Upload
others
View
3
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741
CAMPUS
COMMUNITY
HEALTH
LAW
TECHNOLOGY
LEARN ARABIC
P | 4
P | 5
P | 7
P | 10
P | 12
P | 13
• QA Boys Campinstils Islamic valuesand national identity
• Chandrika dailyannounces winnersof literary contest
• Don’t shop whenyou’re hungry,says study
• Employer responsiblefor providing medicalcare to employees
• Apps convert smartphones intohome monitoring system
• Learn commonlyused Arabic wordsand their meanings
insideSummer Movie Guide: Get ready to have a blast
P | 8-9
CULTURALCULTURALEXHIBITIONEXHIBITIONThe third edition of ‘Talents from the world’ fair The third edition of ‘Talents from the world’ fair kicked off yesterday with participants from several kicked off yesterday with participants from several countries showcasing their respective cultures.countries showcasing their respective cultures.
By Isabel Ovalle
The third edition of the ‘Talents from the world’ fair began yesterday at Al Bayan Preparatory School for Girls,
where 26 participants from several countries have gathered to showcase their respective cultures and learn about others’.
Organised by the Qatari Women Association (QWA), the event, which includes performances from Spain, Latin America and Indonesia, among other places, hopes to attract women and girls. It is open from 4pm to 6pm and will continue until tomorrow.
Sheikha Al Ansari, president of QWA, explained: “We aim to learn from each other by bringing all the ladies together. It’s a good chance to showcase our food, talents, and tradi-tional customs.”
In the Qatari booth, visitors can see local dresses, learn Arabic writing or find out about Al Hijamah or cup-ping, a technique to promote healing by creating a partial vacuum in cups placed on the skin, either by heat or by suction. It is known to help in cases of headache, back pain and muscular pain, said a member of QWA.
Next to the local stand was that of young photographer Amna Rashid Al Mannai. This 17-year-old pho-tographer is exhibiting a number of
her photos taken in various places, including Qatar, Switzerland and the United States. “I have been tak-ing photos since I was 10 years old, thanks to training from my uncle, who’s a professional photographer,” she said.
Other countries and territories taking part in the fair, that last year hosted 17 participants, include South Africa, South Korea, USA, Egypt, Turkey, Palestine, Kuwait, Kenya, Bahrain, France, Japan, Spain, Greece, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia, Poland, North Cyprus, and Latin America (representing Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Panama and Colombia, among others). Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Charity are also participating.
At the South Korean stall, the wife of the ambassador, Lee Hee Sun, said, “This is a useful chance to get to know different nationali-ties with their traditions. It’s also a nice chance to introduce our culture, which is now well-known, thanks to the media.”
Typical South Korean dishes, such as japchae and kimbab can be tried to get a taste of this Asian cuisine, and one can see handicrafts like fans and wallets. There are approximately 2,500 South Koreans in Qatar and young Qataris, Lee Hee Sun noted, are very interested in Korean culture.
2 COVER STORYPLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
Talents from the world
Ambassador of South Korea and his wife at the South Korean stall.Ambassador of South Korea and his wife at the South Korean stall.
Ambassador of Japan and his wife at the Japanese stall.Ambassador of Japan and his wife at the Japanese stall.
Wife of Ambassador of Poland Wife of Ambassador of Poland
inside the Poland stall.inside the Poland stall.
Amna Rashid Al Mannai
A member of the Spanish A member of the Spanish
Speaking Ladies group Speaking Ladies group
inside their stall.inside their stall.
3
The Spanish Speaking Ladies Group is showcasing traditional customs from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and Peru under one banner. The group brings together ladies from around ten Spanish-speaking countries. “It’s a way for us and our families not to lose our roots,” said a member.
At the fair, the Spanish ladies’ group, which has over 300 members, is offer-ing Spanish language workshops and selling several dishes, including the famous paella and tortilla. Nerusia Rodriguez, the president of the group, informed that on Thursday there will be a performance of flamenco, the dance declared by Unesco as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Greece is participating for the sec-ond time in the event, said Deputy Head of Mission Karanika Persefoni, aiming to let people know about their food and places to visit in Greece, and to exchange information.
Japan is taking part in the event with the aim of giving people a glimpse of Japanese culture, which is very popular among young Qataris, said the ambas-sador, Kenjiro Monji.
On her part, Elham Mostafa Fawzy, president of the Egyptian Ladies Association in Qatar, said that the group aimed to gather Egyptian women living in Qatar to share their culture with others. At the Egyptian stand, there are many cotton garments on offer, as well as products made by dis-advantaged families.
African countries didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity to display tra-ditional handicrafts and typical dishes from their continent. South Africa and Kenya shared a booth and made use of the chance to interact with people from other countries.
During the fair, Qatar Charity will be raising money to help those in need in Syria. The organisation is urging people to donate by sending an SMS to 92642 to contribute QR100, to 92632 to give QR50 or to 97790 for donating QR10.
The Peninsula
We aim to learn from each other by bringing all the ladies together. It’s a good chance to showcase our food, talents, and traditional customs.
Sheika Al Ansari
President,
Qatari Women Association
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
Visitors at the Visitors at the
Pakistan stall.Pakistan stall.
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 20134 CAMPUS
A team of Edexcel officials, including Hessa
Raifa, the regional development manager,
and Nigel Kelly, a representative of Edexcel,
London, visited Bright Future Pakistani
International School recently. The team
expressed their appreciation of the qual-
ity of classrooms equipped with interactive
smart boards and other related educational
tools. Principal Imran Waheed briefed the
Edexcel team about the academic plans
and facilities offered to IGCSE and AS/A
Level students at school. The team also
conducted an interactive session with the
teaching faculty, during which it briefed
them about the latest advancements in the
AS/A Level examination system.
The International Bank of Qatar (ibq) sponsored the “Oryx” Football Team of the Lycée Français Bonaparte School in Qatar for the second year running.
Jabra Ghandour, Managing Director of ibq said: “We are proud to support all efforts aiming at providing a platform for our youth to practice sports. This is in line with our keenness on devel-oping a healthier and more mentally and physi-cally qualified generation, as well as fostering a sense of sports ethics since their early childhood”.
Hafid Adnani, Provost of Lycée Français Bonaparte, said: “We’re delighted to have ibq on board once again. Their presence has certainly been a great boost to the future of our team and the activities our students were able to participate in. We cannot thank them enough for their belief in what we are trying to build for our students here at Lycée Français Bonaparte and in the power of sports to bring people together.”
The Peninsula
IBQ sponsors Lycée Français Bonaparte football team
QA Boys Camp instils Islamic values and national identity
Over the past eight weeks, around 50 male students from Qatar Academy spent their Saturdays a little differently, participating in a four-hour camp every weekend run by
Qatari counsellor and educator Abdullrahman Al Harami. The camps, organised for Qatari students, began early this year and were held in different loca-tions in the school’s campus.
Maha Al Romaihi, Assistant Principal in the Senior School, said: “The purpose of the camp is to raise positivity, leadership and a sense of Qatari identity among the students”.
The camps were organised in collaboration with the Educational Preparation Centre, where Al Harami serves as a consultant and workshop facili-tator. Although the main goal of the camps was “pro-motion of Islamic values and a sense of teamwork among students to enrich their lives”, the sessions were carefully planned to address the interests of the students. Each week there were stations set up to drive home this message and encourage active participation by everyone.
The students were divided into groups, each with a trainer to personally supervise them as they went through each station or activity. Al Harami balanced
his approach to each session every week, striking a balance between sports and lectures, games and personal interaction with all students.
According to him, “Recreational sports promote healthy values and develop mental and physical capacity while sports motivate students to work as a group and create a spirit of healthy competition”. A highlight of the camps was a trip to the beach to give the participants’ minds a chance to relax in order to “instil a spirit of creative thinking and meditation”.
According to Al Romaihi, the physical and edu-cational activities of the camp received positive feedback from the students and parents. More importantly, the camps were able to “create a spirit of teamwork and instil the Islamic religious, cultural and social values among the students so that they will be equipped to take on the responsibilities entrusted to them as members of the community and in service to their homeland”.
The Peninsula
Edexcel team visits BFPIS
Qatar Academy students and officials at the camp.
5COMMUNITY PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
The Middle East Chandrika, a Malayalam newspa-per, has announced the winners of the literary contest it organised recently. Nasar Kakkattil’s story Kuttikalkkmanassilavatha karyangal
(Things kids don’t understand) and Sunila Joby’s Nilavu (Moonlight) won the prize in story writing (general cat-egory) while Ente snehame ninakk (To you, my love) by Jayalaxmi won the award in the poetry category.
Nasar Kakkattil, who won the best short story award, is an academician working as the head of the Malayalam language department at Ideal Indian School and has a short story collection to his credit. He has also won many awards for his creativity and is a regular contributor to Malayalam periodicals.
