Snapshot - Gulf Times

CommunityThe Qatar Chapter of the Institution

of Engineers of India holds annual general body meeting.

P6 P16 CommunitySalem Saeed al-Asmi talks about

his work and means of raising awareness, concerning Vitamin D deficiency.

SnapshotCOVERSTORY

From Black Panther to

Incredibles 2: Top film

critics assess 2018 so

far at the movies. P4-5

Wednesday, August 1, 2018Dhul-Qa’da 19, 1439 AH

Doha today 360 - 410

Wednesday, August 1, 20182 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

Emergency 999Worldwide Emergency Number 112Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991Local Directory 180International Calls Enquires 150Hamad International Airport 40106666Labor Department 44508111, 44406537Mowasalat Taxi 44588888Qatar Airways 44496000Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444

Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365Qatar Airways 40253374

USEFUL NUMBERS

Quote Unquote“Adopting the right

attitude can convert a negative stress into

a positive one.”— Hans Selye

SkyscraperDIRECTION: Rawson Marshall

ThurberCAST: Dwayne Johnson, Neve

Campbell, Pablo SchreiberSYNOPSIS: A father goes to great

lengths to save his family from a

burning skyscraper. Will Ford , former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and US war veteran, now assesses security for skyscrapers. He’s on assignment in China when he fi nds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly ablaze, and he’s been framed for it. A

wanted man on the run, Will must fi nd those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family, which is trapped inside the building, above the fi re line.

THEATRES: Landmark, The Mall, Royal Plaza

KoodeDIRECTION: Anjali MenonCAST: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathy, Nazriya NazimSYNOPSIS: The plot takes takes us to the world of Joshua

and his family, comprising of sister Jenny, father Aloshy and mother Lilly. The story unfolds through each frame taking us deep into the lives of each major character, exploring the various shades of sadness, that indescribable melancholy

when you lose your reason to live. Joshua left his home when he was 15, leaving his sister Jenny, who was just 2 at that time, behind. The siblings were inseparable but time has done its damage. As Joshua returns home for a funeral, his sister is a stranger to him. The beauty of the fi lm lies in how Joshua discovers who his sister is.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

PRAYER TIMEFajr 3.36amShorooq (sunrise) 5.01amZuhr (noon) 11.40amAsr (afternoon) 3.07pmMaghreb (sunset) 6.21pmIsha (night) 7.51pm

The Mall Cinema (1): Teen Titans Go (2D) 2:30pm; Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (Hindi) 4:30pm; Teen Titans Go (2D) 7pm; Mohini (Tamil) 8:45pm; Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (Hindi) 11:15pm.The Mall Cinema (2): Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation (2D) 2pm; Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation (2D) 3:45pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 5:30pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 8pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 11pm.The Mall Cinema (3): Junga (Tamil) 2:15pm; The Incredibles 2 (2D) 5pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 7pm; Skyscraper (2D) 9:45pm; Happy Wedding (Telugu) 11:30pm.Landmark Cinema (1): Teen Titans

Go (2D) 2:15pm; Teen Titans Go (2D) 4pm; Teefa In Trouble (Urdu) 5:45pm; Dhadak (Hindi) 8:30pm; Happy Wedding (Telugu) 11pm.Landmark Cinema (2): Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 2:30pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 5:30pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 8:15pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 11pm.Landmark Cinema (3): The Incredibles 2 (2D) 3pm; Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation (2D) 5:15pm; Teen Titans Go (2D) 7pm; Junga (Tamil) 8:45pm; Mohini (Tamil) 11:30pm.

Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation (2D) 2pm; Teen Titans Go (2D) 3:45pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 5:30pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (3D) 8:15pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Teen Titans Go (2D) 2:15pm; Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again (2D) 4pm; Dhadak (Hindi) 6:15pm; Junga (Tamil) 8:45pm; Happy Wedding (Telugu) 11:30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 2:15pm; Teen Titans Go (2D) 5pm; Mission Impossible 6: Fall Out (2D) 6:45pm; Skyscraper (2D) 9:15pm; Mohini (Tamil) 11pm.

3Wednesday, August 1, 2018 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change

EVENTS

Summer Sessions with Evolve and Westin

WHERE: The Westin Doha Hotel and Spa

WHEN: Ongoing till August 25TIME: 9am – 1pmEnjoy a morning of moving, eating and

feeling well with a 60 minutes yoga session balanced with healthy breakfast bites followed by time to revitalise by the pool. Stimulate the rest of your day through culinary experiences with the added 20% discount in all the restaurants and café.

Dates FestivalWHERE: Souq WaqifWHEN: Ongoing till August 4TIME: 4pm – 10pmThe Ministry of Municipality and

Environment (MME) agriculture section will organise the third edition of the local dates festival at Souq Waqif to coincide with the dates production season in the country. The upcoming festival will display all types of Qatari dates and the participating farms will display their produce for sale throughout the event.

Minipolis Summer Camp WHERE: The Pearl-QatarWHEN: Ongoing till August 31TIME: 9am – 5pmAn Edutainment Entertainment summer

camp is now in Qatar where kids can enjoy their time by discovering the world of Mad Science, and spend a good sharing time in making new friends while baking, enjoying their meals, watching cinema, doing aerobics and so much more.

IAID Summer WorkshopWHERE: IAIDWHEN: July – AugustIt’s time to set your kids summer

activities today with IAID, the pioneer in conducting workshops in Qatar since 2001. IAID’s Summer Workshop features fun and exciting activities. It only means more singing, playing and dancing for the sweet little ones aged 3 years and above.

Summer ActivityWHERE: Aspire ZoneWHEN: Ongoing till August 15TIME: 8am – 2pmChildren can enjoy various activities

such as football, taekwondo, swimming, gymnastics, aerobics, and recreational games.

Choreography Lessons - Brazilian Zouk

WHERE: Music and Arts Atelier near MOI

WHEN: Ongoing till September 15Brazilian zouk is characterised by the

dancers’ undulating bodies and the girls’ flowing hair. Dancer or not, depending on the style of Brazilian zouk, you’ll be able to choose connection and embrace with long graceful steps. The final performance is scheduled to be on 15 September as a flashmob.

Special Needs Summer CampWHERE: HOPE Qatar Center for Special

NeedsWHEN: Ongoing till August 15TIME: 8:30am – 12:30pmHOPE Qatar Center for Special Needs

is organising a very unique summer camp bringing together children with and without special needs in a fun and entertainment filled programme from July 16 – August 15. This camp led by a multinational team will enhance empathy, teamwork, and friendships between the differently abled children and other children aged 4 – 18. The camp will run for 5 days a week from 8:30am – 12:30pm for one month and include various edutainment activities. For details, call 55751754 / 55385687

Summer Camp WHERE: Music LoungeWHEN: Ongoing till August 30TIME: 9am – 12pmThis summer camp is designed to give

every camper a skill to create music through special training in musical instruments piano, guitar and drums, to visualise child’s limitless imagination and bring it to creative visuals through art and craft. This camp will develop their communication skills through training in public speaking along with hip hop dance, warm up exercises, karate and yoga.

