www.thepeninsulaqatar.com COMMUNITY | 6 MARKETPLACE | 7 ENTERTAINMENT | 12

KPMG holds Katara Hospitality Abhishek thinks ‘Happy Hour’ for introduces advanced he wasn’t the ‘hero’ kids in office food safety training in ‘Guru’ & ‘Bluffmaster’

TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 Email: [email protected] thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

P | 4-5 WOMEN IN MILITARY KITCHENS

In an industry and military that are both male-dominated — surveys indicate that about 14 percent of executive chefs are women, roughly the same percentage of active duty military who are women — female chefs are beginning to make their mark. 02 | THURSDAY 7 JANUARY 2016 COVERSTORY TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 03 CAMPUS ISL Qatar celebrates graduation of 60 students

he International School of Lon- and the ability to make good choices the highest IB criteria and demonstrat- ability to inspire others . don Qatar (ISL) recently cel- for their, and others’, future. The meas- ed intellectual challenge and achieve- The graduation ceremony marked ebrated their fourth annual ure of success of a school is the quality ment. Angelo Scalzone received the the end of one part of the graduates’ TGrade 12 graduation. The Grad- of its graduates. Learner Award as the student who stories and all are looking forward to uation of the Class of 2016 proved to This graduating class exemplify the had shown outstanding education- the next exciting chapter. Many stu- be an emotional, colourful and mem- values of camaraderie, warmth, in- al growth, improvement, commitment dents now await their IB results with orable event as the 60 graduates, re- telligence and compassion.” During and intellectual development in hisac- anticipation which will be issued on splendent in their gowns, hats and the ceremony, Charleson awarded a ademic studies. July 6. Students are looking forward sashes, were recognised for their number of special awards for gradu- The ISL Qatar Understanding award to taking up places at top universities achievements. ates who had excelled in certain areas was granted to Katrina Gomez who worldwide. “The Class of 2016 is quite unique in of their studies. showed apositive attitude toward the An audience of over 800 family its diversity. A truly multicultural group, Dana Al Rumaihi and Boris van Hel- life and culture of others, is a contrib- members, fellow students and friends with 26 different nationalities from lemondt were honoured with Valedic- uting force in the life of the school, and were present in the school to share the across the globe, speaking 15 different torian awards in recognition of attain- has the ability to bring differing people celebration. An impressive 2000 peo- languages, and they have all come to- ing the highest academic standards, together in a sense of community and ple watched the live Graduation feed gether in a special way to create the making outstanding contributions to international understanding. all around the world via the school’s story of the Class of 2016. They truly the school and for being exemplary The ECIS adult award for the Pro- website. reflect unity through diversity.” said the representatives of the Class of 2016. motion of International Education was The International School of London Head of School, Christopher Charleson. Michael Peter received the Global Cit- awarded to Nerine Chalmers in recog- Qatar has set new standards of aca- Charleson closed his remarks with, izenship and Community Action award nition of her exemplary contributions demic excellence and isa leading Inter- “The Class of 2016 have contributed as the student who demonstrated to the promotion of international ed- national Baccalaureate World School much to ISL Qatar: they have played a leadership and responsibility, and took ucation and to the understanding of in Doha. The school is authorised to leading role in the story of our school action in a range of humanitarian and world cultures. offer the Primary Years, Middle Years they have created aspirations for those environmental matters, both locally Chalmers exhibits a positive atti- and Diploma Programmes and is ac- that will follow and hopefully as they and internationally. tude towards others seeks to promote credited by the Council ofInternational move on, they will write their own sto- Shezin Rahman received the award an understanding and appreciation of Schools and the New England Associa- ry based on strong values, on wisdom for the best Extended Essay that met other cultures and demonstrates the tion of Schools and Colleges. 04 | TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 COVER STORY