Sunila Joby, native of Pala, also teaches Malayalam language, at MES Indian School. She has published two novels and a collection of stories.
Jayalakshmi, the winner of the poetry award, is a former computer science teacher at MES Indian School and hails from Pathirappalli, Alappuzha.
Competitions were also held at the school level with participation from most Indian schools.
Shaheen Abdulla, a grade 12 stu-dent at Ideal Indian School, won the story writing award for his story Vikrthi (Naughty). Ashwathi MP, grade 12 student at MES Indian School, won the award in the poetry sec-tion for her creative lines titled Aro aval (who is she).
Veteran Malayalam writers Shihabudheen Poyathumkadavu and S Sithara, and novelist and former Chandrika editor Habeeci were in the judging panel that selected the winners.
The prizes for the winners will be distributed in an official function due to take place by the end of May. The winners will be honoured with trophies, cer-tificates and various other prizes, announced Ashraf Thoonery, Resident Editor of Middle East Chandrika Qatar.
The Peninsula
AswathyAswathyJayalakshmiJayalakshmiNasar KakkattilNasar Kakkattil
Sunila JobySunila Joby Shaheen AbdullaShaheen Abdulla
Chandrika daily announceswinners of literary contest
Summer leagueThe RLC Camp 1 Summer
Basketball League has started at
the Camp’s open basketball court.
The tournament, hosted by Amwaj
Catering, aims to strengthen friend-
ship and camaraderie among the
Camp’s occupants and employees
of companies with project in Ras
Laffan. It also aims to entertain the
workers to lessen the monotony of
staying and working in the desert.
In the opening game, Hyundai
drubbed hosts Amwaj Catering
43-34. The second game saw a
see-saw battle between Q-Con and
Teyseer. Q-Con collapsed towards
the end of the last quarter to lose
60-71.
Qatar Malayaly Manual, published by Mediaplus, was unveiled at a ceremony held at the Skills Development Centre auditorium recently. The function was attended
among others by ICC advisory board chairman K M Varghese, Incas advisory board chairman K K Usman, Incas president Joppachan Thekkekutt, ICBF president
Kareem Abdulla, KMCC general secretary Abdunasir Nachi, Samskrithi general secretary P N Baburajan, CIJI Qatar Chapter president Dr MP Shafi Haji, Friends
Cultural Centre executive director Habeebrahman Keezhissery and Scholars International School chairman Dr Wandoor Aboobacker.
Book release function
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013 HOSPITALITY66
Best Western Hotel is offering a three-course business lunch for QR39. Guests
can choose 1 starter (soup or salad), 1 main course and 1 dessert with com-
plimentary mineral water. Menus change daily and are repeated only after
three weeks. It is available from Saturday to Thursday from 12 noon to 4pm.
Business lunch at Best Western Hotel
During its appearance at this year’s Arabian Travel Market, at the Dubai International
Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels announced that the group planned to launch two more five-star hotels in the heart of Souq Waqif.
Known as Al Bidda and Al Jomrok, the hotels will be part of a collection of boutique properties individually rec-ognised as Arumaila, Musheireb, Al Mirqab, Al Najada and Al Jasra.
“Since we first introduced the bou-tique concept in this style and manner to Qatar, the success we have experi-enced is remarkable. And therefore, today, we are thrilled to announce that we will be adding two more exciting
locations to our collection of boutique hotels. Both Al Bidda and Al Jomrok, each a truly extraordinary devel-opment in its own right, will bring something new to the table and only further diversify our offering,” said Abdo Kayali, Group Director of Sales and Marketing, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels.
“With new boutique hotels and more dining options to be launched this year, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels aims to grow as the ultimate, world-class bou-tique destination in Qatar and across the region – blending cutting-edge design and amenities with traditional local influences across all properties that fall under its brand,” a hotel state-ment said. The Peninsula
Two more five-star hotels to come up in Souq Waqif
Six Senses Spa hosts Ayurvedic doctor
Six Senses Spa hosted Ayurvedic doctor and author Robert Svoboda (pictured) for a evening lecture with the spa
members recently to talk about Vastu, his latest book on Ayurveda, and the importance of Ayurveda in one’s life.
Vastu is an ancient science of energy flow through spaces that allows inflow of fresh air and natural light that promotes health, wealth, peace and happiness. Right from the selection of the site to the correct slope of the land and the shape of the building, this oldest form of architecture covers nearly every aspect of construction to provide relief, if not a cure, for physical or emotional problems simply by relocating an entrance, win-dow or room.
Francisca Antunes, Spa Director of Six Senses Spa, said: “The Six Senses Spa offers multi-day programmes that help transform guest’s lifestyles through a complete immersion into healthy and mindful living. Wellness is a fundamental component of the Six Senses Spa, using in-depth diagnostic tools to provide inval-uable insight into the health of each guest to ensure they leave Sharq Village and Spa enriched for life”.
In his lecture, Dr Svoboda explained the dynamics of space and alignment while guiding the audience through a series of meditations and helping them understand the complex dynamics of various energy systems. The Peninsula
Lulu-Nestle promotionThe ‘Lulu-Nestle Promotion’ draw
organised by Lulu Hypermarket Group
and Nestle Qatar was held recently
at Lulu Hypermarket, D-Ring Road
branch, under the supervision of
Saad Al Sulaiti, inspector from the
Ministry of Business and Trade. Lulu
Gift Vouchers worth QR50,000 were
given away as prizes. Officials from
Lulu Hypermarket Group and Nestle
Qatar were present at the draw.
Grand HeritageDoha opens Agora
Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa opened the doors of Agora, a Turkish restaurant, in the presence of Emre
Yunt, the Turkish ambassador.Speaking on the occasion, Pierre-
Marie Vasseur, the general manager of Grand Heritage Doha, said: “We have made sure that Agora brings out authentic and global flavours, since we are keenly aware that those are trends that are influencing today’s more adventurous palates. Our chef de cuisine, Emre Gok, takes pride in focusing on emerging international fla-vours that can be infused into Agora’s offerings, fully supporting the con-cept that freshness delivers healthful experiences to the diner. The artisan ambience and atmosphere at Agora has been created with the needs of our guests in mind and our goal is to offer them a trendy fun place to enjoy the best Turkish cuisine in a family-oriented, social environment. We have opted for family-style, personalised service, because it complements the cultural needs in this region, bringing in a sense of community, caring and belonging. We are thrilled with how
Agora has been received by our guests and look forward to introducing it to many more.”
The menu at Agora is a blend of both old and new worlds. Traditional Turkish recipes that are prepared in
Turkish homes are modified to meet local tastes in Qatar. However, there are also dishes on the menu that are the product of Chef Emre Gok’s own creative imagination and are therefore completely unique to Agora. So while a diner can typically enjoy Turkish spe-cialties such as Iskender Kebab, a beef and lamb kebab served with strained yoghurt and a tomato gravy, their plates may also accommodate dishes like Deniz Urunleri Sis, a platter of grilled skewered shrimps and Armut Tatlisi, a delicious baked pear dessert that is served with clotted cream and pistachio ice cream.
The Peninsula
Grand Heritage Doha’s GM and the
Turkish envoy opening the restaurant.
HEALTH 7
By Genevra Pittman
A new study offers evidence to support what many people have learned for themselves: never go grocery shopping
when you’re hungry.Researchers found that people who
hadn’t eaten all afternoon chose more high-calorie foods in a simulated super-market than those who were given a snack just before online food shopping.
And in a real grocery store, shoppers bought a higher ratio of high-calorie foods to low-calorie ones in the hours leading up to dinnertime compared to earlier in the day, the study team observed.
“Even short-term fasts can lead peo-ple to make unhealthy food choices,” said Amy Yaroch, head of the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition in Omaha, Nebraska.
“Don’t go shopping when you’re hun-gry and you don’t have a list, because you’re just going to buy all sorts of junk food,” advised Yaroch, who wasn’t involved in the new study.
She said the results may have impli-cations not just for everyday shoppers, but for “food insecure” families, which often don’t have the money to buy healthy food — or any food.
For their research, Aner Tal and Brian Wansink from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, conducted a lab study and went out into “the field” to see how hunger influenced food choices.
For the lab study, they asked 68 adults not to eat for the five hours before a late-afternoon appointment. Prior to starting the experiment, the researchers gave half of the partici-pants a plate of Wheat Thins to sate their hunger. Then they had all study subjects shop in a simulated online gro-cery store.
On average, both hungry and sated participants bought eight low-calorie food items, which included certain types of dairy products, meats and snacks.
