The great desert trek

P6 Community Sri Lankan community in Qatar is all set to celebrate their 68th Independence Day this week. P16 Community Awardwinning documentary Ta...
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Community Sri Lankan community in Qatar is all set to celebrate their 68th Independence Day this week.

P16

Community Awardwinning documentary Tashi and the Monk is lined up for free screening in Doha

Monday, February 1, 2016 Rabia II 22, 1437 AH

DOHA

12°C—21°C TODAY

LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 11

PUZZLES 12 & 13

COVER STORY

REPEATING HISTORY: The trio during their epic journey.

The great desert trek British explorer Mark Evans and his Omani colleagues Mohammed Zadjali and Amer al-Wahaibi share their trying 49-day trek across Empty Quarter, 85 years on. P4-5

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GULF TIMES Monday, February 1, 2016

COMMUNITY

ROUND & ABOUT

PRAYER TIME Fajr Shorooq (sunrise) Zuhr (noon) Asr (afternoon) Maghreb (sunset) Isha (night)

4.59am 6.17am 11.47am 2.56pm 5.20pm 6.50pm

USEFUL NUMBERS

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip GENRE: Animation CAST: Jason Lee, Jesica Ahlberg, Josh Green DIRECTION: Walt Becker SYNOPSIS: Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to

propose to his new girlfriend in Miami ... and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.

Concussion GENRE: Drama CAST: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks DIRECTION: Peter Landesman SYNOPSIS: Concussion is a 2015 American biographical sports medical drama film directed and written by Peter Landesman, based on the 2009 GQ exposé Game Brain

by Jeanne Marie Laskas. It stars Will Smith as Dr Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian forensic pathologist who fought against efforts by the National Football League to suppress his research on the brain damage suffered by professional football players.

THEATRES: Landmark, Royal Plaza, The Mall

Emergency 999 Worldwide Emergency Number 112 Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991 Ooredoo Telephone Assistance 111 Local Directory 180 International Calls Enquires 150 Time 141, 140 Doha International Airport 40106666 Labor Department 44508111, 44406537 Medical Commission 44679111 Mowasalat Taxi 44588888 Qatar Airways 44496000 Weather Forecast 44656590 Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222 44393333 Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555 44845464 Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050 Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333 Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444 Qatar University 44033333

ote Unquote u Q I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. — Abraham Lincoln

Features Editor Kamran Rehmat e-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 44466405 Fax: 44350474

Mall Cinema (1): Seethamma Andalu Ramayya Sitralu (Telugu) 2pm; American Hero (2D) 4.15pm; Exposed (2D) 6.15pm; Ocean 14 (Arabic) 8.15pm; Standoff (2D) 10pm; Concussion (2D) 11.30pm. Mall Cinema (2): Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 2.45pm; Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 4.30pm; Concussion (2D) 6.15pm; Airlift (Hindi) 8.30 pm; Two Countries (Malayalam) 10.30pm. Mall Cinema (3): Saala Khadoos (Hindi) 2pm; Ride Along 2 (2D) 4pm; Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 5.45pm; Saala Khadoos (Hindi) 7.30pm; Kedbet Kol Youm (Arabic ) 9.30pm; Irudhi Suttru (Tamil) 11.30pm. Cinema Land Mark (1): Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 2.30pm; Ocean 14 (Arabic) 4.15pm; Standoff (2D) 6pm; Exposed (2D) 7.30pm; Kedbet Kol Youm (Arabic) 9.30pm; Exposed (2D) 11.30pm.

THEATRES: Landmark, The Mall, Royal Plaza

Cinema Land Mark (2): The Good Dinosaur (2D) 3pm; Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 5pm; Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 7pm; Airlift (Hindi) 9pm; Concussion (2D) 11.15pm. Cinema Land Mark (3): Irudhi Suttru (Tamil) 2.30pm; American Hero (2D) 4.30pm; Concussion (2D) 6.15pm; Two Countries (Malayalam) 8.30pm; Irudhi Suttru (Tamil) 11.15pm. Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): The Good Dinosaur (2D) 2.30pm; Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 4.15pm; Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 6pm; Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2D) 8pm; Standoff (2D) 9.45pm; Saala Khadoos