In military’s top kitchens, women make their cut

By Kristen Hartke In an industry and military that are four-course menu she developed that the military: chef, sous-chef; general, The Washington Post both male-dominated — surveys indi- included seared red snapper and fried colonel.” cate that about 14 percent of executive smoked oysters served with gnocchi Such connections were not even on chefs are women, roughly the same in a clam-tomato broth. “The compe- the radar for the Mississippi-born Me- percentage of active duty military who tition was pretty tough,” acknowledg- deiros 16 years ago, when she joined ome may question why an Air are women — female chefs are begin- es Karani, 35, a classically trained chef the US Air Force at the age of 18, but Force general needs one per- ning to make their mark. As she places who first studied culinary arts in her something else became instantly ap- sonal chef, let alone a staff of seared chicken on a platter of couscous native Kenya. “All the chefs were very parent to her: “I didn’t know how to Sthree, but Tech. Sgt. Jennifer dotted with sugar snap peas, blackber- well trained.” act,” she says. Starting off as a din- Medeiros is quick to defend why her ries and radishes for a spring lunch- Says Medeiros: “I knew she’d kill it.” ing hall cook pushing out mass quan- work, cooking for the second-highest- eon, Medeiros says: “There’s a guy who Intense training both in and out of tities of cafeteria-style food, she found ranking officer in the US military, is im- was up for a job once that I got in- the military has helped these women herself surrounded by people who portant: “Food is a common ground stead. He still gives me hell and says, distinguish themselves. Karani began seemed uninspired by their work, so for anyone in the world,” the chef says. ‘You got that job because you’re a girl.’ by studying cooking at Kenya Utalii Col- she decided to become a dental tech- “You can’t discuss multimillion-dollar af- I got that job because I was qualified. lege and eventually came to the Unit- nician — which unexpectedly led her fairs over Hot Pockets.” There are opportunities; you just have ed States through an exchange pro- back to the kitchen. It’s a tradition dating back centu- to go for it.” gramme that led her to Le Cordon Bleu “The dentists were officers,” Me- ries, that of generals of opposing ar- Frida Karani, a petty officer first in Orlando. Medeiros, 34, a two-time deiros explains as she sears chick- mies sitting down together to break class in the US Navy who is also Me- Enlisted Aide of the Year, has trained en breasts on a professional range at bread and broker agreements. “That deiros’s co-worker, agrees: “Nowadays, with the American Culinary Federation the home of Gen. Paul Selva, the vice meal helps build trust,” says Medeiros. women are giving men a run for their and the Culinary Institute of America. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at “It establishes a relationship, a place to money. Equal opportunity and hard Recently, when Medeiros collabo- Fort Myer, just outside the District. “It share personal stories so they can do work always pay off.” rated on a dish with Washington chef gave me a chance to learn how to con- business later.” She should know. In March, Kara- Robert Wiedmaier for an event in sup- duct myself around officers.” Medeiros has experienced firsthand ni won the Armed Forces Chef of the port of Blue Star Families, an organisa- That experience led her to cater re- the necessity of building trust. When Year competition, becoming only the tion that works to ease the transition tirement receptions; then a friend rec- she was deployed in Afghanistan, she second woman to win in the event’s from military to civilian life, Wiedmaier ommended that she apply for a po- had to navigate the local customs of 41-year history. (Army Sgt. Sarah Deck- noted that kitchens, whether civilian or sition as an enlisted aide, a job that a patriarchal society while scrambling ert was the first, in 2014.) Working military, share a common ground: “It’s entails managing the general’s house- to find canape ingredients in unfamil- with a basket of mystery ingredients, called the brigade system,” he says. hold, particularly planning and cooking iar terrain. Karani wowed the judges with the “There’s a ranking structure, just like in for events. TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 05 COVER STORY

“I had never even seen, let alone spoken to, a four-star general before,” she says. “It was intimidating, but I was now dealing with professionals, who were also professional with me.” For Karani, who worked in sever- al Kenyan restaurants and as a sauci- er at the Hyatt Regency in Dubai be- fore coming to the United States, it’s familiar territory. But it was a revela- tion for Medeiros, who has worked her entire adult life in military kitchens and is preparing for a move into the civil- ian sector in a few years. Walking in- to Wiedmaier’s fine-dining restaurant Marcel’s was scary, she says: “I had no idea what to expect. Now I know that these kitchens all pretty much operate the same way.” Back at Fort Myer, Medeiros and Karani create meals for Selva and vis- iting dignitaries here and abroad on a team led by chef and Senior Chief Pet- ty Officer Wesley Tavares. The job means working closely with the general’s family members, who are often also involved in the interview themes for these events, the staff is and that makes it fun,” says Medeiros. airplanes or in less-than-ideal condi- process. When a dinner party is on the continually challenged to test new It’s also an opportunity for Karani to tions. horizon, Ricki Selva, the general’s wife, dishes and search for ingredients at lo- share the recipes she learned from her Medeiros spent four months in Af- and the aides start planning the logis- cal ethnic markets. “She might be in- grandmother, such as a fish stew with ghanistan in 2011 when working as an tics, using Pinterest to gather ideas for spired by Napa Valley or Hawaii,” says coconut rice. “I often try to incorporate aide to Gen. Mike Hostage and Gen. table scapes, plating and menus. As Medeiros, “and then we build food and Kenyan cuisine with my cooking as a David Goldfein during a change of one might imagine, rank is of the ut- decor around that.” nod to my heritage,” she says. command, which at one point required most important when creating seating For a dinner with a Moroccan Although it’s nice to cook in a well- her to cook — alone — for eight events arrangements for a military dinner par- theme, the aides created a low table equipped kitchen with a panoram- in seven days, sometimes for hundreds ty, although the Selvas prefer to sit in surrounded by floor pillows in bright ic view of the Washington skyline, en- of guests. “There weren’t a lot of sup- the center, rather than at the head and fabrics and a menu highlighted by listed aides are expected to travel at a plies and equipment,” Medeiros says. “I foot, of the table. chicken tagine with preserved lem- moment’s notice and can be gone for had to get very creative, and I had to Because Ricki Selva likes to choose ons. “It’s never the same theme twice, weeks or months at a time, cooking on get people to trust me.” In a military environment, where rank is all-important, the E-5 status that Medeiros had at the time — which she likens to that of a “worker bee” —was a disadvantage, which was compounded by her being both a woman and a chef. “It was difficult to find help, because no one knew what I did,” she recalls. After two months of networking, Medeiros began to get some support in terms of transporting food and sup- plies for events, but she still faced chal- lenges in obtaining ingredients. She travelled off base to round up honey, fresh herbs, spices and olive oil while continuing to build trust with mili- tary staffers, who donated supplies. “I would bring in big bowls of home- made guacamole and chips, home- made granola and cake,” says Medei- ros. “It created something to look for- ward to, broke up the monotony and brought us all together.” She also discovered the signifi- cance of learning local food customs. But for female chefs, that also some- times means not interacting with guests who come from regions of the world where having a woman serve at the table might be disruptive. “It is my duty to create a harmoni- ous and stress-free environment so that business can be conducted in a way that reaps trust and integrity,” Me- deiros says. “It’s about the mission, not me.” 06 | TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 COMMUNITY Learn Qatari traditions and values at Hyatt Plaza’s ‘Arabian Nights’

