MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside In small Ford CAMPUS Fiesta, a • Back to school for Aspire Academy’s grand illusion student-athletes P | 5

P | 11 MARKETPLACE • 70 movies every month in OSN’s new season

P | 6

HEALTH 2013: A SPACE • Looking for lessons in cancer’s ‘super responders’ CONUNDRUM P | 7 FILM • Woody Allen to be honoured at Golden Globes

The space station P | 8-9 is widely praised as an engineering marvel, but it TECHNOLOGY didn’t come cheap. • 50 best Android apps for kids $100bn has been from 2013 poured in to set up the programme. P | 12 The United States and its partners Learn Arabic need to make a • Learn commonly tough call: Keep used Arabic words the station flying? and their meanings Or bring it down? P | 13 2 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 COVER STORY

SPACE STATION: To keep or destroy

By Joel Achenbach as an engineering marvel, but it didn’t that do zero-gravity experiments also laptop computers everywhere and come cheap. The United States has need to know soon whether “there’s a tools Velcroed to the walls. It’s clut- ong ago, in a dreamier era, poured close to $100bn into the pro- horizon for the station beyond 2020,” tered. New crews famously have to go space stations were imagined gramme and is contributing about he said. on treasure hunts to find things that as portals to the heavens. In $3bn a year to the station’s operation. As the decision makers in the US have vanished. Lthe 1968 movie 2001: A Space Space policy experts warn that, with- government discuss the fate of the Mundane problems such as clogged Odyssey, the huge structure twirled in out a significant boost in budget, Nasa orbital laboratory, they face tough filters and mold formation provide orbit, aesthetically sublime, a relaxing will not be able to keep running the questions about the future of Nasa lessons for an eventual human mis- way station for astronauts heading to station and simultaneously carry out in a broader sense. The dean of space sion to Mars. On a Mars voyage there the moon. It featured a Hilton and a new, costly deep-space missions. policy analysts, John Logsdon, former would be no way to turn back half- Howard Johnson’s. The United States and its partners director of the Space Policy Institute way, so engineers have to understand The international space station of need to make a tough call: Keep the at George Washington University, said in advance what could go disastrously the 21st century isn’t quite as beauti- station flying? Or bring it down? of Nasa: “It was not given a strate- wrong. ful as that movie version, and it’s not a Boeing, the prime contractor, is gic purpose after Apollo. Why does it The Apollo model of spaceflight puts gateway to anywhere else. It’s a labora- trying to prove that the station’s exist? What do you want to do?” the emphasis on destination; the space tory focused on scientific experiments. components can hold up through at Although it’s true that the interna- station model puts the emphasis on Usually there are six people aboard. least 2028. Three years ago, Congress tional space station (ISS) never strays simply living in space, in that alien When they leave, they go back home, extended funding for the station far from Earth, cosmically speaking, environment. down to Earth. Three came home through 2020, and Nasa’s international it has the virtue of showing what life “For folks like me, who consider Wednesday, landing in Kazakhstan. partners — Russia, Japan, Canada and in space is really like. The PowerPoint Apollo a poor model for the future The space station circles the planet the European Space Agency — have version of space travel is always easier of human exploration, the ISS is the at an altitude of about 250 miles. Faint made a similar commitment. But than the real thing. There are things essential demonstration site and step- traces of atmosphere exert a drag on behind the scenes, Nasa officials are that reveal themselves only in zero ping stone for a sustained future in it, so the station must be boosted reg- working to persuade the White House gravity. space with humans,” senior Nasa sci- ularly to stay in orbit. In the grand to make a decision, pronto, to keep the “Stiction,” for example — the way entist Harley Thronson said. scheme of things, the space station orbital laboratory flying after 2020. delicate materials stick together with- Space is perhaps the most danger- simply isn’t very far away. The station The alternative is to crash the mas- out gravity to tug them apart. There’s ous place that people have ever lived has a phone number with a Houston sive structure into the South Pacific. no way to replicate that on Earth. continuously. A stray pebble or piece of area code. The decision needs to be made in Dust has no urge to settle down, and space junk could puncture the shell of Advocates for human space explora- 2014, said William Gerstenmaier, the so it clogs air filters faster than engi- the structure and lead to rapid depres- tion insist that Nasa must think big- top Nasa official for human spaceflight. neers had once anticipated. Bacteria surization. Day in, day out, ammonia ger, developing missions beyond Low Companies such as SpaceX and grow in odd corners and crannies. is a concern. It is critical to the sta- Earth Orbit, into deeper space — per- Sierra Nevada, which are competing Mysterious disks of zinc oxide have tion’s cooling system, but it is also haps back to the moon, or to an aster- for a Nasa contract to carry astro- stopped up a water line, defying highly toxic. oid, and certainly to Mars eventually. nauts to the station, need to know that explanation. “Ammonia will kill you in one But Nasa has been struggling for their market isn’t going to vanish in In theory, equipment has its own breath,” said Chris Hadfield, perhaps years to square ambitions with budg- 2020, he said. Scientists, pharmaceuti- storage space. But that’s not how the most famous astronaut of the 21st ets. The space station is widely praised cal companies and other organizations the place looks in real life. There are century. PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 3

Hadfield knows that most people aren’t paying attention to the men and women passing by overhead. That’s another striking feature of life in space: It’s relatively anonymous. You can go around the world 16 times a day, but few of the 7 billion people down below will ever know your name. Many astronauts do their best to connect to the earthlings. Astronauts tweet and update Facebook pages. A few months back, Hadfield made a humdinger of a music video — cover- ing David Bowie’s song “Space Oddity” — that has more than 17 million views on YouTube. Hadfield also made videos about eve- ryday life in space. Bodily fluids go in strange directions. Your vision blurs, your nose feels stuffy, and you lose your sense of taste. Water is so dominated by surface tension that it can migrate around your scalp and over your face, as if seeking a hole to invade. In zero gravity, a flame burns spheri- cally — a ball of fire. Experiments on the ISS have touched on fluid dynamics, crystal for- mation and changes in bacterial viru- lence. Next year, 20 to 60 rodents will come aboard as research subjects. And the astronauts themselves are under the microscope, revealing the effects are baby wipes,” astronaut Doug one, too. In his 1984 State of the Union 100 rocket and space shuttle launches of weightlessness and space radiation. Wheelock said. Address, he vowed to build a space to ferry components to orbit, and Nasa and the Russian Federal Space He also likes the Russian towels. station within a decade. “We can follow an astonishing 160 spacewalks, the Agency plan to send astronauts to the They have a lot of texture, ideal for our dreams to distant stars, living and orbital laboratory — as broad as a ISS for an entire year, starting in the rubbing down a body. Without a working in space for peaceful, economic football field, including end zones — spring of 2015. shower, dead skin stays put and grows and scientific gain,” Reagan said. was finally finished in 2011. The ISS Astronauts talk about the tran- itchy. Early estimates put the construction is modular, with one main truss lined scendent experience of seeing the world “A towel with some texture on it is cost at $8.8bn, but the government with protruding elements and framed without political borders, with the thin like heaven, because you can get all the spent roughly that much simply by symmetrical solar arrays, the whole blue line of the protective atmosphere. dead skin off you,” Wheelock said. “It designing the laboratory on paper thing rather insectoid, like something Hadfield would often know where the feels so good, psychologically.” while Congress debated whether to that would make a buzzing sound if a station was over the surface, simply Astronaut Mike Fincke spent his build it, said Howard McCurdy, an tiny version flew by your ear. by checking out the colour of the light down time reading science fiction, American University professor of During a deployment of solar arrays shining up through the cupola, the nest including the Arthur C Clarke novel public affairs and author of The Space in 2007, one of the arrays suffered a of windows facing the planet. Usually 2001. Station Decision. tear. Astronauts on the station and the light would have a blue cast, from Picture it: A man in a space station The collapse of the Soviet Union engineers in Houston scrambled to the ocean below. If orange, that would reading a novel about people on a space created the final incentive to go come up with a solution, pressed for usually mean the station was passing station. That closed a cultural loop. forward. US officials worried that time before the array disintegrated. over the Sahara. If red, that would be “We take these dreams and make Russian rocket scientists would go In an emergency spacewalk, astronaut the signal of the Outback. them real,” Fincke said. to work for rogue nations, spreading Scott Parazynski crawled to the A typical work shift lasts 12 hours. The US raced to the moon to beat missile technology. In 1993, the United remote end of a boom — farther from Astronauts get one day off a week, the Soviets, who had their own lunar States and its allies brought the the air lock than any astronaut had a respite from the grind of chores aspirations. Nasa then wanted to build Russians into the fold for what would ventured — and repaired the tear with and scientific experiments. Satellite a space shuttle and a space station, but now be called the international space makeshift “cuff links.” TV reception in space is poor, oddly President Richard M Nixon told the station. The international agreements “It was definitely a Superman enough. Smoking and drinking are not agency it couldn’t do both. Nasa went ensured that the funds would keep moment,” said Mike Raftery, a top allowed. Bodies deteriorate without with the shuttle. flowing to the project despite changes station official with Boeing. gravity, and so the astronauts exercise After aides mentioned to President in administrations and turnover in A sociological truth has emerged constantly, at least two hours a day. Ronald Reagan that the Soviets had Congress. from the international effort: Astronaut Nicole Stott said she a space station, named Salyut, he Russia launched the first module American engineers are more likely has never slept better in her life than decided that the United States needed in the fall of 1998. After more than to try to finesse a structure, to make she did in space. No pillow necessary. it as lightweight and as efficient as There are no pressure points on the possible, while Russians build things body. A chronic pain in her arm simply A typical work shift lasts 12 hours. stout. disappeared forever. The only problem Astronauts get one day off a Mike Suffredini, the Nasa program with space sleep is that the body manager for the space station, said naturally forms a zombie like pose, week, a respite from the grind of the station proves that in-orbit with arms dangling forward. chores and scientific experiments. construction is possible, and he noted “It’s kind of scary,” she said. that no component has had to come Saturdays are cleaning days. Every Satellite TV reception in space is back to Earth for retooling. surface is essentially a floor, gathering poor, oddly enough. Smoking and Said McCurdy: “It’s one of the great- dirt, flakes of skin, stray drops of sweat est engineering achievements in the and bits of food. (Jam has a diabolical drinking are not allowed. history of the world. It ranks with the tendency to launch itself off toast.) pyramids.” “What come in really, really handy 4 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 COVER STORY