The hungry participants also bought six higher-calorie items, compared to four purchased by people who’d recently had a snack, according to the findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Likewise in their field study, the researchers observed 82 people’s pur-chases in a real supermarket and found the ratio of high-calorie foods to low-calorie foods was healthier between 1pm and 4pm than between 4pm and
7pm. Endocrinologist Tony Goldstone from Imperial College London said the findings should be interpreted cautiously given the assumptions the authors made that people would be hungrier during the later time period.
Still, he said: “It overall is pointing to what we expected.”
That behaviour might stem from an evolutionary time when it was essential for a person to find high-calorie food after a long fast, Tal speculated.
Goldstone agreed.“The body is always trying to defend
its state and it makes very logical sense that if you’re going for a period without food, and you’re wanting food, you’re more likely to go for the food that’s high-calorie,” he said. “If we’re need-ing energy, we’re not going to go out for lettuce.”
Tal recommended that people have a snack, such as a piece of fruit, before going grocery shopping or chew gum while perusing the aisles to mitigate the effects of hunger.
“Do your shopping at hours when you’re less vulnerable, like after lunch versus before lunch, and so on,” he said.
Yaroch said that for people who can’t always afford food, the new study shows there may be biological cues as well as practical ones pointing them toward the junk food aisle.
“It’s not surprising to me that when you’re hungry, you’re going to choose foods of low nutritional quality,” she said. “What’s disturbing to me is I feel that people don’t understand the connection between obesity and food insecurity.” Not knowing when you’re going to have food available means that when you do, you’re going to choose a high-calorie option, Yaroch said — especially when it’s the cheap-est one. “There are definitely different implications for someone who’s hungry most of the time,” she said.
SOURCE: bit.ly/MbBLbb JAMA Internal Medicine, online May 6, 2013.
Reuters
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
‘Garbage man’in cells could
extend life
Don’t shop when you’re hungry:
Study
A gene that acts like a garbage man to clean up old material in the cells boosted the life spans of fruit flies and may offer
new paths in the fight against human aging, US researchers said.
When researchers manipulated the neu-rons of fruit flies to contain higher levels of the gene, known as parkin, they lived 28 percent longer and remained healthy, said the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“Just by increasing the levels of parkin, they live substantially longer while remaining healthy, active and fertile,” said lead author Anil Rana, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“That is what we want to achieve in aging research — not only to increase their life span but to increase their health span as well.”
Parkin has been previously implicated in the development of Parkinson’s disease.
People born with a mutation in the parkin gene are at higher risk for developing early
onset symptoms of Parkinson’s, which typically develops in older adults.
Further study may reveal whether humans could experience a similar longevity boost from higher levels of parkin, which marks damaged proteins so that cells can discard them before they become toxic.
Parkin is also thought to be instrumental in removing damaged mitochondria from the cells.
“Our research may be telling us that parkin could be an important therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases and perhaps other diseases of aging,” said senior author David Walker, an associate professor of integrative biology and physiology at UCLA.
“Instead of studying the diseases of aging one by one — Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes — we believe it may be possible to intervene in the aging process and delay the onset of many of these diseases,” he added.
“We are not there yet, and it can, of course, take many years, but that is our goal.” AFP
By
Ste
ph
an
ie M
err
y
Th
e t
hir
d a
nd fi
nal
part
of
the li
st
of
sum
mer m
ov-
ies t
o w
atc
h o
ut
for.
Som
e
have b
ig s
tars,
wh
ile o
thers
boast
of
great
dir
ecto
rs,
an
d t
here i
s a
lso s
om
e i
ndie
fare t
o
look
out
for.
Byz
anti
um
Sta
rs:
Saoir
se
Ron
an
, G
em
ma
Arte
rto
n a
nd C
ale
b L
andry J
ones
Sco
op:
There’s
noth
ing c
am
py a
bout
this
vam
pir
e m
ovie
. T
he B
rit
ish d
ram
a
about
a c
urse
d m
oth
er a
nd d
aughte
r
is m
ore fo
r goth
ic th
rille
r fa
ns th
an
swoonin
g t
weens.
A H
ijack
ing
Sta
rs:
Pilou A
sbaek,
Soren M
allin
g
and D
ar S
alim
Sco
op:
Th
e suspen
sefu
l D
an
ish
dram
a l
ooks a
t w
hat
happens a
fter
Som
ali p
irate
s t
ake c
ontr
ol of a c
argo
ship
in t
he I
ndia
n O
cean. T
he fi
lm is
the fi
rst
of
two m
ovie
s f
rom
buzzy
writ
er-d
irecto
r T
obia
s L
indholm
get-
ting a
sta
tesid
e r
ele
ase t
his
sum
mer.
Dec
epti
ve P
ract
ice
— T
he
Mys
teri
es
An
d M
ento
rs o
f R
ick
y Jay
Sco
op:
The d
ocum
enta
ry looks
at
the
life
of m
agic
ian, auth
or a
nd a
cto
r R
icky
Jay,
as
well a
s his
insp
irati
onal illu
sionis
t predecess
ors.
The
Lon
e R
an
ger
Sta
rs:
Arm
ie H
am
mer,
Johnny D
epp,
William
Fic
htn
er a
nd H
ele
na B
onham
C
arte
rS
coop:
Aft
er c
ountl
ess
setb
acks
and
budget
concerns,
audie
nces
finally c
an
con
firm
that
dir
ecto
r G
ore V
erbin
ski
(Pir
ate
s of
the C
ari
bb
ea
n)
did
in
fa
ct
cast
Depp a
s th
e L
one R
anger’s
Nati
ve
Am
eric
an s
idekic
k, T
onto
.
Des
pic
able
Me
2S
tars
: T
he v
oic
es
of A
l P
acin
o, S
teve
Carell a
nd K
ris
ten W
iig
Sco
op:
The s
equel
to t
he 2
010
an
i-m
ate
d h
it fi
nds
the r
efo
rm
ed b
ad g
uy,
G
ru, recruit
ed b
y a
n a
nti
-villa
in league.
Big
Sta
r N
oth
ing
Can
Hu
rt M
eS
coop:
The d
ocum
enta
ry s
potl
ights
19
70s
Mem
phis
ban
d B
ig S
tar,
whic
h
mis
sed m
ain
stream
success
but
influ-
enced a
long lis
t of
hit
-makers.
Kev
in H
art
Let
Me
Expla
inS
coop:
The c
oncert
film
trend g
ets
a
com
edic
tw
ist
wit
h t
his
chronic
le o
f th
e
Rea
l H
usb
an
ds
of
Holl
yw
ood s
tar’s
sold
-out
stand-u
p s
how
at
Madis
on S
quare
Garden.
Ham
mer
of
the
Gods
Sta
rs:
Charl
ie B
ew
ley,
Clive S
tanden
and J
am
es
Cosm
oS
coop:
Expect
lots
of
blo
od as a
Vik
ing w
arrio
r h
eads
on a
quest
to fi
nd
his
est
ranged b
roth
er.
I’m
So E
xci
ted
Sta
rs:
Javie
r C
am
ara,
Pepa C
harro
and L
ola
Duenas
Sco
op:
Th
e
alw
ays
ou
tla
ndis
h
Span
ish
aute
ur
Pedro
Alm
odovar
retu
rn
s t
o c
om
edy a
fter 2
011’s
uber-
creepy T
he S
kin
I L
ive I
n.
The f
arce
cen
tres o
n a
pla
ne f
ull o
f zany fl
ight
att
endants
and p
ass
engers
who t
ry t
o
enjo
y t
hem
selv
es
desp
ite b
elievin
g t
hey
may s
oon c
rash
.
The
Way,
Way
Back
Sta
rs:
Ste
ve C
arell,
Ton
i C
ollett
e,
Lia
m J
am
es
and S
am
Rockw
ell
Sco
op:
Occasi
onal acto
rs
Nat
Faxon
an
d J
im R
ash
, w
ho c
ollaborate
d w
ith
Ale
xander P
ayne o
n t
he O
scar-w
innin
g
screenpla
y f
or T
he D
esc
en
da
nts
, w
rote
an
d dir
ecte
d th
is com
ing-o
f-age ta
le
about
a b
oy’s
un
likely
frie
ndsh
ip w
ith
the m
anager o
f a w
ate
r p
ark
.
Gro
wn
Ups
2S
tars
: A
dam
San
dle
r, K
evin
Jam
es
and C
hris
Rock
Sco
op:
San
dle
r a
nd h
is p
roducti
on
com
pany,
Happy M
adis
on, se
em
pois
ed
to con
tin
ue th
eir
str
eak
of
crit
ical
bom
bs a
nd R
azz
ie c
on
ten
ders,
whic
h
inclu
ded t
he fi
rst
Gro
wn
Up
s in
stalm
ent.