Hyatt Plaza general manager Feroz Moideen said: “Arabian Nights at Hyatt Plaza aims to nourish kids’ imagination and creativity, as well as instill moral values, while providing quality time for families.” Moideen added that the venue for Arabian Nights can easily accommo- date 70 to 100 children per session. “This early, the turnout of visitors is very positive and by the end of this activi- ty, we are expecting more than 2,000 children to benefit from Arabian Nights at Hyatt Plaza.” “The stories that we tell are all re- lated to Ramadan, Qatari culture, and bringing out the best in oneself. Ram- adan is about being good, forgiveness, sharing, and other important values, which is why we are trying to teach kids and encourage them to adhere to these values using a variety of interac- tive activities,” said Maktaba Qatar li- brarian and storyteller, Manel Miaadi. Miaadi said all the crafting activities relate to the story presented during each storytelling session, and revolve n the spirit of Ramadan, Hyatt Plaza around moon crafts, prayer beads, za- has launched “Arabian Nights: Un- kra box, the masjid, sand jars, and clay told Stories from the Peninsula,” a creations, among others. Iseries of educational, yet fun-filled “Children will learn stories about activities for kids and their families. the moon and Ramadan-related crafts Arabian Nights at Hyatt Plaza runs like charity boxes, moon spotters, and until the 20th day of Ramadan, June other activities that encourage kids 25, at Gate 2, from 8pm to 10pm. The to be generous and kind to others. first session caters to kids aged 5 to 8, Two German ladies specialising on while the second session caters to kids puppet shows will be joined by Qatari aged 8 to 12. storyteller, Khalid Al Mohannadi,” Miaa- Organised by Hyatt Plaza Mall and di said. animated by Maktaba Qatar, the event One of the positive effects of these is the perfect venue for kids who love activities on children, both Qataris and storytelling, creative workshops, col- expatriates, is that they learn about ouring, and playing traditional games. culture, values, and meet new friends Other activities also include shadow in a fun way. It could also help trigger puppet shows in Arabic and special their curiosity and encourage them to crafts on Ajmal Laylat Garungao. learn more and be creative. KPMG holds ‘Happy Hour’ for kids in office

udit, Tax and Advisory firm KPMG in Qatar held a happy hour with a difference last week, inviting staff to bring their Achildren to work! The event aimed to promote KPMG’s com- mitment to work-life balance and engage employee’s families in the firm. Omar Mahmood, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Partner at KPMG in Qatar, said: “it was fantastic to see so many children having fun and creating a real buzz around the office! At KPMG, our employees are the heart of our business and we have taken great strides to create a positive work-life balance over the past couple of years by introducing a flexible working policy and off-peak hours. It was great to have our team’s families in the of- fice to celebrate this”. Over 25 children joined their parents for an afternoon of games and refreshments. TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 07 MARKETPLACE Katara Hospitality introduces advanced food safety training

atara Hospitality, the leading hotel owner, develop- er and operator based in Qatar, held an ISO 22002- 2 Food Safety training session in Doha, in conjunction Kwith Bureau Veritas, a global leader in Testing, Inspec- tion and Certification (TIC). ISO 22002-2’s Food Safety training specifies the require- ments for the design, implementation and maintenance pro- grammes that assist in controlling potential food safety haz- ards in outlets offering catering and food-related services. Ho- tels, restaurants and dining outlets, hospitals and healthcare facilities, industry dining facilities, as well as mobile catering companies are known to take part in the exhaustive set of ISO certification training programmes on food safety. Head chefs, chief stewards and hygiene managers from the company’s Qatar-based hotels took part in the in training ses- sions, with representatives in attendance including those from The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Conven- tion Hotel, Mövenpick Hotel Doha, Simaisma, a Murwab Resort, The Avenue, a Murwab Hotel, Sealine, a Murwab Resort and Saraya Corniche Hotel. The session was conducted by Bureau Veritas, a global company for delivering certification services and accreditations in awareness training. The programme is designed to assist clients with meeting their operational objectives in line with product safety, quality, environmental protection and social re- sponsibility. Employees were awarded Certificates of Attend- ance, in recognition for having completed the programme. Discover the world this Ramadan with Honda

n celebration of the Holy month of QMiles can also be used for flight free accessory vouchers worth up to offers,Greig Roffey, Head of Sales and Ramadan, Doha Marketing Servic- upgrades, Qatar Duty Free shop- QR5,000 with the purchase of select- Marketing for Honda at Domasco said, Ies Company W.L.L. (Domasco), the ping, paying for excess baggage, or a ed bikes models until July 7. “We are always eager to enhance our authorised distributor for Honda in number of other useful options. With Talking about Domasco’s spe- customers’ Honda experience and Qatar, has incredible offers on Hon- the purchase of any new car, custom- cial Ramadan offers, Faisal Shar- every Ramadan we do it by offering da new and used cars, Honda motor- ers can also benefit from financing if, the Managing Director at Domas- great deals for our customers to en- bikes and Honda Marine engines. their car withzero percent interest for co said, “It’s our tradition at Domas- joy the generosity of this Holy month.” Honda is giving away a total of 1 year and 90 days before having to co to reward our Honda customers Customers can purchase their 4 million Qatar Airways Qmiles this pay the first instwallment. with astonishing deals during Ram- new Honda at the main Domasco Ramadan and every retail custom- Low down payments and low adan in order to celebrate the joy of showroom on Khalifa Street near the er will receive free Qmiles with their monthly installments starting from Ramadan together. We listen to our National Mosque and TV Roundabout. purchase. Miles will vary on different only QR999 on 2017 model City will customers carefully and we thrive on During Ramadan the showrooms are models but Qmiles on each model also be available exclusively till July 7. pleasing them. We know how much open from Saturday to Thursday from will be sufficient for a free airticket to Honda motorbike customers can our innovative offers are appreciated.” 8.00 am until 2.00 pm and 7:30 pm various exciting destinations. also benefit from amazing prices and Commenting on the special to midnight. Friday 8 pm to 11 pm. 08 | TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 FOOD How to turn beans and toast into an elegant food

