residents believe that there are more than 200 units in Shastripuram alone and 100 in neighbouring areas like Tatanagar. According to the GO-111, there should not be any industrial unit releasing toxins in 10 km radius. “It is nothing but the local leaders support that made

We have been fighting for relocation of units from the area, unfortunately nothing has been done. MAH Asif, activist these business flourish jeopardising the health of residents,” points out a resident, whose mother was also a victim. However, the local corporator, Habeeb Zain clarifies that GHMC was doing its job by demolishing the structures. “Let the corporation do its work. Nothing can be done in a day or two, these kinds of things take time,” he says.

NEWS BRIEFS ACB grills Mopidevi in Chanchalguda jail

Secunderabad station to HMDA moots ‘Science get escalators City’ project

Preventive arrests for 'T march' begin

four-member ACB team interrogated jailed former excise minister, Mopidevi Venkaramana. The jailed minister was interrogated on Wednesday for about ﬁve hours in the Chanchalguda Central prison. The former minister has been charged with forging a nexus with the liquor syndicate from Khammam district.

CR (South Central Railway) will be installing escalators similar to the one at Vijayawada Station, in the next few months. The construction of these escalators may cause inconvenience to the passengers, as the railway authorities will be dismantling the existing staircases. Seven escalators have been commissioned by the SCR board.

he HMDA has cleared the proposal for ‘Science City’ and a Hyderabad habitat centre in its executive committee (EC) meeting that was held recently. The committee has approved guidelines for development of awarding and monitoring PPP projects, under the chairmanship of Neerabh Kumar Prasad, commissioner HMDA.

ith the Telangana March being scheduled for September 30, the police have started taking potential trouble-makers and activists into preventive custody. As part of the measures, some people from neighbouring towns who could not explain their reason for coming to the City were held and released on surety yesterday.

HEALTH IS WEALTH RESEARCHERS GET SKIN VIRUS TO KNOCK OUT ACNE

WASHINGTON: Researchers are harnessing a harmless virus living in the pores of our skin to seek out and kill bugs that cause pimples, the biggest woe of teenagers. “Acne affects millions of people, yet we have few treatments that are both safe and effective,” said principal investigator Robert Modlin, chief of dermatology and professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at the University of California-Los Angeles(UCLA). “Harnessing a virus that naturally preys on the bacteria that causes pimples could offer a promising new tool against the physical and emotional scars of severe acne,” said Modlin, reports the journal mBio. The scientists looked at two little microbes that share a big name: Propionibacterium acnes, a bug thriving in our pores that can trigger acne; and P. acnes phages, a family of viruses that live on human skin. The viruses are harmless to humans, but programmed to infect and kill the P. acnes bug, according to an UCLA and University of Pittsburgh statement. When P. acnes bugs aggravate the immune system, it causes the swollen, red bumps linked with acne. Most effective treatments work by reducing the number of P. acnes bacteria on the

skin. “We know that sex hormones, facial oil and the immune system play a role in causing acne, however, a lot of research implicates P. acnes as an important trigger. Sometimes they set off an inflammatory response that contributes to the development of acne,” explains Laura Marinelli, UCLA postdoctoral researcher in Modlin’s lab, who led the study. Using over-the-counter pore cleansing strips from the drugstore, researchers lifted acne bacteria and the P. acnes viruses from the noses of both pimply and clear-skinned volunteers. When the team sequenced the bacteriophages’ (a virus that affects bacteria) genomes, they found that viruses possess multiple features - such as small size, limited diversity and the broad ability to kill their hosts - that make them ideal candidates for the development of a new anti-acne therapy. “Our findings provide valuable insights into acne and the bacterium that causes it,” observed study co-author Graham Hatfull, professor of biotechnology and biological sciences, University of Pittsburgh. “Phages are programmed to target and kill specific bacteria, so P. acnes phages will attack only P. acnes bacteria, but not others like E. coli,” added Marinelli. “This trait suggests that they offer strong potential for targeted therapeutic use,” Marinelli said. IANS

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city THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

POLITICS

LAWCET-2012

Congress divided over T march While one group of leaders have pledged their support for the march during CBD, others are requesting T-JAC postpone it.

INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

he proposed Telangana March by T-JAC on September 30 has virtually divided the Congress party. While a section of Congress leaders has exhorted the T-JAC chairman Kodandaram to postpone the march till the prestigious Convention on Bio-diversity is over, the other section has not only publicly pledged its support to the march but also said it would actively take part and mobilise public for the march. The die-hard supporters of the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who had already appealed to the T-JAC leader to

postpone their march, made a fresh appeal on Wednesday for the same. Congress MLA from Medchal K Lakshma Reddy said, “As leaders from this region, we are not against the Telangana march. But we want to request Prof Kondandaram to postpone the march till the mega event, CoP-11 ends. If the march is held as scheduled, it will create a poor impression about the City on leaders and delegates from 190 countries.” Hardcore supporters of Telangana like former CWC member K Keshav Rao and Rajyasabha MP, P Govardhan Reddy, while extending their full support to the march, announced that it can’t be postponed at any cost. “The CM

called me up to negotiate with the T-JAC leaders to postpone the march. And the home minister met me in person with the same request. But I categorically told the CM that the march can’t be postponed as it was too late to do that,” Keshava Rao said. On the other hand, the Cabinet ministers from Telangana also seem to be ignoring the CM’s directive. Many Cabinet ministers from Telangana are taking his dictum lightly except home minister Sabita Indra Reddy, who seems to be making some efforts by holding meeting with various T-organisations. Chief whip, Jayaprakash Reddy came down heavily on TJAC leaders and said that Prof Kondandaram and TRS president K Chandrasekhar would be held responsible if any unfortunate incident would take place during the Telangana march. “How can the T-JAC leaders achieve a separate Telangana state by holding the State at ransom? You can’t find a solution in a jiffy for an issue like a separate state that has been simmering for more than 50 years now,” Reddy said. The issue is being hotly discussed in the corridors of power and it appears employees too are divided on the issue.

Minorities shortchanged The software used to complete admission formality did not have details about minorities. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

he State government which boasts of minority welfare in educational sector seems to have forgotten the fact that minorities have a social status in the State. The Lawcet-2012 admission counselling, which commenced on Wednesday, to admit students into the 3-year LLB course created a lot of trouble for minority students. Muslim and Christian students who got admission in the LLB course could not complete their admission formalities as the software did not have the details of various communities like Muslim, Christian, Zoroastrian and Sikh which come under the minority category. This has not only perplexed the AP Council for Higher Education authorities

but also shocked the prospective lawyers. “How can they not have minority status in the software? I am surprised that the first step to become a professional lawyer has started on a note of injustice,” Syed Fasahat, a student said. The authorities’ negligence was evident during the counselling. The authorities did not have a clue about what went wrong with the software. They made students wait for four hours to complete the simple process. “I came here from Karimnagar to attend the counselling and I thought the admission process would conclude in half an hour. But they made me wait for four hours,” Ayesha Naaz, a student said. When contacted Lawcet convenor Prof Papa Rao, he could not give a convincing answer and hung up the phone.

MUSIC

Indigo Children all set to rock City The four piece band will be playing covers from The Beatles, Doors and Black Sabbath at the Hard Rock Cafe. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com

ndigo Children is a motley crew of four all set to play in Hyderabad on Thursday at the Hard Rock Cafe as part of their ‘single release tour.’ When Postnoon caught up with the guitar playing singer-songwriter Sanchal Malhar, the band’s lineage from the 1861 Blue Mutiny in Bengal to the current global spiritual movement made good fodder for the conversation. “We were a three piece called The Superfuzz and then came lineup changes and eventually we became Indigo Children writing original material since 2008. We have now come to a point

where we can deliver an album very soon,” says Sanchal Malhar. Indigo Children is also Jaidev Rishiyoor, Nikhil Rufus Raj and Sahil Mendiratta. As Sanchal says, “It is a progression from The Superfuzz as over the years, we have learnt to play our music better. Much like the changes we see everyday in life.” The band is no stranger to Hyderabad which, they say, has a decent crowd and an enjoyable experience. “We are planning on playing covers from The Beatles, Doors, Black Sabbath etc with a lot of on stage jams. Considering there will be two sets, each 45 minutes, we are going to have fun jamming on stage,” Sanchal says.

When asked about the historical significance of their name, Sanchal says, “It is just a loose connection with history and our forefathers who we think and hope were part of the Blue Mutiny in 1861. We as humans are yet to find that resonance with the spiritual revolution for freedom that we are part of, although in a way spirituality is a fun thing, it is just a way of getting to know each other through a medium.” Be sure to catch the Indigo Children at Hard Rock Cafe on Thursday, front row accommodation with the band playing 45 minute sets, which as the band says, will be no disappointing affair, to say the least.

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city THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

FDI Some 1.5 crore kirana (provision) shops in AP are preparing for a massive showdown with the government till it withdraws the FDI in multi-brand retail. They call it betrayal of the common man. Interestingly, AP Inc seems supportive while ‘Bharat’ says no to FDI.

‘Betrayal of the aam aadmi’ Md Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s announcement on Tuesday that his government will allow FDI in multi-brand retail has thrown up a strange situation. The trade bodies and big retail chains welcomed it while the 1.5 crore small provision store owners are apprehensive of the move. Enlightened among them argue that the retail giants are opposed even in the US and Europe, how will they be different in India? While the industrial bodies, CII and FAPCCI, welcomed the move with certain conditions other stakeholders involved like

Statistics (approx) n Total Number of kirana stores in AP — 1.5 crore n Total number of kirana stores in Hyderabad — 3 lakh n Number of people employed — 15 lakh n People indirectly employed (supply chain) — 5 lakh

small and medium retail outlet owners opposed the move. Speaking on the issue, Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FAPCCI) Devendra Surana whole heartedly lauded the move and said that it would help the State in many ways. He said that the FDI would reduce the transaction cost from seller to buyer and will ensure that there is sufficient investment and technological support to local investors. It would also help in reducing the wastage in transportation of some perishable goods which stand at 50 per cent of the total produce, he added. “FDI in the State’s retail sector is a boon from all angles. The most important benefit of it is that it would help the local farmers sell their produce in foreign markets like the USA and European countries. In the present conditions it would be impossible to sell these products in foreign countries owing to their complex laws and rules to get approvals,” Surana said. Commenting on whether the

FDI would lead to creation of employment, Surana said that it would neither create nor lead to loss of jobs in the retail sector. FAPCCI general secretary MV Rajeswar Rao also hailed the decision. But he requested the CM to abolish APMC Act, prevent electricity crisis and ensure 50 per cent back end infrastructure before introducing the FDI as it would be impossible to reap benefits without solving these problems. “FDI can’t be successful unless the State solves these glaring problems apart from amending the act,” Rao added.

