www.thepeninsulaqatar.com CAMPUS | 4 MARKET PLACE | 6 FASHION | 8

TEDxYouth@DPSMIS ‘Australian Outback Your dressing discusses ‘the power Flame’ in honour of style tells your of uncertainty’ ambassador story

MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 Email: [email protected] thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Katara and the Unesco Office in Doha launched a Cultural Diversity Festival yesterday with the aim of promoting human dignity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

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MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 | 03 COVER STORY

Celebration of cross-cultural understanding

By Raynald C Rivera na, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Czech Republic, respect for human dignity, tolerance The Peninsula Georgia, India, Italy, Kenya, Japan, Jor- and pluralism.” dan, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Ara- The Bayanihan Dancers from the bia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Spain, Philippines will be performing at ross-cultural understanding is Tajikistan, Turkey and Tunisia. 7.30pm tonight and tomorrow night without a doubt crucial in the “We wanted worldwide representa- at the Katara Esplanade. It will be fol- promotion of human dignity, tion and also diversity, therefore we lowed by a group from India on Janu- Ctolerance and peaceful coex- chose countries looking at different ary 18 and 19 and Kenya on February istence. communities present in Qatar but also 1 and 2. The Cultural Diversity Festival geographical distribution. For example, Katara General Manager Dr Khalid launched yesterday by the Cultural Vil- Saudi Arabia will represent the Gulf bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, Under-secretary lage Foundation-Katara and the Unit- alongside Qatar, Tunisia North Africa, of Ministry of Education and Higher Ed- ed Nations Educational, Scientific and Georgia the Caucasus, Kenya East Af- ucation H E Rabia Mohammed Al Kaa- Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Office rica, Japan the North and Eastern Asia, bi, and Ali Abdullah Khalifa, Vice-Pres- in Doha yesterday was built on this Serbia the Balkans, Argentina South ident of International Organisation of premise. America, Cuba the Caribbean and so Folk Art (IOV) also addressed yester- “Understanding intangible cultur- on,” explained Paolini. day’s opening event attended by rep- al heritage and its diversities is cru- For the next five months the Cultur- ventions and declarations will be or- resentatives of diplomatic missions in cial to successful international rela- al Diversity Festival will bring to Qatar ganised in parallel with the festival. Doha. tions as well as to living peacefully. For world class performances representing Calling Qatar “a cradle of diversities “We meet today, at this forum in Unesco cultural diversity is not just in- the rich and varied cultures from vari- of culture,” Paolini lauded the country’s bid to convey the message of love ternational conventions and technical ous parts of the world. role in promoting cross-cultural aware- and peace to the world. We are re- criteria; cultural diversity is a core val- “Performing arts such as dance and ness and understanding, making it the ally proud of the fact that Katara is a ue of the organisation and at the heart music represent an important part of ideal venue for the festival. prominent cultural edifice in the Middle of everything we do,” said Anna Pao- our culture that is making our lives “In the past decade, Qatar has be- East. This is due to the fact that Katara lini, Director of Unesco Office in Doha more colourful. Learning about oth- come a major crossroad of people and obtains an international cultural vision and Unesco Representative in the Arab er cultures through dance and music cultures from all over the world. Qa- that is vividly illustrated through host- states of the Gulf and Yemen. helps us to understand and to get to tar has become an important player ing grand cultural events and festivals Paolini was speaking at the official know other cultures,” she said. in hosting a multitude of events con- from all over the world,” said Dr Al Su- opening of the festival yesterday at the The festival will provide a way of necting people from around the globe. laiti. Katara Drama Theatre. deepening understanding on the di- This provides Qatar the unique oppor- “Undoubtedly, Katara has always “Humanity in fact is built upon the versity of people from different regions tunity to foster and promote cross-cul- been distinguished for organizing lo- coexistence, complementarities and of the world as it bring together custo- tural understanding, becoming a glo- cal traditional events that sought to abundance of their cultural diversity. dians of musical tradition and perform- bal centre of innovation and creativity.” revive the original Qatari heritage. We Unesco has identified its role in con- ing arts. The festival will culminate with the are looking forward to enforce interna- vening, connecting and uniting people The audience will have the opportu- World Day of Cultural Diversity for Di- tional cultural partnerships and mainly of different cultures. Unesco promotes nity to enjoy dances and music which alogue and Development which is cel- with Unesco,” he added. tolerance and respect for diversities of will also include elements that are in- ebrated around the world on May 21 The festival and conferences are set cultures,” she stressed. scribed on the list of intangible culture every year bringing world recognition to play an important role in promoting Probably the biggest and longest and heritage under the 2003 Conven- to the issue of cultural diversity, cross intercultural dialogue and cultural di- festival of its kind hosted by Katara, tion for the Safeguarding of Intangi- cultural understanding and the promo- versity in Qatar within the context of this five-month festival is a vital part of ble Culture and Heritage such as tango tion of creativity and innovation. the International Decade for the Rap- the Intercultural Dialogue and Cultural and flamenco. “Let’s celebrate diversity. Cultural di- prochement of Cultures (2013-2022) - Diversity Programme of Unesco. Two regional conferences on cul- versity is a source of renewal of soci- a commitment to addressing the need The festival gathers cultural per- tural diversity and social inclusion and eties and ideas. It’s the backbone of for actions against violence and intol- formers from 20 countries represent- two national training workshops on in- every society. We must strengthen the erance, and principles such as human ing four continents including Argenti- tercultural dialogue and Unesco Con- contribution of culture to promote and dignity, conviviality and solidarity. 04 | MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 CAMPUS

TEDxYouth@DPSMIS discusses ‘the power of uncertainty’

he 1st edition of TEDxYouth@ growth. It gives us the motivation to the Qatar Paralympics Team, a model Grade XII of DPS-MIS and who were DPSMIS was held in the school evolve and grow. The five speakers and a standup comedian. supported by the school Management. auditorium recently. The who shared the ideas on this occasion The ideas discussed were on a wide Being a youth event, the partici- Ttheme of the event was “The were: AbhipraySahoo, Graduate of Rice range of topics from neuroscience pants were young students from both Power of Uncertainty”. The goal of University (Class of 2015); Cyril Anand, start-ups, being prepared for the fu- Indian and International schools. The this event was to communicate ideas Assistant Director of Ooredoo; Dr Anu- ture by turning problems into oppor- event ended with dinner and the par- that will make people embrace uncer- Jossan, Business & Economics Profes- tunities, risk-taking and facing disabil- ticipants sharing their ideas on the tainty. Not knowing something makes sor; Adulraman Sajid, COO, The Youth ities. The event was planned and ex- idea wall that was specially created for us strive and opens opportunities for Company; Nawaal Akram, a member of ecuted by a team of nine students of this occasion.