4 servings These toasts are made with sim- ple ingredients you likely have on hand, yet they have a certain elegance that makes them as perfect for a party as they are for a satisfying everyday snack or light meal along with a soup or sal- ad. They couldn’t be easier to pull to- gether.

Ingredients

One 15-ounce can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons ex- tra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed 4 large 1/2-inch-thick slices crusty whole-grain bread (about 1 ounce each) 4 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 teaspoons capers, drained

Steps Combine the chickpeas, 2 table- spoons of the oil, the lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; use a potato masher to coarsely mash the mixture. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use 1 tablespoon of the oil to brush one side of each slice of bread. Place them on a baking sheet, oiled sides up; toast in the oven for about 9 minutes, or just until crisp and browned on the By Ellie Krieger per. Spread that generously over slic- a cocktail party. They come in espe- edges. The Washington Post es of crusty whole-grain bread that’s cially handy for drop-in guests, as I Divide the toasted bread among been brushed with oil and toasted to learned recently when a friend un- individual plates. Spread each with a a golden crunch; then shower with a expectedly came by for drinks and quarter of the mashed chickpea mix- fresh green sprinkle of chopped pars- brought an appetite. I whipped up ture, then top each with a teaspoon of his recipe is the food equiva- ley; scatter capers on top for bursts these toasts in no time, with ingredi- the parsley and 1/2 teaspoon of the lent of the little black dress. It of salty interest; and finish with a lux- ents I usually have on hand: a can of capers. Use the remaining oil to drizzle has a simple elegance that’s urious additional drizzle of olive oil. beans in the pantry, sliced bread in each portion; sprinkle with more pep- T both classic and modern, and The toasts make for a satisfying the freezer, a jar of capers and a lem- per, as needed. it suits perfectly as a daytime main- lunch or light dinner alongside a sal- on in the refrigerator. Nutrition | Per serving: 290 calories, stay or for the evenings. ad or soup, and they will give you the My friend couldn’t stop raving 9 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 14 g It couldn’t be easier to pull to- energy boost you need in an after- about them. Like that effortless ward- fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholester- gether. Just drain and rinse a can of noon snack. robe staple, this recipe is destined to ol, 370 mg sodium, 6 g dietary fiber, 2 chickpeas, then mash them coarsely If you use small slices of bread be an all occasion go-to. g sugar. with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a and double the number of them (or couple of tablespoons of high-quali- cut larger piece in half), they make Mashed chickpea toasts with From nutritionist and cookbook au- ty extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pep- a compelling finger food to serve at parsley and capers thor Ellie Krieger. TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 09 FASHION

Smart and casual Reuters ondon wrapped up its fashion week for on offer as London men from yesterday af- Lter four days of high street and designer brands wraps up upmen’s showcasing a mix of tailoring, smart outfits and casual wear. Katie Eary, Liam Hodges and SONGZIO were among catwalk week the labels unveiling their lat- est designs on the last day of London Collections Men. Fellow fashion capitals Mi- lan, Paris and New York are due to host their menswear catwalk presentations over the coming weeks. 10 | TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 HEALTH & FITNESS Stem cell therapy effective in spinal injuries treatment

IANS associated with permanent disability and decreased life expectancy. “In our patients with SCI, hESC transplanta- tion was safe and effective and helped tem-cell therapy can play a improve their clinical condition. hESC revolutionary role in the med- therapy may present a significant ad- ical treatment of chronic spi- vance in the treatment and rehabilita- Snal cord injuries, says an article tion of patients with SCI,” said Shroff, a published in ‘Clinical and Translational stem cell expert. She said prospective Science’ journal. controlled studies with control groups “Stem cell transplantation is a prom- would give a better clarity on the use ising technology that has the poten- of hESC in patients with SCI. tial to replace damaged neurons, re- A recent review of epidemiology of establish lost axonal connections, and SCI in developing countries reported provide neuroprotective factors to al- the incidence to be 25.5 million cas- low for healing and recovery after Spi- es per year. In India, approximately 1.5 nal Cord Injuries,” wrote Geeta Shroff, million people live with SCI and 10,000 medical director of New Delhi-based new cases add to this group every year. Nutech Mediworld, in the article. As part of the study, the data of a According to the study, the evalu- single cohort of patients with SCI treat- ation to check the efficacy and safe- ed with hESCs conducted during May ty of hESC (Human Embryonic Stem 24, 2005 to August 31, 2012 at a sin- Cell) therapy was done after testing gle site in New Delhi, were collected the therapy in 226 patients with spinal retrospectively. An independent eth- cord injuries. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is ics committee approved the study pro- a challenging neurological injury and is tocol. Disrupting tiny liver protein can cause heart disease