Paci
fic
Rim
Sta
rs:
Charlie H
un
nam
, Id
ris
Elb
a
and C
harlie D
ay
Sco
op:
Hum
an
s
buil
d
robots
to
defe
nd t
he E
arth
aft
er m
ass
ive m
onst
ers
em
erge f
rom
the o
cean a
nd t
hreate
n t
o
conquer t
he p
lanet.
Why
to s
ee it:
Pa
n’s
La
byr
inth
dir
ec-
tor G
uil
lerm
o del
Toro brough
t th
is
big
-budget
acti
on
movie
to l
ife,
whic
h
expla
ins
why t
here’s a
s m
uch e
arl
y c
hat-
ter a
bout
mood a
nd a
tmospheric
s a
s th
ere is
about
specia
l eff
ects
.
Far
Out
Isn’t
Far
Enough T
he
Tom
i U
nge
rer
Sto
ryS
coop:
The d
ocum
enta
ry follow
s th
e
life
and w
ork
of th
e c
hildren’s b
ook illus-
trato
r a
nd s
ati
ris
t behin
d M
oon
Ma
n a
nd
the o
rig
inal F
lat
Sta
nle
y illust
rati
ons.
Tu
rbo
Sta
rs:
The v
oic
es
of
Ryan R
eynold
s,
Paul G
iam
att
i and M
aya R
udolp
hS
coop:
The p
rota
gon
ist
of
the k
id-
frie
ndly
anim
ate
d c
om
edy is
a s
nail w
ith
dream
s of
racin
g in t
he I
ndy 5
00.
V/H
/S/2
Sta
rs:
Kels
y A
bbott
, H
an
nah
A
l R
ash
id a
nd D
evon B
rooksh
ire
Sco
op:
In t
he h
orror s
equel, a
cache
of
VH
S t
apes
off
ers
clu
es
in a
mis
sin
g-
pers
on c
ase
.
Gir
l M
ost
Lik
ely
Sta
rs:
Kris
ten W
iig, M
att
Dillo
n a
nd
Annett
e B
enin
gS
coop
:B
rid
esm
aid
s proved W
iig’s t
al-
ent
for p
ortr
ayin
g r
ock b
ott
om
-bound
characte
rs
wit
h j
ust
the r
ight
mix
of
com
edy a
nd e
moti
on. T
his
tim
e a
round,
she’s
a f
ailed p
layw
rig
ht
forced t
o m
ove
in w
ith h
er m
oth
er a
nd y
ounger b
roth
er.
Red
2S
tars
: B
ruce W
illis,
Anth
ony H
opkin
s and J
ohn M
alk
ovic
hS
coop
: T
he s
equel to
the 2
010
sle
eper
hit
finds
Willis
reass
em
bling a
group o
f over-t
he-h
ill ass
ass
ins.
The
Con
juri
ng
Sta
rs:
Vera F
arm
iga, P
atr
ick W
ilso
n
and R
on L
ivin
gst
on
Sco
op:
Sa
w m
ast
erm
ind J
am
es
Wan
dre
am
ed u
p t
his
horr
or
movie
about
a c
ou-
ple
of
paran
orm
al
acti
vit
y i
nvest
igato
rs
who t
ake o
n a
case
that
shock
s even t
hem
.
R.I
.P.D
.S
tars
: R
yan R
eynold
s, K
evin
Bacon,
Jeff
Brid
ges
and M
ary-L
ouis
e P
ark
er
Sco
op:
Reyn
old
s pla
ys
a
recen
tly
kille
d c
op r
ecr
uit
ed b
y t
he R
est
In P
eace
D
epart
ment,
whic
h a
ppre
hends
dece
ase
d
PLU
S |
WE
DN
ES
DA
Y 8
MA
Y 2
013
MO
VIE
89
souls
lin
gerin
g o
n E
arth
. T
he c
om
edy
co-s
tars
Bri
dges
as
his
gri
zzle
d, gru
mpy
part
ner.
The
Hu
nt
Sta
rs:
Mads
Mik
kels
en, T
hom
as
Bo
Larse
n a
nd S
uss
e W
old
Sco
op:
Mik
kels
en
w
on
an
acti
ng
aw
ard i
n C
an
nes
for h
is r
ole
in
this
D
anis
h fi
lm, t
he o
ther
upcom
ing r
ele
ase
fr
om
A H
ija
ckin
g d
irecto
r V
inte
rberg,
about
a k
indergarte
n t
eacher w
ho i
s w
rongly
accuse
d o
f se
xual abuse
.
More
Th
an
Hon
eyS
coop
: M
ark
us
Imhoof tr
avelled t
he
glo
be t
o s
hoot
this
docum
enta
ry t
hat
invest
igate
s th
e c
ollapse
of
the h
oney-
bee p
opula
tion, as
well a
s th
e r
am
ifica-
tions
it c
ould
have f
or h
um
ans.
The
Wolv
erin
eS
tars
: H
ugh
Jack
man
, F
am
ke
Janss
en a
nd W
ill Y
un L
ee
Sco
op:
The n
ever-e
ndin
g s
aga o
f th
e
cla
wed,
hir
sute
Can
adia
n c
on
tinues,
this
tim
e in J
apan.
Bla
ckfi
shS
coop:
The d
ocum
enta
ry e
xam
ines
the som
eti
mes dan
gerous busin
ess
of
keepin
g w
ild a
nim
als
in
capti
vit
y
through t
he s
tory o
f T
ilik
um
, a k
ille
r
whale
respon
sib
le fo
r th
e death
s of
three t
rain
ers.
The
Sm
urf
s 2
Sta
rs:
Neil P
atr
ick H
arris
, H
an
k
Aza
ria
and J
aym
a M
ays
Sco
op:
In t
his
cerule
an t
wis
t on t
he
dam
sel-
in-d
istr
ess
routi
ne,
the l
ittl
e
blu
e c
reatu
res
try t
o s
ave S
murfe
tte
from
Gargam
el’s
clu
tches.
Fru
itva
le S
tati
on
Sta
rs:
Kevin
D
uran
d,
Octa
via
S
pencer a
nd M
ichael B
. Jo
rdan
Sco
op:
Wri
ter-
dir
ect
or
Ryan C
oogle
r is
off
to a
prom
isin
g s
tart
wit
h h
is fi
rst
featu
re, w
hic
h w
on t
he g
rand jury p
riz
e
an
d t
he a
udie
nce a
ward a
t S
un
dan
ce.
The d
ram
a r
ecounts
the e
vents
of
the
last
day o
f 2008, le
adin
g t
o t
he m
om
ent
that
East
Bay-n
ati
ve O
scar G
rant
was
shot
and k
ille
d b
y a
police o
fficer.
Euro
pa R
eport
Sta
rs:
Sh
arlt
o
Cople
y,
Mic
hael
Nyqvis
t and C
hris
tian C
am
argo
Sco
op:
A c
rew
of
ast
ron
auts
head
to o
ne o
f Ju
pit
er’s
moons
searchin
g for
signs
of
life
.
Blu
e Jasm
ine
Sta
rs:
Cate
Bla
nchett
, A
lec B
ald
win
and P
ete
r S
arsg
aard
Sco
op:
Woody A
llen h
as
been c
agey
about
the d
eta
ils
of his
next
film
. W
hat
we d
o k
now
: T
he c
ast
is
stellar,
an
d
aft
er a
handfu
l of
European-s
et
film
s,
the a
ute
ur is
back o
n A
meric
an s
oil.
30
0 R
ise
of
an
Em
pir
eS
tars
: E
va G
reen, R
odrig
o S
anto
ro,
Sulliv
an S
taple
ton a
nd L
ena H
eadey
Sco
op:
The v
iole
nt
CG
I-filled a
cti
on
flic
k is
a p
requel to
the 2
007 h
it.
2 G
un
sS
tars
: M
ark
W
ah
lberg,
Den
zel
Wash
ingto
n a
nd P
aula
Patt
on
Sco
op:
Balt
asar K
orm
ak
ur,
w
ho
dir
ecte
d W
ahlb
erg in t
he w
ell-r
eceiv
ed
Con
tra
ba
nd,
on
ce a
gain
collaborate
s w
ith t
he a
cto
r in t
his
convolu
ted s
tory
about
two u
ndercover a
gents
who s
tart
out
invest
igati
ng e
ach o
ther a
nd e
nd
up a
llie
s w
hen
they w
ind u
p o
n t
he
wron
g s
ide o
f both
the m
ob a
nd t
he
law
.
Per
cy J
ack
son
Sea
of
Mon
ster
s S
tars
: L
ogan
L
erm
an
, N
ath
an
Fillion a
nd A
lexandra D
addario
Sco
op:
Th
e
sequel
to
the
kid
-fr
iendly
2010
fanta
sy f
ollow
s Percy o
n
his
quest
to fi
nd t
he g
old
en fl
eece a
nd
save h
is h
om
e.
