Community

P6
P20
Community
South Africa’s
biggest rock
band, The
Parlotones, is all
set to perform
in Doha on
June 3.
Community
Pakistan Arts
Society-Qatar
is organising
a one-day Career
Counselling
Session this
weekend.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Sha’baan 18, 1437 AH
DOHA
30°C—39°C TODAY
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 13
PUZZLES 14 & 15
Woman of
substance
COVER
STORY
Croatian Deputy Speaker Vesna Pusić,
who’s vying to become the next UNSG,
on the ideals of peace, possible energy
co-operation with Qatar, and more. P4-5
2
GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
ROUND & ABOUT
PRAYER TIME
Fajr
Shorooq (sunrise)
Zuhr (noon)
Asr (afternoon)
Maghreb (sunset)
Isha (night)
3.18am
4.45am
11.31am
2.56pm
6.18pm
7.48pm
USEFUL NUMBERS
Emergency
999
Worldwide Emergency Number
112
Kahramaa – Electricity and Water
991
Local Directory
180
International Calls Enquires
150
Hamad International Airport
40106666
Labor Department
44508111, 44406537
Mowasalat Taxi
44588888
Qatar Airways
44496000
Hamad Medical Corporation
44392222, 44393333
Qatar General Electricity and
Water Corporation
44845555, 44845464
Primary Health Care Corporation
44593333
44593363
Qatar Assistive Technology
Centre
44594050
Qatar News Agency
44450205
44450333
Q-Post – General Postal
Corporation
44464444
Sarbjit
GENRE: Biography, Drama
CAST: Shiwani Saini, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Randeep
Hooda
DIRECTION: Omung Kumar
SYNOPSIS: Biopic of Sarabjit Singh, a farmer residing
THEATRES: The Mall,
Royal Plaza
ote Unquote
u
Q There are two
Community Editor
Kamran Rehmat
e-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 44466405
Fax: 44350474
THEATRES: The Mall, Royal Plaza
Wyrmwood: Road of the
Dead
GENRE: Comedy, Horror
CAST: Jay Gallagher,
Bianca Bradey, Leon Burchill
DIRECTION: Kiah
Roache-Turner
SYNOPSIS: Barry is
a talented mechanic and
family man whose life is
torn apart on the eve of a
zombie apocalypse. His
sister, Brooke, is kidnapped
by a sinister team of gasmask wearing soldiers
& experimented on by a
psychotic doctor. Zombies
invade the Australian
Outback in this brainsplattered, Mad Max-meetsthe-undead thrill ride.
Humanitarian Services Office
(Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)
Ministry of Interior
40253371, 40253372,
40253369
Ministry of Health
40253370, 40253364
Hamad Medical Corporation
40253368, 40253365
Qatar Airways
40253374
kinds of people, those who
do the work and those who take the
credit. Try to be in the first group;
there is less competition there.
— Indira Gandhi
at Bhikiwind, Punjab, near the Indo-Pak border, crossed
the border after having a couple of drinks. However, he was
mistaken to be an Indian spy and was sentenced to capital
punishment.
Mall Cinema (1): This Time
(Tagalog) 11.30am; Pettson And
Findus (2D) 1.30pm; Ratchet & Clank
(2D) 3.15pm; Wyrmwood: Road Of
The Dead (2D) 5pm; Correspondence
(2D) 6.30pm; This Time (Tagalog)
8.45pm; King Liar (Malayalam)
10.45pm.
Mall Cinema (2): Our Kind Of
Traitor (2D) 12noon; King Liar
(Malayalam) 2pm; Angry Birds Movie
(2D) 5pm; Hassan Wa Baqloz (Arabic)
7pm; Our Kind Of Traitor (2D) 9pm;
X-men Apocalypse (2D) 11pm.
Mall Cinema (3): X-Men Apocalypse
(2D) 11.30am; Sarbjit (Hindi) 2pm;
The Jungle Book (2D) 4.15pm;
(2D) 5pm; This Time (Tagalog) 7pm;
Hassan Wa Baqloz (Arabic) 9pm;
Sarbjit (Hindi) 11pm.
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3):
X-Men Apocalypse (2D) 6pm; X-Men Wyrmwood: Road Of The Dead
Apocalypse (2D) 8.30pm; Maruthan (2D) 12noon; Pettson And Findus
(Tamil) 11pm.
(2D) 1.30pm; The Jungle Book (2D)
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1):
3.15pm; Correspondence (2D) 5pm;
X-Men Apocalypse (2D) 11.15am;
Our Kind Of Traitor (2D) 7.15pm;
Angry Birds Movie (2D) 2pm; Ratchet Correspondence (2D) 9.15pm; Our
& Clank (2D) 3.45pm; Captain
Kind Of Traitor (2D) 11.30pm.
America: Civil War (2D) 5.30pm;
Asian Town Cinema: King Liar
X-Men Apocalypse (2D) 8pm; X-Men (Malayalam) 4.30, 6.30, 7.30, 9.30, 10,
Apocalypse (2D) 10.45pm.
10.30pm; Jacobinte Swargarajyam
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2):
(Malayalam) 7pm; Brahmot Savam
Ratchet & Clank (2D) 11.30am; Sarbjit (Telugu) 7pm; Maruthu (Tamil) 10pm
(Hindi) 2.30pm; Angry Birds Movie
& 12.45am.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Practical Budgeting for Non-Finance
DATE: May 29-30
TIME: 8:30am-4pm
VENUE: TBC Doha
The course will enable participants to
learn how companies move from creating a
strategic plan to translating this plan into
budgets and thereafter implementing and
monitoring the actual performance.
Shifting Sands
DATE: Until July 7
VENUE: Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim
Museum, Alsamariyah
MA students of UCL Qatar are organising
and curating an exhibition as part of
UCLQurates. In the very recent past, Qatar
has undergone a significant transformation;
through these developments, people have
had to adapt to the changing landscape in
which they live.
Arabic Calligraphy
DATE: May 27, 28
TIME: 5pm
VENUE: Katara
Katara organises A Journey to the art
of Roqaa Arabic calligraphy workshop by
Syrian calligrapher Nasser al-Hamwi. On
the subject of the workshop, it will provide
opportunities for beginners who are
interested in Arabic calligraphy to discover
this beautiful art through Roqaa Arabic
calligraphy. The workshop is based on
practical exercises aimed at demonstrating
how to compose the Roqaa clipped letters
made of short, straight lines and simple
curves, as well as its straight and even
lines of text in a grammatically correct,
beautiful, balanced and co-ordinated
manner.
Al Gannas
DATE: Until Oct 30
TIME: 9am -11:30am
VENUE: Al Gannas Society
Al Gannas Association is participating in the ‘Our culture is a school’ programme by
organising many activities for the students every Monday and Wednesday of the week.
These activities include explanations on hunting and related tools, kinds of falcons and
preys, in addition to workshop on how to carry a falcon, set a traditional tent (made of goat
& camel hair), prepare traditional Arabic coffee, etc.
Dance Classes with Salsa n Candela
VENUE: Hilton Hotel-West Bay
Salsa n Candela offers variety of dance
classes for kids and adults at Hilton Hotel,
Eforea Spa Studio, such as Salsa, Bachata,
Kizomba, Swing, Tango and Greek classes.
Price at QR60 per class per person.
Guided Family Art Visits
DATE: May 28 and June 4
TIME: 3pm
VENUE: Qatar Museums
Guided family visits are led by the Public
Art education team at Qatar Museums
Gallery ALRIWAQ. Children and parents
will explore the exhibition together.
This will be followed by an art-making
workshop. The children will make their
own clay sculpture. The workshops are
being held from 3-5pm every Saturday until
June 4.
Equestrian, Camels and Falcons
Exhibition
DATE: May 26, 27
TIME: 10am
VENUE: Doha Exhibition and
Convention Center
Nawasi is the first and only exhibition
to be held in Qatar, focusing on horses,
camel and falcon equipment. Poised
to be held at the Doha Exhibition and
Convention Center (DECC), Nawasi
will energise equestrianism, camel and
falconry industries and blaze a trail that
carries these arts to a higher level of
practice enjoyment. The exhibition will
accommodate more than 150 premier
exhibitors with cutting edge technology
and equipment from Qatar, GCC, Mena and
from all over the world.
3
COMMUNITY
ROUND & ABOUT
EVENTS
GULF TIMES
Skydive Qatar
DATE: Until May 31
VENUE: Al Khor Airport
For the first time in Qatar, everyone will
get a chance to experience skydiving with
a team of certified skydivers to jump from
approximately 13,000ft high. Participation
fees: QR1899 for individuals, including
photos and a video footage of before, after
and during the jump. Tickets are available
online, at Lagoona Mall, Qatar Foundation
and Virgin Mega Stores.
Interpretations Art Exhibition
DATE: May 26-June 6
TIME: 10am- 9pm
VENUE: Katara Art Center, Building 5
The International School of London
Qatar’s Visual Arts Department inaugural
exhibition will take place in the Katara Arts
Center from May 26– June 6. The works of
the ‘Interpretation’ exhibition represents
a wide range of ages and stages of artistic
development and are selected from the
school’s IB Middle Years and Diploma Years
Programmes students. It is through sensory
exploration and interaction that students
learn to explore their feelings and confirm
their understanding of the world through
the senses.
