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2 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT PRAYER TIME Fajr Shorooq (sunrise) Zuhr (noon) Asr (afternoon) Maghreb (sunset) Isha (night) 3.36am 4.58am 11.31am 3.00pm 6.06pm 7.37pm USEFUL NUMBERS Emergency 999 Worldwide Emergency Number 112 Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991 Ooredoo Telephone Assistance 111 Local Directory 180 International Calls Enquires 150 Time 141, 140 Doha International Airport 40106666 Labor Department 44508111, 44406537 Medical Commission 44679111 Mowasalat Taxi 44588888 Qatar Airways 44496000 Weather Forecast 44656590 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 Qatar University 44033333 Midnight Special GENRE: Adventure, Drama CAST: Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst DIRECTION: Jeff Nichols SYNOPSIS: In the sci-fi thriller Midnight Special, writer/ director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time. As a father (Michael Shannon) goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), and uncover the truth behind the boy’s special powers. They are pursued by the government and a cult drawn to the child’s special powers. THEATRES: The Mall, Royal Plaza ote Unquote u Q One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to selfconfidence is preparation. — Arthur Ashe Community Editor Kamran Rehmat e-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 44466405 Fax: 44350474 Manithan GENRE: Comedy, Drama CAST: Udhayanidhi Stalin, Hansika Motwani, Prakash Raj DIRECTION: I Ahmed SYNOPSIS: The film tells the story of a small-time Mall Cinema (1): Top Cat Begins (2D) 11.45pm; Take Down (2D) 1.30pm; Top Cat Begins (2D) 3.30pm; Mother’s Day (2D) 5pm; Kangar Hoppiena (Arabic) 7pm; Midnight Special (2D) 9pm; Manithan (Tamil) 11. Mall Cinema (2): Baaghi (Hindi) 11.30am; Dhay Fe Abu Dhabi (Arabic) 2pm; The Jungle Book (2D) 4.15 & 6.15pm; Baaghi (Hindi) 8.30 & 11pm. Mall Cinema (3): The Jungle Book (2D) 11.30am; Kali (Malayalam) 1.15pm; Hijrat (Urdu) 3.30pm; lawyer who fights a case against a top lawyer. Manithan is a Tamil courtroom-drama, and is a remake of the 2013 blockbuster Hindi movie Jolly LLB. THEATRES: Royal Plaza, The Mall Synchronicity (2D) 5.45pm; I Am Wrath (2D) 7.45pm; Kangar Hoppiena (Arabic) 9.30pm; Green Room (2D) 11.30pm. Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): The Jungle Book (2D) 11.30am; Top Cat Begins (2D) 1.30 & 3.15pm; The Jungle Book (2D) 5pm; Baaghi (Hindi) 6.45pm; Kangar Hoppiena (Arabic) 9.15pm; Baaghi (Hindi) 11.15pm. Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Take Down (2D) 11am; Green Room (2D) 1pm; Dhay Fe Abu Dhabi (Arabic) 3pm; Midnight Special (2D) 5.15pm; The Jungle Book (2D) 7.15pm; I Am Wrath (2D) 9.15pm; Kangar Hoppiena (Arabic) 11.30pm. Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Synchronicity (2D) 11.45am; Mother’s Day (2D) 1.45pm; I Am Wrath (2D) 3.45pm; Kangar Hoppiena (Arabic) 5.30pm; I Am Wrath (2D) 7.30pm; Midnight Special (2D) 9.15pm; Take Down (2D) 11.30pm. Monday, May 2, 2016 Conference on Education DATE: May 7-8 VENUE: Qatar National Convention Centre The conference aims to provide an opportunity for education experts, academics, and researchers in various educational fields to exchange knowledge, information, experiences and researches, in addition to learning more about the latest developments and updates in the field of education. Al Meyna Competition DATE: Until May 7 VENUE: Katara beach 1 Keen to revive the heritage of ancestors and keep it in the minds of new generations, the Cultural Village Foundation — Katara is launching the third edition of Al Meyna Competition, a diving contest for Qatari children aged between 10 to 14 years. The parent’s approval is required. For inquiries, please call at: 55338633. Swiss Week DATE: May 3- 5 TIME: 6:30 pm VENUE: Hyatt Get ready for a proper Swiss experience from 3 to 5 May, 6:30 pm until 11:30 pm, starting with a folk music band flown all the way from Switzerland followed by the best fondue, raclette and rösti prepared by guest Swiss chef Heinz Rufibach. Book your table and savour an authentic Swiss buffet priced at QR250 per person. Call 77982400 for bookings and enquiries. Qatar Internship Fair DATE: May 4-7 TIME: 10am VENUE: The Gate Mall Get ready for Qatar’s first ever Professional Networking and Internship Fair at The Gate Mall! Are you a young professional between the ages of 16 and 29 looking for experience and credit towards your education or trying to bolster your CV? Are you a company looking to meet your next all star employee or get to know other businesses? The Qatar Internship Fair 2016 is the place to make it happen. Let’s Swim for a Cause DATE: May 6 TIME: 8am VENUE: Sharq Village and Spa Swim for a Cause on May 6, 2016/Friday from 8am, partnered with Six Senses Spa and Qatar Charity. All proceedings will go towards providing safe drinking water for those who need it. Whether you want to give your casual strokes some real purpose, or make the miles you swim count for a cause close to your heart, Swim 500m or 1000m and see the real impact of your actions on your personal giving footprint. 3 COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT EVENTS GULF TIMES Register now to start making all the miles you cover, time you spend in the pool and calories you burn in the process count for humanity. QSports Summer Camp DATE: June 19-Sept1 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. IDdesign DATE: Until May 6 Meet a designer from IDdesign for spring renovation ideas and give your home a fresh, new look. Face-to-face consultations are available throughout the month free of charge. Book now! E-mail marcom@ equinox.com.qa to secure your spot. Anti-Doping in Humans and Animals DATE: May 31-June 1 TIME: 8am VENUE: Doha Marriott Hotel ADLQatar’s 6th Annual Symposium: Anti-Doping 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 are 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 GuoQiang, 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. 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. Chinese Silk Art DATE: Until May 9 VENUE: QM Gallery in Katara The second major exhibition of the Qatar China 2016 Year of Culture, ‘Silks from the Silk Road – Chinese Art of Silk’, presents silk as a theme, and as a special local product of Zhejiang that played an important role in trade along the Silk Road. The exhibition highlights ancient and modern Chinese silk works, with around 100 pieces due to be showcased at the QM Gallery in Katara over a period of 6 weeks. 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. 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: Zaoq Restaurant LOCATION: Salwa Road The restaurant is located on Salwa Road and is clean, stylish and decorated with class and comfort. It is divided into 2 floors — the ground floor which has a great view of the chef’s kitchen and a second which was perfect for families or private functions. Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change 4 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY COVER STORY What drives Chan(ge) While Zuckerberg is a prominent player among Silicon Valley’s tech elite and his life story is widely known, Chan rarely talks publicly about how her personal story has helped shaped the couple’s multimillion-dollar donations to schools and hospitals, writes Queenie Wong EXTRAORDINARY: The Mr & Mrs have pledged to donate 99 percent of their Facebook fortune. The announcement followed the birth of their daughter Max. P riscilla Chan remembers seeing blood all over the boy’s face, a sign he had gotten jumped in his own neighbourhood. For the first time, just looking at someone else hurt. Chan, then a Harvard student and now a Bay Area philanthropist, paediatrician, mother and wife of Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, was mentoring the child in an after-school programme meant to quell gang violence in Boston’s Dorchester neighbourhood. Yet stellar tutoring and field trips to football fields and skating rinks couldn’t cure the student’s woes. “I realised that my homework help was going to be completely futile if these kids couldn’t be healthy, safe and happy in the place that they lived,” a teary-eyed Chan told the San Jose Mercury News in a rare interview. “That really drives a lot of what I decided to do in my life and career.” Chan is the private face of the Seeing a kid with blood on his face because he got jumped was the first time Chan felt visceral pain for someone else, but it wouldn’t be the last. She remembered searching for a girl who had missed days of school. When Chan found her in a park, she noticed the child’s front teeth were missing, another memory that brought tears to her eyes philanthropic couple, working quietly behind the scenes. While Zuckerberg is a prominent player among Silicon Valley’s tech elite and his life story is widely known, Chan rarely talks publicly about how her personal story has helped shaped the couple’s multimillion-dollar donations to schools and hospitals. Wealth and power used to be foreign to Chan, the child of immigrant parents who fled Vietnam on refugee boats in the 1970s and never went to college. Now Chan and her husband have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to improve education and healthcare for children, including in the Bay Area. They have vowed to donate 99 percent of their Facebook’s shares — worth more than $45 billion — to charitable causes. And Chan, a former teacher, has taken it a step further. In October she announced she was founding and would be CEO of The Primary