‘WE ARE RUINED’

Andhra Pradesh has a total of 1.5 crore kirana shops, both big and small. In Hyderabad alone, this retail sector has 3 lakh registered and unregistered shops employing 15 lakh people. “Does the government want to throw them to the streets? asks the anguished president of the Hyderabad Kirana Merchants Association, Ghanshyam Bhati. The association is opposed to FDI and

Walmart has become bankrupt in its own country. China put it in the dustbin by saying that it would destroy the local retail sector. Ironically, we are inviting such companies with open arms. Ghanshyam Bhati HKMA president believes that it would destroy the families of the entire small and marginal kirana and general store owners in the State apart from having other effects. “The government is extending all kinds of support to the FDI. But what have they done for the development of small and marginal kirana store owners? They did not even provide

loans to us. But it is not the same case with MNCs,” he said. Bhati questioned how can the State could welcome companies like US- based Walmart when countries like China, Japan, have thrown them out. “Walmart has become bankrupt in its own country. China put it in the dustbin by saying that it would destroy the local retail sector. But the irony is that we are inviting such companies with open arms,” he said. Bhati warned that the entire Kirana merchant associations are set to launch a massive agitation programme till the government withdraws its FDI decision. The association held a massive agitation on September 20. Hyderabad’s largest retail outlet — Metro Cash Carry India, one of India’s leading international trading and retail company also welcomed the move and said that FDI in retail would benefit the State. Meanwhile, efforts are on to mobilise farmers too to make the resistance strong.

VOICES OF TRADE The benefit of it (FDI in retail) is that it would help the local farmers sell their produce in foreign markets like the USA and European countries. In the present conditions it would be impossible to sell these products in foreign countries owing to their complex law and rules that require approvals.

— Devendra Surana, FAPCCI president Before introducing FDI in the State, the government must amend the APMC Act, ensure uninterrupted power supply and see that 50 per cent back end infrastructure is in place. Otherwise, the State can not leverage the benefits of FDI.

MV Rajeswar Rao, FAPCCI secretary general

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Countdown to Co P Hyderabad 2012

CBD in a City of dead lakes? It’s ironica: While the City killed its vibrant lakes it takes part in extolling biological diversity! Billboards are put up in the City welcoming CoP delegates to the ‘city of biodiversity.’ But what’s the ground reality? PANASA RAMAKRISHNA feedback@postnoon.com

nies in the real estate sector sometimes buy land from the middle men at the lake and start a bigger project with the name “Lake View”. The common people think they are buying land from bigger companies and trust them without knowing the ground reality. Slowly after the occupation of the flats they feel the Lake View in the form of floods and pollution. Today most of the big real estate projects in the City have killed many lakes by encroaching the FTL (Full Tank Level). For some it has become an option to choose the project at lake and play the game with money.

yderabad was the Pride of Deccan and it was popularly referred as “City of Lakes And Gardens”. There were more than 3,000 lakes. Today it is down to a 3-digit number. Till 2001-02 Hyderabad had salubrious climate. All of a sudden with building proliferation and real estate boom the first impact fell on lakes. A healthy lake is rich in biodiversity. It’s dynamic and vibrant entity. Various water creatures including fish keep lake live and clean. There is biodiversity in the lakes, with various plant species, water animals, birds. Hyderabad lakes were a stop gap habitat for many migrating birds. But with effluent, encroachment, abuse, and dumping, lakes have died. Unfortunately, Hyderabad lakes have seen several forms of killings, some by the realtors and some due to wrong decisions by government officials. There has been a wanton stampede to rape the dams that saved its citizens.

TYPE OF KILLING

At the ground level most of the migrant labour starts the encroachment for temporary shelter and the same temporary

POLLUTION shelter becomes permanent. For this the support starts from vote bank politics. Slowly with the political pressure the government official has to allot encroachers a house number, with power and water connections. If we talk at the middle level the chota netas, local goons, political followers, all start looking for open places, especially the ones which are in no man’s land. They create and make all the fake documents for those lands. For creating the fake documents the government officials support them. Recently an MRO in the City was

suspended on similar charges after an NGO brought out the corruption. Many big corporate compa-

How we treated water bodies? n Dozens are turned to dumping yards. n One lake turned into a cremation ground (Vengalarao Park) n One lake turned into a golf course. (Lakes in Golconda) n One lake turned into a park + Flyover (Masab tank).

The next form of killing the lake is with pollution — diverting all the sewerage into the lake. Especially the bigger real estate projects should have their own STP (Sewerage Treatment Plant) as per rules. But they are blatantly violated and release the sewerage into lakes. Apart from the sewerage serious note should be taken with respect to dumping of garbage into the lakes. The Hussain Sagar, which the CoP delegates will be shown, receives nearly 300-350 kgs of waste from all the nallah points everyday. Duplicity of authorities, is a deliberate ploy. The main challenge is to preserve the biodiver-

sity of Hyderabad by protecting the lakes lies with three challenging government departments. n Irrigation (who owns the water of the lake and in-charge for the technical specifications of lake FTL fixing, bund, sluice, wire structures) n Revenue (who owns the land) n GHMC (The lake lies in their jurisdiction and who takes care of the sanitation of the lake). But none of them take ownership or have a serious goal or vision to protect the water bodies. Interestingly, we have another dumb body, HMDA, which is in-charge for a Lake Protection Committee. Formed in the year 2010. Their main job is to create awareness and getting co-ordinated support from the respective departments. It has been an abject failure and a party to the rape of the lakes. In-charge of the Hussain Sagar lake, it spent over `300 crore, which were funded by the JICA but everybody knows the result and wonder where the money has really flown down. Thousands of delegates will be visiting the Hussain Sagar lake during the CBD and what’ s the upshot? The stench that emanates will drive them away. (Panasa Ramakrishna leads It’s Time to Make a Difference, a City-based NGO)

ENVIRONMENT

Misinformation ‘Act’

Authorities have no qualms giving false information to RTI applicants, a dangerous trend that can kill the RTI initiative, argues ITMD. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

lanting, uprooting, planting again. This is the pernicious game indulged in by the GMHC to absorb the public money ahead of the CBD. Take the road between Cyber Towers (HiTec City) and Quality Inn (Knowledge City Junction) the road connecting Gachibowli to Mehdipatnam. In August 2009, the IT Companies CSR Forum — then HYSEA, now known as ITSAP, invested lakhs of rupees for making this stretch green.

Around 800 saplings were planted on both sides of the road. And, they paid `600 per sapling to a private party who takes cares of water-

ing them for six months. However, in 2011 APIIC uprooted the saplings for ‘road widening.’ The ITMD filed an RTI asking how many saplings were removed and the plan of action to replace the damage. The shocking reply was — six saplings! Now the same APIIC is planting saplings on the stretch, small thorny plants that give neither shade nor greenery. It’s time a massive effort to create awareness of the indispensability of greenery in the City dwellers. The City will die without its green cover and the fact has not yet percolated down to the social roots.

PICK YOUR

Across Stores

ities Twin C

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Business

RAJASTHAN'S RIICO DECLARES RECORD PROFIT

Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corp (RIICO) has posted a record profit of `473.44 crore for 2011-12, a rise of an impressive 67.8 per cent over the previous year, the state's development catalyst said in a statement.

TABLETS

BEST PRICE OPENS SHOP

Consumer to benefit

Huge potential for tabs with mobile compatibility draws more players. PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

ablet is evolving in to all round devices that can perform multiple tasks. The smartness and screen size enables customers to perform range of tasks — watching TV or a movie, play games or reading books and magazines. After the success of Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 with mobile compatibility, indigenous phone makers are getting ready to launch thier tabs with phone facility. Celkon has unveiled CT2, a 7-inch tab on Wednesday. This competition to exploit the unchartered territory is making customer the winner. “We have launched Celtab CT2 at `7,499; this will be the first tab from Indian maker with SIM facility, which enables customers to get the functions of phone in the Tab,” said Y Guru, MD, Celkon. On the tablet market, he said, “There is huge potential for tablets with its increasing usage in education, travel and

CT2 Features

n Android 4.0.3 n SIM card Enabled (2G) n Supports 3G Dongle n 1 GHz Processor n 512MB RAM n 5 point multi Touch Capacitive screen n HDMI OUT n 3000mAh Battery n Front Camera

other purposes. Educational institutes are conducting their tests on these tabs connected with the server. Even cab services are using these devices to entertain their customers. We have bookings of 50,000 tablets that need to be met for our CT1 and CT2,” he said. “Customers are also looking at something compact with Internet accessibility, music, mail or a movie at their fingertips. The customer can have accesses to lakhs of applications at Google Play store and price is

also affordable, which was a constraint earlier,” Guru said. “The customer can now have the phone facility at `1,500 more than the stand-alone tab. However, he does need to have a separate dongle to access Internet but can get connected to the Internet (Edge network) with SIM. The customer can use a bluetooth ear device or an earphone to talk at ease with out handling the whole device,” Guru explained. About standing out from the rest, he said, “We are striving on quality by taking care of internal technology along with features. The controllers are integrated inside the tab to cool the processor. The tablet will not get hot even after prolonged usage. “We expect the market potential in the state is around 1 lakh tabs. With this launch, we are targeting 50 per cent of this market.” Celkon is also planning to bring in new 9-inch tab and a low priced 7-inch tab with out SIM facility soon. It is targeting to generate 10 per cent of its revenues from tablets.

VOICE INTERACTIVE SERVICES

Ask and ye shall find POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

skMe, a part of the Network18 Group has launched its voice interactive services in Hyderabad. With this launch, Network 18’s AskMe has now forayed into the south as its third city in India, where these services have launched after Mumbai and Pune. AskMe launched its Voice service on 3555 5555, which works 24*7 to give customers information through voice, e-mail or SMS. It is aiming to become a widely used local search engine by providing information to

cater to immediate, impulsive and urgent requirement of customers for companies, products, and services apart from value added services like

GOLD `31,500 10g SILVER `62,800 1kg POUND DOLLAR for

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cricket scores, cinemas and horoscope . AskMe's service are available on both Voice as well as Online. On revenue model, Jane Karkada, national head of sales, said, "it purely works on advertising. The businesses can advertise and get listed and promoted by our services. The businesses' who pay have high probability of getting listed on top, if a caller is requesting for list of businesses in that specific area." The company has valuable contact data of 2.5 lakh companies and 1 lakh businesses of products and services of the City. It also has plans to upsurge services to 15 cities within a year.

BSE

18,712.56

80.37

NSE

5,685.75

22.95

Bharti Walmart, the joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Walmart Stores Inc for wholesale, business-to-business, cash-and-carry operations in India opened its ﬁrst Best Price Modern Wholesale cashand-carry store in Sivarampally, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. Spread over 53,000 square feet, the Best Price Modern Wholesale store is a one-stop business-to-business store that meets the day-to-day needs of restaurant owners, hoteliers, caterers, fruit and vegetable resellers, kirana stores, ofﬁces and institutions. This will be the third store in the State and 18th in the country. Over 60,000 businesses have registered to shop at the store. City customers said they are happy that another major shopping option has opened up for them and the competition will eventually put the customer at advantage.

NUMEROLOGY

$521.5

is the credit the International Monetary Fund awarded Bosnia as stand-by loan.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

nation REBUFF

Kashmir has chosen: India

DREADED GANGSTER GUNNED DOWN A gangster, who was wanted in 28 cases including the murder of deputy jailor of Meerut Jail, was shot dead in an encounter with STF near Karonda village in the district. He was carrying a reward of `1 lakh on his head.

