Community
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Community
P7 Community Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović was in Qatar recently to participate in the ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference. Community Tariq Tafu enthralled the Doha audience with scintillating numbers and his super hit tribute to Lahore. P20 Sunday, April 3, 2016 Jumada II 25, 1437 AH DOHA 17°C—28°C TODAY PUZZLES 14 & 15 LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 16 At home, under water COVER STORY Award-winning Egyptian expat underwater photographer Khaled Zaki freewheels on his passion, marine life and more. P4-5 2 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT PRAYER TIME Fajr Shorooq (sunrise) Zuhr (noon) Asr (afternoon) Maghreb (sunset) Isha (night) 4.07am 5.24am 11.37am 3.06pm 5.53pm 7.23pm 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 ote Unquote u Q To flatter and follow others, without being flattered and followed in turn, is but a state of half enjoyment. — Jane Austen Community Editor Kamran Rehmat e-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 44466405 Fax: 44350474 Ki and Ka GENRE: Comedy, Romance CAST: Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Arjun Kapoor DIRECTION: R Balki SYNOPSIS: The film is about a young, married couple whose relationship challenges the gender roles placed upon women and men in Indian society. The woman (Kareena Kapoor) focuses on her career, while her husband (Arjun Kapoor) looks to Oopiri (Telugu) GENRE: Comedy, Drama CAST: Nagarjuna Akkineni, Karthi, Tamannaah Bhatia DIRECTION: Vamsi Paidipally SYNOPSIS: A tale of a quadriplegic millionaire (Nagarjuna) and the bond he shares with his caretaker Mall Cinema (1): 10 Cloverfield Lane (2D) 2.30pm; Eddie The Eagle (2D) 4.30pm; Batman Vs. Superman (2D) 6.30pm; Batman Vs. Superman (2D) 9pm; Eddie The Eagle (2D) 11.30pm. Mall Cinema (2): Kung Fu Panda 3 (2D) 2pm; South Bound (2D) 3.30pm; Kung Fu Panda 3 (2D) 5pm; Ki & Ka (Hindi) 6.45pm; Vettah (Malayalam) 9.15pm; Queen Of The Desert (2D) 11.15pm. Mall Cinema (3): Oopiri (Telugu) 2pm; Degrade (Arabic) 4.45pm; build a home. Arjun plays a laid-back house husband and his wife Kareena is a talented and successful working lady. THEATRES: The Mall, Royal Plaza (Karthi). The film also stars Tamannah who plays the role of Nagarjunas sister. It is an emotional celebration of life focusing on the relationship between a physically challenged billionaire and a socially challenged protagonist. THEATRE: The Mall (Hindi) 4.30pm; Eddie The Eagle (2D) 7pm; High Rise (2D) 9pm; Ki & Ka (HIndi) 11.15pm. Royal Plaza Cinema Palace(3): High Rise (2D) 6.30pm; Queen Of South Bound (2D) 2.30pm; 10 The Desert (2D) 8.45pm; Thozha Cloverfield Lane (2D) 4.30pm; (Tamil) 11pm. Queen Of The Desert (2D) 6.30pm; Royal Plaza Cinema Palace(1): Kung Fu Panda 3 (2D) 2.15pm; Kung Eddie The Eagle (2D) 9pm; Queen Of The Desert (2D) 11pm. Fu Panda 3 (2D) 4pm; Batman Vs. Superman (2D) 5.45pm; Batman Vs. Asian Town Cinema: Vettah Superman (2D) 8.30pm; Batman Vs. (Malayalam) 4.45, 7, 8.15, 9.15, 10.30 & 11.30pm; Thozha (Tamil) 5.30 & Superman (2D) 11pm. 9.15pm; Ki & Ka (Hindi) 3.15, 5.45 & Royal Plaza Cinema Palace(2): 10.30pm; Oopiri (Telugu) 6.30pm. Degrade (Arabic) 3pm; Ki & Ka Sunday, April 3, 2016 GULF TIMES 3 COMMUNITY collaboration with Qatar Museums is being presented at the Katara Hall 19 – Gallery 2 until April 6. The collective exhibition features artwork created by students from various schools participating in the Shams Generation Programme using a solar power kit and recycled materials. Over 20 schools incorporated the programme, with more than 1,500 students contributing to the artwork being showcased. EVENTS Beach Volleyball World Tour DATE: April 8 TIME: 4:30pm -9pm VENUE: Gharafa Sports Complex Catch this event live in The Beach Volleyball Arena, at the Al Gharafa Sports Complex! April 4-8. Free Entrance! 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. Music of Dana AlFardan DATE: April 4 TIME: 7:30pm VENUE: Anima Gallery at The Pearl Please join us for a live music performance of Dana AlFardan’s new album with Doha String Quartet & Friends featuring Maias Alyamani. The Tainted Veil (film screening) DATE: April 7-8 TIME: 7:30pm VENUE: Museum of Islamic Art Whether a veil of the soul, the mind or the body, the layers of the veil in history and the many meanings behind it will be revealed. The hijab is a head covering, and ‘women are either judged for wearing the hijab or for not wearing it’. In The Tainted Veil, the challenges surrounding these ideas are exposed in a debate featuring diverse guests and extraordinary stories. For more info, visit http://www.dohafilminstitute.com Solar Art Exhibition DATE: Until April 6 VENUE: Katara Hall 19 A Solar Art Exhibition initiated by Shams Generation, an educational initiative by Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) in 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. Al Gannas DATE: Until Oct 30 TIME: 9am - 11:30 am 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. Art Exhibition DATE: Until April 18 VENUE: Porto Arabia, Pearl Diffusion by Peter Zimmermann — A Cirque Le Noir DATE: April 7-9 TIME: 4pm-10pm Le Noir, the dark side of the cirque, features over 20 of the greatest acts on earth including spinning metal wheels, acrobatic stunts 30 ft. high, jaw-dropping spins on roller-skates and the Columbian Wheel of Death, performed in a spectacular 360-degree custom-built stage setting, bringing the audience closer to performers like never before. Let’s Celebrate Womanhood DATE: April 8 TIME: 9am VENUE: FCC FCC Vanithavedi has been organising various programmes for Malayalee women in Qatar as part of the World Women’s Day celebrations since January. The programme, ‘Let’s celebrate womanhood’ will be held at FCC from 9am. Oottupura, presentation and sale of regional food items and various cuisines from Kerala; exhibition and sale of bags, dresses and ornaments paintings and crochet made by women are all being organised as part of the celebration. There will be competitions for children of class 1- 8. For more details, call 30956695,30018879,7321436. 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. Senyar Championship DATE: Until April 16 TIME: 8am-10pm VENUE: Katara As part of its strategy and in celebration of our glorious heritage, Cultural Village Foundation – Katara is organising for the fifth consecutive year Senyar Championship. This annual marine competition comprises fishing and pearl-diving contests for Qatari nationals with valuable prizes allocated to the winning contestants. The championship aims to revive ancestral heritage whilst highlighting the traditions, customs and values associated with Qatari marine life. 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. Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change mesmerising solo exhibition of colourful, futuristic works. Anima Gallery, Parcel 17, Porto Arabia, The Pearl-Qatar. Contact: 40027437 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: Flying Carpet Restaurant LOCATION: The Doha Torch As you walk into the restaurant you immediately see the carpets on the ceiling — giving the impression they are floating in mid-air. The food is an open buffet — with a fresh salad bar serving seafood and all sorts of international salads. The quality of the ingredients and the flavours of the salads are simply outstanding. 4 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY COVER STORY “I caught (the prized catch) eating Jackfish” — Khaled Zaki, underwater photographer, master dive instructor On each dive, I shoot around 200 pictures. I delete 170, retain 30. Of these, I might get a couple of good ones SUNDAY CONVERSATION READY, STEADY: Zaki, all suited up. By Anand Holla U nlike most photographers, Khaled Zaki must glide his way deep into the sea to shoot portraits of fascinating faces and admirable bodies. Armed to the teeth, quite literally, Zaki, in water, chases his reluctant subjects that are a lot fussier than the biggest supermodels on land. With around 25 years of diving experience behind him and nearly as many years photographing and filming an ecosystem we know little about, Zaki is an underwater globetrotter. “On each dive I dive, I shoot around 200 pictures. I delete 170, retain 30. Of these, I might get a couple of good ones,” the 40-something Egyptian expat, who frequently travels across the world in search of aquatic superstars, tells Community, “It might take me around 15 minutes to complete that one round of pictures. I move very slowly and I move with the fishes, while factoring in the angle of the sunlight and choosing the right lens for the right shot.” All the passion and hard work has paid off. The Master Instructor with Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) won the first prize in the recent 4thUnderwater Photo Marathon, under the DSLR Ambient With or Without Model category. The prestigious competition featured 380 competitors from 37 countries and Zaki, Qatar’s lone entry, brought home the big prize. “There were huge stalwarts in the competition. I got lucky with this nice shot I got,” he says, referring to his award-winning frame. While floating about in Thailand’s picturesque waters, earlier this year, Zaki spotted a Grouper fish and followed it to the depths. “I slowly trailed it and set up my camera. Eventually, I caught it eating a Jackfish,” he says, pointing to the picture on his laptop brimming with photos and videos, “I was thrilled.” An ardent marine enthusiast, Zaki has been living in Qatar for 16 years, teaching diving for more than two decades and also working as a marine consultant for underwater photography and videography. “When you build something like The Pearl Qatar or Lusail, you need to discover what’s at the bottom. In 2004, I filmed at those locations to take samples of almost every centimetre underneath,” he