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Sha’baan 29, 1437 AHSunday, June 5, 2016

CommunityTraditional Lebanese cuisine gets

the respect and sincerity it deserves at City Centre Rotana Doha’s new restaurant Misk.

CommunityThrough Education for All programme, PWF has already

educated 800 children while more are currently benefiting from it.

P7 P20

Cuban ambassador Ernesto D Plasencia

Escalante brings home the joys of

multiculturalism in a career that

Doha topped for sheer depth. P4-5

COVER

STORYA world citizen

MILESTONE: Qatar was the first posting as ambassador for Ernesto Plasencia Escalante. Photo by Umer Nangiana

Sunday, June 5, 20162 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Housefull 3 GENRE: Comedy, RomanceCAST: Nargis Fakhri, Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline FernandezDIRECTION: Farhad-SajidSYNOPSIS: Housefull 3 is a light-hearted romantic

comedy fi lm, which is the third instalment in the Housefull

fi lm series. The movie revolves around the story of a father who doesn’t want his three daughters to get married. How three men try to convince him and marry his daughters forms the crux of the movie.

THEATRES: The Mall, Royal Plaza

High StrungGENRE: Drama,

Musical, RomanceCAST: Keenan

Kampa, Nicholas Galitzine, Jane Seymour

DIRECTION: Michael Damian

SYNOPSIS: When a hip hop violinist busking in the New York subway encounters a classical dancer on scholarship at the Manhattan Conservatory of the Arts, sparks fl y. With the help of a hip hop dance crew they must fi nd a common ground while preparing for a competition that could change their lives forever.

THEATRES: The Mall, Royal Plaza

Mall Cinema (1): Rock The Kasbah (2D) 11.30am; Don’t Grow Up (2D) 1pm; House Full (Hindi) 2.30pm; Born To Dance (2D) 5pm; Don’t Grow Up (2D) 6.45pm; House Full (Hindi) 8.15pm; Iraivi (Tamil) 10.45pm.Mall Cinema (2): Born To Dance (2D) 11.45am; Go With Me (2D) 1.30pm; Angry Birds Movie (2D) 3.15pm; Angry Birds Movie (2D) 5pm; Warcraft (2D) 7pm; X-Men Apocalypse (2D) 9pm; Rock The Kasbah (2D) 11.30pm.Mall Cinema (3): High Strung (2D) 11.45pm; Warcraft (2D) 1.30pm; Velainu Vanthutta (Tamil) 3.30pm;

The Jungle Book (2D) 6pm; Elly Ektashoo Matoo (Arabic) 7.45pm; High Strung (2D) 9.45pm; Go With Me (2D) 11.30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): ouse Full (Hindi) 11.30am; Angry Birds Movie (2D) 2pm; The Jungle Book (2D) 4pm; House Full (Hindi) 6pm; X-Men Apocalypse (2D) 8.30pm; House Full (Hindi) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Born To Dance (2D) 12.30pm; Don’t

Grow Up (2D) 2.15pm; Born To Dance (2D) 4pm; Angry Birds Movie (2D) 5.45pm; Don’t Grow Up (2D) 7.30pm; Warcraft (2D) 9.15pm; Rock The Kasbah (2D) 11.30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Go With Me (2D) 12.15pm; Rock The Kasbah (2D) 2pm; High Strung (2D) 3.45pm; Warcraft (2D) 5.30pm; Go With Me (2D) 7.45pm; Elly Ektashoo Matoo (Arabic) 9.30pm; High Strung (2D) 11.30pm.Asian Town Cinema: Iraivi (Tamil) 9.30pm; King Liar (Malayalam) 9pm; Ithu Namma Aalu (Tamil) 9.15pm; Houseful 3 (Hindi) 9 & 11.45pm.

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

PRAYER TIMEFajr 3.15amShorooq (sunrise) 4.43amZuhr (noon) 11.32amAsr (afternoon) 2.56pmMaghreb (sunset) 6.24pmIsha (night) 7.54pm

If you have only one smile in you give it to the people

you love. — Maya Angelou

3Sunday, June 5, 2016 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

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

EVENTS

Sunset KayakingDATE: June 17-25TIME: 4pmVENUE: Al ThakhiraThis is a tour designed for the holy month

of Ramadan. Enjoy a great sunset paddling in the beautiful mangroves of Al Thakhira. After Kayaking, we head back to the beach and go for a potluck Iftar where people share their food! There will be a BBQ set up as well.

Chinese Food Culture FestivalDATE: June 30-July 9TIME: 8pm- 12pmVENUE: Barwa Commercial AvenueWant to taste Chinese food? Want to

watch breath taking Chinese performances? Well now you can enjoy the authentic taste and watch wonderful Chinese performances at the Dragon Mart China Mall. Bringing you 10 days of food festivities. Barwa Commercial Avenue, opposite Al Watan petrol station from June 30 to July 9, from 8pm-12pm.

Summer Camp & ClinicDATE: July 3-14TIME: 9amVENUE: Al Waab, Al Bustan, DohaThe camps & clinics are a fantastic

opportunity to maintain contact time with your coach, whether that is soccer, basketball or multi-sports. Come along, learn new skills and meet new friends who have the same passion and desire for the game as you do.

Interpretations Art ExhibitionDATE: Until tomorrowTIME: 10am- 9pmVENUE: Katara Art Center, Building 5The International School of London

Qatar’s Visual Arts Department inaugural exhibition is taking place in the Katara Arts Center until June 6. The works of the ‘Interpretation’ exhibition represents a wide range of ages and stages of artistic development and are selected from the school’s IB Middle Years and Diploma Years Programmes students. It is through sensory exploration and interaction that students learn to explore their feelings and confirm their understanding of the world through the senses.

Karting & Mini Moto TrackDATE: Until July 1TIME: 6:30pmVENUE: Losail International CircuitThe Karting and Mini Moto Track will be

open every Thursday and Friday until July 1 after which the track will close until further notice. QR100 per session of 15 minutes. Helmet mask QR15 – not refundable.

Dance Classes with Salsa n CandelaVENUE: Hilton Hotel-West BaySalsa n Candela offers variety of dance

classes for kids and adults at Hilton Hotel, Eforea Spa Studio, such as Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Swing, Tango and Greek classes. Price at QR60 per class per person.

QSports Summer CampDATE: June 19-Sept 1TIME: 8am-1pmVENUE: Al Jazeera AcademyRegistration for QSports Summer

Camp 2016 is now open. QSports summer camps are committed to providing a safe, fun and skill-based experience for kids between the ages of four and 14. We have a dedicated team of specialist kid’s coaches and classes and activities are safe, planned, progressive, active, creative, inclusive and designed to maximise participation of all children by offering a variety of activities.

Yamativo Salsa ClassesDATE: Every MondayTIME: 7pmVENUE: Radisson BluIt’s always fun and always challenging.

Let’s meet and learn some moves every Monday night. You don’t need to do anything, just join us. Level 1 (intermediate level) 7pm and for beginner level 8pm. Be there at Radisson Blu Hotel Cabana Club.

Shifting SandsDATE: Until July 7VENUE: Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim

Museum, AlsamariyahMA students of UCL Qatar are organising

and curating an exhibition as part of UCLQurates. In the very recent past, Qatar has undergone a significant transformation; through these developments, people have had to adapt to the changing landscape in which they live.

Spring Exhibition MIADATE: Until July 16TIME: 10:30am- 5pmVENUE: QM Gallery Al RiwaqAn exhibition of 15 contemporary

Chinese artists, curated by internationally acclaimed New York-based Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, is on view at the QM Gallery Al Riwaq. The exhibition is the major highlight presented in the context of the Qatar China 2016 Year of Culture. Artworks exemplifying each and every artist’s unique artistic language and methodology are displayed in individual galleries.

Qatari Agricultural Product YardsDATE: Until June 30VENUE: Al Mazrooa, Al Zakheera, Al

Khor, Al WakrahThe Ministry of Environment has opened

the 4th season of Qatari agricultural product yards for selling locally produced fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and livestock. Work in these yards will continue for seven months. The yards will operate three days a week on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7am to 5pm, with livestock vendors in Al Mazrooa operating at the same times throughout the week.

Join in our Walk-in WeekendsDATE: Every Saturday VENUE: MIA AtriumMIA art education and calligraphy teams

offer walk-in workshops in MIA’s atrium every Saturday. These walk-in workshops are for open for all family members.

FOODIE CHOICE

RESTAURANT: ParisaLOCATION: Sharq Village & SpaPersian cuisine featuring traditional

dishes with a contemporary, modern twist. Located above Al Dana Restaurant,

this outlet takes Iranian cuisine to a new level.

Al GannasDATE: Until Oct 30TIME: 9am -11:30amVENUE: Al Gannas SocietyAl Gannas Association is participating in the ‘Our culture is a school’ programme by

organising many activities for the students every Monday and Wednesday of the week. These activities include explanations on hunting and related tools, kinds of falcons and preys, in addition to workshop on how to carry a falcon, set a traditional tent (made of goat & camel hair), prepare traditional Arabic coffee, etc.