SOHRABUDDIN CASE

CHARM OFFENSIVE

Shah to enter Gujarat, trial to move out

Ranjan Mathai rubbishes Pakistan President’s claims at UN meet. NEW YORK: India has rebutted Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s remarks on Kashmir at the United Nations, asserting that the Kashmiri people have “peacefully chosen their destiny” in accordance with democratic practises. Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the country’s position on the issue is well known. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, have peacefully chosen their destiny in accordance with democratic practises. They continue to do so,” he said

yesterday. Pakistan had raked up the issue of Kashmir at the UN again when Zardari said in his address to the General Assembly that “Kashmir remains a symbol of failures, rather than strengths of the UN system.” Zardari had said his country’s principled position on territorial disputes remains a bedrock of its foreign policy. US President Barack Obama has also ruled out any “outside” solution to the Kashmir issue, saying in an interview in July that disputes between India and Pakistan can only be resolved among themselves. PTI

ACCOUNTABILITY

NEWS BRIEFS

Railway takes responsibility for Bihar collision

Woman raped

PATNA: The railways took responsibility for the train-bus collision that killed eight people in Bihar, Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa said here Thursday, a day after the tragedy. “The accident which took place Wednesday was a sad incident and the railways is taking responsibility,” Muniyappa told journalists here. Muniyappa, who arrived here Wednesday night to meet the injured in the Patna Medical College and Hospital, said an inquiry had been ordered. “It was unfortunate. The accident had taken place at a manned railway crossing,” he said. Eight people, including two girls, were killed and dozens injured Wednesday when a train rammed into an engineering college bus at a manned level crossing in Siwan district. The accident occurred at Chap Dhala railway crossing near Siwan railway station when the Howrah-Gorakhpur Bagh Express train rammed into the bus carrying over 25 students. The engine of the train derailed after the accident. PTI

AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi dances along with tribals on the occasion of tribal festival “Karma” in Ranchi, Jharkhand on Wednesday.

KUASHMABI (UP): A 30-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a man in Paschimsharira area, police said here today. The woman was dragged into the fields and raped by Shivbabu Pasi near Damadpur village while she was returning to her parents home yesterday, they said. Shivbabu was later nabbed by villagers and handed over to police, they said.

PTI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday lifted its order restraining former Gujarat minister for state of home Amit Shah — an accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh staged shootout case — from entering the state. It also shifted the case outside Gujarat. The apex court bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, however, transferred the trial in Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausar Bi killing case outside Gujarat. Pronouncing a brief order, Justice Alam said the CBI plea against the grant of bail to Amit Shah by Gujarat High Court is dismissed. However, the plea for the transfer of trial outside the state is allowed. IANS

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SMS alert facility for HIV patients PANAJI: Next time if an HIV patient in Goa misses his monthly drug regimen, he will get an SMS alert reminding him about the dosage. The state-run Goa State AIDS Control Society has worked out an arrangement with various mobile service providers to launch this unique facility. According to GSACS officials at times they tried calling up patients on regular basis but the task became cumbersome as there are thousands of patients who are on the treatment.

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Maoists kill two teenagers KHUNTI (JHARKHAND): Two persons were shot dead by suspected Maoists in Khunti district’s Gadsitam village, the police said today. Rajendra Singh, 18, and Tinu Ohoda, 16, who had been to jail earlier for their alleged link with the People’s Liberation Front of India, were killed last night, superintendent of police Amaranth Mishra told reporters here. Both the CPI (Maoist) and the PLFI operate in the area and the police suspect the Maoists to be behind the killings for their PLFI links, the SP said.

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nation THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

DEFENCE

CRIME

India’s eighth squadron of SU-30 MKI by December However, the IAF is far from its target to operate 17 squadrons by 2018.

ndia will raise its eighth squadron of Sukhoi SU-30 MKI frontline combat planes in December this year and it will be based at Sirsa in Haryana, just 150 km from the border with Pakistan, which had acted as a forward airbase during the 1971 war. This will be the third Su-30 squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be deployed close to Pakistan border in 14 months, after Jodhpur in Rajasthan in October 2011 and Halwara in Punjab on Tuesday. “The third Sukhoi squadron close to our western frontiers will be based in Sirsa. It will be raised in December,” a senior IAF officer told IANS here. The Sirsa squadron will also be the second unit to fly the air dominance fighters under the Delhi-based Western Air Command (WAC) that controls

WILD TALES

16 air bases and is responsible for defending the air space over north India. The IAF had resurrected the disbanded 220 Squadron at Halwara on Tuesday. In August 2010, the IAF had for the first time deployed a SU30 squadron in the northeast at Tezpur in Assam, to act as a

counter to China. In March 2011, it raised another Sukhoi squadron at the Jabua airbase, also in Assam. The original two SU-30 squadrons are based at the Lohegaon airbase near Pune, which is also the home base for these sophisticated fighters. One squadron is based at Bareilly in

Uttar Pradesh. However, the IAF is far from its target to operate 17 Sukhoi squadrons by 2018, when it would have inducted 272 aircraft, making it the main combat plane for the next decade or so. India had first signed up for Su-30s in 1997, when it bought 50 of the planes off-the-shelf from Russia. Later, it also obtained a licence for Indian public sector behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture the planes. From the HAL stable, the IAF would, at last count, be getting 222 Su-30s. This includes the 42 planes that India signed a deal for with Russia in December 2011 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in Moscow for a bilateral summit with then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

2 children found murdered in Delhi Rape attempt on girl suspected.

wo siblings aged five and three, were found murdered here on Wednesday, a day after they went missing from near their residence, police said. Their bodies were recovered from the forest of east Delhi. “Initial investigation revealed that their throats were slashed with a sharp object. Some other injury marks were found on their mouth, stomach and other parts of body. It seems that the attacker tried to rape the girl child,” said the officer. Police said that the victims, resident of east Delhi’s Khajuri Khas, are survived by their parents Akram, a contractor, and mother Naseema Begum. “On Tuesday around 3.30 pm both the siblings were seen playing in the street near their residence. Their parents registered their missing complaint late Tuesday night,” said the officer. IANS

Anti-insurgency vehicles lying idle B ought for more than `90 lakh to counter Maoist insurgency in the districts of West Bengal, two troop carriers have been lying idle for the past three years as they were found unsuitable for use. According to a latest report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the West Bengal police had made the procurement in 2009 “without considering their suitability resulting in the vehicles not being used in anti-terrorist

tiger killed a leopardess in Corbet Tiger Reserve area, authorities at the famed tourist haunt in Uttarakhand said today. The half eaten body of a four-year-old adult leopardess was recovered from the Ringoda forest cell in Bijrani range of the reserve area last evening. Footprints sighted near the spot confirm that it was killed by a tiger, they said. “Such fights in the cat family are usual and often occur to defuse competitive pressure on their prey base,” Upadhyay said. PTI

operations for more than two years and consequent blockage of funds”. The Home Department had “ignored the opinion of the district police authorities” while sanctioning the order. “Scrutiny of records of SP Paschim Medinipur (West Midnapore) revealed that the

vehicle was not utilised for a single operation since its deployment as it did not have bomb blast proof technology and due to its low fuel economy and inability to move in narrow roads and forests due to its large size,” the CAG report said. The Police Directorate had also expressed

reservations about the suitability of the vehicle on account of high cost, inconclusive field trials and non-availability of technical certificate regarding the vehicle being mine-proof. The auditors also flayed the government for making the purchase directly from Ural India Limited without calling for tenders. PTI FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

Tiger kills leopardess

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

World

SUU KYI WELCOMES US DECISION TO SCRAP BAN ON MYANMAR The political party of Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday welcomed US moves to ease a ban on imports from Myanmar, hailing it as a positive long term step. The move to lift the last major trade sanctions on Myanmar came after "tripartite" talks involving Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Myanmar President Thein Sein and Suu Kyi.

EURO CRISIS

NEW YORK... NEW YORK

Greece on fire again

Nearly 34,000 people marched in Athens and another 18,000 in Thessaloniki in the first general strike since the new government took office in June. THENS: Police and masked youths clashed in Athens on Wednesday during a nationwide strike in protest at a new round of austerity cuts introduced in return for crucial EUIMF loans. Gangs of youths threw firebombs, smashed windows and set fire to garbage on the sidelines of the demonstration near luxury hotels on the capital's central Syntagma square. The police responded by firing tear gas and stun grenades to disperse them. Dozens of people were detained, according to a police source, as crowds moved towards the capital's other central square, Omonia, booing and throwing plastic bottles at the special forces that were present. The protests rallied striking civil servants and private sector workers as well as students and pensioners, who have all been hit by previous rounds of cutbacks in the debt-laden eurozone country. Nearly 34,000 people marched in Athens and another 18,000 in Thessaloniki, according to the police, in the first general strike to be held since the new government took office in June, bringing the country to a

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he would have fond memories of his annual trips to New York, as he wrapped up his last trip to the Big Apple as his country's leader. His only regret was he did not have much chance to mingle with ordinary New Yorkers, he told reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, praising the people as having a "great spirit" and "high moral standards." "My visits to New York have all been good.”

NUMEROLOGY

4.6

is the point advantage that US president Barack Obama has in a RealClearPolitics average of recent polls. In Ohio, he leads Mitt Romney by eight points.

A protester runs from riot police during a 24-hours general strike in Athens on September 26, 2012. Greece's two main labour unions held a 24-hour general strike to protest against a new austerity package, which the country's EU and International Monetary Fund creditors have said is necessary for Athens to receive the next installment from its rescue loans. AFP /LOUISA GOULIAMAKI

standstill. Flights, train services and ferries were halted while the public sector, including museums, shut down.

"For the past two-to-three years we've been living an incredible social catastrophe," said Ilias Loizos, a 56-year-old municipal worker.

"My salary has been cut by 50 percent. I have two children and tomorrow I don't know if I'll have a job," he said. AFP

The night David stumped David

avid Cameron may struggle at passport control when he returns home from his trip to the US and Brazil after fluffing a mock citizenship test on the Late Show with David Letterman. "You have found

me out. That is bad, I have ended my career on your show tonight," the prime minister said, after struggling when Letterman fired a series of questions at him, reported the Guardian. Cameron first ran into trouble when

Letterman asked him who composed the music for Rule Britannia. "Elgar," he said. Letterman waited till near the end of Cameron's appearance to point out Thomas Arne composed the music, the poem was by James Thomson.

NEWS BRIEFS Japan rules out compromise with China

Ecuador vows to shelter Assange for years

Chinese court quashes Weiwei’s tax appeal

Seoul education chief gets jail for bribery

UNITED NATIONS: Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda insisted Wednesday there could be no compromise with China on the ownership of a disputed island chain and denounced attacks on Japanese interests. Noda said China misunderstands the issues at stake and demanded an end to threats against Japanese citizens.

UNITED NATIONS: Ecuador said Wednesday it is prepared to shelter Julian Assange inside its London embassy for years if necessary. Assange, meanwhile, called on the United States to halt its "persecution" of WikiLeaks and its supporters in a video link message at the UN headquarters organized by Ecuador.

BEIJING: A Chinese court has rejected Ai Weiwei's appeal against a hefty ﬁne for alleged tax evasion, the acclaimed artist and government critic said Thursday, adding angrily that he was blocked from presenting his case. "No change in the original verdict," Ai told reporters outside the Beijing court where the ruling was issued.

SEOUL: South Korea's Supreme Court on Thursday conﬁrmed a one-year prison term on Seoul's education chief for bribery. Kwak No-Hyun was indicted last year on charges of paying 200 million won to a rival candidate to drop out of the 2010 election race for the city's top education post. A district court had convicted in January.

KISS OF DEATH An Australian teenager was critically ill in hospital on Thursday after being bitten by the world's most venomous snake, with detectives probing how he came into contact with the desert reptile. The 17-yearold walked into a hospital in the small town of Kurri Kurri, north of Sydney, on Wednesday afternoon with a bite to his left hand. According to local reports, his friend was carrying a plastic tub containing the snake responsible, which was later identiﬁed as the toxic inland taipan.

