Community Special Amber Rahim Shamsi, who was at the Army Public School in P10-11 Peshawar right after the carnage that stunned Pakistan and shocked the world, writes for Community on its first anniversary.

Friday, December 18, 2015 Rabia I 7, 1437 AH

DOHA 14°C—24°C TODAY PUZZLES 14 & 15 LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 16

INAUGURATION: Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara, inaugurating the exhibition with Rashmi Agarwal, President of MAPS.

COVER One big canvas STORY 24 artists, including top Qatari names, showcase diverse range at Colours of Desert exhibition. P2-4 2 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY COVER STORY Yearend zing Given how 14 of the 24 participating artists are new MAPS members, there’s a sense of added excitement to

PRAYER TIME the Colours of Desert exhibition, writes Anand Holla Fajr 4.51am Shorooq (sunrise) 6.13am Zuhr (noon) 11.30am Asr (afternoon) 2.28pm Maghreb (sunset) 4.49pm Isha (night) 6.19pm

USEFUL NUMBERS

Emergency 999 Worldwide Emergency Number 112 Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991 Ooredoo Telephone Assistance 111 Local Directory 180 International Calls Enquires 150 Time 141, 140 Doha International Airport 40106666 Labor Department 44508111, 44406537 Medical Commission 44679111 Mowasalat Taxi 44588888 Airways 44496000 Weather Forecast 44656590 Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222 44393333 Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555 44845464 Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050 Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333 Q-Post – General Postal Cristina Scicolone. Photos by Anand Holla Corporation 44464444 Qatar University 44033333 ucked a bit away from the all sorts of art; from acrylic and oil Shukoor (), Wafa Mohamed endless gush of chilly sea- painting to silk painting to bead art,” Ahmed Elsebaie (Egypt), Cristina swept breeze, an exhibition of Agarwal says, pointing out that art is Scicolone (Italy), Karen Alicia Sinclair art as vibrant as Doha’s expat not just limited to paintings. “Craft is (Trinidad & Tobago islands), Sana population and as fi tting a also art. We have provided good space Hussan (Pakistan), Camilia Abu Hamda Ttribute to Qatar’s sincere embracing of to everyone. I am happy with how the (England), Cosette Kanso (Lebanon), te Unqu art, tradition, and culture, has proven to exhibition has turned out.” Elsy Tabet (Lebanon), Dina Mourad uo ot be just the right mega art event to bring Given how 14 of the 24 participating Hurn (England), Khaled Elmesawy Q e 2015 to a close. artists are new members, there’s a (Egypt), Shuruq Ali Hassan (Iraq), and Where At Gate 2 and Gate 3 of the Katara sense of added excitement to the Kavitha Murali Murugan (India). Amphitheater — open from 10am to event. “These artists feel proud to Community caught up with some of there’s 10pm until tomorrow — the Colours have their fi rst exhibition during the the artists to know more about their of Desert exhibition, featuring wide- Qatar , and be inaugurated works on display: there’s hope. ranging works of 24 artists, including by Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, some top Qatari names, has been General Manager of Katara. I believe Cristina Scicolone — Arthur drawing an impressive stream of visitors. this event will serve as a platform for I have been painting since I was a “A closer look at the title of the the upcoming artists,” says Agarwal, child. It’s always been my hobby. I Wing Pinero exhibition will tell you that it’s not while acknowledging the support she paint in acrylic, whatever I see and like. meant to limit the artists to any theme. has received from all corners and all This portrait of a little girl is that of In fact, we have encouraged them to participating artists. my cousin’s nephew. When I saw her showcase whatever they wish because The 24 artists whose works are up picture, I knew I wanted to draw it. If “colours” stand for diversity and range. at the exhibition are Rashmi Agarwal after the exhibition, it remains unsold, I And Qatar is home to people of so many (India), Athba al-Thani (Qatar), Fouad will gift it to my cousin back in Italy. As Features Editor nationalities and cultures,” says Rashmi al-Emadi (Kuwait), Abdul Rehman for my other works, most of them refl ect Agarwal, a silk painter and also the al-Dorani (Qatar), Moudhi al-Hajri my love for nature and landscapes. Kamran Rehmat President of Middle-East Art and Silk (Qatar), Lyubov Jalladyan (Tajikistan), There’s this painting of this very famous e-mail: [email protected] Painters (MAPS). Sara Ahmed al-Emadi (Qatar), Nibras Rialto Bridge at the Grand Canal in Telephone: 44466405 In its third annual group exhibition, al-Rukabi (British-Iraqi), Huda Hawwa Venice. It depicts the romantic sunset at Fax: 44350474 Qatar-based art community MAPS has (Qatar), Adnan Siraj (Pakistan), Keramat this place, which looks magical because continued to celebrate variety. “What’s Andalibi (), Professor of the play of golden light due to some special is that the exhibition features Bashar Ali Ibrahim (Iraq), Naseema darkness in this spot. Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 3 COVER STORY COMMUNITY

Nibras al-Rukabi My work focusses on Islamic Art but a very diff erent type of it. I use the Qur’an as my inspiration, and specifi cally, Surat al-Waqiah, which focusses on the judgment day. I like to take aspects of that and translate them visually. For instance, this painting titled Tree of Zaqoom shows the only tree that’s there in hell. This tree has a fruit which when you eat, swells in your throat. When I was a child, this tree used to play on my mind all the time. So I had to paint it. It’s almost like a symbol of hope, but it’s a false hope. I have made it attractive on purpose because I want people to look at it and then look closer. That’s why the colours are also vibrant. I also like to highlight the woman who wears a hijab, and how important she is, how much of a role model she is, and so on.

Nibras al-Rukabi

Professor Bashar Ali Ibrahim I have specialised in Arabic calligraphy and I try to use elements of that in my works. I have painted the Aspire Tower in a dramatic way, almost abstract, because that’s how I see it in my mind. Also, in such works, I let the colours do the talking. I have also made acrylic paintings on old paper, mixed media, and have played with calligraphy and texture to create dimensions. I have also used lines from Rubaiyat Khayyam — the poems of the famous Persian poet Omar Khayyam — to accentuate the meaning of my paintings.

Professor Bashar Ali Ibrahim Continued on Page 4 4 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY COVER STORY

Continued from Page 3 Kavita Murugan me a lot to pursue drawing and painting Painting is my passion, and so is dance as a passion. I have tried my hand at oil and music. Art is vital to me. I was 12 and I painting, metal cutting, sand painting, was drawing a hibiscus in school when the solar woodwork, fl ower-making, and teacher told me to draw the same hibiscus in paper quilling. For this exhibition, I have the books of all the 24 students of my class. worked on my versions of Warli paintings, That incident in my childhood boosted Madhubani paintings and acrylic works.

Keramat Andalibi

Keramat Andalibi known to not make the same mistake twice. I am a self-taught artist and none of my My favourite though is that of the ant pushing works that I create are for sale. So, in this a huge drop of water because I see that the exhibition, I have presented my previous ant is always moving forward, and it’s always acrylic on canvas works that deal with nature working towards something. The ant is trying as a theme because I love animals. For instance, to save the world by holding on to water. We I have painted a donkey because it is an humans are not less than an ant. We are much amazing animal, the beast of burden that’s bigger, in fact. We should do more.

Naseema Shukoor I create everything from bead-work, paper quilling, embroidery, collage, wax work and pixel art, and for this exhibition, I have presented some sugar bead art, coff ee art using toothpicks, and pixelated paper art. The one that catches everybody’s attention is this large bead-work replica of a beautiful oil painting by Raja Ravi Varma titled The Maharashtrian Lady. It features an Indian lady clad in traditional attire and ornaments, holding a plate of fruits. That piece needed 150,000 beads and six months to complete. Kavita Murugan

Sana Hussan I am fascinated by Marbling and traditional Turkish Ebru art. For the exhibition, I switched from paper to canvas. I have used diff erent techniques and things, and have tried to project something related to Islam because I feel art is related to you and your inner self. This painting features a man praying at night in calmness and peace. I am trying to show how he is talking directly to his Creator, Allah. His prayers, shown in the way of feathers, are drifting into the blue sky, above the clouds and the moon. I have also experimented with the Ebru Akasi technique, where you marble a single paper twice or thrice by using a stencil and the results are certainly encouraging.