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

“At the end, you are little pieces of many cultures”

— Ernesto D Plasencia Escalante, Ambassador of Cuba

Photo by Umer Nangiana

nesto D Plasennccia Escalaanntte,, AAmmbbaassssaaddoor ooff CCuba

I am 100 percent

Cuban but I now (I feel) I am a mosaic of multiple cultures.

It is a small united nations, I would

say

SUNDAY CONVERSATION

By Umer Nangiana

Like any other job, a career in Foreign Service comes with its ups and downs. But the best it off ers is the opportunity

to explore and interact with so many diff erent cultures. And it gets even better when you experience multiculturalism at a single station.

This is how the four-year stay in Qatar has been for Ernesto D Plasencia Escalante, the ambassador of Cuba to Qatar. For Escalante, it has been the experience of his life.

“To be a diplomat is to share a part of you with the world and at the same time to be ready to be impacted and loved by so many cultures. At the end, you are little pieces of many cultures,” says Escalante, speaking to Community, in an interview.


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

His four-year term as the sixth ambassador of his country in Qatar is coming to an end as he prepares to say goodbye to Doha in August. As a diplomat, Escalante has been to many countries in the Middle Eastern region and to United States of America, Qatar is his fi rst ambassadorial assignment.

While representing his country and its culture here in this “mosaic of cultures”, the Cuban ambassador says he has absolutely cherished the exclusive opportunity presented by Qatar to experience multiculturalism.

“I am 100 percent Cuban but I now (I feel) I am a mosaic of multiple cultures. I had the chance to interact with so many nationalities and to be among so many beautiful people here,” says Escalante. He has been one of the most socially active members of the diplomatic corps in Doha.

“You come to Qatar and you would fi nd pieces of culture from countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Ethiopia, Europe, North and Latin Americas. It indeed is a mosaic. It is a small united nations, I would say. You have people from everywhere here,” the ambassador elaborates, with a smile.

Before coming to Qatar, he has been posted to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries before spending “fi ve long winters” in Washington, DC. Cuba opened its embassy in Qatar in June 1994.

Escalante recalls they were among one of the fi rst embassies opened in the state of Qatar and the fi rst Latin American embassy opened here 22 years ago. The embassy of Qatar in Havana was opened in 2001. It is a long history of bilateral relations, he says.

Cuba established a hospital in Dukhan here in 2012. It has more than 40 specialities and over 400 Cuban physicians and nurses working in it.

“It is our treasure that we are sharing with the state of Qatar to assist them in enhancing the healthcare system. It is something

that we rejoice (in). In 2012, there were 200 Cubans working in the hospital, now they are more than 450,” says Escalante.

The Cuban diaspora here is a small but growing community, says the ambassador. At present, there are over 600 Cubans working in Qatar, the number however is growing.

“At this moment, we are concentrating on co-operation and collaboration between Qatar and Cuba in the fi eld of healthcare. But we are discussing other sectors such as tourism, culture, sports and many other fi elds,” the Cuban ambassador adds.

Moving on from just services at the moment, Escalante says he would love to see more Cuban goods

in Qatar and Qatari goods in Cuba in future. Tourism is one sector where Cuba has great potential.

“The Cuban government and the people decided in the 1990s to develop tourism as a way to improve our economy, and show to the world its wonders. The basic wonder of my country is its people. We are very candid, very open and very warm people,” says Escalante.

At the moment, Cuba is receiving tourists from almost all over the world. Last year, they received around 3.7 million tourists and this year, the Cuban ambassador hopes it will get very close to touching 4 million tourists.

It is diffi cult to say how many Qataris exactly go to Cuba, he says, as a lot of people from here travel to

Europe or Latin America and from there they go to Cuba. However, he is certain the number of local Qatari nationals visiting Cuba has increased manifold compared to previous years.

Whenever he fi nds leisure here for himself, Escalante says he loves to take a stroll at Corniche or visit Doha’s museums if he is not going out into the desert or the beaches. Katara Cultural Village and Souq Waqif are among his favourite places in Doha.

However, there is one thing he has missed in Qatar. “I think Qatar would have it in future and I always wonder why it did not have it. I think Qatar, being a country by the sea, needs a very beautiful big aquarium,” Escalante points out.

He regrets he would not be here to see the under construction National Museum when it opens but he hopes to return to Doha to see all the unfi nished mega projects when they are fi nished.

Besides being socially active in the diplomatic community, Escalante remains closely in touch with his Cuban community.

“I interact with my community almost every day. We are a small community so all of them have my cellphone and all of them contact me directly at any time without hesitation. All of them are welcome to the embassy at all times,” says the ambassador.

“We also organise twice or thrice a year a gathering at my home. It gives me a chance to interact with them to basically know their problems and their needs or concerns. And then we also organise parties where we have children running around my house, ripping leaves from some of my plants,” he laughs.

Recently, he held a meeting of the fi rst half of the year in his house, attended by more than 80 members of the Cuban community. Escalante also takes every available opportunity to promote his country’s culture here in Doha. A Cuban band performed for four days at Grand Hyatt last month.

In February, Cuba participated in an exhibition in Katara from 11 Latin American countries. Last month, a Cuban-Balkan musical group performed at Katara as part of Cultural Diversity Festival.

Escalante arrived in Doha in 2012 and after four “beautiful and happy years” his stay here is coming to an end. However, he feels he now has a part of Qatar in him. “We might be physically leaving Qatar but I think I am going to always remember Qatar as a very nice experience,” says the Cuban ambassador.

He expresses his thanks to the state of Qatar especially to HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and HH the Father Emir for the warmth and love, he says, he received here.

His fofour-ambassada oris cominng to to say gooodbyAs a dipllomatto many y countEastern region States oof Ameriambasssadorial a

Whhiile represeand itts culture he“moosaic of culturammbbassador says hchcherished the exclupresented by Qatar multiculturalism.

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The ambassador, with his spouse on the right, pose with performers from a Cuban-Balkan band at Katara. Photo by Umer Nangiana

Cuba is known for its scenic beaches. This is a view of the beach in the resort town of Varadero.

Guamá, a municipality in the Santiago de Cuba province of Cuba.

“I interact with my community almost every day. We are a small community so all of them have my cellphone and all of them contact me directly at any time without hesitation. All of them are welcome to the embassy at all times”


COMMUNITY WEATHER ADDICT

By Steff Gaulter

Finally, we can breathe a sigh of relief. One of the strongest El Ninos on record has come to an end. It has had a dramatic eff ect on the weather around the world, bringing

a whole host of fl oods and drought. Now that it has subsided, hopefully the weather across the globe will return to normal as well.

There’s always a fair amount of uncertainty about exactly when El Nino starts and ends. This might seem strange at fi rst, after all we are told that El Nino is simply the warming of the waters of the Pacifi c Ocean. We can use satellites to measure the temperature of the water, so surely it should be fairly straight forward to detect when it starts and when it ends.

Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. The diff erent meteorological agencies have slightly diff erent criteria for the onset and decline of El Nino. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology require the temperatures of a certain part of the Pacifi c to be 0.8C above normal and they also take the winds and atmospheric pressure into consideration; the US agency NOAA say the temperature needs to be over 0.5C above normal for 3 months

in a row; and the Japan Meteorology Agency require an average of 0.5C above normal for 5 months.

Given that the US and the Japanese meteorologists need to wait for several months before they can confi rm that El Nino has ended, it is not a surprise that it is the Australian Bureau of Meteorology which has been the fi rst to announce its demise. It has to be said, however, most people who have suff ered in the El Nino-induced droughts or fl oods won’t care who it is that’s declaring the end of El Nino, the important thing is that it has ended.

At its peak in December 2015, El Nino was the strongest on record, tied with the super El Nino of 1997-98. Its strength ensured it had an impact that was felt in many corners of the globe. It was during its peak that more than 160,000 people were displaced by the worst fl oods to hit South America in 50 years. Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay were all hit by the fl ooding, with Paraguay suff ering the worst.

The following month, the World Food Programme announced that about 14 million people in Africa were facing hunger thanks to the poor harvest caused by El Nino. The worst aff ected countries were Malawi, Madagascar and Zimbabwe, and the UN organisation warned that the number of people without

enough food was likely to rise further in 2016 as the drought worsened across the region.

In March, the drought in Thailand began to hit the headlines. It was the worst drought for more than 20 years, with water levels in some of the country’s biggest dams below ten percent of capacity. In a desperate attempt to alleviate the water shortage, Thailand started pumping water from the Mekong River into its own waterways. This caused major concern to those living in countries downstream, especially Vietnam which itself was suff ering its worst drought in almost a century.

A drought was also aff ecting Venezuela. This caused major problems in a country where hydroelectric dams supply more than 60 percent of the country’s electricity. In April, as the drought worsened and the electricity supply dwindled, the government took the drastic step of reducing the working week and implement power rationing in the ten most populous states.