Karting & Mini Moto Track
DATE: Until July 1
TIME: 6:30pm
VENUE: Losail International Circuit
Starting tomorrow, the Karting and Mini
Moto Track will be open every Thursday
and Friday until July 1 after which the track
will close until further notice. QR100 per
session of 15 minutes. Helmet mask QR15 –
not refundable.
QSports Summer Camp
DATE: June 19-Sept 1
TIME: 8am-1pm
VENUE: Al Jazeera Academy
Registration for QSports Summer Camp
2016 is now open. QSports summer camps
are committed to providing a safe, fun and
skill-based experience for kids between the
ages of four and 14. We have a dedicated team
of specialist kid’s coaches and classes and
activities are safe, planned, progressive, active,
creative, inclusive and designed to maximise
participation of all children by offering a variety
of activities.
Anti-Doping in Humans and Animals
DATE: May 31-June 1
TIME: 8am
VENUE: Doha Marriott Hotel
ADLQatar’s 6th Annual Symposium: AntiDoping in Humans and Animals: Parallels
and Divergences: As with doping in humans
to enhance sporting performance, similar
interventions to ensure outcome in competition
are also apparent in animals (horses, dogs,
camels). Practices such as administrations of
steroids, inorganic substances such as cobalt, as
well as, gene doping may be far more prevalent
amongst competing animals.
Yamativo Salsa Classes
DATE: Every Monday
TIME: 7pm
VENUE: Radisson Blu
It’s always fun and always challenging. Let’s
meet and learn some moves every Monday
night. You don’t need to do anything, just join
us. Level 1 (intermediate level) 7pm and for
beginner level 8pm. Be there at Raddison Blu
Hotel Cabana Club.
Spring Exhibition MIA
DATE: Until July 16
TIME: 10:30am- 5pm
VENUE: QM Gallery Al Riwaq
An exhibition of 15 contemporary Chinese
artists, curated by internationally acclaimed
New York-based Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang,
will be on view at the QM Gallery Al Riwaq.
The exhibition will be the major highlight
presented in the context of the Qatar China
2016 Year of Culture. Artworks exemplifying
each and every artist’s unique artistic language
and methodology will be displayed in individual
galleries.
Cultural Diversity festival
DATE: Until May 31
TIME: 7:30-9pm
VENUE: Katara Beach
Over 20 countries from all over the world are
showcasing their traditions and heritage.
Qatari Agricultural Product Yards
DATE: Until June 30
VENUE: Al Mazrooa, Al Zakheera, Al Khor,
Al Wakrah
The Ministry of Environment has opened the
4th season of Qatari agricultural product yards
for selling locally produced fruits, vegetables,
poultry, fish and livestock. Work in these yards
will continue for seven months. The yards will
operate three days a week on Thursdays, Fridays
and Saturdays from 7am to 5pm, with livestock
vendors in Al Mazrooa operating at the same
times throughout the week.
Join in our Walk-in Weekends
DATE: Every Saturday
VENUE: MIA Atrium
MIA art education and calligraphy teams
offer walk-in workshops in MIA’s atrium every
Saturday. These walk-in workshops are for open
for all family members.
FOODIE CHOICE
RESTAURANT: Doha Marriott
LOCATION: Ras Abu Aboud Street
Enjoy a Friday Brunch journey and
discover an array of live stations and
specialities from the Restaurant Gallery,
featuring live cooking stations with
favourite dishes from around the globe. For
more details, call 44298499.
Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change
4
GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
„ INTERVIEW: Vesna Pusić, Croatian Deputy Speaker
“There
are many
attractive
possibilities”
Photo by Umer Nangiana
By Umer Nangiana
B
esides the existing
business and trade
co-operation,
Croatia and Qatar
have multiple other
such opportunities to explore
particularly in the energy
and tourism sectors. The two
countries can also collaborate on
humanitarian and development
projects in the world’s postconflict areas.
The United Nations can be made
more effective in preventing or
resolving conflicts in the world
through more integration between
its different agencies working on
peace and security, development,
human rights issues.
“We are very close to actually abolishing visas for
diplomatic and special passports. A number of such
categories in Qatar will be excluded from having to
get visas. Also, anybody having a Schengen visa can
automatically come to Croatia”
Skillful negotiators rather than
troops on ground (peacekeeping
missions) can be more effective
in preventing, de-escalating or
resolving a conflict and the UN
needs to immediately address
the issue of non-state actors’
involvement in conflicts.
These views were expressed by
Vesna Pusic, Deputy Speaker of
Croatian parliament and former
foreign minister and the first
deputy prime minister, in an
interview with Community on the
sidelines of the recently concluded
Doha Forum.
Pusic participated in the forum
as Croatian candidate for the post
of UN Secretary-General. Ban
Ki-moon, the current UNSG, is
retiring at the end of this year.
“Business people from both
countries have been sizing up each
other for a very long time. There
is recognition that there are many
attractive possibilities, however a
number of possibilities have not
yet materialised,” Pusic says.
There has been co-operation
between Qatar and Croatia
in the area of building and
construction industry, information
technology, especially software,
food processing industry and
pharmaceuticals.
The areas under discussion
are tourism and energy. “The
biggest of all areas which we kept
discussing is the energy sector,
specifically the building of LNG
terminal in Croatia,” she says.
“We first started discussing
that in the early 2000 and because
there were some internal problems
in Croatia regarding the terminal,
Qatar eventually built it in Italy,
which is geographically not that far
from where it would have been in
Croatia,” she notes.
But now, she says, they are
hopefully approaching the
realisation of that project which
would mean formal co-operation
between Croatia and Qatar in
energy sectors. Croatia itself has a
significant number of household
LNG consumers; but, the whole
of South Eastern Europe is
potentially a big market and is
interested in getting gas as energy,
says Pusic.
And the deputy speaker says
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COVER STORY
politicians and business people
who come from Qatar to Croatia
always fall in love with nature and
tourist resorts there.
“We have a lot of investment in
tourism in Croatia, for instance,
from Turkey, and considering how
good the tourism and services
industry is developed in Croatia,
that is one area I think where we
can co-operate,” she says.
The foundations for such
collaboration are already present.
There is a direct flight from Qatar
to Zagreb, Croatia and Croatia
has an embassy in Doha which
facilitates many things.
“We are very close to actually
abolishing visas for diplomatic
and special passports. A number
of such categories in Qatar will be
excluded from having to get visas.
Also, anybody having a Schengen
visa can automatically come to
Croatia,” says Pusic.
One area where Croatia can
attract Qatari investment is the
development of Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) in Croatia
which have grown tremendously
in the past few years since the
country joined European Union.
However, the one most crucial
area where the two countries can
potentially co-operate and make a
difference is the humanitarian and
development projects in postconflict areas. Croatia started one
such project in Afghanistan on
its own by building a maternity
training centre near Mazar Sharif.
“It is my deep belief that
development co-operation is
something that any country can
get involved in. It is good not only
for the countries on the receiving
end but also good for the donor
countries,” says Pusic.
“Until recently, to some extent
the understanding was that only
the rich countries who can provide
billions of dollars in aid can be
donor countries. I think we should
push a project that I call a ‘defence
of small donors’ where almost any
country can provide the donor
assistance,” she explains.
Croatia, she says, started
building a small maternity
hospital in Afghanistan close to
Mazar-e-Sharif, which is actually
running now. It is supposed to be a
training center for midwives in the
community. These women would
not have university degrees, they
would be women from villages who
will have 6-8 months training and
they would probably not be able to
handle very complicated births.
But very complicated births,
Pusic says, account may be for
between 3-5 percent of mother
and baby deaths. Some 95 percent
of such deaths are preventable
through very simple knowledge
and skills.
“These women would receive
this training and then go back
to the village to help people.
One such hospital is a good idea,
but it does not make a really big
difference. And Croatia being
a small country does not have
enough funds to provide a whole
network of these hospitals,” says
the candidate for the top UN seat.
By drawing in countries like
Qatar in such projects can help
establish a network of such
GULF TIMES
5
COMMUNITY
DIPLOMACY IS KEY: Vesna Pusic was in town to attend the recently concluded Doha Forum.
Pusic, who is
vying to become
the next UNSG,
emphasises
that the entire
peace building
architecture, as
it is called in the
UN, is a little out
of date. She feels
very often the
peace-building
missions get the
mandate that
they cannot
fulfill
Photo by Umer Nangiana
hospitals. At the moment, they
are observing the pilot project
in Afghanistan and based on
its success would think about
replicating it in other areas.
Vying to become the UN
Secretary General, Pusic believes
there are certain core issues that
anybody wanting to become (the
UNSG) would want to address
besides management.
“These issues have always
been there since my school days
and these are peace, security,
development, human rights,
etc. and in a way these are all so
closely intertwined especially, if
you go through a conflict or a war
as we did in Croatia, it becomes
very clear to you that it is almost
impossible to build sustainable
peace without development,” says
Pusic.