School, which will link health care and education for 50 Bay Area families when it opens this fall. Teaming up with the Ravenswood Family Health Center, the free school, serving students from pre-K to eighth grade, will provide services from mental health to prenatal care for students and their families. The private school is funded by Chan and Zuckerberg, but they have not disclosed how much they are pumping into the effort. Suddenly Chan, a San Francisco General paediatrician who has largely shied away from public attention, found herself in the spotlight as the doctor spearheading change for some of the Bay Area’s most disadvantaged children. It wasn’t one defining moment, but rather a series of experiences, that would lead Chan on a journey back to education, to a place between the classroom and doctor’s office. While Chan was growing up in Quincy, Massachusetts, her family stressed the importance of school and hard work as the keys to a life better than the one the ChineseVietnamese refugees left behind. But even in a place nicknamed the “Birthplace of the American Dream,” Chan knew her upbringing was different from those of other children raised in the Irish Catholic town. “My identity, I felt, was so distinct. I felt very much like an outsider. My family didn’t have the same rituals that everyone else seemed to have,” she said. At Quincy High School, Chan’s teachers helped fill in the gaps. Monday, May 2, 2016 5 COMMUNITY COVER STORY Peter Swanson, her science teacher and tennis coach, remembered Chan asking if joining the tennis team could help get her into a college like Harvard. It wouldn’t hurt, he told her, along with straight A’s, advanced courses and high SAT scores. Voted “class genius,” Chan wasn’t a naturally gifted tennis player but worked hard to improve her reflexes on the court. She became the captain of the tennis and robotics teams and graduated at the top of her class in 2003. Sure enough, Chan got accepted to Harvard early. “Teachers can inspire students, but students can inspire teachers,” Swanson said. “She was an inspiration.” In her valedictorian speech, Chan quoted Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” She shared lessons she learned from travelling to Europe, China, Korea and Hong Kong with her grandmother, who she called “Mama.” At Harvard, surrounded by brick buildings, libraries and bronze sculptures, Chan saw the wealth of opportunities an Ivy League education could bring, the doors it could swing wide open. But Chan felt out of place — even more than she did growing up Asian-American in Quincy. She felt as though she had gotten to the college by chance. Doubt crept into her mind, but so did the desire to give back. “These opportunities for sure were not available to many of the people I grew up with,” Chan said. So she went to the Phillips Brooks House Association, a student-run nonprofit at Harvard, and signed up for the Franklin Afterschool Enrichment programme. Volunteers met at the front of Lamont Library, taking buses to the Franklin Hill and Franklin Field public housing units in Dorchester, where they tutored and mentored children. Initially a summer youth programme for the children of Harvard University’s dining hall workers in the 1980s, it later expanded to serve the housing projects after a surge of gang violence in the 1990s. Seeing a kid with blood on his face because he got jumped was the first time Chan felt visceral pain for someone else, but it wouldn’t be the last. She remembered searching for a girl who had missed days of school. When Chan found her in a park, she noticed the child’s front teeth were missing, another memory that brought tears to her eyes. It was at Harvard that Chan met Zuckerberg while waiting in line for the bathroom at a fraternity party. The couple married in 2012 in the backyard of their Palo Alto home in a wedding disguised as a graduation party. After earning her biology degree from Harvard in 2007, Chan spent a school year teaching fourth- and fifth-grade science at The Harker School, a private college preparatory school in San Jose. “Those kids were completely different than the kids that I taught in the after-school programme,” said Chan, who will be the keynote speaker at Harker’s graduation this year. “But kids, in general, have common grounds and common foundations that they need to build.” East Palo Alto, a disadvantaged, GULF TIMES racially diverse city of about 29,000 people, stands out among the wealthy and educated tech enclaves of Silicon Valley. Only a small percentage of students go on to earn a bachelor’s degree, and 16.6 percent of the city’s residents are living in poverty. Much like the low-income housing units that Chan worked in during college, the city has a history of gang violence and in 1992 had the nation’s highest murder rate. Since then, East Palo Alto has become safer, with violent crimes dropping 64 percent from 2013 to 2014, a federal crime report shows. Inspired by working with kids in the after-school programme and as a paediatrician, Chan started quietly working on The Primary School while she was a resident at the University of California at San Francisco. As part of the Pediatric Leadership for the Underserved program, residents had to complete a project, but Chan had her sights on a task that was far more ambitious — opening a new school. “It was incredible what she pulled off. Being a resident and working that sort of arduous schedule is taxing in and of itself,” said Dr Meg McNamara, a mentor in the programme who worked with Chan. McNamara said Chan has a knack for seeing the big picture but keeping an eye on the details — understanding the larger impact of a child’s life outside of the doctor’s office. In an office space already filled with bursts of bright colours, The Primary School’s logo — a hand with a heart in its palm — jumps out. Incorporated into the logo are images that represent the school’s five values: excellence, growth, courage, community and soul. Chan, who gave birth to her first child — a daughter — in late 2015, knows education reform can’t wait. “Before I had Max, I had all these experiences that gave me what I felt like was a strong empathy for how important it is for children to have all these opportunities and how much families want to invest and want the best for their kids,” Chan said. “But after I had Max, I feel that every day.” Facebook shares through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. —The Mercury News (San Jose, California) HEROES: On the cover of TIME Magazine. Priscilla Chan at a glance Feb. 24, 1985: Born in Braintree, Mass. 1999-2003: Attended Quincy High School, graduated in 2003 as class valedictorian 2003-07: Attended Harvard University, graduated with a bachelor’s in biology August 2007-June 2008: Worked as a science teacher for fourth- and fifth-graders at The Harker School in San Jose, California 2008-12: Attended medical school at the University of California at San Francisco, graduated in May 2012 2008-12: Medical residency at UCSF Children’s Hospital Nov. 26, 2009: With partner Mark Zuckerberg, committed $5 million to UCSF Children’s Hospital September 2010: Co-founded Startup: Education with a $100 million commitment to improve schools in Newark, N.J. May 19, 2012: Married Zuckerberg Dec. 12, 2012: Couple committed 18 million Facebook shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation May 29, 2014: Couple committed $120 million to improve schools in the Bay Area Feb. 6, 2015: Couple donated $75 million to the San Francisco General Hospital. The name of the hospital was later changed to the Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. June 30, 2015: Completed medical residency at San Francisco General Hospital Oct. 22, 2015: Announced The Primary School Nov. 2015: Gave birth to daughter Max Dec. 1, 2015: Couple pledged to give away 99 percent of their Facebook fortune 6 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY LOOKING FOR PERMANENT HOME: Paws Rescue Qatar has cats and dogs for adoption. Photos by Paws Rescue Qatar Helping four-legged friends Paws Rescue Qatar is organising a triathlon to raise funds to help with its operations of rescuing and finding permanent home for abandoned cats and dogs. By Umer Nangiana P aws Rescue Qatar is organising its first-ever triathlon, inviting athletes to compete in different swimming, cycling, running and crossfit categories. The inaugural event, Pant for Paws 2016, will be championed and led by Live Life Crossfit and will be supported by a number of other crossfit boxes and gyms in Doha. A beach triathlon consisting of three stages over three hours duration will be competed in two categories, individual and pairs. At the event, to be held on May 20 at Intercontinental Doha, all athletes will be split into three random groups and assigned a starting stage. They will be given 50 minutes to complete that stage where they will then all rotate to the next stage, whether they have successfully completed or not. There are two rotations, thus giving all participants the opportunity to complete all stages. In Stage 1 which is Sea Swim, participants will have 50 minutes to complete as many rounds of the designated circuit as possible. For pairs, one athlete will swim while the other rests. In Stage 2, Indoor Cycle, 50 minutes will be given to cycle the maximum distance. Each athlete rides max 2 minutes, before switching teammates. The total distance travelled will Paws Rescue Qatar provides shelter to stray dogs and cats. comprise their score. The Stage 3 features Beach CrossFit, where the participants will have 50 minutes