Logsdon, the policy analyst, said the station is a marvel, but he said it hasn’t yet proved it was worth the investment. The science has been going full speed only for a couple of years, so it’s too soon to make that judgment, he said. “It’s an awfully expensive engineering demonstra- tion,” Logsdon said. “If that’s all it is, that’s a hell of a price to pay.” Gerstenmaier, the Nasa official in charge of human spaceflight, said of the station’s cost: “We’re in the process of proving now whether it’s worth it or not. It’s going to take a little while to see if these researchers will embrace this facility.” The ISS almost cost one human life. Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned in space this summer. The astronaut, who represents the European Space Agency, was spacewalking outside the station on July 16 when he felt water on the back of his head. It didn’t seem to be coming from his water bottle. It didn’t feel like sweat. And it was increasing — and migrating, around his head, into his ears, around his nose, doing all the strange things that water does in zero gravity. Spacewalks are exquisitely choreographed and are not supposed to include surprises. The script for Parmitano’s spacewalk ran to 72 pages. Astronauts go through a 500-step process simply putting on their Parmitano’s crew mates as they removed his helmet had a succinct description of what happened to spacesuits, which function like miniature spaceships, and towelled up the rogue water. Parmitano: “We just about killed him.” with elaborate life-support gear and an emergency jet Nasa is still investigating where the water came Hadfield came back to Earth in May, retired from pack. An astronaut on the ground will continuously from. Early evidence is that the spacesuit’s cooling the astronaut corps — he had been a Canadian gov- talk to spacewalkers to ensure that they are feeling system malfunctioned. The incident illustrated the ernment employee for more than three decades — well, thinking clearly. But now here was Parmitano obvious fact that there is nothing routine about life in and retreated to his summer cabin on an island in telling Houston that his helmet was filling with water. space — that even after nearly five decades of space- the St Clair River, which flows out of Lake Huron Parmitano’s account on his blog is harrowing: walks, and even with elaborate safeguards, a failure between Michigan and Ontario. “The water has also almost completely covered mode could lurk within the American spacesuits. He can stand on his dock and watch the space sta- the front of my visor, sticking to it and obscuring my As Parmitano put it on his blog: “Space is a harsh, tion pass overhead. When you’re an astronaut, you vision. . . . [T]he Sun sets, and my ability to see — inhospitable frontier. . . . The skills of our engineers keep track of it and know when it’s going to be visible. already compromised by the water — completely van- and the technology surrounding us make things The best views are shortly after sunset. ishes, making my eyes useless; but worse than that, appear simple when they are not, and perhaps we “The station suddenly glows yellow, red, then winks the water covers my nose — a really awful sensation forget this sometimes. Better not to forget.” out dark,” he said. “It’s really dramatic on board, and that I make worse by my vain attempts to move the Hadfield, who had left the ISS two months earlier, it’s really beautiful to see it from here. It just echoes water by shaking my head. By now, the upper part within me.” of the helmet is full of water and I can’t even be sure Is there an aesthetic, even spiritual justification for that the next time I breathe I will fill my lungs with spaceflight? So often, Nasa officials describe the space air and not liquid.” station in practical terms, as a way of developing new He lost his sense of direction. Where was the air technologies and expanding the economic sphere of lock? He couldn’t even see the handles the astro- the human race. But for someone like Hadfield, space nauts use for manoeuvring. He tried to contact fel- It will be perhaps the most travel offers humanity something that goes beyond low spacewalker Chris Cassidy — all spacewalks are expensive man-made object any commercial or scientific utility. tandem operations, for precisely this sort of situation “Station” — Hadfield often refers to it that way, — but he couldn’t hear him. that human beings have ever as if it’s a proper name — “is so much more than Then he recalled that his safety cable could be intentionally destroyed. This vision some remote laboratory where some small number recoiled, and the gentle tug of that mechanism sig- of the future will sink to the bottom of people and robots are doing something that no one nalled the direction back to the air lock. He gradually knows about. Station is so much more than that. It felt his way there but still had to go through the labo- of the sea, ending another chapter is our first great human outpost in space. It is our rious process of re-pressurization and reentering the in the history of what people used way of seeing our world that’s unprecedented in the station. Nasa video captured the arduous efforts of history of the human species. It’s an amazing platform to call the Space Age. for human self-discovery.” Conceivably, Nasa could lease the station to some private, commercial operation, but it is hard to imag- ine who might want to take up the cost of operating it. And all spacecraft get tired and creaky with age. Space is a harsh environment. Metal fatigue is ines- capable, due to the expansion of the structure as the station moves in and out of sunlight. So even if the station’s life is extended beyond 2020, it is coming down, eventually. Nasa could try to salvage a piece here and there, but there are no plans to deconstruct it, so the controlled de-orbit will be a spectacular, fiery event. Too big to burn up completely, the station will crash somewhere in the open water of the South Pacific. It will be perhaps the most expensive man-made object that human beings have ever intentionally destroyed. This vision of the future will sink to the bottom of the sea, ending another chapter in the history of what people used to call the Space Age. WP-Bloomberg CAMPUS PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 5 Back to school for Aspire Academy’s student-athletes

spire Academy embarked on a new school year last week, and Aits student-athletes are already gearing up for an all-encompassing curriculum that will incorporate a mix of both sports and education, providing the ideal preparation for a career of sporting achievement. “The wings on the school emblem represent the two focus areas – sports and education,” said Jassim Mohammed Al Jabir, Aspire Academy Principal. “Some of our students join professional sports clubs, some go on to university, while others go straight into a job. The plan is to ultimately provide our students with the necessary tools for them to excel in whatever path they a certain amount of responsibility. This I used to be quite shy, and I am now is to prepare its student-athletes choose.” will help us when we eventually gradu- more confident.” for the upcoming FIFA 2022 World Student-athlete Abdulla Al Ali, aged ate. Everything here is preparing us Rashid concentrates on athletics at Cup. Recent additions to the school 16, believes that this dual emphasis for our future.” Aspire Academy and specialises in shot schedule include Spanish and French, creates a unique atmosphere. “Aspire Rashid Ali Rashid, aged 17, feels putt. Meanwhile, Ali is a promising which, alongside English, are two of the Academy is different from regular that the Academy’s approach has footballer who hopes to put his stud- organisation’s official languages. “After schools,” he said. “Sports and study- greatly assisted him on a personal ies to good use by becoming a lawyer winning the 2022 bid, we introduced ing are balanced, which I like. I enjoy level. “Aspire has made me more open while retaining an interest in playing two new languages designed to help the both parts of school life. At Aspire we to new things,” he said. “It has also the beautiful game. students prepare for the World Cup,” have our freedom, but we are also given helped me develop as an individual. Another key focus of the school Al Jabir explained. The Peninsula New prayer room opens at QA