In May 2016, Ethiopia suff ered fl ooding. Approximately 100 people were killed by fl ooding and landslides, with another 20,000 families made homeless.

Clearly not all extreme weather events which took place in the last year can be blamed on El Niño, but those mentioned have all happened in parts of the world that are

known to suff er during the phenomenon. For the residents of these countries, it is a relief that El Niño has ended, but that relief may be short lived.

Scientists believe there is a strong chance that the opposite phenomenon, La Nina, will emerge by the end of the year. Whereas El Nino is the warming of the surface waters of the Pacifi c, La Nina is the cooling and it’s fairly common for it to follow hot on the heels of El Nino. Generally it brings the opposite weather that you would expect to see in an El Nino event; for example Paraguay and Kenya often experience droughts and Thailand and Southern Africa expect fl ooding.

The good news is that La Nina events are typically weaker than El Nino ones, but the bad news is that they usually last longer. The La Nina event that followed the powerful 1997-98 El Nino lasted for thirty-three months, almost three years! That is a long time for a region to experience a drought or fl ood. Currently there are no indications that the emerging La Nina event will last this long, but equally there is no guarantee that it won’t. We will simply have to wait and see.

(The author is Senior Weather Presenter at Al Jazeera English channel. She can be contacted on steff [email protected]

or on Twitter at @WeatherSteff )

Strongest El Nino on record comes to an end

The intense flooding in May in Ethiopia left 150,000 people in immediate need. Seen here are the relief goods supplied by UKAid, Britain being the second largest bilateral humanitarian donor in Ethiopia. Photo by DFID/Flickr


COMMUNITY

Respecting the traditions of Lebanese cuisineBy Anand Holla

Modern fusion and clever twists are fast becoming the norm in fi ne dining circles. On the

other hand, precious few can stake a claim at delivering true-blue, authentic cuisine that encapsulates the riches of culture and history of the region – like Misk.

Traditional Lebanese cuisine gets the respect and sincerity it deserves at City Centre Rotana Doha’s new restaurant Misk. Joseph Coubat, General Manager of City Centre Rotana Doha, says, “For the fi rst time in Qatar, we are aiming to provide an innovative and traditional cuisine amid an authentic Lebanese atmosphere.”

The visually delicious décor stirs up a dreamy mood while the range of authentic Lebanese dishes completes the dream. From cold appetisers (mezze) such as Hummus with Ras Asfour meat and pine nuts, Hummus with sausage and pistachio, Hummus Beiruti, Raheb Salad, and Lebanese Eggplant Moussaka, to hot ones such as Shrimp with Coriander, Fried Samak Bizri, Kibbeh Beirutia, Hot Kibbeh Zghartaweya with Walnuts, Sausage and Octopus in Vinegar and Lemon, it’s hard to take your pick.

Dishes such as Green Kishk, Shanklish, Basturma (Pastirma), Batarekh (Roe), Warak Enab (Grape Leaves), Hindbeh (Dandelions) with Olive Oil, Lubia with Olive Oil, Siliq Stems in Tahina, Jabalia Salad, Kibbeh Nayyeh and Kafta Nayyeh, apart from the succulent Lebanese grilled platters such as Shiqaf, Taouk-grilled Chicken, Chicken Misahab, Arayes Lahmeh (Meat), Arayes Kafta, Kafta with Yogurt, Kafta Istanbouli, and Kafta with Tahina, might leave you wondering what kind of thought has gone behind this extensive menu. Community meets Coubat who takes us through the essence of Lebanese cuisine and why that had to be conveyed through Misk:

Lebanese cuisine is becoming an international cuisine. A lot of restaurateurs are now trying to give it a spin with their “fusions”. What we at Misk are trying to do is achieve the authentic taste. For me, it’s about feeling the products, smelling the spices, seeing what is available in the market and based on that, trying to do our best out of it. To fi nd the right product here, sometimes, is almost impossible. Often when I return to Doha from Lebanon, I bring bottles of rose water and pomegranate molasses

made in the villages of Lebanon because I can’t fi nd those products here. It takes more than 10 kilos of pomegranates to produce one 750 ml bottle of molasses.

The menu of Misk was designed and the items were chosen based on what we could fi nd fresh in the market in order to get the best

out of it, in terms of taste and authenticity with respect to the original dish. And this is where the story starts – whether to go fusion or stay traditional.

The mezze (Lebanese appetisers) has become a cliché, a commodity. But it features dishes that I still like to have. They can be very

simple recipes perfected by our grandmothers, but why are they hidden? What is the meaning of mezze, as a concept? Mezze is all about sharing food. Usually, back in Lebanon, we enjoy mezze on special occasions or Sundays.

In Lebanon, we say that the dinner table should look rich. The generosity of the mezze goes back to those days when nobody was supposed to fi nish them. When you are served a mezze of 40 dishes, how can you? Meals would be like a gathering around a table that would go on for hours.

We import, especially fruits and vegetables directly by air from three suppliers in Lebanon. Also, we have our special orders; like we order the Wagyu beef and Australian lamb. I love cooking. It’s my hobby. I spend half of my weekend cooking and

inviting friends. Since I have been cooking for more than 40 years now, I know exactly what I want to taste. I prepare the cuisine just the way I want it. I even refer to old recipes or call grandmothers of my Lebanese friends for precise directions. As for the presentation, I have left that to our Executive Chef, who has put a spin by using colourful vessels or cast-iron cookware to serve.

The beauty of the Lebanese cuisine is that it evolved. We refi ned it. We are lucky to be from a country where the quality of air, water, and earth is really unique. That’s why we get the best tomatoes, parsley, cucumbers. I remember when I was a kid, for three months in the winter, there would be no tabbouleh on the table as parsley and tomatoes won’t grow in those months. Nowadays, of course, the ingredients travel everywhere. Yet the taste may not be there. What we are trying to do with Misk is return to the taste of the traditional cuisine.

I didn’t expect our Lamb Tongue to be so popular. We have dishes made of lamb brain and ingredients nobody dares to touch in Doha. That’s because raw meat delicacies can be tricky. They mandate an extremely high level of hygiene while dealing with them in the kitchen. I am very particular about this. The Lebanese usually don’t opt for raw meat delicacies outside their homes; certain platters are reserved only to be prepared by their mothers or grandmothers. I know how difficult they can be because I am one of them. So when they appreciate our food at Misk, which they do, it’s the most rewarding compliment I can get.

The visually delicious décor stirs up a dreamy mood at Misk.

Lebanese cuisine is becoming an international cuisine. A lot of restaurateurs are now trying to give it a spin with their “fusions”. What we at Misk are trying to do is achieve the authentic taste — Joseph Coubat

Joseph Coubat, General Manager of City Centre Rotana Doha.


COMMUNITY

Loyola International School kindergarteners celebrate Green DayThe kindergarteners at Loyola International School celebrated Green Day by making their own fruit salad recently. The children had fun assembling the colourful fruits together into salads, before eating them.

Keralite Engineers Forum organises Annual DayIndian Actress Lakshana and Dr Sajith Pillai inaugurated Keralite Engineers Forum’s (KEF) Annual Day celebrations last Friday. The programme featured multiple activities including music, dance, games, and dubsmash. There were also multiple food stalls at the venue. About 200 KEF members and families attended the event.

BALQ holds reception for Chittagong District Council AdministratorThe Bangladesh Awami League-Qatar (BALQ) held reception at Asiana restaurant recently to honour MA Salam, the Chittagong District Council Administrator and general secretary of Chittagong Northern District Awami League, Bangladesh. Jafar Ahmed, the Relief and Social Welfare Secretary of Bangladesh Central Awami Jubo League, attended as a special guest. Iftikar Ahmed Babul and Nasir Uddin Talukdar of Abu Dhabi Bongobondu Parishad Central Committee were the guests of honour. BALQ acting president Abul Kashem presided over the event. M Shahnewaz moderated the meeting. In his speech, Salam urged Bangladeshi expats to contribute to making Vision 2021 reality. Under the plan, Bangladesh aims to become a middle income country and completely eradicate poverty by 2021, when it celebrates the golden jubilee of its independence. Bangladeshi diaspora can contribute to national building and play important role through remittances, he said. Mohammed Abul Kashem, Ferdous Alam, Mohammed Musa, Ashraful Islam, Golam Hossen, Shahnewaz Chowdhury, Rahim Parvez, and Sidiqque also spoke on the occasion.


COMMUNITY

Ramadan off ers at Oryx Rotana

Oryx Rotana will celebrate and honour Ramadan by off ering what it promises to be an unforgettable taste of Arabian culture

at its diff erent venues for Iftar and Suhoor amid a “wonderful atmosphere for families and friends characterised by authentic taste, modernity and innovation.”