Naseema Shukoor Sana Hussan Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 5 BODY & MIND COMMUNITY

Stressed? Help a stranger to feel better

Providing help to friends, acquaintances, and even strangers can reduce the eff ects of daily stress on our emotions and our mental health, says a study. “Our research shows that when we help others, we can also help ourselves,” explained study author Emily Ansell of the Yale University School of Medicine in the US. “Stressful days usually lead us to have a worse mood and poorer mental health, but our fi ndings suggest that if we do small things for others, such as holding a door open for someone, we won’t feel as poorly on stressful days,” Ansell noted. In the study, people used their smartphones to report on their feelings and experiences in daily life. A total of 77 adults, ranging from 18 to 44 years old, participated in the 14-day study. The participants received an automated phone reminder every night that prompted them to complete their daily assessment. They were asked to report any stressful life events they experienced that day across several domains such as interpersonal, work/education, home, fi nance, health/accident, and the total number of events comprised the measure of daily stress. The results indicated that helping others boosted participants’ daily well-being. A greater number of helping behaviours was associated with higher levels of daily positive emotion and better overall mental health. “It was surprising how strong and uniform the eff ects were across daily experiences,” Ansell said. “For example, if a participant did engage in more prosocial behaviours on stressful days there was essentially no impact of stress on positive emotion or daily mental health. And there was only a slight increase in negative emotion from stress if the participant engaged in more prosocial behaviours,” Ansell pointed out. The study was published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. — IANS

Intense exercise can lead to sleep disturbance

Intensive bouts of exercise can lead to signifi cant and progressive decline in sleep quality, says a new study. The researchers also found that a high carbohydrate regime reduces some, but not all, of the eff ects of hard training. For the study, the scientists from Loughborough University in England studied the eff ects of two nine-day periods of heavy training on 13 highly trained cyclists. The researchers monitored the athletes’ moods, sleep patterns and performance before, during and after exercise. To determine whether diets could counter the eff ects of any sleep deprivation, the athletes were also given high or moderate amounts of carbohydrate throughout the study, though none of them knew which. The researchers discovered that even as little as nine days of intense training can cause ‘signifi cant and progressive decline in sleep quality’. “Sleep effi ciency was signifi cantly reduced during the intensifi ed training period,” the researchers observed, with the number of times the athletes woke throughout the night signifi cantly increased. They also noticed that the athletes’ moods and capacity for exercise both worsened over the period of observation. As for the additional carbohydrates, the team concluded that a high carbohydrate regime reduced some, but not all, of the eff ects Social networks influence of hard training. The study appeared in the Journal of Sports Sciences. — IANS academic performance How to prevent diabetes at workplace If you are already showing higher than normal blood sugar ocial networks infl uence networks of 117 fi rst-year students experienced a drop in grades. levels as you spend more and more hours in offi ce — enrol for academic performance examined whether students consider According to the authors, while an intervention programme at your workplace if it off ers one among students, fi nds a academic success in choosing friends underachievers have a stronger immediately. new study. Students tend to among their classmates and whether infl uence on their networks, high According to a new study, employees enrolled in a workplace perform better with high- friends infl uence each other’s academic performers tend to gain popularity intervention programme as a group lost more weight, showed Sperformers among their friends, as performance. and expand their infl uence over time, greater reductions in fasting blood sugar and ate less fat than some people are capable of inspiring Students do not usually consider particularly by helping other students employees who received only written health guidelines for others to try harder, according to the academic performance, but over time with their studies. diabetes prevention. researchers from the HSE Centre for — often in the middle of the academic Men were found to have larger “Adults spend a large portion of their time at work. This study Institutional Studies in Russia. year — all members in a peer group tend networks than women, and all students shows that it is not only feasible to implement a comprehensive The recent studies indicate that the to perform at about the same level. were more likely to be friends with lifestyle intervention at the work site, it is an eff ective way to role of the social environment may Thus, most students who surrounded those whom they had known before prevent disease,” said lead author professor Carla Miller from be underestimated, as classmates themselves with high-achievers college, classmates of the same gender, Ohio State University. can greatly infl uence one another’s improved their performance over time. and members of their study group. The The employees had been identifi ed through a workplace behaviour and academic success. The opposite was also true — those who fi ndings were published in the journal screening as having prediabetes. This condition increases risk Using 2013-2014 data on the social befriended underachievers eventually Educational Studies. — IANS for type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.— IANS 6 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY

Chana dal ½ cup Dried lemon 2 no Big peppers 3-4 no Ginger 1 inch cube Garlic 6-8 cloves Cardamom powder 4-6 pods powder 1 piece Cloves powder 3-5 no Lemon juice ¼ cup Salt To taste powder 1 tbsp oil ½ cup Water 5-6 cups

For garnish Coriander leaves Few sprigs Dill leaves Few sprigs Raisin To garnish Boiled eggs 2 no (optional)

Method Wash and soak the and chana dal for 20 minutes, wash and cut the chicken into half lengthwise. Mix ginger chopped, garlic chopped, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, curry powder, lemon juice, turmeric powder and curry powder, salt and 2 tbsp of oil in a bowl. Rub half of this mixture to the chicken inside out and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a large heavy bottom pan heat Chicken Machboos. Photo by the author 3 tbsp oil and add sliced onions and remaining and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Add the chicken pieces, followed by tomatoes, and potato and continue to sauté on low heat. Add water and pierced dried The traditional lemons to it and bring to boil; once the chicken and potato is cooked remove along with tomato and keep aside. Cut the brinjal lengthwise and deep fry till cooked, also deep fry the peppers to just cook them and Chicken Machboos keep aside. On a hot plate, grill the chicken hat can be a better which the availability of raw vegetarian options, date is the cardamom and is served in small pieces on each side to give a golden day to learn and materials was always limited. The prime produce and the region is portions in thimble shaped cups brown colour. cook traditional travellers from Iran and the Indian known to produce one of the fi nest to the guests. There are certain Bring the stock to boil again and subcontinent always carried date varieties in the world. Date etiquettes to be observed while add the chana dal and simmer for 5 than the National aromatic spices and nuts to sell in itself is a complete with drinking with a local, like the minutes, followed by rice. DayW itself? in Qatar. Due to this reason there its high calorie and fi lling nature, coff ee server will continue to pour Cover and cook till the stock is Yes today, as we all celebrate the is a resemblance in the spices it gives your body the essential more coff ee after you fi nish unless absorbed and the rice and chana National Day across Qatar, let’s used in the Qatari cuisine and the nutrients required. you hold the empty cup in front of dal is cooked. celebrate Qatar in our as surrounding countries. Dates are served in the fi rst him and shake it two or three times To serve, spread the prepared well by preparing one of the most Being surrounded by sea from of Iftar to break the fast to express that you don’t need rice in a platter and arrange the loved Qatari dishes — the chicken three sides, the population has a in the holy month of Ramadan. I more. grilled chicken piece on top along machboos. This is a staple Qatari well-developed taste and liking must say that the locals have a love with the tomatoes, potato, fried dish prepared and served across for along with poultry. for their desserts. A sweet is a must Chicken Machboos egg plant and pepper. almost all Qatari households Camel is also occasionally eaten as after a meal to call it complete — Serve hot, garnished with all year round. As with most of a delicacy during feasts and lavish Esh Asaraya, Umali, Kunafeh, and Ingredients coriander leaves and boiled egg the traditional dishes there are weddings. There are restaurants Baklava are some of the options. Basmati rice 1 kg (optional). numerous variants to this dish. that specialise in cooking whole Coff ee is an integral and Chicken with skin 1 ½ kg Qatar is a peninsula in the camels with the stuffi ng of rice. important aspect of Qatari Onion, sliced 2 no z Tarun Kapoor is executive Persian Gulf with desserts Oozie is another popular dish, culture. Arabian coff ee is made Tomato 3 no at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel. spanning across the length and made of baby lamb fi lled with with lightly roasted coff ee bean Eggplant 2 no Send your feedback to: breadth of the country, due to rice served whole. Talking about that is sweetened and spiced with Potato 1 no [email protected] Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 7 COMMUNITY Through the eyes of camera Doha Marriott Marketing organises a photography competition in honour of National Day