“There is a big debate now in
the UN about the Silos effect. It is
about these areas being so divided
that they don’t co-operate and
many agencies repeat the same
type of work that some other UN
agency is doing,” she adds.
In some way, Pusic emphasises,
the entire peace building
architecture, as it is called in the
UN, is a little out of date. Very
often the peace-building missions
get the mandate that they cannot
fulfil or the circumstances are so
above and beyond their mandate
that they find themselves trapped
in a war situation.
This is very counterproductive
not just horrible because it cannot
prevent killings and compromises
the organisations and the
peacekeeping missions as such.
6
GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
Get ready for The Parlotones
South Africa’s biggest rock band is all set to perform on June 3 at the Radisson Blu
WINNING HEARTS: In the 16 years since its formation, The Parlotones has won legions of fans across South Africa and beyond.
By Anand Holla
S
outh Africa’s biggest rock band
and one of its best-selling music
artistes of all time, The Parlotones
is all strapped up to give Qatar a
live taste of its indie-alternativerock-pop mash with smash hits such as Push
me to the Floor, Sleepwalker, I’m only Human,
Life Design, Honey Spiders, Beautiful, and
Overexposed.
In a gig organised by Iconic Events, the
Johannesburg-bred multiplatinum-selling
band will take the stage at Qube – Radisson
Blu Hotel, Doha, on June 3. The doors
open at 8pm and the tickets are priced at
QR150, inclusive of a beverage. For VIP
and table bookings, you can call Iconic
Events on 3369-2133; tickets are available at
theplatinumlist.net
Ray McRobbie, Director of Entertainment,
Radisson Blu Hotel Doha, told Community,
“We are delighted to be hosting South
African Rock Band The Parlotones at Qube
Nightclub, Radisson Blu Hotel, on Friday,
June 3. The evening promises to be an
exciting event with seasoned professional
musicians.”
In the 16 years since its formation, The
The four-piece band started off with rooted
British rock sound, it later on embraced a
wide range of musical genres, which perhaps
has a big role to play in their popularity
Parlotones has won legions of fans across
South Africa and beyond. Singer-songwriter
Kahn Morbee was 17 when he began learning
to play the guitar and songwriting – the
origins of what would come to define The
Parlotones sound. It was in the summer of
1998 that Morbee met Neil Pauw, a drummer
who had attended the same high school as
him. When Pauw heard Morbee’s songs, he
knew they shared similar tastes in music, and
soon the duo decided to put a band together.
“At university, Morbee met guitarist Paul
Hodgson. One day after both of them were
thrown out of the library for playing guitar,
Morbee asked Hodgson to join himself and
Pauw for a jam. He came to a practice, liked
the songs, and joined,” says a biography on
the band on the website Spirit-of-Rock, “At
the time, Hodgson’s younger brother was
still in high school and could play guitar,
piano and bass, so the band asked him to
bring his bass to a band practice. With
that the band line up was complete. The
Parlotones played as a four-piece for almost
three years until July 2002 when they asked
John Boyd to join, adding a subtle synth and
sound effect element to the band, as well as
contributing to the engineering during live
shows.”
The four-piece band — Kahn Morbee
(vocals and rhythm guitar), Paul Hodgson
(lead guitar), Glenn Hodgson (bass guitar,
keyboards and backing vocals), and Neil
Pauw (drums and percussion) — started off
with rooted British rock sound, it later on
embraced a wide range of musical genres,
which perhaps has a big role to play in
their popularity. In 2003, The Parlotones
self-released their first album, the “raw,
indie-tinged” Episoda, which instantly
referenced their sound to bands such as
Coldplay and The Smiths. “This indie sound
was the first of its kind in South Africa and
quickly labelled The Parlotones as one of the
freshest sounding bands on the scene, paving
the way for the album which would cement
their success and catapult them to the stars
they are today – their debut studio album
RadioControlledRobot,” says a bio shared on
their website.
Driven by lyrics exploring personal
themes, of love and everyday life, set in
catchy melodies, The Parlotones have
released eight studio albums till date and
have won nine South African Music Awards.
From headlining the 20,000-seater Coca
Cola Dome in their hometown in 2009,
to performing at the World Cup Kickoff
Concert to an audience of a billion in 2010,
The Parlotones have hit the big league since
some time. The band has also championed
many philanthropic causes, including The
Little Wing Music Foundation, the Anene
Booysen Foundation, and the Africa-Unite
campaign. About their charity work, Morbee
had said, “People in the public eye have the
ability to spread a message very quickly
and effectively. So we try to do so when it
concerns issues we feel strongly about. But
we never want to come across as a band
that’s preaching. All we are really doing is
drawing attention to causes that we support.
South Africa is our home and home to our
families and our friends. We certainly want
to make sure they have a bright future. If we
can get involved and encourage people to get
involved, it can only have positive effects.”
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
GULF TIMES
7
COMMUNITY
Loyola students visit ‘What About Art?’ exhibition
The students of Loyola International School visited the Al Riwaq gallery recently to attend the “What About Art?” exhibition. There, they learnt about various forms of art and the multiple interpretations
that an art piece can have.
DPS-MIS hosts second edition of Encuesta
DPS-Modern Indian School
hosted the second season of
Encuesta 2016 for the students
of grades VI to VIII recently.
Eight Indian schools — Birla
Public School, DMIS, Ideal Indian
School, Bhavan’s Public School,
Shantiniketan International
School, Scholars International
School, MES Indian School and
DPS-Modern Indian School —
participated in the competition.
After a preliminary written
test round, five three-member
teams from DPS-MIS, Birla Public
School, MES, Ideal Indian School
and Bhavan’s Public School
qualified for the final round. Five
highly ingenious rounds were
conducted, of which the rapid fire
and wipe out rounds were the
most exhilarating.
The Ideal Indian School team
consisting of Niranjan PB,
Vaishakh Kumar and Ibrahim
Ahmed won the competition,
fighting off a stiff challenge from
the Birla Public School team of
Satajit Menon, Ananya Manoj and
Yuvraj Rane. The third position
was secured by the DPS-MIS
team of Theertha Aravind,
Madhav Jaychandran and Bilal
Ahmed Assadi.
BPS hosts career counselling workshop for Grade 10 students
The CBSE-i department of Birla Public School organised a career counselling workshop for students of Grade 10 recently. Students worked in groups and learnt about various careers as well as the
benefits and limitations associated with each one. The workshop also addressed some major challenges students face, such as stress, time management and peer pressure. Apart from that there were
many group activities related to life skills in which students took part enthusiastically. Headmistress Durga Sree Mavuru was the resource person.
8
GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
ACS Doha’s new campus will
have space for 2,470 students
A
CS Doha is announcing
the development of a
brand new, state-ofthe-art campus with
a capacity of 2,470
students, opening in September
2019. Following a series of highly
successful meetings with Morten
Real Estate and Contracting
Company, a 60,000sq m site has
been secured (over five times bigger
than the present campus) in Al
Kheesa, just off the Al Shamal Road
and near to the main junction after
IKEA. When construction begins and
progresses, ACS will be collaborating
closely with Mace as Development
Manager and AECOM as Consulting
Engineer.
Designed by internationally
renowned architects, Broadway
Malyan, the new campus will
enhance the school’s academic and
extra-curricular offer, boosting
its successful International
Baccalaureate Middle Years,
Diploma, and US High School
Diploma programmes. The school
is currently awaiting candidate
status from the IB to also offer the IB
Primary Years Programme.
The announcement comes in
advance of the formal Signing
Ceremony, which is currently being
planned. At that event the agreement
will be signed by Chris Johnson,
Managing Director, and Steve
Calland-Scoble, Head of School,
representing ACS International
Schools, and Khalid al-Naimi and
A computer rendition of how the new campus may look like.
Abdulaziz al-Enazi representing
Morten Real Estate and Contracting
Company.
Chris Johnson, Managing
Director of ACS International
Schools, comments: “ACS Doha
is focused on making a significant
contribution to the growth of Qatar.
We are honoured that this expansion
resonates strongly with the human
development goals of Qatar’s 2030
National Vision, and our own goal to
make an ACS education available to
more students around the world. ACS
Doha is deeply dedicated to creating
a legacy in Qatar. The new campus
will enhance our strong reputation,
ensuring we continue to attract the
very best teachers and educational
leaders from around the world.”
The new campus will be well
connected to the school’s existing
community, located only 10
kilometres (approximately 15
minutes) north of the current Al
Gharrafa campus. In addition, the
move will take advantage of a metro
stop to be built close by as part of
Doha’s growing public transport
network. The new location also
provides an opportunity for ACS
Doha to serve the educational needs
of a significant number of mega
projects including Lusail, the Pearl
and the fast-expanding suburb of
Um Salal.
Al-Jaber, ACS’s local partner, said:
“The new ACS campus is a positive
development for ACS, and for
education in Doha. The new state-
of-the-art campus will benefit the
entire school community and I am
proud to support ACS in delivering
this exciting new development as
part of their long term vision.”
Since opening in 2011, ACS Doha
has experienced rapid enrolment
growth taking it to near capacity
levels in under five years, and
outgrowing its current 11,000 m2
site. The new campus will help meet
future enrolment needs and address
the country’s pressing shortage of
quality education places.