For some time, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other groups have launched attacks and kidnappings from northern Mali into neighboring countries. Hillary Clinton US Secretary of State

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Comment The true artist is a man who believes absolutely in himself, because he is absolutely himself.

SEXY BEAST

THE HUMAN CONDITION Dean Williams

t the time of writing this, the radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza has been granted an interim injunction by a British judge against his extradition to the US. Hamza was the cleric of Finsbury Park mosque in North London who was caught on tape attempting to incite violence against British citizens. Hamza eventually went to jail, but not until he had exhausted every British legal loophole trying to stay out of it. Now the Americans want him extradited so they can deal with him, probably in the bowels of Gitmo. Hamza knows this and his spine has dissolved into a puddle of septic calcium. The injunction now buys him more time to twist a democratic process that is meant to protect the innocent, not shelter criminals. Hamza is not representative of the Islamic community; and he’s lucky that the UK is not the sort of country to render people faster they can say “First Class” (well that’s the official line, anyway). Should Hamza manage to avoid extradition, it will be through a ridiculous travesty of the British judicial system that spent over £1 million prosecuting him. The Hamza sham is endemic of a changing Europe. The continent is slowly becoming a religious battleground which is taking away from the financial crisis that looms over it. As Greece and Spain are pushed to the brink; as austerity cuts into pensions; the future is bleak enough as it is. One more religious fanatic is the last thing Europe needs. So extradite him and be done with it. The writer is Editor, Postnoon

RITE OF PASSAGE TO MANHOOD BUT... SERIOUSLY

Oscar Wilde Writer

The tale of Abu Hamza

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Whoa! That was completely out of the blue, wasn’t it, Dave, when your nemesis took of the form of a talk show host and obliterated your standing asking you some simple questions about the country of which you are Prime Minister? Among the sniggering and chuckling, is one more loud and clear, that of your blonde chum from college, who is now the mayor of London?

Ajay Hotchandani

he title of the article was, “India has not made a big impact in the field of science”. I’ll admit I didn’t really read the article, rather I went to eat a bowl of cereal and came back to type this article. The reason why I didn’t read it because I already know the answer as to why India hasn’t made any big impact on science, it’s because they have not studied my moustache! At the tender age of 12 I manage to accomplish the one thing the rest of the boys in my high school weren’t able to, some even at the age of 18, they couldn’t grow a moustache the way I did. By my 3rd year in high school I had a full grown moustache and looked like I was 30 (that’s me in the picture: I was 17). The worse part of it all was I thought my moustache was cool and would help me get girls' attention. I did get their attention — but for the wrong reasons. It was almost like a “rite of passage” to manhood. There was no need to father illegitimate children or get a job to be considered a man, you simply had to have a full grown mous-

tache. Now what no one told me at the time was that while having a moustache might make you appear older it also could act as a repellent, keeping the girls away. I wore that moustache like I bought it with money I made from selling my bodily fluids on the black market. The moustache was my ticket into the secretly exclusive club of moustache wearers (mainly men). I could be in some foreign place and see another member who I’ve never met before, but there was a mutual understanding between us that if either of us needed the other one’s help or a kidney transplant there was no doubt that the other member would come through with it. The moustache is not just a fashion trend but rather a staple in the fashion world. While some would rather the moustache be obsolete, I believe that more world leaders need to start growing moustaches (even the women)! “Historic Peace Treaty Signed by Two Moustache Wearing Presidents!”, will be the headline, followed by “India makes historic scientific discovery in moustache ”. To prove to you how much of an impact the moustache has had on the world, guys grow moustaches to be taken seriously as a businessman. The moustache is worth celebrating and

TOOTHBRUSH

DALI STYLE

HANDLEBAR

FU MANCHU STYLE

IMPERIAL STYLE

the world has recognized this as there is now a National Moustache Day where those who have their moustache are granted a free meal of their choice in some countries, while in others they stay in hiding as people hunt them down and shave their moustaches for prize money. Just how coveted

HORSE SHOE STYLE

are moustaches? There is a National Fake Moustache Day where people wear fake moustaches just to get an idea what it feels like to have a moustache. As a former member (and hopefully a future member) I’d like to say that anything you accomplish is always better wearing a moustache.

EDITORIALS Fourteen years of Google Andy’s moon

oogle turns 14 today. What began as a search engine has swiftly morphed into the one of the world’s leading tech companies, and we have a lot to thank it for. It has taken the Internet by the scruff of its neck, obliterated competitors and destroyed the walls that hid technology’s secrets from innovators for so long. But Google has not had a smooth ride to the pinnacle of the tech world. It has battled its inner demons, fallen foul of censors and gone to war with the tyrannical, if supreme genius, of Steve Jobs. But it has emerged bigger and stronger. Android changed the smartphone industry forever, wrenching the impetus from Apple’s hands. Even Apple’s greatest fans begrudgingly granted Google a piece of the pie that they reserved for their own Titans. The future looks bright for Google, all the more so in light of the fact that in this day and age of caution and an aversion to risk-taking, Google seem to have a clear run. Had the idea of Google been mooted in the current economic environment it’s unlikely to have ever been picked up by the current crop of myopic VCs. Google must keep innovating, but it must also keep in mind that the world is changing and for it to remain a leader, it must not fall into the traps set by its largest competitor and totalitarian governments.

READERS’ VIEWS

he name Andy Williams may not ring any major bells to young readers. But to those who ever had the pleasure of listening to the song Moon River, the singer transcends mere words. So today let‘s doff our hats to Andy. You will be missed.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

tELEVISION

EIGHTH SEASON TO BE THE LAST

Neil Patrick Harris has hinted that How I Met Your Mother's current eighth season will likely be the last. Harris — who plays Barney Stinson on the CBS series — has now admitted that it's extremely unlikely that a ninth season will actually come to pass.

Touched by God

BACK TO THE ROOTS

CLASSIC TV

After a long hiatus, mythology is back with a bang on TV. Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, the popular TV serial based on the lives of Lord Shiva, Sati and Parvati has beaten even shows like KBC and Dance India Dance Li’L Masters.

HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com

n an age where TV channels are filled with reality shows and daily soaps about scheming saas-bahus, Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, a mythological serial aired on Life OK, comes as a whiff of fresh air. This hugely popular TV serial, which recounts the legend of Lord Shiva, has not only been capturing audiences’ attention across all age groups but also finding audiences in newer shores, thanks to the Internet. On September 9, a special episode depicting Lord Shiva’s wedding procession got a phenomenal 8.2 TRP, which is the highest for any TV show on a general enterainment channel this year. The episode even beat the likes of Kaun Banega Crorepati and the grand finale of Dance India Dance Li’L Masters. So what’s the reason behind the immense popularity of this TV show? “It’s quite different from everything that’s on TV these days. I believe it’s a positive sign that the younger generation has found interest in a religious TV show like Mahadev,” Shobha Singh, a homemaker says. “I like the narration and Sonarika, who plays Parvati in the show, is really good.” For a generation which grew up watching Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and BR Chopra’s Mahabharat back in the late 80s, Mahadev is nothing short of a trip back into the good old days of their childhood. It all changed in the early 2000s with the advent of K serials and then reality shows, dance shows totally changed the demographics of TV viewership. Mahadev, which was initially titled as Sati, had premiered on December 18, 2011 on Star Plus and when Star Network launched Life OK, this TV serial became a flagship program of the channel. Directed by Nikhil Sinha and Manish Singh, the serial’s rich visuals and extravagant sets caught the attention of the TV audience immediately and since then the numbers have been increasing. “The story of Lord Shiva hasn’t been narrated as much as other gods on TV. That’s one of

21 Jump Street

The 21 Jump Street TV show was a police drama series. It was about a squad of undercover police officers. What set this show apart from others was the fact that the officers were all youthfull looking enough to pass for high school or college students. This allowed them to investigate crimes like date rape, parental abuse, school violence, teenage drug usage and others where an older looking officer would never be able to fit into the crowd.

DID YOU KNOW...

Sarah

the reasons why it’s so interesting to watch. This is the first time I am watching a mythological TV show of this magnitude since Mahabharat. Besides, I find it quite spiritual and it’s a welcome break indeed from all the terrible reality shows and K serials which have been ruling the roost for a while now,” Kumari, a homemaker from Hyderabad, says. She’s one among the thousands of women in Andhra Pradesh who have been watching the dubbed version of Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev on MAA TV. Earlier this year, when MAA TV bought the rights to air the show in Telugu, it ended up giv-

For a generation which grew up watching Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and BR Chopra’s Mahabharat back in late 80s, Mahadev is nothing short of a trip back into the good old days of their childhood. ing it a dead slot, which signifies that it wasn’t going to compete with any other show in prime-

time. “We began airing the show at 5pm on weekdays and it really is a dead slot because most TV channels air movies during that time. Surprisingly, the show got a great response. It has maintained a healthy TRP rating around 1.5 and for some episodes, it even touched two,” the head of fiction programming at MAA TV reveals. As the buzz surrounding the show grew, MAA TV decided to replay the show on Sundays. “Since the show is aired at 5pm on weekdays, the audience comprises mostly women, but we knew that a lot of men were also interested in the show. Recently, we began telecasting all the episodes from the week on Sundays from 9am-12pm The response has been terrific,” the head of fiction programming at MAA TV adds. The success of Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev seems to have revived the interest in exploring more mythological TV shows. Colors TV is telecasting Jai Sri Krishna and Zee TV recently began airing Ramayan. Will the success of Mahadev pave way for more such TV shows? Only time can tell, but there’s no denying that we are connecting back to the roots with such shows.

Jessica Parker will be guest starring in Glee as Isabelle Wright, editor of Vogue.com. In its first look video, Kurt is at Vogue to interview for an internship. When the two first meet, Isabelle get excited over the fact that the two of them are from Ohio.

SERIAL SCOOP...

New Girl creator Liz Meriwether has revealed that Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) goes "off the grid" during season two. New Girl's season two story arc sees Jess dealing with being laid off from her job. Meriwether went on to suggest that the second season sees Jess on a "a voyage of self-discovery".

Claire Danes has hinted that Homeland's second season is even more "intense" than its first.The actress who won an Emmy Award for the series has revealed to Access Hollywood that her real-life pregnancy didn't temper the action on the hit series.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

spotlight

HIGH ON MUSIC

With DJ Rohit Barker behind the console, prepare for a night of rock and roll. Head to Bottles 'n' Chimney, Begumpet to groove to foot-tapping music belted out by the DJ.

SRINIVAS SETTY

LUCKY LADIES

A glamorous do Ladies had a fun-filled day at Taj Krishna learning different ways of wearing a sari and tips for applying make-up in a workshop Gloir, Glamour, Grooming. 1

Classic cars galore Vintage vehicle lovers made a beeline to Lumbini Laserium where a Vintage Car & Bike Rally was organised.

1 Marvie, Beck, Shaina,

5 Zara

Moni Agarwal 2 Vasuki Sunkavalli 3 Sheetal Gagar 4 Reet

6 Trushna 7 Sangeeta

8 Manjula Narsa 9 Nikitha Reddy

A NEW BEGINNING

MLA Bichapathi Yadav inaugurated Varun and Bajaj two-wheeler bike showroom at Kondapur on Wednesday.

EYEING THE YOUTH

Indian mobile network operator Aircel launched unique campus initiatives ‘Book2Practice’ and ‘Project Lakshyam’ for the youth. ‘Book2Practice’ is a live interaction of students with senior leadership team from Aircel and ‘Project Lakshyam’ will give students an opportunity of doing a three month internship with Aircel.

