We Have Spent the Decade Letting Our Tech Define Us. It's out of Control. P4-5

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Community Community The Embassy Junoon, of Georgia Pakistani P7 donates over P16 rock band, 70 various range is all set to perform in of genre books to Doha at Qatar National Qatar University’s Convention Centre (QU) Library. (QNCC) on January 30.

Monday, January 13, 2020 Jumada I 18, 1441 AH

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State of unease

COVER STORY

We have spent the decade letting our tech define us. It’s out of control. P4-5

BOLLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD

Deepika’s JNU visit ‘a PR How to watch the 2020 stunt gone wrong’? Oscar nominations today. Page 14 Page 15 2 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

PRAYER TIME Fajr 5am Shorooq (sunrise) 6.23am Zuhr (noon) 11.43am Asr (afternoon) 2.44pm Maghreb (sunset) 5.05pm Isha (night) 6.35pm

USEFUL NUMBERS

Tanhaji SYNOPSIS: Based on the life of Tanaji Malusare, a 17th- DIRECTION: Om Raut century Maharashtrian Marathi military leader. CAST: Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgn, Kajol THEATRES: Royal Plaza, Landmark, The Mall

Emergency 999 Worldwide Emergency Number 112 Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991 Local Directory 180 International Calls Enquires 150 Hamad International Airport 40106666 Labor Department 44508111, 44406537 Mowasalat Taxi 44588888 Qatar Airways 44496000 Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333 Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464 Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050 Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333 Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444

Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies) Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369 Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364 Stand Up in the Keerthi’s friend’s gatherings and through which she get Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365 DIRECTION: Vidhu Vincent introduced to Keerthi’s brother Amal and his friends Jeevan Qatar Airways 40253374 CAST: Nimisha Sajayan, Arjun Asokan, Rajisha Vijayan and Sujith. Diya and Amal become lover interests eventually. SYNOPSIS: Diya and Keerthi are friends. Keerthi is an This changes everything for everybody in the group. aspiring stand-up comedian and she is trying to ﬁ nd some opportunities for her shows. Diya becomes a regular presence THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza te Unqu uo ot Q “Find e ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” – Emily Dickinson

Community Editor For movie timings and Kamran Rehmat further details please scan e-mail: [email protected] the QR code above with your Telephone: 44466405 mobile phone camera or visit qatarcinemas.com Fax: 44350474 Monday, January 13, 2020 GULF TIMES 3 ROUND & ABOUT COMMUNITY

WHEN: January 15 – July 1 school includes Group Music lessons, Hip- TIME: 6:30pm – 9pm hop, Ballet, Drawing and Painting, Drama Get trained by experts to be a good speaker. Theatre & Taekwondo. Ages between 5 and 10 Smedley Toastmasters is conducting a years old after school hours six-month speech-craft programme that teaches new members to speak conﬁ dently and develop leadership skills. For more information, 66053485, 33232490 or visit www.SmedleyToastmasters.org

Shop Qatar 2020 WHERE: Malls in Qatar WHEN: Ongoing till January 31 TIME: Entire day The Colour Run 2020 water sports, Winter Dragon Boat Festival Shop Qatar has something for everyone, WHERE: QNCC is back to show us their fast rowing skills. including beauty masterclasses, fashion WHEN: January 25 Dragon boating is a canoe-sport and was shows, shopping off ers, mall activities and TIME: 7am – 10pm originally a traditional festival game dating shows, raffl e draws, and Chinese New Year Your Health First is a ﬁ ve-kilometre, back 2,000 years throughout Southern celebrations. untimed event. At each kilometre mark, China. It has now become a popular sport Colour Runners are doused from head to toe with competitions held around the world. in a diff erent coloured powder. Participants wear white at the starting line and ﬁ nish the race plastered in colour. Once the 5k is over, the fun continues at the Finish Festival, a larger-than-life party equipped with music, dancing, photo ops, activity booths, vendors, and more massive colour throws, which create millions of vivid colour combinations.

Gems and Jewels Exhibition WHERE: Museum of Islamic Art WHEN: Ongoing till January 18 TIME: 9am onwards After School Activities The exhibition comes in celebration of WHERE: Atelier the Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture and WHEN: Ongoing presents a look at magniﬁ cent gems and Music and arts activities for students jewellery from India. Set in Stone: Gems and taking place after they ﬁ nish their day in Jewels from Royal Indian Courts showcases more than 100 pieces from across Qatar Metro Street Food Museums’ (QM) collections, including many WHERE: DECC Metro Station Sonu Nigam Live in Qatar masterpieces that have never been displayed WHEN: Ongoing WHERE: Asian Town Amphitheatre before. TIME: 12:30pm WHEN: January 23 Street Food is the ideal venue for a leisure TIME: 7:30pm onwards experience for the whole family off ering over Back by popular demand, Sonu Nigam, returns to wow his fans once again in a one-night only 20 dine-in options and 18-hole World Mini- concert. Presented by Q-Tickets the event is part of Shop Qatar Festival and under the aegis of Golf setup. Qatar National Tourism Council. Sonu Nigam has sung over 10,000 songs in diff erent languages and have received over 40 mainstream awards.

Winter Dragon Boat Festival 2020 WHERE: Museum of Islamic Art WHEN: January 24 Public Speaking Classes for Adults Row, paddle, hurry up! Qatar’s largest WHERE: Sharq Capital, C-Ring Road

Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change 4 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY COVER STORY Functional chaos Technology has grown from some devices and platforms we use to an entire environment in which we function, writes Douglas Rushkoff