says, “Likewise, I have worked on projects at Messaied, Al-Wakrah beach and Sealine Beach, apart from filming for pearl diving ventures and studies related to turtles. I have also worked on several marine documentary films with BBC network, Qatar TV, and AJ+ among others.” Zaki believes an extensive knowledge of marine life is a prerequisite to successful underwater photography. “That’s how you can predict the behaviour of each of the fishes. When I dive, I need to know the season of the fishes, their location, and what species can I expect to shoot. If I am exploring sandy bottom, for instance, then I will encounter more of sandy bottom creatures such as snails, manta rays and crabs,” Zaki says, pointing to his stunning close-up shot of a Sting Ray, “They are all very peaceful as long as you don’t disturb them.” Suited up in his snorkel, goggles, flippers and MKVI rebreather, Zaki routinely sets off on his photography excursions with a fully-loaded Canon 5D Mark-III, couched in a high-end Nauticam housing to protect it, and a couple of big bright lights that he plays around with. Obviously, good light under water is as critical as it is on land to create a most compelling image. While Zaki Sunday, April 3, 2016 GULF TIMES 5 COMMUNITY COVER STORY The Master Instructor with PADI won the first prize in the recent 4th Underwater Photo Marathon, under the DSLR Ambient With or Without Model category. It featured 380 competitors from 37 countries and Zaki, Qatar’s lone entry, brought home the big prize PRIZED CATCH: Zaki’s work that won the first prize at the UWP Marathon 4 2016. prefers optimising ambient light as much as possible, he uses his lights to illuminate his subject such that the details are masterfully highlighted as if they are shot in a deep sea studio. “The deeper you go, the more light and colours you lose,” Zaki explains, “It’s not just that the light must be cast on the subject, but that the light must bounce back and return to my lens so that I’m able to capture it in the frame. So I keep experimenting by putting the lights at the back or the side of the subject, until I achieve the desired effect. All this comes after I adjust the white balance of my camera according to the amount of sunlight pouring in.” While teaching, Zaki always advises his students to be calm, comfortable and relaxed under water. Often, underwater photography requires us to move so slowly that we Sea Star may film only a few dozen cms in 20 minutes. “Good buoyancy control is crucial so that you don’t disturb the marine life which is rather shy,” he says, “When you spot an interesting sea creature, the key is to behave as if you are not impressed. Pretend like you didn’t see it but keep an eye on it. Allow it to develop the curiosity to come close to you. If you even breathe excitedly or move an inch suddenly, the fish will disappear in a flash.” With measured movements in gentle increments, Zaki allows his subject to become as much at ease as he is. “The shape of the creature you are expecting will grab your eye. And suddenly, you might have a dolphin passing you by. So you need to be quick yet very cautious with your moves to capture the finest that the wonderful underwater world has to offer,” says Zaki, who usually shoots Batfish under water for about two hours. Though Zaki can go 120 metres below, Qatar’s waters are shallow, limiting his journey to 50 or 60 metres below. “Qatar has amazing marine life and diving in North Qatar and the inland sea will surprise you with the wonders you will discover.” Apart from describing how safe and serene the water world is and persuading both the curious and the apprehensive to try diving, Zaki likes to talk a lot about corals and our need to protect them. “Some estimates put the total diversity of life found in, on, and around all coral reefs at up to 2 million species. Coral reefs are home to 25 per cent of all marine life, and form the nurseries for about a quarter of the ocean’s fishes, including commercially important species that could end up on your dinner plate any night of the week,” Zaki explains, “Coral reefs have survived tens of thousands of years of natural change, but many of them may not be able to survive the havoc wrought by mankind.” With roughly a quarter of coral reefs worldwide already considered damaged beyond repair, and with another two-thirds under serious threat, Zaki’s frustration with people’s lack of awareness about these nature’s angels is understandable. “More than 80 per cent of the world’s shallow reefs are severely over-fished. If we don’t act now, 60 per cent of the world’s coral reefs will be destroyed in the next 30 years,” Zaki explains. The major threats for corals, Zaki says, are destructive fishing practices, overfishing, callous boat anchoring, pollution, and climate change. “It Lyretall Anthias breaks my heart to see how the corals are being damaged here in Qatar,” Zaki says, “What I notice is that the Qatari government is spending a lot of time, money and effort to protect marine life, but something needs to be done with the people.” The seasoned vet then offers an analogy: “It’s like your father is asking you to study for the exams and he is offering you every possible facility to help you score well, but if you are not fully convinced how important it is for you to study and get good marks, you won’t do it.” Awareness, therefore, is key, feels Zaki. “The fishermen, for instance, aren’t aware of how vital corals are. If they have five or six boats, they drop the nets on or around the reefs, sometimes as many as 30 or 40, and when the time comes to pull the nets out, they will drop an anchor and yank out the nets that are stuck in corals, breaking huge amounts of corals in the process,” he laments, “In fact, a similar phenomenon occurs when people go for fishing, cruising, or diving — they use the GPS to locate where the corals are, drop an anchor there, then drag it through the corals, destroying a chunk as big as this room.” The solution is simple, says Zaki. “We need to be aware of what our callousness is causing. We need to save corals and thereby save the underwater world,” he says. 6 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY WEATHER ADDICT DOWNPOUR: March’s rain didn’t just fall on one day, and we saw far more rainy days than we do in most years. Photo by Shaji March this year wetter than usual By Steff Gaulter W elcome to April, the month when the temperature really begins to soar in Doha. A few hardy souls may have managed to make it to the end of March without using their air conditioning units yet, but I bet that not many people will be able to say that by the end of this month. Exactly what weather April will bring to Qatar, we cannot be sure, but if March is anything to go by, it may be fairly unexpected! The weather last month was a bit strange in Qatar. It’s usually my favourite month, with mild weather that is ideal for outdoor dining and trips to the park. However, this year a number of those outdoor activities had to be postponed due to what is usually a rare sight in Doha, namely rain. This March was wetter than usual. Remember the storms of March 9? They brought heavy rain to Doha, but also battered the United Arab Emirates with winds of up to 126 kilometres per hour and as much as 294 millimetres (nearly 12 inches) of rain. However, March’s rain didn’t just fall on one day, and we saw far more rainy days than we do in most years. At the time of writing this, on March 30, rain had been spotted falling from the skies above Doha on 11 different days of the month and more rain is forecast over the next few days. If the forecast is right (and when have forecasters ever been known to be wrong?) then we can expect that number to rise to 12. That means, on average, rain has fallen more than once every three days in March, which isn’t bad for a desert. Not only was this March greyer than usual, it was also less hot. This will probably have been helped by the rain, cooling down the air, but it has been quite noticeable. The temperature in Doha has only risen above 30C three times this month, a far cry from the March heat that we baked in just three years ago, when temperatures soared to over 30C on ten different days. Our wet, cool month has mercifully spared us from an onslaught of dust storms. Dust storms can be particularly relentless at this time of year. In March 2012, dust reduced the visibility to 3 kilometres or lower on ten different days. This year it was a much more manageable four days. I, for one, am very happy about this; I’d gladly take rain over a dust storm any day of the week. Now we are in April, don’t assume that the rain has finished with us just yet. We usually see a good few days of rain in April and it can last for almost a week. Last year was an exception, because the rains were a little late and arrived at the beginning of May. Every year when it rains in April, people tell me that it never rains this late in the spring. I guess that just goes to show that people have short memories and the long, hot summers seem longer than they really are. Whether we see rain this April or not, one thing is a near certainty, and that is that the weather is going to get increasingly hot over the coming weeks. The average temperature in April is 31.9C, but in May that soars to a sticky 38.2C. Phew! At least the weather at this time of year isn’t usually too humid. Dry air is always easier to cope with than humid air, because our bodies find it easier to regulate their temperature. Our bodies attempt to stay cool by sweating, or in the case of a lady, by glowing! As the sweat evaporates from your skin, it turns from liquid to gas, and this takes a lot of energy. The energy needed for this is taken from our bodies, using the heat from our skin. Therefore as the sweat evaporates, we feel cooler. Sweating is less efficient if there is already a lot of moisture in the air, because the sweat will evaporate