GREEN TALK

SRINIVAS SETTY

The seventh annual report on the global economic and environmental impact of biotech crops developed by PG Economics was released at ITC Kakatiya.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

health

‘DON’T DISCOUNT DOCTOR’D GUT FEELING’ According to a new study, one shouldn't discount a doctor's gut feeling when it comes to serious illness, especially those affecting children. A clinician's intuition that something is wrong, even after examination, seems to have even greater diagnostic value than most symptoms and signs.

MATTERS OF THE HEART

Watch out for the signs

Valve disease can affect either of the heart valves. While mild forms of the ailment can be treated medically, severe cases may require valve replacement. pulmonary valves.”

ANISHAA KUMAR

VALVE REPLACEMENT

anishaa.k@postnoon.com

In severe cases, valve replacement may be advised. Dr Sunil explains, “This is done particularly for the aortic valve. There are two types of replacements — tissue valves and mechanical valves. In the first the advantage of these valves is that along with the replacement, blood thinning agents are not required. Mechanical valves unlike the tissue valves have a long life but the patient requires a life-long heavy dose of blood thinning medication and monitoring. Indigenous mechanical valves (the Chitra valve) are a popular and cost effective option. They are as effective as imported ones and cost around `30,000 unlike imported ones which would cost around a lakh.”

he valves of the heart play an important role when it comes to controlling blood flow to various parts of the heart. Valvular disease refers to a situation where the heart does not function normally.

UNDERSTANDING THE HEART The heart contains four valves. The first is the Tricuspid valve located between the upper and lower sections of the right side of the heart while the valve between the upper and lower section of the left side is known as the mitral valve. The pulmonary valve controls the flow of blood to the lungs while the aortic valve controls the flow to the other organs.

VALVE DISEASE According to Dr Sunil Kumar, senior consultant cardiologist, Apollo Hospital, “Valve disease can be of two kinds. The first is stenosis (narrowing of the valve) and the second is regeneration (leaking of the valve).”

CAUSES Dr Sunil explains that there are six possible causes for this. n Congenital: This is seen mostly abroad in the form of mitral valve prolapse. n Infection: This is the most common cause in India. It affects the mitral valve and the aortic valve.

n Inflammation: This could arise due to various forms of arthritis. n Coronary Artery Disease: In CAD, blood flow to a part of the valve is absent. n Degenerative: This is due to aging. Calcium gets deposited on the valve. n Dilation of the valve: This may occur due to various heart ailments and may result in valve leakage.

SYMPTOMS According to Dr Sunil, “Many a times, valve disease shows no symptoms. The doctor may diagnose it during a routine check-up. The problems arise when it becomes severe. By severity one implies an increase

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

in back pressure or volume of the heart. Symptoms include shortness of breath, swelling of feet and palpitations. When a

Prevention

alve disease can be prevented especially that due to rheumatic heart disease. Dr Sunil says, “rheumatic heart disease starts from a throat infection followed by arthritis and ultimately causes rheumatic heart disease. In patients who suffer from a throat infection followed by arthritis adequate and regular prophylaxis (penicillin) can prevent the onset of RHD.”

HOUSECALL

Strava cycling

Pasteurellosis

If you love to cycle then this would be a great app for you. Strava Cycling is a health app that allows you to rack your progress and challenge your friends. You can record all your rides and analyse your performance. Set new personal records and beat your friends’ times. This app is available for iPhone and iPad users.

Pasteurellosis refers to an infection that is caused by bacteria of the Pasteurella group of micro-organisms. The ailment is usually contracted from bites or scratches by domestic animals. However,, it has also been reported following contact with other animals such as rabbits and cows. But often the affected person has had no contact with an animal. Standard antibiotics help treat pasteurellosis.

patient suffers from shortness of breath, one can suspect valve disease. On examination, doctors notice heart murmurs. For diagnosis X-rays and echo cardiograms ( 2D/3D) are advised.”

TREATMENT Mild cases of valve disease can be treated medically. Dr Sunil says, “Regular medication helps treat such mild cases. This is seen especially in cases of valve leakage. When it comes to leakage, repair and replacement of mitral valve is an effective option. When it comes to severe cases, intervention may be advised. In this, a balloon is passed through the valve that helps dilate the valve. This is commonly done for mitral and

DID YOU KNOW? 70 million suffer food poisoning annually Watch what you eat! According to statistics, around 70 million people suffer from food poisoning every year around the world. Of this around 7 million are fatal. Careful food storage, temperature control and preparation helps tackle dangerous bacteria, toxins and viruses.

PREVALENCE Dr Sunil explains that valvular heart disease can affect any one although valve disease due to rheumatoid heart disease is more common among women. It can be noticed as early as the first decade of their life. Valve disease due to degenerative causes affects the elderly only.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Various developments have been made in the treatment. Dr Sunil explains, “One such option is percutaneous implants in which the valve can be replaced without opening the chest. This can be done for the pulmonary and aortic valve. Mitral valve repair is also another concept growing in popularity.”

PIONEERS Alexander fleming Sir Alexander Fleming was a Scottish biologist, pharmacologist and botanist. He is known to have written many articles on bacteriology, immunology, and chemotherapy. His best-known discoveries are said to be the enzyme lysozyme and the antibiotic substance penicillin. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 with Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain for his discovery of penicillin.

health THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

STUDY

Doctor’s corner New study finds that rates of childhood asthma were 8 per cent higher in Los Angeles kids living near busy roadways.

Childhood asthma closely linked to traffic fumes FAINE GREENWOOD GLOBAL POST

here are a lot of kids in infamously smoggy Los Angeles with asthma— and a new University of Southern California study indicates that these rates are even worse for children who live nearby freeways. The new research, published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal in conjunction with Sonoma Technologies and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, found that about 8 per cent of LA asthma cases (about 27,100) could be linked to kids residing within 75 meters of congested roads. The study also found that childhood asthma was linked to regional pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone,

says Science Blog. California is currently implementing innovative (and controversial) cap-and-trade rules to cut down on greenhouse gases and emissions, and these rules could potentially also help children (and adults) suffering from respiratory problems. The new measure, AB 32, hopes to reduce California's pollution levels to those of 1990 in eight years, partially by auctioning off credits to release greenhouse gases, says the Los Angeles Times. Further, the study provides some concrete evidence that new homes — especially those geared to families — shouldn't be built as close to major highways as they currently are. The researchers estimated that reducing kid's exposure to near-roadway pollution

Triggers of childhood asthma n Exposed to viral infections such as the common cold n Exposure to air pollutants, such as tobacco smoke n Allergies to dust mites, pet dander, pollen or mold n Physical activity n Weather changes Source: www.mayoclinic.com by a relatively modest 20 per cent would mean 5,900 fewer cases of asthma in Los Angeles County. “Plans to reduce greenhouse

gas emissions and combat climate change offer an opportunity to develop ‘win-win’ strategies that will maximise the health benefits from reduction both of greenhouse gases and of air pollutants that directly harm children,” Rob McConnell, a University of Southern California professor of preventive medicine, told Science Blog. “There is also emerging evidence that other diseases may be caused or exacerbated by urban air pollution, including atherosclerosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and neurological disorders.” “Thus, policies to combat climate change may have nearterm health benefits beyond reducing the burden of disease due to asthma.”

Dr Divya T Sudarshan

Eat healthy, not for two in pregnancy What is the normal amount of weight a woman should put on during pregnancy? I've recently learnt that I am pregnant and everyone around me wants to feed me for two. However, I find this nauseating and don't want to eat all the rich food that is being forced upon me. It makes me very uncomfortable. It is a veritable mystery on what is normal. The average French woman would gain 8-9 kgs, the American 12-15 kgs and most Indian women, especially the well to do ones, can tip the scales by 20-22 kgs more. We seem to take the “khatey -peetey ghar ke log” adage very seriously, when in fact overweight women are advised to restrict weight gain to 8 kgs. The usual weight gain in pregnancy is 1 kg per month for the first six months and two kgs the next three months. Now of the 12 kgs you gain, ideally, 2.5 kg to 3 kg is the baby, about 800 gms the placenta, 2 kg the extra blood, 3 kg the uterus and amniotic fluid and breast 1 kg. The extra weight on you should be about 7 kgs post delivery, which is not very hard to lose. But when you gain anything more, it is all you. And the weightloss war begins and never ends! Though you need extra calories keep your intake to around 1,800 calories. You don’t need to eat for two, as most mothers and aunts would suggest. It’s the quality and quantity of the meal that decides weight gain, along with the amount of physical activity you have to burn the stuff you eat. Eat small, regular meals 5 to 6 times a day. Mothers trust high starch and fat foods, because they are conditioned to believe it. Maybe you could take her along on an antenatal visit, and let the doctor talk to her. Enjoy the pregnancy and the pampering. You will miss it later. The writer is a gynaecologist and obstetrician practising at Happy Women Clinic. You can write in to her at happywomenclinic@gmail.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Entertainment

MAHESH TO ENDORSE SOUTH INDIA SHOPPING MALL Mahesh Babu is going to endorse South India Shopping Mall for the next three years. He has replaced Genelia as its brand ambassador.

CINE BYTES

Dhenikaina Ready to be dubbed in Malayalam

ishnu Manchu, Hansika starrer Dhenikaina Ready is going to be dubbed in Malayalam. It's the first time that a Vishnu's film is being dubbed in Malayalam and already the post production for it is underway. The film's audio is going to be launched in Kochi in the first week of October. G Nageshwara Reddy has directed the film.

Tamannaah gets an intro song!

ooks like Tamannaah has impressed Raghava Lawrence, the director of Rebel a lot. No wonder, he has shot a special introduction song titled Google Search on Tamannaah and it's an unusual move since mass entertainers mostly focus on the lead hero.

FANS WAIT FOR OCTOBER 18

CMGR's T

he teasers of Pawan Kalyan's upcoming film Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu, which were unveiled recently, are now the talk of the town. Pawan Kalyan is playing the role of a TV reporter who becomes a common man's hero. An action-packed trailer was unveiled yesterday morning, along with the film's audio, in a low key affair in Prasad Labs, Hyderabad. Talking to the media, Dil Raju said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Toliprema, Khushi and Gabbar Singh were milestones in Pawan Kalyan's career and I had distributed all these films in Nizam and now I am distributing Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu. I am quite confident that this film too will be a milestone in Pawan Kalyan's career." The first look of one of the songs titled Extraordinary has already crossed 4 lakh hits on YouTube and sources close to the film unit say that the theatrical trailer will be even better. Directed by Puri Jagannadh, the film stars Pawan Kalyan, Tamannaah, Gabriela and Prakash Raj in lead roles. Mani Sharma has composed the music. DVV Danayya has produced the film under the Universal Media banner.

Richa is all smiles

he principal shooting of Ravi Teja, Kajal and Richa Gangopadhyay starrer Sar Vacharu is currently going on in Ramoji Film City. "Enjoying my song shoot at RFC,dancing to @ThisIsDSP 's 'Racha Rambola'~mass song frm Sar Vacharu! It shud be RICHA rambola hehe ;-P (sic)," Richa tweeted

teasers make a huge splash

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

fashion

ARMANI AIMS TO BOOST BAGS, SHOES OFFER GIORGIO ARMANI is to broaden his line of bags and shoes to meet the growing demand for easy-to-wear and timeless fashion items and boost the Italian designer's profit margins. Sales of accessories are the fastest-growing sector in the luxury goods industry because they offer design pieces that fit wardrobes easily and can be worn for more than a season.