SIS wins Voice of Kerala event

Shantiniketan Indian School (SIS) Team won the overall championship in the Voice of Kerala ‘Qatar School Youth Festival 2016’. Hadiya Zakariya of class VIII was awarded the Kalathilakam and the senior students also won the group championship. School management, principal, vice-principals, staff and students congratulated the team on the excellent performance and the great achievement for the school. MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 | 05 COMMUNITY Indian community celebrates first PBD in Qatar

he Embassy of India in as- apex bodies for coordinating an event sociation with Indian Cultur- of this magnitude and also thanked al Centre (ICC), Indian Business the members of Indian Diaspora for TProfessional Network (IBPN) their presence. He briefed about the and Indian Community Benevolent significance and benefits of all the Forum(ICBF) celebrated local Prava- previous PBD’s held at various parts si Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2016 at Do- of India. He lauded the PBD awardees ha Marriott Hotel on January 9, in the from Doha, Padmashri Advocate C K presence of a large Indian diaspora of Menon and Hassan Chougle. He also Qatar. The event was presided over by highlighted that the first social organi- Sanjiv Arora, Indian Ambassador and sation especially from the Gulf region patron of all three apex bodies under has been bestowed with Pravasi Bhar- the aegis of the embassy. athiya Award was ICBF. The Ambassa- A minute of silence was observed dor also thanked Dr R Seetharaman, Dr by members present to pay tribute to Mohan Thomas and other prominent the martyrs who sacrificed their lives Indian Community members for their and the Qatari community for their val- cast of the speech of Sushma Swaraj, at the recent attack at Pathankot, in contributions towards strengthening uable cooperation in strengthening the from New Delhi. The Ambassador Punjab. the business relationship between In- cultural and trade relationship between gave a resentation on Make in India, a President of ICC Girish Kumar wel- dia and Qatar. Ambassador conveyed two great countries. movement by Prime Minister of India comed all the dignitaries and mem- his thanks to the leadership of Qatar The gathering watched a live web- Narendra Modi. bers of Indian diaspora present at the event, which is the first local Prava- si Bharatiya Divas celebrated in Qa- tar to mark the contribution of the diaspora to India’s development. He also mentioned that the selected countries have been engaged to in- teract and share the experiences of Pravasi’s directly with Minister of Ex- ternal and Overseas Indian Affairs Su- shma Swaraj. K M Varghese, President of IBPN, and Acting President of ICBF Baby Kurien highlighted the importance of Pravasi Bharathiya Divas. In his keynote address, the ambas- sador thanked congratulated all three Indonesian forum holds ‘university sharing session’

he Association of Indonesian Community in Qatar (PERMIQA) in collaboration with KAIFA Do- Tha recently organised an inter- active discussion with theme ‘The Uni- versity Sharing Session’ by presented the Speakers of Indonesian University Students from Qatar, UK, Canada, USA and Asean Countries at Mahad Da’wah of the Ministry of Awqaf, Al Waab, last week. The session was attended by 300 Indonesian diaspora (potential stu- dents and parents). The Indonesian Ambassador Deddy Saiful Hadi and Endang Deddy Hadi were present. Second Secretary for Information, So- cial & Culture Affairs, Nurwenda Sucip- to; President of PERMIQA, Heri Karto- no; and representatives of KAIFA Do- ha also attended. The ambassador praised the Indo- nesian diaspora in Qatar who always and sharing session that could be bridg- abroad based on interests and talents availability in obtaining scholarship, ac- have creativity, ideas and initiatives in ing the parents and potential students of each students. Most of the questions commodation, tuition fees, academic creating such kinds of positive events, in terms on choosing the right facul- and interests raised from the audiences transitions and requirements from high especially like this interactive discussion ty and university either in Indonesia or were concerning the opportunity and school to university, etc. 06 | MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 MARKETPLACE

Danem Group opens Doha office

Danem Group, EPC contractors in the Middle East for oil and gas, recently opened its office in the Arkhan Building in Barwa Commercial Avenue. The picture shows staff and guests during the opening.

‘Australian Outback Flame’ in honour of ambassador

niversal Specialty Food Group, in collaboration with the Australian Em- bassy, Meat & Livestock Australia, Ltd (MLA) and Qatar Airways, organised Uan “Aussie Outback Flame: Grill and Rotisserie” dinner featuring celebrity Chef Tarek Ibrahim. It was held at Marsa Malaz Kempinski. The event was in hon- our of Pablo Kang, Australian Ambassador to the UAE and Qatar, as he ends his four-year term. The ambassador emphasised the growing expansion of commer- cial activities and businesses between Qatar and Australia. He announced that Australia will establish permanent embassy in Qatar during the first half of 2016.