e may come to remember this the building, or are themselves oblivious to decade as the one when human their impact on our collective wellbeing. Just beings fi nally realised we are up because the public is fi nally ready to hear about against something. We’re just these tech industry shenanigans doesn’t mean not quite sure what it is. they are still relevant. We can’t even blame WMore of us have come to understand that our capitalism, anymore. The quest for exponential digital technologies are not always bringing out returns may have fuelled the development of our best natures. People woke up to the fact that extractive and addictive technologies, but the our digital platforms are being coded by people cultural phenomena they gave birth to now have who don’t have our best interests at heart. This a life of their own. is the decade when, fi nally, the “tech backlash” began. Diff erent worlds But it’s a little late. What this decade’s critiques miss is that Shoshana Zuboff recently published her over the past 10 years, our tech has grown from comprehensive Surveillance Capitalism to some devices and platforms we use to an entire deserved acclaim, but the book is really about environment in which we function. We don’t some decisions that Google was making twenty “go online” by turning on a computer and years ago to harvest our data and sell it to dialling up through a modem; we live online ‘ advertisers. The Center for Humane Technology 24/7, creating data as we move through our has called attention to the way that the lives, accessible to everyone and everything. manipulative techniques of behavioural fi nance Our smartphones are not devices that sit in our In Programmed or Be Programmed, have been embedded in our apps — bringing us pockets; they create new worlds with new rules all up to speed on the science of captology and about our availability, intimacies, appearance I argued that we have to understand addiction, circa 1999. and privacy. Apple, Twitter and Google are not These are necessary critiques, but they’re too just technology services we use, but staples in the platforms on which we’re focused on the good old days, when the business our retirement portfolios, on whose continued working and living, or we’re more plans of a few bad actors and the designs of success our fi nancial futures depend. some manipulative technologies could be At this point, the digital environment is no likely to be used by technology than identifi ed as the “cause” of our collective woes. more the result of a series of choices made by That’s really only half, or less than half, of the technology developers, as it is the underlying to be the users controlling it story. It’s blaming the developers, the CEOs, the cause of those choices. What happened to us shareholders, or even individual apps, programs in the 2010s wasn’t just that we were being and platforms for our predicament, when most surveilled, but that all that data was being used — Douglas Rushkoff, digital expert ’ of these players have either long since left to customise everything we saw and did online. Monday, January 13, 2020 GULF TIMES 5 COVER STORY COMMUNITY

We were being shaped into who the But now we are resurrecting data said we were. The net you see obsolete visions of nationalism, and the one I see are diff erent. Your false memories of a glorious past, Google search results are diff erent and the anything-goes values of than mine, your news feeds are reality TV. We are promoting a diff erent and your picture of the spectator democracy o n digital world is diff erent. platforms, and, in the process, As the decade began and social we are giving life to paranoid media took over society, many nightmares of doom and gloom, people tried to call attention invasion and catastrophe, to digital technology’s more replacement and extinction. And environmental eff ects. In artifi cial intelligence hasn’t even Programmed or Be Programmed, I arrived yet. argued that we have to understand the platforms on which we’re Reconnecting to reality working and living, or we’re more There is a way out, but it will likely to be used by technology than mean abandoning our fear and to be the users controlling it. But contempt for those we have those of us arguing for new media become convinced are our enemies. literacies may have been making No one is in charge of this, and our case a bit too literally. no amount of social science or ‘The digital environment is monetary policy can correct for no more the result of a series what is ultimately a spiritual of choices made by technology defi cit. We have surrendered to developers, as it is the underlying digital platforms that look at cause of those choices.’ human individuality and variance The people and organisations as “noise” to be corrected, rather responding to our plea launched than signal to be cherished. Our the “learn to code” movement. leading technologists increasingly Schools initiated Stem curriculums, see human beings as a problem, and kids learned code in order to and technology as the solution prepare themselves for jobs in the – and they use our behaviour on digital economy. It was as if the their platforms as evidence of our answer to a world where the most anyone to navigate coherently. by our algorithmically determined Brexit is not a policy design for an essentially fl awed nature. powerful entities speak in code was We may be benefi ting from the ideological profi les alone, and independent England so much as a But the digital media to learn code, ourselves, and then Internet’s ability to help us fi nd to accept a platform’s arbitrary, projection of one group’s collective environment could be helping us look for employment servicing the others with whom we share rare profi t-driven segmentation as a angst. And these are not even the reconnect to local reality and terra machines. If you can’t beat them, diseases, hobbies, or beliefs, refl ection of our deepest, tribal most monstrous of the phantoms fi rma. This is one of its potential join them. but this sorting and grouping is affi liations. we are generating. breaks from media environments of But that wasn’t the point. Or abstract and over great distances. Since 2016, we have summoned ‘We’ve surrendered to digital the past. In the digital environment, shouldn’t have been. What we We are not connecting with people demons to embody and represent platforms that look at human we have the opportunity to really needed this decade was to in the real world, but gathered by these artifi cially generated individuality as noise to be remember who we really are and learn code as a liberal art — not our eyeballs in disembodied virtual worldviews — Russian bots and corrected, rather than signal to be how to take responsibility for our so much as software engineers, spaces, without the benefi t of meme campaigns and Cambridge cherished.’ world. Here, we are not just passive but as human beings living in a any of our painstakingly evolved Analytica. But though these may Incapable of recreating a consumers; we are active citizens new sort of environment. It’s an social mechanisms for moderation, have amplifi ed and accelerated the consensus reality together through and more. That’s the real power environment that remembers and rapport, or empathy. eff ect of the digital environment, digital media, we are trying of a distributed network: it is not records everything we have done The digital media environment that environment would have to conjure a television-style centrally controlled, but locally online, every data point we leave is a space that is confi guring generated standing waves of hallucination. Television was a generated. in our wake, in order to adapt itself itself in real time based on how cultural angst in primary colours no global medium, broadcasting The digital environment is also to our individual predilections — the algorithms think we will matter what. universally shared realities to a built, quite literally, on memory. all in order to generate whatever react. They are sorting us into Then, all it takes is an ideologue world of spectators. The Olympics, Everything a computer does responses or behaviours the caricatured, machine-language or ideology to jump in and claim moon landings and the felling of happens in one form of RAM or platforms want from us. The digital oversimplifi cations of ourselves. that standing wave as their own. the Berlin Wall were all globally another – just moving things media environment uses what it This is why we saw so much Trump is not the originator of his broadcast, collective spectacles. from one section of its memory knows about each of our pasts to extremism emerge over the past demagoguery so much as the vessel. We all occupied the same dream to another. The digital media direct each one of our futures. decade. We are increasingly Ideologically speaking, he’s less a space, which is why globalism environment functions like a big We can no longer come to encouraged to identify ourselves tweeter than a re-tweeter. Likewise, characterised that age. blockchain, recording and storing agreement on what we’re seeing, everything we say or do for later because we’re looking at diff erent retrieval. It could be helping us pictures of the world. It’s not just retrieve real facts, track real metrics that we have diff erent perspectives and recall something about the on the same events and stories; essence of who we were and how we we’re being shown fundamentally related before we were untethered diff erent realities, by algorithms from ourselves and alienated from looking to trigger our engagement one another. by any means necessary. The more The next decade will determine confl icting the ideas and imagery whether we human beings have to which are exposed, the more what it takes to rise to the occasion likely we are to fi ght over whose of our own, imposed obsolescence. is real and whose is fake. We are We must stop looking to our living in increasingly diff erent and screens and their memes for a irreconcilable worlds. We have no sense of connection to something chance of making sense together. greater than ourselves. We must The only thing we have in common stop building digital technologies is our mutual disorientation and that optimise us for atomisation alienation. and impulsiveness, and create ones We’ve spent the last 10 years aimed at promoting sense-making as participants in a feedback loop and recall instead. We must seize between surveillance technology, the more truly digital, distributed predictive algorithms, behavioural opportunity to remember manipulation and human activity. the values that we share, and And it has spun out of anyone’s reacquaint ourselves with the local control. worlds in which we actually live. For there, unlike the partitioned ‘Russian bots, meme servers of cyberspace, we have a campaigns and Cambridge whole lot more in common with Analytica’ INFERENCE: ‘The digital environment is no more the result of a series of choices made by technology developers, as one another than we may suspect. This is a tough landscape for it is the underlying cause of those choices.’ — The Guardian 6 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY

Embassy of Nepal organises Visit Nepal Year 2020 Promotional Walk

The Embassy of Nepal, in association with Non-Residential Nepali Association (NRNA) NCC among others. Qatar, recently organised ‘Visit Nepal Year (VNY) 2020 Promotional Walk’ at Corniche. The walk The 4.8km long walk started from the Banana Island Port and ended near the Costa Coff ee. was led by Dr Narad Nath Bhardwaj Wagle, Ambassador of Nepal, along with off icials from the The participants informed people along the way about VNY 2020. Speaking on the occasion, embassy and RK Sharma, Secretary of NRN-ICC; Ramesh Bhatta, Co-ordinator of NRNA Middle the ambassador thanked local authorities for supporting the event . He also thanked NRNA East; Mohammad Muktada Musalman, President of NRNA-NCC; Mahindra Chamlagai, President off icials and members of Nepali community for their energetic participation for promoting the of Nepali Business Association Qatar; and Raj Regmi, Youth Co-ordinator of NRNA Middle East, campaign. – Text and photo by Usha Wagle Gautam

Exhibition at VCUarts Qatar to combine art and music in augmented reality experience

The Gallery at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Yo-Yo Ma that matches the user’s movement in relation of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) in Education City is to the given artwork. all set to host an exhibition that combines augmented The six pieces of art will be on display in the gallery and reality, art, and the music of Johann Sebastian Bach from surroundings, allowing the visitors to move freely around an album by acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, to give visitors a the area using the augmented reality handsets, while unique and immersive audio-visual gallery experience. listening to the music. The opening reception for the exhibition, titled, ‘Into the Yo-Yo Ma’s rendition of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Light’ will take place at 6pm on January 15, and will start “Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor” will be with a panel discussion titled, ‘Art + Technology: How played through the provided headphones. This work is do artists use it to shape their craft and the way their from Ma’s 2018 recording, Six Evolutions. audiences experience it?’ The panel discussion will be moderated by Dr Bahaaeldin At the exhibition, visitors will be provided with augmented Abudaya, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at Fire reality handsets and headphones that will immerse them Station Artists in Residence; with Jessica Brillhart, Director in a world of 3D art and classical music that responds to of the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Southern their movements. California’s Institute for Creative Technologies, and the Artist Sougwen Chung created six original 3D drawings founder of the independent XR studio, Vrai Pictures; and and sculptures to blend virtual and physical spaces. Myriam Achard, Chief, New Media Partnerships and PR Visitors to the exhibition can point the provided handsets at Centre Phi. The exhibition will run from January 15 till at her artwork which is accompanied by the recordings February 22.

HONOURED: Asna Nafees, Principal of DPS-Modern Indian School (DPS- MIS), was recently felicitated for outstanding academic results at the 32nd CBSE Gulf Sahodaya Principals’ Conference for the 7th consecutive year. The conference, under the aegis of Council of CBSE Aff iliated Schools in the Gulf region, was held at Jaipur India. The forum honoured the eff orts of the achievers in the academic year 2018-19. Asna Nafees received the ‘Gulf Toppers Award’ on behalf of DPS-MIS for its excellent performance in Grade-X. In CBSE All India Secondary School Examination, Ashutosh Srivastava, student of DPS-MIS, with 98.8%, bagged the second position in Qatar Chapter and the third position in Gulf region. Monday, January 13, 2020 GULF TIMES 7 COMMUNITY

The Embassy of Georgia donates a variety of books to the QU Library

The Embassy of Georgia recently donated which will undoubtedly enrich the QU Library. over 70 books to Qatar University’s (QU) Asma al-Buainain also expressed her thanks Library, which includes a range of genre of and appreciation for the valuable donation, book including on the culture of Georgia, which will act as distinctive additions to the diplomacy dictionaries, Georgian cuisine and growing collections. The books relating to the books written in the Georgian language. country of Georgia enhances the library’s role The donation took place in the presence of in providing resources on a diverse range of Nikoloz Revazishvili, Ambassador of Georgia; cultures. Giorgi Kekelidze, General Director of the Coinciding with the timing of the donation, National Parliamentary Library of Georgia; Dr QU is currently highlighting its services via a Omar al-Ansari, Vice President for Academic booth at the 30th Doha International Book Aff airs at QU; and Asma al-Buainain. Acting Fair, which will continue until January 18 ar Director of the QU Library. the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Omar al- The QU Library will play a prominent role in Ansari expressed his happiness and thanked the booth and aims to inform visitors of its Georgian embassy for the generous donation, resources.

Hyundai Motor presents vision for Human- Centred Future Cities through Smart Mobility

Hyundai Motor recently took over the stage at CES 2020 (PBV). This highly customisable concept with autonomous to present its vision for mobility and cities of the future, driving feature allows for limitless possibilities to turn the stated a press release. Skyline Automotive W.L.L., is the vehicle to be more than just a means of transportation. off icial distribution partner of the Hyundai Motor Company These two smart mobility devices will come together at in the State of Qatar. the Hub, which will be located throughout cities in the Hyundai unveiled its first concept Personal Air Vehicle future and used as community spaces. (PAV) as part of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) landscape. Hyundai Motor’s innovative smart mobility solutions, The use of airspace is expected to alleviate road including the PAV, PBV, and the Hub, was showcased congestion and give back quality time to city commuters. at Hyundai’s CES press event at Mandalay Bay South Hyundai’s vision continues with its Purpose-Built Vehicle Convention Center 2F Oceanside B.