SURABHI CHAUHAN

A myriad

feedback@postnoon.com

Milan Fashion Week - Spring/Summer 2013 Collections is a crucial fashion week where some of the biggest luxury brands showcase their new collections for the upcoming season. We bring some of the noted shows from the past week.

Fendi Dolce & Gabbana

Roberto Cavalli

name is synonymous with bold patterns and animal prints, but for next summer Cavalli is all about keeping the prints minimal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; trousers, shirts and dresses with cut outs and peek-a-boo tailoring in shades of black or white. This collection was every bit bold and sexy, which is expected of the designer, but in a more muted colour palette.

r. Dolce and Mr. Gabanna know how to live life. For summer, they presented a wonderfully playful collection that will transport you to an island vacation automatically â&#x20AC;&#x201D; bright colours, graphic prints, signature 50s brassiere top and pencil skirts, scarf headwear, and big trinket earrings. The unusual and noted looks were the garments made in raffia and jute that will surely make an editorial splash in leading fashion magazines.

Salavatore Feragamo

n accessories sales led brand, Salvatore showed aplenty boots like sandals, jackets, trousers and handbags in luxe leather. So what if the collection is for summer season, the Feragamo woman is always on the move and even in the months of July she can wear her jacket and knee high equestrian inspired heels at a cold climate.

arl Lagerfeld has time and again done the unimaginable task of maintaining the rich heritage of Fendi while giving it a futuristic appeal. This collection was a scientific concoction of 3D shapes, fur, leather, colours and trompe l'oeil. The genius of the brand lies in bringing all these elements together without seeming extreme or hard to pull off.

Bottega Veneta

ottega Veneta creative director Tomas Maier has carefully transformed the brand image to something that is handicraft and appealing to the modern woman. Printed summer dresses with half sleeves and knee length skirt are easy to wear. The accessories were in signature woven leather featuring thin rectangular clutches with leather straps.

KAREENA-INSPIRED ‘HEROINE’ COLLECTION TO GO ONLINE

THE FASHIONapparel brand Jealous 21 has collaborated with the Madhur Bhandarkar directed movie Heroine to create a clothing line inspired by Kareena’s smouldering looks. The much-coveted apparel collection can now be pre-ordered on online shopping portal www.fashionara.com.

22&23

of COLOURS

Versus

ver since young English designer Christopher Kane has been given the job to design Gianni Versace’s sister label ‘Versus’, it has returned to its glory days of eye-ball grabbing garments that cool kids would wear. This collection was about playful short dresses, thick chain necklace and choker and mix of various fun prints.

Jil Sander

il Sander returned to the label she founded in 1968 after an eight year absence. The brand had been flourishing under the design direction of Raf Simons who left last season to join Christian Dior. That doesn’t put the fate of Jil Sander at risk as the original tastemaker of simple design is back on the helm. Jil is known for her unfussy designs with figure flattering shapes. This collection reflected her strong points with due updates for 2013.

Versace

onatella Versace is giving women a breather from second-skin hugging garments with free flowing dresses this summer. Still extremely sexy, the Versace girl will need to be in shape as these garments show hints of skin. Mid riff, legs, back are shoulders are the new erogenous zones as per Donatella and looking at the appeal of the runway looks, it hard to disagree.

Alberta Ferretti Gucci

one are the times when sexy was defined by black only. Gucci’s Spring- Summer collection started with a series of magenta flirty looks. Neatly put-together tailoring defined the Gucci woman as someone who is immaculately dressed while having fun with colours, prints and embroidery. The snakeskin print dresses and monotone black and white looks gave a plenty options for Gucci fans.

oft silks, see through chiffon, lace trimming, moving beads, highlighting sequins and feather detailing — Alberta Ferretti designs are for the romantic woman with very thorough options of silhouettes. Options range from short and long dresses, trousers and blouse, coats and gowns. This collection was predominantly in shades of the ocean – blue and green. The models hair was wet and swept back as if they just walked out of water into their dreamy lives.

Entertainment THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself. Henry Miller

KAKURO

QUICK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.

ACROSS

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

SCRIBBLING PAD

1 Lively party 5 Haul with effort (Var) 10 Cars for hire 14 An English horn is lower than it 15 ‘Blame It on Rio’ star Michael 16 Behold amorously 17 Did a quick recap of 19 Philanderer 20 Outstanding, as a performance 21 Horseshoes score 23 Troublemaking toddler 24 Bucker under a buckaroo 26 ‘... that try ___ souls’ 28 ‘___ whiz’ 29 Smith’s workplace 33 Improve, as one’s skills 34 Fancy sash 36 Grecian art object 37 Over-the-hill pug 38 Scott Joplin piece 39 Fort in Florida? 41 ___ a soul (no one) 42 Wanted poster datum 43 Every streetcar line has one 44 Gloomy atmosphere 45 Jupiter has many 47 Seven, on some clocks 48 City on the western tip of Texas 51 Duke, marquis, earl, etc 55 Big name in synthesisers 56 TV judge parts? 59 Oliver Twist’s entreaty 60 Outlying community 61 Kin to a honk 62 Formicary dwellers 63 Force units 64 Disgusting

DOWN

1 Corner office occupant, often 2 Touch on

3 Nonspecific amount 4 Dress part 5 Metal to be recycled 6 Rapunzel’s most notable feature 7 Clothing designer Claiborne 8 San Francisco to Salt Lake City dir 9 California’s San ___ Bay 10 Pipe material for Frosty the Snowman 11 Waiting with bated breath 12 Down in the dumps shade? 13 Nostradamus, purportedly 18 Money for the needy 22 Prefix with ‘red’ or ‘structure’ 24 Expresses regret 25 Fashion into a new shape 26 Aesopian conclusion 27 Yawner’s feeling 28 Netherlands dollar, once 30 Beyond the suburbs 31 Tree trunk knot 32 Experiencing jitters 33 Luau entertainment 34 Word yelled to halt a stickball game 35 Just manage (with ‘out’) 37 Money in Chihuahua 40 They’re to sue for 41 Kenyan capital 44 Boardwalk attachment 46 Reacted to fireworks 47 Parts of complete sentences 48 Jane Austen novel 49 Bird on a Canadian dollar 50 Good thing to have in a storm 51 Skin breathing unit 52 ‘30 Rock’ co-star Baldwin 53 Carnival weirdo 54 Catch a glimpse of 57 Prefix with ‘sulfide’ or ‘moron’ 58 Convent resident

Chai Time THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 28-9-2012

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You will put in sincere efforts and complete tasks given to you as planned. Never hurt and criticise children. You will realise your mistake when they perform well and show their calibre. Talk with caution as your views could be misinterpreted.

All planned work will get fulfilled with which goals will be achieved. You will be in such a comfortable position that you don't expect any sort of assistance from anyone. Close friends will support you well and help appropriately.

Expenses need to be monitored and kept under control; financial crisis likely. Though money inflow is good, controlling of expenses will keep you going without tension. Avoid taking hasty decision and emotional outbursts.

QUICK CROSSWORD FRED BASSET

Mother's health may be affected but she will recover soon; do not worry. Your talks will do such magic that all your work will get completed without major effort. Marriage of your daughter or sister likely to be performed in a grand manner.

Employees will focus well and discharge duties in a perfect manner and get appreciation. Never allow the confidence to go down. Those trying for a job abroad are advised not to get disheartened as efforts will yield desired results soon.

Self-confidence and willpower are your assets with which you will march ahead and complete all assignments without any delay. Your charisma will help you get favours from all around. Even enemies will be attracted towards you.

Happy events likely to take place in line at home. Father will help and extend support in solving an unexpected problem you face. Friends and relatives will be affectionate towards you. Real-estate deals will be profitable.

Tension and worries likely; do not worry as you will not be affected much. Keep your cool and take the help of yoga and meditation. Newlyweds are fortunate to welcome offspring soon. Health needs to be taken care of. You plan work well.

Those in love will be successful and marry. Your charisma will increase which will do the magic. Those planning to enter the cine field will realise their dream without fail. Try and get rid of the bad habits and take good care of your health.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

King of Cups – It’s the classic tug of war between the he ad and heart. Your heart seems to be telling you to do something irration al but your head cautions against it.

LEO:

Four of Wands – The wait is over. You are now moving, very slowly, toward your goals. You feel excellent about your health and are waiting to charge ahead.

LIBRA:

STONE SOUP

Page of Pentacles – You will see success with your ideas for the moment. But time will tell if these will remain successful in the months to come. Bide your time.

SAGITTARIUS:

Temperance – This is a trying time. People will move away from you and you will be forced to develop a relationship with yourself. Be patient.

TAURUS:

The High Priest – The solutions are right in front of you. Yet, you hesitate to take a call and get into the heart of the matter. Be more practical.

CANCER:

Singles are likely to find someone attractive in an unusual place like a conference or a public place like a bus stop. Strike up a conversation.

VIRGO:

Page of Swords – You may be impulsive. Guard against that if you want to get into the game for the long haul. You need not make decisions right now.

SCORPIO:

Queen of Pentacles – You are happiest in your own world doing your thing. You may even come across as a loner. There will be times when you feel lonely.

CAPRICORN:

Justice – Time will tell, whether your actions have taken you in the right path or not. At the end, justice will be done. You needn’t worry about right and.

SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Five of Pentacles – Some conflict and uncomfortable situation has to be tackled. Stay away from the situation. Do not aggravate it by harsh words and judgment.

NUMBER GAME

There will be many ups and downs on the work front. You will have to battle this, and sometimes, you think this is not going to be worth it.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Six of Wands –

INK PEN

Good events to take place at blood relatives' place and you will be given importance in the function. Children will make you cheerful and proud. They will perform well and earn a good name in their school or college. Avoid interference.

for 28-9-2012

The Tower – Everything is changing forever. This may not be such a bad thing. There will be times when you doubt your own decisions. Use your intuition well.

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE

Minor tension likely between couples; do not magnifying the same to avoid major problems. Be affectionate and do not be rigid. Give necessary support to children and ensure that their wishes are fulfilled. Your values are set to increase.

SUDUKO

Working women will be happy as they get recognition for their hard work at office. Chance of buying a new house or land likely for some. While expressing opinions ensure that no one is hurt. Loan will get sanctioned. Your influence goes up.

Boggle DUCK GOOSE STORK PELICAN Vol: 2, No 72 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, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

BARING IT ALL

CINE BYTES

GAGA L A U N C H E S

fter unflattering photographs of Lady Gaga hit the Internet this month, the 26-year-old pop star admitted to gaining 25 pounds. Now she’s telling her detractors to back off in a major way. On Tuesday, Gaga posted four photographs of herself scantily clad in underwear that plainly showed her body on her website. She then admitted to having suffered from eating disorders as a teenager (“Bulimia and anorexia since I was 15”) and encouraged others to share photographs and stories about their body image issues,

B O D Y

R E V O L U T I O N

in something that she is calling the “Body Revolution.” The online forum can be found on her website, LittleMonsters.com. “Hey Guys its Gaga... Now that the body revolution has begun, be brave and post a photo of you that celebrates your triumph over insecurities,” she wrote. “My mother and I created the BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION for one reason: ‘to inspire bravery’. This profile is an extension of that dream. Be brave and celebrate with us your ‘perceived flaws,’ as society tells us. May we make our flaws famous, and thus

redefine the heinous.” The call to bare all seems to have worked. At the time this article was posted, numerous Gaga fans have posted their own compelling (and sometimes NSFW) photographs on her website, with captions like “My assistant and best friend sonja. Stage 2 breast cancer” and “Gaga has inspired me to share my journey with you even though it’s always been embarrassing for me to show how overweight I was.” Last week, Gaga told radio host Elvis Duran that she was dieting but unfazed by her fuller figure. “I really don’t feel bad about it, not even for a second. I have to be on such a strict diet constantly. It’s hard because it’s a quite vigorous show, so I tend to bulk up, get muscular, and I really don’t like that. So I’m trying to find a new balance.”