to complete as many rounds as possible of designated CrossFit movements. The score will be total rounds and reps completed after 50 minutes. Each athlete/pair will be given a score after completing each stage. The aim of the event is to raise funds for the Paws Rescue Qatar, which is in operation to rescue and re-home stray and abandoned dogs and cats. Paws is a non-profit animal shelter dedicated to providing a safe haven to homeless animals until they can be placed in responsible, loving homes. They rely on fund-raisers, volunteers and donations to provide a safe home for all the animals at the shelter. It was co-founded by Emily and Alison by fundraising for a couple of dogs that needed expensive medical treatment; and finding foster or forever homes for other stray dogs. As the number of rescues increased, they formed a committee with Caroline and Louis who had initially helped as volunteers but became more involved with the day-to-day running. “We had the opportunity to develop our activity along with a private property owned by a Qatari dedicated to helping animals, and it has seen us build our organisation amongst the community whilst helping animals in need as much as possible,” says Paws Rescue Qatar. They have dogs and cats of all ages, colours, shapes and sizes all with different personalities and temperaments, ready for adoption. Each animal is assessed to find out what they are like and what sort of home, lifestyle and environment would suit them best. Each and every animal is considered individually and matched at point of interview with the most suitable owner. People can also volunteer with them through different initiatives such as Lend a Paw, which is a programme that covers all actions and fundraising events organised/ attended by volunteers. It encompasses everything — from being directly involved with animal care, exercising, grooming, socialising, or even fostering the animals. People can also take a dog for a walk, away from the kennel environment which is not only about giving dogs a physical workout, but also mental stimulation. In addition, a walk is a wonderful opportunity to monitor how a particular dog behaves on the leash and how he reacts when he meets other dogs and people. Monday, May 2, 2016 GULF TIMES 7 COMMUNITY Four schools progress to Qatar e-Nature Live finals FOUR-WAY COMPETITION: A total of 48 students from 16 private and independent schools participated in the semi-finals. F our schools have qualified for the finals of the Qatar e-Nature Live Schools Competition. A total of 48 students from 16 private and independent schools participated in the semifinals, which took place the last week at the Lagoon campus of Newton International School (NIS). Four teams made it through. The finals and awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 11 under the patronage of HE Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali alHammadi, Minister of Education and Higher Education, at City Centre Rotana Hotel. The four schools that qualified for the finals are: Abu Hanifa Model Independent School for Boys, Al Khansaa Primary Independent School for Girls, Birla Public School, and Newton International School – Lagoon Campus. The competitive spirit filled the atmosphere during the semi-final rounds. The questions were more challenging, testing the teams’ critical thinking and showcasing their knowledge about plant and animal life of Qatar. The qualifying schools have already begun preparing for the final rounds, all eager to win the grand prize at the awards ceremony this year. The awards will be presented after the conclusion of the final round of the competition. The event’s organisers, high-profile public figures and media personnel are all expected to attend the highly-anticipated event. The Qatar e-Nature schools contest is organised by Sasol, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and Friends of the Environment Centre. This contest allows students to actively learn about Qatar’s beautiful and diverse wildlife. The user-friendly Qatar e-Nature app is available for download free of charge on Apple App Store, Google Play store for Android, Windows Phone Store and on the website (www.enature.qa) which is also available for desktop access. Active Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels allow users to keep tabs on the latest developments. The application and website is updated regularly, having added nature reserves earlier this year to further benefit users of the application. The competitive spirit filled the atmosphere during the semi-final rounds. Fond farewell for veteran Indian expat Keralite expatriate body Parakkadavu Welfare Association gave a farewell to Parakkadavu native V K Abdurahiman, who is leaving Qatar for good after 36 years. Incas Qatar president K K Usman presided. KMCC state president S A M Basheer and Kozhikode DCC president K C Abu were chief guests. Shameem M K, Abbas Kunnath and Abdulla Hassan offered felicitations. Saleem Parakkadavu welcomed and Savad Fareed proposed the vote of thanks. 8 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY Three-day MES Youth Festival 2016 concludes MES Indian School’s three-day-long Youth Festival 2016 recently culminated at its open air auditorium with a scintillating valedictory function showcasing the artistic talents of MES students. The three-day cultural fiesta comprised a mass display of competitions in light, classical and instrumental music categories. Competitions in folk dance, classical dance, drama, Kathak, Kuchupudy, mono act, fancy dress, painting contest depicting art and culture were conducted in senior, intermediate, junior and sub junior categories. About 3,500 students competed in various categories. The valedictory function commenced with a welcome song by the school choir, followed by a presentation on Youth Festival 2016 by Anver K, the convener of cultural activities of the event. Vijay Rejeesh, Phavithra Johnson, Sourav Sandeep, Mohammed Suhaim, and Evelyn Jojnly were adjudged the best individual artists in the sub junior category. Sarang Santhosh and Harikriti Murali, Abdul Rauf and Mahalakshmi Rajeev, Alwin Ajy Vincent and Iniyya Magesh were conferred the best Movenpick shines in air quality project Movenpick Hotel West Bay Doha recently participated in an air quality project which was carried out in conjunction with the Qatar Green Building Council, and the testing was used primarily as a benchmark to measure how hotels in Qatar are performing in terms of air quality. The project also involved a check for accessibility in the hotel, the quality of housekeeping in terms of sustainability, and as well as acoustics (sound proofing) and sound tests. The property performed very well during this project, and all areas were up to international standards. It was concluded that the concentration of particles PM2.5 in all rooms and corridor, were within the standards with an average concentration of 14.3 g/m3 (EPA recommended limit for short term exposure is 35 g/m3), among other positive results for the hotel. Another step that Movenpick Hotel West Bay Doha has taken is to remove hamour fish from all hotel menus, making it the first hotel in Qatar to do so. This step was necessary to ensure that the hotel operates responsibly and does not serve any species that are on the endangered list. It is fundamentally important to protect the hamour by not overfishing it. Hamour has been placed on the endangered species list due to overfishing beyond sustainable levels over the past few years. It has been fished seven times above the level that allows the species to naturally restock itself. “We are continuously taking on new initiatives to ensure that we are doing our best to not only uphold our promise to sustainable operations, but to also spread awareness in the local community about this,” commented Ghada Sadek, General Manager. “It is our brand promise to operate responsibly, and we will embrace every opportunity that arises to continue down this path. These activities are part of Shine, the global sustainability programme of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, which focuses on supporting education initiatives. Through Shine, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts aims to give back and contribute to the prosperity of each destination where the hotel company operates. Shine’s practices are grouped around three key pillars – Environment, Employer and Social Sustainability, with Education forming the common thread and key focus. individual artist awards in their respective junior, intermediate and senior levels of the competitions. The chief guest was Dr Bhanu Pratap Chowdhary, Associate Vice President for Strategic Research Initiatives, Qatar University. The guests of honour were Dr Khalid Abdulla S al-Saad, Professor of Analytical Chemistry at Qatar University; Dr Mohammed Maqbool, Quality Manager at Qatar University; A K Usman, President MES Governing Board; P K Mohammad, General Secretary of the body; and M P Saleem, Director of Cultural & Co-curricular Activities of the body. Monday, May 2, 2016 GULF TIMES 9 COMMUNITY ATTENDANCE: Experts from Qatar and around the world participated in the workshop. TAMU-Q hosts international workshop on autonomous underwater vehicles M ore than 45 experts participated in a workshop on autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) recently hosted by Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMU-Q) in Education City. The oil and gas industry in Qatar represents the vital source of income to the country with most of its infrastructure