atar Academy officially said. Plans to transform the room opened the doors to its new were then put into action largely prayer room located in the through the efforts of Thuraya Abu QPrimary School building of Elkhair, Events Assistant at the PR the campus. Director Dr Eric Sands department. and Assistant Principals Hanan Al “I was inspired by the unique archi- Meer and Maha Al Romaihi led the tectural style of Andalusia and its ribbon cutting for this new space dedi- distinctive ornaments and patterns; cated to prayer and contemplation. a number of different supplication dis- The musallah, which is accessible plays were also added to the room and to teachers, staff and students of QA, with all this combined, you enter the used to be an underutilised class- room and you feel like you are praying room and “it was only early this year in a mosque in Cordoba or Granada,” that we began to look at the room in Abu Elkhair said. A student praying in a different perspective,” Dr Sands The Peninsula the new prayer room. Teachers’ Day at SIS

Budding stars of Shantiniketan Indian School (SIS) celebrated Teachers’ Day recently and expressed their gratitude to their educators. The event was observed to pay a tribute to and recognise the hard work of the teachers. Cultural programmes were staged by the students and teachers were involved in many games. The students’ council assigned duties to students for monitoring and stepping into the shoes of teachers by becom- ing a teacher for the day. Highlights of the event included fun-filled game shows, speeches, songs and skits organised by the students. The stu- dents exhibited a remarkable sense of duty and diligence in acknowledg- ing the hard work of teachers and making them feel special. 6 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 COMMUNITY / MARKETPLACE

70 movies every month in OSN’s new season SN’s new programming season, which kicks-off this Omonth, is action-packed. The new programming, coupled with the re-launch of OSN’s on-air branding, will provide an extensive repertoire of 70 exclusive movies and over 10 blockbuster premieres every month; five brand new series; 13 new seasons of continuing shows; and fresh and edgy Arabic content. Khulud abu Homos, SVP Programming and Creative Services, OSN, said: “September A seminar titled ‘Frugal Engineering – Achieving More with Fewer Resources’ was held by The Institution of Engineers (India), is a benchmark month for OSN. Qatar Chapter recently. Dr Narendra Kumar Agnihotra, guest speaker, presented a detailed report on Frugal Engineering. Not only have we re-branded the Agnihotra works as a manager in the Process & Technology Department in TCE, QSTP, Doha — a subsidiary of Tata Consulting look and feel of our on-air platform Engineers Ltd. The seminar was attended by around 60 members. Chairman Debashish Roy welcomed the gathering while but our programming line-up for Secretary Abdul Sathar coordinated and compered the event and Jt Secretary Raziullah proposed a vote of thanks. the months ahead is a testament to OSN’s position as the region’s leading pay-TV network. “We would like to thank stars such as Gabriel Mann of Revenge; Chandra Wilson of Grey’s Anatomy; Denise Richards of Twisted; Layla Salman of Al Sultana; and Hassan Alraddad of Adam Wa Jamila, for extending their support in reiterat- ing OSN’s credentials as the ulti- mate destination for Western and Arabic drama,” she added. After its successful seasons Simon Cowell is reaching across America yet again in search of the next global superstar. This year, Cowell will be surrounded by women as Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Rowland and interna- tional pop star Paulina Rubio join him and Demi Lovato as judges on The X Factor US. Movie premiers include international box office blockbusters Epic, The Hangover Qatar Petroleum’s Industrial Cities Directorate has launched the first edition of its Oil & Gas Cricket Tournament at Mesaieed III, Man of Steel, Wolverine and Sports Complex. Abdulaziz Al Obaidli, Acting Director of Industrial Cities, greeted the participating teams and inaugurated Monsters University. the event by playing the first ball of the tournament. A total of 24 teams representing QP departments and the corpora- The Peninsula tion’s joint ventures and subsidiaries are taking part. The final will be held on November 7.

McDonald’s wins CEO Middle East award

ousif Abdulghani, Managing business practice in the region, and YDirector of McDonald’s Middle raised the bar for the sector at large. East and Africa, was presented with This award reflects the passion, hard a CEO Middle East Award recently. work and commitment he has put Abdulghani was recognised for his forth over the past two decades.” commitment to outstanding growth of Of his achievement, Abdulghani the McDonald’s franchise across the commented: “I am humbled by this Middle East and Africa over the past recognition, which I truly believe is a 20 years. testament to the great work and focus Commenting on the award, Anil of all our stakeholders; namely our DL Bhoyrul, Editorial Director, ITP, partners, our corporate staff, and our praised Abdulghani’s noteworthy suppliers, who build the brand and contribution to the region’s franchis- allow us to grow organically. While glo- ing industry. He said: “Throughout bal brands like McDonald’s may enter his tenure, Abdulghani has exhibited the market with a long history of suc- exceptional insight into the rapidly cessful operations on an international evolving Middle East franchising level, our ultimate success relies on in Riyadh in 1993, and are now well is a bold plan, and one that will rely industry. Contributing to the suc- local talent, and a solid understanding on track to opening our 1000th res- heavily on the efforts and local knowl- cess of one of the world’s largest of what is taking place on the ground taurant in the region later this year. edge of our committed partners and Quick Service Restaurant brands, with local stakeholders.” From there, we are committed to more franchisees across the region,” he con- Abdulghani has set the stage for good “We opened our first restaurant than doubling that number by 2020. It cluded. The Peninsula FITNESS/HEALTH PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 7