Steve Calland-Scoble, Head of
School at ACS Doha, adds: “The
new campus facilities will empower
our outstanding teachers to develop
greater learning opportunities for
students, both inside and outside
of the classroom. Our amazing new
campus will ensure that we can
best prepare students in Doha for
unrivalled academic success. This
will be the key to helping them gain
entry to some of the best colleges
and universities around the world – a
goal that has real significance as we
prepare to celebrate our first High
School graduation on May 27.”
The announcement has been
welcomed by the local community,
who see the new campus as evidence
of ACS’s commitment to educate its
students in outstanding facilities.
The meticulously planned campus
has been designed to deliver an
exceptional learning environment
for both students and faculty, with
specific attention given to creating
spaces that drive academic rigour and
extra-curricular programmes both in
and outside the classroom.
Al-Naimi, Partner and Director of
Morten Real Estate and Contracting
Company, said: “We are very proud
to take part in this project. We have
been working with ACS Doha handin-hand for the last two years and
believe this new campus will become
a benchmark in Doha, contributing
significantly to education, and also to
Qatar’s vision in general.”
Al-Enazi adds: “It is a great
opportunity to team up with ACS
Doha for this state-of-the-art new
campus. The demand for education
in Qatar is high and I believe this new
campus will be part of the nation’s
education legacy.”
Summer fitness promotions at Sheraton Grand
Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel is offering guests special summer fitness
membership promotions. Throughout the summer season, Sheraton Grand Doha invites new
members to sign up for fitness memberships to fit any lifestyle and any fitness level. Guests can take
advantage of the limited offer rates for three months membership starting from QR6,000 for family
membership, QR5,000 for couples and QR3,500 for single men. Through this offer, members will
be entitled to unlimited access to the Fitness Center and a private pristine beach, as well as many
other facilities. For ladies enrolment, the hotel is offering a four-month membership including access
to gym and resort, with two bootcamp classes twice per week for QAR 3,500. Members will receive
complimentary fitness classes and activities, with certified fitness professionals available for personal
training upon request, in addition to discounted rates on hotel restaurants and facilities.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
GULF TIMES
9
COMMUNITY
Students from all levels of the school performed well at this year’s SOP.
GES scoops two team gold medals
at Schools Olympic Program
S
tudents from all levels of
The Gulf English School
(GES) — from five to 18
years of age — performed
well at this year’s
Schools Olympic Program (SOP).
With a month-long series of
competitions to pit their sporting
prowess against their peers, GES
won two team gold medals for the
first-time ever. The SOP is hosted
by the Qatar Olympic Committee
in partnership with The Ministry
of Education and Higher
Education.
Cheered on by parents and
friends, GES started with girls’
football and basketball. senior
school girls showed great
sportsmanship and comradeship
during the football match,
where they beat their rival team
4-0, putting GES on the top
of the board. Sheikha Noora
al-Thani scored three goals,
notwithstanding some great
performances by the entire team.
Next on the schedule was
the Primary Girls’ Basketball
competition. After winning
their first game 12-0, they were
unstoppable. They ended their first
tournament with a 36-2 win and so
breezed through to the next round.
Tochi Omah was the top scorer.
The preparatory girls also
attended the basketball finals and
collected bronze medals. There
was some quality basketball in this
stage of the competition. Notable
performances came from Hissa
al-Kubaisi, Aisha al-Kuwari, Ayah
Gehani and Sheikha AlJoury alThani.
The Primary Girls Football Team
too played consistently well this
year, which won them the gold.
They played with accuracy and
control and managed to deliver
a 5-0 win. All girls played well,
but the contribution of Sheikha
Haya al-Thani was noteworthy,
scoring all five of the goals. Her
performance this season has been
both exceptional and consistent.
The girls took gold with a 5-1 win,
a second team gold for GES.
In the Level 1 Boys’ Taekwondo,
Sheikh Tameem al-Thani took
bronze and showed lots of
potential to make great progress.
For the second year running,
Mohammed Amine took gold
in the secondary boys’ open
weight category. Mohammed has
established himself as the leading
player in Qatar in this category
and has represented Qatar in
international competition.
In athletics, GES won silver.
Notable performances were
given by Nasser al-Hemeidi who
was placed 12th out of over 80
runners in the 200m and Rawda
al-Kubaisi who was 5th in the
girls 200m. Tochi Omah took a
well-deserved silver medal in the
long jump.
Rebecca Cruickshank, Learning
Manager and Head of PE, said:
“Our students have been excellent
representatives of the School and
their families and have given us all
much to celebrate this year. We are
now registering players for next
season, and practices will resume
soon and we look forward to
starting to prepare for next year.”
“I take this opportunity to thank
all parents and teachers who have
supported our endeavours to
develop the competitive teams at
GES. At times it’s been painful but
our students’ success makes it so
worthwhile,” she concluded.
IIS teams bag CBSE Clusters Taekwondo Championship
In the recently concluded CBSE Clusters Taekwondo Championship, Ideal Indian School emerged as champions winning both boys and girls’ categories. Five Indian schools participated in the tournament.
In the boys’ category, Ideal Indian School taekwondo team emerged as the overall champions with 90 points, winning 11 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. IIS girls’ team also lifted the championship trophy
with 83 points, winning 11 gold and 2 bronze medals. The gold medallists in the championship have qualified to participate in the CBSE National Taekwondo Championship 2016, to be held in India.
10 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
Rajagiri Public School kindergarteners participate in palm painting activity
Kindergarteners at Rajagiri Public School participated in a palm painting activity recently. The activity was conducted at the school’s auditorium and the students were guided by the teachers. The aim of the
activity was to expose students to colours.
DeBakey students
visit ‘What about
the Art?’ exhibition
Students from DeBakey High School visited the new exhibition,
“What about the Art?”, at Qatar Museums Al Riwaq Gallery where
they discovered contemporary Chinese artists. This was an
extension from their classroom lessons in the Art class.
Amey’s Consulting volunteers
clear over 50 bags of rubbish
from Al Safliya Island
Amey’s Consulting team in Qatar joined forces with the Ministry of Municipality and
Environment (MME) to launch a clean-up initiative on Al Safliya Island. Volunteers
removed over 50 bags of rubbish, including plastic bags and bottles, cans, metal as well
as items of clothing from the beach.
Al Safliya Island is a popular visitor destination so the team from Amey donated their
community involvement day as part of the business’ continued commitment towards
promoting environmental protection and preserving the natural beauty of Qatar.
Richard Allen, Amey’s General Manager said: “We’re really passionate about making a
positive difference in the communities we work in, that’s why each of our employees
gets one paid day per year to help out with local community or charity projects. We had
a fantastic day working with the MME team; knowing that we’re helping to improve our
local environment and support the Environmental Development pillar of Qatar 2030
National Vision is hugely rewarding.”
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
GULF TIMES
11
COMMUNITY
MARKETING
Chatila boutique opens at Villaggio Mall
Chatila boutique by Amiri Gems at Villaggio Mall has opened its doors to the public. The inauguration was done by Gope Shahani, Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser al-Thani, Abdulaziz al-Raban, and Carlos Chatila.
Burger Gourmet makes a comeback
Burger Gourmet is back in town with a
new menu. Indulge yourself in the gourmet
experience as one of the most celebrated
burger hub in the country, Burger Gourmet
has reopened its doors. The restaurant now
boosts a new menu, along with a renovated
interior.
Located in Lagoona Mall, Burger Gourmet is
known for serving burgers with high regards
to presentation, something that has drawn
burger lovers across Qatar since August
2013.
The restaurant has always been known for
serving the freshest burger, which includes
hand-selected and traditionally reared meat
cuts, fresh ingredients and handmade
condiments, made from scratch every day.
At the opening, Navin Prasad, Corporate
Chef and Senior Vice president Food &
Beverage Savy Hospitality said, “We are
excited to welcome all patrons back to try
our new menu. After going through all the
suggestions and feedback of our customers,
we created our new menu, which includes
options for everyone in terms of price and
selection; however the menu still keeps the
classics such as Hollywood Star, 24 Carat and
the Surf and Turf, made of premium Wagyu
meat.”
“The new menu also contains steaks. Another
highlight are the monster shakes that will
draw milkshakes lovers who wouldn’t mind
melting Oreo, Peanut Butter or Honeycomb
on their jar,” Chef Navin added.
Founder and managing director of Savy
and Lifestyle Restaurants, Yoonus Salim
Vappattu said, “Burger gourmet has been
greatly missed, and with the occasion of
its re-opening it has chosen to renew the
experience with the launch of its new menu,
where the prices are for every pocket. We are
confident that this will bring back the success
we created when we first launched Burger
Gourmet.”
Le Royal Monceau–Raffles Paris welcomes
France’s first Matsuhisa restaurant
Katara Hospitality marked the successful partnership between world-renowned Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Le
Royal Monceau–Raffles Paris at an illustrious event held at Matsuhisa Paris, a Japanese fine dining restaurant
and the newest addition at Le Royal Monceau.