Summer CampsWHERE: Mamangam Performing Art

Centre, Al HilalWHEN: Ongoing till August 31TIME: 8am – 12:30pmMamangam Performing Art Centre will be

holding Summer Camps in its Al Hilal branch for two batches of age groups from 4 -18 yrs. The summer camps will include Yoga, Karate, Art and Craft, Music, Hip-hop, Bollywood, Indian Classical and Contemporary dance. For details, call 33897609.

Summer CampsWHERE: TCAWHEN: Ongoing TIME: 8:30am – 1pmThe TCA is holding Summer Camps in its

branch for all students, ongoing from June 24. Every two weeks, a new batch will begin for every child to join and learn new forms of art. The summer camps will include Abacus, Drawing and Painting, Calligraphy, keyboard and dance. The camp will run for 7 days a week from 8:30am – 1pm. You will be able to see the activities and schedules that will be held for every week and register your kid. For details, call 44373259.

Summer Camp for Kids WHERE: Music and Arts Atelier, Villa 57 Bin

Omran WHEN: Ongoing till August 31 TIME: 7:30am – 2:30pm Doha’s Kids Summer Camp where artists are

made! The A to Z of kid’s summer camp – from artworks, dance and music lessons and PLAY in between. For ages 5 years and up. Contact [email protected] and mobile 33003839.

Summer Entertainment City 2018WHERE: DECCWHEN: Ongoing till August 31TIME: 12pmAn amazing range of local shopping stalls will

feature products from all over the world on the Eid. The Summer Shopping Souq has started

from June 14 till August 31. Colour your summer at Doha Exhibition and Conventional Centre, West Bay during Summer Entertainment City 2018 with over 75 activities and games, more than 40 food and 132 retail outlets and amazing live performances. Get set for an exciting and eventful summer in 2018.

Hobby ClassesWHERE: Mystic Arts Centre behind Al Hilal

Focus Medical CentreWHEN: Wednesday – MondayMystic Art Centre, is a holistic performing

arts institution and a one stop solution for adults as well as children looking to explore their talents in various art forms. We off er classes in Carnatic Music, Hindustani Music, Karate, Yoga, Zumba, Classical Dance, Salsa, Hip Hop, contemporary and Bollywood dance forms. Personalised lessons, effi cient mentoring and exposure to stage helps our learner to walk out as a confi dent performer at the end of their course. For details, call 44723680/33897609.

Dance and instrument classesWHERE: TCA Campus, Behind Gulf Times

BuildingWHEN: Wednesday – MondayLearn the movements of dance styles in

Bollywood, Hip Hop and also the musical instruments such as Piano, Guitar, Keyboard for adults as well kids and move in the world of music. For details, contact 66523871/ 31326749.

Outdoor and fi ve-a-side football pitchesWHERE: Aspire ZoneWHEN: DailyTIME: 7pm – 11pmAspire Zone’s fi ve-a-side football outdoor

pitches opposite Al Waab Street are available every day from 7pm – 11pm.

Arab and German Tales Exhibition WHERE: Qatar National LibraryWHEN: Ongoing till August 18The exhibition is organised within the framework of Qatar–Germany Year of Culture and

provides an insight into the history of Arabic and German fairy and folk tales, and how the two traditions infl uenced each other. It aims to show the transcultural value of narrative traditions as a shared intangible cultural heritage and highlight mutual infl uences, shared ideas and cultural transfer between the Arab world and Germany through storytelling and tales.


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

The fare this yearJustin Chang and Kenneth Turan reflect on the cultural

phenomenon that was Black Panther to a summer driven by

high-profile sequels and a good deal of small gems in between

I’m tempted to say it’s been a very good year so far, and for quite a few reasons. Black Panther is one. First Reformed is another. The Rider, Eighth Grade and Zama too

—Justin Chang

‘’ SPOTLIGHT: Black Panther captured the imagination of all comers, from connoisseurs to the lay cinegoer.

With Hollywood’s hot summer movie season soon giving way to the dog days of August, and a

temporary lull before the annual awards season starts in earnest, Times fi lm critics Justin Chang and Kenneth Turan take the opportunity to refl ect on the year in cinema so far. From the cultural phenomenon

that was Black Panther to a summer driven by high-profi le sequels and a good deal of small gems in between, they assess where we’re at before we see what’s to come.

KENNETH TURAN: The calendar says that the year 2018 is past its midpoint, but I’m still ambivalent about what kind of a year it’s been. My initial emotional feeling

is that it’s not been great, but on the other hand when I look at specifi c fi lms there certainly have been some excellent ones.

JUSTIN CHANG: Your caution is both admirable and instructive, though at the risk of playing devil’s advocate, I’m tempted to say it’s been a very good year so far, and for quite a few reasons. Black Panther is one. First Reformed is another. The

Rider, Eighth Grade and Zama too. If I had to make a top-fi ve list or even a top-10 list this very second, I don’t think I’d be at a loss for options. Which ones would lead yours?

TURAN: It’s a pleasure to start with Black Panther, which certainly qualifi es as the cinematic event of the year in addition to being a terrifi c moviegoing experience. I’m hoping the academy can overcome its on-

again, off -again standoffi shness in regard to comic-book movies and make this a genuine awards-season contender.

But when it comes to dramatic features specifi cally from the studios, it is hard to come up with other names. I did enjoy two solid pieces of summer genre entertainment, Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible — Fallout and Denzel Washington in


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

The Equalizer 2, but I wish there were more than that on off er.

CHANG: Sequelitis will always be with us, but it really hasn’t been a bad year for “2s” (or “6s,” in the case of Mission: Impossible — Fallout). Incredibles 2 may not have had the precision-tooled brilliance of its predecessor, but it’s nonetheless a feast of action and ideas that fi nds Brad Bird very much in his element. I’m still in shock at how much I liked Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, whose lush musical craftsmanship and rich feeling are a welcome antidote to its dreadful predecessor.

And I shouldn’t forget my favourite 2018 sequel so far, the exquisitely beautiful Paddington 2. No less a person than Cher herself singled out Paddington for giving the best performance by a male actor this year. I mean, she’s not wrong.

TURAN: So glad you mentioned Incredibles 2, a so welcome return to animation for director Brad Bird and just about a primer for making a successful sequel. Actually, the fi rst half of 2018 was an excellent year for animation, and not just because of Paddington 2. Worth catching up to as well is a surprise from China, the visually dazzling Big Fish & Begonia.

And let me put in a good word for Early Man, a wonderfully silly fi lm by Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park, which features some completely wacky stuff and perhaps the best joke about sliced bread ever put on fi lm. Maybe it’s the only joke about sliced bread ever put on fi lm, but still …

CHANG: While we’re on the subject of things getting sliced, it’s been a marvellous year for horror movies so far, and particularly for horror movies with a lot going on emotionally, intellectually and aesthetically. Some of the year’s most entrancing fi lmmaking could be found in Annihilation, in which director Alex Garland gives us a chilling and beautiful fantasy about a world inching ever more quickly toward entropy.