By Ransdell Pierson breast cancer, three years after clearing it for the condition. Subsequent research showed early every oncologist can tell the the drug was not effective enough to justify its story of cancer patients who beat risks, even though some women had strong the odds, responding so well to responses to the medicine. Ntreatment that they continued to Philippe Bishop, a senior research execu- live many years disease-free, while most of tive at Roche’s Genentech unit, said excep- their peers worsened and eventually died. Dr tional responses have been seen in patients David Solit decided to find out why. taking Avastin for breast cancer and other Solit, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan- cancers, but no specific genetic reason has Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, been identified. delved into the case of a woman with To get a clearer picture, the company last advanced bladder cancer who volunteered year started an online study called Invite, in for a 45-patient study of the Novartis drug which patients who have taken Avastin are Afinitor. He discovered that a combination asked to donate a saliva sample for genetic of two gene mutations made her particularly analysis, and to complete a survey that can receptive to the treatment. help assess whether they had an exceptional “Every other patient died, but she’s without response to Avastin. “We’re trying to correlate evidence of disease for more than three years what makes them unique and maybe what now,” said Solit. part of their genetic makeup makes them do Over the past century, such patients Looking for lessons so well,” Bishop said, adding that exceptional - sometimes called “outliers” or “super response would be defined as being alive responders” - have stood out by staging for a long time without their disease getting remarkable recoveries, or long-term benefit, worse. MD Anderson, meanwhile, is encour- from cancer drugs that provide little or no in cancer’s ‘super aging its doctors to submit tumor samples help to others. Little heed has been paid to from exceptional responders in past drug tri- them because there was no way to know why als for a detailed genetic analysis. they fared so well. In most cases, the drugs responders’ “We’re looking at data from several dozen that helped them were abandoned because trials in a variety of cancers,” said senior they helped too few patients. researcher Dr Funda Meric-Bernstam. Now, armed with huge advances in genetic of genetic damage represents the best target She noted exceptional responders also sequencing technology and growing knowl- for developing new drugs.” include patients who fare exceptionally poorly edge of the genetic underpinnings of cancer, in trials, in terms of side effects or develop- a handful of top academic centres are taking Genome Sequencing ment of drug resistance. “They are the flip a new look at outlier patients. The research Fuelling the research is new technology side of the coin, so we want to know why may lead to new uses for well-known treat- that has brought the cost of sequencing the their tumour outsmarted the drug.” That infor- ments as it becomes clearer why particular human genome down from tens of millions mation could help in designing drugs that patients respond so well, or even revive drugs of dollars to about $5,000. The cost of such sidestep side effects and produce more- left for dead if the right patient population for analysis is expected to drop to as little as prolonged benefit. the treatment can be identified. $1,000 in the next few years. Novartis, like Genentech and other drug- “These experiences have always been out “It will be cheaper to do your whole genome makers, designs its cancer studies around there, where somebody’s grandmother was sequencing than to get an MRI scan,” said Dr Dr David Solit patients with a single pre-identified cancer- told she had two months to live and they tried Christopher Austin, director of the National gene mutation. But research chief Mark something and she bounced back,” said Dr Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. “biomarker,” or suspected link, to the disease, Fishman said the Swiss drugmaker has also Bill Hahn, an oncologist with the Dana-Farber “When that happens, identifying whether while simultaneously identifying a possible begun routinely sequencing tumors of the Cancer Institute. “But nobody ever under- a mutation is making you an exceptional appropriate drug for patients with any type patients for another 300 known cancer-gene stood why grandma responded in such a responder will be much easier.” of cancer who have that mutation. mutations before they enter early-stage stud- really amazing way.” Austin expects special-responder research The next step, he said, is to develop a ies, an extra step that could help explain The Bethesda, Maryland-based National will eventually link individual gene mutations diagnostic test for the TSC1 mutation and eventual exceptional responses to its drugs. Cancer Institute (NCI) and academic to totally different ailments beyond cancer, use it to screen patients being treated at his “In any given patient, if we analyse only researchers it sponsors have just launched allowing drugmakers to broaden the use of hospital for all varieties of cancer. one gene we may not have a complete “super responder” initiatives to match their medicines. “We hope by year’s end to be routinely enough picture of the cancer because some- patients having little-known gene mutations A tumour sample from Solit’s patient doing TSC1 testing on large numbers of times you have a time bomb sitting in another to drugs already shown to help others with underwent whole genome sequencing - patients,” Solit said. “The mutation could be gene,” Fishman said. Such interaction of can- the same mutations, even if their tumours are meaning all genes within it were analysed important across tumour types.” cer genes is a main reason drugs no longer for a variety of organs. for mutations, or variations, in the repeat Once a small group of patients with the work - why the cancer recurs - after an initial New York’s Sloan-Kettering, prompted stretches of compounds called bases that mutation is identified, they would all be period of effectiveness from a drug, he said. largely by Solit’s research, aims to create an make up the genetic code. treated with Afinitor - which is now approved Dana-Farber’s Hahn said he knows of no “outlier” clinic devoted to explaining excep- “She had 17,000 mutations in her tumour for cancers of the breast, kidney and pan- trials that have pulled together patients hav- tional responses. Other projects are under- that were not found in her normal cells,” Solit creas — regardless of the type of cancer. ing the same gene mutation as one already way at Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer said. After months of analysing 140 mutations “If I was sitting in a pharmaceutical firm tied to a special response to a given drug. But Center and Boston’s Dana-Farber. that were considered suspects, two of them and I read about David Solit’s case, I would Dana-Farber, the NCI and Sloan-Kettering Drugmakers are cautious, if only because - genes named TSC1 and NF2 - stood out. say, ‘Gee, this is a remarkable change: the have such studies on their drawing boards, they are sufficiently busy trying to develop “It was like, ‘Wow,’ that’s why the patient mutations that can be found are reasonable he said. new medicines against some 300 identified was unique, and why even though Afinitor targets for developing drugs,’” the NCI’s The research centers will have to work cancer gene mutations. With the priority on was generally disappointing in the bladder Varmus said. together nationally and overseas to find developing drugs that will help large num- cancer trial, it was the right drug for her,” patients with the shared mutations, Hahn bers of patients, they are reluctant, at least Solit said. “It was the combination of both Resurrecting Drugs said. “Even if there are only one or two in indi- for now, to look backward to salvage failed mutations that probably led to her complete Hundreds of drugs have been abandoned vidual hospitals, you can put them together drug studies. response,” especially the TSC1 mutation. over the years after failing clinical trials, and do a trial that has a reasonable number “We’ve tried to develop our drugs very Zeroing in on the two genes - among more although many had their own exceptional of patients.” An NCI initiative is attempting specifically so we actually develop the drug than 20,000 human genes that make pro- responders. Some of those drugs could be to recover tumor samples from exceptional for the right population of patients” in the first teins - would not have been possible even resurrected, and newer ones could be saved, responders in up to 200 US drug trials it place, said Sandra Horning, a senior oncol- five years ago, Solit said. “Maybe we would if the genetic links are established, Solit said. has supported. It will sequence them to find ogy executive at Roche’s Genentech unit. have looked at one gene and if that didn’t He sees Roche’s Avastin as a candidate for “actionable mutations” that can be targeted But Harold Varmus, director of the NCI, show anything we’d look at another. Now we study for new, or more targeted, uses as well. for improved treatment. “This is an incred- says drugmakers stand to benefit hugely from can sequence the entire genome and look at With annual sales of more than $6bn, ibly promising opportunity,” Varmus said, “for outlier research. every gene, every needle in the haystack, at Avastin is approved to treat cancers of the us to take advantage of our new skills and “(Drugmakers) are struggling now,” Varmus the same time.” colon, lung and kidney. analyze what’s really wrong with the cancer said. “They know there’s a lot of genetic dam- By linking the TSC1 mutation to blad- The US Food and Drug Administration in cell, and figure out if we have some ways to age in tumors, but they don’t know which kind der cancer, Solit has discovered a new late 2011 withdrew its approval of Avastin for destroy that cell.” Reuters 8 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 ENTERTAINMENT PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 9