Special events and new dining Thai flavours at choices at Sharq Village & Spa Grand Hyatt’s Isaan rand Hyatt Doha’s Isaan is of- harq Village & Spa announced lection of local dishes. Local artefacts, fering authentic and bold Thai special events and dining deli- a henna service and Majlis seating ar- Gflavours in the restaurant’s Scacies for January to March sea- ea will complement the restaurant’s new menu. Located on the second son. décor. Every Saturday from 12.30pm floor, the signature restaurant, Isaan, Al Liwan to 4pm. Priced at QR250 per person has become 2015’s leading south- Friday Brunch includes a welcome drink. eastern restaurant in Doha. Award- A luxurious buffet featuring the Take Me To Lebanon ed ‘Best South East Asian Restaurant freshest seafood, Middle Eastern fa- Guests can sample an array of au- 2015’ by Time Out, ‘Favourite South vourites and international classics. thentic Lebanese, Middle Eastern and Eastern Restaurant 2015’ by Fact and 12:30pm to 4pm, QR325 per per- Continental cuisines prepared by mas- the certificate of excellence from Tri- son including non-alcoholic beverag- ter Arabic chefs. It offers a selection of pAdvisor, Isaan sets the bar high with es. QR420 inclusive of selected house Oriental and Lebanese mezze, fresh- its authenticity, exotic flavours and beverages. Children ages 12 and be- ly prepared salads, traditional special- warm service, providing guests with low dine complimentary. ities all of which are sewed within an an exceptional Thai dining experience. Qatari Brunch authentic Arabian atmosphere while Satisfying the palates of all of his guests, Thai chef de cuisine Somporn A unique Qatari dining experience aromatic Shisha is served in a variety Sintawee is an expert at presenting authentic cuisine in a contemporary offering a wide selection of authentic of exotic flavours to the dulcet melo- style. Specialising in Thai cuisine, Chef Somporn dug into his culinary reper- dishes available every Saturday at Al dies of the Oud. Al Liwan Restaurant, toire to design a carefully selected menu showcasing the Isaan region’s bold Liwan Restaurant. Every Thursday from 6.30pm to 11pm. flavours and simple preparation. Chef Somporn’s new menu includes sig- Led by Qatari guest chef, Sheikha QR250 per person excluding beverag- nature dishes such as the popular grilled whole sea bass in pandan leaves, Ahmad M Almeer and Executive Chef es. QR370 per person inclusive select- which is bound to entice the taste buds. Hassan Abdallah, the culinary team ed house beverages. QR100 per Shi- will present a buffet laden with a se- sha. MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 | 07 FOOD

By MELISSA D’ARABIAN AP

lice was our au pair from China, and when she joined our family she brought with her a slew of Atasty dishes. Our family fell in love with her com- plex fried rice, dumplings with juicy meat fillings, and her crispy egg rolls with gar- licky-meaty-mushroom fillings. The tricky thing was that Alice was one of those cooks who worked her magic without a recipe. I would watch, taking mental notes of the ingredients and quantities, but rep- licating her dishes proved similar to me trying to capture the exact taste of my grandma’s cooking — impossible. Though we loved all of her cooking, her egg rolls were the family favourite. And why not? Minced up goodies wrapped in delicate, fried (essentially) pasta? Yes, please! So I took the liberty (since I was miss- ing the mark anyway) to create my own version, one that managed to get most of the crispy goodness with far less fat. After experimenting with a variety of methods — from spraying the eggrolls with an oil mister or cooking spray as well as dry- With a few tricks, baked egg baking — the clear winner was the pastry brush method combined with a hot oven while also using a baking rack to allow for full air circulation during cooking. So what if these egg rolls are not rolls can be as good as fried completely traditional. I did capture the essence of Alice’s cooking, and when the girls are missing her I know fond memories 2 medium stalks) wooden spoon. Once cooked, transfer the the vegetable mixture onto the wrapper. are only an egg roll away. 3/4 cup shredded carrot (about 1 sausage to a plate and set aside, leaving Start with one side and roll up the wrap- And by the way, my experimenting medium carrot) the residual oil in the pan. Return the pan per over the filling, folding in the sides as also proved that quickly sauteed bananas 3 cloves garlic, minced to the heat and add the mushrooms, celery you go. As you finish rolling, use a finger sprinkled with a little orange juice and a 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger and carrot. Cook until the mushrooms are to spread a little water on the edge to dark chocolate chip or two also make for a 3 scallions, white and green parts, soft, about five minutes. help create a seal. Repeat with remaining perfect dessert egg roll filling! Brush with chopped Add the garlic, ginger and scallions, wontons and filling. coconut oil and dip cooked egg rolls in 1 cup frozen peas, thawed then cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Place the egg rolls on the rack on the tangy Greek yogurt. Yum! 2 cups finely chopped Napa cabbage Add the peas, cabbage and sesame oil and prepared baking sheet. Use the remain- (or regular cabbage) cook until the cabbage softens, another ing 1 tablespoon of oil to brush the egg Baked egg rolls 1 teaspoon sesame oil two or three minutes. rolls. Bake until golden and crispy, about Start to finish: 1 hour 20 minutes (1 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix to- 20 minutes. If you do not have a baking hour active) 1 teaspoon cornstarch gether the soy sauce and cornstarch with rack, place the egg rolls directly on the Makes 15 eggrolls 15 large (5- or 6-inch) egg roll (won- 1 tablespoon of water. Pour the mixture baking sheet and turn the egg rolls over 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus 1 ton) wrappers into the pan with the vegetables, then halfway through the cook time. tablespoon Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking add the sausage. Stir, then cover and Nutrition information per serving: 140 1 link spicy turkey sausage (about sheet with foil, then set a wire rack over it. cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from calories; 25 calories from fat (18 percent of 1/5 pound), casing removed Mist the rack with cooking spray. the heat and allow to cool just until easily total calories); 2.5 gram fat (0 gram satu- 8 ounces button mushrooms, finely In a large saute pan over medium-high, handled. rated; 0 gram trans fats); 5mg cholesterol; chopped (or pulsed in a food processor) heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add the Set a wonton wrapper on the work 350mg sodium; 23 gram carbohydrate; 2 3/4 cup finely chopped celery (about sausage and cook, breaking it up with a surface. Spoon a couple tablespoons of gram fibre; 1 gram sugar; 6 gram protein. 08 | MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 FASHION Your dressing style tells your story