And two of the year’s most aff ecting, emotionally truthful family dramas just so happen to be horror fi lms. I’m thinking of John Krasinski’s scary and relentless A Quiet Place,

a movie that feels positively life-affi rming next to the cruel, exacting slow burn of Ari Aster’s Hereditary. To your earlier point, should the academy wish to cast its standoffi shness aside, it could do no better than to give Toni Collette’s masterly performance in Hereditary the benefi t of its full consideration.

TURAN: I’m glad you mentioned acting, because a lot of the year’s smaller fi lms feature really big performances. Both Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle were superb in the heartbreaking On Chesil Beach, and Charlie Plummer, who’d made an impact in All the Money in the World, really blossomed as the centre of Andrew Haigh’s aff ecting Lean on Pete.

If you were looking for something warmer, both American indie Hearts Beat Loud and the German-Israeli The Cakemaker had the plots and performances to fi t that bill. And the award for wackiest ensemble of the year might have to go to the gang Armando Iannucci put together to inhabit his The Death of Stalin. Selecting actors like Steve Buscemi, Jason Isaacs, Jeff rey Tambor and Michael Palin to play Kremlin cronies, all using their native accents, works better than it has any right to.

CHANG: As a fan of Iannucci’s work, I wish The Death of Stalin had worked better for me overall, though you’re quite right to single out its supremely eccentric ensemble — not least because it’s a welcome reminder that there are ways to judge movie acting besides strict realism or verisimilitude. Actors play brilliantly against type and personal experience

all the time, and emotional truth makes its own unpredictable rules.

Case in point: When you hear the words “confl icted priest,” your mind may not automatically leap to Ethan Hawke. But I’m hard-pressed to think of many performances more piercingly confl icted than the one Hawke gives in Paul Schrader’s First

Reformed, which is by any measure one of the year’s great American movies. It’s a riveting distillation of themes, ideas and obsessions that Schrader has spent an entire career chasing, and after multiple viewings it haunts me still.

Personal experience certainly does inform one of the year’s other

noteworthy performances. In Chloe Zhao’s achingly beautiful The Rider, Brady Jandreau is clearly inhabiting a fi ctionalised version of his own experience, which is why his achievement runs the risk of being underappreciated. Zhao could have turned her camera on any number of Lakota cowboys, but I’m not sure that many of them could have managed the unforced star power and on-screen magnetism that Jandreau musters so eff ortlessly. He isn’t just being himself; he’s giving a real performance, and a great one.

TURAN: One of my favourite movie experiences of the year was watching The Rider with a rapt French audience in Paris, where it was playing in no less than 10 theatres. That is a city that knows how to appreciate fi lm.

I don’t want to let this conversation end without mentioning what an exceptional year this has been for documentaries. Films like RBG, Won’t You Be My Neighbour? and Three Identical Strangers, to name just three out of many, not only told compelling stories but found audiences desperate for entertaining adult fare. The documentary form is thriving, and I’m more than grateful for that.

CHANG: I’ll close by noting my own favourite hopeful trend of 2018, which in a better world wouldn’t be a trend but a constant: the sheer number of excellent fi lms directed by women. In addition to The Rider, I know we’re both enormous admirers of Leave No Trace, which marks Debra Granik’s long-overdue return to narrative fi lmmaking nearly a decade after Winter’s Bone.

I would also be remiss not to mention Lynne Ramsay’s bravura psychological chiller You Were Never Really Here and Claire Denis’ beguiling romantic comedy Let the Sunshine In. And fi nally, in a category all by itself is Zama, a vividly evocative 18th century colonial nightmare from the Argentinian writer-director Lucrecia Martel. Dramatically elusive and formally staggering, it’s a movie that baffl es, thrills and fi nally transcends. — Los Angeles Times/TNS

CRITICAL ACCLAIM: Critics dubbed Hereditary the scariest film in years.

STANDOUT: It has been an exceptional year for documentaries.

“Two of the year’s most affecting, emotionally truthful family dramas just so happen to be horror films. I’m thinking of John Krasinski’s scary and relentless A Quiet Place, a movie that feels positively life-affirming next to the cruel, exacting slow burn of Ari Aster’s Hereditary” — Justin Chang


COMMUNITYIEI holds annual general body meetingThe Qatar Chapter of the Institution of Engineers of India (IEI) recently held its annual general body meeting. Abdul Sathar, Chairman of IEI, welcomed the gathering speaking about the role of IEI in professional development of its members. Venu Madhav, Ex-Treasurer IEI, presented the

audited financial report for the year 2016-18 at the meeting. Sajeet George, Treasurer IEI, proposed the budget for the year 2018-19 and Abdul Sathar proposed Seenu Pillai as the new adviser for IEI.The event was compered by Sunil Kulkarni.

PMG pays tribute to late Mohammed RafiPunjab Music Group (PMG) recently organised a night to pay tribute to the late singer, Mohammed Rafi, sponsored by Doha Bank, at Skills Development Centre. Nasir Abbas, former winner of Sare Gama Pa (2008) from Sialkot Pakistan, along with local talent, including Mahinder Jalandhry, Jashmaid Bajwa, Tanveer Khan and Shahid Khan performed at the event.

Kousar Hassan, Managing Director of Golden Ocean Hotel, was the chief guest at the event. She appreciated the event and contribution of PMG in serving the Doha community. Sponsored by LG, Ambassador Travels, Family Food Centre, National Car Wash, Yawar Typing Center and Services, Punjab Restaurant and Gulf Horizons Hotel, it was a programme where the entry was free.


COMMUNITYSPACES

Monkey business: The struggle to contain a deadly conflict

By Siddhartha Kumar

“By the time you come up with some plan, Delhi will be taken over by monkeys,” judges of the Delhi High Court said recently,

slamming authorities for their inaction in tackling the menace from the burgeoning population of simians in the city.

More than 20,000 rhesus macaque monkeys have already been relocated to the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary on the city’s fringes, but the park is “saturated,” causing the apes to invade and spread panic in nearby localities.

Several Indian cities are seeing hordes of monkeys for the fi rst time, or the menace growing worse: Monkeys are breaking into homes for food, disrupting work at hospitals and courts, and prowling areas near government complexes, with intimidated offi cials calling for help.

At Delhi’s Tis Hazari Courts Building, which is swarming with simians, Anees Taj is among the dozens of lawyers and litigants who have been bitten at work.

“We don’t just have to wage legal battles, we have to fi ght these creatures too. I have been bitten and so was my client,” the lawyer says.

“They troop into corridors, obstructing litigants who are scared to move. Some even enter courtrooms. They fl ing our fi les and attack people carrying food.”

The problem is a manifestation of the deadly confl ict under way between humans, whose population is rapidly expanding, and wildlife.