being offshore, said Dr Mansour Karkoub, professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A&M at Qatar and workshop organiser. Karkoub also directs the Smart System Lab at Texas A&M at Qatar. “At the Smart System Lab, we have been developing solutions for the oil and gas industry in the area of autonomous systems and asset integrity for the past six years,” Karkoub said. “This workshop was a valuable opportunity to share the latest research discoveries and expertise in the area of AUVs and their application in the oil and gas industry, as well as environment monitoring and protection.” The workshop, called the Consortium for O&G Asset Integrity and Environmental Monitoring in Qatar, featured noted AUV scientists and speakers from local industry, including Maersk Oil Research & Technology Centre, Qatar Petroleum, Siemens, Shell, The workshop was spearheaded by the Smart System Laboratory at Texas A&M at Qatar, which includes, from left, Dr Mohamed Gharib, Dr Mansour Karkoub and Dr Huiwei Wang. Rasgas, and Qatar Computing Research Institute; the Qatari Navy; and top universities in the US, Europe and the Middle East, including MIT, Georgia Tech, Rice University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Texas A&M and Texas A&M at Qatar, KAUST, Kuwait University, Qatar University, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, University of Porto (Portugal) and National Technical University of Athens (Greece). Featured speakers were all experts in control, optimisation, ocean engineering, underwater robotics, sensor technology, computer science, and industry and government guests also invited to attend. The objective of the workshop was to develop priority research and technology development areas for environmental monitoring, search and rescue, and asset integrity for the oil and gas industry. Participants explored emerging trends and opportunities for advancing innovation in O&G asset integrity, environmental monitoring and protection, and related technologies through intelligent application, research and development of innovative autonomous systems, sensors and communication technologies. Karkoub also said the workshop aimed to help lay the foundation for the first consortium for advancing AUV research for the purpose of offshore infrastructure sustainability in Qatar and in the region in line with Qatar National Research Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030. The experts who were invited to present their work also assisted in developing a roadmap to establish a research programme and training facilities in AUVs that will put Qatar among the leading nations in subsea asset integrity and environmental monitoring and protection. “I am happy with the turnout and the enthusiasm of the participants,” Karkoub said. “The workshop was a total success and a follow up meeting will be held soon at KAUST.” 10 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY Find your inspiratio Certified holistic health coach Ana Castro is continuously creating healthy alternatives to unhealthy food choices. By Umer Nangiana CONVERT: Ana Castro says finding organic homemade food options saved her life. H aving personally experienced all that ails today’s fast-paced technology-obsessed world, she turned to nature to find solutions. She did not just manage to find a personal escape from an unhealthy “terrible” life, she is now inspiring many others to find a healthy lifestyle. Ana Castro, a certified holistic health coach and passionate raw chocolate artist, is continuously creating healthy alternatives to replace more popular yet unhealthy food choices. All her recipes are 100 percent organic, easy to prepare at home by anyone and are not expensive, she says. Exploring nutrients and essential vitamins from different herbs, fruits, vegetables and nuts, the Romanian expatriate has created recipes that replace everything unhealthy in popular food choices such as cheese in pasta and ingredients in a burger. In a recent lecture and live demonstration at JustinCase restaurant at Al Rabban Towers in West Bay, Castro treated the guests to her organically-created Quinoa burger, vegan pizza, raw pasta in white sauce and her raw chocolate recipes for dessert. She taught the participants how to procure organic ingredients easily and prepare such food at home. She says she cooks her own food at home, spends a very busy day, sleeps late in the night to get up early in the morning and yet retains high levels of energy courtesy of her organic food choices. “I had been facing all these health conditions for a very long time. I was intolerant to dairy, gluten and other things. I would not feel well. I had headaches, digestive problems on a regular basis, insomnia, sore throat and other problems,” Castro tells Community in a chat after her talk at JustinCase. “And I observed that whenever I was eating gluten-free plantbased diet, I felt really well. I could maintain high energy without taking caffeine and more importantly I was not feeling sick,” she explains. This is when she decides to step away from processed foods and mould her lifestyle to adapt a gluten-free diet. “I am living the life of my dreams at the moment. I went on to study and discover Ayurvedic herbs, super foods from Amazons and different types of teas that saved my life. Once I had cleansed my diet, I started to have an intuitive approach to food,” says Castro. She says she discovered the foods that were good for her and subtracted those that were not. At this point, she started studying natural nutrition. Castro went on to study with some of the best nutritional teachers in the world at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She is certified in Raw Nutrition at Body Mind Institute with David Wolfe. Photo by Umer Nangiana Today, she teaches the art of Raw Chocolate-making at home, the art of fermentation, cleansing, natural beauty and child nutrition. She says she is further expanding her studies in Homeopathy, Herbology, and Healing Foods. Castro specialises in supporting people with stress-free, improved digestive wellness, and breaking the food and mood barrier. She also gives talks about Healthy Living, Raw Chocolate infused with Super Foods, and conducts several workshops. These workshops include raw chocolate workshops for kids and adults, fermented foods workshops, and digestive wellness and gluten free workshops. “It was intuitively that I started discovering these food options and I realised that the healthiest diet for people for longevity and to prevent ageing is plant-based diet,” says the nutritionist. “Everything is processed today. There is no clean food left anymore. The message of this talk was that whether you eat meat or vegetable, whatever your diet is, it should be based on unprocessed natural food,” says Castro. She recommends people to buy the raw materials and prepare them at home, rather than buying biscuits with genetically modified flour or wheat, highly processed sugar, flavours, additives and preservatives in them. These things make people sick, she believes. “When I started, I did not have many options. There was not much information available online and not many people around to tell you about that. I learned about these healthy alternatives when I was healing my conditions, allergies and intolerances,” says Castro. She started ordering the ingredients online and started preparing her own food, especially raw chocolate, which she says contains “immense health benefits”. Castro has created her own brand of raw chocolate that is without sugar and dairy, is plant-based and Monday, May 2, 2016 GULF TIMES 11 COMMUNITY on in healthy eating APPETISING AND HEALTHY: Castro has created food alternatives that can be easily made at home. PLANT-BASED: Castro has created her own brand of chocolate that is completely plant-based. Still delectable. Castro during her recent workshop at JustinCase. Paul Bellavance, CEO JustinCase, left, with Ana Castro. vegan. It is exactly from the tree to the table, she says. “[The chocolate comes from] Amazon. It is one of the healthiest foods in the world, highly nutritious and it is the richest food in magnesium, which is the mineral of longevity,” she adds. “That is why the people who eat dark chocolate live longer and healthier,” claims Castro. “Chocolate dilates the veins. So everything that you put in the chocolate, for instance an herb, it immediately enters your blood stream,” she adds. Castro says she was amazed to discover that for every human condition, there is a plant. People with diabetes, for instance, would respond amazing to an Ayurvedic plant. For creating awareness about the benefits of organic unprocessed and healthy easy-to-prepare homecooked food, Castro is collaborating with JustinCase. The restaurant itself promotes homemade food, with their chefs preparing healthy food. “We have a variety of things that are very healthy and things that [can be classified as] comfort food. As we are a homemade food restaurant, we have flexible timings for meals as well. You can get a breakfast in the afternoon as well,” Paul Bellavance, the CEO of JustinCase International, tells Community. The food is homemade and the restaurant, Paul says, is now headed Photo by Umer Nangiana towards organic ingredients. He says they have already experimented with organic ingredients and have received a good response. Run as a family business, with Paul’s son Francis Bellavance actively involved in the operations, JustinCase is modelled around home-delivery. They have a production kitchen and a contract with a compound to have a food distribution