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The Hindu : y>Launch The hatchback will be out next year

Renault has given the green light to the Sandero hatchback which is due for launch in 2009-10 financial year.

The original plan was to build the Sandero in Renault-Nissan’s all-new manufacturing facility near Chennai.

However, with the current slowdown in the automobile industry, Renault-Nissan is going slow on its Greenfield facility.

Contrary to market speculations that Logan production would also be shifted to Chennai, it is obvious that both the Logan and the Sandero could be manufactured in M&M’s Nashik facility.

Plans to produce the estate version of the Logan, the MCV, in Nashik have been shelved. As a result, there is sufficient capacity for both the Logan saloon and Sandero hatchback.

Producing both cars in the same plant makes logistics easy as both share many components, notably the 1.5litre dCI diesel. However, the Sandero will get its own 1.2 litre petrol motor to meet the small car norms.

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The Hindu :

Healthy food contributes to a successful pregnancy

Photo: K.K. MustafahSupplement Vegetarians don’t get much iron

You are pregnant and you are a vegetarian. Well, life just got complicated for everybody — you, your physician, and your dietician. Nutritional advice depends largely on what kind of vegetarian you are: do you eat eggs?

Do you take milk? You are indeed eating for two when pregnant, but you need just 10 percent more calories than usual.

All nutrient needs increase only modestly. For example, most pregnant women need only an extra 10 gram of protein per day — the amount present in a large glass of milk. The best veggie sources of protein are a mixture of cereals and legumes/ lentils, milk, nuts and eggs.

Iron: Let us be upfront about this: vegetarian foods suck when it comes to providing iron.

Although whole grains, leafy greens, dried fruit, legumes and tofu are, on the face of it, good sources, the iron is poorly absorbed from plant foods. Taking iron-rich foods with orange juice or limejuice or a Vitamin C pill helps, but usually not enough to avoid iron supplements.

Calcium: Leafy greens, milk, tofu, soymilk, vegetables, figs and fortified foods are good sources, but even here, absorption is a problem. Getting enough Vitamin D, necessary for utilisation of calcium, is a concern in a pregnant vegetarian.

Luckily, milk provides Vitamin D in good amounts; avoid supplements unless prescribed by your physician.

Folic acid: Vital for foetal brain development and guess what, found predominantly in fresh fruit and vegetables. About 400 microgram per day is the minimum, and getting it is a cinch if you are taking enough fresh fruit daily.

Realistically speaking, most pregnant vegetarians will need supplemental iron, calcium, and maybe a multivitamin.

Basic food restrictions of pregnancy apply even to vegetarians: no alcohol or tobacco, and limit coffee intake to two cups per day.

RAJIV M.

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The Hindu : y>

Two guys were roaring down the road on a motorcycle when the driver slowed up and pulled over.

His leather jacket had a broken zipper, and he told his friend, “I can’t drive anymore with the air hitting me in the chest like that.”

“Just put the jacket on backwards,” his friend advised.

They continued down the road but around the next bend, they lost control and wiped out. A nearby farmer came to the accident spot and then ran to call the police.

The police asked him, “Are they showing any signs of life?” “Well,” the farmer explained, “the driver was until I turned his head around the right way!”

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The Hindu : y>

Jolly season The children pose with Santa

It is the season to be jolly and deck the halls with boughs of holly. While the recession has put paid to conspicuous consumerism, there is no bar on spreading festive cheer. Nuance Group and Shoppers stop, who operate the duty free and retail areasat the Bangalore International Airport celebrated Christmas by organising a special tour of the airport for children from St. Patrick’s orphanage on December 24.

The children were led by Santa, who showed them the facilities at the airport and shops. Carol singing is an integral part of Christmas and the children sang carols and were gifted toys and chocolates.

The children also enjoyed the attractions at the children’s corner. The event was supported by Mattel Toys and Disney toys. Snacks were provided to the children. Transport was provided by the airport.

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The Hindu : y>Himanshu Pandya gets a taste of Fiat 500 Abarth’s smooth performance and striking interiors

Lot to rave about The Abarth has disc brakes all around and a very clever Torque Transfer Control system

It’s 9in the morning and it’s already collar-wetting hot. My day started about four hours ago, so I’m feeling a bit washed out and in real need of a strong cuppa.