Every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during Ramadan, Choices restaurant will off er the chance to enjoy Iftar with authentic Middle-Eastern buff et, off ering lavish varieties such as “ouzi”, cold mezzah, traditional shawarma and a live barbeque cooking station. Guests will as well be able to enjoy refreshments that include Ramadan juices, Arabic coff ee and Moroccan tea.

Tuesdays’ Iftar buff et will include an Oriental Steak Night where guests can indulge themselves in a traditional Ramadan atmosphere. Seafood lovers can enjoy the Oriental Seafood Buff et every Thursday that will include a wide selection of the day’s fresh catch, grilled local fi sh, whole baked fi sh and seafood sayadiyah, among others.

Moreover, Sky Lounge will provide guests the opportunity to enjoy the Arabic sweets with a variety of summer

ice tea and diverse type of drinks and juices.

As every year, Oryx Rotana will provide guests and visitors the opportunity to enjoy the tastiest meals along with a variety of juices in a distinctive and lively atmosphere. This year the hotel opens to the public the new pergola at Al Nafourah Garden. The venue is pulling out all the stops with its spectacular fountain view and a friendly welcoming environment. It off ers a whole host of menus designed to mark your Ramadan experience in style.

Lana Jwainat, Director of Marketing & Communications at Oryx Rotana Hotel, said: “The holy month of Ramadan is one of the best periods throughout the year, and is also closest to our hearts. This is the time when family and friends gather at Iftar and Suhoor tables in an expression of intimacy, caring and love.

“We will set up traditional decors and Ramadan themes coinciding with the meaning of this holy month, and provide buff ets rich with diff erent types of foods and dishes that will satisfy everyone’s taste. In addition, we will serve traditional Ramadan dishes from the Arabian region as well as international cuisine, alongside selected assortment of sweets and Ramadan drinks.”Al Nafourah Garden at the hotel.

Konkani drama enthrals Doha audience“P

osko” (adopted child), a Konkani drama written and directed by Jr. Roseferns, had the audience members in fi ts of laughter at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) recently. The drama had all the ingredients of a super hit: romance,

tragedy, suspense, and rib-tickling comedy blended into a balanced performance.

This was the fi rst time Jr. Roseferns stepped into a drama, after having acted in and directed many one-act plays in the past. He was supported by his wife, Libby Fernandes.

The opening chorus was sung by the Dubai based trio of Edwin, Anthony and Manuxin, who entertained the crowd with their latest political songs and earned applause for their performances.

The Kuwait-based trio of Mario, Cajetan and Michael followed, rocking the show with their three songs, based on Goans in Qatar and in Gulf in general.

Comedians Agostinho and Selvy, who travelled from Goa to Doha, ensured that the audience kept laughing.

The local talent featured in the programme included Luis Carvalho, Vincy D’Costa, Amresh Kamat, Armando Gomes, Peter Camilo, Natcey Barreto, Carmen Corrreia, Anton Joao Vaz, John De Sa and Jr. Roseferns. The music was provided by Kuwait-based Maestro Shahu.

Simon D’Silva, president of Goan Welfare Associaion, The Global Goans Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of GPCC NRI Global Goans Cell, was the chief guest.

In his speech, D’Silva appreciated Roseferns and Libby for successfully organising the event. He also appealed to the Konkani audience to keep “the language alive for our future generations, as language, music and sports bring the community together.”

“Hodde,” a new album produced by Edwin D’Costa, was also released on the occasion by Maurice Pereira. The event was hosted by Perina Pereira, with her unique style keeping typical Goan tradition and culture alive. Amresh Kamat was the co-host. Some of the dignitaries who attended the event.


COMMUNITY

Centro’s c.taste off ers enticing Iftar, Suhoor dealsCentro Capital Doha, the newly opened lifestyle aff ordable hotel in the heart of Doha, is celebrating its first Ramadan in style. Centro’s all-day dining restaurant, c.taste, will off er both Iftar and Suhoor with traditional Ramadan dishes from the Middle East making Ramadan at Centro memorable for friends, colleagues and family.“Our guests can truly feel the spirit of Ramadan with flavourful cuisine and friendly service. The decor has been adorned with stylish decorations and modern lighting in an innovative and stylish look, which promises guests cool comfort and ensures that the most discerning palates will be satisfied,” said Luca Medda, General Manager of Centro Capital Doha.With an intimate yet lively atmosphere, c.taste promises to be a great location for Iftar and Suhoor gatherings. For Iftar, guests can experience a wide array of delicacies from diverse countries displayed in a delicious buff et. With dishes such as cold mezza, traditional Arabic dishes and a live cooking station, guests can enjoy a global Ramadan celebration in a single setting.

To end the evening on a sweet note, guests can enjoy a delightful array of Arabic sweets in addition to dates, laban and Ramadan juices.Iftar will be off ered from sunset till 9pm daily for QR125 per adult including Ramadan juices. Children of ages 6 to 12 will be off ered 50% discount.For Suhoor, an exclusive à la carte menu featuring Arabic and international dishes will be available from 9pm to 2am daily. Centro Capital Doha is the fourth Rotana Hotel in Qatar and promises to meet the demands of the new generation of travellers who seek both finesse and functionality at reasonable rates. Located in Bin Mahmoud district on Al Jazeera Street, Centro Capital Doha is close to Villaggio Mall, Souq Waqif and City Centre Mall, in addition to major commercial centres, local/traditional markets. Young and fresh, Centro Capital Doha off ers 229 distinctive rooms which include innovative design that caters to all tastes with high quality and reasonable prices.

Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel wins multiple awardsSheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel has won awards at the Fact Magazine and Time Out Doha Awards. The hotel’s Latino Steakhouse and Italian restaurant La Veranda were voted as the Favorite Latin American Restaurant and Best Alfresco Dining, respectively, at the Fact Dining Awards 2016.Latino Steakhouse was also the Highly Commended Best Latin American Restaurant, while La Veranda was voted in the Highly Commended Best Business Lunch and Highly Commended Best Italian Restaurant at the TimeOut Doha Restaurant Awards 2016.“These awards are a source of pride for the entire team, as they acknowledge the exceptional work we undertake throughout the year,” said Nick Heath, Complex General Manager. The Latino Steakhouse off ers guests a fiesta for the senses with mouthwatering South American classics and succulent Argentinean steaks to be savoured in a lively ambience highlighted by rhythmic beats. Guests satiate their appetite with savoury flavours and feast their eyes on the culinary feats prepared in Chef Luciano’s open kitchen.La Veranda is a cozy Italian trattoria-style restaurant that transports guests to the Mediterranean with a sumptuous selection of Italian comfort food, from homemade pastas to pizzas prepared in an open-view brick oven. The restaurant features intimate interiors and a spacious multi-level outdoor terrace with panoramic sea views.


COMMUNITYMOTORING

Chevrolet Silverado HD aces vehicle dependability studyF

or the second consecutive year, the Chevrolet Silverado HD ranked highest in its segment in the J.D. Power Vehicle

Dependability Study in the Large Heavy Duty Pickup category.

In addition, the Chevrolet Tahoe ranked second in the Large SUV category, and the Silverado ranked third in the Large Light Duty Pick up category.

“This is the second year in a row that the Silverado HD was the Large Heavy Duty Pickup segment leader. Being recognised for having the most dependable vehicles in these key segments demonstrates that Chevrolet is a brand Middle East customers can count on,” said Abdallah Madhoun, Regional Sales and Marketing Manager for Chevrolet, GM Middle East. “This award highlights how Chevrolet trucks and SUVs are delivering great performance, design, technology and value.”

Chevrolet Silverado HD trucks are engineered to make the toughest jobs easier, and new technologies for 2016 complement features such as integrated cruise control, powertrain grade braking and diesel exhaust braking to enhance control.

The 2016 US Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 33,560 original owners of 2013 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fi elded from October through December 2015.

The study, now in its 27th year, examines problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of 2013 model-year vehicles. Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score refl ecting higher quality. The study covers 177 specifi c problem symptoms grouped into eight major vehicle categories. Chevrolet Silverado HD

Ford recreates historic March to Aqaba

Ford has recreated one of the most daring and memorable military campaigns in history, employing its “built Ford

tough truck and unstoppable SUV line-up” to follow the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia across the desert.

One hundred years ago in today’s Jordan, TE Lawrence led a gruelling, two-month march through a desert many believed to be impassable to capture the Red Sea city of Aqaba. Even then, Ford vehicles navigated the desert terrain – archive footage shows Lawrence driving a Ford Model T throughout the region. Ford provided 40,000 Model T’s, used as ambulances, tanks and transporters, to the WWI eff ort.

Fast forward one century, and customers continue to appreciate the capability and utility of Ford’s trucks and SUVs, whether in the desert or on the daily commute. Built Ford Tough is more than a slogan, it’s the DNA of Ford’s truck and unstoppable SUV line-up, and it informs the capability, comfort and innovation Ford customers expect.

Ford retraced the steps of the march of Aqaba with seven of the strongest SUVs and trucks in its stable: The F-150, Ranger, Edge, Expedition, Explorer, Escape and EcoSport. The seven-nameplate convoy converged on the Seven Pillars Mountain in the

otherworldly Wadi Rum desert, for which Lawrence’s “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” is named.