centre. “It is less commercial, more homemade. Our model is homemade delights,” says Paul. Castro is using this platform to spread awareness about the healthy alternatives by holding her talks and workshops at JustinCase. Her next workshop is on Saturday, May 7. Castro believes going for organic and unprocessed food is key to a healthy life. 12 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC Monday, May 2, 2016 GULF TIMES 13 COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE The right way to wash your workout gear I f you’re finding more stains on your clothes because the weather is warming up, you’re not alone. You may find yourself doing more loads of laundry during the summer, when outdoor activities like hiking and sports are likely to cause extra stains. To help you take on your growing laundry pile, expert weighed in on the best ways to wash workout gear and remove your toughest stains: Washing athletic clothes Expert suggests turning running shorts, yoga pants, lycra and spandex garments inside out before washing. You should also wash these garments in warm — not hot — water, and stay away from liquid chlorine bleach which can break down the fabric. and rinse in cold water before adding to the washer. Wash in the warmest water safe for the garment with a gentle detergent and, if necessary, you can follow up with a wash in colour-safe bleach for colours or liquid chlorine bleach for whites. For grass stains, expert says to check the care label and soak the garment in a mixture of detergent and water before adding to the warmest wash that’s appropriate for the material. Sweat and odours Apply liquid detergent or a pre-treater to help loosen deodorant, which can trap sweat and odours. If the odours persist, you can always send the garment through another cycle before transferring to the dryer. No matter what kind of stain you’re working with, don’t put your stained clothes in the dryer until you are sure it was successfully removed. Dirt and mud Remove excess dirt and mud from the surface ARIES March 21 — April 19 Venus the planet of money and love in your second house of self– esteem and self–worth could have some of you buying outrageous gifts for people in order to win them over. Definitely stop doing that immediately! CANCER June 21 — July 22 There have been signs for a while that you were not going to get something you have wanted for some time. Obviously the Universe has other plans for you Cancers, so simply wait and see what they are. LIBRA September 23 — October 22 As much as you may want to avoid something or someone today, it’s not the answer to your problems Librans. You need to confront things head on and be willing to take responsibility for whatever part you played in it as well. CAPRICORN December 22 — January 19 Keep in mind that there are 2 planets jockeying for position in Taurus right now — your fellow earth sign and fun zone. Venus the lover and Mercury retrograde. You have to find the right balance goats. © Brandpoint TAURUS April 20 — May 20 If you’re in a new relationship and unsure about where it’s going, keep in mind that with Mercury the communicator out of phase in your sign, chances are it’s not going anywhere until the end of May! LEO July 23 — August 22 Once you put your mind to something, you’re an unstoppable force Leos. You are a fixed and stubborn fire sign, however with Mars and Saturn both out of phase in your self–fulfilment zone, you could definitely be barking up the wrong tree today. SCORPIO October 23 — November 21 Today’s Moon shines in Pisces, your fifth house of romance, creativity and self–fulfilment. This makes it a great day for you to reach out to someone you love and let them know just how much you love them. AQUARIUS January 20 — February 18 As much as you think you’re ready to do something or take on a big task, make sure you really are before agreeing to it today. You might not have what it takes after all. GEMINI May 21 — June 20 Uranus the planet of the unexpected in your friendship zone along with Mercury out of phase could have you feeling shocked by something a good friend says or does today. Get used to it twins. VIRGO August 23 — September 22 May 9 is the day Jupiter the planet of good luck and opportunity finally moves direct in your sign Virgos. It’s been a long wait –– but all of those things in a holding pattern will slowly but surely make their way into your lives. SAGITTARIUS November 22 — December 21 Your ruler Jupiter, the planet of excess and bounty is about to move forward after being out of phase for some time. In your tenth house of career and ambition, which is sure to change things up in a good way for you. PISCES February 19 — March 20 The Moon in your sign today is leading up to the SuperMoon on Friday in your communication zone. So if you have anything important or difficult you know you need to say, hang tight and wait until Friday. 14 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY Wordsearch Adam Pooch Cafe World Rivers AMAZON ARNO AVON CLYDE CONGO DANUBE EBRO ELBE HUDSON INDUS LIFFEY MAAS MISSOURI MURRAY NIGER NILE ODER OHIO ORANGE RHINE SEINE SEVERN THAMES TYNE VAAL VOLGA ZAIRE 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 Monday, May 2, 2016 15 COMMUNITY PUZZLES Quick Clues Across 7. Quickly (13) 8. Lees (8) 9. Deviate (4) 10. Inveigle (6) 12. Push (6) 14. Split (6) 16. Summary (6) 18. Scheme (4) 20. Follower (8) 22. Stupidity (13) GULF TIMES Colouring Down 1. Outer (8) 2. Older (6) 3. Prevalent (4) 4. Autocrat (8) 5. Vibrate (6) 6. Otherwise (4) 11. Before birth (8) 13. Monotony (8) 15. Records (6) 17. Powerful (6) 19. Plunder (4) 21. Skin (4) Cryptic Clues Answers Wordsearch Across 7. Steward Colin’s trained for a royal residence (7,6) 8. Being abstemious is golfer’s handicap, we hear (8) 9. Complete delivery of bowler? (4) 10. Go hungry when most of the harvest is ruined (6) 12. Real when you see an adder? (6) 14. Twitch without newspaper - that’s a shame (6) 16. Terrible price of Eastern ingredients for meal (6) 18. Storage-place for oils? (4) 20. Push, then fight, over reporter’s best viewpoint (5-3) 22. A good attribute for any doctor (7,6) Down 1. Diana is linked with clergyman and governor (8) 2. Need it organised? Get a newspaperman in (6) 3. Peep for a bit of a laugh (4) 4. Artist who’s a bit of a chiseller (8) 5. He’ll accompany you around the sector (6) 6. Run with the fellow to shelter (4) 11. Without notice, get free of crazy venture (8) 13. Possibly the first man on the scene (8) 15. Bird complaint (6) 17. A coin’s lost in this place (6) 19. Object, in part, to trite material (4) 21. The Spanish manuscript - found in woods? (4) Codeword Yesterday’s Solutions QUICK Across: 1 Mind; 8 Inelegance; 9 Carefree; 10 Earn; 12 Dulcet; 14 Though; 15 Hammer; 17 Penury; 18 Feel; 19 Terrible; 21 Solicitude; 22 Most. Down: 2 Immaculate; 3 Dine; 4 Regret; 5 Select; 6 Careworn; 7 Keen; 11 Regardless; 13 Complain; 16 Retain; 17 Porous; 18 Fuss; 20 Item. CRYPTIC Across: 1 Writ; 8 Santa Claus; 9 Lacrosse; 10 Tome; 12 Button; 14 Reform; 15 Afford; 17 Salmon; 18 Onus; 19 Thresher; 21 Expressway; 22 Area. Down: 2 Ragamuffin; 3 Tsar; 4 Unison; 5 Career; 6 Slothful; 7 Isle; 11 Marionette; 13 Trousers; 16 Detest; 17 Scrawl; 18 Open; 20 Soya. 16 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY BOLLYWOOD Sports ruckus Salman Khan should write a book on how to get into controversies, considering he keeps running into them and this even though his behaviour over the last many years has been quite impeccable. The latest is him being appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador to the Olympics contingent of sportsmen who will represent India. This would have been quite understandable because a superstar can help in creating awareness about sports and thus draw much needed resources in a country where only cricket gets serious money and every other sport survives hand-to-mouth. But the appointment of Salman has agitated several sport icons like Milkha Singh, who is perhaps the country’s most famous athlete. Their objections to Salman are twofold. One is that if there was a goodwill ambassador needed, then it should have been a sportsman who has brought glory to the country by his performance. The second reason was more pertinent. They argued that even if a movie star was needed, then it should not have been Salman because of the numerous legal cases against him. It makes him an unfit role model for something like this. There is also the timing of Salman’s appointment. His movie Sultan is slated for release in July and he plays a wrestler in it. So there are allegations that move could be sly tactic to promote the movie using the Olympics. Meanwhile the man who came in defence of Salman was his father Salim Khan. He launched a furious tirade in Twitter against those who were speaking against Salman. He wrote that Milkha Singh should feel grateful that Bollywood made a movie on him, bringing him out of oblivion and that sportsmen performed because of sports lovers like them. But it probably only further fuelled the controversy. SPAT: It has been reported in some places that Kangana and Hrithik have called a truce, organised by common friends because the issue had gone completely out of control. Much public muck T he bizarre spat between Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut is taking new turns by the minute and no one is coming out looking any good. Kangana has been claiming that she and Hrithik had a relationship going for a long time. Hrithik says there is nothing of that sort. Kangana says she has thousands of emails from Hrithik to