IANS are a symbol of your dynamic personality. Styling mantra: Wear such colours with a raw jeans or chinos to grab all the at- tention that you want. o you prefer bright coloured clothes? Perhaps it’s to do with Abstract Prints: Tribal, geometric and your positive thoughts. Or if you numeric Dhave an eye for abstract prints, If you play unscripted with the prints it’s likely that you have a bold personal- then you are nothing but bold. You are ity. Your wardrobe choices can depict who outspoken and spontaneous and do you are as a person, say experts. not wish to be spoon-fed. The prints are The design team at John Players, unique and classy and so are you. You are which offers a fashion wardrobe for men, seen as someone who knows it all and will have decoded how one’s clothes can help express his individuality by using creative people interpret his personality. mind to inspire and create new ideas. no-nonsense approach to work is highly The classic: black, grey and blue Styling mantra: Do not accessorise respected amongst the peers. The men These colours are a symbol of age-old Bright outfits: Yellow, orange and red with these prints. who go for a V-neck instead, are seen as tradition. Hence, when you carry these If you move away from the classic grey chilled out and casual loafers who would colours, you are seen as a culture loving and blacks and wear the hot colors of Necklines to suit your style: Crew vs not give into the pressures of the world. person who is more urban and groomed. today, you are definitely a trendsetter and V-neck Natural go getter, they are often driven by Sophisticated and well-organised are two a change-maker. You are friendly and peo- Men who love their crew neck are their passions and instincts. words that top your personality traits. ple approach you for help with an ease. more logical in their approach. They are Styling mantra: Be it V-neck or crew Styling mantra: Make sure that you pick The bright colour radiates positive energy practical, uptight and would take a lot neck, one should be very sure of the oc- the right fit to make your look sophisti- making you feel comfortable. Such shades of time before making a decision. Their casion before carrying the look. cated and elegant. MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 | 09 HEALTH & FITNESS Calorie cutting may help obese with thinking problems

By Kathryn Doyle Reuters

lder obese people with mild cognitive impairment who lose a small amount of weight may Osee some improvement on tests of thinking skills, according to a new study. Mild cognitive impairment causes slight but noticeable declines in memory and thinking skills, and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia developing later, according to the Alzhe- imer’s Association. “Increased adiposity has been corre- lated with reduced volume in a number of brain regions,” said lead author Dr Nidia Celeste Horie of the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine in Brazil. Calorie restriction has many benefits for humans, including reduced abdominal fat mass, and may also improve the resilience of synapses in the brain, she said. “The results should be reproduced in other settings before it is considered a standard recommendation,” Horie said by email. “At the moment, obese individuals should try to lose weight as young as they can, to protect health in general and the brain in particular, and obese elderly with active did not change. if you are already going into dementia, it mild memory problems should try to lose Obese individuals should The process of recruiting volunteers might not be a good idea to lose weight,” weight to improve comorbidities, know- included information on the risks of obes- said Dr Agnes Floel of Charite-Universita- ing that at least it will not be harmful for try to lose weight as ity, which may have increased motivation etsmediz in Berlin in Germany, who was cognitive skills and with luck they could young as they can, to lose weight in both groups, Horie said. not part of the new study. be preventing dementia.” to protect health in Performance on a battery of physi- But this proof of concept study indi- The researchers divided 80 obese cal tests tended to improve during the cates that calorie restriction is safe for people over age 60 with mild cogni- general and the brain study. As BMI decreased, thinking skills, people with mild cognitive impairment, tive impairment into two groups, one of in particular, and obese verbal memory, language and executive Floel said. which received usual medical care while function appeared to increase based on “I think what is clear is that caloric re- the other also met in group nutritional elderly with mild memory cognitive tests. The improvements were striction seems to activate processes that counseling meetings for a year. The aver- problems should try to more pronounced for younger seniors, are good for the brain,” she said. Weight age age was 68. lose weight to improve according to the results in the Journal of loss itself may not need to be the goal for All the participants were advised to Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. elderly people, since those in this study meet physical activity guidelines, including comorbidities. “The mild weight loss was initially dis- lost relatively little weight, she said. doing at least 150 minutes of moderate- appointing, but after a more deep analysis, There may be substances that mimic intensity aerobic exercise or walking we could see that even with small weight the effects of calorie restriction in the throughout the week, or if limited due to 500-calorie deficit. changes the decrease of adiposity was brain, which would be useful to investi- health conditions, aiming to be as physi- At the start, all the participants had a correlated with cognitive improvement,” gate, she said. cally active as possible. body mass index (BMI) — a measure of Horie said. It is still too soon for older people with The nutritional counselling group also weight in relation to height — of at least None of the participants had con- thinking difficulties to ask their doctors met about 28 times for one-hour sessions, 30, the lower limit for obesity. ditions like depression, heart failure or about calorie restriction for improving which included advice on eating a diet By the one-year point, BMI had de- alcoholism that would interfere with cognition, she said, and it may never be rich in fibre, fruits, vegetables and whole creased by an average of 1.7 points. The weight loss or cognition. a safe strategy for certain people, includ- grains, and on how to achieve a daily proportion of those who were physically “In a way it could be a bit risky because ing cancer patients and pregnant women. 10 | MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 ENTERTAINMENT