Ely
sium
Sta
rs:
Matt
Dam
on
, Jodie
Fost
er
and S
harlt
o C
ople
yS
coop:
In t
he f
utu
ris
tic s
ci-
fi fi
lm,
the w
ealt
hy live on
a sta
te-o
f-th
e-
art
space s
tati
on,
while t
he p
rols
are
stuck o
n E
arth
wit
h n
o h
ope o
f gain
ing
access
to t
he S
hangri-
la a
bove. D
am
on
pla
ys
a m
an c
apable
of brin
gin
g t
he t
wo
groups
togeth
er,
but
only
if he s
ucceeds
on a
dangerous
mis
sion.
Why
to s
ee i
t: T
his
is
the s
econ
d
featu
re fr
om
w
rit
er-dir
ecto
r N
eil
l B
lom
kam
p,
the m
an
beh
ind 2009’s
D
istr
ict
9, w
hic
h a
rtf
ully inse
rte
d p
oliti
-cal underto
nes
into
sci-
fi a
cti
on.
We’
re t
he
Mil
lers
Sta
rs:
Jason
S
udeik
is,
Jen
nif
er
Anis
ton, E
mm
a R
oberts
and E
d H
elm
sS
coop:
A s
mall-t
ime d
rug d
eale
r
ass
em
ble
s a f
aux f
am
ily —
inclu
din
g a
st
rip
per,
pla
yed b
y A
nis
ton, posi
ng a
s his
fake w
ife —
in o
rder t
o s
muggle
tw
o
tons
of
weed o
ut
of
Mexic
o.
Com
pute
r C
hes
sS
tars
: K
ris
s S
chlu
derm
an
n,
Tom
F
letc
her,
Wiley W
iggin
sS
coop:
The 1
980s-
set
fuzz
y b
lack-
and-w
hit
e faux-d
ocum
enta
ry looks
at
a
crew
of nerds
who m
eet
up for a
week-
end o
f fu
n —
whic
h m
eans
com
parin
g
their
com
pute
r-b
ase
d c
hess
program
s.W
hy
to s
ee i
t: M
um
ble
core a
ficio
-nado A
ndrew
Buja
lski (F
un
ny
Ha
Ha)
wrote
an
d d
irecte
d t
he u
ndersta
ted
dram
edy t
hat
took h
om
e t
he A
lfred P
S
loan F
eatu
re F
ilm
Priz
e, aw
arded t
o
movie
s th
at
focus
on s
cie
nce o
r t
ech-
nolo
gy,
at
Sundance.
Pri
nce
Ava
lan
che
Sta
rs:
Paul R
udd, E
mile H
irsc
h a
nd
Lance L
eG
ault
Sco
op:
Rudd a
nd H
irsc
h p
lay r
oad
work
ers
who b
ecom
e frie
nds
— m
ost
ly
because
there’s
no o
ne e
lse a
round i
n
David
G
ordon
G
reen
’s un
dersta
ted
1980s-
set
dram
edy.
In a
Worl
d . . .
Sta
rs:
Lake B
ell, F
red M
ela
med a
nd
Dem
etr
i M
arti
nS
coop:
A L
os
An
gele
s voic
e c
oach
toils
aw
ay in t
he s
hadow
of her e
goti
sti-
cal fa
ther,
who h
appens
to b
e t
he k
ing
of
movie
trailers.
Why
to s
ee i
t: T
he c
om
edy is
Bell’s
w
rit
ing a
nd d
irecti
ng d
ebut,
an
d s
he
snagged a
screenw
rit
ing a
ward,
plu
s posi
tive r
evie
ws,
aft
er t
he fi
lm s
how
ed
at
Sundance.
Pla
nes
Sta
rs:
The v
oic
es
of
Dane C
ook,
Val
Kilm
er, G
abri
el I
gle
sias
and B
rad G
arr
ett
Sco
op:
Thin
k o
f D
isney’s
anim
ate
d
featu
re a
s C
ars
but
in t
he s
ky.
Kic
k-A
ss 2
Sta
rs:
Ch
loe G
race M
oretz
, Jim
C
arrey a
nd A
aron T
aylo
r-J
ohnso
nS
coop
: C
arrey join
s th
e c
rew
for t
his
se
quel
to t
he c
om
ic b
ook a
dapta
tion
fe
atu
rin
g a
gir
l w
ith a
foul m
outh
and
som
e s
erio
us
marti
al arts
skills
.
I G
ive
it a
Yea
rS
tars
: R
ose
Byrne,
Rafe
Spall a
nd
Min
nie
Driv
er
Sco
op:
Frequen
t A
li G
collabora-
tor D
an M
aze
r w
rote
and d
irecte
d t
his
B
rit
ish c
om
edy a
bout
a m
ism
atc
hed
husb
and a
nd w
ife t
ryin
g t
o m
ake it
to
their
first
anniv
ersa
ry.
Mort
al
Inst
rum
ents
Cit
y of
Bon
es
Sta
rs:
Lily C
oll
ins,
Len
a H
eadey,
Jam
ie C
am
pbell
B
ow
er an
d R
obert
Sh
eeh
an
Sco
op:
Aft
er h
er m
oth
er is
k
id-
napped b
y a
dem
on
, a t
een
age g
irl fin
ds
out
she m
ay n
ot,
in
fact,
be h
um
an
.
You’r
e N
ext
Sta
rs:
Sharn
i V
inso
n, Jo
e S
wan
berg
an
d A
J B
ow
en
Sco
op:
A f
am
ily’s
cele
brati
on
at
a
rem
ote
vacati
on
house t
akes a
turn
when
a b
an
d o
f kille
rs
wit
h a
xes
inte
r-
rupts
th
e f
est
ivit
ies.
Clo
sed C
ircu
itS
tars
: R
ebecca H
all, E
ric
Ban
a a
nd
Cia
ran
Hin
ds
Sco
op:
Ban
a a
nd H
all
sta
r a
s la
w-
yers
an
d e
xes
forced t
o w
ork t
ogeth
er
on
a c
ase
defe
ndin
g a
terroris
t in
th
is
thril
ler.
The
Spec
tacu
lar
Now
Sta
rs:
Sh
ail
en
e
Woodle
y,
Mil
es
Teller a
nd J
ennif
er J
aso
n L
eig
hS
coop:
Aft
er a
drun
k h
igh s
chool
senio
r (
Teller)
pass
es
out
on t
he law
n
of
his
cla
ssm
ate
(W
oodle
y),
the p
air
becom
e frie
nds,
desp
ite h
is liv
e-i
n-t
he-
mom
ent
mantr
a a
nd h
er h
opes
for a
brig
ht
futu
re.
Why
to s
ee i
t: I
n a
ddit
ion
to t
wo
impressiv
e
up-an
d-com
ers
in
lead
role
s, t
he fi
lm j
oin
s Jam
es
Pon
sold
t,
the dir
ecto
r of
Sm
ash
ed,
an
d S
cott
N
eust
adte
r, w
ho c
o-w
rote
(50
0)
Da
ys
of
Su
mm
er,
for a
movie
that
reporte
dly
sp
ans
a g
ulf
, sp
eakin
g t
o b
oth
teen a
nd
adult
audie
nces.
On
e D
irec
tion
Th
is I
s U
sS
coop:
Som
eth
ing s
eem
s w
ron
g
here, an
d y
et
it’s
true:
Su
per
Siz
e M
e
dir
ecto
r M
organ
Spurlo
ck d
irecte
d
this
3-D
docum
en
tary a
bout
Brit
ish
boy b
an
d O
ne D
irecti
on
.
Get
aw
ay
Sta
rs:
Eth
an
Haw
ke, S
ele
na G
om
ez
an
d J
on
Voig
ht
Sco
op:
Haw
ke p
lays
a r
eti
red r
ace-
car d
riv
er t
ryin
g t
o s
ave h
is k
idn
apped
wif
e w
ith
th
e h
elp
of
a y
oun
g h
acker
(Gom
ez)
.
Th
e T
o D
o L
ist
Sta
rs:
Aubrey P
laza
, A
lia S
haw
kat
an
d B
ill
Hader
Sco
op:
Pla
za p
lays
a s
tudio
us
hig
h
sch
ool grad w
ho f
eels
sh
e s
quan
dered
opportu
nit
ies f
or d
ebauch
erous f
un
durin
g lon
g h
ours
of
studyin
g. B
efo
re
hit
tin
g c
oll
ege, sh
e p
repares
to e
xpe-
rie
nce t
he C
liff
s N
ote
s versi
on
of
all
she m
isse
d.