prove her point. Hrithik says that some imposter made the e-mail account and sent them in his name and deluded Kangana. The issue is now a criminal complaint, with the police investigating. Meanwhile, newspapers are seeing a blizzard of leaks from both camps. One of the latest was a photo that showed Kangana and Hrithik cosying up to each other, thus apparently proving their relationship. It was published in many newspapers. But soon another photo came to light which showed that the photo had been taken at a party in Hrithik’s place where even his then wife Sussanne was present. And there were photos of him taking such pictures with practically all the guests there. Sussanne too has come out in public defending him and saying that the photo painted a false perception. So, while earlier, public support was with Kangana for standing up to a superstar’s whims, it is not slowly moving towards Hrithik. Now there is another twist in the tale that further does no good to Kangana. Her ex-boyfriend Adhyayan Suman has made some rather shocking allegations. He is the son of the actor Shekhar Suman and at one point had started on a promising career in Bollywood as a hero but soon fizzled out into a has-been. It was in the beginning of his career that he and Kangana acted in a movie together and also got into a relationship. He now claims to have been both mentally and physically harassed by Kangana and paints a picture of her as someone who is unstable and opportunistic. She would be abusive to both him and his parents and even slapped him in public. He even claims to have been told that she was using black magic to harm him and that the relationship ruined him and turned him into an alcoholic. The interview has sent social networking abuzz but there are still many who believe that this is all a slander campaign against Kangana. Meanwhile it was also reported that Kangana and Hrithik have called a truce, organised by common friends because the issue had gone completely out of control. A drug story CONTROVERSY: Mamta is being implicated in a huge bust, after the police seized narcotics reportedly worth Rs2,000 crores. In the early 90s, Mamta Kulkarni was one of the leading actresses in Bollywood but her career waned gradually and before long she had disappeared. Then people came to know that she had in fact gotten married to an underworld gangster called Vicky Malhotra. While that might sound unusual, it is often forgotten that till the Mumbai bomb blasts of 1993 engineered by Dawood Ibrahim, Bollywood was intimately connected and funded by the underworld and actors wore their friendships with gangsters as badges of honour. But the Mamta story has now taken a turn for the worse with she herself being implicated in a huge bust when the police seized narcotics reportedly worth Rs2,000 crores. Her husband is said to be behind it but the police also hint that Mamta has a role in it. She has denied it, giving interviews by phone from Kenya to the media rubbishing the accusations. Salman Khan has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador to the Indian Olympics contingent. Loose talk Tiger Shroff did well with his debut movie Heropanti and his second Baaghi has just hit the screens. While stardom is always welcome, it comes with a few niggles, as he is learning. For one, you need to be really careful of what you say. You might think a comment is harmless and smart but it can come back to bite you. Recently, in an interview to a news website, to a question on who he wanted for a life partner, Tiger replied, “I will get married to a girl from the village. When I reach home, I want a massage so that I can get relaxed. She should stay at home, keep the house clean and give me home-cooked UNDER FIRE: Tiger Shroff was recently under fire on social food. I like girls who are the media after saying in an interview that he likes housewife-type housewife-type.” girls. Soon there were angry feminist responses which accused him of antiquated ideas of what a wife should be. Tiger immediately went into damage control mode and said that he had been misquoted. He also tweeted, “I am totally for women empowerment and equality and always talk about how they are as strong or stronger than men.” Send your feedback to [email protected] Monday, May 2, 2016 GULF TIMES 17 COMMUNITY BOLLYWOOD Technology has opened up our cinema to everybody: Aishwarya GOING GLOBAL: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan A ctress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is the brand ambassador of L’Oréal Paris and will represent the cosmetic giant at the upcoming 69th Cannes Film Festival, says technology has taken the Indian cinema on a global voyage with “accessibility just a click” away. The actress, who will be completing 15 years of attending the festival this year, also shared that technology has upgraded the ways of communication complimenting the “immense growth” of cinema. Asked about how has the perception of Indian cinema changed with time at the foreign Will never endorse alcohol, cigarettes: Malaika Arora There were many Bollywood personalities who faced criticism in the past for endorsing different brands, but actress Malaika Arora ensures that she always picks the right endorsement deal. She says she will never promote alcohol, cigarettes or skin lightening brands as she doesn’t believe in such products. She was in New Delhi to launch lingerie brand amante’s exclusive store and when IANS asked her about the criterion of selecting a brand for endorsement deals, she said it’s very important for her to relate with the brand in real life. “I think it’s very important to understand the brand and whether you can do justice to what you are promoting. If I am asked to promote alcohol or cigarettes, I will never do that because I don’t believe in them. They are not part of my life.” INSPIRATION: R Madhavan film festivals, she said she has “never played judge”. “How it may have changed? I have never played judge but I think common sense would have me recognise that with the world getting smaller with each passing year ... Thanks to you members of media, social media and thanks to the communication becoming just at the press of the button and a couple of characters on your own little handsets,” Aishwarya told IANS. The mother-of-one added: “It has just made the world so much smaller that it has opened up your cinema to everybody and accessibility is literally a click of the button to each individual.” The former Miss World walked into “Same holds true for skin lightening creams. If I don’t feel comfortable endorsing a certain brand, I won’t do that,” the Munni badnam star told IANS. The actress looked like a diva in a frill dress and a confident smile at the launch. She said that she always makes sure to step out of her house in the most glamorous way possible. “When I am working and when it is required, then yes I am careful. I definitely keep a check on what I am wearing. I also believe that we are in a profession where so much of emphasis is given on how you look and how you project yourself. This is important for my profession. So, I look good,” she said. So does stardom comes with a price? “Don’t take it too seriously and enjoy it because when you have it, you have it and when you don’t, then it’s gone. And it shouldn’t be such a big deal. Have fun, enjoy it, make the most of it and value it,” she said. — IANS Bollywood with ... Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya in 1997, and then went in to render critical performances in films like Taal, Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Guru, Dhoom: 2 and Jodhaa Akbar. Aishwarya’s tryst with the film gala at the French Riviera began with Devdas. The Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial was showcased and earned applause in 2002. The wife of actor Abhishek Bachchan became a jury member at the film gala in 2003. She then took her talent overseas by working in Hollywood starting with Bride & Prejudice in 2004. The Sarbjit star said that the world taking a step ahead technologically is a “reflection of the immense growth”. She said: “That is the reflection of the immense growth and of the world getting smaller and the obvious that we have always said change is the only constant.” Aishwarya will be representing the brand at the event this year along with actress Sonam Kapoor. Both the actresses have always managed to dazzle their fans at the French Riviera and this year, they will sport looks created using the L’Oreal Paris’ Infallible Cannes 2016 Collection. The Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to be held from May 11 to May 21, 2016. — IANS Grateful that my songs have become huge hits: Shraddha TAKING A STAND: Malaika Arora R Madhavan has ‘so much to learn’ from Shah Rukh Vidya Balan in love with Pakistani dramas Actor R Madhavan says Shah Rukh Khan makes his fans feel “royal” and he has a lot to learn from the superstar. “Shah Rukh Khan how awesome and royal you make your fans feel chief... Have so much to learn from you,” Madhavan tweeted on Sunday. Madhavan also shared a photograph of SRK along with his wife Sarita Birje in his tweet. Madhavan, who has starred in hits like Tanu Weds Manu, Tanu Weds Manu Returns and 3 Idiots, was last seen on screen in Saala Khadoos. On the work front, SRK was last seen on screen in Fan and will next be seen in Rahul Dholakia’s upcoming film Raees. — IANS Actress Vidya Balan went gaga over Pakistani dramas saying the “writing, production values, make-up and performances” of the shows are just par excellence. She also lauded the work of