IANS ing Protein Interacting Protein (SVIP) — that regulates how much VLDL is secreted into the blood. “SVIP in the liver must be regulat- ed properly to ensure optimum health,” Sid- cientists have identified for the first diqi said. time a tiny liver protein that when dis- He equates the operation of the tiny Srupted can lead to cardiovascular dis- protein to a manually operated car. “To run ease as well as fatty liver disease — a precur- smoothly, the driver must synchronise the sor to cancer. gas pedal and the clutch. If the two aren’t Lipoproteins (VLDL) are crucial for healthy synchronised, the car doesn’t move easily; it liver function. Normal VLDL secretion must has fits and starts and ultimately stalls,” he be kept in a delicate balance as too little VLDL said. secretion causes fatty liver and, potential- The study also suggests that high levels of ly, liver cancer. Lipoproteins are also known myristic acid in the diet —through animal and to increase cholesterol levels, a risk factor for dairy fats — keep SVIP from properly regulat- plaque buildup in the arteries. ing the liver’s secretion of VLDL. In a study, published recently in the Jour- “These findings suggest that our diet mod- nal of Biological Chemistry, Shadab Siddiqi ulates the complex molecular processes that from University of Central Florida found a ti- have profound effects on our health and ny protein -- called a Small Valosin-Contain- lifespan,” Siddiqi explained. TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 11 ENTERTAINMENT Leonardo DiCaprio may play poet Rumi

Though as recently as 2014, Rumi was the bestselling poet in the United States, he was no Westerner. Many don’t think he should be portrayed by one. To some, it’s yet another example of Hollywood whitewashing.

“To reach the sea and be happy with a jug water is a waste “The sea that has pearls … “And a hundred thousand other pre- cious things.” “Most of the poetry we have comes from age 37 to 67,” Gooch said. “Across time, place and culture, Ru- mi’s poems articulate what it feels like to be alive,” Lee Briccetti, executive di- rector of Poets House, told the BBC. “And they help us understand our own search for love and the ecstatic in the coil of daily life.” Though as recently as 2014, Rumi By Travis M Andrews Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi. as Rumi’s spiritual adviser and possi- was the bestselling poet in the Unit- The Washington Post Posting under #RumiWasntWhite, ble lover. ed States, he was no Westerner. Many one user tweeted, “Omg I thought peo- Rumi was a Sufi master who was don’t think he should be portrayed by ple were joking about the casting in born in what would become modern- one (to say nothing of Downey Jr. por- this film.” Another tweeted “Oh nonon- day Afghanistan. He spent much of his traying his teacher and potential lover). ecent Oscar winner Leonar- onon nooooooooooooooooooo,” then life travelling around the area before To some, it’s yet another example of do DiCaprio has played his fair followed it in all capital letters with being buried in what would be mod- Hollywood whitewashing. share of controversial charac- “HOLLYWOOD YOU’VE GONE TOO FAR.” ern-day Turkey. In 1244, during his trav- In particular, it’s another example Rters — including a sadistic slave Though the backlash is flood- els, he met a wandering mystic called of Hollywood whitewashing charac- owner in “Django Unchained” and a mi- ing Twitter like Kanye West fans out- Shams of Tabriz. ters who are Middle Eastern. In 2010, sogynistic criminal stockbroker in “The side Webster Hall, it’s important to “Rumi was 37, a traditional Muslim there was outcry over Jake Gyllenhaal Wolf of Wall Street” — but the Internet note that DiCaprio has not yet been preacher and scholar, as his father and playing the titular character in “Prince is furious at the thought of him por- cast as the poet. In a recent inter- grandfather had been,” Brad Gooch, of Persia.” In 2014, Ridley Scott’s “Exo- traying the 13th century Persian poet view with the Guardian, David Franzoni, who is writing a biography about Rumi, dus: Gods and Kings,” a movie in which who won an Oscar for writing “Gladia- told the BBC in 2014. “The two of them Christian Bale played Moses and Joel tor,” announced he would be working have this electric friendship for three Edgerton portrays Ramses, was wide- Though the backlash on the upcoming biopic about Rumi. years —lover and beloved (or) disciple ly panned for, well, the fact that Bale is flooding Twitter The piece states that the two hope to and sheikh, it’s never clear.” played Moses and Edgerton played like Kanye West fans challenge stereotypical portrayals of During that time, Rumi became a Ramses. The film’s historical inaccura- Muslim characters — who often appear mystic himself. After Shams of Tabriz cies enraged some so deeply, it was outside Webster Hall, it’s as terrorists, belly dancers or desert- mysteriously disappeared, Rumi began banned in both Egypt and Morocco, important to note that dwellers — in Hollywood. writing poetry, mostly in Persian, that the BBC reported. DiCaprio has not yet been “There are a lot of reasons we’re would still be popular 800 years later. The entire fiasco essentially repeat- making a product like this right now,” The lines were filled with reflections on ed itself a year later when the promos cast as the poet. In a Franzoni said. “I think it’s a world that love and the spiritual world. for February’s “Gods of Egypt” — which recent interview with the needs to be spoken to; Rumi is hugely An example: stars Gerard Butler as Set, Brenton popular in the United States. I think it “Whatever you say, good or bad, it Thwaites as Bek, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Guardian, David Franzoni, gives him a face and a story.” will echo it back to you Don’t say I sang as Horus, Geoffrey Rush as Ra and who won an Oscar for But when asked who, exactly, nicely and mountain echoed an ugly Chadwick Boseman as Thoth — first writing “Gladiator,” would give the poet a face, Franzoni voice … That is not possible appeared. and producer Stephen Joel Brown said “The human intellect is a place It remains to be seen if DiCaprio will announced he would be they hope it’s DiCaprio. To make mat- where hesitation and uncertainty take take on the role of Rumi in search of working on the upcoming ters worse, they also said they’d like root his second Oscar, but if Twitter is any biopic about Rumi. Robert Downey Jr. to star as Shams of “There is no way to overcome this indication, the poet’s fans would be Tabriz, the Iranian Muslim who served hesitation … except by falling in love none too pleased. 12 | TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 ENTERTAINMENT Kajal & Randeep add spark to Do Lafzon Ki Kahani