“At Ford we are incredibly proud of that we make the best trucks and SUVs in the world and what better way to demonstrate the capability and performance of Ford’s trucks and utility vehicles, than recreating the historic march

to Aqaba,” said Jim Benintende, president of Ford Middle East and Africa. “TE Lawrence and the Arab army rode two months through the desert to take Aqaba by surprise. We did it in only a few hours, with ten-fold more horsepower, off road capability, comfortable seating and storage for all passengers, individual climate controls and a

host of other great technologies that make driving enjoyable and easy. Jordan is an incredibly picturesque, safe and historic backdrop in which to showcase our SUV and truck fl eet.”

Ford has a long history of truck and SUV leadership. Last year, Ford sold more than 1.5 million SUVs globally and more than 1.1 million

F-series and Ranger trucks. More than 33 million F-Series trucks have been sold since its inception in 1948, making it America’s best-selling vehicle for the past 39 consecutive years. The Ford Ranger is the best-selling truck in Europe and the second best-selling truck on the African continent.

Ford helped create the SUV segment with the Explorer more than twenty fi ve years ago. Since then it has sold more than 7 million globally, or one every 2 minutes.

In the next few years, Ford will bring four new all-new SUV to its global lineup, complete with smart technologies, enhanced safety features, and superior comfort that empower Ford SUV owners to go anywhere – anytime.

William Dalrymple, famed author and historian, is an expert on TE Lawrence and was part of the programme. “The conquest of the Aqaba Fort via the desert was one of the most strategic and creative military victories of our time,” said Dalrymple. “It was part of a series of events in World War I that created today’s Middle East, and that continues to resonate to this day. Lawrence took great pride in his ability to endure the harshest of conditions for which the Bedouin are famous. I was thrilled to join Ford in recreating this incredible event — and even more so to be experiencing it from the comfort and style of a Ford SUV instead of by camelback.”

The Ford convoy en route to Seven Pillars Mountain.


COMMUNITY MOTORING

Psychology guides Ford’s Crystal Diamond LightI

n the niche world of automotive lighting design – decisions are judiciously made with the knowledge that each choice can impact

human psychology. Consider this all-too-familiar

scenario: At the end of a long workday,

there is still a traffic-clogged roadway to contend with on the drive home. Fellow commuters are stuck too, growing impatient, irritable, and often distracted. As the minutes tick away, the sky grows darker. By the time the car pulls into the garage, the driver is grumpy, even unhappy with the commute home.

Ford lighting designers and engineers say this irritable mental state is, in part, due to poor automobile lighting and how humans psychologically cope. These lighting experts are working to make life brighter.

“We know that gradients and homogeneity affect people’s moods,” said Arun Kumar, Ford optics expert and design engineer. “We also know the eye wants to focus on contrast changes and other inconsistencies in lighting – it’s an automatic function of the brain that can irritate mood.”

The latest solution is an LED lighting innovation Ford calls Crystal Diamond Light. The lighting improves efficiency up to 62 per cent while lowering cost. It also miniaturises the fixture, an aesthetic desired by designers. The diamond-like facets of the lens offer a broad and even

distribution of light. Crystal Diamond Light first

debuted on the Ford F-150 pick-up and will trickle down to other models, with the new Ford Fusion the next vehicle to feature them.

“The effi ciency of this lighting not only helps to stabilise the psyche, but also has the potential

to aff ect global environmental savings,” Kumar said. “As we democratise this lighting innovation to a broader audience, the impact could be signifi cant, with millions of gallons of fuel potentially saved on a global scale.”

The consideration of human physiology is also a factor with

interior lighting. Around the time the world

was preparing for Y2K and the predicted doom that would ensue, Ford began work to update its Corporate Green interior dash lighting. The mandate included choosing a colour pleasing to the eye, one that provides a

higher quality of lighting, with good contrast for twilight and night vision. And because men and women see some colours differently, the shade had to be universally accepted by the colour cones of both sexes.

“Another obvious issue was to design for people who have colour deficiencies,” said Shannon O’Day, Ford interactions and ergonomics core engineer. “You can’t use a deep saturated red or green for dash lighting because those are colours people most typically have problems with. Eight per cent of the global population has this issue, and most are male.”

Red and green are typically reserved for emergency buttons, such as hazard lighting.

Designers and engineers opted to light the Ford vehicle dashboard in Ice Blue, a colour that is more easily seen and perceived as brighter by the human eye, and one that cuts through the clutter, O’Day explained.

While Ice Blue is the colour of choice for illuminating the Ford dashboard, an available feature for many Ford vehicles allows customers to change ambient lighting colours with in-car controls.

Still, it’s the physiology that matters most to designers.

“Colour is one among many factors that make lighting functional and pleasing,” O’Day said. “In the end, it’s really about the eye, what it perceives, and how it affects the driver.”

The 2016 Ford F-150 with the Crystal Diamond Light.

2017 Cadillac CT6 Platinum fuses

performance with eff iciency

The 2017 Cadillac CT6’s 3.0L Twin Turbo engine, available on the top of the line Platinum, off ers an estimated 404

horsepower and 542 Nm of torque, making it among the most power-dense V-6 engines in the segment, at 134 horsepower per litre. Essentially, it leverages the latest technology to balance effi ciency, performance and refi nement.

Effi ciency is enhanced with the industry’s fi rst application of cylinder deactivation technology on a turbocharged V-6 engine.

Cylinder deactivation temporarily deactivates two of the cylinders in light-load driving

conditions to enhance effi ciency and seamlessly reactivates them when the driver demands full power.

In parallel, the 3.0L Twin Turbo also comes packed with stop/start technologies to conserve fuel. With the stop/start system, the 3.0L Twin Turbo is shut down in certain driving conditions such as stop-and-go city driving to reduce fuel consumption, automatically restarting when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal.

As a result of this, Cadillac expects that fuel effi ciency will be enhanced by up to an estimated 6 percent.

Matched with the 3.0L

Twin Turbo, the Hydra-Matic 8L45 paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission incorporates components to support the engine’s stop/start technology.

In addition, the 8L45 eight-speed’s wide 7.0 overall ratio and numerically lower top gear off er up to an estimated 5 percent fuel economy benefi t over a comparable six-speed automatic transmission.

The combination of the CT6’s lightweight structure, All Wheel Drive and All Wheel Steering, and the power-dense Twin Turbo V6 makes the CT6 one of the most agile and effi cient prestige sedans on the market.

The 2017 Cadillac CT6’s 3.0L Twin Turbo engine, available on the top of the line Platinum, off ers an estimated 404 horsepower and 542 Nm of torque.


COMMUNITYINFOGRAPHIC


COMMUNITY PUZZLES/CARTOONS

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

BREEZE BRIGADE BULB FINGERED FOOTED HANDED HEADED

HEARTED HOUSE INFANTRY METER MINDED OPERA PEN

READING SHIP SPIRITED VERSE WEIGHT YEAR

Light ...

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.


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

DOWN2. Casual (10)3. Revise (4)4. Contend (6)5. Author (6)6. Doubt (8)7. Brink (4)11. Forward (10)13. Lofty (8)16. No-one (6)17. Nautical (6)18. Wither (4)20. Old (4)

ACROSS1. Mud (4)8. Resolute (10)9. Area (8)10. Class (4)12. Ebb (6)14. Wakened (6)15. Scattered (6)17. Movement (6)18. Insect (4)19. Savage (8)21. Reliance (10)22. Record (4)

ACROSS1. No weak business concern (4)8. Competing as it turned out (2,3,5)9. Had melon from native country (8)10. In Peru, Incas faced destruction (4)12. Loves getting out sea-rod (6)14. Puts up secret plan (6)15. Cutting instrument needs the pieces fitting together (6)17. Cart causes quarrel in drinking-place (6)18. Evidence of sorrow caused by rent? (4)19. Flying is not certain (2,3,3)21. Apparently only the outside was touched by the forward (6,4)22. Part of this is a shoulder band (4)

DOWN2. Early - and enjoying oneself, apparently (2,4,4)3. The pit I dug for myself? (4)4. Belts enable some to be put up in ship (6)5. Require the French to produce pointed instrument (6)6. The foreman is one who gets a good sight too much? (8)7. A school of note (4)11. Uncertain, and evidently not thinking alone (2,3,5)13. Hold back the others: wet weather (8)16. He serves but doesn’t get things immediately (6)17. The gambler has recovered (6)18. Work to produce tip-top lubricant (4)20. Consumes teas (4)

Quick Clues

Cryptic Clues

Yesterday’s Solutions

QUICKAcross: 7 Halve; 8 Hurdles; 9 Regular; 10 Needs; 12 Dipsomania; 15 Vituperate; 18 Dress; 19 Disdain; 21 Incense; 22 Error.Down: 1 Short-lived; 2 Align; 3 Feel; 4 Chorus; 5 Transmit; 6 Fleeing; 11 Stationary; 13 Imposing; 14 Stretch; 16 Redden; 17 Carry; 20 Seek.