AFP Opera takes new look at ictims of human trafficking so of- ten are forced into silence, yet a trafficking via its culprits new opera is exploring the com- Vplexities of a group that is heard from even less — the perpetrators. Angel’s Bone, which premiered on Wednesday to open New York’s annual Prototype festival of experimental opera, seeks to understand the human dynamics that can lead once self-respecting citizens to perpetrate the scourge that afflicts an estimated 600,000-800,000 people each year. The one-act opera opens in the banal- ity of a suburban American Everywhere as “Mr. and Mrs. X.E.” relate their mounting marital and financial problems. Using metaphors for trafficking full of spiritual overtones, two angels stumble upon the property and initially enjoy a warm welcome. But Mr. and Mrs. X.E. soon sense opportunity in enslaving the vulner- able newcomers. Mezzo-soprano Abigail Fischer vividly portrays the tumult in the role of Mrs. X.E. who devolves from boredom to ravenous desire to bellicose vindictiveness. Composer Du Yun came up with the concept after reading about trafficking, saying she was fascinated by the stories of middlemen and the attachment that victims sometimes developed toward their captors. “I was really struck by how it’s not a Baritone Kyle Bielfield (left) and Jennifer Charles, singer from the rock band Elysian Fields, perform in the dress rehearsal black-or-white issue,” she said. of the opera Angel’s Bone at the 3LD Art and Technology Center in New York City. The premiere of Angel’s Bone comes amid a historic influx of refugees to Eu- want them in, ‘why don’t they just get Angel’s Bone culminates in a sad rope and growing criticism of immigration legal,’ or build a wall,” she said. scene as Girl Angel is tied up and relates The one-act opera among right-wing politicians in the West- She hoped her opera would show an- the brutal desires of her assailant. ern world. other side — that even native-born people Making the action on stage even opens in the banality of Du Yun, who came to the United States can quickly be tempted to behave in ways more powerful and unsettling, Girl Angel a suburban American legally from China to pursue music, said they did not plan. is played by Jennifer Charles, the singer Everywhere as “Mr. and she was distraught at the lack of under- “If we are given the opportunity to of the New York dream rock band Elysian standing of how immigrants struggle to make profit, then maybe we are not so Fields. Mrs. X.E.” relate their find new lives. different from each other,” she said. Unlike the three other main perform- mounting marital and “People talk about the immigrants and “I think the dark psychology of human ers, who come from a classical opera financial problems. have this idea that this is bad, we don’t beings is very interesting as an artist.” background, Charles wails in the fashion of a punk singer. Du Yun brings a loud electronic beat to parts of the opera, complementing a chamber orchestra and the choir of the “It makes us greedy, entitled people Trinity Wall Street church. perhaps and to watch the descent of “It wasn’t a sense that I needed to Mrs. X.E. into this madness that is culti- water down or popularise the opera. For vated through her greed also seems very me, if you want to talk about a story that timely.” is present life, I want to find a language Vavrek has written librettos for a that is reflecting that,” she said. number of prominent modern operas, The dynamic between the victims and notably “Dog Days,” about a working-class culprits is dramatised through the stage family in a future America ravaged by war. design, with the angels lying bloodied in The opera premiered in 2012 and is a bathtub in the background as Mr. and being staged for the first time in New York Mrs. X.E. rejoice in the money windfall as part of the Prototype festival. from pimping. Du Yun hoped that “Angel’s Bone,” Librettist Royce Vavrek, a Canadian, with its intense grab on the audience’s said that Mr. and Mrs. X.E. also represented attention, could stir debate in a way that a facet of American life. a newspaper article may not. “I think they are talking to a certain “Art really doesn’t solve problems. But extent about the idea that the American we can at least provide a platform to talk dream fosters greed,” he said. about them,” she said. MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 | 11 ENTERTAINMENT Fans make us who we are, says Bachchan

By Sandeep Sharma said: “Driving memories? 45 years in the IANS film industry has been a wonderful drive!” And why not? Best known for his roles in films like Anand, Agneepath, Namak Haraam, Don, Hum, Zanjeer, Black and or years, fans have thronged the Paa to name a few, Amitabh has regaled gate of his Mumbai bungalow eve- Hindi film buffs as much with his ‘angry ry Sunday morning. He has the young man’ avatar as in romantic avatars; Fmaximum followers on Twitter as much as in intensely dramatic roles, as for an Indian, and has a burgeoning “ex- those with a comical streak. tended family” of those who read his blog. From essaying a 12-year-old boy Auro Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in Paa; a friendly ghost in Bhoothnath who, at 73, attracts fans galore wherever Returns; a failed actor and drunkard in he goes, says they are an “essential” part Shamitabh; and a grumpy father in Piku — of an actor’s career. these are a few of his recent portrayals on The actor, who has spent over four the silver screen that have been a window decades in the film industry, often shares to Amitabh’s talent, which has not faded, instances of how his fans end up getting but only enhanced with age. either amused or startled if he’s travelling ”At my age, this is the best that can in the same aeroplane as them; or of the come my way and one should be thankful exhilaration that they experience upon and grateful that there is work available clicking selfies with him; and more. at this time of my career,” said the son But Amitabh, a globally popular face of late poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and from Bollywood and one who has admir- Teji Bachchan. ers across the world, brushes it off as just The experience of facing the camera, a result of ‘celebrity’ status. he says, has not changed. “I think this would happen to any one ”Every day is an experience for me. that has claims to being a celebrity. There Filmmaking has only one mantra — the is nothing wrong in it or objectionable. sound of ‘Start sound’, ‘camera’, ‘clap’, Fan interest is essential for an actor. They ‘action’... And you better get it right after make us who we are. Giving them atten- hearing those words,” he said. tion or getting it from them is justifiable,” Adding more versatility to his filmogra- Amitabh said in an email interview. phy comes Wazir, which features Amitabh That has been an ongoing phenom- as a paralysed chess grandmaster, con- enon throughout his career. fined to a wheelchair. It’s interesting how the actor has been He said the wheelchair made matters experimenting with his driving skills— “a lot easier”. It’s a project that Amitabh readily said modern film, unique in its structure and whether it’s riding a bicycle for Piku, a “I did not have to worry where to keep “yes” to, especially since it was an idea that presentation”. “And, yes, this one has been scooter for Te3n or even a ‘tuk-tuk’ for lei- my hands... Hehe.. But seriously, though it filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra — whom made most sensitively as well. It’s intel- sure. But he says the best drive for him has was great to be able to portray a character he describes as an “astute producer” — ligent and swift-paced,” added the actor, been his 45-year-long journey in showbiz. I had never done before,” said Amitabh, had narrated to him around 15 years ago who has also sung a track titled Atrangi Asked to share his best driving memo- who said the preparations for the role and he had liked it. yaari along with co-star Farhan Akhtar for ry, the three-time National Award winner, weren’t too many. Amitabh describes it as a “smart and the Bejoy Nambiar directorial. Fitoor director explains Rekha’s exit from film