That’s till this little bit of wickedness blares up to the forecourt. Coffee forgotten, grogginess washed away, heat ignored, smile enhanced.

The Abarth 500 glints under a glaring Indian sun. The first clue of this car’s sporting intent comes from the 205/40 ZR17 Pirelli PZero Neros. The Lamborghini Diablo and the Ferrari F40 used PZeros. The Ferrari 599GTB and the Porsche 911 use PZero rubber.

The next clue comes from the bulging chin. It’s bulging because behind it is the air-to-air intercooler. It feeds the turbocharger with cool air.

You can do this all day with the Abarth 500. It looks so delicious, you want to walk around it, picking out that diffuser at the rear, the twin tailpipes, that deep-set chin and those Abarth ‘Scorpion’ badges plastered around the car. What you won’t find is a Fiat badge.

It’s a sign. A sign to tell you that this isn’t a regular Fiat. It’s a 500 with a 1.4-litre, 16-valve, 136bhp turbo-petrol. It’s a 500 that weighs 1,035 kilos. It’s a 500 that almost matches the power to weight ratio of a BMW 325i. There’s a Sport mode which lifts the maximum torque peak from 19kgm to 21kgm and makes power delivery a little more peaky too. Let’s do some driving.

Founder Carlo Abarth was a bit of a nut. He’d stuff big motors into small cars. Whether they fit or not was another matter, but some ran with their engine lids propped open to keep them cool. So, to say I have expectations…More

The Hindu : y>The Autumn-Winter line of the label Gaba will be showcased

Collage, is the venue for a display of designer wear collections. Aneeth Arora and Chinar Farooqui, with their label Gaba, are going to display their autumn winter 08 line “Kala Safed”.

Kala Safed, is said to be inspired by tradition Indian textile making and has used the craft of various weavers and dyers from Chanderi, Maheshwar, Bengal and Kutch. The collection offers empire-waisted dresses, layered smock tops, double layered tunics, flared trapeze dresses, crushed fabric and textured shirts in tones of blacks, greys, whites and off whites. This collection is a perfect blend of Indian craftsfor the person who appreciates the beauty of traditional work but with trendy and contemporary styling. The exhibition starts today at 10 a.m. Collage is at Wood Street and can be contacted on 25566818/9.

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The Hindu : y>

T. KRITHIKA REDDY picks out some news-making trends and moments of 2008

Think 2008. A montage of images unspools. Flowing feminine dresses and neatly edited tunics. Glocal sensibility that allowed the teaming of Jodhpur pants with a Gucci shirt. Return of the metallics. Madhur Bhandarkar’s “Fashion” that gave the fraternity sleepless nights and the audience disturbed sleep. India’s first Couture Week and New Delhi’s parallel fashion weeks. And finally, the meltdown of style.

All ‘dress’ed up

Dresses and more slinky dresses. That seemed to be the key trend in 2008. Call it shift dress, slip dress, shirt dress or just simple feminine dress. Dresses ruled the runways and filled store racks. Hemlines rose and fell, and designers gave vent to their creativity with classic, girlie silhouettes. Sculpted red carpet gowns in flattering fabrics too made a hip statement.

Time for tunics

A spin-off from the current mix-and-match sensibility in fashion, the tunics became a hot trend in 2008. Abbreviated to varied lengths and teamed with leggings, salwar or jeans, it took style-watchers away from fashion’s humdrum steps.

Bling bang theory? What?

Yes, bling took a backseat. Instead came subtle surface ornamentation and interesting departures with textures and prints. Fringing was a dominant feature and so were ruffles. From ethnic African and Japanese prints to abstract graphic designs, it was prints charming all the way as designers turned to experiments with fabric rather than over-embellishing clothes to make them look like wall-hangings! And guess what, metallics are back.