CRYPTICAcross: 7 Ochre; 8 Lawsuit; 9 Stanley; 10 Legal; 12 Court of law; 15 Lordliness; 18 Swing; 19 Tramped; 21 Spanner; 22 Turin.Down: 1 Constables; 2 Ahead; 3 Deal; 4 Player; 5 Swallows; 6 Cudgels; 11 Law-abiding; 13 Obliging; 14 Arrival; 16 Notary; 17 Sport; 20 Acts.


COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE/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

SCOR PIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

There is a wonderful feeling about today following on from last

night’s New Moon. You should wake up inspired and ready to tackle

something new and fun Aries.

Don’t give up on something just because it’s proving to be harder

than you thought it was going to be Cancers. It’s still a possibility and

you know that you are up for the challenge.

Find a quiet place if you can today and focus on your breathing and

try to relax/meditate for as long as you can. Last night’s New Moon

shone a spiritual light on you and with the Sun and your ruler Venus

in the same part of your chart, it’s vital you tap into that higher

power.

Avoid getting caught up in other people’s problems today goats. You

have plenty of issues and problems of your own without trying to

solve everyone else’s.

If you keep focused and on the straight and narrow today, whatever

schemes you’ve cooked up for yourself will magically work out

— somehow. It’s simply a matter of visualising what you want and

going for it.

Be open about your wants and needs — especially pertaining to your

friendships and the people in your life Leos. With the Sun, Venus and

Moon shining on your eleventh house, it’s all about the people you

know versus what you know Leos.

Don’t dismiss something or someone today simply because they

don’t meet all of your criteria. Maybe your criteria is rather diff icult

to meet? Instead focus on all the things they or it does bring to the

table.

Romance and being a good friend/neighbour/sibling/partner/parent

or child is in your stars today with some wonderful and bubbly

cosmic activity in Gemini, your fellow air sign and 5th house of

romance, creativity and fun.

You’re still basking in the glow of the Sun and Venus along with the

good vibrations of yesterday’s New Moon in your sign. Today is a day

to make moves and make the Universe very aware of what and who

you want twins!

Rest assured that today you will find a solution to a long standing

problem Virgos. What a relief. Not to say you might not like the

solution and try to find another one that suits you better.

With such wonderful planetary activity in Gemini right now, you are

in a prime spot to make new friends and enhance the relationships

you already have. If you’ve just met a romantic match, things could

progress quickly.

If you think something sounds way too complicated, don’t throw

your Pisces sensitive vibe into the ring and make it more so. Leave

well enough alone today!

5 ways to beautify your deck without breaking the bankA

re you ready to put your deck on the best-dressed list this summer, but hesitant to dent your savings? With

these simple design ideas, you can make your deck the perfect place for summer festivities.

Accessorise with railingsAn easy way to give your deck a

beauty boost is to update the railing. The decorative details of this safety feature are easy to overlook during the initial deck building process. Thankfully, with today’s products, it’s easy and aff ordable to turn this eyesore into an accessory.

Block the sun beautifullyAnother way to balance form

with function is to shade your deck in style. Fortunately, there are a number of beautiful, low-cost ways to block the sun that go beyond the patio umbrella.

Plant a deck-adent garden Deckscaping is a timeless,

low-cost way to turn your outdoor living space into a backyard beauty. Placing shrubs or a curving fl owerbed along the perimeter of your deck can soften its edges and add colourful accents. Alternatively, bringing planters on deck with a mix of annuals and perennials can quickly turn a bland deck into a garden retreat full of seasonal blooms.

Dress your deck to impress To fi nish your deck and give it

that one-of-a-kind feel, outfi t it the same way you would an interior room, thinking about colour and texture. While this may sound expensive, there are plenty of practical, budget friendly ways to make your deck a stylish extension of your home.

You can easily spice it up with painted furniture and fun accents.

Pretty and durable accent pillows made from outdoor fabrics are an inexpensive way to add pops of colour. Or if you find an outdoor fabric that you love you can make bench cushions to give your outdoor seating a cozy feel. Accents like an outdoor rug can tie it all together by adding texture underfoot, keeping dirt from being tracked inside your home, and defining areas for different uses.

Light up your evenings in style

Finally, don’t neglect how your deck looks when the sun goes down. With the right lighting, you can extend your hours outside and keep your deck as charming in the nighttime as it is during the day.

From subtle post lights that cast a magical evening glow to understated recessed lights and rail strip lights that help guide guests’

steps, today’s deck lighting choices are both functional and aff ordable. And, with the emergence of energy-effi cient LEDs, you can use them liberally with little eff ect on your monthly electricity bill. So,

let your imagination roam with nighttime illumination options to add after-dark ambience to your outdoor retreat.

©Brandpoint


COMMUNITYBOLLYWOOD

If it happens, it’s great, Shahid on working with Kareena

Actor Shahid Kapoor doesn’t think about whether he will ever again share screen space with his former girlfriend Kareena Kapoor. However, he says he is open to the idea and that it will be great if it happens.

Shahid and Kareena are a part of Udta Punjab, but they are not paired together. In the past, the audience has loved their chemistry in movies like Chup Chup Ke and especially Jab We Met. Asked if he is open to work with Kareena again, Shahid said: “I have always said ‘yes’. I have been asked this question 30 times,

and I have always said ‘yes’. If it happens, it’s great and if it doesn’t happen, I have no problem. I really don’t think about it beyond a point.”

For now, it’s Udta Punjab and fatherhood on his mind.

The actor, who is married to Mira Rajput, is excited about the impending arrival of their baby. “I am really excited and looking forward to it. It’s a really nice feeling. It will be a new responsibility. From being an independent individual, you become part of a family and of a wonderful unit. So you feel responsible not just for yourself, but for others as well.” – IANS

LESSONS ON LIFE: Huma Qureshi

Actress Huma Qureshi, who is currently busy with three fi lms — Dobaara, Viceroy’s House

and southern movie White, says that experiencing bad times in someone’s life is as important as witnessing good times as it teaches many things.

“I think bad times are very important, maybe even more than the good times. Like, it is said, while it’s important to win, it is equally important to lose. It teaches you to pick yourself up, dust off and work harder to achieve greater

heights,” the actress told IANS from Bengaluru.

Huma was in the southern city to launch Bata’s largest fl agship store. The 29-year-old actress, who is going to share screen space with Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville in Gurinder Chadha’s British-Indian historical drama fi lm Viceroy’s House, is also one of the Bollywood divas who is known for her fashion sense and she feels that looking good all the time is very important to set right examples for youth.

“As a person in limelight people are always watching and observing

you, whether you like it or not. You automatically feel a certain sense of responsibility that you shouldn’t do something that is detrimental to anyone else,” she said.

Huma also says that fashion police is very important for keeping a check on your style sheet. “Police, fashion or otherwise, helps to regulate, you know. It helps you put your best foot forward and facilitate a healthy trend. So it’s not about being scared but one can’t complain as it is here to stay,” said the actress who is a fan of the ongoing season of Game of Thrones. — IANS

Bad times are as important as good days: Huma Qureshi

Sunny Leone decodes why reality shows are big

Actress Sunny Leone, who will be seen hosting the new season of youth-based reality TV show MTV Splitsvilla, feels the genre garners attention because people are interested in knowing about others’ life. “We watch diff erent TV shows because we fi nd it interesting. It’s in the nature to fi nd other people’s life interesting. We fi nd other persons’ lives interesting, which is why reality television is so big in showbiz,” Sunny told IANS.

Splitsvilla, which goes into its ninth edition this time, is a televised ‘hunt for love’, wherein boys and girls fi ght it out with each other to stay put in the ‘villa’. Past editions of the show have seen a lot of verbal spats between contestants. Asked that don’t verbal spats and violence make reality shows disturbing, Sunny said: “I think reality shows (are) somewhere showing the reality of life or a situation. Yes, people do get upset and sometimes don’t know how to control their emotions. It wouldn’t have been a multi-million dollar industry if it was just roses and fl owers the whole time.”

However, the 35-year-old actress stressed that she and co-host Rannvijay Singha don’t accept physical violence in the show.

“Rannvijay and I don’t condone physical violence in the show. We try to control it as much as possible,” she said.

The show, which has been extensively shot in the picturesque Puducherry, will have six girls and 15 celebrity boys as contestants. The show’s tagline this time is ‘Where women rule’ — giving a twist to the usual plot of the show.

So, while at the end of Splitsvilla, there used to be a king and queen, the ninth season will only have queens, and no kings.

Sunny, who is hosting MTV Splitsvilla for the third time, says this season has some “very interesting and diff erent situations”.