HOLLYWOOD NEWS BOLLYWOOD NEWS

Miley stops following beau on Twitter John Day: Taut, tense and terrific Woody By Subhash K Jha inger Miley Cyrus has stopped following fiance Liam Hemsworth on STwitter, indicating that things are perhaps not smooth between them once again. Film: John Day The couple have been facing a rough patch for some time. Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Randeep Hooda, Shernaz Patel, Elena Kazan This time Hemsworth’s link-up with actress January Jones is said to be Directed by: Ahishor Solomon the reason behind the rift, reports eonline.com. Allen to be It was reported earlier that Cyrus’ raunchy performance on stage with his is no place for the weak. This world as we know it. And this film, singer Robin Thicke had put Hemsworth in an embarrassing situation. as we discover with the thrill of chancing upon an unexpected little Tgem. Inspired from a Spanish film, is it? I really don’t care where writer-director Ahishor Solomon got the raw material for this gripping cat-and-mouse tale. Does the kitchen where the food on the table originates honoured really mean anything? What counts is the quotient of curiosity and suspense Cowell lines up star acts for The X Factor simulated by the script. And there, John Day ranks very high. Not for a while have we seen a film so steeped in despair, so swathed in anxiety, so audaciously draped in despair and yet it engages our senses with- usic mogul Simon Cowell has reportedly roped in popular singers like out miring the plot in morbidity. MLady Gaga, Katy Perry, Mariah Carey and Susan Boyle to perform The story is not for the squeamish. The two main characters are constantly on the British singing reality show The X Factor. at Golden haunted by their irrevocably tragic parts. Naseeruddin Shah and Randeep Cowell, 53, wants to make the result episodes a big hit. He has also tied Hooda, real-life guru and pupil, play people who know no happiness. Incidents up with popular band One Direction to perform on one of the result epi- from their past continue to shadow and chase their present. There is scarcely sodes, reports dailystar.co.uk. a moment in the plot when John (Shah) and Gautam (Hooda) are happy Singer Robbie Williams is expected to sing a duet with one of the singers except when they are with their beloved ‘Other’. on a song from his recent album “Swings Both Ways”. But then Shernaz Patel, who plays Naseer’s wife and the very beautiful A host of contestants from “The X Factor” are set to appear, including Globes foreigner Elena Kazan who plays Randeep girl are troubled by their own 2009 runner-up Olly Murs, 29, and last year’s winner James Arthur, 25, ghosts. So where do we go for comfort? What price, solace? on the show. John Day is a restless edgy drama of the doomed and the damned. This not the first time Randeep has played a fugitive shadowed by his own past. But this is certainly his most layered character which he performs with the kind Prolific film-maker in line of gravelly gusto that allows us to get only as close to the sullen character as he wants us. Towards the endgame when the momentum gets frenzied for prestigious award for beyond recuperation, Randeep’s character’s softer side emerges. Melanie Brown hopes to reunite Spice Girls He has a brilliantly written monologue with a comatose character where contribution to cinema says we get to know how much this brutal man loves his woman. Yup, this man inger Melanie Brown aka Mel B says she would love to bring back can die for money and for love. It’s a dichotomous character torn between Smembers of former band Spice Girls for another reunion. making films isn’t difficult, but self-abnegation and vendetta. Remember Neeraj Pathak’s A Wednesday? Here The popular girl band, which consisted of Mel B, Victoria Beckham, in John Day the terror that Naseer’s character battles is far more personal, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton, last time came making good ones is. and hence in many ways, much more moving and compelling. His greatness together for a performance at the closing ceremony of 2012 London as an actor doesn’t come in the way of letting the character of the common Olympics. man have his say in the most natural way possible. “I’d love to do it. I’m going to make it happen one day. I’m hoping in the It is very difficult to speak out openly about the characters and their next year or two, when everyone’s cleared their diary a little bit. I’m hop- motivations without giving away the plot. John Day is the kind of clenched ing,” Mel B said on chat show The Ellen DeGeneres Show. yarn that makes you forget that yawning distance between cinema and But she clarified that she will have to talk to all the members before the audience. You become one with the character’s battles, without getting committing to anyone, reports femalefirst.co.uk. judgemental over their actions. John Day brings the indomitable Naseeruddin By Alexandra Topping “They’re going to kill me for this. I’m saying it, but I have to go and ask “Making films is not difficult. The bed, added that Purple Rose of Cairo, and the intriguing Randeep for a taut cat-and-mouse chase that stays a step own experience.” them all. I’m in so much trouble,” she said. problem is making good films, that’s Bullets Over Broadway, Husbands and But while the 77-year-old New ahead of the audience right till the shattering endgame. oody Allen once opined the hard part.” Wives and Midnight in Paris came clos- Yorker, whose first play Don’t Drink The While the two principal actors get under their characters’ skins, other that the key to success Golden Globes organiser Theo est to realising his original ideas. Water debuted on Broadway in 1966, actors seem equally at home in this inky kingdom of greed and gluttony. was turning up, but it Kingma said yesterday that “there is Speaking about his most recent shows no sign of slowing his output, Vipin Sharma and Makrand Despande are very engaging in their supporting Wis not clear he will take no one more worthy” of the Cecil B release, in which Cate Blanchett plays he admitted that he is less willing to parts. They make doom seem anything but dull. But the film’s third hero is his own advice at next year’s Golden DeMille award. Jasmine, a socialite whose luxurious play the lead in his own films, because Sandeep Chowta’s background score. It creates a world of emotions beyond Globes, where he will be awarded the Though the writer and director, New York life abruptly ends with the he is no longer a conceivable hero. “I the spoken words for Naseer and Randeep. This is a world where there is prestigious Cecil B DeMille award whose most recent film has been hailed suicide of her corrupt financier hus- don’t write for myself at the moment. no escape from sorrow and grief. Enemies are clobbered and butchered for contribution to cinema, it was as a return to the form that produced band, Allen said he felt more comfort- It’s only because for decades I could mercilessly. Not because they deserve to die. But because life is as randomly announced yesterday. classic romantic comedies such as able writing serious roles for women, believably get the girl and be the hero. brutal as we make it for ourselves. And cinema such as this reminds us that Allen has previously shunned the Annie Hall, revealed that he is often rather than men. But when you get older, the possibility moral values of good, evil, justice and comeuppance mean nothing to those red carpet, leaving Nicole Kidman to disappointed with his films, which do “When I started writing years ago, I for parts diminishes,” he said. “I can who have nothing to lose. accept a Golden Globe for best original not turn out as he originally imagined. only wrote for men, and I was the lead. no longer play the husband longing for screenplay for his Parisian time-travel “If I get an idea in my bedroom, and People would say I was always writ- the neighbour’s wife or the guy who’s comedy Midnight In Paris last year. But I love what I write, and I make the ing for the guy and the guy’s point of lusting after the girl. It’s not believable. the prolific film-maker — with his lat- film, once in a while I think: ‘This is view, and it was limiting. Then, when It’s hard for me to find parts for myself est comedy-drama Blue Jasmine star- perfect, I made exactly what I set out I was living with Diane Keaton [who that are funny. I don’t want to play ring Cate Blanchett as a pill-popping to make.’ More times than not, I fin- appeared in eight of his films and was geriatric parts. I want to play some- socialite — had admitted that while ish it and have a negative feeling,” he his partner in the 1970s], and I got to thing that’s funny.” making films isn’t difficult, making said. “I think: ‘Oh my God, I had such know her well, she was very impressive He did not rule out starring in front good ones can be. a great idea and look what I did with to me and very influential. I was able of camera in the future, however: “If, “I don’t work hard compared to a it.’ Usually you get an unpleasant sur- to write Annie Hall for her. It was the tomorrow, there’s a great part for me, taxi driver or a teacher or a police- prise when you see what you’ve done. first, really significant woman’s part I I’ll write it and do it in a minute. It man. People think making a film every Once in a while, you think it’s what ever wrote.” Stoking rumours that he makes life easier if I’m the star of the year is overwhelming. It’s not. Once you wanted, and then the public has is set to return to standup comedy, he picture. It means I don’t have to direct you have the money and the script, to like it or not.” added: “I’m much more comfortable anybody. It cuts down on the conversa- how long does it take? It’s not that The writer, who describes himself feeling the perspective of men when tions. It’s not twice as difficult to direct big a deal,” said Allen, in a interview in the interview as a “careless, fast I’m doing comedy. I guess it’s because yourself. It’s half as difficult.” with this week’s Time Out magazine. writer” who writes lying down on his I’m a comedian. I just feel it from my The Guardian 106 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 TECHNOLOGY Wacom’s Cintiq goes mobile Adding to its line of Cintiq Pen Displays, Wacom has developed the Cintiq Companion creative tablets for Windows 8 and Android respectively, delivering professional pen-on-screen performance for users on the go Cameras: Front and rear HD Express cameras (2M pixels/8M pixels) keys Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB and microSD

Wacom Pro Pen: 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity and 10 exchangeable pen nibs Keyboard: Optional wireless keyboard

Three- level stand: Angled at 22, Cintiq 35, 50 degrees 13.3in 2 iPad 1 9.7in display Use as 2nd screen, or Multi-touch Pressure and traditional graphics tablet gestures tilt recognition SPECIFICATIONS CINTIQ COMPANION CINTIQ COMPANION HYBRID Screen size 13.3 inches 13.3 inches Resolution HD 1,920 x 1,080 (5080 lpi) HD 1,920 x 1,080 (5080 lpi) Operating system Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Processor Intel Core i-7 Nvidia Tegra 4 quad-core Weight / Thickness 1.8kg / 17mm 1.8kg / 17mm Storage 256GB or 512GB 16GB or 32GB Ram 8GB 2GB Price From $1,999 From $1,499 Source: Wacom © GRAPHIC NEWS WHEELS PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 11 In small Ford Fiesta, a grand illusion