Katy Perry named Billboard magazine’s ‘Woman Of The Year’

aty Perry has been named as Billboard magazine’s ‘Woman Of The Year’ for 2012. The singer was described as “one of the most exciting and inspiring artistes in the industry” by the publication’s editorial director Bill Werde. Perry follows in the footsteps of stars such as Taylor Swift, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas and Beyoncé.

Salma Hayek thought marriages never worked

alma Hayek is happily married these days, but looking back, she didn’t believe such a feeling would be possible. “I didn’t think marriage worked,” she tells More in its October issue cover story. “I thought everybody who was married was secretly miserable — that it was something they just put up with for their children.”children.”

European Achievement in World Cinema Award Goes to Helen Mirren

n December 1st in Malta, the European Film Academy will honour Dame Helen Mirren with the “European Achievement in World Cinema 2012” Award for her skillful four decades as an actress. Mirren’s role as Alfred Hitchcock’s wife and collaborator Alma Reville in “Hitchcock” could be her latest foray into awards season.

sports

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

SUBROTO CUP

Kerala school in first final NEW DELHI: MSP Higher Secondary School, Kerala recovered from an early deficit to beat Little Angel Paradise English School, Manipur 4-2 on penalty shootout to qualify for the final of the Under-17 Subroto Cup football tournament here today. The Kerala boys, playing in their maiden semifinal, were trailing by one goal in just the sixth minute when Prikanta directed the ball into the net. MSP struck back through Salman K in the 19th minute to restore parity and then kept things tight to take the match to the penalty shootout. PTI

WTA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

Li eyes season’s last WTA

Samantha Stosur and Marion Bartoli are the other challengers. TOKYO: The 2011 French Open champion Li Na (right) set her sights on the season-ending WTA Championships after her third-round defeat to Caroline Wozniacki in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Wednesday. The championships will be played from October 23 in Istanbul and feature the season’s top eight singles players. China’s Li, the first Asian to win a singles Grand Slam crown, is currently eighth in the world. “I’m now number eight, so it’s very tough. Right now I don’t know (if she can take part

in the championships). I think it will be decided after Beijing,” said the 30-year-old, who has struggled for form since making history last year. I wish I can be in the championships, but I lost

today, so the only chance is that I have to do well next week in Beijing,” she added. The China Open, in Beijing, is next week and provides another chance for Li to boost her rankings points. Li, the seventh seed, went down to former world number one Wozniacki 6-4, 3-6, 4-6. Li was at 3-3 in the final set, but she hit a double-fault on a break point in the following game and was never able to reduce the deficit. “It was a tough match,” said Li. AFP

LEAGUE CRICKET A Division three day league championship DAY 3 BDL 265 drew with Hyd Bottling 258 (Rohan Yadav 68, Nishanth Yadav 78, Arun 3 for 47, Shiv Shankar 4 for 55) MP Colts 186 & 277 for 6 (Danny Derek Prince 100, A Akash 61, B Anirudh 73no, Mehdi Hasan 4 for 97) drew with Ensconse 296 DAY 2 Deccan Chronicle 648 (Praneeth Kumar 65, B Sandeep 165, VE Sandeep Rajan 137, Deepchand 5 for 87) vs Falkhanuma 90 for 2 (Naveen Kumar 54 batting DAY 1 India Cements 156 for 6 (Sandilya 40, D Rushiraj 30) vs R Dayanand A 2 & 3 Division two days league championship

REACHING OUT

DAY 1 Charminar CC 280 for 9 (Ubaid 96, Bhanu 30, MD Ali Qureshi 4 for 61) vs Pasha Beedi Cambridge XI 383 (MA Razzak 83, Mir Jaweed Ali 113, Afzal Biyabani 35, Ilyas Zubaidi 114, Ahmed Askari 7 for 67) vs Saleemnagar DAY 2 New Blues 216 bt Syndicate Bank 171 (G Arvind Kumar 81, N Vijaya Kumar 53, Shadab Tumbi 4 for 18, D Ashrith 4 for 34) Khalsa 200 bt Osmania 105 (Karthik 6 for 20) A4-A11 Division one day league championship Hyd Patriots 175 (Mahmood 33, Ajmer 52, Afzal 30, Sanjay Reddy 3 for 47, Afroze 3 for 26, R Balaji 3 for 39) bt Sungrace 154 (Karunakar 62, Satyanarayana 4 for 32, Srikumar 3 for 28)

Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a shot to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic during their third round match of the Japan Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyoj on Wednesday. Sharapova won the match 6-2 7-6. AP/ PTI

SUCC 169 for 7 (Sohail 47, Naveed 43, Ashwani Singh 3 for 42) lost to Gaganmahal 170 for 6 (Soma Vamshi Reddy 98)

HYDERABAD TRACK WORK

Vijay Kiraan, Swiss Don impress

HYDERABAD: Vijay Kiran, Swis Don, Cristiano, Dream Deal and Silver Crown impressed when horses exercised here this morning. Sand Track 800 Metres Apprise (Imran Khan) Home Town (rb) 1-0, 600/44.5 They finished together. Dream Deal (S Nayak) Silver Crown (K Alam) 53.5, 600/41 They impressed. Handsome Hunk (Anil) Ice wine (Dileep) 56, 600/43 They moved together. Best Pal (Anil) 57, 600/42 Moved well. Silver Lid (app) 57, 600/42.5 Urged. Gold Medal (app) 59, 600/44.5 moved

freely. Over Shadow (Imran Khan) 59, 600/44 Easy. Suchiman (rb) 57, 600/43 Moved on the bit. Snow Bird (Anil) 57.5, 600/44 Moved freely. Racing Queen (Joshi) 55.5, 600/42 Slightly pushed. Uno Mas (Mukesh) 59, 600/45 Easy. Da Xia (Ajit Kumar) 1-2, 600/46 Easy. Flowers Of Music (Ramana) 1-0, 600/45 Moved freely. Nano Star (rb) 58, 600/43 Moved well. Mystical Knight (Joshi) 1-0, 600/46 Easy. Rohini Star (app) 1-0,, 600/44.5 Moved freely. Incredible India (Imran Khan) 58, 600/42 Moved on the bit. Genius Empress (Laxman)

58, 600/44 Moved well. Euphonic (B Shinde) 57.5, 600/44 Urged. Secret Burden (Ravinder Singh) 58, 600/44 Moved freely. Machiavellianism (Joshi) 1-1, 600/46 Easy. Sand Track 1000 Metres Guiding Light (rb) 1-13.5, 800/57.5, 600/44 Moved on the bit. Vijay Kiran (Joshi) 1-8.5, 800/55, 600/42 Impressed. Rustic Gal (Imran Khan) 1-14.5, 800/59, 600/44 Easy. Proof (rb) 1-16.5, 800/1-2, 600/46 Moved freely. Specialist (Ravinder Singh) 113, 800/57.5, 600/43.5 Maintains form. Young Power (Deep Shanker)

1-16, 800/1-0, 600/45 Easy. Rebut (S Nayak) Laughing Eyes (K Alam) 1-10, 800/54.5, 600/40.5 An impressive pair. Sea Runner (rb) Classic Emerald (AK Pawar) 1-13, 800/59, 600/44 They moved together. Smrithiman (app) 1-17.5, 800/1-1, 600/46 Easy. Sand Track 1200 Metres Yakshagana (rb) 1-26.5,1000/110.5, 800/56, 600/43.5 Speedy. Nasheeta (Sreekant) 1-30, 1000/114, 800/59, 600/45 Moved on the bit.

Sand Track 1400 Metres: Twentyfive Pips (rb)1-47, 1200/131.5,1000/1-17, 800/1-3, 600/49 Easy. Cristiano (Imran Khan) Flying Spur (Chary) 1-42.5, 1200/1-25, 1000/1-10,800/55, 600/41.5 Former put up a pleasing display and finished 5 lengths in front. Sand Track 1600 Metres Swiss Don (Imran Khan) Don Valentino (Ravinder Singh) 1-56.5, 1400/1-40.5, 1200/1-25.5, 1000/1-11, 800/57, 600/43.5 Former easily finished 4lengths in front.

sports

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

RYDER CUP, 2012 (SEPTEMBER 28-30)

Captains give final touches to teams Captains Davis Love and Jose Maria Olazabal were seen putting final touches to their respective teams seeking the magic formula that would hopefully bring glory. ALLAN KELLY Agence France-Presse CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Ryder Cup captains Davis Love and Jose Maria Olazabal were putting the final touches to their Ryder Cup teams on Wednesday seeking the magic formulae that would bring glory on Sunday. The US team, led by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, but with four rookies adding a note of uncertainty, will start as slight favourites as golf’s most spectacular tournament comes to Chicago for the first time. With the exception of the Jim Furyk, all the US players are in the world top 20. But Europe have recent history on their side, having won six out of the last

Piers bets Bill Clinton over Ryder Cup LOS ANGELES: US-based British chat show host Piers Morgan has bet Bill Clinton $100 that Europe is going to “hammer” the Americans and win the biennial Ryder Cup golf tournament at the weekend. Morgan, who interviewed the former US president on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, said he was confident of winning the bet, which was for charity. “The Europeans are going to hammer the Americans, so I just won $100 off Bill Clinton basically, that’s what it boils down to,” the former tabloid newspaper editor told celebrity news website TMZ. The 39th edition of golf’s biggest team event gets under way on Friday, in what is being billed as a tight match. AFP

Jose Maria Olazabal with Sergio Garcia during the third preview day of The 39th Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Golf Club Wednesday in Medinah, Illinois. JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY IMAGES/AFP

eight contests dating back to 1995 and four out of the last five. World No.1 Rory McIlroy is the undoubted European star, but three others — Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Justin Rose are in the top five. Eight out of the 12-strong European team have winning records in the Ryder Cup, none of the Americans do so. Davis Love has taken a leaf out of the booklet of Paul Azinger, who captained the last US victory at Valhalla, Kentucky four years ago, in choosing a birdie-friendly course that can fire up the Chicago crowds, while trying to instill a freewheeling sense of fun and derring-do in his players. Mickelson is convinced Love has got it just right.

Steve leads by example Steve Stricker earned his first Ryder Cup cap at 41 and though the oldest player in the ’12 Ryder Cup, he still thinks he still has a lot to learn. GREG HEAKES Agence France-Presse CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Steve Stricker earned his first Ryder Cup cap at 41 and even now as the oldest player in the 2012 Ryder Cup he still thinks of himself as someone who has a lot to learn. “I feel like I’m an old kind of rookie, even though I’ve played in three of these, it’s still a learning experience,” said the 45-year-old Stricker, who is making his third consecutive Ryder Cup appearance this week. Both Stricker and Woods have made no secret that they enjoy playing together in these team events and their record reinforces that.