female actors and for adding “grace” with a “realistic” touch to their performances. The Paa actress took to Twitter on Saturday to share her views. She posted: “I am liking my new habit of watching Zindagi channel in the mornings Actress Shraddha Kapoor, who crooned the song Sab tera for her film Baaghi, says that she is grateful that all her “songs in the past have become hits”. Sab tera, sung by Shraddha and Armaan Malik, has crossed 10mn views on social media. “Sab tera has become this year’s most loved song. I can’t express in my words the gratitude. I’m grateful that all my songs in the past have become huge hits. But one can never have enough,” the ABCD 2 actress said in a statement. Shraddha has previously sung Galliyan (Unplugged), Do jahan and Bezubaan phir se. Shraddha will also be lending her voice to the songs of her next musical film Rock On!! 2, scheduled to release on November 11. — IANS after my night shoots...Kankar is ace. I am hooked to Kankar, Mere Harjai and Ek Mohabbat Ke Baad ...The writing, production values, make-up and performances are just par excellence.” Vidya, busy with TE3N and Kahaani 2, added: “So nice to see good quality television! I particularly like the female actors...so beautiful and graceful...and their portrayals are extremely realistic.” Zindagi channel is a Hindi channel which airs Pakistani dramas as well as serials from other countries in India. — IANS 18 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY HOLLYWOOD Patrick Stewart happy to show off his dark side in Green Room BALANCING ACT: Macon Blair and Patrick Stewart in Green Room. By Colin Covert D iabolical, coldblooded, racist, horrifying. Not the sort of qualities you associate with Sir Patrick Stewart, a global darling for his wise, kindly roles in Star Trek and X-Men. But being cast against type is just what he wanted when he signed on as the clever, regal villain of writer/director Jeremy Saulnier’s punishing thriller Green Room. A thinking person’s fright film, it caused quite a stir at the Cannes and Sundance film festivals. It has a cautionary R rating “for strong brutal graphic violence, gory images, language and drug content.” The setup is simple: A punk band playing at a rural white supremacist roadhouse witnesses a homicide. Outnumbered by violent neo-Nazis whose Gruppenfuhrer is none other than Stewart, the musicians try to survive with a few unlikely allies. While the movie is twisted and traumatic, it is also subtle, smart and thought-provoking. The star and director spoke by phone to explain why they chose to make an ultrarealistic survival film rather than safer studio fare. After playing Capt Jean-Luc Picard and Prof Charles Xavier for established filmmakers, Stewart said, it was natural to want to work with an independent newcomer as a depraved monster. “It’s been a little frustrating because diversity has been a keynote of my career for 56 years,” Stewart said. “Characters like this have been many in my career,” including Shakespearean roles such as Othello, Richard III and Hamlet. “Only a couple of years ago I was in one of the nastiest, ugliest, bloodiest productions of Macbeth you could ever hope to see,” he said with pride. The character he plays in the new film is not a screaming racist demagogue but a softspoken gentleman who is a father figure to his young blackshirts, sending them off to massacre the group’s enemies with supportive encouragement. By stripping away the anti-intellectualism of typical fascist portraits, the part reveals the dark underlying appeal of hate and intolerance. “Violence is a fascinating subject,” Stewart said. “It has historically always appealed to actors because we get to explore it in a relatively safe environment.” Saulnier said he was drawn to Green Room because it’s highstakes filmmaking. “I was first introduced to cinema by my cousins making me see really gory scenes from Dawn of the Dead or the Friday the 13th franchise,” he said. “It was a wonderful experience to be so terrified and so fascinated while I was safe in the basement of the house.” He grew up loving Monty Python films because they were violent and funny. “Now I’m making these films to do what psychologists call ‘coping with my trauma,’” he said, adding a level of emotional responsibility to bloody stories. His goal is to deliver surprise without throwing away the logic, as many genre films do. “It takes a lot of work, but even more important, less interference,” he said. “I’d definitely like to make the jump” to big-budget studio fare, except that he calls most commercial films something the keeper of a horse stable has to sweep up. “I want a pension and health care,” Saulnier said. “But the real feat is exposing yourself to the committee prematurely. I hate the idea of going through draft after draft” like a number of in-demand indie filmmakers have had to do after signing on to execute studiocontrolled movies. “Rather than carefully choreographed moments, I want to feel something. I want the heart to beat faster.” As did his image-transforming cast. “I just cast people who weren’t used to being in action flicks. The young kids (including Anton Yelchin, who plays Chekov in the new Star Trek films; ingenue Imogen Poots, and comedy regular Alia Shawkat) just leapt on these parts. Imogen doesn’t get to do this very often. She had a ball. She got real feral.” Each brought “a level of performance and grounding and realism which I think heightens the impact of the entire movie.” When it comes to the dark material, Stewart was just as excited as the younger cast. “Very early on, I was impressed with a conversation I had with the director, when Jeremy talked about the tonality of the character being very muted and quite low-key and reasonable,” Stewart said. “I was intrigued by that, the idea that there could be a way of taking on this person that would be unexpected.” Even with that vote of confidence, Saulnier said he’s not ready to go to the big leagues. “I’d rather write from the gut level than play to certain standards. I want sloppy and real and unpredictable.” Having opened a snake pit with this film, it’ll be interesting to see what can of worms, hornet’s nest and Pandora’s box he unlocks next. — Star Tribune/TNS Monday, May 2, 2016 GULF TIMES 19 COMMUNITY HOLLYWOOD I don’t depend on a man or anybody else: Kylie Jenner R eality TV personality Kylie Jenner says she considers herself to be a “feminist”, adding that she doesn’t depend on a man or anybody else in her life. The 18-yearold shared her views on feminism in an interview Glamour magazine. She covers the June issue of the magazine, reports dailymail.co.uk. Asked about society’s burning question about whether she considers herself a feminist, Kylie said: “I mean, of course I do, but I don’t think I stand up in public that way a lot. Not that I don’t feel things in my personal life, but yes: I do consider myself a feminist.” She added: “I’m a young woman, for one thing, and I don’t depend on a man or anybody else. I make ON HER OWN: Kylie Jenner Ryan Reynolds pays tribute to late fan Aniston stole money from her mother as a kid Actor Ryan Reynolds has paid an emotional tribute to his late fan and “great friend”, 13-year-old Connor McGrath, who recently died after a battle with cancer. The Deadpool actor first met McGrath and his family through the Make-A-Wish foundation three years ago and the pair became close friends before he tragically passed away earlier this week, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Paying tribute to his “great friend”, Reynolds wrote on Facebook: “For three straight years, my friend, Connor McGrath drop-kicked cancer ... Not sure how ... Maybe the cancer cheated... But the fight came to an end two nights ago. “Connor was 13. But this kid... He was smart. He was funny. And not just funny ‘for a kid’ or funny ‘for a person battling something awful’. He was unqualified funny. He had that... thing you see in great performers or comedy writers. A running commentary/observational skill people are just lucky to be born with”. “He went way too early and it’s impossible to reconcile. Connor was a great friend, a great son, and a light to the people lucky enough to know him. While repeatedly punching cancer in the balls, he made everyone laugh. Including the entire staff who cared for him at Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital,” he added. Reynolds also revealed that McGrath was the first person to see Deadpool after he surprised him with a rough cut of the movie before its release and the actor believes his late friend embodied all of the best parts of the hilarious comic book character. — IANS BEREAVED: Ryan Reynolds FUNNY MOMENTS: Jennifer Lawrence my own money and start my own businesses, and I feel like I’m an inspiration for a lot of young girls who want to stand on their own.” Kylie is often better known as the girlfriend of 26-year-old rapper Tyga and the youngest of Kris Jenner’s famous clan of businesswomen and TV stars, but the teenager insists she lives on her own money. Kylie explained: “I haven’t had a dollar of my mum’s money for five years. Ever since I started earning my own money, I’ve paid for everything: all my cars, houses, clothes, everything. I like to know exactly what’s going on and I’m actually quite careful with what I spend. We all are as a family.” — IANS Actress Jennifer Aniston has revealed that she stole money from her mother’s purse as a child. The 47-year-old has revealed she used to steal cash from her actress mother Nancy Dow to spend on video games and at the local arcade with her friends, femalefirst.co.uk. Asked to name the worst thing she did as a child that she hid from her parents, Aniston told HELLO! magazine: “I don’t know ... Taking money from her purse, maybe a dollar. I don’t think I would steal large sums of cash”. “A dollar went a long way when we were kids. It was for video games, the arcade, nothing serious,” she added. Meanwhile, Aniston claimed to have inherited her sense of humour from her parents. She said: “She had a great sense of humour. And my dad.” — IANS Lawrence jokes about being single Key and Peele recruit ‘Keanu’ the kitten to satirise gang culture Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence joked about her single status, asking “What dating life?”