overwhelming response, and exceptional event this year with 8,000 entries. nations have documented their journeys By Anand Holla quality of images that were submitted, SeeMyDoha is an ongoing project with an as moments captured in time; engaging in the team decided to add an additional annual mobile photography competition, an inspiring exchange of artistic discovery category called ‘People’s Choice’ where 12 mobile photography workshops and and cultural dialogue,” said QM, “Their aim t’s not for nothing that a camera is images were uploaded on to the Facebook the SeeMyDoha exhibition. Initiated by was to capture real people in their natural called a Save button for the mind’s page, with the winner being chosen by the Jaidah Group, the SeeMyDoha project environments.” eye. Photo competitions are among public,” the hotel said. is showcasing the best of Qatar mobile “As an intellectual you may get to know the most tried-and-tested ways to Earlier this week, all the entrants of the photography. the geography and other topographical relay stories of culture and tradition. competition were invited to the unveiling Among the year’s most enchanting details of an area through study, but living IThat’s why in honour of Qatar National of the exhibition, where the winners and photography exhibitions in Qatar was here and travelling around taught us a lot Day, the Doha Marriott Marketing team runners-up were announced. Hadi Saleh the exhibition Artistic Journeys: New about Qatar and its people. We took this recently launched an online social media al-Marri picked the first place in the Angles; New Perspectives. A unique visual with us back to Turkey and shared it with photography contest. Abstract category. Mirna Mahyudin was interpretation of this year’s Qatar Turkey everyone there,” Ali M Bayraktaroglu, Devised with the aim of engaging the the winner in Architecture, Nasser Aqeel 2015 Year of Culture, its works were borne one of the featured photographers, told local community in capturing images that al-Emadi for Landscape, and Salim Abdulla out of two-week-long expeditions of two Community at the opening of the exhibition celebrate the beauty, culture and rich heritage for Culture. The event was also attended by Turkish photographers who captured on September 1. of the country, the contest saw some spirited Dr Eissa al-Hor, the vice Chairman of the the essence of Qatar – Ali Muhammet Among the places that provided the two participation from photographers of Qatar. Youth Hobbies Center. Bayraktaroglu and Hasan Yelken – and Turkish photographers with the best photo Working in partnership with the Qatar Youth A series of the winning photographs and similarly, two Qatari photographers who opportunities were Katara, Souq Waqif Hobby Centre, the hotel launched the contest the runners-up photographs, along with distilled the moods and magic of Turkey – and Zubarah, apart from Al Arish village through its Facebook fan page on November some of the other entries, will be on display Sara al-Obaidly and Saleh al-Marri. in the outskirts of Doha. “It was amazing. 10. in the Doha Marriott lobby until Sunday. “From the magical mosques of Istanbul You know it is empty but it is full. You feel More than 100 photographs were As for other social media photography to the pseudo-moonscapes of Cappadocia; it,” Bayraktaroglu said about the Al Arish submitted as entries under the four competitions, SeeMyDoha 2015, the and from the vibrant cityscapes of Doha to village. He particularly praised Katara as categories of Abstract, Landscape, second round of the initiative that started the shifting sands of the Qatari desert; four an impressive location with a touch of both Architecture, and Culture. “Due to the in 2013, proved to be the best-received photographers from two different Muslim contemporary and traditional in it. 8 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY TRAVEL Taiwan can be peaceful antidote to bustling China

The river winds its way to the sea in Taroko Gorge National Park on the eastern side of Taiwan. This national park receives millions of visitors each year but is easy to access. It is also easy to escape the crowds here with a little exertion — hiking deep into the canyons.

because their future is so precarious — By Stuart Leavenworth living on land claimed by China, with a democratic government unrecognised by most of the world’s nations — the here’s a simple trick to meeting Taiwanese take great pride in greeting people in Taiwan — just look lost. people and showing off their culture. Pull out a map on a street corner, Beitou, an old village absorbed into or stare befuddledly at your Taipei, the country’s capital, is a fine smartphone, and sure enough, place to experience Taiwan’s warmth. It someoneT will stop and ask if you need help. bubbles straight out of the ground. Just a It happened so many times during a 30-minute subway ride from the centre of recent week in Taiwan that it became a downtown Taipei, Beitou is the epicentre running joke. These offers of assistance of hot springs on an island steaming with almost inevitably led to extended geothermal activity. You can pay top dollar conversations with our good Samaritans to visit a luxury resort, or just take your in a fumbling mix of English and Chinese. shoes off and soak your feet in one of the They were intrigued to know where we were brooks that tumble down the hillsides. from and what we thought of their home, a Back when controlled Taiwan, the place the Portuguese named “Isla Formosa,” area around Beitou Park was one of the or beautiful island. largest spas in Asia, filled with taverns, For more than a century, Taiwan has been music halls and houses of ill repute. During known as a generous welcomer of outsiders, the Vietnam War, American soldiers helped Need tofu? Or sprouts? This vendor has it all at the Sunday farmers market in Beitou. and the tradition continues. Possibly turn Beitou into a notorious red-light Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 9 TRAVEL COMMUNITY

FELINE WELCOME: A cat welcomes customers to Solo Singer Life, a cafe in the alleys of Beitou, FARMER’S MARKET: Shoppers converge on Beitou’s Sunday farmers market, held in a suburb of a suburb of Taipei, in Taiwan. The cafe is an annex of Solo Singer, a bed-and- that attracts Taipei. Beitou is generally a quiet village of hot springs spas, but the market on Sunday can get pretty travellers seeking a more artsy experience in this hot springs village of luxurious resorts. crowded, as people jostle for everything.

The top-floor library at the Solo Singer Inn off ers a cozy view of the neighbourhood in Beitou. district. After Taiwan banned prostitution who had attended the last Burning Man possible rewards for our exertions — cold of mainland China . But there is much in the late 1970s, Beitou languished for a festival in Nevada. drinks and a hot bath. to explore and experience here. Across while, but now it is coming back strong, Many visitors to Beitou come just to Spas in Beitou range from plebian to Taiwan, historic temples, shrines and serving a different kind of clientele. soak in the hot springs, visit the Japanese posh. On our first night in Beitou Park, we churches are lovingly preserved. Tour-bus visitors from mainland China colonial-era buildings in Beitou Park and encountered a trio of Japanese tourists, Taiwan’s National Museum is also the fill the resorts that ring Beitou Park. Yet in sample local . wearing their yakata robes, ambling back repository for China’s greatest works of art, the maze of back alleys that radiate from At the raucous morning market, nearly from the outdoor public baths. smuggled out of the mainland by Chiang the park, village life continues, with a every kind of tropical fruit — along with A good soak in these baths, also known Kai-shek’s forces when the Nationalist army bohemian twist. fresh fish and meats — can be found. as Millennium Hot Springs, costs the retreated across the straits from the advance of Starting four years ago, a group of Taipei Homey ramen shops serve up Japanese equivalent of $1.30. More upscale places the Chinese communists. artists and travellers helped restore one of in surroundings that haven’t charge $40 an hour or more for a private With its clean air and gentle hospitality, Beitou’s old inns, tucked away in an alley so changed much in 70 years. room. Taiwan is an excellent way to decompress narrow a car cannot pass. They decorated To burn off the calories, Beitou offers Beitou Springs, a neighbourhood after an adventure in Beijing or other bustling, the rooms in different styles, using found a range of options. The village sits at the bathhouse that we chose, charged a mere sharp-elbowed Chinese cities. — TNS objects from the building. Solo Singer Inn base of Yangmingshan National Park, a $10 per hour for a private room. opened in 2012, an attempt to preserve 44-square-mile expanse of peaks, forests, After a soak, I exposed my calloused IF YOU GO the quaint lodgings that helped Beitou to fumaroles, hot springs and historic feet to swarms of tiny, biting fish in the flourish in an earlier era. chateaus. bathhouse’s aquatic pedicure tank. It was Weather: Summer can be mercilessly hot “Over the years, a lot of the old-style While we could have taken a bus up one of those “only-in-Asia” moments. and humid in much of Taiwan. November shops and hotels shut down,” said Luis, one to the park’s higher elevations, my wife, A few days in Beitou can easily be through February are milder, and in some of the staff members at Solo Singer who Micaela, and I decided to hoof it straight up combined with journeys across the island. areas, less rainy. greeted us on our arrival. “We are one of the 2,100-foot-high Mount Zhongzhen. Taroko Gorge National Park, on the east Lodging: Solo Singer, a quirky bed-and- only ones left.” While the path to Zhongzhen is called a side of Taiwan, offers stunning scenery and breakfast in Beitou, can be booked through Along with its nearby cafe, Solo Singer “trail,” we quickly discovered it was mostly hiking, with clear streams tumbling down its website, http://thesolosinger.com/. Its Life, the bed-and-breakfast serves as a set of steep staircases, built by Taiwanese through marble canyons. From Taipei, a staff speaks decent English. a networking hub for young artists and stone masons decades ago. high-speed rail line whisks travellers down General travel: Taiwan hosts an English- entrepreneurs. During our visit, a Japanese At the top, the viewing tower delivered to the historic city of Tainan, in southwest language website, eng.taiwan.net.tw, with artist named Keiko Murate was displaying sweeping views of Taipei and the Danshui Taiwan, in a mere two hours. information about transportation, lodging her graphic designs in the cafe, while the River as it empties into the straits of Many travellers to Asia bypass the and destinations across the island. staff prepared to host a meet-up for those Taiwan. On our descent, we contemplated island to concentrate on the splendours 10 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY TOTAL R The world does not awake Amber Rahim Shamsi, who was at the Army Public School in Pe the world for sheer brutality last December, opens up on what she