Over the past several years, leopards and tigers have been sneaking into villages and towns and carrying off livestock or pets, while elephants are raiding crops, antelopes are running through localities and snakes have been entering bathrooms and bedrooms. Even the parliament was once stalled after a palm

civet rattled lawmakers.A population explosion in the 1.3 billion-

plus country, along with rapid industrial and infrastructure development, has put forests and natural resources under immense pressure. These changes are forcing wild animals to leave their habitats to seek shelter and food in degraded lands or areas outside forests.

“India is home to 8 per cent of the world’s species, but in our race to compete with growing economic and infrastructural development, we have forced wildlife and forest conservation to take a backseat, thereby depriving India’s precious wildlife of its homes,” says Arinita Sandilya from Wildlife SOS.

Elephants and tigers are estimated to kill more than 500 people every year. But they’re not as deadly as smaller animals: About 55,000 people die in snake-human confl icts annually, says Wildlife Trust of India confl ict mitigation expert Mayukh Chatterjee.

Similarly, 100 elephants are killed every year – hit by trains or electrocuted as their corridors have been encroached upon. Dozens of leopards are lynched by mobs. There are huge economic costs in terms of damage to crops and property.

Across India, at least 32 species are drawn into confl ict, from wild pigs to rodents.

Lawyer Meera Bhatia, who fi led a petition seeking urgent measures to tackle the monkey problem back in 2001, says the government dragged its feet on the issue. In recent months, the court has also repeatedly excoriated the government for delaying plans to sterilise the apes in order to control their wildly growing population.

Black-faced langur monkeys were previously deployed to scare away the troublesome macaques, but keeping langurs in captivity was made illegal. Now, men who mimic shrill langur-like sounds are being hired to drive away the monkeys.

Authorities are unable to deal with the monkey menace due to lack of manpower or equipment. “We pay lucrative sums for trapping monkeys, but few catchers are available. We are helpless,” says Municipal Corporation of Delhi Veterinary Director Suresh Chandra.

With booming monkey populations and neighbouring states refusing relocation requests due to the same problem, there is no alternative but to sterilise them, says Delhi’s forests conservator Tarun Johri.

Across India’s states, “management of problematic animals” like tigers, elephants and leopards through the use of barriers, elephant depredation squads or wider availability of food and water in forests is not showing results.

Some animals, like antelopes and wild boars, have even been declared as vermin from time to time, meaning they can be hunted or culled.

Experts say the animal-human confl ict can be mitigated if dealt with in a humane and sensitised manner; it is often human animosity that aggravates the situation from one of co-existence to confl ict.

Chatterjee underscores the need for an urgent outreach campaign to spread awareness and inculcate behaviour changes that will integrate local communities into wildlife conservation, empowering them to manage confl ict situations independently.

As animals are being blamed for the confl ict in territories that were once theirs, it is perhaps paradoxical that one of the most populous countries in the world is planning birth control for animals.

Unable to check the clashes, the government is funding a pilot project to develop contraceptives for antelopes, elephants, monkeys and wild boars in Uttarakhand state, where they have caused extensive crop damage.

“We should restore the forests so the animals have plenty to eat and stay,” Chandra says. “The solution lies in controlling our activities and population. We humans are to blame.” – DPA

GATHERING: Monkeys congregate in one of the halls at the Tis Hazari Courts Building in New Delhi. The lawyers and judges who work there say they’ve been attacked and harassed by the animals.

BATTLE: Delhi’s Tis Hazari Courts Building is swarming with simians, with several lawyers and their clients saying they’ve been bitten by them.


COMMUNITY OFFB

REPORTING: New Jersey has a rule for reporting people, suff ering from convulsions, seizures, loss of consciousness, or certain motor-coordination problems.INDEPENDENCE: For people who live to stay in their homes and avoid asking f

By Stacey Burling

Dolores Munson, 85, got tired last winter of waiting behind a police car that had made traffic stop

about a mile from her home. She swerved into the next lane to pass, but couldn’t help looking to see who had gotten in trouble. “I was nosy,” the Stratford, NJ, woman said. Distracted, Munson slammed into the front of the police car hard enough to break an axle on her white VW Passat. The cruiser was unharmed.

This might be good news, Joan Smeraski thought when she got the call from her mother’s Jitterbug. Maybe the police would make her mother stop driving. Smeraski had been trying for months to take the keys away, but her mother wanted the freedom that only your own car can give.

Smeraski’s hopes were dashed. The police didn’t even ticket Munson. Her insurance company was also understanding and helpful. Smeraski asked her mother’s doctor to write a note telling Munson, who has ‘mild to

moderate cognitive decline,’ not to drive. She put it on her mother’s refrigerator.

Munson is still driving.“If you live to be my age, you

will see,” she said in June as she sat in her favourite chair, the one with a view of the gloriously green backyard she won’t leave to live closer to Smeraski. “You’re in the house all the time. You sit in a chair and sometimes you wonder why you’re living. You can’t do anything. You can’t go anywhere. Sometimes you need a change of scenery.”

Smeraski and her brother and sister wondered if they might be liable if their mother hurt someone. They talked about going above their mother’s head to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission but haven’t been able to take that step.

Thousands of families are all too familiar with scenarios like this, which will grow more common as car-loving baby boomers reach old age. Especially for people who live in suburban and rural areas, driving is not only a psychological marker of independence, but also a skill that allows seniors to stay in their homes and avoid asking for or paying for help. Feeling trapped

Driving in old age: KnowFiguring out when and how to stop an elder from driving is one of the toughest challenges f

FREEDOM: Smeraski had been trying for months to take the keys away from her mother, but she wants the freedom that only one’s own car can give.

9GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYWednesday, August 1, 2018

BEAT

in suburban and rural areas, driving is not only a psychological marker of independence, but also a skill that allows seniors for or paying for help.

w when to draw the linefamilies face, and it’s made even tougher by the fact that they often don’t get much support.

in a house is depressing for people of any age, and it can make health problems worse. Adult children don’t want to make their parents miserable, but they also fear accidents. Figuring out when and how to stop an elder from driving is one of the toughest challenges families face, and it’s made even tougher by the fact that they often don’t get much support.

Deciding what to do about older drivers who are faltering is touchy for everybody. People age differently, which makes it challenging for lawmakers and insurers to create effective, non-discriminatory rules. Police have less power than you’d think. Families are likely to find their most powerful allies in doctors and driving evaluators who are trained to test older or disabled drivers.

State laws vary widely. Regular vision tests and a requirement that drivers renew licenses in person seem best at reducing fatal accidents, but only for the oldest drivers. Experts say many older drivers decide on their own to stop night and highway driving when they have trouble with vision or response times.

Despite a growing senior population, fatality rates for older

drivers have dropped in recent years, likely because cars are safer and seniors are in better health. Almost 6,000 drivers, 70 and older, died in traffic accidents in 1997 compared to 4,300 in 2015, said Jessica Cicchino, Vice President of Research for Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. But seniors still have higher rates of fatal accidents than most other age groups, in part because they are more fragile. When they’re in crashes, drivers who are 80 or older are four times more likely than middle-aged drivers to die, she said.