FELICITATED: Syed Shoukath Ali, Principal of Ideal Indian School, was recently felicitated for academic excellence at the 32nd CBSE Gulf Principals’ Conference, under the aegis of Council of CBSE Aff iliated Schools in the Gulf Region, held at Jaipur. He was awarded for excelling in the Class-XII CBSE Examinations.

ANNUAL AWARDS DAY: Ibrahim Mohd. Al-Khulaifi Trdg. Co. (IMALCO) recently organised its 4th Annual Awards Day 2019 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Doha. Aboo Backer Bavu, CEO of IMALCO, inaugurating that event said that the past year was a challenging and inspiring one with the achievement of some major milestones and this year will bring many more. The event was organised to discuss the future course of business and challenges with the Branch Heads and Executives of IMALCO and reward them for the past year’s performance. 8 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY TRA From Tooting to the Tirol: a Sunburn and one spectacular tumble aside, it’s good times all the way when one family takes the train from London to the start of their freewheeling Italian cycling holiday, writes Marcel Theroux

EASY RIDER: The Adige cycle track near Salorno, Italy.

’d like to take credit for the would have been to fl y to Verona, found ourselves with a few hours in August. At 7pm, we boarded the their headphones while I read and brilliant notion of travelling but travelling from London by train to wait, listening to the haunting red and white Thello overnight then drifted off to sleep, soothed by train to our summer worked out slightly cheaper – and SNCF jingle that’s one of the train that terminates in Venice. It’s by the cadence of the train. At holiday in Italy, but it was my was entirely magical. comforting idiosyncrasies of rail a no-frills sleeper, not a heritage some point in the night, the guard wife who came up with the You don’t need me to tell you travel in France. It was raining and experience for people who want to came to collect our passports, but Iidea. By family consensus, our two that British airports in August are we didn’t quite have the time or hark back to the golden age of rail I have only a dim recollection of it best holidays ever have involved stressful, crowded and estranging. energy to explore the city. Instead, travel, and the price refl ects that. – and of his returning them around either overnight trains (Moscow to The only advantage of fl ying is that I rustled up some essentials for the At the height of summer, we paid 5am. In the morning, we bought St Petersburg and back) or cycling it gets you a long way in a short overnight trip ‘ water, batteries, €150 one-way for each adult from coff ee and fresh pastries from (along the Danube) and she had time; no part of it is pleasurable. snacks’ while my wife and the Paris to Verona, and €100 for each the trilingual staff in the dining found a way to combine the two. But at the moment the Thameslink kids went to Le Train Bleu, the child. car before arriving in Verona just The kernel of the holiday was train from south London passed magnifi cent gourmet restaurant This bought us bedding, towels, before 8am, with plenty of time to six days’ cycling along the Adige through Blackfriars station, which inside the station. The interior, some water and snacks, and a catch a local train to Bolzano. It had River in the South Tirol. At this spans the Thames, the view from renovated in 2014, is all gold, wood, four-berth couchette compartment taken close to 24 hours from leaving point, I need to stress that we’re the windows of the river on both crystal and artworks that evoke to ourselves. There were loos and our house in London to arriving not keen cyclists at all. I, my wife sides made me feel like my holiday the belle époque. My family was so washrooms at each end of the at our hotel. You’d certainly get and our children, who are 13 and had begun. overcome by the opulence of the carriage. One of the washrooms ran there faster by plane, but this was 11, cycle slowly and complainingly If there’s a nicer way to leave decor that they blew the day’s food out of water on the way down, but an incomparably richer and more and mostly dismount if there’s the country than by rail from budget on strawberry daiquiris, we’d been forewarned about this memorable experience. a hint of an upward slope. But St Pancras, I’d like to know juices, salami and extraordinarily and bought extra water in Paris. It The cycling part of the trip on that previous trip along the about it. Twelve years after photogenic macaroons. wasn’t an issue on the way back. also exceeded expectations. The Danube, we’d been won over by it was opened as the London The indispensable resource for More expensive berths come with following morning, we were the sense of collective adventure. terminus of the Eurostar, it still all long-distance train journeys – their own sinks. collected by van from our hotel There was something wonderful feels like a revelation, with its and the source of our knowledge We arranged ourselves in the in Bolzano with our bicycles and about inching our way to Vienna gothic brickwork, public pianos, about Le Train Bleu – is the Man tiny space, with the kids taking the driven to the start of the route, under our own steam – staying at bookshops and sky-blue vaulted in Seat 61. Over the years, I’ve top bunks. I hadn’t eaten at all and which is almost entirely downhill. diff erent hotels each night – and iron ceilings. We got on the train found him a quirky and inspiring had a sense (correct, as it turned We spent the fi rst few days the unpredictable encounters around midmorning while, in a mentor. I even used his website to out) that the dining car would get descending through apple orchards along the way. What I loved above parallel reality, another version fi gure out how to book and print full very quickly, so I went down beside the rushing, clear waters all were the days that were free of me was stuck in the aisle of a out e-tickets for the Moscow-St with my son and bagged a spot. of the Adige River, through pretty, of devices, but full of shared plane, wishing he’d stumped up Petersburg overnight train, which We ended up sharing a table and predominantly German-speaking incidents, schnitzel and cake. for speedy boarding so he didn’t still seems like a faintly miraculous having a nice chat with a father towns. For the Italy trip, the tour have to be engaged in a Hobbesian achievement. I’ll happily just and daughter from Chester who I knew nothing about the South company (Flexitreks) would struggle for space in the overhead browse the site, fantasising about were on their way to Venice. I ate Tirol before I went. It turned out provide bikes and transfer our bags locker while holding up his still ambitious railway journeys. The pasta, my son had risotto, and we it was part of the Habsburg empire to each night’s hotel, but we had belt-less trousers. Man’s advice is to reserve the stumbled back to the refuge of our until 1918, and still feels culturally to make our own way to and from In Paris, we transferred from France-Italy leg early as they sell compartment as the sun set outside and linguistically as though it the start and fi nish of the route. Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon out of couchettes in summer, so the windows. could be in Austria. About halfway The simplest way of doing this on the RER green line and then we booked them in April for travel The kids listened to music on through the route, German gave Monday, January 13, 2020 GULF TIMES 9 AVEL COMMUNITY a family cycle trip by train

COMPARTMENT: A couchette compartment on the Thello train from Paris. ADIOS: St Pancras Station – the nicest way to leave the UK.