stunned Pakistan and shocked the Oh, those tiny coffi ns! At the Lady world. Reading Hospital in Peshawar, the I had not been there to comfort emergency ward was reeling with the her because I had been reporting on injured, the shocked, the relatives real stories of horror and terror on desperately crowded around the December 16 and afterwards. I could lists of the dead. And the doctors, only off er her meaningless words of zombies themselves, went about their comfort and security, just as a year business, unable to cope with the has passed, and hangings, military pain but by working. In a room to the operations, rhetoric against militants side, the small coffi ns were packed and militancy are cold comfort for one on top of the other, waiting to be parents who lost their children in the claimed. most brutal way possible. While on 16 December — late as This year, I am too ill to report on the misty cold gripped the night the year that has passed. I cannot — Warsak Road reverberated with Amber Rahim Shamsi ask questions about why children the sounds of battle and detonating needed to die before the country mines, the funerals had already year ago, my daughter could understand the cost of our begun. The next morning, the city Hira, 11, told me about a follies of strategic depth, or that the of fl owers was the city of funerals; a dream she had. She was Taliban are monsters. Good Taliban, city where old sites of bomb blasts the only child left in her Bad Taliban? It is like the Syrian child had become a kind of grim terrorist school; all around her who washed up on a European shore, tourism. Awas silence, as she hid behind a slide or the Sudanese child being stalked by Mourning, grief, anger, multiplied in the blood-stained playground, a vulture. The world does not awaken by a hundred; we could feel the except for the creaking of a swing, as until children are dead. The world is crushing weight of it all in the city, in if someone had just left it. not outraged until the visuals of small the home we visited where a funeral Her breath came in fast puff s corpses are repeatedly broadcast and was taking place. “We don’t want to of vapour; it was cold, for the sun printed. talk to anyone,” a mother told me, so seemed to have been half swept away by a terrible wind. The grass underneath the thick splatters of On the steps of the auditorium, I saw blood seemed leached of colour, a few drops of blood splattered here frosted almost. She didn’t know where everyone had gone, or what she and there. As I took pictures, one of was running from. Terror was stalking her school, but it was nameless and the army escorts told me, “Wait till you shapeless. She told me about this dream a get inside.” The auditorium smelt like few days after I had returned from an abattoir. “This is where the most Peshawar where I had gone to report on the bloodcurdling Taliban children were killed,” we were told HEARTRENDING: One year on, there’s no solace for the families who lost their lo massacre of schoolchildren, which episodes of depravity ever.

INNOCENCE BURIED: Khaula Bibi, 6, was grabbed by one terrorist while the other shot her in the head at point blank range on her first day at school. MEMORIES OF THE DAY: Burnt books lie on the floor at the Army Public School. Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 11 RECALL COMMUNITY en until children are dead eshawar right after the carnage that stunned Pakistan and shocked e saw, and why life will never be the same again for victim families

furious, overwhelmed. Why should she? What is there to say? Empty I spoke to an army major with the words, still empty — a year on. bomb disposal unit, and we both We thought we were lucky to be amongst the fi rst group of journalists cried, standing just underneath to gain access to the Army Public School auditorium. It was a small the stage and podium, near where group at fi rst, personally escorted and showed around by Lt.-General Asim a teacher had been burnt alive, the Bajwa, Director-General of the Inter- walls stained like a black wraith. Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces. “We couldn’t protect them,” he said, Just an hour before, we had heard the last of the mines being set off . over and over again Outside the school, before we went in and we were doing TV lives, young cried, standing just underneath Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, fi lming a more boys associated with APS had already the stage and podium, near where positive story on using technology shown me pictures of the auditorium a teacher had been burnt alive, the to aid learning. In the staff room and the bodies of the terrorists. But walls stained like a black wraith. “We over a cup of tea and biscuits, talk grainy, mobile footage is almost couldn’t protect them,” he said, over turned to December 16 and I started unreal, almost incomprehensible. and over again. to cry copiously. I cried profusely On the steps of the auditorium, I I write all this because I have not again when I read the Dawn special saw a few drops of blood splattered been able to write about it before, report on the 144 who lost their lives here and there. As I took pictures, one unable to confront it. Reporting is in the attack (http://www.dawn. of the army escorts told me, “Wait till diff erent: we are to maintain some com/news/1223313/144stories- you get inside.” semblance of separation of fact from remembering-lives-lost-in-the- Butchery. The auditorium smelt feeling. I went home to my children peshawar-school-attack). I cried like an abattoir. “This is where the after the work was done, painfully again at a garden in Dubai where red most children were killed,” we were aware that mine were safe, theirs were fl owers were fashioned into a fl owing told. It hadn’t been cleaned up not. My children had made it home, waterfall and all I could smell was the yet, to show us the full scale of the untouched by fear and blood and loss. fl esh and blood of the auditorium. horror that had taken place here. That answers another question I For many of us perhaps, the We photographed, we fi lmed, we often ask myself — why this terrorist trauma has lain coiled underneath interviewed. But like the doctors at attack pierced so deep that the the surface of our everyday lives. Lady Reading, it was as zombies. How wounds are still fresh, like the blood But a year on, we don’t have to live can objectivity and composure be in the auditorium. Because the image with it as the survivors and the maintained at the sheer amount of of dressing your child in a school families of the victims do. A year blood — still sticky — covering half uniform and sending them to their on, the commemorative ceremonies torn books, shoes left behind, socks, death cuts through, it is a universal and wall-to-wall coverage of the glass, pens rolling underneath us. fear. It should not have come to this. anniversary seem hollow. It should ved ones, 122 of them students as young as six, in one of the most shocking These items of an ordinary school day The realisation that Pakistan needs not have come to this. juxtaposed with those red tokens of to take the fi ght against militancy viciousness. seriously should not have come at so z The author is a correspondent I spoke to an army major with the bloody a price. with the BBC World Service bomb disposal unit, and we both In April, I was at another school in based in Islamabad.