Older drivers don’t drive as much as younger drivers, so their per-capita crash rates are low. However, the rate of crashes per mile is twice as high for people 80 and older as it is for those 35 to 54. The risk of being in a crash where someone dies starts to rise around 70. Police can’t just suspend a licence.

It’s not as easy as taking the keys or moving the car. Experts say they know of cases where seniors ordered new keys, bought new cars, or accused an adult child of stealing the car.

Doctors in Pennsylvania are required to report to the state

patients they think shouldn’t be driving. New Jersey has that rule only for people with a short list of conditions that cause convulsions, seizures, loss of consciousness, or certain motor-coordination problems. Anyone, though, can report dangerous drivers in any state and trigger an investigation.

Michael Chitwood, Superintendent of Upper Darby Police, said his officers recently dealt with a woman in her early 90s who hit something and drove away. When they found her, she said: “You know I thought I hit something, but I wasn’t sure.” The officers reported her to the DMV but didn’t have the power to stop her from driving immediately.

Auto insurance companies might be among the first to see an uptick in claims that signals declining driving ability. But even The Hartford, which produces useful educational materials on older drivers, sidestepped a question about whether insurers could do more to identify problem older drivers. Family members are usually the first to notice a problem, said Jodi Olshevski, a gerontologist who is Executive Director of the Hartford Centre for Mature Market Excellence.

If seniors won’t listen, family members can take them for a special driving test. “We really think that comprehensive driving evaluations are the best way to go,” she said. The company will even pay for evaluations if an insured driver was injured in an accident.

Baby boomers could spare their children this nightmare by planning for old age and infirmity. “Most all of us are going to outlive our ability to drive by six or seven years,” said Alice Pomidor, a Geriatrician at Florida State University.

Smeraski and her mother, however, didn’t have that talk. Munson still wants to take a drive when she feels like it. She takes occasional local trips, to the drugstore or the ice cream shop. Her favourite ice cream is about 18 miles away. She says it’s a ‘straight run. ‘Munson has shown several warning signs that her driving is questionable. She got lost, most recently for two hours after she took a ‘shortcut’ to a relative’s house. She banged into the police car. She’s having trouble parking and backing out of the garage. Other drivers honk at her a lot “especially men,” she said. “The

men get so irritated” often because she wanders out of her lane. She has fallen, which is a risk factor for driving problems. People outside the family have started to notice. “I hold my breath every time she backs out of the driveway,” Smeraski said a neighbor told her. Munson says she’s not someone who particularly loves driving. She says she’d quit now, “if I had a chauffeur.” But she also doesn’t want to pay for more help. “I don’t throw my money around,” she said. “That’s why I have some.”

Smeraski has tried hiding the keys, but her mother finds them. More recently, she and other family members as well as her mother’s paid caregiver have made a point of taking Munson on outings. Smeraski took her mother’s car to the mechanic for maintenance and cleaning and parked it in the garage, where it has mostly stayed put. She noticed that Munson has seemed less interested in driving in the last month. She drove only twice and seemed to have lost some confidence about going out at all. Smeraski is hopeful that the driving problem will soon resolve itself. She’s also sad that an era is ending. – The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

ASSOCIATED RISK: When senior aged drivers are involved in car crashes, drivers who are 80 or older are four times more likely than middle-aged drivers to lose their lives.


COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC


COMMUNITYLIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

Whether you acknowledge it or not, Aries, creation is the central

theme of your life. If you aren’t an artist or writer, you should be.

There are plenty of creative ideas in your head clamouring to be

expressed. Why not give it a try? You have nothing to lose, and you

may be astonished by what you’re able to produce. Your brain does

have two sides. It’s time to use both.

Your ego may be bruised by events from a few days back. Has

it occurred to you that it’s within your power to right the wrong

you feel was done to you? It isn’t a matter of confrontation but

of conversation. The person in question is probably unaware of

what they did or said. An expression of your dismay might elicit an

apology. You’ll both feel better for having cleared the air.

This is a day of untold opportunity, Libra. If you’ve been concerned

that you haven’t been using your full creative potential, you can put

that concern to rest today. Your creativity is boundless and you’ll

finally realise it. Be on the lookout for any unusual opportunities.

Someone or something you encounter could have meaningful ripple

eff ects on you.

If you follow your instincts and dare to take some risks, Capricorn,

you’ll be handsomely rewarded. You have the capability to make a

good project great. Do your best not to get distracted today. Keep

your eye on the big picture rather than let yourself get bogged down

in details. You’ll find that when you take care of the big issues, the

little ones take care of themselves.

You seem to be filled with questions, Taurus. Some of them are

big, some trivial. All you know is that they preoccupy you, and the

answers aren’t readily apparent. Don’t fret. All that will change

by day’s end. The planetary configurations are such that all the

confusing events of recent days will begin to make sense. Your world

will once again seem calm and orderly. Enjoy it.

Today’s planetary configurations are pushing you to get some

perspective on your life and the lives of people closest to you, Leo.

You must admit that you’ve been rather selfish lately. You aren’t the

centre of the universe, so why do you sometimes act like you are?

This is a day to make amends with friends and loved ones. They’ll

welcome you back with open arms.

There’s tension in the air today, Scorpio. Even though it isn’t your

doing, you may want to keep a low profile, especially if you need

to work. Try to avoid any discussions. Just because someone is

confrontational doesn’t mean you have to rise to the bait. It would be

better if you didn’t. Keep to yourself and all of this will blow over by

tomorrow when it will be safe to mingle again.

Finally, Aquarius, you’ll be able to breathe a long overdue sigh of

relief. It’s likely that you’ve been worried about your finances for

some time. Well, you need worry no longer. The events of today

either put you back in the black or show you a clear path to get

there. You’ve been working hard to resolve these financial matters.

You can now start working smarter.

You’re an individual, Gemini, but sometimes it’s hard for you to

suppress your uniqueness in order to get the job done. It may not

be you. The problem may be your job. If you’re feeling like you don’t

have enough fun in your life or you aren’t using the full potential of

your creativity, this might be a good time to make a change – a big

change. You’re ready to take on new challenges.

This is a day to be up front with your partner, Virgo. It’s possible

that your relationship has reached some sort of stalemate. It’s up

to you to get that fire burning brightly once again. A nice outfit, a

reservation at the best restaurant, and you and your mate are back

together.

You’re a dreamer at heart, Sagittarius. You prefer not to think about

material things. That explains why you tend to forget groceries

or dry cleaning. You’re happiest if things get done for you. But

circumstances today will force you to handle some of these

mundane chores. You’ll feel better by day’s end just knowing you

can be self-suff icient even if you don’t want to be.

Separate the wheat from the chaff today. Look at your relationships

and decide who your true friends are. You’re loyal, which is to your

credit, but why be loyal to people who don’t return it? You’ve given

these so-called friends plenty of chances to demonstrate their

aff ection. It’s time to let them fall by the wayside and free up time to

spend with your real friends.

Lipsticks for diff erent skin tones

The all-time favourite lipstick is the “go-to” makeup item when one wants to quickly refresh their make-up look. From peachy nudes to vibrant reds to dark plums, there are

a variety of colours and shades that one can try but make sure you are opting according to your skin tone.