IANS the course of the making the film, we just The enigmatic veteran actress in fu- saw things very differently and right at the ture was roped in to play the character beginning, we thought it’s best that we of Begum in Kapoor’s Indian adaptation don’t do this film together; and we will of the popular Charles Dickens’s classic ilmmaker Abhishek Kapoor has workout something else in future,” Kapoor novel Great Expectations. She walked out put rest to rumours that actress said here. of the project in May 2015, and the very FRekha left Fitoor as she found an Rubbishing recent reports conjectur- versatile Tabu replaced her. uncanny resemblance between her re- ing on Rekha’s exit from the film, he said: Kapoor said he’s thankful to Tabu. al life and her character. He says it was “When reports like this come out, it’s not “I had Tabu who graciously came on only because they “saw things very dif- fair to the lovely lady because she is a very board and she got into the skin of the char- ferently” that they decided it would be reserved and a private person. She would acter, which is so layered. I want to thank best not to do this film together. not stand up and say something to safe- Tabu who came to rescue us in a matter ”When we started out, Rekhaji was guard her own interest. I think we should of three days. More than that, I don’t know in the film. She is a wonderful, gracious, be more cautious and it would be cruel to what to say,” he said, adding that the char- generous and a very lovely lady. During say something like that about her.” acterisation didn’t change at all. 12 | MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 TECHNOLOGY Oculus CEO explains why the Rift has a $599 price tag

By Hayley Tsukayama The Washington Post

his week, Oculus finally an- nounced the consumer launch of its Rift virtual reality headset T— more than three years after its original Kickstarter launch, and near- ly two years since Facebook bought the firm for $1bn. The launch came with a lot of hype, and pre-order supplies went quickly. (Try to pre-order one now and you get an estimated ship date of June.) But there was a bit of a blot on the announce- ment as well, as many potential buyers complained about the $599 price tag. I sat down with Brendan Iribe, chief executive of Oculus, at the Consumer Electronics Show. He said that there’s a very simple reason that the cost of the Rift is so high: It’s made from expensive components. The company, Iribe said, wanted to focus on bringing the best vir- tual reality experience possible to market and didn’t want to compromise on the quality of the headset or the experience. “We made it as close to the cost of the hardware as possible,” Iribe said. “The margin is razor-thin.” He said that the company, at least initially, is looking at the Rift as a break-even initiative. Part of the kerfuffle over the price is due to earlier comments from Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey, who had in- dicated the Rift’s price would be in the ballpark of $350 — the price of the kits the company was sending to developers. That set expectations for a much lower Oculus is set to release the first models of its Rift headset in March. The Touch controllers will come out later in the year. consumer price than the one announced this week. forthcoming Touch controllers. off, immediately say, ‘What if you did this On Reddit, Luckey apologized for his It’s hard to explain just how convinc- with it?’ Everyone has an idea,” he said. earlier comments, explaining that at the But even without the ing the virtual reality is, particularly when It will be interesting to see how Rift time he was trying to combat expecta- ability to see your hands using the controllers, which loop around competitors such as Sony and HTC, which tions that the Rift would cost more than in the virtual space, your hands and replicate the position is working on a VR system that requires $1,500. and angle of your hands inside the virtual you to place multiple sensors around the “My answer was ill-prepared, and the Rift’s stability and world. In one demo, called the Toy Box, I room, will also handle the price ques- mentally, I was contrasting $349 with replication can really played catch with an Oculus demonstra- tion. Dedicated gamers will likely pick $1,500, not our internal estimate that convince your senses tor and used a slingshot to take down up the devices —i f you take a cue from hovered close to $599 — that is why an array of targets. (Or tried to, anyway.) Oculus’s pre-order numbers, in fact, I said it was in roughly the same ball- that you’re somewhere When I was done, I actually tried to set perhaps more than anyone anticipated. park,” Luckey wrote in an open Reddit else — and that a the controllers in my hand down on the But even with the first consumer models question-and-answer session. person who might be virtual table, forgetting for a moment headed out into the real world, the cost Still, Iribe acknowledges that the that they weren’t there. of these headsets may keep them from price of the Rift does mean that it’s not in another room or But even without the ability to see going mainstream for quite a while yet. for everyone, but he thinks the price is another continent is your hands in the virtual space, the Rift’s For Iribe, the next steps are clear: still a good value for the experience you stability and replication can really con- Find more applications for the Rift to get. actually standing next vince your senses that you’re somewhere make it a more compelling device. The Finding the right price for the Rift is a to you. else — and that a person who might be company has actively courted game de- tricky dance. There are cheaper ways to in another room or another continent is velopers to launch content with the Rift try VR. The wireless Samsung Gear VR, actually standing next to you. and is fielding other ideas by way of its for example, is much cheaper at about Iribe said that it’s been exciting for app marketplace. $200 and uses Oculus’s technology and near as immersive as the Rift. him to see how people outside the com- “We’re focused on content now,” he is powered by a smartphone. But you get And the experience of using the Rift pany have reacted to the latest version said, adding that it does Oculus no good what you pay for. While the Gear VR is is very good. Oculus let me try out a cou- of the headset. to have a great device with nothing to do a good introduction to VR, it is nowhere ple of demos with the headset and its “Most of the people, when they take it on it. “Content drives hardware.” MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 | 13 SCIENCE Why the real King Kong became extinct