By Subhash K Jha IANS

Film: “Do Lafzon Ki Kahani”; Direct- ed by Deepak Tijori; Cast: Randeep Hooda, Kajal Agarwal; Rating: ***

orea dominates Bollywood this week. Barely had we gotten over Anurag Kashyap wonder- King if we live in North Korea (we don’t, the Information and Broad- casting Minister has assured us), there come two Korean remakes on the same Friday. The far superior “TE3N” reprises the Korean film “Montage”. The other new film “Do Lafzon Ki Kahani” is actor- turned-director Deepak Tijori’s heart- felt adaptation of the Korean film “Al- ways”, about a disgraced guilt-stricken boxer and a happy but visibly impaired girl whom he falls in love with. The theme has been done earlier in films as far-ranging as Douglas Sirk’s “A Magnificent Obsession” and Gulzar’s “Kinara”. Deepak Tijori is unable to whip up a powerful concoction on the pain and suffering of two opposites locked in a love relationship. Sooraj has a past. Since he’s played Kajal Agarwal drags a dollop of sun- There are undoubtedly some mag- to carry the narration forward. by Randeep Hooda, this past angst shine into a film that constantly plung- ical moments between the lead pair. Nonetheless, the lead actors share is pinned down to the narrative with es into a morose mood. Her Jenny is The lovelorn looks Randeep darts at some genuine warmth. Unforgivably, persuasive energy. Randeep’s coiled blind yet able to see what the eyes of- Ms. Agarwal are worth their weight in the music given to nourish their soul clenched performance nourishes ten miss. Kajal plays the girl without a gold. is uneasily anaemic. With fresher dia- the arid areas of Tijori’s narrative. His shred of self-pity or regret. A truly in- But the film comes a cropper while logues, more credible situations and a scenes in the boxing ring have more spiring performance in an otherwise negotiating its way through the lovers’ less clunky attitude to that thing called punch than the film’s romantic back- staid telling of a tale of a blind girl and lives. Their tiffs convey a sense of be- love, “Do Lafzon Ki Kahani” could have bone. The actor is far more well pre- the redemptive journey of the man re- lievability, belied by the script’s con- been a far more gratifying ode to ro- pared than the script. sponsible for her predicament. stant dependence on romantic clichés mantic yearnings. Abhishek thinks he wasn’t the ‘hero’ in ‘Guru’ & ‘Bluffmaster’

IANS he said: “As the only person in the film? It will be a very boring film.” When the journalist clarified that he ctor Abhishek Bachchan says he meant ‘male lead’, Abhishek said: “So I doesn’t look upon films in terms act like a female right now or what? I’m Aof words like ‘lead actor’ and not understanding your question.” ‘male solo actor’ and doesn’t consid- Asked about films such as ‘Guru’ er himself the main lead in his hit films and ‘Bluffmaster’, where he was the such as ‘Guru’ and ‘Bluffmaster’. ‘lead’, Abhishek said: “In ‘Bluffmaster’, I Asked if he has any upcoming had wonderful co-actors called Riteish projects where he plays the lead, he Deshmukh and Boman Irani. In ‘Guru’ I said: “I hope so. If you have a nice had wonderful co-actors like Mithun da script, I’ll be more than happy to read (Mithun Chakraborty), Maddy (R. Mad- it. But I didn’t understand your ques- havan), Aishwarya (Rai) and Vidya Bal- tion.” an. What’re you trying to say?” He was speaking at a press confer- When told about being a ‘male ence regarding the success of the film lead’ in ‘Guru’, he said: “Mithun da and ‘Housefull 3’. Madhavan were male actors in that as When mentioned as a ‘solo actor’, well.” TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 | 13 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY This is where the real action in artificial intelligence takes place