International Lipstick Day was celebrated on July 29. Roy N Subramoney, Managing Director, INGLOT Cosmetics, APAC & Middle East lists lipstick shades for diff erent skin tones.

Fair skin tone: Women with fair skin tone can pull of any shade. Lighter shades of peach, pink or nudes go very well during day. One can opt for shades of coral, peach, orange, pink & fuchsia in lighter colours. Bold red, cherry red, berry and plum tones work well for evenings. Nudes itself has a wide range of off ering these days, one can opt for salmon nudes, rosewood or nude lipsticks with pink undertones.

Medium skin tone: Medium skin toned women can carry of a multitude of colours confi dently. You can pick shades of berry red, rust, brick red, maroon or burgundy for evenings while orange, mauves, pinks, lilac and cinnamon work their magic during the day. Further, bronze tones in creamy as well as matte fi nish look stunning on wheatish skin tones. For a natural look one can also opt for deep nudes

or natural browns. Inglot has a wide range of shades in both cream, matte and gloss fi nish to off er.

Dark skin tone: Dark skin is gorgeous and can be enhanced with a lip colour that complements it best. Shades with yellow undertone work well for darker skin tones. Pink, Crimson red, brown and berry shades, shades of copper, walnut, bronze and honey,

oxblood, maroons, and rose tones look great on these skin tones. For nudes, one can opt for gingerbread nudes, nudes with a brown tint or a rosy brown nude shade.

Uma Talreja, Chief Marketing & Chief Customer Offi cer, Shoppers Stop Ltd., decodes lip colour codes for every Indian skin tone

Ruby Red: Celebrities have claimed their loyalty to the Ruby Red shade, and

ever since, we’ve fallen head over heels for this lipstick. This one remains the most iconic in the every makeup collection and we don’t doubt why. A super matte fi nish coupled with a magical red that suits almost every Indian skin tone, this shade remains a blessing in disguise!

Bright Tomato Red: Try a liquid lipstick to make your pop with rich pigments, infused into a luxurious cream formula. A single swipe of tomato red tone shade and you’re spared frequent re-applications! The lipstick stands out the most on fair to wheatish skin tones.

Wild Berry: If you asked us the trick to achieving fuller lips, we’d suggest you get your hands on a rich berry shade. Deep tones like Wild Berry give your lips a fl awless, sculpted look. This one works like magic on wheatish to dusky complexions.

Aloha Coral: Let vibrant be your goal, even if it’s a gloomy Monday! Get the Aloha Coral shade on board and fi x a date with your most colourful ensembles. This lip colour in matte beats the clock with its high staying power; with no worry about re-applications. Easy gliding, matte-fi nish, hydrated lips for a smile that takes the breath away! If you have a medium skin tone, this one needs to top your list. — IANS


COMMUNITY CARTOONS/PUZZLES

Adam

Pooch Cafe

Garfield

Bound And Gagged

Codeword

Wordsearch

Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once. Squares with the same number in have the same letter in. Work out which number represents which letter.

Puzz

les

cour

tesy

: Puz

zlec

hoic

e.co

m

Sudoku

Sudoku is a puzzle based

on a 9x9 grid. The grid is

also divided into nine (3x3)

boxes. You are given a

selection of values and to

complete the puzzle, you

must fill the grid so that

every column, every anone

is repeated.

Harry Potter

BLUDGERSDUDLEYDUMBLEDOREFLUFFYHAGRIDHARRYHERMIONE

HOGWARTSMUGGLESNIMBUSPETUNIAPOTTERQUIDDITCHRIDLEY

SNAPESNITCHSPROUTVERNONVOLDEMORT


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

ACROSS3. Those produced by the

domestic film industry (4,6)8. Cloth helping to decorate a

wall (6)9 and 10. Infernal road pavers?

(4,10)11. Musical princess back in the

first year of a new era (3)13. Turkish governor has five in

for company (4)14. A papal edict - one on fruit (7)15. Something afoot to ring the

woman about? (4)17. Part of a lawnmower to deal

with a grass one (5)20. Out of sorts and looking rather

shabby (5)22. Young swimmer gets bird to

turn off (4)24. Grows tired as you and I sign

on (7)25. Was successful, it’s said, in

years gone by (4)27. Also, a rower might be hiding

it (3)28. A flower to prune back in this

way without any bother (10)29. Impression created by a

Russian banker getting left out (4)

30. Caught in the near future returning with the editor (6)

31. Does he have all the answers in the divorce court (10)

Super Cryptic Clues

Yesterday’s Solutions

Across: 1 Choice; 5 Logger; 8 Alone; 9 Slacks; 10 Ordain; 11 Titan; 14 Treating; 16 Dollar; 18 Stayed the course; 20 Slinks; 22 Scathing; 25 Grill; 27 Turn on; 28 Assail; 29 Amati; 30 Rommel; 31 Nearly.

Down: 1 Cosset; 2 Opal; 3 East wind; 4 Cottage hospital; 5 Leonid; 6 Goat; 7 Ranger; 12 Varying; 13 Sloughs; 15 Ratel; 17 Arson; 19 Chaplain; 20 Suitor; 21 Signal; 23 Galley; 24 Grim; 26 Fair.

DOWN1. Where, among the RAF cadets,

a hundred were successful competitors (8)

2. Jeer about my name (6)3. Get to know about the empty

radiators (7)4. Sign of assent I’m giving when

standing as a fielder (3-2)5. Attacks and robs the gullible

types (4)6. Make it known that at one

point I acted strangely (8)7. Long-term plan to get sheep

to wander around (8)12. It means there’s something

extra, which is an advantage (4)

14. How to put up with a beard being trimmed (4)

16. Beer-makers have their own gardens (4)

17. Score a knock-down as you deliver the six balls (4,4)

18. You may see them in crosswords when two animals are included (8)

19. It’s a great tale of the Picts (4)21. Quarrels when placed among

the new sides (8)23. Traveller, worker and I go in to

do some more brushwork (7)25. Irishman gets support of

heavyweight general (6)26. Fire responsible for a facial

mark (5)28. French staff in some

discomfort? (4)


COMMUNITY SHOWBIZ

Glitz &

GlamBy Muhammad Asad Ullah

A starry night of recognition

After a turbulent year in Pakistan entertainment industry, release of one fi lm after another, drama serials scoring

high and actors going beyond borders for recognition, all eyes were on the main event: the 6th HUM Awards. Time to fi nd out whether crowd favourites left empty-handed or the underdogs swept the show with the winners.

As the industry celebrated one of Pakistan’s most cogitated golden statuettes of Pakistan, held in Toronto recently, came with the fair share of snubs and surprises. Well, there’s nothing new about it, you can always expect surprises at this event but knowing where to expect them is tricky. This year they came

early, off ering some hair-raising spectacles and the others, well, leaving a sour note.