slower. This means there is a greater chance of overheating and heat exhaustion in humid weather. Fortunately, in Qatar the prevailing wind is from the northwest. This brings us air which has travelled across the deserts of Iraq, then down the Gulf. The air does pick up a little moisture from the waters of the Gulf, but it’s still very dry when it reaches Qatar. It’s only when the wind swings round and comes in from the east that things in Doha get sticky. It is this easterly wind that brings in the humid air which will make your sunglasses instantly steam-up when you step outside, or when condensation forms on the outside of your window. The humidity doesn’t normally kick in until July. So although it will get much hotter in the coming weeks, hopefully it will be a few more months before the humidity arrives. (The author is Senior Weather Presenter at Al Jazeera English channel. She can be contacted on [email protected] or on Twitter at @WeatherSteff) Sunday, April 3, 2016 GULF TIMES 7 COMMUNITY On The Abramovic Method Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic was in Qatar recently to participate in the ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference INSIGHTFUL: Abramovic gives her presentation at the ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference in Doha. By Anand Holla N ew York-based Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic is one of the finest and the most pioneering artists of our time. Stretching the limits of the body and the possibilities of the mind to their very limits, Abramovic has devoted more than 40 years of her inspiring career to demystifying the relationship between performer and audience. Down in Doha recently to give a talk ‘Performance as Art, Art as Performance’ at the The New York Times’ ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference, Abramovic swept the audience away with her fascinating insights into people, art and performance. Community takes you through the highlights. About what performance art means to her, Abramovic said, “I am not about objects. I am all about people, communities, cities and performance art. My definition of performance is that it is a mental and physical construction which is designed to be in an exact place and time where the public enters and then, the energy dialogue between the performer and the public has to happen. “I would like for my work to function as a constant mirror, so that the public does not see me in their work, but rather themselves. That’s the fundamental thing.” In 1974, Abramovic delivered one of her best-known performances ‘Rhythm 0, 1974’. In the six-hour performance at Galleria Studio Morra in Naples, Abramovic allowed herself to be manipulated by the public in any way they chose, using 72 objects laid on a table. While some of those objects were for pleasure, some were for pain; the dangerous ones included a loaded gun, pocket knife, scalpel, hammer, saw, metal pipe, metal spear, and axe. Abramovic said, “It was an experiment and I was young and foolish. But this was an experiment to see what if I gave to the public the complete opportunity to do whatever they want – how far could they go? I ended this experiment with the knowledge that the public can actually kill you. I understood that you can take something best out of the public, or you can completely transform them into something else and leave the spirit, which took me almost 40 years of my career to do.” For Abramovic, it was an extremely challenging piece of performance art to pull off because she wasn’t in control, the audience was. The performance had ended with she holding a loaded gun against her own head, tears in her eyes, her blouse ripped open, and her head bleeding from a wound. “In the beginning, the public would give me a rose, but later on they would stick pins in my body, use the pistol, or carry me around. It was a very violent experience,” Abramovic explained. Explaining how artists must be servants of the society, and not just servants, but must bear responsibility, Abramovic referred to a statement by German museum director Alexander Dorner that she said inspires her: The new type of art institute cannot merely be an art museum as it has been until now, but no museum at all. The new type will be more like a power station, a producer of new energy. “And that’s where I am actually right now,” she said. Elaborating on The Abramovic Method, a series of exercises she designed over the course of 40 years to explore boundaries of body and mind, she said, “It’s very simple. When you go to the museum or the art gallery, you enter into a space that has lockers. In these lockers, you have to keep your telephone, computer and watch. This is the moment when you give yourselves a special freedom of being all alone without technology. Don’t get me wrong – I am not against technology. Technology is not wrong but our approach towards technology is wrong.” “So as you enter this new place, you get headphones. These (noise-cancelling) headphones are incredible important,” Abramovic continued, “The moment you block sound, you are together with everybody else in the room but at the same time, you are alone. You can hear your heart beating. You can actually be in this space which you, all the other times, avoid.” Exercises that feature in The Abramovic Method are very simple such as slow walk, counting rice, standing on a platform with eyes closed, looking at colours, mutual gaze, etc. “I don’t think we need art in nature. Nature is so perfect already, without us. We need art in cities where human beings don’t have any time. In the cities that are polluted, in the cities that have too much noise. We have to take experience from the nature and translate it into the cities. I always believe that the function of art is a function of bridge; to bridge different people from different social backgrounds, religious beliefs, and races. But it’s also about communication between the physical world and the spiritual world, or simply between two human beings,” she says in a video that she presented as part of her talk. Abramovic says she eventually understood that she must “give tools to the public to experience their own selves.” She explained, “I have to be like a conductor because I am always performing in front of the public, engaging with them. The public is my mirror and I am the mirror of the public, too. Everybody has trauma, loneliness, fear of death, and pain. I am giving a part of myself and they give me a part of their selves. The only thing they can understand on a much profound level what performance is, is they make their own personal journey.” 8 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY Match Day success for WCM-Q’s future doctors M edical students at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have ‘matched’ at some of the world’s leading healthcare institutions, securing places in residency programmes to continue their clinical training after they graduate in May. The annual Match Day event, which pairs soon-to-graduate medical students with US residency training programmes, saw WCM-Q students gain positions at elite hospitals such as Cleveland Clinic, NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Match Day is highly competitive, with more than 42,000 students across the world vying for 30,000 residency positions at US hospitals. Nineteen out of 21 WCM-Q students who applied and interviewed for residency secured a place in a programme, giving a match rate of more than 90 percent. Students and their families of the Class of 2016 attended the Match Day ceremony held at WCM-Q to hear the results of their applications soon after they were announced by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in Washington, DC. Student Perola Lamba matched at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Weill Cornell Medical Centre where she will join the Internal Medicine Residency Program. “I am absolutely delighted to be doing my residency at NYP,” she said. “It was my first choice because it is a wonderful institution but also because I have felt so at home as a member of the Cornell GROUP PHOTO: Class of 2016 after hearing match results. family for the past four years, and I want to continue to be a part of that family. I hope to one day give something back by teaching the next generation of Cornell students, and I also want to help generate new medical knowledge for our community by undertaking research.” Match Day marks the culmination of four years of medical training for WCM-Q students, who are awarded the same US-accredited MD degree as graduates of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. Student Mohamed al-Hajjaji matched at Hamad Medical Corporation and will join the Pediatrics residency programme there after graduation. He said: “I Student Muhammad Panhwar during the Match Day event. am very happy and excited to have completed the Medical Program and to be continuing my training in the specialty that I love. I am also very happy to be able to stay here in Qatar to be with my family and to make a contribution to our community. “My time at Weill Cornell has been wonderful and challenging. It was very hard work but with patience, support and careful time management I managed to complete the programme, which I am very happy about. I am now looking forward to moving to the next stage of my career.” Student Vignesh Shanmugam matched at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston where he will join the Pathology Residency Student Perola Lamba during the Match Day event. Program. Shanmugam is the first WCM-Q student to match at Brigham and Women’s, which is affiliated with Harvard University and is regarded as one of the world’s best hospitals. Shanmugam said: “I am absolutely thrilled about starting a pathology residency training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. During medical school, I always enjoyed understanding the mechanisms