By Elizabeth Dwoskin The Washington Post

warms of journalists lined the halls of a Southern California oceanfront resort recently to Ssee tech luminaries like Jeff Be- zos and Elon Musk discuss the Gawker case, rocket launches to space, and, Sil- icon Valley’s obsession du jour, artificial intelligence. But perhaps the real action in ar- tificial intelligence is happening at the Hilton San Francisco, where a much less flashy tech crowd gathered this week. There, hundreds of engineers (2,500 to be precise), geeked out over fireside chats on topics such as “streaming da- ta in real time” and “building acceler- ators in databases.” The event, called the Spark Summit, brings together the growing number of developers who are working with Spark, perhaps the hottest data-mining software today. One way to understand future of ar- next Microsoft, Oracle, or IBM. gorithms, and performs more efficient- make real revenue by selling technol- tificial intelligence and how it will trans- The most prominent recent exam- ly than parts of Hadoop, and is more ogy that nobody owns. As Peter Lev- form the economy is to watch what ple of these hyped backend big da- easily operated in the cloud, engineers ine, another Andreessen partner who everyone is talking about at the Spark ta technologies is called Hadoop. The say. That’s unwelcome news for propo- invests in open-source companies is Summit. Not that a layperson could software, named after a toy elephant nents of Hadoop, and reflects just how fond of saying, open source compa- comprehend most of these talks. Engi- owned by the son of the Yahoo pro- quickly the latest innovative technolo- nies have never been worth a fraction neers from companies such as Capital grammer who helped develop it, arose gy can become passe. Of course, the of their proprietary counterparts. Open One to Airbnb spoke about their suc- in the mid-2000s when Google and same outcome could happen to Spark source startups like Databricks are try- cessful big data projects in pure engi- Yahoo were neck-in-neck in a battle to too. The Spark project, which is also ing to make money selling special- neering-ese. be the dominant search engine. open source, originated in a computer ised services and proprietary products But the fact that the keynotes were Hadoop was used by both com- science lab at the University of Califor- that hook into and augment the open from revered artificial intelligence re- panies to index the massive amounts nia. The venture capitalist Ben Horow- source software, including tech sup- searchers Andrew Ng and Jeff Dean of data consumers were throwing itz discovered the technology via a tip port and custom security products, to speak to the value of Spark. Companies up on the “Web.” By 2008, investors from a professor in the department, big corporations. But they have a long such as Siemens say they have used to thought the data-mining software was who called to tell Horowitz that Spark’s way to go. it to analyse data streaming in from ripe for corporate America, and ar- creator was the most talented compu- Moreover, the creators of Spark and sensors to predict which wind turbines mies of salespeople began pitching ter scientist to come out of Berkeley in other artificial intelligence technolo- will break. NBC Universal is collecting it as an all-purpose big data analyt- a decade. gies appear to think about the impli- data on consumer behaviour and using ics tool. They said, for example, that it Almost immediately, Horowitz leapt cations of what they are building in a algorithms, crunched in Spark, to pre- could help credit card companies and to help the Spark engineers, most who different way than Microsoft or Oracle dict which television shows will reso- banks detect fraud and other anom- whom were graduate students who did in their heydays. nate with consumers. alies in massive amounts of financial had never run a business, to build a Those legacy giants wanted to cap- Some of this stuff may not sound transactions, or e-commerce compa- company. Through his venture firm An- ture the wealth of corporate America. entirely new. But it’s what is happening nies to build recommendation features dreessen Horowitz, Horowitz and other Surely, today’s enterprise startups also on the backend that has gotten geeks on their websites that say “people who investors have put $47 million into the aspire to that, but AI entrepreneurs to- and investors excited. shopped for this also shopped for this.” company, called Databricks. day are also preoccupied with a differ- In the last four years, Silicon Val- By 2014, investors had poured over Forty-eight percent of Spark devel- ent set of questions — about the kind ley’s obsession with big data and data $2 billion into dozens of companies opers say they no longer use Hadoop, of future more artificial intelligence will mining has ballooned into a full-blown selling services based on Hadoop. Be- Databricks says, even though the bring. artificial intelligence craze. Look at the cause Hadoop is open-source, which project was initially considered a way As businesses become faster and travel industry. Today, companies like means the core software is free for de- to supplement it. IBM has recently more efficient, millions of jobs may Expedia want to collect your travel in- velopers to share and modify, com- announced the company is dedicat- disappear. Elon Musk and Silicon Val- terests and history, crunch the data in panies make money off selling tech ing 3,500 developers to Spark-related ley startup incubator Y-Combinator re- an app or some other platform, and support and other services on top of projects. cently dedicated a billion dollars to cre- build virtual travel agents who will as- Hadoop. But Hadoop ran into trouble The success of Spark means com- ate OpenAI, a non-profit organisation sist you on your flight using voice rec- because the clunky tech didn’t always plicated, interesting things for the fu- dedicated to creating powerful open- ognition technology. This shift, in which deliver on its promises. Four years in- ture of enterprise software. It’s a small source artificial intelligence that will automation and algorithms move in- to the big data craze, the majority of corner of the tech world — this isn’t serve the public good. The current de- to every industry, is already underway. big data projects fail or are never com- ride-sharing or social media — but it is bate within the AI community, said Da- It is powered by a growing number pleted, according to the tech firm In- still where the money is. tabricks Chief Executive Ali Ghodsi, is of backend technologies and start- foChimps. But Spark is open source, which whether the changes wrought by AI ups aiming to win lucrative contacts Now, after years of hype and invest- means it’s free. Microsoft became one will free people up to spend time on with corporate America, whose names ment in Hadoop, Spark may be replac- of the wealthiest companies in history creative pursuits, resulting a net gain most consumers have never heard of; ing it. Spark enables the processing of selling proprietary software. Databricks for humanity, or strip them of their At least one of them may become the more advanced machine learning al- and others still have to find a way to means. 14 TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 CINEMA PLUS

VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER NOVO ROYAL PLAZA

TE3N (Hindi) 2D 12:00noon, 6:00pm & 12:00midnight Frog Kingdom (2D/Animation) 2:30 & 8:45pm Housefull 3 (2D/Hindi) 3:00 & 9:00pm TE3N (2D/Hindi) 2:30 & 11:00pm X-Men: Apocalypse(2D/Action) 12:00noon, 2:50, 5:40, 8:30 &11:30pm 3D IMAX 2:20, 7:30pm & 12:40am Housefull 3 (2D/Hindi) 3:00pm Frog Kingdom (Animation) 12:00noon, 2:00, 4:00 & 6:00pm Angry Birds (2D/Animation) 4:15pm Money Monster (2D/Thriller) 12:00noon, 4:15, 8:00, 8:30, 10:00pm, Love Me Tomorrow (2D/Romantic) 8:30pm 12:00midnight & 12:45am Un Homme A La Hauter”Up For Love” (2D/French) 8:30pm Go With Me (2D/Thriller) 12:30, 4:45 & 9:00pm X-Men Apocalypse (2D/Action) 10:30pm The Nice Guys (2D/Comedy) 2:00, 2:30, 6:15, 6:45, 10:30 &11:00pm Warcraft (2D/Action) 10:45pm Elly Ekhtashoo Matoo (2D/Arabic) 12:00noon, 4:05, 8:15pm & 12:10am Um Homme A La Hauter (2D/French) 2:05, 6:15 & 10:10pm Rock The Kasbah (2D/Comedy) 12:00noon, 4:00, 8:00pm & 12:00midnight AL KHOR Hassan Wa Baqloz (2D/Arabic) 2:00, 6:00 & 10:00pm Love Me Tomorrow (2D/Tagalog) 12:10, 4:30 & 9:45pm TE3N (Hindi) 12:15, 3:00, 8:45 & 11:30pm Don’t Grow Up (2D/Drama) 2:40, 7:00pm & 12:10am Warcraft (Action) The Angry Birds (2D/Animation) 12:30, 5:00 & 9:30pm 11:00am & 1:30pm Warcraft (2D/Action) 2:30, 7:00 & 11:30pm A.Aa 11:00am & 1:30pm 3D IMAX 12:00noon, 5:05 & 10:15pm Ithu Namma Aalu (Tamil) 11:15am, 2:15, 5:15, 8:15 & 11:15pm MALL

HOUSEFULL 3 Housefull 3 (2D/Hindi) 2:30pm Angry Birds (2D/Animation) 2:30pm TE3N (2D/Hindi) 3:00 & 11:00pm Frog Kingdom (2D/Animation) 4:15 & 9:00pm Love Me Tomorrow (2D/Romantic) 8:45pm Un Homme A La Hauter”Up For Love” (2D/French) 9:00pm Warcraft (2D/Action) 10:30pm X-Men Apocalypse (2D/Action) 10:45pm

ASIAN TOWN Iraivi (Tamil) 8:00pm A.Aa (Telugu) 7:30pm TE3N (Hindi) 7:30 & 11:00pm King Liar (Malayalam) 10:30pm Housefull 3 (2D/Hindi) 7:45 & 10:45pm A father doesn’t want his three daughters to get married. Now, it’s up to three men to try to and convince the Note: Programme is subject to change without prior notice. father that they’re a good fit for his daughters.

BABY BLUES

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2016 15 BRAIN TEASERS

CROSSWORD

Yesterday’s answer

Conceptis Sudoku: Conceptis Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9×9 grid. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3×3 box contains the same number only once.

MEDIUM SUDOKU

TV LISTINGS

Yesterday’s answer

07:00 News 13:00 Kumkum 07:30 The Stream Bhagya 08:00 News 13:30 Meri Saasu ALL IN THE MIND 08:30 Counting the Maa Cost 14:00 Jamai Raja 09:00 Al Jazeera 14:30 Tashn E Ishq World 15:00 Vishkanya Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, 10:00 15:30 vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards. News Jamai Raja 10:30 Inside Story 16:00 Rocky & 11:00 News Mayur Food 11:30 The Stream Xpress 12:00 News 16:30 Ek Tha Raja ABBREVIATED, ABRIDGED, 12:30 Women Ek Thi Rani King Features Syndicate, Inc. AGES, BRIEF, CEASELESS, Make 17:00 Kumkum COMPRESSED, Change Bhagya 13:00 NEWSHOUR 17:30 CONDENSED, CUT BACK, Vishkanya 14:00 News 18:00 Tashn E Ishq DECREASED, DIMINISHED, 14:30 Inside Story 18:30 Kaala Teeka ENDLESS, EPHEMERAL, 15:00 Lifelines: 19:00 Meri Saasu 12:50 13:05 ETERNAL, EXTENDED, Dog TV Dukes Of The Quest Maa 13:45 FLEETING, INCESSANT, Gator Boys Haggle For Global 19:30 Yeh Vadaa 14:40 15:10 INCREASED, INTERMINABLE, Treehouse Wheeler Dealers Health Raha 16:00 LENGTHY, LESSEN, LITTLE, Masters Fast N’ Loud 16:00 NEWSHOUR 20:30 Jamai Raja 16:30 Cheetah: Race 16:50 How It’s Made: 17:00 LONG, MOMENTARY, News 21:00 Kumkum To Rule Dream Cars 17:30 The Stream Bhagya PERPETUAL, PRECIS, 17:25 18:30 River Monsters Deadliest Job 18:00 NEWSHOUR 21:30 Tashn E Ishq PROLONGED, PROTRACTED, 18:20 Restoration Interview 19:00 News 22:00 Vishkanya REDUCED, SHORT, 19:20 Wild Bear Grylls: 19:30 Earthrise 22:30 Ek Tha Raja 19:15 TRUNCATED. Tanked Mission Survive 20:00 News Ek Thi Rani 20:10 20:10 Natural World Storage Wars 20:30 Inside Story 23:00 Best Of Fear 21:05 Treehouse Canada 21:00 NEWSHOUR Files Season 20:35 Masters Property Wars 22:00 News 2 22:00 22:40 Restoration Dive Wars 22:30 The Stream 00:00 Yeh Vadaa Wild Australia 23:00 Al Jazeera Raha 23:50 01:10 River Monsters Running Wild World 01:00 Yeh Vadaa 01:40 Restoration With Bear Raha Wild Grylls