The
Worl
d’s
En
dS
tars
: R
osam
un
d
Pik
e,
Marti
n
Freem
an
an
d S
imon
Pegg
Sco
op:
The B
rit
ish t
eam
behin
d t
he
much-l
oved H
ot
Fu
zz a
nd S
ha
un
of
the
Dea
d, in
clu
din
g a
cto
r-w
rit
er P
egg a
nd
writ
er-d
irecto
r E
dgar W
rig
ht,
team
up for t
his
bla
ck c
om
edy a
bout
a g
roup
of
hard-p
arty
ing f
rie
nds
that
may b
e
man
kin
d’s
last
gli
mm
er o
f h
ope.
WP
-Blo
om
be
rg
Sum
mer
Mov
ie G
uide
:Su
mm
er M
ovie
Gui
de:
Get r
eady
to h
ave
a bl
ast
Get r
eady
to h
ave
a bl
ast
PLU
S | W
ED
NE
SD
AY
8 M
AY
2013
LAWPLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 201310
In my contract and offer letter there is no mention of health insurance, though I was offered the same verbally during the job interview.
Last week, I submitted a medical bill, which included consultation fee, medical examina-tion fee and the cost of the medicine, and the company did not reimburse the money. The reason was that my contract and offer letter have no mention of health insurance. However, my colleagues get their bills reimbursed as this is written in their offer letters.
Is my company responsible for paying my medical bills?
According to Labour law No. 14/2004, an employer who has between five and 25 workers should have a first-aid box with medicines and equipment specified by the competent medical authority placed in a place where it is accessible to the workers, and its use should be entrusted to a worker trained to provide primary medical aid. If the number of workers exceeds 25, there should be a first-aid box for each group of 25 workers. If the number of workers is more than 100, the employer must appoint a full-time nurse in addition to pro-viding first-aid boxes, and if there are more than 500 workers, the employer must allocate a clinic for them staffed by a doctor and at least one nurse.
Instead of the above, the employer can contract with a medical institution to provide medical serv-ices to his employees, with the cost covered by the employer.
The purpose of this is to make the employer
responsible for the healthcare of his employees.The employment contract should say that the
employer will provide medical treatment to the worker in accordance with the prevalent rules in Qatar, and also that the worker has the right to take paid sick leave after three continuous months of work.
Regarding sick leave, Qatari law says the worker has the right to take sick leave with wages for each year of his years of service, provided he proves his illness by a certificate from a doctor approved by the employer.
Therefore, the employer is responsible for pro-viding medical care to his employees, including paying outstanding expenses on medical check-ups, registration, medical tests and medication.
This is compulsory for the employer according to the law and is not an optional obligation, regard-less of whether it is mentioned in the contract.
Therefore, the questioner is advised to submit his medical bills to the employer. If the employer
refuses to reimburse the costs, the worker can approach the labour office to complain and obtain his dues.
I am staying in a flat in Doha on a rent agreement. The agreement is between me and the owner of the flat. I want to terminate the agreement and move to a bigger place. The landlord is asking me to pay the rent for the full year for terminating the contract as there is no termination clause specified therein.
Is it legal for the landlord to demand a full year’s rent?
Article 15 of real estate rental law No. 4 of 2008 says a tenancy agreement ends at the end of the period specified in it. If the tenant contin-ues to stay in the flat on the same rent without any objection from the landlord, the contract is deemed renewed for a similar period with the same conditions.
The rent contract can’t be ended before the end of the period without agreement between the parties concerned, and if the tenant wants to leave the house he will have to pay the rent specified in the agreement to the landlord, not more than seven days from the date specified in the contract for maturity.
The tenant should terminate the lease by mutual consent with the landlord before the end of the contract. If the tenant is terminating the contract without mutual consent, he will have to pay the landlord rent for the remaining period of the contract.
Employer responsible Employer responsible for providing medical for providing medical care to employeescare to employees
Legal corner
By Abdelaal A KhalilLegal Consultant
Please send your queries to: [email protected]
11BIRD FLU PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention are working with samples of the new H7N9
bird flu virus to produce a vaccine, if it is needed500km
300 miles
Shanghai
Jiangsu
Zhejiang
TaiwanJiangxi
Anhui
Shandong
Beijing
Hunan
Henan
Fujian
33
27
5
4
46
1
5
13
8
1
2
2
130
31
1
2
4
7
C H I N A
Data as ofMay 7
H7N9
Cases
Deaths
© GRAPHIC NEWSSource: Wire agencies
VACCINE PRODUCTIONWHO and CDCprepare samplesof virus for vaccinemanufacturers
Cell-basedmethodVaccine grownin cultured cellsof mammalianorigin insteadof hens’eggs
Egg-based methodVirus injected intofertilised hens’ eggs
Vaccineready inweeks, buthuman safetytrials stilltake severalmonths
Virus multiplies insideegg. Contents removed,purified, chemicallydeactivated andbroken down beforepacking as vaccine.Process requiresmany months
ANTI-VIRAL DRUGSTwo main drugs appear to work against H7N9flu strain – Roche Holding AG’s Tamiflu andGlaxoSmithKline’s Relenza. Both used tocombat past bird flu outbreaks
By Bill Rigby
Microsoft Corp has sold 100 million Windows 8 licences in the six months since launch, roughly in line with the previous version, but wants to combat
sputtering interest in its flagship software with a substantial update to make it easier to use, and com-patible with smaller tablets.
Windows 8 is the first Microsoft operating system primarily designed for touch commands, but it has failed to capture consumers’ imaginations or make a dent in a tablet market dominated by Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics.
“Is it perfect? No. Are there things we need to change? Absolutely. We are being very real about what needs to change and changing it as thought-fully and quickly as we can”, said Tami Reller, co-head of Microsoft’s Windows unit at the company’s
Redmond, Washington headquarters last week, where she announced the latest Windows sales fig-ure, a number made public on Monday.
Microsoft will be rolling out an update to Windows 8, provisionally code-named ‘Windows Blue’, by the end of this year, Reller said. Details of the update will be released in the next few weeks.
Although Microsoft has sold 100 million Windows 8 licences since launch on October 26, matching Windows 7 sales three years previously, it looks unlikely that the new system will see progressively rising demand, as Windows 7 did, hitting 240 million sales in its first year.
Microsoft’s last Windows 8 sales update was in early January, when it broke 60 million, suggesting only around 40 million licence sales in the last four months, well below Windows 7’s average sales rate.
Windows 7 was helped by the fact that it replaced the generally unpopular Windows Vista, whereas
Windows 8 has confused many potential customers with its new-look ‘tile’-based start screen and the omission of the traditional ‘start’ button.
“The learning curve is real, and we need to address it,” said Reller. “We’re not sitting back and saying, they will get used to it.”
Reller did not say whether the ‘Blue’ update would restore the start button, but she said Microsoft would pay more attention to helping customers adapt.
“We’ve considered a lot of different scenarios to help traditional PC users move forward as well as making usability that much better on all devices,” she said.
TOUCH LAPTOPSConsumer alienation, and the lack of affordable
touch-laptops that can make full use of Windows 8, has held back computer sales, according to industry tracker IDC. PC sales had their sharpest drop on record in the first three months of this year, plum-meting 14 percent.
Reller hopes that new machines from firms includ-ing Lenovo, ASUS and Hewlett-Packard will change that this year.
“We know customers like touch laptops, but they are also price sensitive,” she said. “Our partners (hardware makers) have to bet on volume, so that they get price breaks, and get that moving into the (retail) channel.”
Microsoft is also tweaking Windows 8 to make it compatible with smaller seven and eight inch tablets, which would allow hardware makers to compete in the fastest-growing segment of the tablet market against Apple’s iPad mini, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, Google Inc’s Nexus 7 and Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle Fire.
Reller declined to comment on whether Microsoft would make a smaller version of its own Surface tablet.
Microsoft has not made much of an impression in the tablet market so far, notching only 900,000 Surface sales in the first quarter, according to IDC, compared with 19.5 million iPad sales and 8.8 million Samsung tablet sales.
Overall, Reller hopes the ‘Blue’ update and a slew of attractive touch-laptops will fire up interest in Windows machines in all forms.
“I believe that touch will be mainstream in con-sumer laptops,” said Reller. “I think we’ll be pleased with the progress we’ve made by ‘back to school’ and by holiday (yearend), we’ll be at this tipping point where we will say, ‘Now I see it’.”
Reuters
TECHNOLOGYPLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 201312
By Natasha Baker
Worried about what your dog is chewing on when you’re at work, or whether your home is secure while on vacation? New
apps can transform old smartphones into remote security cameras for home monitoring systems.
Presence, which was launched late last month, converts a spare Internet-connected iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch into a free video camera with real-time video and audio streaming, and motion detec-tion and notifications.
“Essentially we give you an inexpensive security system that you can use to monitor your house, or help you watch your kids, cats, elderly relatives or act as a baby or nanny cam,” said Gene Wang, chief executive of the Palo Alto, California-based company People Power.