Globally acclaimed Chef Nobu Matsuhisa was the Guest of Honour at the momentous ceremony, which
welcomed 300 guests including VIPs and culinary enthusiasts. The event was characterised by the sound of
Japanese drums, floral décor with elaborate cherry trees by florist Baptiste Pitou, and a unique masterpiece
titled “Wish on a Wing”, designed by TSUYU. Guests were entertained by a musical programme handled by the
famous French DJ The Avener.
Matsuhisa Paris opened its doors in February at Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, just steps away from
the iconic Champs Elysée and Arc de Triomphe. Hosting hundreds of guests who enjoyed a tantalising
gastronomic encounter that is emblematic of Chef Nobu’s excellence in creating bespoke Peruvian-Japanese
inspired signature and traditional dishes, Paris’ newest Japanese fine dining restaurant exudes unique
cosmopolitan charm in the heart of one of the world’s most remarkable cities.
Le Royal Monceau–Raffles Paris, owned by Katara Hospitality, is the European flagship of Raffles Hotels &
Resorts, having been an icon in Europe’s most stylish capital since 1928. The hotel reopened in October 2010,
entirely transformed by French designer Philippe Starck.
12 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
INFOGRAPHIC
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
GULF TIMES
13
COMMUNITY
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE
The electric revolution
happening in your yard
O
n March 31, 2016,
millions of people
from around the world
watched Elon Musk
unveil the Tesla Model
3. Touted as the first consumergrade electric car, the Model 3
represents significant advances in
battery-powered technology that
allows drivers to both recharge
their battery faster and go further
on a single charge. Though not yet
available for purchase, there’s little
doubt that Tesla’s Model 3 is a big
step in the what might be dubbed
“the battery-powered” revolution.
Future companies and engineers will
build off its pioneering technology
to create even more efficient and
sophisticated automobiles.
But while much of this excitement
has centred on the possibilities
of electric cars, this move from
gas-powered to battery-powered
motors is taking place all around
us, and some of the most practical
innovations are available right now.
A more peaceful
neighbourhood
Airplane noise, the buzz of
traffic or rumble of trains — people
try to avoid these kinds of noises
when they move into a new
neighbourhood. But even in the
quietest areas, the roar of lawn
mowers and leaf blowers can disturb
a perfectly peaceful day.
Even though maintaining a
yard is a way to maintain the
neighbourhood, the gas-powered
engines on lawn mowers, leaf
blowers and trimmers are just
plain noisy and manage to annoy
others. Electric lawn equipment
has been around for years, but
there has nonetheless persisted a
misconception that it lacked the
power and reliability of gas engines.
But just as advances in battery
ARIES
March 21 — April 19
Don’t be too concerned with what everyone else thinks about you
and your plans today Aries. You’re known for being the rebel of the
zodiac and if you start worrying too much about what everyone else
thinks, you won’t be very rebellious, will you?
CANCER
June 21 — July 22
There’s the hard way of doing things and the easy way. Which option
are you going to take today Cancers? Both will get results. But only
one will be fun!
LIBRA
September 23 — October 22
Stop focusing on all the things that aren’t working in your life and
instead focus on the things that are working for you. May has been a
stressful month so far and it’s time for you to get some things right.
CAPRICORN
December 22 — January 19
If you stick your neck out today goats, you have to expect someone
may just try to come along and chop it off. Unless you’re sure about
something, don’t bring it up.
technology are revolutionising
the automotive world, similar
technology is doing the same with
outdoor lawn-care equipment. The
Tesla of this industry is Husqvarna,
a company that developed an entire
line of battery-powered chainsaws,
trimmers, and hedge trimmers that
are much quieter, more efficient and
just as powerful as their gas-powered
counterparts.
Take for example the 136LiL,
Husqvarna’s go-to battery-powered
trimmer for homeowners. A single
charge allows for up to an hour of
trimming, and it has the power to
cut through deeper, tougher grass if
it needs to. Its lightweight design,
coupled with a low vibration rate,
means people can use it longer with
less fatigue.
Like all these battery-powered
tools, the significant difference your
neighbours will certainly notice is
how quiet it runs. This means you
can do your yard work whenever it’s
convenient for you.
Batteries
One of the biggest annoyances
smartphone owners have is finding
the right chord to charge their phone
with. Similarly, it can be confusing
to have to keep track of the different
kinds of batteries certain devices
require.
Husqvarna designed its
equipment to avoid this common
problem. Customers can swap
batteries between products, making
it easy to go from trimmer to
chainsaw without having to own two
individual batteries.
These innovations in batterypowered equipment will certainly
continue, and it will be exciting to
see how they contribute to making a
greener, quieter world.
TAURUS
April 20 — May 20
Be careful that you don’t fall into a ‘trap’ today when you say you will
do something and yet aren’t really sure you want to make the move
at all and then feel as if you spoke too soon
LEO
July 23 — August 22
There is nothing to worry about today unless you go looking for
something to worry about Leos. It’s full steam ahead for you Leos —
just make sure you are ready!
SCORPIO
October 23 — November 21
Be careful the way you suggest something to someone today
Scorpios. The tone of your voice and the words you use are
important, especially when dealing with argumentative people.
AQUARIUS
January 20 — February 18
Sometimes there is only one way to do things and you know that as
much as you try to be different and stand out in life, you might have
to go back and stick to the plan.
© Brandpoint
GEMINI
May 21 — June 20
There is never enough time in the day for you to get all the things
done that you have on your ‘to do’ list, is there? Prioritise twins.
VIRGO
August 23 — September 22
Sometimes you feel the need to tell someone how to do something
they feel they do just fine on their own. Maybe they do things
differently but they do things the way they want them to do them.
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 — December 21
Don’t let your imagination run away with you today Sags. As much
as you like to exaggerate and infuse truth with some wonderful
segways, it’s can backfire when you oversell.
PISCES
February 19 — March 20
Avoiding someone who always makes you feel less than today is a
good idea Pisces. Certain people rub you the wrong way and only
make it harder to get things done.
14 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
Wordsearch
Adam
Pooch Cafe
Theatrical
ACTOR
APPLAUSE
ASIDE
AUDIENCE
BACKDROP
CAST
CHARACTER
COSTUME
DIRECTOR
DRAMA
DRESSER
HOUSE
LIGHTS
LINES
PART
PLAY
PROMPT
PROPS
SCENE
SCRIPT
SOUND
SPEECH
STAGE
WINGS
Codeword
Puzzles courtesy: Puzzlechoice.com
Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once.
Squares with the same number in have the same letter
in. Work out which number represents which letter.
Garfield
Sudoku
Bound And Gagged
Sudoku is a puzzle based
on a 9x9 grid. The grid is
also divided into nine (3x3)
boxes. You are given a
selection of values and to
complete the puzzle, you
must fill the grid so that
every column, every anone
is repeated.
PUZZLES/CARTOONS
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
PUZZLES
Quick Clues
ACROSS
4. Parvenu (7)
8. Suit (6)
9. Blow up (7)
10. Earlier (6)
11. Submit (6)
12. Feud (8)
18. Legible (8)
20. Revenue (6)
21. Allure (6)
22. Learned (7)
23. Deny (6)
24. Answer (7)
GULF TIMES
Colouring
DOWN
1. Insulting (7)
2. Narrative (7)
3. Obstruct (6)
5. Wide view (8)
6. Gift (6)
7. Preferably (6)
13. Menace (8)
14. Clear-cut (7)
15. Umpire (7)
16. False (6)
17. Delay (4,2)
19. Jeopardy (6)
Cryptic Clues
Answers
Wordsearch
ACROSS
4. Wages and gratuity in post (7)
8. They leave the stage (6)
9. Sing out or a foreign woman
appears (7)
10. Lost, as a dog may be (6)
11. Disturbance of increasing
volume (6)
12. Not as ill as a horse (8)
18. There are many sides to them
(8)
20. With a look the little devil may
injure one (6)
21. It includes forms of fish,
perhaps (6)
22. One must do it to survive (7)
23. Tension disturbed rest on
board (6)
24. A play on words? (7)
DOWN
1. Again become invalid or again become
invalid (7)
2. Gear for a new Renault (7)
3. Involve in late changes (6)
5. Test about food in court (8)
6. Worker to snoop about the butler’s
domain (6)
7. Roman, perhaps, has a point for another
British invader (6)
13. I am conclusively shown to be better
(8)
14. Girl to perform different roles (7)
15. Unavailing suggestion for economy (7)
16. In which the early bird lies awaiting the
worm? (6)
17. Sea Salt (6)
19. Cathy’s rocking the boats (6)
Codeword
Yesterday’s Solutions
QUICK
Across: 1 Educability; 9 Cry; 10 Downgrade;
11 Olive; 13 Accuser; 14 Nubile; 16 Flying; 18
All-time; 19 Cheer; 20 Conducive; 21 Hit; 22
Necessitate.
Down: 2 Dry; 3 Cadge; 4 Bowman; 5 Logical;
6 Transpire; 7 Accountancy; 8 Refrigerate; 12
Imbalance; 15 Leisure; 17 Remiss; 19 Cleft; 21
Hut.
Cryptic
Across: 1 Presumption; 9 Odd; 10 Dirt cheap;
11 Table; 13 Abetter; 14 Raisin; 16 Esprit; 18
Oddment; 19 Haste; 20 Stationer; 21 Bye; 22
Telephonist.