“This season is about women’s rule. This particular year we are testing out a diff erent show model and let’s see how it works. All the contestants on the show got a surprise when we told them this is ‘Where women rule’”. The new season goes on air from June 11. — IANS

Anurag Kashyap blocks trollers on social media

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who is an avid user of social media platforms, says he blocks trollers on social media. Kashyap, among many other celebrities, has been trolled on digital platforms. The fi lmmaker was criticised on social media after the failure of his fi lm Bombay Velvet.

Asked how he felt on getting

trolled, Kashyap said: “I felt attacked, but I can’t waste my time thinking about it. I don’t know what happened. When I get trolled, I block people. I cannot live my life thinking about it.”

The Dev.D helmer says that there is a diff erence between criticism and trolls. “Criticism and trolls are diff erent. Trolls are people who are just trying to poke you... Those are the people I block. Criticism is healthy. Criticism that’s unhealthy, I block it. Anything that works towards my growth, I will take it,” he said.

He stressed that people who make personal attacks are not critics. “I deal with trolls like that because for me, it’s done. I react immediately and it’s over for me. I have survived so much. I am a very strong survivor,” he added.

Kashyap says he is in the industry to be a fi lmmaker and that “he will make movies till my dying day.” — IANS

SEASON OF SPATS: Sunny Leone

I’ve made two of Indian cinema’s biggest fl ops, says Sujoy Ghosh

Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh believes in accepting failures — therefore, he makes no bones about saying that he made “two biggest fl ops in the history of Indian cinema”.

Asked how the industry reacts after a director delivers a fl op fi lm, Ghosh told IANS: “I have made two of the biggest fl ops in the history of Indian cinema — Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak and Aladin. So, you have to accept you have made a bad fi lm and I have accepted it.

“The bottom line is that the hall was empty ... nobody watched the fi lm, nobody liked the fi lm.”

Ghosh is also credited for making the successful and critically acclaimed Kahaani with Vidya Balan.

He believes a director is as good as his last fi lm.

“If my last fi lm was a fl op, then I am a fl op director. If my last fi lm is a hit, then I am a hit director,” said Ghosh, who is currently busy promoting his next production Te3n.

A thriller directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, it stars Amitabh Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vidya in key roles. — IANS

MAKING A DISTINCTION: Anurag Kashyap


COMMUNITY HOLLYWOOD

Comedian Quincy Jones is just a stand-up guy taking on cancer

By Greg Braxton

Quincy Jones is battling the Big C with his own big C — comedy. The 32-year-old comedian, who shares his name with the renowned

music producer (but is not related), was diagnosed in 2015 with a rare form of cancer — mesothelioma. Doctors told him about a month later he had less than a year to live.

Shaken by that brutal conclusion, Jones pondered what he wanted to accomplish in his last days on Earth, eventually focusing on a goal that had nothing to do with travelling the world or risky activities such as skydiving.

He wanted to fi lm a comedy special for television.

“All the great writers die, and we want more of their work. It’s the same with comedians,” said Jones. “I don’t have kids, I don’t have a dog. All I have is student-loan debt. I don’t have real evidence that I was here, and that’s a scary feeling. I wanted something visual that could live online and showcase my skill

set, because I feel comedy has saved my life.”

Jones realises that wish with HBO’s Quincy Jones: Burning the Light, fi lmed in April at the Teragram Ballroom in downtown Los Angeles before a supportive crowd that learned of Jones’ plight through a Kickstarter campaign that went viral, prompting Ellen DeGeneres to host Jones twice on her talk show.

In a short intro to the special, Jones says in a voice-over: “What do you do as a dying man when you’re already living your dream?” He displays a seasoned, comfortable stage presence honed from years playing clubs all over the country. (He once logged 1,000 performances in one year, sometimes doing three sets a night.)

Jones wastes little time in addressing — and joking about — his illness during the hourlong special: “The expectations are high, and I feel pressure to die,” he quips about fulfi lling his ambition. He speculates on the reaction to outliving his prognosis: “I can’t be the Magic Johnson of cancer.” He also confesses to the audience: “I’ve got chemotherapy tomorrow.

But tonight, I’m going to live like a king.”

His friend and fellow comic Nicole Blaine, who produced the special with her husband Mickey Blaine after launching the Kickstarter campaign that eventually raised $65,000, said witnessing her friend’s attitude during the last several months has been “remarkable.”

“It’s been amazing to watch one person’s dream come true during what is possibly the saddest part of his life,” Blaine said. “He was always going to fi ght this, but now he’s more hopeful. There’s something diff erent happening with him that is grounding him. I can’t relate to what he’s going through, but it’s a powerful experience.”

Earlier this month, Jones discussed his bittersweet journey and its impact on his health — both physically and mentally. “I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a chance to fully process it,” said Jones of the HBO special as he hurriedly downed a hearty late-afternoon meal of eggs, cheese and sausage outside a Los Angeles cafe. “Everyone keeps telling me what a big deal this is. I’m just enjoying the ride. I love the fact that I’m doing what I love.”

His accomplishment has also bolstered his determination to prove that reports of his upcoming death have been greatly exaggerated. “When the doctor told me that I would die, I heard what they said, but I felt, ‘This is not how this chapter of my life ends,’” he said between bites. “Every emotion was exposed — I was a raw nerve, but I thought, ‘What am I going to do now? Because feeling this way isn’t going to help me at all.’ I didn’t see death as an outcome.”

Jones, who has large rings in his earlobes and numerous inspirational tattoos (“Time heals all wounds,” “This too shall pass”) on his arms and torso, spoke quietly. A bandaged cotton swab on his hand was left over from his chemotherapy session the day before. He did not seem particularly weak — just a bit fatigued from a daylong series of interviews, including an appearance on comedian Marc Maron’s podcast.

He maintained that the special was defi nitely not an act of charity or pity by HBO and that he had paid his dues.

Said Jones: “I had the material. I had done the work. I felt like I was good.”

Nina Rosenstein, executive vice president of programming for HBO, said that the premium-cable network was thrilled to be broadcasting the special. “Quincy delivered a solid hour,” she said. “He really disarms the audience, and making fun of his condition makes them more comfortable.”

Making people laugh has always been his refuge, dating to his devastation seven years ago while recovering from a bad breakup: “I had a nice routine with this chick. She ended it on Thanksgiving.” He chuckled: “No dramatic effect there! That was just real life. Could not have written that much better.

“I cried, drank and did comedy every night. Doing comedy really helped, gave me a chance to express myself. You can’t always talk to your parents or your friends, but comedy is always there. Sometimes it can be the destination, and sometimes it can be the conduit to where you’re trying to get to.”

He adopted the name of Quincy Jones one night at a club when he didn’t want his real name — Quami Wallen — to appear on the lineup in case a former girlfriend showed up. His life was turned upside down in 2014 when his body rebelled — his belly started extending and it was clear something was wrong.

“I was tired, pregnant-looking and I felt full all the time,” Jones recalled. “I had to get my stomach drained once or twice a month — four to seven litres of fl uid would come out.”

When six months later a biopsy determined he had cancer, “I was more relieved than anything else.” When he learned in 2016 there was no cure, he recalled thinking, “’That sucks, what do I do now?’ Then I had to get on a crash course not only about the health care system but how to survive.”

Though chemotherapy took a heavy toll on his body and he had more than his share of bad days, Jones was determined to fi ght through his diffi culties. Said Jones: “I felt I had to do what I had to do to survive. Then more people began looking toward me. I realised that I wasn’t just fi ghting for myself but for other people.”

Jones is already looking forward to shooting another special — he feels he can do better with more planning.

And even though the centrepiece of the show is Jones’ comedy, the real highlight of the special comes at the end of the performance when he is overcome with joy as the audience rewards him with a standing ovation. At that moment, a man who has been given a death sentence seems to truly come alive. — Los Angeles Times/TNS

LAUGHING IT OFF: Comedian Quincy Jones


COMMUNITYHOLLYWOOD

IN THE GAME: Jake Gyllenhaal

MAMA COOL: Kate Hudson

WILL SHE, WON’T SHE? Brie Larson

Pregnant Megan Fox getting ‘messages’ from unborn child

Actress Megan Fox, who is expecting her third child with her estranged husband Brian Austin Green, has claimed that she receives messages from her baby from inside the womb. Making an appearance on the popular talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Fox said her unborn child has given her “messages” advising her to relocate to a “whole diff erent place”, reports dailymail.co.uk.

“You don’t hear an audible voice, but I feel like you get messages from the child if you are open to it,” Fox said.

“Like, for instance, this baby wanted me to live some place else, so we are moving to a whole diff erent place in Los Angeles because I feel like that’s where this baby wants to be raised,” she added.

The Jennifer’s Body actress also said the unborn child is telling her it’s a “super genius” like rocket scientist Werner von Braun or

inventor Elon Musk.The actress debuted her baby

bump in April this year. She has two children — three-year-old Noah and two-year-old Bodhi — with Green. — IANS

Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson is reportedly in “early talks” to play Captain Marvel, one of Marvel’s most popular female superheroes, in an

upcoming standalone fi lm.It is unknown where negotiations stand,

but sources claim that Larson is Marvel’s fi rst choice, and that she is leaning toward playing the role, reports variety.com.