Unlike traditional monitoring systems that can be expensive and need technical knowledge to install and use, Wang said Presence is a free do-it-yourself system that can be set up simply by downloading and configuring the app.
To use it consumers install and login to their
account on two devices - for example two iPhones. Then they can start the camera within the app on one of the devices and it can be viewed from the app on the other.
Triggers can also be set to record when motion is detected and to send alerts. The app can help to avoid false alarms, according to Wang, because it sends a video clip in an email to the user showing the motion that triggered the alert.
“With these high-end security systems, you have a lot of false positives and then the security com-pany and police come out and it turns out it was your cat knocking over a broom or something like that,” Wang explained.
He added that many people have replaced their old smartphones with new ones and a monitoring system would be a good way to make use of the old devices.
Another app created by a company called People Power 1.0 for iPhone and Android reads electricity meters in real time to show consumers how much they’re spending and whether they are going over budget.
“The centre of computing has switched to these smart computers that we all carry in our pockets,” Wang explained.
“What people are going to want to be able to do is control their personal Internet of Things from their hands,” he added, referring to Internet-connected devices in the home.
The company also plans to work with under-funded public schools to help them set up secu-rity systems using old devices donated by the community.
Other apps have similar functions. AirBeam is a home monitoring app for iOS that allows users to access video feeds from a Web portal.
Izon is an app that streams real-time audio and video from iZon cameras to iPhone and Android devices, and Ivideon, for iOS and Android, also lets people build their own surveillance system.
Reuters
Apps convertsmartphones into home
monitoring system
Windows 8 hits 100 million sales
COMICS & MORE 13
Hoy en la HistoriaMay 8, 1912
1967: Muhammad Ali was indicted for refusing to be conscripted into the U.S. Army1992: Ireland’s Roman Catholic Bishop of Galway resigned after it was revealed he had fathered a son2007: The tomb of King Herod, known for his colossal building projects in the ancient world, was discovered2007: Militants in southern Nigeria blew up three oil pipelines in the Niger delta
Paramount Pictures, the last major film studio still based in Hollywood, was founded by Adolph Zukor, Hungarian-born owner of a New York nickelodeon
Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS
ALL IN THE MIND Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal,vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.
ABODE, ANNEX, APARTMENT, ARCHITECTURE, ATTIC, BALCONY, BASEMENT, BLUEPRINT, BUILDING, BUNGALOW, CABIN, CASTLE, CEILING, CONDOMINIUM, CONSTRUCTION, COTTAGE, DECOR, DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DOORS, DUPLEX, DWELLING, EDIFICE, ELECTRICS, EXTENSION, FOUNDATION, FRAMEWORK, GARAGE, GAZEBO, HEATING, HOUSE, LIGHTING, LODGE, LOFT, MANSION, MEZZANINE, PALACE, PLANS, PLUMBING, RESIDENCE, ROOFING, ROOMS, WALLS, WING.
Baby Blues Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman
Zits by Dennis Young and Denis Lebrun
Hagar The Horrible Chris Browne
LEARNARABIC
Salutations and greetings
Tosbih ala khair Good waking up
Wa enta min ahlu The same to you
Saying Goodbye:
Ma’assalama Goodbye
Ilal liqa See you later
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
HYPER SUDOKU
CROSSWORD
CROSSWORDS
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
How to play Hyper Sudoku: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
regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear
only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is
solved like a normal Sudoku.
ACROSS 1 Chews the fat
5 Fiona, e.g., in “Shrek”
11 Hula-Hoops or Furbys, once
14 500 sheets of paper
15 Geronimo’s tribe
16 Fury
17 Hankering
18 One knocked off a pedestal
20 Pasture
22 Course guide?
23 C.E.O.’s job: Abbr.
24 Paid postgraduate position at a university
27 Black-eyed ___
28 Cry after hitting a hammer on one’s thumb, say
29 Morocco’s capital
31 “Much ___ About Nothing”
34 Uncooked
36 Beethoven’s “Für ___”
39 Solve a crossword, e.g.?
44 Greeted and seated
45 ___-lacto-vegetarian
46 Old Navy alternative
47 Harnessed, as oxen
50 Mother of Don Juan
53 “You said it, sister!”
55 Put a spade atop a spade, say
60 Barn dance seat
61 Miami locale: Abbr.
62 Cake words in “Alice in Wonderland”
63 Illegal wrestling hold
67 Newswoman Paula
68 “___ You Experienced” (Jimi Hendrix’s first album)
69 Sean who wrote “Juno and the Paycock”
70 Like show horses’ feet
71 Tavern
72 Walked purposefully
73 Tiny hill dwellers
DOWN 1 Harsh and brusque
2 Eaglet’s nest
3 Breakfast order with a hole in it
4 Like gym socks
5 Dunderhead
6 4.0 is a great one: Abbr.
7 Kramden of “The Honeymooners”
8 Cream-filled pastry
9 Mount Everest guide
10 McCain or McConnell: Abbr.
11 Squirming
12 Kitchen magnet?
13 Shoulder muscles, for short
19 African antelope or Chevrolet
21 Jane or John in court
25 Threadbare
26 Hit, as a fly
30 ___ Paese cheese
31 C.I.O.’s partner
32 Repeated cry when sticking a stake in a vampire
33 1957 Disney dog movie
35 “___ Let the Dogs Out”
37 Cousin of calypso
38 Mind reading, for short
40 Big name in toy trains
41 Tattoos, slangily
42 Dastardly
43 Pro ___ (like some law work)
48 Cause’s partner
49 Avis rival
51 Ram’s mate
52 One of the Gabor sisters
53 Beeb comedy
54 Actress Tierney of “ER”
56 Catch, as a dogie
57 Salt Lake City native
58 “Can we turn on a fan or something?!”
59 Manages, as a 71-Across
64 Denials
65 Brit. reference work
66 Bill the Science Guy
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16
17 18 19
20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27
28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
39 40 41 42 43
44 45 46
47 48 49 50 51 52
53 54 55 56 57 58 59
60 61 62
63 64 65 66 67
68 69 70
71 72 73
D O H A Q A T A R P H O T OO B A M A C A R E A T R A PG O B A N A N A S S E E M ER E A D I L L C T S C A NA P N E A I S T H A T A L LC A E N N E N E R E YE R R O R E A T S U PS T O L A V T H E S O N
A G E N T K S T O N EP J S S E A L C R E WT A U B E T A P I P O T T SB R I A R S I N R I D I DO U T T A L O G I N N A M EA L O E S I C E S K A T E ST E R S E M A R K Y M A R K
How to play Kakuro:The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers.However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number.Within each collection of cells - called a run
- any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once.
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
14
EASY SUDOKUEasy Sudoku PuzzlesPlace a digit from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so everyrow, every column and every 3x3 box contains allthe digits 1 to 9.
Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate
CINEMA / TV LISTINGS 15
09:30 Omni Sport
10:00 Rugby Asian
5 Nations
Phillipines V
Hong Kong
11:45 Spanish League
Barcelona V Betis
13:30 The Football
League Show
14:00 English Sports
News
14:15 Italian League
Roma V Chievo
16:00 Basketball Nba
Conference
Semi Final
Game 2
18:00 English Sports
News
18:30 Italian League
Pecara V Ac
Milan Atalanta V
Juventus
00:00 Magazine Tba
00:30 Atp Tennis
Magazine
08:00 News
9:00 Witness
10:00 News
10:30 Inside Story
11:00 News
11:30 The Stream
12:00 News
12:30 Letter From My
Child
13:00 NEWSHOUR
14:00 News
14:30 Inside Story
15:00 Al-Nakba
16:00 NEWSHOUR
17:00 News
17:30 The Stream
18:00 NEWSHOUR
19:00 News
19:30 People &
Power
20:00 News
20:30 Inside Story
21:00 NEWSHOUR
22:00 News
22:30 The Stream
23:00 Witness
13:40 Ultimate
Survival
14:35 Border Security
15:30 Auction Kings
16:00 Futurecar
17:50 Mythbusters
18:45 Sons Of Guns
20:05 How It’s Made
20:35 Auction
Hunters
21:30 You Have Been
Warned
22:25 Magic Of
Science
23:20 Mythbusters
13:00 Fish Warrior
16:00 Kingdom Of
The Forest
17:00 World’s
Weirdest
19:00 Fish Warrior
21:00 World’s
Deadliest
Animals
22:00 Kingdom Of
The Forest
23:00 World’s
Weirdest
13:00 Wizards Of
Waverly Place
13:25 Austin And Ally
15:45 Jessie
17:00 Austin And Ally
18:30 Wizards Of
Waverly Place
21:40 Hannah
Montana
22:00 Jonas
22:25 Sonny With A
Chance
14:00 Police Academy
5: Assignment
Miami Beach
16:00 Wayne’s World
20:00 Anchorman:
The Legend Of
Ron Burgundy
22:00 Hard Breakers
13:15 Wild Africa
Rescue
13:45 Animal Precinct
14:40 Wildest Africa
15:30 Baboons With
Bill Bailey
16:30 Cats 101
17:50 Dick ‘n’ Dom
Go Wild
20:35 Cheetah
Kingdom
21:05 Roaring With
Pride
22:00 Karina: Wild On
Safari
13:40 Mr. Wonderful
15:20 Zelig
16:40 Smile
18:30 Mgm’s Big
Screen
18:45 The Mechanic
20:25 Late For Dinner
22:00 In The Best
Interest Of The
Children
23:35 Valley Girl
14:10 East Side, West
Side
16:00 Jeremiah
Johnson
17:40 Blackboard
Jungle
19:20 20,000 Years In
Sing Sing
20:35 The Sheepman
22:00 Our Mother’s
House
23:45 Hit Man
14:45 Freddy
Frogface
16:15 101 Dalmatians 2
18:00 A Fairy Tale
Christmas
22:00 D’Fenders
23:30 101 Dalmatians
2
TEL: 444933989 444517001
MALL
1Sameer Abou El Neel
(2D/Arabic) – 3.00, 5.00, 8.00 & 11.00pm
2
The Call (2D/Thriller) – 2.30pm
Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal (2D/Tamil) – 5.00pm
Shootout At Wadala (2D/Hindi) – 8.00pm
Sound Thoma (2D/Malayalam) – 11.00pm
3Iron Man (3D/Action)
– 3.00, 5.00, 8.00 & 11.00pm
LANDMARK
1
Amour (2D/Drama) – 2.30 & 5.00pm
Sameer Abou El Neel (2D/Arabic) – 7.15 & 9.30pm
The Call (2D/Thriller) – 11.30pm
2
Croods (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm
Iron Man (3D/Action) – 4.15, 8.30 & 11.00pm
The Call (2D/Thriller) – 6.45pm
3
Sound Thoma (2D/Malayalam) – 2.30 & 10.45pm
Shootout At Wadala (2D/Hindi) – 5.15pm
Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal (2D/Tamil) – 8.00pm
ROYAL PLAZA
1
Amour (2D/Drama) – 2.30pm
Sameer Abou El Neel (2D/Arabic) – 6.45pm
The Call (2D/Thriller) – 5.00pm
Iron Man (3D/Action) – 8.45 & 11.15pm
3
Paranorman (Animation) – 2.30pm
Rise Of The Guardians (Animation) – 4.30pm
Love Wedding Marriage (2D/Comedy) – 6.30pm
The Awakening (Horror) – 8.30pm
Snow White & The Huntsman (Drama) – 10.30pm
QF RADIO 91.7 FM ENGLISH PROGRAMME BRIEF LIVE SHOWS Airing Time Programme Briefs
SPIRITUAL HOUR
6:00 – 7:00 AM A time of reflection, a deeper understanding of the teachings of Islam.
RISE 7:00 – 9:00 AM Rise, a LIVE 2-hour morning show hosted and produced by Scott Boyes. It discusses a wide array of topics from Weather, News, Health tips, Sports News and interactive bits with the callers.
INTERNATIO-NAL NEWS
1:00 PM The latest news and events from around the world.
REPEAT SHOWS
INNOVATION 10:00 – 11:00 AM A 1-hour weekly show hosted and produced by Scott Boyes. The show talks about all new and exciting technological advancements in the fields of Medicine, Agriculture, Engineering, Astronomy and more.
CORNERS 12:00 – 1:00 PM Corners, a 1-hour show that airs Tuesdays and Thursdays presented by Laura Finnerty and Nabil Al Nashar. The show focuses on a variety of topics… technology, politics, health, movies, music and a lot more.
FASHION 6:00 – 7:00 PM A 1-hour weekly show hosted and produced by Laura Finnerty. The show brings together the latest fashion trends along with exciting interviews with local and international designers.
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013
PLUS | WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013 POTPOURRI16
Editor-In-Chief Khalid Al Sayed Acting Managing Editor Hussain Ahmad Editorial Office The Peninsula Tel: 4455 7741, E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
If you want your events featured here,
mail details to [email protected]
Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport When: March 7-Jun 16 Monday–Thursday, Saturday: 9am-8pmFriday; 3pm-9pm (Sunday closed)Where: QMA Gallery, Bldg 10 What: The Qatar Museums Authority will exhibit ‘Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport’ at QMA Gallery in Katara Cultural Village. The exhibition was first held in London during the 2012 Olympic Games. The exhibit originated in Qatar, beginning at the Arab Games’ Athletes Village in December 2011, where photographer Brigitte and documentary maker Marian Lacombe set up an outdoor studio, working with female athletes. They then travelled to 20 Arab countries from the Gulf to North Africa, documenting images and videos of 70 Arab sportswomen. Free entry
My Journeys Through Yemen — Moudhi Al HajriWhen: Until May 25; 10am-10pm Where: Katara Gallery - Bldg 22
What: Moudhi Al Hajri is one of the most interesting Qatari photographers today, her drive and passion for photography as a form of art, and as a medium that allows her to engage with the world she inhabits, is heartfelt and deep. Her photography is extremely compelling and uses her camera to engage with the world at large and its peoples, in many cases even to give them a voice. The exhibition is an attempt to share her involvement with Yemen. Tickets: Free
Designed To WinWhen: Until June 23; 10am-10pm Where: Katara - Bldg 3 What: Katara Exhibition in Collaboration with the Design Museum in London.Designed to Win celebrates ways in which design and sport are combined, pushing the limits of human endeavour to achieve records and victories of increasing significance and wonder. There will be an extensive educational programme and visiting artists’ talks complementing the expo.Free entry
Screening of Camelsin the OutbackWhen: Friday, May 10, 6pm to 8pm, followed by Q&A sessionSaturday 11 May 6pm to 8pmWhere: In the MIA auditorium What: A Qatari businessman flies out to Australia to investigate alternatives to the policy of killing thousands of camels. There are more wild camels in Australia than anywhere else in the world, and they are seen as a nuisance. Camels in the Outback is an action-packed film, bringing together different cultures.Free entry
Events in Qatar MEDIA SCAN
• There is talk about approval of the health insurance law by the Advisory Council. The law covers citizens, expatriates and visitors to the country.
• Residents of Al Shamal area and employees of the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning are surprised by the sudden closure of the land transactions office for the northern towns.
• There is discussion about the Advisory Council’s recommendation to exempt housemaids from health insurance premium, taking into account the financial burden it will put on families.
• Residents of Al Shahaniya are complaining about delay in putting up signs with names of streets and residential neighbourhoods, as this is making it difficult for service providers such as ambulances to reach their destination quickly, particularly in case of accidents. 5- People are demanding that the concerned bodies establish factories for recycling construction waste, which is
disfiguring roads, causing environmental pollution and damaging green areas.
• There are demands that the concerned bodies develop an integrated strategy to support the private sector and provide suitable accommodation for workers, which should include basic amenities and entertainment facilities.
• Some people are demanding that the authorities concerned build helipads for ambulance helicopters along highways to help in rescue of people in case of accidents.
• There is discussion in social media about violation of rules in Shafallah Center for children with special needs. An investigative report by a local newspaper revealed the violations.
• Some people are demanding that the government shift some ministries and administrative departments out of Al Dafna area to reduce crowding, traffic jams and the problem of inadequate parking spaces.
A summary ofissues of the daydiscussed by the Qatari communityin the media.
IN FOCUS
Flowers in front of the Museum of Islamic Art.
by Shamil Rasheed
Send your photos to [email protected]. Please mention
where the photo was taken.
Chinese lap up milk-drinkingIron Man
Iron Man 3 topped Chinese box offices five days after opening, state media reported, but the
modified domestic version of the Hollywood blockbuster has raised some eyebrows.
The film starring Robert Downey Jr as the hero Tony Stark has earned 410m yuan ($67m) since last Wednesday, when it broke a national record with opening-day sales of 116m yuan, Xinhua news agency said.
The Chinese release had four extra minutes, including the product placement of a local milk drink called Gu Li Duo touted as a source of Iron Man’s energy, the Hollywood Reporter said.
Also unique to the Chinese ver-sion was the appearance of “Dr Wu”, a character played by local actor Wang Xueqi, who in his lim-ited screen time drinks a carton of Gu Li Duo and performs an opera-tion on Stark.
Chinese viewers felt the added bits were “superfluous to the narra-tive”, the Hollywood Reporter said.
There was no immediate expla-nation for the additions.
AP