By Marlowe Hood lower jaws, and perhaps a thousand AFP teeth — the first of which turned up in the 1930s in Hong Kong apothecaries where they were sold as “dragon’s teeth.” These meagre remains “are clearly in- he largest ape to roam Earth died sufficient to say if the animal was bipedal out 100,000 years ago because or quadrupedal, and what would be its it failed to tuck into savannah body proportions,” Herve Bocherens, a Tgrass after climate change hit researcher at Tübingen University in Ger- its preferred diet of forest fruit, scien- many, said. tists suggest. Its closest modern cousin is the oran- Gigantopithecus — the closest Na- gutan, but whether Gigantopithecus had ture ever came to producing a real King the same golden-red hue, or was black Kong — weighed five times as much as an like a gorilla is unknown. adult man and probably stood three me- Another mystery: its diet. Was it a tres (nine feet) tall, according to sketchy meat-eater or a vegetarian? Did it share estimates. a taste for bamboo with its neighbour In its heyday a million years ago, it the prehistoric giant panda? inhabited semi-tropical forests in south- Answering this riddle might also tell ern China and mainland Southeast Asia. us why a monster that surely had little Until now, though, almost nothing to fear from other fauna went extinct. was known about the giant’s anatomi- That’s where the teeth had a story cal shape or habits. to tell. isotopes found in tooth enamel, Bo- comparable dental gear were able to The only fossil records are four partial Examining slight variations in carbon cherens and an international team of survive similar transitions by eating the scientists showed that the primordial leaves, grass and roots offered by their King Kong lived only in the forest, was new environments. a strict vegetarian, and probably wasn’t But for some reason, Asia’s giant ape crazy about bamboo. — which was probably too heavy to climb These narrow preferences did not trees, or swing in their branches — did pose a problem for Gigantopithecus not make the switch. until Earth was struck by a massive “Gigantopithecus probably did not ice age during the Pleistocene Epoch, have the same ecological flexibility and which stretched from about 2.6 million possibly lacked the physiological abil- to 12,000 years ago. ity to resist stress and food shortage,” That’s when Nature, evolution — and notes the study, which is to be pub- perhaps a refusal to try new foods — con- lished in a specialist journal, Quaternary spired to doom the giant ape, Bocherens International. explained. Whether the mega-ape could have “Due to its size, Gigantopithecus pre- adapted to a changing world but didn’t, sumably depended on a large amount of or whether it was doomed by climate and food,” he said. its genes, is probably one mystery that “When during the Pleistocene, more will never be solved. and more forested area turned into sa- Climate change several hundred vannah landscapes, there was simply an thousand years ago was also likely re- insufficient food supply.” sponsible for the disappearance of many And yet, according to the study, other other large animals from the Asians apes and early humans in Africa that had continent. All-solid lithium batteries in the offing

team of Korean scientists has dis- The organic liquid electrolyte, mainly Furthermore, it will not be simple to a material for the solid electrolyte by covered a new way to develop used in existing lithium-ion batteries, has elevate the performance revelation of adding the iodised lithium (LiI) to the Aall-solid-state lithium batteries a characteristic of easily getting gasi- batteries. To solve these problems, pro- methanol liquid which is the compound without a risk of conflagration or explo- fied or burned. Therefore, all-solid-sate fessor Jung’s research team developed (Li4SnS4) based on tin (Sn). sion. lithium batteries are now getting an at- a way to coat the active materials with The compound’s ionic conductivity The joint research team of professor tention as the alternative option since the solid electrolyte. This process called was originally low, but it got increased Yoon Seok Jung of the Ulsan National they are non-flammable. the solution-process works by diffusing by getting mixed with LiI. Institute of Science and Technology’s However, the powder type of solid the powder type of active material in the Consequently, by combining two ma- School of Energy and Chemical Engi- electrolyte does not permeate, com- liquid from melted solid electrolyte and terials together, it became possible to neering and professor Seng of Seoul pared to the liquid electrolyte. vaporising the solvent. develop the solid electrolyte with high National University developed the new If the contact between electro- After the solution-process, it became ion conductivity and air stability. method that involves melting the solid lytes and electrode active materials is more possible to coat the layers of solid The research outcome was intro- electrolyte and coating that melted elec- not active, it would be more difficult electrolyte on the active materials. duced on the online journal Advanced trolyte around the electrodes. to move lithium-ion to the electrode. The research team also developed Materials on December 22 last year. 14 MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 CINEMA PLUS

NOVO LANDMARK VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER Daddy’s Home (2D/Comedy)10:00am, 12:00noon, 1:30, 2:00, 4:00, Charlie (2D/Malayalam) 2:30, 9:15 & 11:00pm 6:00, 6:30, 8:00, 10:00, 11:30pm & 12:00midnight The Good Dinosaur (2D/Animation) 5:00pm The Revenant (2D/Adventure) 10:30am, 1:00, 3:30, 4:00, 7:00, 8:30, 10:00pm & 12:00midnight Fathers & Daughters (2D/Drama) 7:00pm Fathers & Daughters (2D/Drama) 11:00am, 4:30 & 9:40pm Lost In The Sun (2D/Action) 9:15pm Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Action) 3D 1:45 & 7:00pm Get Squirrely (2D/ Animation) 2:30pm 2D 1:20, 6:30 & 11:30pm The Peanuts Movie (2D/ Animation) 4:00pm 3D IMAX 10:00am, 12:45, , 3:30, 6:15, 9:00 & 11:45pm The Revenant (2D/ Adventure) Echo Effect (2D/Action) 11:00am, 3:00, 7:00 & 11:00pm 5:30 & 10:30pm Lost In The Sun (Action) 1:00, 5:00 & 9:00pm The Danish Girl (2D/Drama) 7:30 & 8:15 pm Joy (2D/Comedy) 11:00am, 4:00 & 9:15pm Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens (2D/Action) 3:00pm The Peanuts Movie (2D/Animation) 10:00, 11:50am, 1:40 & 3:30pm Daddy’s Home (2D/Comedy) 5:30pm Echo Effect (2D/Action) 11:30pm Wazir (2D/Hindi) 5:30, 9:40am & 11:50pm Get Squirrely (2D/Animation) 10:00, 11:50am, 1:40 & 3:30pm The Danish Girl (2D/Drama) 5:20, 7:20, 9:40pm & 12:00midnight ROYAL PLAZA Point Break (2D/Action) 10:40am, 3:00, 7:20 & 11:45pm Wazir (2D/Hindi) 2:00 & 11:00pm Extraction (2D/Thriller) 1:00, 5:20 & 9:40pm Get Squirrely (2D/ Animation) 2:15 &4:00pm The Revenant (2D/ Adventure) 5:30, 8:15 & 11:00pm MALL The Good Dinosaur (2D/Animation) 3:00pm Daddy’s Home (2D/Comedy) 5:00 & 9:15pm Charlie (2D/Malayalam) 2:00 & 8:45pm The Danish Girl (2D/Drama) 7:00pm Get Squirrely (2D/ Animation) 4:30pm Lost In The Sun (2D/Action) 3:45 & 11:30pm The Revenant (2D/ Adventure) 6:15, 8:30 & 10:45pm Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens (2D/Action) 5:30pm Echo Effect (2D/Action) 9:00pm Fathers & Daughters (2D/Drama) 7:45pm The Danish Girl (2D/Drama) 2:45pm Echo Effect (2D/Action) 9:45pm Fathers & Daughters (2D/Drama) 5:00pm Daddy’s Home (2D/Comedy) 7:00pm WAZIR Lost In The Sun (2D/Action) 11:15pm The Good Dinosaur (2D/Animation) 2:30pm Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens (2D/Action) 4:15pm Wazir (2D/Hindi) 6:30 & 11:15pm ASIAN TOWN