. Lawrence bemoaned about her relationship status while talking to AJ Calloway, the host of TV show Extra at the premiere of her film A Beautiful Planet here earlier this month, reports dailymail.co.uk. “What dating life?” the 25-year-old joked when asked about her romantic life. She insisted she was completely single, and even made a joke about exactly how long it had been since she was with someone. When Calloway asked “Are you kidding me?”, Lawrence responded — “No, it’s really sad!” the actress said just before tossing her head back in laughter. Lawrence was linked off-and-on to Coldplay singer Chris Martin. She also dated her X-Men costar Nicholas Hoult off and on for years. – IANS Comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele have satirised American culture through playing characters such as valets and President Barack Obama, but when taking on gang culture in feature film Keanu, the duo recruited the help of an unlikely ally — a tiny tabby kitten. Out in US theaters last week, Keanu is the kitten who arrives on the doorstep of stoner Rell (Peele) and he suddenly finds a new lease of life caring for his little pet. But when Keanu is stolen, Rell recruits his best friend Clarence (Key) — an upstanding married man with a penchant for the music of George Michael — to rescue the kitten. The duo find themselves in the depths of gang life and drug culture, something both men have to quickly adapt to and be believable in. “It’s about people from the same race who come from different cultures,” Key told Reuters. “There are so many things up and down the spectrum of the African American experience. We just hope we’re displaying that to people.” Over five seasons of television sketch series Key & Peele on Comedy Central, the duo riffed on racial REVELATION: Jennifer Aniston and social themes about minority communities. The actors played an array of characters, from Peele’s Obama to black Republicans, football players and a gay couple. Their comedy hinges on “a sense of surprise,” Key said. “It’s all about zig-zags and the best piece of comedy is when the zag is not what you thought it was going to be but it still relates to what came before,” Key said. “With this movie, it’s a lot of juxtaposition, this clash of contexts — cute cuddly kittens being held by superhard gangsters.” Keanu, an adorable kitten who’s dressed as a gangster and often steals the show, was played by seven rescue kittens during the filming, and actually helped keep order on set. “It makes everyone on set care,” Peele said. “Everyone would be very respectful, you didn’t want to make any sudden noises so it actually helped everyone focus on set.” After closing out Key & Peele,” the comedians are tackling a reboot of classic 1980s comedy Police Academy. “A lot of it is actually very similar to this movie,” Key said. “It feels very contemporary and there are new subjects to tackle and we’re in the midst of all that right now.” By Piya Sinha-Roy and Rollo Ross/Reuters 20 GULF TIMES Monday, May 2, 2016 COMMUNITY The allure of lighting H ome décor of the 21st century has broken new ground in both style and functionality, and lighting is perhaps at the forefront of this continuing creative and aesthetic evolution of interior design. Nima Noorudin, an architect and interior designer with more than 13 years of experience in premium hospitality, commercial and high-end residential projects, believes that lighting dictates how we perceive every aspect of the interiors, including design features, textures and materials. “Light fixtures make a strong statement in the aesthetics of any dining room and can create engaging visual experiences,” the Indian expat tells Community, “The lighting scheme should be designed creatively to meet functional requirements of the space as well as to develop the right mood and ambience.” Statement pendant lights are simpler than chandeliers and yet can create extraordinary impact, she points out. “The rule of thumb to hang light fixture is to keep a clear space of 30-34 inches above the table,” Noorudin explains, “The size of the pendant light should be between 1/2 and 2/3 the size of the table and the maximum size should be at least 12 inches less than the width or diameter of the table. A fixture with a busy or complex design will appear larger and hence the need to visually scale the width and height of the fixture accordingly to get the desired lighting effect.” The variegated or identical pendant lights that can be combined in multiple configurations are available in a wide range of style, shape, material and colour. This, Noorudin says, offers “limitless creative freedom” in composing bespoke solutions depending on the size and shape of the dining table. Back in India, Noorudin has worked on top hospitality projects such as Manikya Resorts in Hyderabad and Renaissance Convention Centre in Mumbai, Balance by Windfall Architect Nima Noorudin says lighting accentuates every aspect of interiors, including design features, textures and materials. By Anand Holla which she says has helped her “learn the nuances of concept development and detailing involved in high-end projects.” She has also been a visiting faculty for interior design students. Four years back, Noorudin moved to Doha. “Qatar has presented me opportunities to showcase my talent in the international design scene, and I enjoy taking up interesting interior design consultation work. I have designed interiors of luxury Qatari villas in varied styles ranging from Islamic to Modern to European styles. This process requires discovering resources and collaborating with artisans across the globe; from the craftsmen in rural areas of India (brass accessories) to Italian Murano artists in Tuscany (bespoke chandeliers).” Noorudin’s design philosophy is to conceptualise aesthetically inspiring spaces that are timeless yet functional through innovative design approach and meticulous detailing. “I draw inspiration from the culture, history, lifestyle and preferences of the user to carve out engaging spaces that mirror the character and aspirations of the client,” she says. Lighting fixtures fascinate Noorudin to no end and that interest also explains her wholesome understanding of the world of light play. “The most amazing lighting fixtures with the finest materials and meticulous craftsmanship are manufactured at specialty companies and designer studios,” she says, “Such companies, based mainly in Europe, advertise little and often operate directly with designers, premium hospitality and corporate clientele INSPIRING SPACES: Architect Nima Noorudin has designed interiors in varied styles ranging from Islamic to Modern to European. making the products less accessible to house owners scouting for unique fixtures.” To give you an idea of this lesser-known realm of brightness, Noorudin shares her five picks of the finest pendant lights that create inspiring dining spaces: Balance: Crafted like a jewel with the finest crystals and suspended below inconspicuous spot lights mounted on ceiling, Balance is quite stunning. Windfall’s main innovation is that it has no complex integrated lighting systems but that it is simply lit from above. Chandeliers from Windfall also adorn the interiors of Cartier in Dubai Mall, Mont Blanc, Harry Winston, and Roberto Cavalli. The extraordinary craftsmanship in crystal and sheerness makes it contemporary yet very classic. They Perfume infuse the right amount of shimmer without being distracting and hence top my list of favourites. Marilyn Pendant: Designed by Manuel Vivian, this amazing light fixture consists of lead crystal strands (available in crystal or black colour) suspended from a canopy in satin nickel finish. Italy’s AXO Light combines traditional Venetian glasswork and artisan craftwork with avant-garde lighting techniques and innovative materials. It is the ultimate accessory to create a glamorous dining space with its crystals reflecting light that is subtle yet sparkling. Allure: This is handmade in Murano glass structure in which gold leaf powder is suspended. The pulverised gold leaf reflects the light of the LED lighting enclosed in the crystal elements, radiating a light of unworldly quality. Lamps can be combined in different configurations in which each element is positioned at different heights. It exudes luxury with its gilded details and can make quite a statement with its dynamic lighting. Perfume: With its crystal luminaries and metallic accents, Perfume weaves magic in light by transforming the character of the space. This fitting by Melogranoblu can render your dream dining area with ethereal radiance that evokes the fantasy of the viewer. Spill Ray Pendant: This piece can be attached to ceiling in myriad combinations giving complete creative control to the end user. The lighting scheme is unique and inspiring, in that it can be the focal point of a stylish and opulent dining room.