By Warren Brown the visage of one of “The Greys” of space alien lore. column includes onboard navigation, high-definition My car was brilliantly covered in what Ford’s rearview camera, rear parking sensors, keyless igni- ongratulations to Ford Motor Co on embracing designers call “ruby red metallic” paint “with tinted tion and entry, a My Ford Touch communications the notion of continuous improvement. It is clearcoat.” Rarely have I received so many favorable system and an HD radio. In modern terms, it is the Cthe theory, translated into an actual product, spectator comments on a paint job as I did on this complete car on a budget. of making something discernibly better than its pred- one. But if your idea of driving is an endless Walter ecessor, of fixing what was broken or not quite right. The new Fiesta’s interior easily trumps that of Mitty racetrack debut, you’ll find the new Fiesta Ford’s adoption of continuous improvement is evi- the 2011 model. It does not feel or look cheap. Piano lacking. In that regard it has much in common with dent in the 2014 edition of its Fiesta subcompact black inserts on the instrument panel blend well with the 2011 model. To wit: It is a front-wheel-drive hatchback. The 2011 model, marking the reintro- the soft-touch black vinyl surround. Front and rear economy car equipped with a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder duction of the Fiesta in the US market, was a bit of seats are graced by a supple leather covering. The car gasoline engine (120 horsepower, 112 pound-feet of a disappointment, an economy car that felt like an feels substantially more expensive than its $18,800 torque). My model came with an optional six-speed economy car, which is to say it felt cheap. base price. It is the illusion I was looking for, but not automatic transmission that also could be operated That would’ve been okay had the little car’s reintro- getting, in the 2011 car. It is the trick of mind that manually. A five-speed manual transmission is stand- duction not been attended by an extensive “social makes me believe I am getting a “deal.” ard and is recommended by this column. media” marketing campaign dubbed the “Fiesta And there is a real deal here, especially for con- The upshot: The new Fiesta is great for local com- movement” — which, at least, moved my expecta- sumers who regard cars as four-wheeled computers muting — easy to drive and park, agile in tight traffic, tions of the car far beyond what was delivered. and communications centers . . . and concert halls. runs on regular gasoline and drinks the stuff at a An embarrassing truth: I am a perennial optimist, Standard features (on the base Fiesta S and SE, relatively modest rate of 27 miles per gallon in the which makes me vulnerable to marketing that extols for example) include Bluetooth phone and iPod con- city and 38 miles per gallon on the highway. the better angels of human nature, in this case, the nectivity. The upscale Titanium edition used for this WP-Bloomberg thinking and effort supposedly invested in a reliable, fun-to-drive, fuel-efficient small car affordable for most of us. Bottom line: The 2014 Ford Fiesta is a pleasant Nuts and Bolts lowered. Put it this way: With those seats lowered, The 2011 Fiesta, the first sold in the states since little car well worth the look. For people who have my assistant, Ria Manglapus, had enough space to 1980, hit three of those marks — reliability, fuel- difficulty reconciling modest bank accounts with the drive week. cart her son, Q, and his stuff off to his first year of efficiency, affordability. But the marketing left me their need for speed, there is the new Ford Fiesta Body style/layout: The 2014 Ford Fiesta college. Fuel capacity is 12 gallons. Regular grade expecting pleasant excess of the type so frequently ST with a turbocharged (forced air) 1.6-litre, inline is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive economy gasoline is recommended. delivered by South Korean automobile manufacturers four-cylinder gasoline engine (197 horsepower, 214 subcompact available as a sedan or a hatchback. Mileage: Highway mileage with car loaded top Hyundai and Kia, whose cars and crossover utility pound-feet of torque) for the base price of $21,400. A new ST model is available for people who want to bottom with freshman college stuff averaged 35 vehicles more often than not offer surprisingly more Ford's engineers say that model also can run on more power with their economy. Other versions miles per gallon. City mileage with driver only in the than what is suggested by their price tags. regular unleaded gasoline with fuel economy close include the S, SE and the upscale trimmed Titanium. automatic transmission car was 26 miles per gallon. The 2011 Fiesta was good — commendable in to that of the sub-ST Fiesta cars. Engine/transmission for 2014 Fiesta Safety: Standard equipment includes respects of purchase and operational economy. Ride, acceleration and handling in the Titanium: The car comes with a 1.6-liter, inline four-wheel disc brakes (ventilate front, solid But it was no Hyundai or Kia. The South Korean Fiesta Titanium: Nothing to complain about four-cylinder, 16-valve gasoline engine with variable rear); four-wheel antilock brake protection; brands tend to over-deliver on what their marketing here. The car is one of the best local commuters valve timing. A five-speed manual transmission is electronic brake-force distribution; emergency and manufacturer suggested retail prices promise. available. standard. The model driven for this column was communications/air bag deployment notification; Marketing for the 2011 Ford Fiesta promised more Head-turning quotient: It's very high equipped with an optional six-speed automatic that electronic stability and traction control; side and than the car actually offered. especially with that "ruby red metallic" paint job. also could be operated manually. head air bags. That is not the case for the 2014 Ford Fiesta The only problem is that so many people felt a need Capacities: There are seats for five people. Price: The base price of the 2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium hatchback driven for this column. The to touch it — leaving fingerprints all over the Fiesta Cargo capacity with rear seats raised is 14.9 cubic Titanium with six-speed automatic transmission reworked exterior design is stunning — a sleek, sporty Titanium's body when I returned it at the end of feet. That capacity nearly doubles with rear seats with manual shift capability is $18,800 in US. front end; a face oddly but attractively resembling 12 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 TECHNOLOGY 50 best Android apps for kids from 2013 From Disney to Toca Boca, maths to Despicable Me, The Dandy to Minecraft videos: this year’s pick of the best children’s apps on Google Play.

By Stuart Dredge (Freemium): in-app purchases used to buy additional content or virtual raditionally, most children’s currency. apps developers have focused Bearing that in mind, read on for on Apple’s iPad and iPhone, some of the best new kids apps for Tas that’s where they believed Android from 2013 – and remember most app-buying parents would be that date range: apps released before found. In 2013, though, there’s been a this year (the excellent Minecraft: clear shift in those attitudes, with the Pocket Edition being the obvious one) here, with this action game that gets in the savannah, with colourful animals result being more and better Android aren’t included for that reason. children defending the world with on hand to help with counting, order- apps for kids. their maths skills. Influenced by classic ing and addition/subtraction skills. It’s something I’ve noticed in my EDUCATION arcade games, it gets kids to practise day-to-day job tracking new apps for their 1-12 times tables before having a Squeebles Times Tables 2 (£1.49) The Guardian, and also something 10monkeys Multiplication (Free) crack at the full game. The Squeebles are the cartoon stars that’s come through when falling into Monkeys and mathematics: together of a series of educational apps from conversation with fellow parents at at last! This app stars, yes, 10 monkeys Kids ABC Trains Game (£1.93) developer KeyStageFun, with this the social events. Android is dominating who are trapped, and need children to Aimed at preschool children, this latest. It’s a collection of six multiplica- the smartphone market, so a lot of par- help them by working through times uses trains and railways as a way to tion mini-games running from one to ents are downloading apps for their tables from two to 10. It’s the first in a teach kids about letters and phonic 15 times tables, with kids earning stars children to use on their phones. planned series of educational apps from sounds. They build a railway by learn- to use in a bonus bubble-ball game as But there’s something afoot in the the company behind it. ing each letter, before “driving the a reward system. world of tablets too: a lot of parents train” – tracing letter shapes – loading buy iPads for themselves then let chil- Carnival of Animals (Free) letter-sound boxes onto it, and match- Wombi Math (£1.85) dren use them, but a growing number This could easily have been in the ing upper and lower case letters to stop A second educational app from of parents are buying a separate tab- Storytelling or Creative categories of it running away. Wombi, this time focused on sums. It’s let for their kids — and often that’s a this round-up, in truth. Aimed at 2-6 structured around a wall full of equa- more-affordable Android device. year-olds, it wants to teach children The Letter Monster (£2.79) tions and answers, covering addition, This feature is for them: a collec- about music through a carnival of, yes, This fun and accessible app comes subtraction, multiplication and divi- tion of the most creative, educational animals, exploring concepts like pitch, from Swedish developer Wombi, and sion. Your child’s job is to solve them. and fun children’s apps for Android volume, timbre and rhythm. stars a ravenous sea monster looking released this year: hopefully a good for letters to eat. Children drag the STORYTELLING starting point for parents with a new Gummies Playground (Free) letters from the bottom of the screen device and an expectant child or chil- This collection of mini-games is to feed him, and learn the difference Cars 2 Read and Race (£0.64) dren waiting for it to be filled with aimed at 2-5 year-olds, teaching basic between upper and lower-case letters Disney recently launched its first apps. numbers, letters, shapes, colours and as they go. eight storybook apps for Android, fea- One caveat: it’s based on the Google animals, among other lessons. Each turing some of its biggest film brands. Play store, rather than Amazon’s of the 25 tasks is voice-narrated to Little Learners Play and Learn This Cars 2 app is part story with Appstore — the latter is what’s used ensure non-readers know what to do, (Free) Lightning McQueen and friends, and for that company’s Kindle Fire tablet, and there’s a single in-app purchase Designed for toddlers and even part racing game, where kids get to so if you own that, you’ll need to search for parents to unlock the whole app. babies, this app focuses on early devel- customise a car and then drive it. to check which apps are available. opment skills, getting them to interact Another caveat: the prices quoted Invasion of the Moon Monkeys with a collection of colourful animals Chuggington Chug Patrol Book below are for the initial download (£0.69) and toys. Cows moo, rocking horses (£3.99) only: (Free) may sometimes mean More multiplication and times tables rock and – if parents make an in-app Children’s TV show Chuggington has purchase to unlock the full app – croc- been reinvented as a pop-up storybook- odiles drive buses to boot. app by developer StoryToys. It features the trains from the TV show – Wilson, Madagascar My ABCs (£1.92) Brewster, Koko and co – and a series An alphabetical app based on the of mini-games including clearing logs, Madagascar movies, getting kids to catching runaway wagons and laying practise letter names and sounds, as track. well as writing their upper and lower- case versions. As they go, they collect Fraggle Friends Forever (£1.96) more than 400 digital stickers, with Something to make parents feel music and poems thrown in for good (even more) old: Fraggle Rock is measure. now 30 years old. But the famous Jim Henson Company TV show was reborn Numbers & Addition! Maths this year as an app for children, with Games! (Free) characters including Red, Wembley Back to maths with this, one of a and The Doozers all featuring in it. range of “i Learn With” educational Digital colouring and mini-games are apps that were released earlier this included too. year for Android. Aimed at 3-6 year- To be continued olds, this is based around an adventure The Guardian COMICS & MORE PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 13