way to Italian as we crossed into man. I was dismayed by their lack the Trentino region, and yards of curiosity, but in fairness the replaced the orchards until we queue was a blockbuster and it was made the fi nal descent to Lake raining. (My tip is to book online Garda. the day before and skip the queue.) Every part of the journey was We fi nished up with three days by a pleasure, with two exceptions. Lake Garda, mooching around, On the fi rst day, my daughter swimming, going out on pedalos and spectacularly went over her trying stand-up paddleboading on handlebars after slipping on a the lake early in the morning before stretch of loose gravel. Umberto the wind made it too diffi cult. and Silvia, cyclists from Milan, The long railway journeys that immediately stopped to help, as bookended our holiday sometimes did a German-speaking Tirolean tested our patience, but precious farmer with cows embossed on moments of togetherness, the eerie his leather belt. Umberto insisted sense of the journey’s continuity on giving us his fi rst aid kit, but from the Italian Alps to Tooting, my daughter, though shaken, was and the interactions with other miraculously unscathed. The other travellers more than outweighed downer was the sunburn that the longueurs and alleged snoring. tormented my son almost to the My children claim to be up for point of him being willing to put on an even longer journey next time, sunscreen. so I’ve been scouting routes on A high point for me was the Man in Seat 61 in preparation. the South Tirol Museum of He has a map showing that it’s Archaeology in Bolzano. This possible in principle to go from is where Ötzi the Iceman lies, London to Singapore by train – and 5,300 or so years after he was even to Japan, if you’re willing to murdered up in the mountains. catch a boat. More astonishing than his leathery Whether my family’s enthusiasm remains is the extraordinary array for this will survive to next summer of equipment and clothing found is another question. “I’m in my alongside him: his straw cape, an teenage years,” said my 11-year- elegant copper axe and a beautiful old, recently, “and I don’t want to fur hat. be associated with our family.” I’m The rest of my family were not certain our family harmony indiff erent to Ötzi: they took one would survive that long a journey look at the queue and decided intact. But I’d be up for giving it a ice-cream was better than an ice try. – The Guardian PICTURESQUE: Tirolean charm, hillsides and orchards near Bolzano. 10 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC Monday, January 13, 2020 GULF TIMES 11 LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE COMMUNITY Virtual reality headsets risk visual memory: study irtual reality (VR) is and Engineering, Toyohashi Comparing the results of the gaining popularity in University of Technology memory test for these two groups, fi elds like healthcare, and a research team at Tokyo the results were worse for the active multimedia, Denki University conducted an VR group. entertainment and experiment using HMDs and “The reason may be that the Veducation but too much use of the examined the eff ects of VR on enhanced sense of realism and technology may hamper your visual memory. immersion created by the ability memory, Japanese researchers have In the experiment, the to look around freely, that is warned. participants visited a museum characteristic of VR, tires the brain During experiments with two virtually and looked at paintings. and consequently prevents the sets of human participants, they After that, a memory test was formation of visual memory,” the discovered that people who wore conducted about the paintings. authors wrote. head-mounted displays (HMDs) With regard to the VR While there are high hopes for VR performed worse on memory tests experience, the research team set technology as an educational tool later. up conditions such that one group that attracts users, and children in “From this, it became clear for viewed images linked to their particular, it is important to create the fi rst time in the world that VR movements on an HMD (active teaching materials that take into may interfere with visual memory VR) and a second group watched account these characteristics of VR. due to the way it moves images in another person’s VR video on a “In order to benefi t society, IT conjunction with user movement,” display (passive VR). needs to take human characteristics the authors wrote in a paper “In other words, under active VR, into consideration. The nature of published in the journal Frontiers in the participants could look around VR can become known through Psychology. at the surroundings themselves, but scientifi c verifi cation based To reach this conclusion, Kyoko under passive VR, the participants on experiments like the work Hine, assistant professor at the could not look around,” the undertaken in this research,” the Department of Computer Science researchers said. researchers noted. – IANS

ARIES TAURUS GEMINI March 21 — April 19 April 20 — May 20 May 21 — June 20

Today you might want to concentrate on one of your private projects Memories from the distant past, perhaps as far back as early childhood, An object that you treasure, perhaps a family heirloom, could be for which you have a lot of passion, Aries. If one of your family members could keep popping into your conscious mind today, Taurus. You may missing, Gemini. Don’t panic. It’s probably somewhere in the house, keeps you from working on this project, explain just how important feel really silly, crying over a fairy tale your grandmother read to you although it may have slipped behind something or had a pile of other this is for you. Usually you work very hard, so you deserve to do when you were five years old, but as embarrassing as this can be, it’s stuff put on top of it. At any rate, it’s among other objects. Searching too whatever you want to do in your off time. Just try to be tactful! They will actually a positive form of release. Old pain from the past, even as inane much, however, could make it more elusive than it should be. understand! as this, can actually limit you in your current situation. CANCER LEO VIRGO June 21 — July 22 July 23 — August 22 August 23 — September 22

Today you might play detective, Cancer. Something or someone, Worries about money that plague you today could well be misplaced, Rational thought gets muddled today as everything seems to be perhaps a pet, has gone missing in your neighborhood and you’ll be out Leo. To all appearances, the financial road might temporarily get a little happening to you at once, Virgo. Everyone wants your advice, lots of there leading the charge. The object of your search could prove elusive, rough, but probably all is not as dire as it seems. Let go of your panic people need favours, and those in authority have new tasks for you. but will probably turn up none the worse for wear. The only caution: for a moment and sit down and actually go over your figures. You’ll Stay calm and don’t react by getting short with people. Play triage when searching, don’t look too far afield. Whatever you seek is probably probably find that some careful budgeting and a little belt tightening off icer and help those in the most need first. Warn the others you might no more than a block or two from you. are all that are needed to get you through. You can do it. not get to them. This way you won’t make yourself crazy. Hang in there! LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS September 23 — October 22 October 23 — November 21 November 22 — December 21

A strange communication could come from a person who doesn’t This is not the day to do in-depth research of any kind, Scorpio, whether A friend you’ve known for years might suddenly shock you by saying leave a name and whose voice you don’t recognise, Libra. It might, it’s an intellectual subject or how to put together a new computer some unkind things that you would never have expected of him or her, however, sound important and therefore could bother you throughout system. Your mind is not as focused as it usually is, and it might Sagittarius. If they’re said about you, you might be very upset because the afternoon. How can you return a call when you don’t know who the temporarily be diff icult for you to grasp new concepts that you’ve never it isn’t fair or justified! Sometimes it’s hard to forgive these things, but person is? Don’t make yourself crazy. This isn’t worth agonising over. encountered before. This is no reflection on your intelligence, just one make the eff ort. Your friend is going through some rough times that of those vague days we all have. you may not know about. CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES December 22 — January 19 January 20 — February 18 February 19 — March 20