Glocal, the way to go

Mix global with local to get the “glocal” look. That’s the result of the new synergy between fashion and lifestyle. As people travelled continents, switched homes and juggled cultures, glocal was the way to go in 2008. Fashionistas made a statement teaming Capri with kurta and kimono with jeans. Floor-grazing African skirt with cling-fit Gaultier jacket. Fashion is no longer about single references. It’s about putting together…More

The Hindu : y>Some of the happening New Year’s Eve gigs

Taj Hotels, Bangalore, celebrates New Year with a delectable gourmet experience for its diners. Blue Ginger offers a five-course feast paired with wines for Rs. 9,000 for a couple while it costs Rs 8,000 for a couple at the Masala Klub. For reservations call 66933333 and ask for the festivity desk.

The Gateway Hotel is offering dinner for Rs. 2,500 for a couple while the New Year’s buffet is priced at Rs. 750. Call 6660 4545 for details.

Taj Residency’s café Mozaic will have a buffet for Rs. 6,000 for a couple and Rs. 4,000 per person. Call 66604273.

*** Leela Palace is organising a party at Citrus and Zen with a buffet at Jamavar. For reservations call 30571190.

*** Limelight and Seasons Hall and Lawns at Royal Orchid Hotel will host the Wild Wild West themed New Year Party from 8 p.m. There will be buffet counters with barbeque stations. Entry is priced at Rs. 2,999 per person and Rs. 999 for children below the age of five years. The stay package is priced at Rs. 6,999 which includes the main event, room, wine bottle and breakfast. The Geoffrey’s is also hosting a party with celebrity DJs and belly dancers along with tarot readers. For reservation call 25205566 / 9902000086.

*** K4 networks presents INSPIRE-2009, a New Year Bash December 31, 9 p.m. The party includes music and non stop dancing at the Royal Orchid Resort, New Airport Road, Yelahanka. The evening will feature International DJ like DJ Dan Booth (U.K.) with popular Indian DJ’s. There will be international fire dancers, fire jugglers, fashion show and a show by illusionist. Passes are priced at Rs. 2,999 per couple, while special passes come at Rs. 4,999 per couple. For details call Kiran Barker on 9844971068/9900807291.

*** Oakwood Premier Prestige celebrates New Year with a gala dinner at its fine dining restaurant,…More

The Hindu : y>Suzuki and Subaru withdraw from world rally championship

The world rally championship is in crisis following the shocking withdrawals by Suzuki and Subaru. This leaves only Citroen and Ford as manufacturer teams for the 2009 season.

Suzuki and Subaru have both claimed that the global economic turmoil is the reason for their pullout from the sport, although it is believed that their lack of performance could also be a contributing factor.

This was Suzuki’s first year of competition in the WRC, although it has been present in the junior championship, and says it will continue to support teams in the series.

For 2009, Subaru world rally team was considering running four cars, including one for Marcus Gronholm, who was expected to make a return to WRC. However, the PWRC programme with Group N cars will not be affected, which means Team Sidvin India, which runs a Subaru, should not have a problem.

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The Hindu : y>Adopt a new housekeeping style in the New Year. Here’s some advice on the clearing process

Photo: S. Ramesh KurupMinimalist style Let go of objects and nagging emotions that you don’t use. Move ahead

Homemakers what about a clutter-free home at the beginning of the year? Maybe this could be your New Year resolution or better still a new mantra for housekeeping in 2009! De-cluttering has to be handled delicately as one man’s clutter is another man’s treasure. Hence involve the entire family in the clearing process.

The first step to de-clutter your home is to get yourself into the mood for it. You can switch to your favourite music on your ipod, savour a chocolate to perk up your spirits and you are ready for the plunge!

Start with a small area and hop on to the next only after the first one is completed. If it is a cupboard which you want to clear out, empty the contents completely and put back only what you really use. If you are the type who has preserved your daughter’s one eared toy doggie or your son’s Enid Blyton series for your grandchildren, you are in for disappointment. Today’s kids detest sepia toned stuff and prefer branded ones.

Small-sized dresses, which have been preserved for the D-day when you down the scales can be given away. You can indulge in new ones when the ultimate happens. All the clothes to be given away can be kept in cartons and handed over to the orphanages. Once you decide to let go of old stuff you must get them out of your house as fast as possible. Mother Superior Sr. Roslin of Bethsaida convent says, “Many good Samaritans visit us to give away their used clothes, which come in handy for our inmates.”

As we get older we accumulate a lifetime of memories and tend to associate each…More