From the new sensation on the block who this year has started to make waves in the industry and already stipulated to make a silver screen debut, to the Excellence in Cinema Award for a woman who took over Lollywood with storm during her time; there are lots of surprises and predicted winners with lots of familiar faces in what is arguably, the most defi nitive selection of entertainment industry.

As expected, political zingers from host Yasir Hussain and Sanam Jung charmed the audiences at their gig. Yasir’s desi comedy did get a reality check and of course in a good way after his abominable

and slipping comments last year, that forced the public and media backlash. Similar script and tiredness in content as Yasir gets synonymous with comic acts, but that doesn’t really matter till he’s successful enough in bringing humour to a fi ve hours long show. Isn’t it?

Power packed performances, including the young lot of the entertainment industry taking over the stage to Mahira Khan’s performance, it was nice to see all coming together. Not only did our favourite stars push the envelope in their respective nominated categories, but they also stepped it up on the red carpet as well.

Although actress Mahira Khan is a really good dancer, and has always

proved her raw talent worldwide, but the dress she sported for her performance wasn’t just ‘it’. The deep blue silhouette paired with Kajra and tied up hair, couldn’t really do justice to the current cine queen, who set the stage alight.

One could always censure why Lollywood must dance to Bollywood tunes. There is no denying the latter’s infl uence in the Pakistani pop culture and more so in the entertainment arena but, since Pakistani movies are rolling in with real substance lately, the awards this season was an eff ort to promote Pakistani content. Even Raees’s Zaalima was re-done as a cover track for Mahira’s performance!

Where last year’s award belonged

to Sania Saeed’s starrer Sang-e-Mar Mar, this time it was the turn of Alif Allah Aur Insaan and Yaqeen Ka Safar to win big. Where the former won six out of 18 total in television category, the most of the ceremony, including Best Actor in Supporting Role – Male/Female, Best Actor in a Negative Role, Best Writer Drama Serial, Best Director Drama Serial – Jury, Most Impactful Character in Serial and Best Drama Serial – Jury, Yaqeen Ka Safar bagged fi ve on a night of recognition.

Where actor Humayun Saeed is considered a regular when it comes to performing, actresses Hareem Farooq, Kubra Khan and Hania Amir were an absolute surprise, and defi nitely in a good way. It was a fantastic night of racy performers where, Ahad Raza Mir, Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mikaal Zulfi qar, for instance, put in the most rousing act of a resplendent evening.

The Best Female and Male Actor — Popular category had a mix of actors who have perfected their own style. But Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed continue to get bigger and better every year and their claim to the trophy of Recognition Awards in Film was indisputable. Where Reema took the award for Excellence in Cinema, the night belonged to Sajal Aly however, winning Best Actor(Female) Drama Serial — Jury and Popular. As for Best Actor (Popular), who else could have won but the new fi ne addition to Pakistan entertainment fraternity: Ahad Raza Mir.

ON SONG: Hania Amir sizzled the stage at 6th HUM Awards in Toronto.

RECOGNITION: Reema Khan was honoured with the Excellence in Cinema Award.

WINNERS: Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly receiving awards for their performance in Yaqeen Ka Safar.

CENTRE-STAGE: Mahira Khan during her performance on stage.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

Carrie’s posthumous Star Wars appearance applauded

Following news that the late Carrie Fisher would appear in the next Star Wars fi lm via previously unreleased footage, her brother, Todd Fisher, released a statement expressing his approval.

“I couldn’t be more personally thrilled and happy that our Carrie will reprise her role as Princess Leia in the new and fi nal Star Wars Episode IX, using previously unreleased footage of her shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” he said in a statement.

“As we, her family, as well as her extended family of fans around the world so believe, Carrie’s ‘Princess Leia’ is forever entrenched in the franchise and her indelible presence is fundamental to the fi lm.

“J J Abrams understood Carrie’s iconic role, and he has masterfully re-crafted this fi nal entry to include this unused and very last footage of Carrie ever taken, without resorting to CGI or animatronics. Our family and her fans will look forward with great anticipation for this one! Her force will forever be with us!”

In April 2017, Fisher told various media

outlets that his sister would be featured in the upcoming fi lm, but Lucasfi lm President Kathleen Kennedy quickly shot it down and said he was “confused.”

“Sadly, Carrie will not be in Nine,” Kennedy told ABC News at the time. “But we’ll see a lot of her in Eight, which is great.

Todd Fisher “was probably confused because we fi nished everything in Eight, and Carrie is absolutely phenomenal in the movie,” Kennedy continued. “We’re so happy that we were able to complete shooting in the summer. Unfortunately, Carrie passed away.”

But news of Fisher’s role in Episode IX was confi rmed in an offi cial statement from Lucasfi lm recently. “We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” director J J Abrams said in the statement. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us.

“We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honour Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”

Franchise veteran Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker in the fi lms, also took to Twitter over the weekend to share

his thoughts on the news.“It’s bittersweet facing my fi nal

chapter without her,” he tweeted. “She is simply irreplaceable. I’m fi nding solace in the fact that she won’t BE replaced & would love the worldwide outpouring of aff ection from those who loved her when they heard the news. #CarrieOnForever.”

Fisher died Dec. 27, 2016, at age 60. Star Wars: Episode IX is scheduled to hit theatres Dec. 20, 2019. – Los Angeles Times/TNS

Salman welcomes ‘beautiful’, ‘virtuous’ Katrina to Bharat

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on Monday welcomed Katrina Kaif to the cast of Bharat in style, by calling her “sundar” (beautiful) and “susheel” (virtuous).

“Ek sundar aur susheel ladki jiska naam hai Katrina Kaif... Swagat hai aapka Bharat ki zindagi mein (A beautiful and virtuous girl named Katrina... We welcome you the world of Bharat),” Salman tweeted.

Katrina, who has given several hits with Salman at the box offi ce, will play his love interest in Bharat, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. The three are reuniting for the period drama after Tiger Zinda Hai. Zafar had also directed Katrina in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, and is looking forward to working with his “three collaboration buddy”.

Katrina has stepped into a role which was originally being played by Priyanka Chopra, who according to Zafar, opted out of the project “in the Nick of time”. His announcement alluded to US media speculations about Priyanka’s engagement to American singer-songwriter Nick Jonas.

Bharat went on fl oors earlier this month. It has already begun the fi rst schedule, including a grand circus sequence featuring Salman and Disha Patani.

Katrina will join the shoot in the upcoming schedules beginning in September. – IANS

You make my world better: Sonam to Anand Ahuja

Actress Sonam Kapoor Ahuja says her husband and businessman Anand Ahuja makes the world better for her.

Sonam wished Anand on his 35th birthday on Monday and shared a photograph of herself along with him. She also described Anand as the “kindest and gentlest.”

“To the love of my life and the kindest and gentlest soul I know, a very very happy birthday! You make my world better and I’m so blessed you were born today. We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fl y by embracing one another.” Luciano De Crescenzo. Always and forever,” Sonam captioned the image.