of disease and using these insights to generate meaningful information in a clinical laboratory to guide patient care. No other speciality career option was nearly as intellectually stimulating and satisfying for me as pathology. The training programme at the Brigham historically takes Student Mohamed al-Hajjaji with his daughter during Match Day event. great pride in training the next generation of ‘physician-scientists’ and, given my strong passion for research, it was a perfect fit for me.” Dr Javaid Sheikh, Dean of WCM-Q, warmly congratulated the students. “Every member of the Class of 2016 has shown great dedication to learning their craft, and they have been justly rewarded for their efforts by securing places on some of the very best residency training programmes in the world,” he said. “All of us at WCM-Q are immensely proud of their efforts and achievements, and we look forward to seeing them continue to excel as they move on to the next phase in their careers. Well done to all of you.” Student Vignesh Shanmugam during Match Day event. Sunday, April 3, 2016 GULF TIMES 9 COMMUNITY Students during one of their activities as part of UCQ’s initiative to enhance community health. Enhancing understanding of mental health A chieving good mental and emotional health is being highlighted by students at the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) who are deepening public understanding of mental health and wellbeing through a range of community projects. These initiatives are part of the university’s strategy to enhance community health, reflecting its vision to offer an environment of mutual care which allows effective learning to take place and in which there is an understanding about mental health and wellness. “The mental and physical health among our students, faculty and staff is a priority, both on our campus here in Qatar and our main campus in Canada,” said Dr Kim Critchley, Dean and CEO of UCQ. “As Qatar transitions toward a knowledge-based economy, human capital will be a critical factor. Building communities whose members support and care for each other, a crucial component of our approach to healthcare wellness, promises to enable citizens and residents of Qatar to contribute to national development.” Promoting open dialogue about psychological health in Qatar, UCQ students have launched Copacabana team loses in futsal tourny final The Qatar Futsal Tournament came to a grand finish with Copacabana and Ezdan fighting it out for the title in the final. Ezdan won the keenly contested battle 3-1 to claim this year’s title. The match was held amid a lot of fanfare at the Qatar Sports Club grounds. Copacabana team scored the first goal in the first 10 minutes, but the Ezdan team was able to bounce back quickly and turned around the match. It was a great performance from Copacabana team who were the underdogs to begin with. But they showed great fighting spirit and teamwork to go on a seven-match unbeaten run, which saw them reach the final. The tournament featured 40 teams from all over the country. The idea was to give amateur players a chance and so professional players were not allowed to enter. Teams from schools, banks, companies, ministries and sports clubs participated in the tournament. Although the Copacabana team lost in the final match, they were the recipients of key prizes — Best Player in the Tournament and the Best Coach in the Tournament. Copacabana team sponsor and managing director of Lifestyle Group of Restaurants, Yoonus Salim Vappattu said, “Qatar is known for promoting sports culture and entertainment, especially when Qatar is preparing for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, the world’s most prestigious event. We are proud to associate with Qatar futsal tournament.” Based in Al Wakrah Souq, Brazilian restaurant Copacabana opened three months ago and is looking forward to promote and support many more such events in Qatar, said Vappattu. Futsal is different from football in that each team has five players and the ball has less bounce, is a little heavier, and smaller in size. The ball is thus easier to control, but harder to keep because of the extra pressure it puts on the foot. This year’s tournament was a huge success for the Copacabana team but they are hoping to return next year and do even better. Qatar also has a professional futsal league. various evidence-based awareness campaigns, sharing information, and highlighting means of support. UCQ students initiated two video projects: one assessing Qatar residents’ awareness and knowledge of mental illness; the other separating myth from reality when it comes to suicide, designed to ensure those at risk are encouraged to seek care. In the course of their projects, UCQ students took to the local community at Villaggio Mall by providing residents with vital information about mental illness. In addition, students also held sessions at Qatar University and Qatar Secondary Independent School for Girls featuring roleplaying activities to encourage empathy for the mentally-ill, introducing participants to headsets that simulate auditory hallucinations, and providing students with critical information, focusing particularly on adolescents, who are among those especially at risk. These sessions enabled UCQ to strengthen its ties with the community, and build awareness about the important topic of mental health. Through their projects, UCQ students are countering the stigmas afflicting those suffering from mental illness, and demonstrate the importance of the compassion that is at the heart of nursing. Promoting mental health and wellbeing builds both the long-term content and productivity that is conducive to achieving the development goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 where human development lies in preventive and curative health care, both physical and mental, taking into account the differing needs of men, women and children. Aisha Almarri, a second year Qatari nursing student at UCQ, said: “Our projects allow community members to acquire basic knowledge about the mental illnesses that are prevalent in Qatar, and experience firsthand some of the symptoms with which the mentally ill cope. This initiative has shown that knowledge and empathy can overcome harmful stereotypes, and foster the kind of inclusive development that remains at the heart of the long-term vision Qatar pursues.” In their outreach, students utilised an array of social media platforms to reach a broad and diverse audience. Students turned to Instagram launching an account that provides useful information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a mental illness often diagnosed in children that has long been prevalent in Qatar. They also created a Facebook page, titled “Say No to Stigma,” prompting a dialogue about mental health. BFIS student becomes Qatar Brain Bee Champion Raya Makarim, a student of AS Level at Bright Future International School (BFIS), has clinched the top position at the Qatar Brain Bee Competition organised recently by Hamad Bin Khalifa University in collaboration with the Ministry of Education through its Qatar Institute for Biomedical Researches. She won the title of “Qatar Brain Bee Champion,” competing against 170 students from 36 schools. Raya also won a cash prize of QR7,000 and will represent Qatar in the International Brain Bee Competition in Copenhagen, Denmark. 10 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY Nurturing young mind Maersk Oil Qatar and Qatar’s General Traffic Directorate’s booth attracted more than 3,000 people at GCC Traffic Week exhibition in Darb Al Saai. By Anand Holla A student learns more about road signs as part of SFRS programme. S taying true to its rather reassuring name, the Students for Road Safety (SFRS) programme has been successful in spreading awareness and instilling a sense of responsibility in the motorists of tomorrow. Nearly three years since its launch in 2013, the initiative shows just how much of a positive influence it has been on young minds. At the recently held GCC Traffic Week, Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ), in partnership with Qatar’s General Traffic Directorate, welcomed more than 3,000 people to their exhibition tent in Darb Al Saai. A milestone annual event in the calendar of activities to support Qatar’s National Road Safety Strategy 20132022, the GCC Traffic Week seeks to build road safety awareness and encourage safe driving behaviour across the region. And what better way to propagate safe driving habits among the people of Qatar than to focus on the young? In 2013, MOQ, in partnership with the Qatar General Traffic Directorate, within the Ministry of Interior, as part of the national One Second road safety brand, launched SFRS. Last year alone, more than 5,000 students aged between 12 and 18 have benefited from the programme, and the results of this initiative at this year’s GCC Traffic Week have been even more heartening. An MOQ spokesperson told Community, “The success of any road safety initiative should be measured in the lives it touches and ultimately saves. Since the launch of the SFRS programme in 2013, we have so far engaged with 6,000 young people through more than 50 school events targeting private, independent and community schools, to educate them about safe road behaviours.” The gains made by the initiative are not vague or unsubstantial as campaigns towards such causes often suffer from. The robust partnership between MOQ and the Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior has brought tangible benefits to Qatar by seeding behaviour change and moulding students into conscientious road safety ambassadors at school and at home. “We constantly hear positive feedback from teachers involved in these events who tell us how students walk away from the initiative with an improved sense of how drivers should behave on the road and why it’s everyone’s responsibility