They formed a formidable partnership in Presidents Cups and in the most recent Ryder Cup in 2010 in Wales where

they went 2-1-0. Stricker says he doesn’t expect any of the four rookies to come to him for advice this week but if asked he will gladly give his opinions. “I do my thing. I’m quiet,” Stricker said. “If somebody asks my opinion or asks me a question, I’ll offer it up. But I’m not one who’s going to be overbearing and be at the forefront. “I try to be a good team player and if somebody were to ask me a few things here or there, I’d surely love to help anybody out who’s asking for it. Those guys have been around the block way more than I have, Jim (Furyk) and Tiger (Woods) and Phil (Mickelson).”

Phil knows to pick his spots CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Phil Mickelson hopes to create another chapter in his lengthy Ryder Cup career and erase any notion that the US teams don’t bond together as solidly as their European counterparts. The 40-year-old Mickelson is making his ninth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance, a record for a US player. “It would be a great misperception to think that the US team didn’t gel or get along and that led to poor play,” Mickelson said after his practice round on Wednesday. Europe has won or retained nine of the last 13 Ryder Cups, including the last one in 2010 at Celtic Manor, Wales. “I think the veterans need to feed off the younger players as much as the young players need a little bit of guidance from the experienced players,” Mickelson said. “Our highlights, our moments that we look back on in the Ryder Cup are ‘99 and ‘08, the two times we have won. We want to create another memory, another special week.” AFP

CHESS

Anand held by leader Caruana SAO PAULO (BRAZIL): World Champion Viswanathan Anand could not break the ice for the third day running and drew with Fabiano Caruana of Italy in the third round of fifth Final Chess Masters. Anand, in fact, had to defend for a long time against the youngest participant here and it was only after a stubborn defense that the Indian ace could force a draw. Draws were the order of the day as Levon Aronian did not find a way to break through the defenses of Francisco Vallejo Pons while Magnus Carlsen was held to a draw by Sergey Karjakin. As a result, the lead positions remained unchanged and Caruana continues to top the tables on seven points. AFP

sports

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

TWENTY20 WORLD CUP

Serious business begins

With the minnows out of the way, the serious business has begun. And it could be anyone’s title from now on. Twelfth Man Babu Kalyanpur

pinners are beginning to assert themselves as the T20 World Cup enters a crucial stage. It is a credit to the Sri Lankan groundsmen that they provided livelier pitches with good bounce and carry. But they are now beginning to offer spin. With the minnows out of the way, the serious business starts. And it could be anyone’s title from now on. The defending champions England have got off to the worst start possible. Beating Afghanistan was expected and easy. But India proved a different cup of tea. They were spun out for a mere 80 as their batsmen fumbled. This once again proves that their best player, Kevin Pietersen, who is sitting in the experts panel, should have been on the field. The battle between the English board and the star player has gone on too long. Large egos must be surrendered for the cause of the game. The inexperienced middle-order must use their feet judiciously if they need to conquer spin. Mere wafts and reverse sweeps won’t get them anywhere. On the other hand, India have not exactly set the stadium on fire. The main problem lies with the batting. It was not a good idea to leave out Virendra Sehwag for the England match. Sehwag has not hit top form yet and the more matches he plays, the better it will be. India must post good scores if they want to win the Cup. With the strong batting line-up, bigger scores are expected. Though the bowling has held up so far, It will be tested against the bigger teams. Spin won’t be much of a worry with all those in this department doing well. Ravichandran Ashwin must be persisted with despite Harbhajan Singh’s fine return. Even both could play as the pacemen as not exactly sizzling at the

SNIPPETS Narine is our trump card: Sammy PALLEKELE: West Indian captain Darren Sammy admitted off-spinner Sunil Narine will be his trump card to exploit England’s weakness against slow bowlers in the Super Eights match here on Thursday. England, defending the World Twenty20 title they won in the Caribbean two years ago, crashed to their heaviest T20 defeat of 90 runs in their first round match against India, with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh grabbing 4-12. And that prompted Sammy to raise more hopes with Narine. “Sunil is our trump card, he’s done well for us in that format, hopefully he could have a big impact on the English batting line-up,” said Sammy of the spinner who has made a big impact at T20 level. AFP

Sri Lanka wait on Mendis’s fitness

moment. Sri Lanka are yet to be seriously tested. The return of Ajantha Mendis has boosted the hosts but there is a fitness doubt over him. South Africa, New Zealand and West Indies have progressed, showing good form. However, with spin now certain to play a big part, they will have to rethink strategies. With Chris Gayle in the groove, West Indies can really build their innings around him. Sunil Naraine is still confusing batsmen but he will tested by the Subcontinent teams. New Zealand have started well with Brendon McCullum and skipper Ross Taylor in full flow. But McCullum must open if the Kiwis seek to progress. South Africa have also not faced a tough situation yet but have looked good. The teams to watch out for will be Pakistan and Australia. They have turned it on when it matters. Pakistan have got their combination right. They have an awesome spinning combination with Saeed Ajmal as the

leader of the pack. The only worry seems to be the loss of form of paceman Umar Gul. But he has the backing of skipper Mohammed Hafeez. The return of Imran Nazir at the top has given impetus. Pakistan now can make use of aggression in the powerplay instead of waiting for the last few overs. Lowly-ranked Australia have sprung a surprise. They seem to have learnt a few things about the shortest version of the game. The top order has been in cracking form. Shane Watson has been the biggest influence. He has batted and bowled well and looks on top of his game. The bowling has also looked good, with Mitchell Starc the surprise packet. However, the bowlers must not try intimidating tactics and keep to line and length against the others. If the middle-order contributes, then Australia are serious contenders. And what makes it better is that the Australian know how to win.

PALLEKELE, SRI LANKA: Hosts Sri Lanka hope their magician spinner Ajantha Mendis recovers in time to face New Zealand in their opening Super Eights match at Pallekele on Thursday. The 25-year-old spinner took 6-8 against Zimbabwe -- the best figures in all Twenty20 cricket -- in a group D match before a side strain ruled him out of his team’s second outing, against South Africa at Hambantota. Team manager Charith Senanayake said Mendis’s progress will be monitored, while coach Graham Ford feared it would be a big blow if Mendis fails to recover. “With the way he bowled and the Xfactor he brings, it would be a big blow,” said Ford. AFP

India 3rd on ICC T20 rankings COLOMBO: Riding on their huge win over England in the group stages of the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, India jumped four places to claim the third position in the Reliance ICC T20 Championship table, which was released today. India spanked defending champions England by 90 runs in a Group A match, which propelled Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men to 116 rating points. The crushing defeat meant England slipped a position to second spot with 124 ratings points. South Africa head into the Super Eight stage as the number-one ranked team. Meanwhile, Suresh Raina is the lone Indian to feature in the top 10 list for the T20I Player Rankings for batsmen. PTI

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

sports

TOTTI IS SERIE A’S THIRD TOP ALL-TIME SCORER

Club icon Francesco Totti scored his 216th goal in Italy’s top flight, all for Roma, to become the third top scorer in Serie A on Wednesday. Totti gave Roma lead against Sampdoria at the Olympic stadium. The 35-year-old joins Jose Altafini and Giuseppe Meazza in third place on 216 goals.

LEAGUE CUP

United beat Newcastle, holders Liverpool advance

Arsenal hit Coventry for six

United, looking to win the League Cup for the fifth time, made a host of changes from the side that won at Liverpool on Sunday. STEVE GRIFFITHS Agencie France-Presse LONDON: Manchester United moved into the League Cup fourth round with a 2-1 win over Newcastle, while holders Liverpool fought back to seal a 2-1 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday. Despite many changes United still fielded a strong side including Wayne Rooney, back from a month out with a thigh injury, and Darren Fletcher, who was starting for the first time in 10 months after recovering from a bowel condition. United’s Anderson broke the deadlock in the 44th minute when the Brazilian midfielder drove his shot past Rob Elliot. Tom Cleverley put United further ahead in the 58th minute as the England midfielder curled home his first goal for United. Papiss Demba Cisse came off the bench to reduce the deficit with a header four minutes later, but Sir Alex Ferguson’s side survived a late barrage of Newcastle pressure to go through. “I’m very pleased,” Ferguson said. “Newcastle probably had a stronger team than us physically but we played some fantastic football and I think we deserved to win.”

Man United’s English forward Wayne Rooney (C) vies for the ball with Newcastle United’s Argentinean defender Fabricio Coloccini in the match. AFP

Rooney relieved to be back after horror injury GRAHAM CHASE Agencie France-Presse MANCHESTER: Wayne Rooney believes he is ready to return to Premier League action after making his comeback from a horrific thigh injury in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Newcastle in the League Cup third round. The England striker, 26, suffered a deep gash to his thigh in the 3-2 win over

Fulham in August that left blood gushing from the wound and needed hospital treatment. Rooney was sidelined for a month, missing four matches, while the injury healed, but he returned with a 76-minute appearance as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side earned a fourth round trip to Chelsea with a victory against Alan Pardew’s side at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Rooney added: “I feel good, obviously it’s always difficult in your first game back after a few weeks but it’s great to get the minutes under my belt and hopefully that can benefit me.” At the Hawthorns, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool made a terrible start when Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones spilled a freekick and Gabriel Tamas pounced to score from close range in the third minute. But Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin equalised in the 17th minute with his first Liverpool goal, a long-range effort that Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster should have saved. And Sahin ensured Liverpool, who made 11 changes from the United defeat, stole the victory when the on-loan Real Madrid star turned in Oussama Assaidi’s cross in the 82nd minute. “It was an outstanding performance,” Rodgers said. “I’m not surprised as our performance level has been good all season. It’s great to see the kids playing with confidence. We fully deserved the win.” Olivier Giroud finally ended his long wait to score his first Arsenal goal as the Gunners crushed League One strugglers Coventry 6-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

SET IN STONE

LONDON: Olivier Giroud (above) ended his Arsenal goal drought as the Gunners swept into the League Cup fourth round with a 6-1 demolition of Coventry at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. Giroud had gone six matches without scoring following his pre-season move from Montpellier, but the France striker was finally on the scoresheet with the first goal of Arsenal’s emphatic third-round win. Even though he netted his long-awaited first Arsenal goal, it was still a far from convincing evening for Giroud who wasted a chance to double his goal tally when his second half penalty was saved. Arsenal were still far too strong for League One strugglers Coventry and further goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrey Arshavin, Ignasi Miquel and Theo Walcott, who struck twice, emphasised the hosts’ superiority. AFP

OBITUARY

France immortalises Zidane headbutt with 5m statue

PARIS: The infamous headbutt that French football legend Zinedine Zidane landed on an Italian during a World Cup final has been transformed into a giant statue and displayed in front of the Pompidou Centre in Paris. The bronze work of art, simply titled ‘Headbutt’, was Wednesday attracting crowds of tourists and locals who jos-

tled to have their photos taken in front of the fivemetre (16-foot) statue. The sculpture is by Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed, subject of a retrospective exhibition in the Pompidou from October 3 until next January. “This statue goes against the tradition of making statues in honour of certain victories. It is an ode to defeat,”

said exhibition organiser Alain Michaud. A much smaller version of the statue was previously exhibited by a New York art gallery. Zidane, who holds legendary status in France as a member of the national teams that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was sent off in the 2006 WC final for headbutting Marco Materazzi. AFP

Ex-City boss John Bond dies LONDON: One of the most colourful club managers in English football from the 1970’s and 1980’s John Bond died on Wednesday aged 79. Bond — always dapperly dressed and often seen smoking a cigar — was known for his teams pleasing football style and was instrumental in turning unfashionable Norwich City into an established First Division (now the Premier League) side in the 1970’s.