Have you just recently reached a cherished goal, Capricorn? If so, you You might be introduced to a new colleague, Aquarius. Don’t be Perhaps it’s best if you stay away from your partner today, Pisces. Your might temporarily be confused as to what you’re going to pursue in surprised if this person makes your flesh crawl. This could be a warning friend is having some very draining hassles with family and on the job the future. You may be toying with a number of options but not be signal or it could simply mean that this person is absolutely terrified and and won’t be in the best of moods. If the two of you get together, you sure which one is right for you. Perhaps it’s none of them. Maybe your therefore acting defensive. Don’t jump to any conclusions about this might find your partner in a surly and uncommunicative mood, and you perfect goal is still over the horizon. Don’t feel you have to get started person until you get to know him or her better. Remember, always give might be the recipient of some unkind words. Either be prepared to deal on something right away. Be patient and have faith. others the benefit of the doubt whenever possible. with it or do something else tonight. 12 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY CARTOONS/PUZZLES

Wordsearch Adam

Pooch Cafe

ALBANIA BRITAIN DENMARK GERMANY HUNGARY LUXEMBOURG POLAND SLOVAKIA SWEDEN AUSTRIA BULGARIA FINLAND GREECE IRELAND MONACO PORTUGAL SLOVENIA SWITZERLAND BELGIUM CROATIA FRANCE HOLLAND ITALY NORWAY ROMANIA SPAIN UKRAINE

Codeword 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 Puzzles courtesy: Puzzlechoice.com courtesy: Puzzles

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. Monday, January 13, 2020 GULF TIMES 13 PUZZLES COMMUNITY

Super Cryptic Clues Colouring

Across Down 1 Fruit for nippers? (4,6) 1 Girl rebuilding yacht (5) 7 Street guide for someone 2 Opposed to profit in a way (7) unfamiliar with the area (8) 3 Seaweed in the National 8 Uncommon and not at all well Gallery (4) done (4) 4 A girl sounds pleased about 9 American tug (4) followers (8) 10 Upset if such a bloomer is 5 The world has a change of revealed (7) heart (5) 12 Islanders upset by nice pirates 6 Railway covered with cubes of (11) frozen carbon dioxide (3,3) 14 They fly although they are 11 They obstruct gunners in pwerless to do so (7) boats (8) 16 A dish from the Wild West? (4) 12 Mean attempt to follow friend 19 Dig in the dirt for food (4) (6) 20 Inexperienced with cunning 13 Land transformed into sea (7) garden pests (8) 15 Exclude fresh bread (5) 21 Do what chickens do with old 17 Country and Western drinks soap?> (10) (5) 18 Clothing found in Durham river (4)

Solution Answers

Wordsearch Codeword 14 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY BOLLYWOOD Deepika’s JNU visit ‘a PR stunt gone wrong’?

REAL HERO: Laxmi Agarwal, left, with Deepika Padukone.

Chhapaak hero Laxmi mouthed by fans are also going now a TikTok star viral on TikTok. Although Laxmi was already Laxmi Agarwal has become popular on social media earlier a social media star thanks to as well, her popularity has grown Chhapaak. The acid attack manifold ahead of the release of survivor, whose life story has Chhapaak. inspired the Deepika Padukone- Laxmi fell prey to acid attack at starrer, is enjoying a huge fan base the age of 19. She bravely fought on social media and her videos back and earned everyone’s are going viral on TikTok. respect with her social work. Recently, Deepika Padukone Laxmi is currently an made her debut on currently one activist for women’s rights and of the most popular social media campaigns to stop the sale of apps, TikTok to promote her ﬁ lm acid. She has inspired many Chhapaak. A video of Deepika other acid attack victims in the and Laxmi dancing together to past and continues to do so even the beats of the Punjabi song today. Her courage and bravery Rider is getting immense love has earned her respect and salute from netizens. from everyone. Netizens are also loving While Deepika impresses on Deepika and Laxmi’s dance to the screen, the real hero of Chhapaak, beats of the song Naagin gin gin. Laxmi Agarwal, has become a Not just Laxmi’s dance videos, TiKTok sensation. Chhapaak’s dialogues being – IANS

Jaaved Jaaferi loves taking on new challenge FACING MUSIC: Deepika Padukone’s JNU visit did not go down well with a section of netizens. Actor Jaaved Jaaferi says ince Saturday morning, Unsung Warrior and Chhapaak, a Flop, Dear Zindagi-Flop. Deepika stepping out of his comfort zone #DeepikaPRBackfi res user wrote: “First Day collection went to JNU, stood with Tukde as a comedian in Jabariya Jodi was has been doing rounds on Tanhaji-16 crore, Chhapaak- 4.75 tukde gang. Chhapaak : Flop. diff erent and challenging. Twitter. crore. Second day looks even Lesson for Bollywood supporters Jaaved was seen as male It seems Deepika worse for Chhapaak. Compare the going against nationalism. protagonist’s father in the movie. SPadukone’s JNU visit did not bookings and number of shows. #DeepikaPRBackfi res”. He played a man with an evil go down well with a section This is a lesson for all stars doing Another user wrote that while streak. of netizens, as they have been PR stunts before release. Not even a subject like acid attack needs “While this is the fi rst time criticising it as a publicity stunt for Congress supporters watching. serious attention in our society, where I played a father fi gure on her latest released fi lm Chhapaak. #DeepikaPRBackfi res”. Chhapaak suff ered on the opening screen, it is also the fi rst time my After Chhapaak had a below- JNU alumnus Swara Bhaskar has day due to Deepika Padukone’s PR character is neither black nor expectation opening on day one, a also been vocal about the thrashing stunt gone wrong. white,” Jaaved said. section of Twitterati started trolling of JNU students, condemning the “Im actually not happy as “I play a grey character in the the actress saying her JNU gesture incident and calling the university Chhapaak isnt doing good because movie; including the grey in has backfi red and aff ected the her “home”. Taking a dig at both this movie is based on the most evil my beard. I have mostly done opening day business of her movie. Swara and Deepika, a user wrote: part of our society which is acid comical characters but this one On the other hand, netizens are “Swara Bhasker jumped into JNU attack. I wanted it to be super duper was diff erent and challenging at lauding Ajay Devgn’s Tanhaji: The controversy thinking she will get hit so that it reaches everywhere. the same time, since it required CHALLENGING: Jaaved Jaaferi Unsung Warrior which released famous and her movies start doing But @deepikapadukone for me to step out of my comfort says that his character required on the same day with Chhapaak. like that of Deepika’s. Then Deepika stupidity has defeated all of us. zone. Playing Abhay’s father was for him to step out of his comfort The period drama has witnessed an did JNU PR stunt. Now Deepika’s #DeepikaPRBackfi res” a way to reinvent myself and play zone. impressive opening at the box offi ce. movie is doing like that of Swara Claiming that the actress a character that my fans have As per trade analyst Taran Bhasker. #DeepikaPRBackfi res”. was an “anti-national activist”, not seen me do before. While my Directed by Prashant Singh, Adarsh, Tanhaji: The Unsung Another user claims Bollywood another user wrote: “India has relationship with my reel son is Jabariya Jodi is based on the Warrior collected a whopping superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s last changed forever. Now the people unique and real, we have our own concept of ‘pakadwa vivah’ (forced Rs15.10 crore at the domestic few movies have not done well do not tolerate anti-national unique opinions and hence not marriage), which is rampant in the box offi ce last Friday. As a result, because people were upset over his activists, be it any celebrity. always get along. I feel it is this Hindi heartland, particularly Bihar Twitterati is being even more statement on ‘intolerance’ and now #DeepikaPRBackfi res”. aspect that made our on-screen and it features Sidharth Malhotra unkind while tweeting about Deepika is following his path. While #DeepikaPRBackfi res” relationship even more special, and Parineeti Chopra in key roles. Deepika’s Chhapaak. “Shah Rukh Khan gave continued to trend throughout it felt like an actual father-son The fi lm aired on Saturday on Zee Comparing the opening day Intolerance Statement. Fan- Flop, Saturday morning, so did relationship,” he added. Cinema. – IANS box offi ce fi gures of Tanhaji: The Zero- Flop, Jab Harry Met Sejal- “#BlockbusterTanhaji”. – IANS Monday, January 13, 2020 GULF TIMES 15 SHOWBIZ COMMUNITY