to improve driving standards,” the spokesperson explained, “Students, in their own right, tell us that going through the state-of-the-art road simulator with the programme’s experienced instructors and seeing, with their own eyes, why it is so important to be vigilant while on the road, motivates them to encourage their families and friends to practice safe driving behaviours.” The aim of SFRS, which targets all students aged 12 to 18, is to educate children about the importance of focusing and being attentive while on the road. SFRS travels from school to school, focusing on educating Sunday, April 3, 2016 GULF TIMES 11 COMMUNITY ds for safer roads An instructor helps a student navigate through the simulated road at a previous event in 2014. Optional — A lecture at a previous One Second road safety class, also by MOQ. and preparing the country’s future drivers to usher in a much safer road environment. “Road conditions can change in one second, which is why it’s important to instil safety precautions, like not being on your phone and always wearing a seat belt, from a young age so they become a habit. The ultimate goal is for students to act as road safety ambassadors amongst family and friends,” the spokesperson said. Earlier, at the event, Brigadier Mohammed Saad al-Kharji, Director of Qatar’s Traffic Department, said, “I congratulate MOQ on its sponsorship and the range of activities which proved popular and effective, particularly among the younger generation, in encouraging positive road behaviours.” Everybody would agree that it’s encouraging to witness the size and scope of nationally-significant events like the GCC Traffic Week increase year on year. At the recent 32nd GCC Traffic Week, the educational facilities being organised and offered to the public have surpassed expectations. MOQ, for instance, had a more prominent presence at the venue, thereby allowing for more space to hold a variety of educational activities focused on raising road safety awareness. Of all the various fun and educational activities that were being offered in the MOQ tent such as a 3D exhibition of the history of Qatar’s traffic department and interactive presentations, the road simulator was understandably a popular feature with visitors. “The driving simulator used in the Inside the MOQ tent at the recent 32nd GCC Traffic Week. The MOQ tent at the GCC Traffic Week. programme features cutting-edge technology, including a complete car cockpit and an advanced display system with a wrap-around screen. In this, a custom-made artificial intelligence engine reflects common traffic behaviours on Qatar’s roads like tail-gating, failure to indicate, flashing lights and cutting across cars at roundabouts,” the spokesperson said. If one wishes to know the positive impact of this initiative, the testimonies come from everywhere. Mohammad Taymour, Academic Vice President at Al Yarmouk Preparatory School, said, “The SFRS visit to our school has changed the way our students, and teachers, view the issue of road safety. Being able to sit in the simulator with expert guidance and see the effect of bad behaviours was a stark reminder of how we all have a responsibility to each other to show care and exercise caution while driving.” Paul Williamson, Principal at Newton International Academy (Barwa City), which hosted SFRS last year, said, “We were delighted that SFRS came to our school. The children walked away with an improved sense of how drivers should behave on the road and why it’s everyone’s responsibility to improve driving standards. The instructor, Peter John Marsh, made our students feel comfortable yet ensured they all were conscious of this very important message.” With around 75 per cent of all road deaths in Qatar, every year, known to be of young men aged between 10 and 29, educating the young is the proverbial need of the hour, and SFRS, arguably Qatar’s biggest and longest-lasting road safety campaign, is one of many such emerging programmes. “MOQ has supported a number of road safety programmes under the One Second national brand including a child car seat campaign which focused on education and awareness about the importance of using seats belts and child seats for children in vehicles; this was included in the Maersk GCC Traffic Week tent,” the MOQ spokesperson pointed out. In the past, the baby programme provided 7,000 baby car seats and was accompanied by a nationwide educational and awareness campaign. It also involved the training of nurses at Hamad Women’s Hospital in the importance of using car seats and on distributing them to the families of new born babies. 12 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY Playing golf a lot like managing a construction project By Jon Sanderson and Matthew Schofield of Quantum Global Solutions Qatar I n January, Jon and I wrote about how playing a tennis match can relate to a construction contract and how certain aspects of the match mirrors the commercial aspects of a construction project. Over the coming months Jon and I will continue with a sporting theme for our articles based on the multiple sporting events held in Qatar. Qatar recently played host to the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Golf Tournament at the Doha Golf Club and being golf fans, it was a pleasure to watch the tournament, especially to take in first-hand how immaculate and manicured the course was. Unfortunately, this year the weather wasn’t too kind and the weekend was very windy and colder than usual; however, the golf played was at an excellent standard. Now, you might ask how golf relates to a construction project? In reflection, it is actually amazing how most sports and day-to-day activities mirror one another — golf is no different. Whenever a Project Manager starts a construction project, you make sure you have the right foundations of your team in place, a Contracts Manager, a Planner, a Safety Manager and an Engineer. The same can be said about golf — a professional golfer needs a team around him, a coach, a caddie and an agent. A trusted and empowered team enables the golfer to concentrate purely on the golf and the not-so-small task of achieving a successful outcome. A construction project needs a Project Manager but that person cannot do everything and relies on his team. Watching the golfers in the tournament, communicating with their caddies and showing trust in what they say, shows how a good aligned team works. Understanding the course layout is the same as understanding the scope of a project. If the fairway is tight and has obstacles, caution is needed, club selection is important. Do you go for a big drive and risk going out of bounds or take a smaller club and keep the ball in play? If the project involves various risks, do you throw caution to the wind and just go for it, or analyse the risks, quantify them and put controls in place to eliminate or at least reduce the risk. Risk management plays a key role in both sport and construction and shouldn’t be underestimated. Each hole needs to be completed in sequence, using a planned approach, the same for sequence of works in a project; you don’t use a putter to tee off with, which is the same as you not putting the roof on without building the walls first. Having a plan and preparing is one of the most important phases of any project, the old saying goes, “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail.” Similarly teams follow the Six P’s, “Proper Preparation and Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” Watching a golfer play: they plant their feet, look at their stance, set themselves up, align themselves with the ball that is teed precisely; the golfer is preparing for every shot, whether it is a putt or a drive — preparation is key. It can be viewed as repetitive but it is the planned, methodical approach that generally sees the best rewards in golf and in construction. That being said sometimes a wild shot now and then never hurts anyone, but you do need to be careful with this in any walk of life and career. Throughout a project there are milestones, some have monetary value for payment and some are tied to delays for liquidated damages — so throughout the course of the project various milestones need to be completed on time and on budget. In golf, each hole has to be completed just like a milestone, towards an outcome where the golfer puts the ball into the hole in as few shots as possible — unless we are playing where we like to get our money’s worth and take a lot of shots. But seriously the higher the shots the worse the score is and even though there are no liquidated damages in golf, there is the shame of carding an eight on a par three, as we well know. At the end of the day, golf is just a game, whether you swing and miss or go out of bounds, it doesn’t really matter. It is always a fantastic feeling to get a birdie and in our case a scarce par, but it’s fun and as both our wives tell us, it’s a long walk spoilt. However, every time you play you always want to do better next time and learn from your mistakes. The same thinking is in construction projects were lessons learnt should be adopted every time, so the same mistakes don’t happen again and again, and if the mistakes stopped I wouldn’t have to shout ‘fore’ as often when I take my shot. Sunday, April 3, 2016 INFOGRAPHIC GULF TIMES COMMUNITY 13 14 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY Wordsearch Adam Pooch Cafe Many Moons ANANKE ARIEL ATLAS BIANCA CARME CHARON DIONE ELARA EUROPA HELENE JANUS JULIET LEDA METIS MIMAS NEREID OBERON PHOEBE PORTIA PUCK RHEA SINOPE TETHYS THEBE TITAN TRITON 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 Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY PUZZLES Quick Clues ACROSS 1. Wooing (9) 8. Pen-point (3) 9. Right (11) 11. Candidate (7) 12. Mistake (5) 13. Masticated (6) 15. Tenant (6) 17. Pointed (5) 18. Trouble (7) 20. Grudgingly (11) 22. Sailor (3) 23. Hit back (9) GULF TIMES Colouring DOWN 2. Possess (3) 3. Giant (5) 4. Obeyed (6) 5. Go before (7) 6. Engrossing (11) 7. Detestable (9) 10. Heat (11) 11. Need (9) 14. Authorise (7) 16. Note-case (6) 19. Ruff (5) 21. Illuminated (3) Cryptic Clues Answers Wordsearch ACROSS 1. Inactivity in sails, pray for movement (9) 8. Exclamation made by pop at the hotel (3) 9. Reads it once and turns over, being unselfish (11) 11. Former soap mystery left on display (7) 12. Colourful music? (5) 13. Country girl to preserve (6) 15. Had a venture back to discover state secret (6) 17. Head off drug peddler and see him in court (5) 18. Ian’s ego will suffer as a result of character change (7) 20. The one who brings home the dough? (11) 22. Animal unused to sound (3) 23. Tight Rome schedule for a flier (5,4) DOWN 2. Make a fuss at a party (3) 3. Body of roaming lions (5) 4. She tells a different version (6) 5. Unsteady walk to place of disorder? (7) 6. Lout in space sent up as a gamble (11) 7. Orderly craft seen at the Oval, for instance (9) 10. Stop din in the pub causing mayhem (3,2,3,3) 11. Worked out a cure: gone for help (9) 14. River in which a wader went to fish (7) 16. Barker doing the rounds? (6) 19. Eros possibly holds one in a basket (5) 21. Little creature left out at the start (3) Codeword Yesterday’s Solutions QUICK Across: 7 Wanton; 8 Medium; 10 Derange; 11 Flail; 12 Laud; 13 Roomy; 17 Lucid; 18 Dawn; 22 Aloof; 23 Turning; 24 Censor; 25 Signal. Down: 1 Swaddle; 2 Onerous; 3 Joint; 4 Perfume; 5 Rival; 6 Small; 9 Negotiate; 14 Buffoon; 15 Valiant; 16 Snuggle; 19 Fancy; 20 Mound; 21 Broil. CRYPTIC Across: 7 Rouble; 8 Hearth; 10 Creeper; 11 Ravel; 12 Loud; 13 Spate; 17 Slave; 18 Sari; 22 Prism; 23 Nailing; 24 Dry run; 25 Sponge. Down: 1 Trickle; 2 Humerus; 3 Slope; 4 Secrete; 5 Crave; 6 Shell; 9 Grapevine; 14 Clamour; 15 Salient; 16 Singlet; 19 Spode; 20 Sibyl; 21 Hippo. 15 16 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 6 kitchen and bath upgrades that are ‘the whole package’ L et’s face it — once you get past high school, the people who go farthest in life are the ones who are the “whole package,” those who balance style, good looks and brains. The same can be said of kitchen and bath upgrades. The ones that will stand the test of time — the ones you’ll love as much in five years as you do the day they’re installed — are the improvements that blend style and intelligence. Great bathrooms and kitchens really do sell homes, so it makes sense to invest in upgrades that are the whole package. They look great, are stylish, functional and enjoyable, and will give you a decent return on your investment when it comes time to sell. Here are six kitchen and bathroom improvements that really are the total package: Granite countertops Countertops are both a major design feature and a vital necessity in both kitchens and baths. New, quality countertops improve the appearance and function of either room. Of course, granite is still a top choice for kitchen counters but it also goes well in the bathroom, giving vanities a high-end look. Skylights Whether in a kitchen or bathroom, adding solar-powered, fresh-air skylights will brighten the space with abundant daylight and freshen the air with natural ventilation that exhausts heat, humidity and odours. In baths, they also provide privacy. Quality lighting Lighting is both a practical and design consideration for kitchens and bathrooms. In addition to natural light sources, such as skylights and windows, it’s a good investment to install upgraded light fixtures. You should have multiple ARIES March 21 — April 19 Today’s Moon shines on your eleventh house of hopes, wishes and friendship, making it a great day for you to spend quality time with the people you love and enjoy hanging out with. CANCER June 21 — July 22 Don’t allow someone to steal your joy and or your thunder today, Cancers. If it means something to you, then that’s all that really matters. LIBRA September 23 — October 22 There is nothing worse than feeling as if people are laughing at you and your achievements behind your back. You would rather they criticise you in front of you than behind your back, right? Tell them that. CAPRICORN December 22 — January 19 All at once something is very clear and it’s like a light bulb went off in your brain. Which is just as well because you really hate feeling confused, don’t you? layers of light, including overhead for both rooms, task lighting or under-the-cabinet lighting in kitchens, and vanity lighting in the bathroom. Your design options are vast, and upgrading your lighting can be both a design statement and an improvement that enhances liveability. Eco-friendly fixtures and appliances Of course you know new appliances and fixtures can make kitchens and baths look more appealing to buyers, and more enjoyable for you while you live in your home. But their value will be even greater if you choose options that can also help reduce your water, sewer and utility bills. Tile Tile is a big win for both kitchens and baths. Replacing worn or dated tile in showers or bathroom floors improves the look and function of the room. In kitchens, adding a tile backsplash is an affordable way to make a design statement while protecting walls from cooking spatters. Tile can also serve as a countertop material in kitchens and baths, where design flexibility and durability are essential. Organisation and storage solutions From dishes, pots, pans and foodstuff in the kitchen, to towels TAURUS April 20 — May 20 Don’t let something minor turn into something major today bulls. It’s all in the way you approach things and deal with people. If it’s not that big of a deal, then it’s not that big of a deal. LEO July 23 — August 22 If you let your guard down today — even for a minute — you might regret it Leos. People might be trying to get under your skin and turn you off doing something you think would be very good for you indeed. SCORPIO October 23 — November 21 Avoid confusion today by simply not allowing yourself to get caught up in something that is going absolutely nowhere. You don’t do well with changing plans and opinions so steer clear. AQUARIUS January 20 — February 18 The Moon in your sign today could have some of you feeling more emotional and needy than usual. While this feeling is very unlike you, it could mean that you are open to suggestion and help from others today. and personal care items in the bathroom, you probably have a lot of stuff that needs to be stored in both rooms. So will future buyers! Adding cabinet and drawer organisers, as well as extra storage solutions, can make it easier for you to use both rooms. Plus, it will help reduce clutter, giving your kitchen and bath a more open, clean look. ©Brandpoint GEMINI May 21 — June 20 Your ruler Mercury and the Sun together in your third house of short trips and conversations suggests that today is a great day for a road trip. Get the crew together! VIRGO August 23 — September 22 You’re not usually one for mischief making Virgos, but today you could feel like playing a long overdue practical joke on someone. Maybe someone who played an April fool’s joke on you? SAGITTARIUS November 22 — December 21 If you’re not open to doing something today, speak up and say so Sagittarius. While you are usually a ball of energy and say “yes” to basically anything and everything, don’t be too quick to do so today. PISCES February 19 — March 20 Venus the lover and planet of friendships and money spends her last few days in your sign Pisces before jetting off for fiery Aries on Wednesday. Make the most of her presence. Luxuriate in a bath or pool if you can today. Sunday, April 3, 2016 GULF TIMES 17 COMMUNITY BOLLYWOOD I was always comfortable in front of camera: Jacqueline Fernandez Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez, who shot to fame in India through performances in films like Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai and Kick, says though acting was not her childhood dream, she was “always comfortable in front of the camera”. “I did a bunch of things from the age of 14. I hosted TV shows on local channels in Bahrain and did some modelling. I was always comfortable in front of the camera,” Jacqueline said in the April issue of Jabong’s The Juice magazine in its April issue. “I knew I’d be doing something in the entertainment industry, something that required me to be on television or required me to be a journalist or a broadcaster. I wanted to intern with CNN or BBC. Their investigative reporting inspired me. “I even thought I’d be a documentary filmmaker, because I loved travelling,” she added. She was such a travel junkie that when Jacqueline turned 16, she went to London on her personal investments that she had made through modelling and TV shows. “I travelled on my own for 10 days. It was a crazy experience. On the second day, I ended up spending all my money and I still had eight more days to go — my first time there and I had no cash and was lost. There were no mobile phones then. One really sweet Indian lady helped me out,” she recollected. Among her favourite destinations are Japan and Antarctica. Asked about things she hates about travel, Jacqueline said: “Sometimes, I dislike airports, the immigration and the security process. It’s a big mess and is irritating.” — IANS COMFORT FIRST: Radhika Apte Radhika Apte makes fashion runway debut A ctress Radhika Apte has impressed moviegoers with variations in many of her films but says walking the runway for the first time made her nervous. “It was the first time I walked for ramp so I was very nervous and I hope it’s just the beginning,” Radhika told reporters post walking for label The Meraki Project By designer Sonali Pamnani. Calling herself a cotton lover, the ManjhiThe Mountain Man fame actress says that she is grateful for being the part of fashion show and loved the designs for being so comfortable. “I am very grateful that I am the