Down: 2 Rid; 3 Sadie; 4 Mortar; 5 Tickets; 6
Overturns; 7 Porterhouse; 8 Spirit-level; 12
Blind date; 15 Itemise; 17 Stench; 19 Heron; 21
Bus.
15
16 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
CINEMA
Those magic moments at Cannes
later. Laura is often disappointed that Patterson
does not make enough efforts to have his poetry
published. She feels that it needs to be shared
with the world.
There is a third character in Patterson, the
family dog, a cute little thing which one night
chews up the book of poems. But Patterson
is unruffled, for he is sure to write more as he
drives his bus along the streets of his American
city.
***
A scene from Loving.
By Gautaman Bhaskaran
T
he just-concluded 69th Cannes Film
Festival had its share of gems. But
sadly not all of them appealed to the
Australian director George Miller’s
jury. In fact, some of the movies that
got the largest number of stars from critics went
unsung on the night of the Palm d’Or Awards.
But here are some of my favourites, some of
my very own gems. A brief look at each of them.
Spanish master Pedro Almodovar’s latest
work, Julieta, is a melodrama handled with
brilliant restraint, and is based on Alice Munro’s
short stories about a woman reflecting on her
estranged relationship with her daughter. Like
most of his films, Julieta is set in Spain, though
he had toyed with the idea of shooting the
movie in the US with Meryl Streep.
“I was hoping to do the film in English and
in New York,” he said. “I even spoke to the
American actress who was delighted at the
thought of working with me. But I wasn’t sure
of myself.”
Saying that a lot of Julieta was set in the
1980s and that it was also inspired by his own
mother, Almodovar felt that women in that era
had much more freedom than what they have
today. “Women now are different because of the
world they live in.”
Julieta is the auteur’s 20th feature, and like
most of his movies is centred on the lives of
women. His latest creation reminded me of
his 2006 Oscar-clincher, Volver, and Julieta
has also been liberally influenced by his recent
Hitchcockian dramas — Broken Embraces and
The Skin I Live In. However, Julieta is the least
complex of the lot and is a simple story of a
mother whose daughter on turning 18 goes
away. The girl holds her mother responsible for
her father’s accidental death at sea.
Narrated as a flashback told through letters
which Julieta writes to her daughter 12 years
after she disappears — and whose address the
older woman chances upon — Julieta is every
Adam Driver in Patterson.
A lot of Julieta is set in the 1980s.
bit an Almodovar work. Strong colours (silky
reds greens and blues) that are often flashy
and ornately decorated interiors make Julieta
enticing. One notices a Lucien Freud poster and
a score book by Sakamoto in Julieta’s home at
Madrid.
The film begins by showing a middle-aged
Julieta all set to leave Madrid with her lover,
Lorenza, when she meets a childhood friend of
her daughter — a meeting that forces a change
of plans, and pushes the movie into its rocky
course. Julieta unpacks and begins to write long
letters to her daughter explaining how she and
her father had met on a train.
Once considered enfant terrible of Spanish
cinema, Almodovar has now mellowed down,
and Julieta may seem like a huge contrast to his
early and brazen, Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down. As
Almodovar once quipped, “mistakes are made,
stakes have been high, but hopes remain. And
life is long”. The man has terrific optimism,
and we see this in the way he uses colour to
pep up our mood and help us troop out of the
auditorium with a swing in our stride.
***
In Graduation, Romanian director Cristian
Mungiu (Best Director Palm) has reaffirmed
that style is unimportant while telling a story
in a film, and he does this with admirable
excellence. Earlier, he had won the Palm d’Or
for his abortionist tale, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2
Days, and a director’s trophy for Beyond the
Hills at Cannes.
In Graduation, he examines a universal
dilemma of parental anxiety for a child’s
welfare. Dr Romeo Adrian (played by Adrian
Titieni) is a respectable member of society,
who wants the very best for his academically
brilliant daughter, Eliza (Maria Dragus) — which
is to send her away from the morally bankrupt
and corrupt Romania to England, where she has
won a scholarship to study psychology. But she
has to pass one graduation test that will see her
getting on the plane.
However, on the morning of her examination,
A scene from Graduation.
she is assaulted outside her school and nearly
raped, and the father finds himself being forced
to make moral compromises to ensure that
Eliza gets her required grades. Graduation is an
extraordinarily powerful work where Mungiu’s
unassuming helming makes a great impact on
the viewer — a realist, indeed he is who shuns
stylistic adornments and firmly believes that
technical tricks do not make a magical movie.
***
Jim Jarmusch’s Patterson is a disarmingly
simple work that is paced evenly without the
traditional cinematic highs and lows or what is
referred to as dramatic curves.
The film stretches over eight days observing
a bus driver (played with incredible ease by
Adam Driver) telling us about the tiny details of
his life at home and outside. Driver Patterson
pens poetry during his off time, and leads a
humdrum existence with his ravishing looking
wife, Laura (essayed by the talented Golshifteh
Farahani) who dreams of becoming a music star.
Patterson lives in the American city of
Patterson, New Jersey, wakes up at 6:15 every
morning and goes through his daily grind of
driving his bus, overhearing the conversations
of men and women who hop on to his vehicle,
writes a few lines of poetry every time he gets a
break and ends the day by visiting his favourite
bar.
Jarmusch often makes use of genres like
Western or the vampire movie to examine
troubling questions about existence. But
Patterson is quite different where the director
embarks on a straightforward narrative to study
the similarities in the driver’s life, sometimes
the differences.
The film does bring out the undercurrents in
Patterson’s life that we see through his muted
reactions as he overhears the conversations of
some of his passengers or when he writes about
his marriage in his poems. Jarmusch gives a
hint as to how his married life will shape out.
Despite Patterson’s and Laura’s wonderfully
easy relationship, it might run into problems
Jeff Nichols’ Loving — based on a true
story — reminded me of all that is happening
in today’s India. A moving story about an
interracial marriage between Richard and
Mildred Loving, Nichols’ work traces the
couple’s turbulent life in the late 1950s in
the American State of Virginia, where such a
union was against the law. Eventually, the US
Supreme Court held that marriage was a human
right, and Virginia had to repeal the Act.
A strong parallel may be drawn between
Loving and the khap rulings in India on intercaste marriages/love affairs, which have led to
horrible tragedies snuffing out young lives.
Nicholas told a media conference soon
after his Competition entry was screened
that “I truly believe this is one of the most
pure love stories in American history.” He
was describing the eventful life of the white
southern construction worker, Richard, played
by the Australian actor Joel Edgerton, and his
African-American wife, Mildred, portrayed by
the Ethiopian-Irish actress, Ruth Negga.
The Lovings got married in Washington, and
returned to their native home in Virginia, only
to be arrested. Their prison sentences were
suspended on the condition that they remain
outside the State for 25 years, a ruling they
eventually fought and defied. And helping the
couple’s cause was the momentous civil rights
movement that was spreading across America.
In 1967, the Supreme Court decreed in favour of
Richard and Mildred.
“The court case is fascinating; how these
lawyers got this case to the Supreme Court
could make a film in and of itself,” said Nichols,
who also wrote the screenplay. “I didn’t want to
make that movie,” he added. “I wanted to make
one about two people in love.”
Loving — which is the second movie of
Nichols after the 2012 Mud to make a Cannes
debut — has relied heavily on the documentary,
The Loving Story — which has the actual footage
of the inter-racial couple. The documentary
was aired by HBO in 2012, and when Nichols
sent it to his wife asking what she thought
about a feature on the Lovings, she wrote an
email to him: “I really love you, but if you don’t
make this film I’m going to divorce you.”
Loving has been narrated with hauntingly
refreshing subtlety in a script that could have in
an average Indian director’s hand gone off the
top with weepy emotionalism. Nichols shows
admirable restraint while taking us through the
deeply disturbing life of the Lovings — who on
being asked to quit Virginia, try and make a life
in Washington. But they find that they cannot
raise their three children there, and return to
Virginia. But the law catches up with them, and
they have to once again leave what is really their
home and family.
Stripped of all artifice, Edgerton and Negga
play their parts in such an ordinary, uncinematic manner that they end up infusing
power into the narrative. Herein lies the
appeal of Loving that has been told in such a
charmingly simple way.
z Gautaman Bhaskaran covered the Cannes
Film Festival for the enth time, and may be
e-mailed at [email protected]
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
GULF TIMES
17
COMMUNITY
BOLLYWOOD
Iulia Vantur in no hurry
to get married
Silencing all the gossip-mongers,
superstar Salman Khan’s rumoured
girlfriend Iulia Vantur says she
has no ‘immediate’ plans to settle
down.
There were speculations that
Salman is planning to get married
to Vantur later this year. The
Romanian TV presenter rubbished
all such reports, besides not
even acknowledging her bond
with the Bollywood’s Kick star or
mentioning him in the post.
She took to Instagram and
Twitter last week to clear the air.
Her Twitter account is unverified,
but Salman is following her on the
micro-blogging site.