Sonam’s father and actor Anil Kapoor too shared a photograph of himself along with his son-in-law and captioned it: You have chased your dreams and now you are living them! Does not get better than this! Happy Birthday, Anand Ahuja! You are already having a hell of a year and I hope the coming years are fi lled with even more success and happiness! Never let that spark fade! Love always!”

Sonam tied the knot with long-time beau Anand Ahuja at a ceremony in Mumbai in May.

On the acting front, the Veere Di Wedding actress will next be seen in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, which will be hitting the screens on February 1, 2019. – IANS

IRREPLACEABLE: Carrie Fisher will appear in the next Star Wars film via previously unreleased footage.

WECLOMED: Katrina Kaif has stepped into a role which was off ered to Priyanka Chopra, who opted out of the project.

HAPPY COUPLE: Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, left, wished her husband Anand Ahuja.

Guardians cast calls forreturn of James Gunn

By Libby Hill

The Guardians of the Galaxy has found a new mission, and it has nothing to do with Thanos.

On Monday, assorted cast members turned to social

media to share an open letter calling for the reinstatement of the franchise’s director, James Gunn, who was fi red by Walt Disney Co. on July 20.

“Although I don’t support James

Gunn’s inappropriate jokes from years ago, he is a good man,” Guardians star Chris Pratt wrote on Instagram, his fi rst offi cial comment on Disney’s decision.

“I’d personally love to see him reinstated as director of Volume 3. If you please, read the following statement- signed by our entire cast,” he continued.

Pratt’s language can be seen echoed in postings by fellow cast mates, suggesting a standardised comment aimed at distancing themselves from Gunn’s previous actions.

Gunn was fi red after some years-old

tweets resurfaced featuring the director joking about topics including rape, pedophilia, 9/11 and the Holocaust.

During the fallout, Gunn apologised for being a diff erent person in the past.

“Many people who have followed my career know when I started, I viewed myself as a provocateur, making movies and telling jokes that were outrageous and taboo,” he wrote. “As I have discussed publicly many times, as I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humour…. I used to make a lot of off ensive jokes. I don’t anymore.”

The open letter from the cast admonishes the lack of due process in the court of public opinion, in addition to repeating the actors’ love and support for their director.

“We fully support James Gunn. We were all shocked by his abrupt fi ring last week and have intentionally waited these ten days to respond in order to think, pray, listen and discuss,” the letter opens.

“In that time, we’ve been encouraged by the outpouring of support from fans and members of the media who wish to see James reinstated as director of Volume 3 as well as discouraged by those so easily duped into believing the many outlandish conspiracy theories surrounding him.”

It adds, “We hope Americans from across the political spectrum can ease up on the character assassinations and stop weaponising mob mentality.”

The open letter went out across Instagram and Twitter from a number of Guardians cast members, including Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker and Pom Klementieff . Bradley Cooper also signed the letter, but appeared to lack the social media profi les to share it. – Los Angeles Times/TNS

IN DEMAND: The cast members turned to social media to share an open letter calling for the reinstatement of the franchise’s director, James Gunn.


COMMUNITY

There’s certainly no doubt about Vitamin D’s key importance to the body. While you probably know that your body

naturally produces the vitamin once your skin is exposed to UVB rays and then makes its way to the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, and bones, the protuberant benefi ts of Vitamin D are a far more recent discovery.

Touted by experts Vitamin D may help obviate pains, aches, eliminate fatigue, increase muscle power, all while strengthening bones. It’s quite an impressive list of pros. The most abundant source of Vitamin D by far is the sun, but still many of us remains Vitamin D defi cient.

Salem Saeed al-Asmi, 31, a young Qatari businessman, has been campaigning in raising awareness about Vitamin D defi ciency. He has been trying to apprise people of causes and eff ects of the defi ciency and how it can be over-powered.

Community recently sat with Salem at MegaSun, his company offi ce, to talk about his work and means of raising awareness, concerning Vitamin D defi ciency and its importance.

Tell us about yourself.I am a co-founder and president

of MegaSun. It is a company specialising in healthcare, tanning

and cosmetics. We have machines to provide sunlight and address Vitamin D defi ciency.

I ventured in this business because I wanted to do something new. The idea came to me when I was studying in Russia. Basically, the machine is a box of sun. I introduced it in Qatar, keeping in mind the kind of lifestyle people follow here. My European friends tell me that the sun here is too hot for tanning. They often say that people living in Qatar doesn’t have a culture of going out in the sun. I have studied how Vitamin D works in the body and how important the sunlight is.

I started the business for two reasons: fi rst, I wanted to do something new and; second, to address the Vitamin D defi ciency.

How did you get interested in doing research about Vitamin D?

I saw one of my elderly relatives die of cancer. I believed that the disease was caused due to the defi ciency of Vitamin D. If you are Vitamin D defi cient, the chances of you getting cancer increases by 50 percent. My research shows the number of young people getting cancer is increasing. This is a medical problem that can be

prevented just by changing our lifestyle and exposing ourselves to the sunlight. Unfortunately, the majority of people do not understand the problem and do not take it seriously.

When did you actually realise the need for creating awareness?

When I studied the problem, I realised that the people needed to be aware of the causes and eff ects of this defi ciency. Honestly, I started it from my family. I see a lot children aged below 7 with black teeth. Well, their teeth should not be black. Their teeth get black because of

Vitamin D defi ciency. I see a lot of women with eczema because of the vitamin defi ciency. It has a lot to do with the lifestyle one follows.

What have you so far been doing to raise the awareness?

I have been speaking about the defi ciency and how it can be controlled on social media. I have been writing about the issue on my social media accounts. My company also carries out awareness activities. I have been working with diff erent people to raise awareness, especially amongst children and women.

The level of the vitamin should

not be less than 14 nanograms/millilitre in the body. If it is 17 or above, it is good. My research says that 50 percent of people, due to their lifestyle, are at the dangerous level of vitamin defi ciency.

What are your solutions for the problem?

I defi nitely do not see medicine as a solution. The medicine may be good, but we already have a natural solution.

I think a normal person needs to spend an hour under the sun every day. One should fi nd outdoor activities and should do sports. We can have our lunch while sitting in the sun. If people start spending their one hour lunch break out in the sun, the number of Vitamin D defi cient people can be reduced by 20 percent.

People should give a chance to their children to grow up in the sun. There should be more outdoor activities at the schools.

What are your future plans?I want to go to diff erent hospitals

and speak at high-end places and events to underpin the issue. I want to visit diff erent educational institutions to raise awareness. I want people to take it seriously. Working hard in the open is a blessing in disguise. It is important to absorb the vitamin when the children are in the growing process. It is necessary for their development.

‘Get yourself in sun to absorb Vitamin D’

The most abundant source of

Vitamin D by far is the sun, but

still many of us remain Vitamin D

deficient. By Mudassir Raja

RAISING AWARENESS: Salem Saeed al-Asmi talks about raising awareness concerning Vitamin D deficiency. Photos by Ram Chand

BOX OF LIGHT: The machines act like a box of sun, to provide sunlight and address Vitamin D deficiency.

Documents

Snapshot - Gulf Times