. VIGIL: Candles lit during a vigil in Berlin for the victims of the Peshawar terror attack. 12 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY Next Qatari Film Fund cycle in February 2016 production and post-production of up to mentorship opportunities with industry producer (Qatar-based only) can be of any By Anand Holla eight short films annually. Feature films specialists as required. nationality. There are no restrictions on the developed through the fund are eligible for In addition to the Qatari Film Fund, the subject of proposed films. A director may financial support for production, and one Institute will continue to provide creative submit only one project per funding cycle. s the year comes to a close, film will be selected for production funding and technical training and mentoring Projects submitted previously that did the Doha Film Institute has in the following year. through its Training and Development not receive funding are eligible to reapply, reiterated its commitment to Short films are eligible for funding Initiatives. Qatari screenwriters, writer- as per the current eligibility criteria. No national film talent by drawing valued at up to QAR182,500 through two directors and producers are encouraged third party funding is considered. Projects attention to its film fund, as annual calls for projects that includes to approach the Institute with film already in production or post production Athe next cycle – for shorts only – opens development, production and post- ideas currently in the early stages of stages are not eligible. February 1, 2016, and closes on February production funds, mentorship, equipment development. The Institute will assist For feature films, you can check DFI’s 14, 2016. Earlier this year, DFI announced a and production support from the with the development, production and website for next session’s dates by July film fund had dedicated to supporting short Institute. The Institute will work closely post-production of projects through free 2016. Feature live action and documentary and feature filmmaking by Qatari directors. with successful applicants throughout filmmaking workshops and in-house film treatments and screenplays at any level The Qatari Film Fund offers support the development, production and post- development, and help prepare applications of progress are eligible for development for the furtherance of the skills and production stages, working with each for funding from the Qatari Film Fund as funding valued at up to QAR182,500 accomplishments of Qatari filmmakers. The filmmaker to develop and finalise scripts, appropriate. through one annual call for projects that fund is committed to the development of up establish budgets and schedules, secure While the funding is available to Qatari includes development services, mentorship to four feature films, and the development, creative and technical teams and provide directors only, screenwriter and/or and other support from the Institute.

Bangabandhu Parishad Qatar installs new central committee

Bangabandhu Parishad Qatar’s new central committee took charge at a ceremony held at Crowne included Qatari businessman Sheikh Ahmed al-Zaber; Nurul Kabir Chowdhury, General Manager Plaza Hotel recently. Khondaker Mozammel Haq, Secretary General of Bangabandhu Parishad of Qatar National Exchange; Mamun Hossain, first executive member of Parishad; and Yeasin. Haq, Central Council in Dhaka, attended the event as the chief guest. Bangabandhu Parishad Qatar the chief guest, said in his speech that Bangladesh has now become a “role model of development President Mohammed Ismail Miah presided over the meeting. Other notable people at the event in the world” and has become a “middle income country”.

Intercon Doha The City celebrates cutting at the hotel lobby today special discounts for residents in the founders of the State of Qatar The room off er is valid for one Qatar National Day plus Arabic sweets, coff ee and the country and Qatari citizens who have endured diffi culties and night only and includes welcome dates and selected food in the lobby that enable them to enjoy this paid a heavy price to achieve the amenities and early check-in at InterContinental Doha The City throughout the day. day in our hotel. We would like to unity of their nation. noon (depending on availability) is celebrating the Qatar National General Manager Eggerstedt welcome them as always and wish Qatar National Day has been and late checkout at 4pm (again, Day today with a 44% discount on said: “InterContinental Doha them a happy National Day. “The instrumental in developing a dependent on availability). The rooms. In addition, visitors dining The City is always proud to National Day celebration is held sense of national identity among rooms also come with free Internet at the hotel’s The Square restaurant participate in the Qatar National to commemorate the founding of locals and expats. It has also access and access to the health club will also get a 44% discount. Day celebrations through a lot the State of Qatar, representing a helped improve knowledge and and pool. The off er is valid only for The hotel will also have cake of off erings. This year we have chance to get to know the work of appreciation of Qatar’s heritage. Qatari citizens and residents. Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 13 LEISURE COMMUNITY

Colour by numbers

Colour by choice

Maze Connect the dots Picture crossword 14 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY CARTOONS Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 15 LEISURE COMMUNITY

Quick Clues Wordwatch laissez-faire or laisser-faire (les-ay-FAIR) rigueur at automobile exhibitions.” Ultimately from the Indo-European root MEANING: India as Small Car Hub; The Economic wen- (to desire or to strive for), which noun: Times (New Delhi, India); Jan 7, 2010. is also the source of wish, win, ween, 1. The practice of noninterference in the overweening, venerate, venison, Venus, aff airs of others. “Once upon a time, it was de rigueur and banyan. Earliest documented use: 2. The economic policy allowing for American professional golfers to before 1300. businesses to operate with little visit Ireland to practice on links courses USAGE: intervention from the government. ahead of the British Open.” “Wealthy fraudsters are given chieftaincy ETYMOLOGY: Philip Reid; Cink Honed His Game on Irish titles and venerated, and their nefarious From French, literally “allow to do”. Links Courses; The Irish Times (Dublin); deeds are euphemistically tagged Earliest documented use: 1825. Jul 21, 2009. venial.” USAGE: Chiedu Uche Okoye; Victims of Illusion; “Perhaps we need to reappraise our turbid (TUHR-bid) Daily Independent (Nigeria); Jun 27, 2011. laissez-faire attitude to domestic cats and MEANING: “The production takes a few venial be more proactive in trying to contain adjective: liberties with the text.” the burgeoning feral population.” 1. Unclear; opaque. Ben Brantley; Railing at a Money-Mad James Parry; Britain’s Burgeoning Feral 2. Dark or dense, as smog or clouds. World; The New York Times; Jul 1, 2010. Cats; The Independent (London, UK); Oct 3. Confused or muddled. 25, 2012. ETYMOLOGY: pro rata (pro RAY-tuh, RAH-) From Latin turba (turmoil, crowd). MEANING: de rigueur (duh ree-GUHR) Earliest documented use: 1626. Not to be adverb: Proportionally. MEANING: confused with turgid. adjective: Proportional. adjective: Required by fashion, custom, USAGE: ETYMOLOGY: ACROSS DOWN or etiquette. “But by the turbid standards of corporate From Latin pro rata (according to the 1. Unfitness (12) 1. Provocative (12) 7. Establish (3,2) 2. Rug (3) ETYMOLOGY: Africa, the company is clean.” calculated share). Earliest documented 8. Elevate (5) 3. Die (6) From French de rigueur (literally, of Africa Calling; The Economist (London, use: 1575. 9. Chopper (3) 4. Incorrect (9) strictness), from Latin rigor. Ultimately UK); Jun 5, 2008. USAGE: 10. Pedigree (9) 5. Porcelain (5) from the Indo-European root streig- (to “The distribution would be pro rata on 11. Homicide (6) 6. Inexorably (12) 12. Powerful (6) 7. Curse (5) stroke or press), which also gave us strait, venial (VEE-nee-uhl, VEEN-yuhl) length of service.” 15. Insipid (9) 10. Bit by bit (9) strike, streak, strict, stress, and strain. MEANING: Dennis Conroy; The Cairo Connection; 17. Bind (3) 13. Glorify (5) Earliest documented use: 1850. adjective: Minor; easily excused. Traff ord; 2005. 18. Stimulate (5) 14. Rue (6) USAGE: ETYMOLOGY: 19. Insurgent (5) 16. Thrust away (5) “Glitz, glamour, and sleek metal are de From Latin venia (forgiveness). — wordsmith.org 21. One-sidedly (12) 20. Prickly seed-case (3) Cryptic Clues Sudoku Yesterday’s Solutions