Charlie (Malayalam) 5:45pm Charlie (Malayalam) 6:30, 8:15, 8:30, 9:15 & 10:15pm 11:00pm Charlie (2D/Malayalam) A traumatised police officer is befriended by a 5:45 & 11:15pm Wazir (2D/Hindi) grieving father who is being threatened by mysterious 7:45pm Su Sudhi Vatmeekam (2D/Malayalam) forces linked to terrorism. BLONDIE

SHERMAN’S LAGOON MONDAY 11 JANUARY 2016 15 BRAIN TEASERS

EASY SUDOKU CROSSWORD

12345 6789 10111213 3 Each 14 15 16 4 Shattered

17 18 19 5 ___ card (cellphone chip) 6 Kitchen garment 20 21 22 7 Parent’s counterpart 23 24 25 26 27 8 In bad condition

28 29 30 9 Second letter after epsilon 10 “Apollo 13” co-star 31 32 33 34 35 36 11 Particle with no electric charge 37 38 39 40 12 Zig’s opposite 13 Keats wrote one to autumn Yesterday’s answer 41 42 18 Eggs 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 Easy Sudoku Puzzles: Place a digit from 1 22 Mink or sable to 9 in each empty cell so every row, every 50 51 52 53 54 55 column and every 3x3 box contains all the 25 The second “M” of 34-Down digits 1 to 9. 56 57 58 26 Beauty care brand 27 Japanese currency 59 60 61 62 29 Sn, to a chemist 63 64 65 32 Colin who played King George VI

66 67 68 33 Rescuer of Odysseus, in myth 34 Studio with a roaring lion ACROSS HYPER SUDOKU 35 Imitate 1 Q-Tips, e.g. 37 Post office delivery 6 Nice plot of land 38 Inherited wealth 10 Automaker Ferrari 39 Jackie who broke baseball’s color barrier 14 Italy’s Isle of ___ 40 One of eight on a chessboard 15 Excellent, in dated slang 41 School fund-raising grp. 16 Opposite of hopping, as a party 44 Freezer trayful 17 Sony co-founder 46 Feature of a May-December marriage 19 Gigantic 20 Submissive 47 Stand on two legs, as a horse 21 Electric Chevy model 48 “The Crimes of Love” author Marquis ___ 22 Weight-watcher’s worry 49 Stick for a shish kebab 23 Purplish red 51 Like a lit lantern 24 2013 Wimbledon champion 52 Doolittle of fiction 28 Worn out 30 Show up 53 Pucker-inducing fruit 31 “Excuse me, but …” 54 Caribbean, e.g. 36 Get ___ the ground floor 59 Group of rioters 37 Early riser … or what each of 17-, 24-, 60 Mess up 50- and 61-Across is? 61 Muscles that are crunched Yesterday’s answer 41 ___ Alto, Calif. 62 Actor Gulager of “The Tall Man” 42 Cesar who played the Joker How to play Hyper Sudoku: 43 Morsel 45 City voting districts A Hyper Sudoku Puzzle is solved by filling the numbers from 1 to 9 into the blank cells. A Hyper Sudoku has unlike Sudoku 13 regions (four regions overlap with the nine standard regions). In all 50 Longtime “Monday Night Football” sportscaster regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is solved like a 55 Overindulge in a brainy subject, with “out” normal Sudoku. 56 Follower of Formula or Air Force 57 Utter happiness KAKURO 58 Comfort 59 Clothing store section 61 “Love Story” actress 63 Cookie with a chocolaty outside 64 Knucklehead However, in a crossword the 65 Summa cum ___ numbers reference clues. In 66 ___ Mawr College a kakuro, the numbers are 67 Graceful avian swimmer all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row 68 Word before house or hand or column referenced by the DOWN Hoy en la Historia number. 1 Little rascals Within each collection of January 11, 1966 2 “Rise and shine!” cells - called a run - any of Swiss sculptor and painter the numbers 1 to 9 may be Alberto Giacometti, one of the used but, like sudoku, each RESP ROMA most distinctive artists of the 20th number may only be used DACHA AVO I D once. century, died. He is best known for VETOES MAORI S his tall and very thin figures DECANTS OLDBATS ANATOL I ANS ABOU 1974: The first sextuplets to survive SA L AMANCA I L L I N were born in Cape Town, South Africa TEST INGS OCLOCK 1981: A British team led by Sir CD I ANA Ranulph Fiennes completed the ALADDIN SENDSON longest and fastest crossing of Antarctica Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate GOTREST STROPHE AUR I CLE THEMAG I 1991: Soviet troops stormed strategic Yesterday’s answer STELLAR AI LERON buildings in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius to block a bid for independence SAL INE TRACED How to play Kakuro: RINDS ETTAS 2015: More than three million people The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has NEST DYER marched for unity in France rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, following the Charlie Hebdo attacks just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE Picture: Newscom © GRAPHIC NEWS