part of this show as I really love this MAKING A COMEBACK: Arvind Swamy collection. I personally wear cotton a lot and of course loose clothes and I think comfort is the first thing for me. I am not a flashy person at all so this collection really suited me,” said the actress who was wearing a blue cotton Ikat knee length dress, with shoulder cut-outs. The pink bib detailing on the front added a playful touch to the ensemble. The Meraki Project by Pamnani’s collection ‘All Work and No Play’ delivered a message of pursuing passion for a living, and find true happiness in life. The essence of the collection was portrayed through an eclectic mix of clothing, which reflected the heart and soul of the people who worked hard to create it. Classic silhouettes were creatively manipulated to present clean, minimalistic, anti-fit designs with a contemporary feel to them. Soaked in natural, hand-woven textiles such as silk organza, pure cotton and hand-woven cotton Ikat, the collection was accessorised with sunglasses and gladiator sandals, rendered a modern appeal to the traditional Indian handloom. Radhika also says that she is happy to use lot of traditional textiles grabbing spotlights nowadays. “I am happy that these textiles are coming in . I feel these are the things that are celebrated most outside the country and sometimes we don’t celebrate ourselves... so its good to see such textiles,” she said. — IANS TRAVEL JUNKIE: Jacqueline Fernandez Meri Pyaari Bindu shoot to begin earlier than scheduled Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who will be seen sharing screen space with actress Parineeti Chopra for the first time in Meri Pyaari Bindu, says the shooting for the film has been preponed. “My next film Meri Pyaari Bindu has got preponed. We will be shooting in April now instead of May,” Ayushmann told IANS. Parineeti is returning to the silver screen after two years with the upcoming film. She will be seen essaying the character of an aspiring singer, and will also be seen crooning a number for Meri Pyaari Bindu, in which Ayushmann plays a Bengali man. The film is directed by debutant Akshay Roy and is produced by Maneesh Sharma. — IANS Arvind Swamy returns to Bollywood after 15 years Ranveer Singh to star in Rohit Shetty’s next Actor Arvind Swamy, who made his Bollywood debut with Mani Ratnam’s 1992 film Roja, is returning to the Hindi film world with debutant director Tanuj Bhramar’s upcoming film Dear Dad. Arvind is said to have chosen this film to return to Bollywood because he found the subject intriguing. Dear Dad is a bittersweet coming of age story involving a father-son duo — 14 year old Shivam and his 45-year-old father Nitin Swaminathan, a statement said. A description for the film read: “The father-son duo embark on an impromptu road trip from their home, in Delhi, to Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), where Shivam attends boarding school. Unexpected confessions, weird strangers, accidental meetings, a drunken escapade and singing in the rain — all these add up to a complicated tale.” According to Arvind, who plays the father in the film, such concepts don’t get made very often and needs to be told, a source close to the actor said. — IANS Actor Ranveer Singh, who was last seen on screen in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Bajirao Mastani, has landed a film by director Rohit Shetty. Ranveer will soon be working with Shetty, who is known for his snazzy car wreck stunts, action sequences and cool comedies, read a statement from the actor’s representative. The details of Shetty’s directorial have been kept under wraps. Meanwhile, Ranveer is busy shooting for his next film Befikre, which is helmed by Aditya Chopra, who is making a comeback after a hiatus of seven years. Actress Vaani Kapoor, who made her acting debut in 2013 with the film Shuddh Desi Romance, will be seen starring with the Bajirao Mastani star. Ranveer was launched in 2010 by Chopra’s home production company — Yash Raj Films — in Band Baaja Baarat. The film is set to release on December 9. — IANS ROPED IN: Ranveer Singh 18 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY HOLLYWOOD ‘There will certainly be more fights on Empire’ HIGH DRAMA: The second half of the season is really about the family coming back together. By Yvonne Villarreal T he first family of music — at least in TV land — is back. It’s been several long months since we last saw the Lyon family at the center of Fox’s hit hip-hop family soap opera Empire. The midseason finale in December saw Lucious (Terrance Howard) losing control of his company to son Hakeem (Bryshere Y Gray). And who could forget that crazy fall Rhonda (Kaitlyn Doubleday) suffered down that flight of stairs? While Empire’s ratings haven’t been as impressive as they were in its debut season — when viewership grew week to week until hitting an all-time high of 16.7mn for its season finale — the filmed-in-Chicago drama remains a high note for Fox. Empire headed into its three-month hiatus with some power, averaging 11.2mn total viewers and nabbing a 4.4 rating among the advertiser-favoured demographic of adults ages 18 to 49 with its midseason finale, and that’s not even factoring-in delayed viewing over seven days. And industry watchers will no doubt keep watch on how Empire fares in the ratings with its second leg of its sophomore season, which kicked off last week. We spoke to Empire executive producer and showrunner Ilene Chaiken about how Season 2 is shaking out. The following is an edited transcript of our conversation. This break has been so long. Do you think this hiatus was a little much, any worry that fans will forget what happened? For me, it just flew by. We’ve been in production throughout the hiatus, so it didn’t feel like a hiatus to me. I know we’ve been off the air for a while. I hope that it works. I hope we haven’t been gone too long. I don’t think it was. I’m really excited by what we’re coming back with, so hopefully the folks that love the show will feel that it was worth the wait. How would you describe the second half of the season? The second half of the season is really about the family coming back together. I think that’s the big headline: The Lyons family comes back together initially to vanquish their enemies, to take their company back while always and forever competing with one another for all the same things. So, there are shifting allegiances in the context of all that, but it’s very much about the love and the treachery among these wild and crazy people. What were some of the narrative arc concerns you had this season? We’ve started a couple of stories that we’ve been looking forward to playing through. The story of Lucius losing his company and coming back hard and reconnecting with his gangster past in the course of that has been a big story for us and the repercussions that it has on his children and on Cookie. The way that Cookie and Lucius reconnect in the course of that is one of the loveliest and most exciting things to me. I think you saw it in our midseason finale — that last scene between Lucius and Cookie just brings back the connection between them, that connection that never goes away. That’s going to be something that we’ll explore much more deeply in the remainder of the season. Was there a story line in the first half of the season that drew a lot of debate in the writers room? Every single arc and story draws a lot of debate in the room. But certainly the Anika story line — where we were going with Anika, how far we were going with her, and whether or not she is indeed the person who pushed Rhonda. And I would not ask anybody to assume that ... . In the latter half of the season, I think audiences will come to see that Anika’s behaviour, although it might have gone a little far, was all in some Sunday, April 3, 2016 GULF TIMES 19 COMMUNITY HOLLYWOOD Emma Watson’s representative responds to ‘whitening’ ad row A representative of actress Emma Watson, who was earlier accused of glamorising a skin “whitening” product, has commented on a three-year-old ad for cosmetics brand Lancome after an online magazine brought up the subject for attention. Watson appeared as the face of the brand’s Blanc Expert line in Asia from 2011 to 2013. The product is actually focussed on eliminating dark spots instead of bleaching skin, but the arguments exist somehow. Online magazine Gal-Dem’s Naomi Mabita pointed out that the actress supported the product “designed to make us feel like our skin is a problem that we can pay for them to solve”. However, Watson’s representative wants to keep her image clean. “Many artists often have limited control of how their image is used once an endorsement contract is signed,” the representative said. “I cannot comment on my client’s previous contractual arrangements with Lancome. However, my client no longer participates in advertising beauty products, which do not always reflect the diverse beauty of all women,” the statement added. Earlier, social media users also slammed Watson, who is known as a women empowerment and equal rights advocate. — IANS Executive Producer of Empire Ilene Chaiken. ways justifiable and motivated by how badly she was treated by the Lyons. She’s going to have a chance to recapitulate and make right the things that went wrong for her. Is this going to lead to some GIF-worthy moments? I hope so. I hope that it is always GIF-worthy. Hakeem is the head of Empire Entertainment now that Camilla has taken over. This can’t last long. How is this going to affect the future of Lyon Dynasty? Hakeem is going to have some big choices to make. He made an impetuous move, he made a power grab that miraculously worked. But it’s not clear that he’s ready for it and he’s going to have to choose between power and family and that’s going to be a tough choice for Hakeem. And he’s also going to have to choose between power and love because although when Camilla left in