Her post read: “Dear friends,
I didn’t feel the need to react to
any rumours. But now I think I
should state clearly that I was never
married and I am in no hurry to
wear my wedding dress. God bless
us all.”
Vantur and Salman have been
reportedly dating each other for
some time. For years, Salman and
his family members have been
questioned about his wedding plans.
Vantur’s appearance with Salman
at actress Preity Zinta’s reception
sparked off a frenzy leading to
intense speculations about the duo
planning to marry soon.
The Bajrangi Bhaijaan star’s love
life has always been under scrutiny.
He has earlier famously dated
Bollywood actors Katrina Kaif,
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sangeeta
Bijlani and Somy Ali. — IANS
BEHIND THE CAMERA: Rahul Bose
Rahul Bose returns to
direction with Poorna
A
fter his 2002 film
Everybody Says I’m
Fine!, actor Rahul
Bose has returned
to direction with
Poorna, a biopic about Malavath
Poorna — a tribal girl from
Telangana.
Poorna created history on
May 25, 2014, by becoming the
youngest girl in the world to scale
Mount Everest. Rahul, who was
last seen in Dil Dhadakne Do, will
also act in the film.
“I bought the rights from
Poorna’s father and Dr RS Praveen
Kumar but knew how easy it
would be for someone to change
the names and come up with a ‘me
too’ film. But now that Poorna has
been shot and will be ready to be
screened for a studio in six weeks,
I can talk about it,” Rahul said in a
statement.
Rahul is yet to show the film
to Poorna and her father. And he
plans to take the film to her village,
where they shot for 11 days.
I am getting more
meaningful roles:
Mugdha Godse
are more meaningful. Having said
that, I also believe that glamorous
people also have a story to tell,”
Mugdha told IANS.
Mugdha also believes that awards
never had any credibility.
“Overall, awards are just for
entertainment and people love their
entertainment,” she said.
Non Veg Hai Dekho Mat is
directed by Amit Chauhan and
produced by Vijay Shekhar Gupta.
— IANS
Actress Mugdha Godse, who
will essay a negative character in
her upcoming film Non Veg Hai
Dekho Mat, says she is getting more
meaningful roles now. “An actor is
never happy, but I am getting some
interesting scripts. I am getting
roles which are more meaningful...
Yes, they are glamorous, but they
ROLE CALL: Mugdha Godse
Aditi Inamdar, a girl hailing
from Telangana, was chosen to
play the role of female lead after
Rahul auditioned 109 girls.
Rahul will be essaying the role
of her father.
The actor added that “it has no
‘jhalak’ of Bollywood, yet makes
you cry. That’s because Poorna is
one of the most remarkable people
I’ve met - Focussed, disciplined,
thoughtful yet fun-loving...Her
story needs to be told to world.”
— IANS
SRK remembers
his school days
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who
was last seen on-screen in Fan, is in
awe of how schools have changed
today. He also took to social media
to reminisce about the time his
father Taj Mohammed Khan used to
drop him at school.
The 50-year-old shared a
photograph of a road from inside his
car. “When my dad dropped me to
school it meant a two-minute walk
to the bus stop. I have done planes
trains and now automobile ... how
time and schools have changed!”
The Chennai Express the star
captioned the image.
On the work front, Shah Rukh
will be seen in the upcoming movie
Raees directed by Rahul Dholkaia.
The Happy New Year star will be
seen sharing screen space with
actor Nawazuddin Siddqui and
Pakistani talent Mahira Khan in the
action thriller film. Sunny Leone
has been roped in for a special song
in the movie. — IANS
TIGHTLIPPED: Iulia Vantur
Jayam Ravi to team up with director Vijay
Actor Jayam Ravi, who is
currently shooting for Tamil
film Bogan and has another
project with Gautham
Vasudev Menon in the offing,
will team up with director
Vijay for a yet-untitled project
in the language.
“I’ve always wanted to
work with Vijay, because his
presentation will suit my
style of acting. While we’ve
been planning to collaborate
for a long time, we weren’t
available for each other due to
our respective commitments,”
Ravi said in a statement.
The Thani Oruvan actor
believes his new project with
Vijay will catapult both their
images to national level.
“We’re joining together for a
massive action commercial
FINGERS CROSSED: Jayam Ravi
entertainer. The project will
elevate our status to national
level. We will commence work on this project as soon as both of us
are relieved of our current commitments,” he said.
The rest of the cast and crew will be finalised soon. — IANS
18 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
HOLLYWOOD
X-Women take lead
in latest X-Men film
By John Anderson
P
Jennifer Lawrence is Mystique in X-Men: Apocalypse.
ardon our political
correctness, but
shouldn’t X-Men:
Apocalypse really
be X-Persons:
Apocalypse? X-People, corrected
Alexandra Shipp (Straight
Outta Compton), who plays
Ororo Munroe/Storm, the
younger version of the character
previously played by Halle Berry.
“I love it.”
After 16 years of a hugely
successful, surprisingly
intelligent, action-packed mutant
franchise — one that has featured
among its cast members, besides
Berry, Anna Paquin, Rebecca
Romjin, Famke Janssen, Olivia
Williams, Ellen Page, Rose Byrne
and, of course, Jennifer Lawrence
— couldn’t there be a little
accommodation in the title?
Ah, well, branding is branding,
and you can’t mess with Google
searches. So X-Men it is. And it is
the boys, after all, who are causing
the trouble — again.
Awakened after several dormant
millennia, a self-proclaimed /
mutant named Apocalypse (Oscar
Isaac) decides that mankind, circa
1983, deserves to be destroyed.
Magneto (Michael Fassbender),
always looking for a problem,
allies himself with Apocalypse.
Professor Xavier (James McAvoy),
namesake of the X-Men, is
engaged in a fight for the future of
the planet. The game, as they say,
is afoot.
Yet despite all the super mutant
testosterone at work, it’s the
women X-ers who seem key
to this film. Apocalypse marks
director Bryan Singer’s fourth trip
to X-Ville and the third in which
the storyline has flashed back, as
it first did in X-Men: First Class,
thus enabling younger actors
— Lawrence, for instance, who
stepped into the Raven/Mystique
role originated by Romjin — to
join the X-party.
Alongside Lawrence are Olivia
Munn, who has taken over the
Betsy Braddock/Psylocke role
(Meiling Melancon played her,
once, in Last Stand); Sophie
Turner, who inhabits the Jean
Grey/Phoenix character once
played by Janssen; and Shipp as
Storm, the role that once turned
Berry moody and blue.
“It was hugely scary,” said
Shipp, 24, about stepping into a
role so identified with another
actress. “The way Halle played
Storm, she was always so
controlled and poised and knew
exactly what she was doing. I
wanted to find out where that
came from. I know what I was like
when I was 16, I was a know-it-all
and so sure of myself and I bring
some of that to Storm.”
She compared X-Men:
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
GULF TIMES 19
COMMUNITY
HOLLYWOOD
Helena Carter envious of
Johnny Depp’s accessories
Actress Helena Bonham
Carter has revealed that she
is “envious” of actor Johnny
Depp’s fashion accessories. The
49-year-old actress wishes she
could accessorise as good as Depp,
reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“When we meet it is always,
‘What have you come as?’ We’ll
both be looking at each other
because we both like getting
dressed up,” Carter told the Sunday
Times newspaper.
“We both wear too much. I’m
really envious of all his accessories
and paraphernalia. He loves
to disguise himself, as I have a
tendency to do, too,” she added.
Meanwhile, Carter revealed
she would love to star in a new
TV show, because increasingly,
the majority of good writers are
working on the small screen
rather than in the movie business.
“Most telly gets seen. You have
an automatic audience of a few
million, which isn’t the case with
a low-budget film. I’ve done many
films like that, that I’m proud of,
but that have hardly seen the light
of day. There are specific people I’d
like to do things with,” she added.
— IANS
Shawn Mendes is
officially single!
Sophie Turner is Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse.
Apocalypse, in some ways to
Survivor, in that everyone has an
important role in the plot twists
and the outcomes. “It’s really
that everyone is essential,” she
said, while agreeing that there
is a surfeit of strong women in
the kind of a movie — a Marvel
movie — where you don’t always
find them. Shipp, who has been
romantically linked to co-star
McAvoy, is a singer-songwriter
and actress with a variety of
credits and as such is just one of
the multi-talents emerging on the
X train. Turner, an English actress
and veteran of Game of Thrones
will be playing novelist Mary
Shelley in the upcoming biopic
Mary Shelley’s Monster.
Lawrence, of course, seems
to blithely hop back and forth
between devoting her Oscarwinning gifts to art-indie fare like
Joy and mega-billion franchises
like The Hunger Games. Munn, a
correspondent on The Daily Show
from 2010-11, seems to be the real
fan among the X-Men cast, and a
defender of her character’s place
in the pantheon.
“Have you read the comic
books?” she asked. “The films
are the choices of people in
Hollywood and the studios and
what stories they’ll do, and what
they’ll pull out. But the comic
book Psylocke has always been
my favourite. She’s a really strong
character. For fans who love the
comic books, she’s always been
important.”