Story, The OA and Sneaky Pete, has died. He was 27. Hains died after struggling with How to watch the 2020 mental illness and addiction, his mother, V actress and singer Jane Badler, wrote on Instagram. She did not specify her son’s cause of Oscar nominations today death. “A brilliant spark shone bright too short a time. I will miss you Harry every day of my life,” she added, sharing a montage of By Nardine Saad photos featuring Hains. Hains also starred in and produced the 2015 romance The t’s that time of year again Surface and was set to appear in – though this time around the sci-fi miniseries Xtra Life and it’s come a lot earlier: Oscar a thriller titled Klowns. nominees will be announced Fuller House star John Stamos early Monday (today) off ered his condolences to Badler Imorning, honouring the best in and a tribute to the actor in the fi lms over the last year and putting post’s comments. the West Coast entertainment “I’m heartbroken. Harry truly industry on high alert at an was one of the brightest, most ungodly, pre-sunrise hour. charismatic, charming guys I’ve The nomination announcements ever met. His sense of humour begin precisely at 5:18am. Pacifi c and kindness helped get me time, according to the Academy of through a dark time and I will Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. LATE: Australian actor Harry Hains forever be grateful,” Stamos The nominees for all 24 made brief appearances in the TV wrote. “In the song Starry, Starry categories of the 92nd Academy series American Horror Story. Night, Don McLean sings about Awards will be announced in a two- Vincent Van Gogh. – ‘This world part, live presentation streamed was never meant for one as globally on Oscar.com, Oscars.org Harry Hains, son of beautiful as you’ I’m so sorry for and the academy’s digital platforms V actress Jane your loss, Jane. I will never forget (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube Badler, dies at 27 your son.” among them). A service was held for Hains at The fi rst part of the Australian actor Harry Hains, the Hollywood Forever Cemetery announcement will include the WAIT: An Oscar statue stands during a preview for the Governors Ball. Next who made brief appearances in at 3pm Sunday. nominees for actor and actress month’s Oscars broadcast will once again be host-free. the TV series American Horror – Los Angeles Times/TNS in a supporting role, costume design, fi lm editing, original score, international feature fi lm, makeup various guilds earlier this week, animated short fi lm, live action and hairstyling, original song, bolstering the chances of Greta back. After posing for a pic, she short fi lm, sound editing and sound production design, visual eff ects, Gerwig’s reboot of Little Women rolled her eyes.” mixing, though not necessarily in adapted screenplay and original and Taika Waititi’s quirky Hitler Furthermore, the user claimed that order. screenplay – again, not necessarily comedy Jojo Rabbit. to have overheard Nyong’o The second part of the in that order. The 92nd Academy Awards will complaining about her fans. announcement, which is set to This year’s unusually accelerated take place live on February 9 at the The star reportedly said that begin at 5:30am. Pacifi c time, awards season has already Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. ABC, she “didn’t want to be there will include actor and actress highlighted a bevy of frontrunners, which airs the ceremony, confi rmed and that she didn’t care to in a leading role, best picture, including Golden Globe winners Wednesday that the show will go take pictures. Rolling her eyes, directing, animated feature fi lm, 1917 and Once Upon a Time … in without a host for a second year in sighing.” cinematography, documentary Hollywood. Additional nominations a row. The person added: “She feature, documentary short subject, were announced by Hollywood’s – Los Angeles Times/TNS seemed so miserable at the event. This was the day before the nationwide release so I was creative diff erences.” like why?? woulda preferred her “We remain grateful to Scott for to not come and just relax at his contributions to the MCU,” said home.” Marvel. Derrickson directed and This prompted other users to co-wrote 2016’s Doctor Strange, come out and say that they had which introduced the once-arrogant experienced similar behaviour. neurosurgeon turned Sorcerer Someone who claimed to be Supreme, Dr Stephen Strange, to the an extra in Black Panther said Marvel Cinematic Universe. Played that the actress “was hella rude by Benedict Cumberbatch, the CARELESS: Fans have been on set”. character has since appeared in Thor: having the not-so-nice experience One other person wrote: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infi nity with Lupita Nyong’o. “My friend was invited to a War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame broadway play that starred (2019). While directors being Lupita & the actress who invited DIFFERENCE: Scott Derrickson announced on Twitter that he and the studio replaced on big-budget franchise Nyong’o accused of being my friend. My friend went back “mutually agreed to part ways” as the director on the Doctor Strange sequel. fi lms has become increasingly rude to fans stage and everyone left from common, it has been a relatively rare the same back door. Lupita was Marvel’s Doctor Strange announced as part of Marvel’s Phase occurrence in the MCU’s 23-fi lm Oscar-winning actress Lupita apparently very rude to the fans sequel loses its director 4 during the studio’s San Diego history (especially compared with Nyong’o has recently been who were back there waiting on over ‘creative diff erences’ Comic-Con presentation in July. its fellow Disney franchise Star accused of rude behaviour with the cast.” At the time, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Wars). Previous directors who have fans. Meanwhile, another tried Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Feige touted the title as the fi rst scary parted ways with the franchise over One person detailed the “not to think anything of it” Multiverse of Madness has lost its Marvel Cinematic Universe fi lm “creative diff erences” include Patty not-so-nice experience with when Nyong’o was being rude director. (while retaining its PG-13 rating). Jenkins, who dropped out of Thor: Nyong’o, reports