Sudoku is a puzzle based on a 9x9 grid. The ACROSS DOWN grid is also divided into 1. Race from coast to coast? (5-7) 1. Remembered what visiting baby-sitters did nine (3x3) boxes. You 7. The kind of house where the revolver (6,2,4) are given a selection of is found (5) 2. Notice a letter, by the sound of it (3) 8. One who gesticulates to show 3. Constrain somebody to do a favour (6) values and to complete uncertainty (5) 4. A factor in the dissemination of information the puzzle, you must fill the grid so that 9. Go from the proper route (3) (9) every column, every row and every 3x3 10. Lock manufacturers (3-6) 5. Entertainment to write a critique on, we hear box contains the digits 1 to 9 and none 11. Sitting on the bench causing (5) is repeated. irritation (6) 6. One who does the casting to come to grief 12. Start to show to advantage (3,3) after money is required 15. Manufacture a loose garment as a (12) temporary expedient (9) 7. Din raised by the railway to cause concern (5) Mall Cinema (1): The Good Dinosaur Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force 17. Species of antelope found in 10. Brushed by the breeze (4-5) (2D) 2:30pm; The Good Dinosaur (2D) Awakens (2D) 2pm; The Doraemon increasing numbers (3) 13. Anything, one hears, provides a word of 4:15pm; When Marnie Was There (2D) Movie (2D) 4:30pm; The Good 18. Chemical dissolved in the next obligation (5) 6pm; Star Wars: Episode VII — The (2D) 4:15pm; The Good Dinosaur (2D) Dinosaur (2D) 6:15pm; Bajirao answer (5) 14. Not revealing corporal punishment (6) Force Awakens (2D) 8pm; Dilwale 6:15pm; Dilwale () 8pm; Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) 8pm; Dilwale (Hindi) 19. Still to be seen in the liner terminal 16. Vessel going in the market cheaply (5) (Hindi) 10:30pm. Mastani (Hindi) 10:45pm. 11pm. (5) 20. The age at which the goddess loses her Mall Cinema (2): The Doraemon Cinema Land Mark (2): The Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): 21. He shoots people as they sit (12) head (3) Movie (2D) 2:15pm; Star Wars: Episode Doraemon Movie (2D) 2:15pm; Star When Marinie Was There (2D) VII — The Force Awakens (2D) 4pm; Wars: Episode VII — The Force 2:15pm; Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) 4pm; Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (2D) 4pm; Star Wars: Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Yesterday’s Solutions Awakens (2D) 6:30pm; Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens Awakens (2D) 6:45pm; Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (2D) 6:15pm; Star Wars: Episode VII Episode VII — The Force Awakens QUICK CRYPTIC (2D) 9pm; Star Wars: Episode VII — — The Force Awakens (2D) 8:45pm; (2D) 9:15pm; Star Wars: Episode VII — Across: 4 Perplex; 8 Hearty; 9 Strange; 10 Across: 4 Spheres; 8 Orated; 9 Uniform; 10 The Force Awakens (2D) 11:15pm. Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force The Force Awakens (2D) 11:30pm. Rancid; 11 Rising; 12 Election; 18 Pathos; 11 Airing; 12 Sleeping; 18 Mall Cinema (3): Dilwale (Hindi) Awakens (2D) 11pm. Asian Town Cinema Calamity; 20 Cringe; 21 Prison; 22 Cleanse; Converge; 20 Daniel; 21 Almond; 22 2:30pm; Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) Cinema Land Mark (3): Loafer Dilwale (Hindi) 1; 2:30; 4; 5:30PM; 7; 23 Aplomb; 24 Explode. Disband; 23 Itself; 24 Seaside. 5:15pm; Loafer (Telugu) 8pm; Bajirao (Telugu) 2:30pm; Star Wars: Episode 8:30; 10; 11:30pm & 1AM; Pathemari Down: 1 Shorten; 2 Launder; 3 Strict; 5 Down: 1 Compost; 2 Partner; 3 Recoup; 5 Mastani (Hindi) 10:30pm. (Malayalam) 6:30 & 11:15pm; Salt External; 6 Praise; 7 Engine; 13 Pentagon; 6 Eff ort; 7 Errand; 13 VII — The Force Awakens (2D) 5pm; Incensed; 14 Mission; 15 By and by; 16 Inclined; 14 Trooper; 15 Head off ; 16 Valise; Cinema Land Mark (1): Star Wars: Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) 7:30pm; Mango Tree (Malayalam) 8:45pm; Prolix; 17 Entail; 19 Abrupt. 17 Nimbus; 19 Veleta. Episode VII — The Force Awakens Dilwale (Hindi) 10:30pm. Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) 1; 4; 7; 10pm & (2D) 2pm; When Marnie Was There Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): 1am; Loafer (Telugu) 1 & 3:15pm. 16 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE Ceiling revamps: Leave the popcorn to the movies

alling all DIY enthusiasts: Scraping: Get ready to get messy Those popcorn ceilings have Popcorn ceilings don’t get enough to go. They don’t get much credit for tenacity, really. Once love from homeowners or applied, they’re not easy to remove! homebuyers, and they can At best, you’ll be soaking your ceiling Creally bring down the overall look and feel with water (and possibly your walls of an otherwise attractive room. along the way) before scraping the Popcorn ceilings haven’t really resulting slop off with a drywall knife. represented stylish home design since At worst, the water won’t get through disco was on the radio, though they’ve all of your layers of paint, and you’ll be certainly lingered a little longer. breaking out the heavy machinery to Whether you’re interested in a fresh sand or scrape through it all, kicking look for your own family or updating your up dust. It’s doable, but it’s a lengthy home before putting it on the market, process and not for the faint of heart. upgrading from a popcorn ceiling is a great investment. As the largest uninterrupted Cover it up: The easy way to fix space in any room, the ceiling gives you ugly a golden opportunity to add interest or Don’t worry though — you can infuse your personality. always cover up your popcorn ceiling If you know you want to make a change, by installing a new ceiling over but you’re not sure of the best way to move the existing one. There are many forward, here are a few key factors you manufacturers have many options: need to consider when addressing your wood planks, metal tiles or patterned popcorn ceiling(s): panels. How-to videos show how easy it is to install a new ceiling in as little Stains: You can’t put lipstick on a as a day. goat To our modern eyes, popcorn Water problems, cracks and other issues ceilings definitely look a bit stale, but that leave blemishes on your ceiling can the good news is you’re not stuck with be incredibly frustrating, especially if them. There are a number of options you have a popcorn ceiling that makes it to freshen up your look and turn your diffi cult to simply paint over. Covering or ceilings into the fun, festive spaces removing that ceiling allows you to fi x the that match your true style. noticeable, distracting blemishes overhead and clear the path for a stylish upgrade. © Brandpoint

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

Today is going to be a great day for you Aries! Doing something you Don’t guess at something today bulls. You really do need to be spot There is nothing to worry about for those of you who continue to want to do is self–fullfilment. Whatever you want to do in order to on and right about something, so even being a little bit off could be worry today! Things will fall into place like they always do Gemini’s. make you happy is what you should do today. detrimental to you. Avoid getting talked into doing something too by Get all of those things on your to do list done. someone who is simply too lazy to do it themselves.

CANCER LEO VIRGO June 21 — July 22 July 23 — August 22 August 23 — September 22

If you don’t feel like dealing with someone or something today, then One of the great days for you Leos. Strike while the iron is hot! Don’t hold back today Virgos. If you think something, say it and don’t deal with it. You may be feeling more vulnerable than usual. All Saturn the planet of time and discipline in your romance zone adds make moves towards reaching the goals you want to reach. you can do is make sure you don’t get too involved. to the cosmic mix and if there was ever a time when you were going Sometimes being polite and going by the book doesn’t get you what to meet someone worth meeting, this is it. or where you want.

LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS September 23 — October 22 October 23 — November 21 November 22 — December 21

Be careful that you don’t overdo it today and be too exhausted over Be open to changes today Scorpios. You tend to like things to move Avoid getting caught up in other people’s dramas and scandals the weekend to do anything but lay around and complain that you’re in a rather rigid way and that hasn’t always worked for you in the today, Sagittarians. While you don’t mind sorting things out and too tired to do anything! If you have someone you can ask for help, past, has it? If you feel you are stuck in some sort of way — then now getting mixed up in other’s back and forth, now is not the time. You ask away! is the time for you to rearrange things. have your own stuff to think about.

CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES December 22 — January 19 January 20 — February 18 February 19 — March 20

This is the time of year when you can be surrounded by family and Don’t get too caught up in the ‘he said, she said’ type thing today Don’t ever think that something is a done deal, Pisces. You can makes this the perfect time for you to fix anything that needs fixing Aquarians. While it can be a bit of fun for you at times to toss the always expand on what you have done or set it aside for another with a family member. It might simply be an apology you need to argumentative ball around with your friends, you might bite off more time and work up to it or work on it when you are feeling stronger. make that has been a long time coming. than you can possibly chew today. Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 17 BOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY

Regional films vying for Oscar nominations

ndian regional fi lms like Song category at the 88th Academy songs are: Aankhon me samaye dil, 2, which is directed Language Film category. Court, Jalam, RangiTaranga Awards. Bachpana thaa, Kanpne lage tum, by Kishan Shrikanth, shared on Directed by John Madden, The and Nachom-ia Kumpasar Bhoomiyilenghanumundo, Koodu Kyaa bataaun tujhe, Le jaaye jo Wednesday: “#CareofFootpath2 ?@ Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, are vying for a spot in the vaykkan, Pakalppaathi chaari and door tumse, Na jaane kitni door and CareofFootpath2 #CareOfFootpath2 is also among the 305 movies. It nominations for the 88th Yaathra manoradhamerum are Sookha hi rang daalo. competes for 88th Academy awards featured British actor of Indian AcademyI Awards along with songs from Jalam fi ghting for a spot Two fi lms Rangitaranga among 305 movies, makes it to the descent Dev Patel and Indian actress international fi lms such as The in the category, as mentioned on and Care of Footpath 2, which list of eligible movies.” Tina Desai. Colin Trevorrow’s Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel the offi cial website of the awards. stars television actress Avika Gor Konkani fi lm Nachom-ia Jurassic World, also part of the list, and Jurassic World, which feature The fi lm stars Priyanka Nair, along with actors Esha Deol, Deepp Kumpasar is also up against these saw Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan in a Indian stars. Prakash Bare and is directed by M Pathak, Jaya Karthik Kishan S and fi lms. Hindi fi lm Hemalkasa along pivotal role. The compositions from Padmakumar. S Dingri Naresh, are among the with Indo-Australian movie Salt The fi nal awards nominations will Malayalam movie Jalam and Indo- As many as seven songs from 305 movies that made it to the Bridge will also compete with the be announced on January 14, 2016 Australian fi lm Salt Bridge are Salt Bridge, which stars Rajeev list of eligible movies for the 88th other movies. Chaitanya Tamhane’s and the ceremony is set to be held on among the 74 songs contending for Khandelwal and Usha Jadhav, Academy Awards. debut Marathi movie Court is India’s February 28 at Dolby Theatre in Los nominations in the Best Original have made it to the long list. The The offi cial Twitter account for offi cial entry for the Best Foreign Angeles. — IANS

Wonderful: Farhan Nigam proposes Padma on recording Atrangi ... award for Suresh Wadkar Actor-fi lmmaker Farhan Akhtar Popular singer Sonu Nigam feels National Award- says it was a “wonderful” experience winning singer Suresh Wadkar, who has been part of the recording a duet titled Atrangi yaari music industry for over three decades, deserves a Padma hinging on the bond of friendship with award for his contribution to the field of music. his Wazir co-star . Nigam took to Twitter to suggest that the government Farhan along with Big B recorded think about giving a Padma award to Wadkar as he has been the track about unusual friendships working in the music industry for long yet hasn’t been last week. It is the fi rst time that the felicitated with even one of the country’s three civilian Bollywood stars, known for musical honours — Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma prowess as well, have given their voice Vibhushan. for a song together. The track has “Suresh Wadkar ji, the kindest human beings, an been composed by Rochak Kohli and epitome of sincerity and commitment, deserves a Padma penned by Gurpreet Saini and Deepak award, for his lifetime service to music,” Nigam tweeted. Ramola. CROONING GLORY: Farhan Akhtar, right, with Amitabh Bachchan in the recording “As a teacher, Sureshji gives 1,000 musically “Performing a song for such a fi lm studio. trained students per year, to India. It would be right to (Wazir), with such wonderful people ... acknowledge such greatness,” he added. which has been composed beautifully the characters played by Amitabh and in Kolkata at night, he (Chopra) called Wadkar — best known for his songs like Lagi aaj sawan by Rochak has been fun and it feels Farhan. me and said this is the song, you have to ki, Tum se milke aisa laga, Chhod aaye hum woh galiyaan, wonderful,” Farhan said in a statement. Explaining the origin of the song, sing it, we have to shoot this and this has Raat ke dhai baje and Bol Radha bol — was honoured with In some of the photographs that were Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who has produced to happen very soon. So, here I am.” the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer shared by Amitabh last week, the duo the fi lm, shared that “I was searching Wazir will present Farhan as an ATS for the song Hey bhaskara kshitijavari ya from the 2011 can be seen having fun while recording for a song since the last six months. I offi cer, while Big B will be seen essaying Marathi film Mee Sindhutai Sapkal. He is married to the track. Farhan is also seen holding a heard around 100 to 200 songs and I had the role of a physically disabled man classical singer Padma. guitar while singing. almost given up before I came across this with a sharp brain. Aditi Rao Hydari will Sonu went on to post on the micro-blogging site that Atrangi yaari, which forms the song.” be seen as Farhan’s love interest. Padma awards are the nation’s highest recognition. “And crux of the Bejoy Nambiar directorial, Big B fl ew down from Kolkata to The fi lm will release on January 8 next we’d love to see the most deserving people receive it. About depicts the unusual friendship between record the song. He said: “I was shooting year. — IANS time Suresh ji is the conferred one,” he added. — IANS 18 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY HOLLYWOOD ‘So many diff erent movies can be made out of this material’ Hitchcock/Truff aut director on the connections between great artists. By Steven Rea

n Hitchcock/Truff aut, documentarian Kent Jones builds a celebration — and investigation — of fi lmmaking around the weeklong interview Isessions between a young French director, Francois Truff aut, and Alfred Hitchcock, whose 47th fi lm, Psycho, shattered both the box offi ce and audiences’ minds when it was released in 1960. To hear Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, deconstructing his own work is not only a treat, it’s a revelation. Jones enlists a group of contemporary fi lmmakers — Wes Anderson, Olivier Assayas, Peter Bogdanovich, Arnaud Desplechin, David Fincher, James Gray, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Richard Linklater, Paul Schrader, and Martin Scorsese — to off er their own takes on Hitchcock, his impact, his infl uence, his obsessions. Here are excerpts from a phone interview with Jones, who, in addition to making movies, serves as artistic director of the World Cinema Foundation and director of the New York Film Festival:

You had 27 hours of audio to work with. Was that daunting, trying to shape a fi lm that runs less than 90 minutes from a week’s worth of conversations? There are moments of the 27 hours where they recorded through . ... In the movie, when they’re discussing the fi rst The Man Who Knew Too Much, you can hear glasses clinking, silverware and stuff . So, there’s a lot of that, a lot of people coming in and out of the room. But for the most part, all those hours are spent really talking about substantial things. ... So many diff erent movies could be made out of this material. This is just one among many possibilities. But I didn’t want to make something TWO GOOD: Francois Truff aut and Alfred Hitchcock in Hitchcock/Truff aut. that was going to be dry and go about the business of the “MacGuffi n” and me. ... I mean, there were certain participate. ... Unfortunately, it’s women in every fi eld, then things is really portrayed accurately (in that kind of thing. What I wanted things that I knew that I was going the case that there are fewer women might level out in the fi lm industry the media). to do was explore the emotional to hear. I knew that James (Gray) directors out there. as well. But that’s still decades away, Cezanne was a big fan of engagement with fi lmmaking thought that Kim Novak coming We can’t pluck women fi lmmakers I think. Tintoretto. Would you know that itself. Which is, for me, nearer the out of the bathroom (in Vertigo) was out of thin air. And I didn’t want to from looking at his work? Of heart of the exchange between two the greatest moment in the history just say, “OK, I need a woman.” That Truff aut is a very diff erent course, you wouldn’t, but that’s fi lmmakers. And because it was two of cinema. ... But, nonetheless, would have been trivialising what is fi lmmaker than Hitchcock. The not the point. The point is it’s fi lmmakers, I wanted to have nothing everything they said surprised me. essentially a very complicated matter French New Wave is all about been absorbed. ... Everybody but other fi lmmakers in the movie, Peter (Bogdanovich’s) description that runs much deeper than just the freedom, spontaneity. And winds up talking, without extending the conversation into the of going to that fi rst screening of movie business. ... It’s the state of the Hitchcock was so much about knowing it sometimes, about their present. Psycho, it’s very beautiful. world. control. Yet, there was this own practice. We focus on the fi lm industry incredible sense of admiration In other words, David Fincher Was there anything that There are no women because it off ers a representation of there. And the directors that you is not talking about Gone Girl, the other fi lmmakers said fi lmmakers interviewed in the world, and people fi xate on it. have talking about Hitchcock, but when he’s talking about the that surprised you, that was Hitchcock/Truff aut. Did you seek But as Helen Mirren said (in a recent each is coming from a diff erent woman’s point of view in Vertigo, unexpected? any out? article), the problem isn’t the fi lm place, too. in an odd way, that’s what he Well, I would fl ip the question back I did. I asked three of them, and industry, the problem is throughout I don’t think that the idea of wound up making with Gone Girl. and say they did nothing but surprise for various reasons, they couldn’t the culture. When we have more how one director affects another — The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS Friday, December 18, 2015 GULF TIMES 19 HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY

Angelina Jolie blasted by and Survival Foundation, who animal welfare foundation said: “Seriously Angelina Jolie? Are you that uneducated about Actress-fi lmmaker Angelina Jolie the brutal methods of taming has been criticised by an animal and exploitation of elephants in welfare charity after her children tourism in Asia?” had a “cruel” elephant ride in South But according to insiders, Jolie East Asia. was recovering from a stomach bug Five of the Oscar-winning while minders took the children actress’s six children took an — Maddox, 14, Pax, 12, Zaharah, elephant ride near the Cambodian 10, Shiloh, 9, and Knox, 7 — on the city of Angkor Wat during a break in controversial ride. fi lming of her latest movie, reports The source told The Sun femalefi rst.co.uk. newspaper: “She was furious when Jolie and her husband, fellow she found out because she hates Hollywood star Brad Pitt, are animal cruelty.” currently in Asia fi lming First Angelina, 40, is an outspoken They Took My Father, which critic of ivory poaching in Africa centres on the Khmer Rouge and is due to direct a fi lm about an regime. The move has been elephant protector next year. — blasted by Elephant Asia Rescue IANS

SCARY MOMENTS: Leonardo DiCaprio DiCaprio reveals brush with death ctor Leonardo passenger in, was forced to make JFK (New York airport),” he added. DiCaprio has an emergency landing after an And the Inception stars’s third shared that he has engine caught fire. brush with death caused his life had three near- “Then there was this Delta to flash before his eyes. “It was death experiences, Airlines flight to Russia. I was a tandem dive. We pulled the Aincluding a shark attack, an in business class, and an engine first chute. That was knotted up. engine explosion on a plane and a blew up in front of my eyes. I The gentleman I was with cut it skydiving accident. was sitting there looking out free. We did another free fall for “A great white jumped into my at the wing, and the entire like another five, ten seconds. I cage when I was diving in South wing exploded in a fireball. I didn’t even think about the extra Africa. Half its body was in the was the only one looking out at chute, so I thought we were just cage, and it was snapping at me. the moment this giant turbine plummeting to our death. And he “I sort of fell down to the exploded like a comet. It was finally unravels it in mid-air. bottom and tried to lie flat. The crazy,” the 41-year-old actor said. “The fun part was when he great white took about five or six “They shut all the engines off said, ‘You’re probably going to snaps an arm’s length away from for a couple of minutes, so you’re break your legs on the way down, my head. The guys there said just sitting there gliding with because we’re going too fast now.’ that has never happened in the absolutely no sound, and nobody So after you see your whole life 30 years they’d been doing it,” in the plane was saying anything. flash in front of your eyes — twice DiCaprio told Wired magazine, It was a surreal experience. They — he says, ‘Oh, your legs are going reports femalefirst.co.uk. started the engines back up, and to get broken too’,” he said. — Also, a plane the Titanic was a we did an emergency landing at IANS

Lindsay Lohan upset with Jennifer Lawrence JUMBO CRITICISM: Angelina Jolie Actress Jennifer Lawrence has upset Lindsay Lohan and her family following remarks about the Mean Girls actress’ bad reputation. Aniston, Theroux’s “I never breathe life into negativity, but I stand by martial arts workout femalefi rst.co.uk. my family. Disappointed in Jennifer Lawrence. You “Jen swears by it for upper body lost a fan,” Lindsay’s sister Aliana Lohan tweeted. Star couple Jennifer Aniston and strength and cardio and Justin’s “Thank you sister ... Maybe who you’re referring to Justin Theroux are obsessed with really into it now, too. It’s fast should learn to support others like #mayaangelou,” martial arts workouts. The former becoming an obsession for them,” she added. Friends star has been enjoying the insider added. Accompanying the post was a quote from author yoga-style exercise Budokon The Wanderlust actor is said to Maya Angelou, which read: “You may shoot me with for years and has now tempted have been initially “reluctant” to do your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may Theroux to join her for similar martial arts alongside his 46-year- kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.” training to improve their upper old wife because he was scared of Lindsay’s mother Dina Lohan said that she was body strength and cardio. harming her. “disappointed” in Lawrence. “We love Jennifer “They’ve become great sparring “Jen’s been into martial arts Lawrence, we have always been fans of hers. It was all partners. Jen’s been into Budokon for years. She’s been urging Justin unfortunate that she used Lindsay as a reference of for years, and she and Courteney to try it with her for a long time, not showing up to set, and that whole bit,” She told (Cox) used to do classes with but he was reluctant because he etonline.com. well-respected martial arts hated the idea of hurting her. But “It was disappointing that she didn’t have her teacher Cameron Shayne,” an since he tried these new routines peers’ back. You shouldn’t trash anyone, it was just insider told the entertainment he’s become as hooked as Jen,” the surprising. My family sticks together,” she said. — website National Enquirer, reports source added. — IANS IANS AT ODDS: Jennifer Lawrence, left, and Lindsay Lohan. 20 GULF TIMES Friday, December 18, 2015 COMMUNITY

Ana Kirjanova, Art Collections and Art Events Manager, right, along with Tamer Hasabo, AFIF Business Club Relationship Manager Al-Asmakh Charity, speaking to the press. Photos by Umer Nangiana Encouraging the children of art Established artists are working with children with special needs to create two to four collaborative artworks under ‘We are the Children of Art’ project. By Umer Nangiana

stablished artists from your ideas, separating right from Qatar, , UAE, wrong, pursuing further motivation Oman and Iran will be and simulation in your life,” Ana mentoring children with elaborated. special needs in an art “There are many aspects to Etherapy workshop that started in it. And we decided that children Doha on Wednesday. need to be voiced. In many cases, I The project, “We are the Children believe we do not involve children of Art”, is an initiative of Regency the way we should. Not only we Art Non-Profi t and Al-Asmakh do not educate them about these Charity and will see the teams life examples, we do not give create two to four collaborative them opportunity to be a part of artworks. something like this,” she added. These creations will be a part We ignore them, she said. “We say of Sotheby’s Charity Auction you know nothing. We do not listen Catalogue in collaboration with to them enough. There needs to be Al-Asmakh Charity Annual a constructive dialogue between a symposium project. All revenues grown-up and a child and then a from the sales would be directed good example needs to be shown towards children in need of health, to the child on how he needs to safety and education in the Middle pursue his life path, besides giving Eastern region, announced Ana opportunities even with the smallest Kirjanova, Art Collection and things,” said the manager. Art Events Manager at Regency She thanked Al-Asmakh family Art, along with Tamer Hasabo, on behalf of the whole of Regency AFIF Business Club Relationship Art Non-Profi t team. This family, Manager at Al-Asmakh Charity, at she said, has given an opportunity a press meet yesterday. Ana Kirjanova says the project will expand in March. for the project to happen and “When I came to Doha and she said it is only a beginning for identifi ed the way Regency Art larger scale issues, [be they] local, and mental state of a person. “I They have been known for them. The project will grow into a non-profi t has [arranged] its regional or international. And believe there are no bad children, centuries and include compassion, bigger programme in March next activities, I decided that we need to that is where the idea came from there are just bad examples of kindness and respect towards other year. “We have decided we will not put together a project that teaches to create a project where through leading life. And I felt like this is a living beings. stop there. We will not disclose that arts are not only beautiful art via charity organisations, we responsibility of us as grown-ups Art therapy, Ana said, can be the information now but I would artwork that people can enjoy,” Ana can put together something great, and professionals to set an example described at many diff erent levels. say that you will hear about ‘We told Community in a chat. where we give opportunity to the for children about true values of In many cases people think it is only are Children of Art’ going larger, “Via arts we can actually children to be a contributive part of life,” said the Art Collection and Art physical part, which is not true. It reaching out more to the public,” involve and co-operate with other it,” she added. Events Manager. is not only physical, she explained. said Ana. professional entities where we Ana said it is not just about the And the true values of life, she “It is a mental and emotional state. The workshop this year ends on can raise public awareness on physical part, but also emotional added, are the spiritual values. It is about learning and changing December 20.