Season 1, he was heartbroken, he’s fallen in love with someone else. And he’s being offered the opportunity to have all of the power that he thought he was seeking, but at the expense of his heart. One of last season’s most talked about moments was the fight between Anika and Cookie … There will certainly be more conflicts on Empire, physical and psychological. I don’t like to call them catfights, even though sometimes the women do fight in that way. I like to think our women are every bit as able as men and that their martial skills compare and compete. How detailed do you get in the script when writing those scenes? Sometimes we get very detailed. I’ve learned over the years that those scenes really emerge on set and the actors have a lot to do with them, and the directors, and the stunt co-ordinators. I prefer not to say, “then she pulled her ear,” because it never happens that way. You spend all your energy as a writer writing and imagining the moments and then the actor will say, “I’m not pulling her ear.” But I will say that fight in Episode 10, it didn’t all wind up in the cut. Lee Daniels came into the room while we were breaking that scene and he was like, “Oh, I know exactly how this fight is going to play out.” He pitched out every single second of it. “She spits! And then the spit hits her! And then it drips down her face.” It never made the show but he had a really vivid fight in his mind. I think we should put all 25 of those spit shots on the DVD or something. You guys have the next Empire Artist Contest happening. How did that process go? We selected the Empire artist. We finished shooting the season. That artist was selected by our executive producers. The artist that was chosen gets a very big feature spot on Empire in our second-to-the-last episode. It was surprisingly successful. It didn’t take a lot of our time and effort. And because music is such a big part of our show, our obligation was simply to make sure that the artist that won was featured in some small way. But we wound up really liking the work and they felt like Empire and we gave them a much bigger spot than we were obliged to give them. The show definitely knows how to get heads turning with its guest spots. This season saw Alicia Keys, Rosie O’Donnell and Vivica Fox. Any exciting ones for the second half? Will we finally see Oprah stroll through? I don’t know when we’re going to get Oprah. But the last half of the season is much more about the family. Frankly, we’re not having as many guest stars. We’re concentrating on telling our stories. That’s not to say there aren’t some amazing actors coming to the second half of the season, but they’re all there in service of the story. There wasn’t a single instance in which I was told, “Hey, so-and-so wants to be on the show, find a way to get them in,” and I had to jump through hoops and break my back trying to accommodate a story line. We simply cast all of the characters that we wrote with amazing actors. I’m not going tell you who all of them are because it would amount to spoilers. The show got very political with a number of nods to the Black Lives Matter movement. In what ways will that continue, if at all? Any chances of digs at Donald Trump or other presidential candidates? I don’t think we reference any of the presidential candidates in the latter half of the season. The show is political by its nature. Our characters have political points of view. Their lives are political. They know people in high places and there’s no question the show will continue to traffic in those themes because it’s natural to the show and fun and it’s what gets us all on fire. The show has spawned a number of Empire-branded ventures — clothing lines, soundtracks, etc. What’s the status of an Empire tour? We’re talking about it. I’m not sure exactly what form it will take because there’s some really exciting ideas in the mix. We want them to always be ideas that firstly don’t get in the way of our making the show because that’s our first priority. And also we want to do something that feels like of the world. But, yes, there are definitely conversations going on about what that’s going to look like for Empire. — Los Angeles Times/TNS COMING CLEAN: Emma Watson Ben Affleck has written a standalone Batman film Actor-filmmaker Ben Affleck, who stars as Batman in superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, has written a script for a solo Batman movie. William Morris Endeavor co-CEO Patrick Whitesell, whose agency represents Affleck, confirmed the project, reports aceshowbiz.com. Asked about how many movies Affleck had signed up to now, Whitesell said: “He’s contracted to do at least Justice League (Part) One and Two, so at least three times wearing the cape.” Whitesell added: “There’s a script that he’s written that is a really cool (Batman) idea, so that’s out there as an option.” Last year there were reports that Affleck was working on a standalone Dark Knight movie as director, star and co-writer. — IANS WRITE STUFF: Ben Affleck 20 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMUNITY MEMORABLE EVENING: Singer Tariq Tafu made the audience sway to his songs. Photos by Umer Nangiana Pakistani folk singer regales music lovers at PMG concert Tariq Tafu enthralled the Doha audience with scintillating numbers and his super hit tribute to Lahore. By Umer Nangiana H e made them dance to the tunes of his Punjabi songs. Promising to make them take a virtual tour of Lahore, the provincial capital of Pakistan, through his super hit song Lahore Lahore Aye (Lahore is Lahore), Pakistani folk singer Tariq Tafu enthralled the Doha audience. Tafu was performing alongside a number of Pakistani and local singers in a concert organised here at Sheraton Hotel Doha by Punjab Music Group (PMG) to celebrate the National Day of Pakistan. A giant cake in the colours of Pakistani flag was cut before the start of the concert. Tafu is the son of legendary tabla player and musician Ustad Altaf Tafu and he is the son-in-law of acclaimed Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali. Besides singing songs from his latest and old collections, Tafu also touched upon some of the greatest melodies from past such as Sun way balori akh waliya, one of the evergreen Punjabi songs. “My father has provided music for some evergreen songs sung by some of the great singers of Pakistan. Those were great artists. I, however, try to create my own songs, in my own style and you would tell me tonight if I have been successful in my effort,” Tafu told the excited audience. Besides his hit songs, Tafu also sang his tribute song to mothers. Like his father, who is known for his unmatched contribution to Pakistan’s music industry, Tafu has quickly emerged as a crowd-puller and a great entertainer on Pakistan’s folk music scene. Coming from the capital city of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Lahore, Tafu is best known for his popular Punjabi song, Lahore Lahore Aey. Tafu started his music career at the age of seven. With a typical voice of a folk singer and great command over traditional music, he was quickly attracted attention and a great fan base in Pakistan. He has composed music for and sang alongside legendary singers such as the late Madam Noor Jehan. He has a melodious voice and inherited the knack for playing different kinds of musical instruments from his father. Tafu has toured different countries of the world with his music concerts. Besides singing, Tariq is also active in discovering and developing the raw talent through his music school, Tafu Khan Music College. At the college, his team comprises music industry’s top professionals who guide and mentor rising singers. His father Ustad Tafu is also teaching music and vocals to young singers at the college. Tafu is also known for his catchy music videos that accompany his songs. For lyrics, he says, he approaches the top lyricist and poets of the country such as Ali Kashmiri, Amjad Islam Amjad, Khawaja Pervez and Saghar Ahmad. He says he tries to do justice to every song and some of his songs were written by the famous poet late Qateel Shifai. The secret of success, Tafu believes, lies in the giving respect to seniors so that you can learn from them. He does not sing classical music, but believes that it is the base. Besides music, the singer is also actively involved in relief and welfare work with Sahara Foundation of singer-turned-politician Abrar-ul-Haq. Razwan Bobby Sarwar, a Qatar-based UK expatriate, was the prominent feature among the musicians at the event. He is a pianist, a music composer and the head of Music at Pre-Prep Sherborne. Sarwar recently composed a song Mere ho Tum (You are mine) which is being heard and played all over the world. Sarwar brought his own distinct style the event. The music fest also featured young singer Danish Asif Ali. He has appeared in popular Sa Re Ga Ma Chote Ustad TV show as a young singer and nowadays performs on Pakistan Television (PTV). Singer Hina Ali presented a famous Singer Hina Ali Khan performing at the show. patriotic song on the theme of National Day before singing a song written by famous poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz that was originally sung by Madam Noor Jehan. Starting her journey into music at a very early age, Ali has already performed at different venues across South Asia. The event also featured local artists from Doha and the members of the Punjab Music Group such as Raza Hussain Gullu, Rama, Javed Iqbal Bajwa and others. The chief organiser of the music fest, Nazakat Ali Khan, thanked the audience for their participation to make the event an “unforgettable night of music with singers coming from India, Pakistan and Nepal.” Punjab Music Group has been organising musical events and cultural shows for South Asian communities in Doha for the past 10 years and has established a name for itself.
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