aceshowbiz. to her. Scott Derrickson announced It’s also been said that events The Dark World, and Edgar Wright, com “I figured it could’ve just recently on Twitter that he and the from the upcoming Disney+ series who left Ant-Man after working on Recalling the time when the been an off night. She posed for studio “mutually agreed to part WandaVision would tie in with the the fi lm for eight years. person attended an early release pictures with some, but seemed ways” on the Doctor Strange sequel Doctor Strange sequel, which will In 2018, Disney fi red Guardians party for Black Panther, the user like she wanted to be anywhere “due to creative diff erences” but include Elizabeth Olsen reprising of the Galaxy writer-director James said: “I was the 4 person to greet but there.” that he will remain an executive her role as Wanda Maximoff /Scarlet Gunn from the third installment Lupita and tell her how much I The actress has yet to respond producer. Witch. of the series over past off ensive appreciate her and how amazing to this. Slated for release in May 2021, In a statement, Marvel Studios tweets. He was reinstated in 2019 for she is. She didn’t say anything – IANS Doctor Strange in the Multiverse confi rmed that the two parties had “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” of Madness was among the titles “amicably parted ways … due to – Los Angeles Times/TNS 16 GULF TIMES Monday, January 13, 2020 COMMUNITY Reunited Junoon set to rock Doha after 17 years two years, the band recorded their second album Talaash (1993) with their new bassist Brian O’Connell after Nusrat Hussain left the band. The release of their second album began to create a cult following for the band. In 1996, Junoon released their third album Inquilaab, and it was only then that Junoon developed a nationwide fan following, with blending rock guitars and bluesy vocals with eastern elements like the use of tablas, raga-inspired melodies, traditional Pakistani folk music, and eastern-inspired poetry. The following year, the band recorded the critically acclaimed Azadi (1997), being the band’s fi rst international record deal, and making it Junoon’s debut album in neighbouring India. The band went on to record and release Parvaaz in 1999. The band found renewed success and popularity starting with 2001’s Andaz and through 2003’s Dewaar and their supporting tours. Junoon celebrated their 25th anniversary by releasing their eighth studio album titled Door in 2016. Salman, writer of most of the band’s lyrics and music scores, says that he gets most of his inspiration for Junoon’s songs GRAND COMEBACK: The reunified force of Ali Azmat, vocalist, right, Salman Ahmad, guitarist, centre, and Brian O’Connell, bassist, will shake the audience in from Led Zeppelin, English rock Doha on January 30. band, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, late Pakistani singer. Songs like Lal Meri Pat (from Azadi), Dharti By Mudassir Raja (from Andaz) and Mera Mahi (from Inquilaab) are some examples of this infl uence. Another great hey are back – a powerful infl uence of the band was poetry. reunion. Junoon, the The lyrics for the song Khwaab was most sought after rock taken from a poem called khwaab band from Pakistan, hakikat na sahi by a poet named has already been Faiza Fiza. makingT headlines following the Junoon won the ‘Best reunifi cation in 2018. International Group’ award at the Feeling fresh following their Channel V Awards in New Delhi reunion, Junoon is once again in 1998, beating Prodigy, Sting bringing their nostalgic and and Def Leppard. The band’s fi rst jingoistic gig to Doha once again international release Azadi, went on January 30. The music show triple platinum in India alone. will take place at Qatar National Sayonee was at the top of the MTV Convention Centre (QNCC) at India and Channel V charts for 7:30pm. over two months. Junoon won The reunifi ed force of Ali Azmat, the Award for ‘Best Rock Band’ at vocalist, Salman Ahmad, guitarist, the Indus Music awards in 2004 and Brian O’Connell, bassist, will and from ARY Asian/Bollywood shake the audience with their non- PERFORMANCE: Ali Azmat and Salman Ahmad during one of their performances in Karachi, Pakistan. Awards. Junoon has also been stop act of chants and anthems, awarded several awards for their which we all have been hearkening After the success of last year’s York, formed in 1990. The band is the group has released a collective contribution towards peace and at for the past couple of decades. event with Strings, another popular directed by founder, lead guitarist total of 19 albums: seven studio South East culture by BBC, Unesco Rahmodus, an events company, is pop music band from Pakistan, and songwriter, Salman Ahmad, albums; one soundtrack; two live and South Asian Journalists presenting PK Music Fest, Season- Qatar National Tourism Council who was soon joined by keyboardist albums; four video albums; and fi ve Association. Junoon was II under the fourth edition of Shop and Qatar Airways have sponsored Nusrat Hussain, bass guitarist Brian compilations. They have sold over nominated for Best Musical Group Qatar sponsored by Qatar National the music show to bring Junoon in O’Connell and vocalist Ali Azmat. 30 million copies worldwide. at the Lux Style Awards several Tourism Council, Qatar Airways, Doha. This is going to be second Junoon is Pakistan’s and one Pioneers of Sufi rock with an years in a row. Mondrian Doha and supported performance by the music band as of South Asia’s most successful original sound, they achieved On 25 December 2018, Junoon by Q-Tickets. Tickets are priced they fi rst entertained the residents bands; the Q magazine regarded success during the early 1990s. including Ali Azmat, Salman at QR500 (premium), 350 (fan of Doha in 2003. them as ‘One of the biggest bands Its members were signed to major Ahmad and Brian O Connell zone), 100 (silver) and 60 (bronze). Junoon, meaning obsession in the world’ and The New York record label EMI Records and reunited after 13 years to a sold- The tickets can be bought now at or passion, is a Sufi rock band Times called Junoon ‘the U2 of afterwards released their self-titled out concert in Karachi, Pakistan at www.q-tickets.com from Lahore, and Tappan, New Pakistan’. Since their inception, debut album Junoon in 1991. After the Moin Khan Academy.