No director is currently on board. Marvel, however, had always planned to have an actress lined up early, with the idea of possibly introducing her in one of its upcoming fi lms before the Captain Marvel movie.

Writers Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman are currently penning the script, which follows Carol Danvers, an airforce pilot whose DNA is fused with that of an alien during an accident. The resulting alteration imbues her with the super powers of strength, energy project and fl ight. Kevin Feige is producing the fi lm. — IANS

Brie Larson in talks for Captain Marvel

Kate Hudson loves embarrassing her son

Actress Kate Hudson loves embarrassing her son and fi nds his “hormonal moods” funny. The 37-year-old actress, who has 12-year-old Ryder with ex-husband Chris Robinson and four-year-old Bingham with former fi ance Matt Bellamy, says she can see the funny side of her oldest child’s impending teenage years, reports femalefi rst.co.uk.

Speaking in a promotional clip for this week’s episode of talk show Chelsea, Hudson said: “I’m loving the preteen (experience). His hormonal moods are so fun for me, because it makes for so much comedy!”

“I tried to hold Ryder’s hand the other day in public, and he was like, ‘Mom, please don’t’. And then I just grabbed his hand, like, ‘I’m going to grab your hand!’ And it became funny,” she added. — IANS

James Franco to star in Drunken adaptation

Actor James Franco will star in Drunken Fireworks, a fi lm adaptation of Stephen King’s similarly titled short story. Franco would also serve as the executive producer and could possibly direct the fi lm as well, reports deadline.com. Drunken Fireworks is set in small-town rural Maine. The story is about a blue-collar mechanic Alden McCausland (Franco), who competes with a retired mob boss Nicky Serrano when Nicky moves in across the lake

from Alden and his mother. When Nicky ruins Alden’s Fourth of July fi reworks show, Alden puts on the best to beat Nicky the next year in town’s annual fi reworks competition known henceforth as the “Forth of July Arms Race”.

Rubicon Entertainment and Franco’s Rabbit Bandini Productions will team up to produce the fi lm. The script is being written by Matthew Rager, who previously worked with Franco on fi lms like As I Lay Dying, The Sound and the Fury and upcoming drama fi lm In Dubious Battle. — IANS

Jake Gyllenhaal to star in The Division

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks to star in Ubisoft’s movie based on its “Tom Clancy’s the Division” video game. According to sources, Gyllenhaal is also attached to the fi lm as a producer, and the studio is currently looking for a writer to

pen the adaptation, reports variety.com.

Ubisoft will package the project, possibly adding one more actor to the mix before taking it out to studios. It currently has Assassin’s Creed starring Michael Fassbender in post-production at Fox and New Regency, as well as Splinter Cell starring Tom Hardy at Paramount. — IANS

Emma Roberts dating new man

Actor Emma Roberts is reportedly dating a new man named Christopher Hines, following her split from boyfriend Evan Peters, last month. Both Roberts and Hines were introduced through their mutual friend, fashion designer Brit Elkin, reports dailystar.co.uk.

“Chris is one of the most understanding and laid-back guys. They’ve been dating for a little under a month,” a source told Us magazine.

The 25-year-old actress isn’t afraid to show off her new man in public as they were spotted holding hands while wandering around the streets of London earlier this week.

Roberts, who is the niece of Julia Roberts, began dating Peters in 2012 after they met on the set of their fi lm Adult World. — IANS

Ronnie Wood welcomes twins at age 68

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood is a father again at the age 68. The rocker’s wife Sally Wood, who is 30 years his junior, gave birth to their twin daughters named Gracie Jane and Alice Rose, his publicist has confi rmed.

“Ronnie and Sally Wood are delighted to announce the birth of their twins Gracie Jane (6 lb) and Alice Rose (5.7 lb),” so the publicist said in a statement, reports aceshowbiz.com.

“The girls arrived on 30 May at 22:30 and all are doing brilliantly. The babies are perfect,” the publicist added.

Sally also took to Twitter to share her excitement about being a new mother.

“Thank you all so much... I can’t believe our babies are a day old already. They are wonderful,” she tweeted. Ronnie and Sally, the owner of a theatre production company, got married on December 21, 2012. – IANS

BABY TALK: Megan Fox


COMMUNITY

PWF making giant strides in educating needy children

Through its Education for All programme, the Pakistani expatriate forum has

already educated 800 children while more are currently benefiting from it

By Umer Nangiana

Founded by some like-minded philanthropic members of Pakistani expatriate community seven years ago, Pakistan

Welfare Forum (PWF) is making a real diff erence by reaching out to support the needy segments of society in diff erent sectors particularly education, health and social welfare.

Through its Education for All programme, PWF has already educated 800 children while 450 more are currently benefi ting from it. The organisation, working under the patronage of Pakistan Embassy in Qatar, is also coming up with programmes for vocational training and education of out-of-school children in the near future.

“Being Muslims, it is our primary responsibility to look after the poor and spend our wealth to help the poor out,” Mohammed Idrees Anwar, a founding member of PWF, told a large audience at the Annual Dinner of PWF held at Sapphire Plaza recently.

The offi ce-bearers of PWF and its associated organisations briefed the members of Pakistani community and other invited guests about the progress made so far in their diff erent social welfare programmes besides the future plans.

“Pakistani community members are gathered here to pursue the sacred cause of supporting PWF’s vision of providing education, social and health welfare assistance to deserving Pakistani expatriates in Qatar,” said Anwar.

The chief guest at the occasion, Rashid Nizam, the Community Welfare Attache at Pakistan Embassy, congratulated the members of PWF on their successful campaign and hoped “they would continue to make a diff erence in people’s lives through their mission.”

While giving a presentation on PWF’s Education for All, Ahmed Hussain, a member of the PWF Steering Committee and Education Committee, briefed the audience on the progress made so far. “We have educated about 800 children till date and about 450 children are currently getting education under the programme Education

for All. We believe that there are around 2,000-4,000 out-of-school children between the age of fi ve-15. We presented a proposal to address this issue with Qatar Foundation,” Hussain said in a chat after the presentation.

There is a good possibility that they might join forces whereby the QF through its Education Above All programme will provide probably the facilities and fi nances as discussed.

“We intend to open about four schools, each having 400-500 students and in about four to fi ve years we intend to address the issue of entire out of school children in Qatar,” said Hussain.

“We have an alternative programme that we are already working on where along with PWF, Raf Charity is our partners. Also, Ezdan Holding is also supporting us. Together, we want to expand the programme within the available resources. The best, however, would be if the authorities join forces with us,” he added.

Hussain said they now have enough experience of about fi ve years and they can eliminate the out-of-school children problem from Qatar.

The objective is to uplift the deprived segment of communities through education and make them stand on their own.

They also intend to impart vocational training after basic education and then after imparting some skills to them they will also help them secure employment. The PWF members who have industries and employment opportunities will employ those trained students who go through Education for All programme of PWF.

“We gave a very comprehensive proposal whereby the four schools will be run by a board of directors. The members will be PWF, QF through its EEA programme, Raf, Rota and Ezdan Holding as well. It will be a combined eff ort,” said Hussain.

But PWF, so far as discussed, will be trusted with running the programme. The model will be Prep school where they would prepare the children for partly prep and partly regular school before transforming them into a regular school.

Riaz Ahmed Bakali, the president of PWF, said their main activity in the past two-and-a-half years

has been the focus on education. “We have tried to make sure that we facilitate those parents who are unable, either fi nancially or socially, to send their children to schools. We have fi ve education programmes,” said Bakali.

“Then we help the fi nancially deprived families making them meet their ends by helping them monthly. In the health sector, we also support those patients who cannot aff ord their medical treatment despite the fact the medical facilities in Qatar are fantastic. Yet a segment of society cannot aff ord them,” he added.

On the legal side, Bakali said, they support the non-criminal legal cases such as the residence expired, repatriation of bodies and detention due to non-criminal reasons. They help such cases through advice or fi nancial support in order to bring them back into the society once again.

PWF has taken a fresh initiative in the education for special children. “Education for special children in Qatar is very expensive and there is a long waiting list. So we have started special education within our community schools where we bring in special children from the community on a very low fee where they can become an eff ective component of the community,” said Bakali.

There are two more programmes in the pipeline, he added, that include a vocational training centre as there is a work pool of people who are either semi-skilled or non-skilled. “We want to utilise them for Qatar Vision 2030 and 2022 by giving them by some vocational training,” said Bakali. The other one is Education for All programme for out-of-school children.

REACHING OUT: A large number of members of Pakistani society attended the PWF annual dinner where the PWF leaders presented their performance records and future plans.

Rashid Nizam, Community Welfare Attache, Pakistan Embassy, speaking at the event.

Photo by Umer Nangiana

c ver citizen - gulf-times.com

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