Psylocke, who becomes one of
the mutant “four horsemen” who
align themselves with Apocalypse,
required a lot of physical
investment on Munn’s part. “It
was definitely very exciting to
see how far I could push myself,’
she said. “I always thought I was
in good shape and then I started
training for this movie and
X-Men sequels keep mutating
Like a lot of series, X-Men likes to tease us with
titles — X-Men: The Last Stand, released in the
ancient year of 2006, sounded like a summing-up,
and yet was followed by four more instalments, with
a sequel to come. X-Men: Apocalypse, too, hints at
some kind of finale. But as long as the franchise’s tales
of superpowered mutants continue to do the kind of
business that 2014’s Days of Future Past did ($748mn
worldwide, according to boxofficemojo.com), it will
keep going, and going, and going. The following (not
counting Wolverine and Dead Pool) is where it’s been:
X-Men (2000): We forget, but director Bryan Singer
won the Sundance festival in 1993 (with the defiantly
unconventional Public Access), following up with
the cult fave The Usual Suspects (1995) and then Apt
Pupil (1998) before joining the world of superheroes.
Singer’s initial X-Men effort features Wolverine (Hugh
Jackman) and Rogue (Anna Paquin) joining Professor
Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his academy against
Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants.
X-Men 2 (2003): Formerly X2, this one is by
Singer again, with Col William Stryker (Bryan Cox)
brainwashing Xavier into revealing the whereabouts
realised how out of shape I was.”
It was good, Munn said, not
having had “a big movie star who
played my character before, like
Famke Janssen, or Halle Berry, or
James Marsden — there’s a lot of
big stars who’ve put their imprint
on the characters. So that was one
advantage I had. But I’ve been a
fan since I was a little kid, so in
bringing Psylocke to the screen
there were other pressures —
knowing how unusual ... she is,
and wanting to do her justice,
and being a fan. How do I see her?
How do other fans see her? I had
to work through that.”
And the importance of the
women to X-Men: Apocalypse,
she said, should not be
underestimated. “It’s important
to realise the power that the
women hold in this movie, and
how great it is,” she said. “And
how much damage it can cause.” –
Newsday/TNS
of all mutants so they can be killed. The script
reportedly required hundreds of drafts, though it’s
hard to see why.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006): Hardly. With
Singer off to do Superman Returns, Brett Ratner was
hired to make this one, about a cure for mutants and
outrage among some, including the ever-dyspeptic
Magneto, who teams up with Phoenix, the returning
X-Woman Jean Grey (Famke Janssen, who seems to
have dropped out of the series).
X-Men: First Class (2011): Flashback: It’s 1962,
Xavier is played by James McAvoy and the mutants
are recruited to help the US government defeat a
crazed dictator intent on starting World War III.
Director Matthew Vaughn’s film marks the entry of
Jennifer Lawrence into the crew, as Raven/Mystique,
and Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr, aka
Magneto.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014): Dare we say the
best of the bunch? Featuring the entirety of extant
X-Men cast members plus the Nixon administration,
this story involves Wolverine going back in time
to thwart an assassination and save mankind. And
Singer is back in the saddle.
Singer-songwriter Shawn
Mendes publicly announced at
the Billboard Music Awards 2016
that he is officially single. During
a red carpet interview, the Stitches
hitmaker also revealed his dating
deal breakers, reports eonline.com.
When Jason Kennedy, presenter
of Live From the Red Carpet,
asked the 17-year-old about his
relationship status, he replied
saying: “No girlfriend. But there’s
probably a couple out there that I
could find.”
The presenter then told him
that they would play a game called
“dating deal breakers”, which
revealed some things that the singer
could or could not tolerate in a
relationship.
During the game, he admitted
that he wouldn’t mind dating an
actress. He also revealed that would
be fine with the girl who loved
selfies, Harry Potter, texting during
movies and eating salads for dinner.
However, one thing that probably
would leave him unimpressed was a
STATUS UPDATE: Shawn Mendes
lady with “fish lips”.
When asked about whether or
not he would date someone with
fish lips, Mendes joked: “You threw
that down like you were about to
kiss me. I’m definitely not okay
with fish lips so please stay away
from the fish lips.” — IANS
Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t fret over ageing
Actress Jennifer Lawrence says she doesn’t worry about ageing,
accepting that there are certain things one cannot change. The 25-yearold has come to terms with the fact that she can’t stop “crows’ feet” and
is happy to “decay” like everyone else, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“I can’t change my gender and I can’t stop crows’ feet, so I’m just going
to move on and decay like everyone else,” the Vogue magazine quoted
Lawrence as saying.
She added: “If you are worried about wanting to look younger when
you’re not, you’re not going to be a very happy person. You just have to
find other things to make you happy that are much more important.”
However, the actress had previously confessed that she was conscious
of her body and always feels like “the fattest one” among her fellow
actresses. — IANS
Kendall Jenner tricked
by pranksters in Cannes
TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Kendall Jenner
Supermodel Kendall Jenner was
reportedly tricked into getting on
a boat with some “random” guys
in Cannes as she tried to enter a
star-studded party. The 20-yearold was trying to get on billionaire
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s
yacht when she was hoodwinked
by a group of Europeans, reports
dailymail.co.uk.
Describing the group as “random
Eurotrash guys”, the model
eventually convinced the pranksters
to take her back to the shore. She
attended 69th Cannes Film Festival
with her mother Kris. – IANS
20 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 25, 2016
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY SERVICE: Syed Bilal Qutab, a Pakistani scholar, at one of the past events organised by Pakistan Arts Society-Qatar.
PAS career seminar
for aspiring students
Pakistan Arts Society-Qatar (PAS) is organising a one-day Career
Counselling Session this weekend. By Umer Nangiana
K
eeping up with the
welfare services for the
expatriate community,
Pakistan Arts
Society-Qatar (PAS)
is organising a one-day Career
Counselling Session this weekend.
Dr Faisal Izhar, Associate Professor,
Fatima Memorial Hospital and
College of Medicine and Dentistry
from Pakistan, has been invited to
speak to high school and college
students from the local educational
institutions.
The PAS has invited all Pakistani
community educational institutions
to send girls and boys from higher
secondary and college to the
seminar. “We believe this event
will help a lot to assist students in
making their minds on their future
careers,” said Muhammad Abrar
Hussain, President of PAS.
The programme will start at 9am
on May 28 (Saturday), at Pakistan
embassy auditorium. Dr Izhar is
a renowned dental healthcare
professional in Lahore. He has been
in this field for the past 20 years
and has carried out research and
promoted oral healthcare.
Currently working as an
Associate Professor and Head of
the Preventive and Community
Dentistry Department at the Fatima
Memorial Hospital and College of
Dentistry in Lahore, he is teaching
Dr Faisal Izhar has over 20 years of experience in the field of dentistry.
undergraduates in the college and
doing community dental health
services.
He has carried out various dental
public health projects, amongst
the most prominent is the Live,
Laugh and Learn project funded by
the WHO. This project was based
upon providing schoolchildren with
preventive dental healthcare and
education with a fun aspect to make
it more interesting for the students
aged 6-13.
It was a success in which they not
only provided quality dental care
with a follow up but also proved that
by doing this preventive care, the
state can save a substantial amount
of money on dental healthcare on
the adult population. School dental
health services are run throughout
the year under the supervision of
Dr Izhar in his institution, by going
to the schools and providing care in
the classrooms.
Oral health education and
promotion are the most essential
features of today’s dental
healthcare. A small group of
dedicated and patriotic Pakistani
friends started their social activities
with an objective of promoting
Pakistani art, culture and tourism in
Qatar in July 1986 under the banner
of Sada-i-Doost. A year later, this
turned into Pak Community Qatar
and finally in 1991, the name was
changed to Pakistan Arts Society
Qatar.
PAS objectives include
dissemination of accurate and
reliable information about Pakistan
to Qatari and Western expatriate
communities, enhancing Pakistan’s
goodwill in the State of Qatar,
boosting business relations between
the two countries and assisting in
promoting tourism in Pakistan.
PAS works up to its extent in
strengthening fraternal relations
and cultural ties between Pakistanis
and Qataris. PAS has invited leading
Pakistani intellectuals, writers,
poets, performers and artists to
Qatar on a regular basis.
PAS has organised a number of
programmes over the past years
including lectures by noted scholars
from Pakistan, art and handicraft
exhibitions, music concerts,
funfairs, poetry sessions, book
launching ceremonies, programmes
for promoting tourism in Pakistan,
various competitions among the
students of Pakistani schools,
receptions in the honour of noted
Pakistanis, farewells, tributes and
other such events.
PAS works closely with other
societies and individuals as well in
making successful any programmes
arranged by them. PAS holds the
honour of some of its programmes
being inaugurated or presided over
by Qatari ministers or other highlevel government officials.
PAS has arranged a number of
interviews of visiting prominent
Pakistani personalities on QTV,
Al Jazeera Channel and the Urdu
service of Radio Qatar.
PAS has organised a number
of programmes in collaboration
with Qatari authorities including
a calligraphy exhibition, musical
night and a grand fun fair for Qatar
Petroleum. PAS has also held
programmes in collaboration with
Pakistani companies and NGOs like
Pakistan International Airlines and
The Citizens Foundation.