LEARN ARABIC The Dates

Daily Yawmiy Leap year Sana kabeesa

Sunrise Šourooqi Alšams

Sunset ouroobi Alšams

Tomorrow adan Hoy en la Historia

Yesterday Albaria September 16, 1977 Legendary operatic soprano Yearly Sanawiy Maria Callas, renowned for her bel canto technique, wide-ranging Weekly Ousbooçy voice and dramatic talent, died in Paris at the age of 53 Note: ç = ‘a’ in ‘agh’ when surprised š = ‘sh’ as in ‘ship’ 1963: Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore united with independent Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia Baby Blues by Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman 1987: The Montreal Protocol led to ozone depleters such as CFCs being phased out in items like aerosols 2003: Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet fired leading ballerina Anastasia Volochkova claiming that she was overweight 2009: Venezuela and China agreed a $16bn oil exploration deal allowing China to drill in the Orinoco basin Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS ALL IN THE MIND Hagar The Horrible by Chris Browne Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

Zits by Dennis Young and Denis Lebrun

BUSH, CHAMPAIGN, COMMON, COUNTRYSIDE, DESERT, FIELD, GRASSLAND, GREEN, HAYFIELD, HINTERLAND, LEA, LLANO, MEADOW, MOOR, OUTBACK, PADDOCK, PAMPAS, PARK, PASTURELAND, PLAIN, RURAL, SALT FLATS, SAVANNA, SNOWFIELD, STEPPES, TUNDRA, WASTELAND, WILDERNESS. 14 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 CROSSWORDS

ACROSS 47 Barrio kinsman 9 Hungarian city that 45 Tom of “Tomorrow” 54 Nudge alternative CROSSWORD 1 & 10 “Down, boy!” 48 Very short note has hosted two World 46 What’s used for site- 55 See 61-Across 123456789 1011121314 15 Something that’s hardly 50 Bogus Puzzle Championships seeing? 57 Lumber fitting? 52 1990s girl group 10 “This Boy’s Life” author 49 The “you” in the lyric 58 Hard punch 15 16 Wolff 16 High-culture work member with a tongue “I’ll see you in my 59 Toward the Atlantic, in 11 “Not for me” dreams” 17 18 17 Crush, say piercing Mexico 18 Drive home 56 ___ dixit 12 Not make a mistake on 51 Heat source? 62 A ways away something 19 20 21 19 Grp. organizing booster 60 Voiced admiration 52 Korean liquor similar to shots 61 They’re measured in 13 Land o’ blarney sake 22 23 24 20 Like some sweaters 55-Downs 14 Was like a bell 53 Either director of 63 Astrologer Dixon 21 Like a bell 2010’s “True Grit” 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 22 Very insignificant BLACKSOXSCANDAL 24 Have legs 64 Be extremely 23 Drink brand with a polar 34 35 36 37 bear mascot EAR EASEL REUSE 25 Leather variety conspicuous 25 Equipment for ELECTRONICGAMES 28 Piranhas 65 & 66 Like water that’s 38 39 40 behind you? pentathletes 31 No-goodnik PLATO LADDER 26 Eraser head? 41 42 43 34 Model quality SYR INGE INS I TU 27 1962 film starring Elvis DEM FONT DES 44 45 46 47 36 “Paint the Sky With Presley as a boxer Stars” singer DOWN THE I CEMANCOMETH 1 “1st and 10” airer 29 R&D locales: Abbr. 48 49 50 51 37 “Written in the Stars” 30 In droves RENE NAVEL AARE musical 2 44-Across shade 32 Estes was his 1956 EXTRACURRI CULAR 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 38 Battle of good versus 3 Doesn’t merely snack running mate evil, e.g. 4 Lecture, say VEE MALE ASP 60 61 62 33 Once-faddish aerobics 41 Like many batters 5 Whirl I SRAEL ART I SAN regimen 42 Neighbor of Lat. 6 Capital along Interstate RRATED ANODE 63 64 35 Apt to artifice 43 Place to get clean 15 JESSICAFLETCHER 37 It’s always increasing 65 66 44 ___ legs 7 It forms a strong bond AARON PO I SE I ED 39 Turns sharply 45 Western phenomena 8 Topic de Freud 40 Constellation animal BL INDCARBONCOPY

HYPER SUDOKU How to play Kakuro: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once.

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER

Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate How to EASY SUDOKU play Hyper Easy Sudoku Puzzles Sudoku: Place a digit from 1 to 9 in A Hyper Sudoku each empty cell so every Puzzle is solved row, every column and by filling the every 3x3 box contains all numbers from 1 the digits 1 to 9. to 9 into the blank cells. A Hyper Sudoku has unlike Sudoku 13 regions (four regions overlap with the nine standard regions). In all regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear YESTERDAY’S only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is solved like a normal Sudoku. ANSWER CINEMA / TV LISTINGS PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 15

SHOWING AT VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER The Colony (2D/Action) – 2.30pm TEL: 444933989 444517001

Planes (3D/Animation) – 5.00 & 7.00pm 05:45 SuperBikes - 08:00 News 1 Turkey Round 09:00 The Frost Getaway (2D/Action) – 9.00 & 11.00pm 07:30 Cycling - La Interview Vuelta 10:30 Inside Story 09:30 Omni Sport 11:00 News Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum 10:00 SARACENS vs 11:30 South2North GLOUCESTER 12:00 News (Malayalam) – 2.30 & 10.30pm 11:45 Nec vs 12:30 People & Feynoord Power 2 John Day (2D/Hindi) – 5.30pm 13:30 Football Asia 13:00 NEWSHOUR 14:00 English Sport 14:30 Inside Story MALL Riddick 2 (2D/Action) – 8.00pm News 15:00 Witness 14:30 Golfing World 16:00 NEWSHOUR 15:30 FIFA Football 17:00 News Planes (3D/Animation) – 3.00pm Mundial 17:30 Talk To Al 16:00 Malaga vs Rayo Jazeera 2 Guns (2D/Action) – 5.00pm 17:45 LEICESTER vs 18:00 NEWSHOUR BATH 19:00 News 19:30 Ajax vs Pec 19:30 Counting the 3 The Colony (2D/Action) – 7.30pm Zwolle Cost 21:45 Parma vs As 20:00 News Roma 20:30 Inside Story Piercy Jackson: Sea of Monster 23:45 Harlequins Vs 21:00 NEWSHOUR (3D/Adventure) – 9.30 & 11.30pm Northampton 22:00 News 22:30 The Stream John Day (2D/Hindi) – 3.00pm 23:00 Black France Piercy Jackson: Sea of Monster 13:15 ER Vets 13:00 Nyc: Inside Out (3D/Adventure) – 5.30pm 14:40 Hippo: The 13:50 Food Factory Wild Feast 14:45 How Tech 1 Getaway (2D/Action) – 8.00pm 16:00 Monkey Life Works 16:30 Most Extreme 15:10 Prototype This Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum 19:15 Monkey Life 16:00 Eco-Tech 19:40 Call Of The 16:55 Engineered (Malayalam) – 10.30pm Wildman 18:35 Moon 21:05 The Magic Of Machines The Colony (2D/Action) – 2.30pm The Big Blue 19:30 Prototype This 22:00 America's 21:10 Gadget Show Cutest Pets 21:35 How Tech Planes (3D/Animation) – 5.00 & 7.00pm 22:55 Bad Dog Works LANDMARK 2 23:50 Shark Attack 22:00 Prototype This Getaway (2D/Action) – 9.00 & 11.00pm File 22:50 Nyc: Inside Out Planes (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm

2 Guns (2D/Action) – 4.15pm 13:00 Do Dil Bandhe 12:00 Emmerdale Ek Dori Se 12:30 Coronation 14:00 Punar Vivah Street Riddick 2 (2D/Action) – 6.15pm 14:30 Jodha Akbar 14:00 Necessary 3 17:30 Pavitra Rishta Roughness The Colony (2D/Action) – 8.30pm 19:00 Do Dil Bandhe 15:00 24 Ek Dori Se 16:00 Emmerdale 19:30 Jodha Akbar 18:00 Fairly Legal Piercy Jackson: Sea of Monster 20:00 Pavitra Rishta 19:00 Once Upon A (3D/Adventure) – 11.00pm 21:00 Qubool Hai Time Special 22:00 Punar Vivah 20:00 Covert Affairs 22:30 Do Dil Bandhe 21:00 In Plain Sight Planes (3D/Animation) – 3.00 & 5.00pm Ek Dori Se 23:00 Smash 1 Riddick 2 (2D/Action) – 6.45pm QF RADIO 91.7 FM ENGLISH PROGRAMME BRIEF 13:00 Austin And Ally 11:00 Alpha And Getaway (2D/Action) – 9.00 & 11.00pm LIVE SHOWS Airing Time Programme Briefs 15:00 That's So Omega SPIRITUAL 6:00 - 7:00 AM A time of reflection, a deeper understanding of the Raven 13:00 Drew Peterson: HOUR teachings of Islam. John Day (2D/Hindi) – 2.30 & 11.00pm 17:00 A.N.T. Farm Untouchable RISE 7:00 – 9:00 AM Today on Rise, Laura and Scott speak with Samia H.Sultan 18:30 That's So 15:00 Crisis Point from Qatar National Library, who will be talking about their 17:00 Alvin And The Pullipulikalum Aattinkuttiyum exciting new initiatives and how the library collects and Raven provides access to global knowledge relevant to Qatar and 20:05 Jessie Chipmunks: 2 (Malayalam) – 5.00pm the region. 20:30 My Babysitter's Chipwrecked INTERNATIO- 1:00 PM The latest news and events from around the world. A Vampire 18:45 Battleship ROYAL Moodar Koodam (2D/Tamil) – 8.00pm NAL NEWS 21:40 That's So 21:00 Contagion- DRIVE 3:00 – 4:00 PM Our newest offering! Drive is a daily afternoon show Raven PG15 broadcast at peak travel time. It is a lighthearted show, full 22:00 Jessie 23:00 Melancholia PLAZA of news and information ranging from film, sports, music, The Colony (2D/Action) – 2.15pm books and the latest events and happenings. Hosted by Nabil Al Nashar. 2 Guns (2D/Action) – 4.00pm FASHION 6:00 – 7:00 PM The latest fashion news from around the world. New York Fashion Week has just wrapped up and the focus is now on London for the Spring/Summer 2014 collections! 13:45 Tin Cup 13:00 Arthur 3: And Planes (3D/Animation) – 6.00pm Repeat Shows 16:00 Gabe The The War Of Two 3 STRAIGHT 10:00 – 11:00 AM A 1-hour Political show hosted by Nabil Al Nashar. The Cupid Dog Worlds TALK show will host discussions and debates about the latest 18:00 Blame It On The 16:15 Missing Lynx The Colony (2D/Action) – 7.45pm world political news/world issues/events on air. Bellboy 18:00 Ugly Duckling LEGENDARY 7:00 – 8:00 PM The show tells the story of a celebrity artist that has 20:00 White Chicks- And Me ARTISTS reached unprecedented fame. Throughout the episode the Piercy Jackson: Sea of Monster artists’ memorable performances/songs will be played to PG15 20:00 Twigson – 9.30 & 11.30pm put listeners in the mood. 22:00 The Guru-18 22:00 In Search Of (3D/Adventure) Santa 16 PLUS | MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2013 POTPOURRI

Who’s who A summary of MEDIA SCAN Events in Qatar issues of the day discussed by the Qatari community in the media.

• There is talk in social media about an • A number of car owners have American couple accused of killing complained about the way insurance Minister of Culture, Arts and an African child after adopting her for companies calculate the value of cars L’âge d’or — exhibition Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin human trafficking. that have met with an accident. The by Adel Abdessemed Abdul Aziz Al Kuwari • People are demanding that every companies reduce the price of the car When: October 6 to January 5 primary health centre have a by 20 percent, and according to the Where: Atrium and ground floor of e is the Minister of Culture, consultant physician and x-ray year of manufacture. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art Arts and Heritage from July, What: Curated by Pier Luigi Tazzi, the equipment for quick diagnosis and • Qatari youth who have graduated from exhibition will showcase recent works, 2008. He was decorated H treatment, instead of patients being the College of Law are demanding including drawings, paintings, sculptures with the French Legion of Honour. referred to Hamad General Hospital. that the government help them set and videos, many created by Adel He was also presented with Badges • Some people are demanding up offices to start their practice. Abdessemed, especially for this show in of Honour by Jordan, Italy, Spain, that managers of big commercial • Several parents have complained Doha. France and Syria. He has a bachelor Entry: Free, open to all degree in Arabic and Islamic stud- centres assign staff to monitor their about a 40 percent hike in fees by ies from Cairo University, Diploma car parks as many drivers do not one of the international schools, which in Oriental Studies from Jesuit comply with rules or drive on the they are calling unprecedented. University, Diploma in Higher Studies wrong lanes. • Some people demanded the from Sorbonne and PhD in Political • Patients and visitors to Al Rumailah authority concerned to establish local Science from State University of Hospital are complaining of crowding, transportation office to regulate truck, New York. He started his career as long waiting periods that can extend and heavy machineries works and Charge d’affaires in Beirut, Lebanon. to six months or more, and a shortage to free this domain from the Asian He is the author of Decision Making Process in the UNSC, Iran Iraq war and of doctors and nursing staff. monopoly. The Deficient knowledge, The Arab and the West in a Changing World. Tom Jones live in Qatar When: September 17, 9pm Where: InterContinental Hotel - Doha What: The Legendary superstar with over IN FOCUS by Tanishka Kadam 100 million records sold live in Qatar for the very first time. Tickets: QR250-QR500. Available at Intercontinental Hotel Doha or Virgin Megastore

Qatar National Library Heritage Collection When: Public tours on Sundays and Tuesdays from 10am until 11.30am. Where: Qatar National Library’s Heritage Collection What: Qatar National Library’s remarkable Heritage Collection is a rare trove of manuscripts, books, and artefacts documenting a wealth of Arab-Islamic civilization and human thought. Among its more than thousands of works, the collection contains an edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia, which was printed in Rome in 1478 and is the oldest printed map showing the name of Qatar or referred to in Latin as ‘Catara’. Free Entry

Omar Khalifa – “Infinite” When: Until Dec 15; 10am-10pm Where: Katara Cultural Village What: This outdoor photography installation examines ‘the nature of being’. Using digital multiple exposure techniques, an image is crafted that gives us a sense of other-worldliness and depth of perspective through the human form. Free Entry

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Editor-In-Chief Khalid Al Sayed Acting Managing Editor Hussain Ahmad Editorial Office The Peninsula Tel: 4455 7741, E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]