(Hindi) 11.30pm. Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Saala Khadoos (Hindi) 2.30pm; Exposed (2D) 4.30pm; Airlift (Hindi) 6.30pm; Concussion (2D) 8.45pm; Concussion (2D) 11pm. Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Ride Along 2 (2D) 3pm; American Hero (2D) 5pm; Ocean 14 (Arabic) (2D) 7pm; Kedbet Kol Youm (Arabic) 9pm; Exposed (2D) 11pm. Asian Town Cinema (1): Irudhi Suttru (Tamil) 6pm; 2 Countries (Malayalam) 8.15pm; Irudhi Suttru (Tamil) 10.45pm. Asian Town Cinema (2): Airlift (Hindi) 5pm; 2 Countries (Malayalam) 7.15pm; 2 Countries (Malayalam) 10pm. Asian Town Cinema (3): 2 Countries (Malayalam) 6.30pm; 2 Countries (Malayalam) 9.30pm. Asian Town Cinema (4): Saala Khadoos (Hindi) 6.30pm; Irudhi Suttru (Tamil) 8.45pm; Saala Khadoos (Hindi) 11pm.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Waste Management Recycling Summit DATE: Feb 3-4 TIME: 4pm VENUE: InterContinental The City, Doha Qatar aims at raising the recycle share from 8% to 38% of solid waste, reducing landfill to 53% and converting waste to energy. Energy conservation is a must, as the energy resources are finite, and their consumptions are increasing at alarming rates. The country depends on desalted seawater, which consumes extensive amounts of energy, and is produced by using the least energy efficient desalting system.

QNHG Talk What Lurks Beneath the Surface of a Qatari Sand Dune Talk by: Sara Abdul Majid, Research Specialist, Weill Cornell Medical College Date: Wednesday, February 3 Time: 7pm Light refreshments from 6:30pm - Q and A afterwards Where: Doha English Speaking School (DESS), Madinat Khalifa South Synopsis: Have you ever wondered what kind of creatures, if any, dwell beneath the surface of a sand dune? This talk covers the ecology of mobile barchan dunes, south of Doha city. Depending on their size, these dunes can migrate 5-50m per year. In addition to harbouring a rich microbiome, and animal diversity, the dunes are the sole habitat to the eastern sandfish Scincus mitranus in Qatar. For the first time in the country, a total of 108 sandfish were captured and tagged from five terrestrial and three coastal Barchan dunes in the south-eastern part of Qatar. DNA analysis from the tails of 62 individuals prove that sandfish may move, procreate and crossrecruit among the dunes either by travelling on the rocky floor or when dunes collide and separate over time. Our study is a first effort to characterise the ecology of barchan sand dunes in Qatar and as such it serves as a baseline to future studies on this unique and mobile habitat. Speaker Sara Abdul Majid is an environmental scientist and dedicated conservationist. Born and raised in Qatar, she has developed a passion for the unique desert environment of the country. She is currently leading a project on estimating the population of Scincus mitranus and studying the ecology of Barchan dunes in Qatar. Sara has also co-authored An Illustrated Checklist of the Flora of Qatar (2009).

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ROUND & ABOUT EVENTS

GULF TIMES

Weyak Spring Camp DATE: Today TIME: 8am-7pm VENUE: Al Thakhira — A Flower Each Spring For the first time in Qatar, the Mental Health Friends Association ‘Weyak’ will organise ‘My Trip with My Mom’ at Weyak Spring Camp — the first maritime camp for mothers and their daughters. It is an educational and amusing trip, to be held from 8am to 7pm and targets the girls aged 15 to 19 years. Participation fees: QR300.

Interfaith Dialogue Conference DATE: Feb 16-17 VENUE: Sheraton Doha Hotel 12th Doha Interfaith Dialogue Conference will be held this year under the theme: “Spiritual and Intellectual Safety in the Light of Religious Doctrines”. The conference gives a great opportunity to experts and professionals from all over the world discuss the issues related to the conference theme, and provide a certain framework for dealing with the challenges that threaten the spiritual and intellectual freedom and security of our times.

Geometrical Design in Islamic Art Workshop DATE: Until Feb 6 TIME: Noon to 1:30 pm. VENUE: Museum of Islamic Art In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the concept of geometry in Islamic art, inspired by MIA’s collection. They will learn the basics of geometry such as the hexagon, octagon, 8-pointed star, 12-pointed star, and how to create a pattern using a net of interlocking circles made with the use of a compass and a ruler.

Doha Dash 2016 DATE: Feb 9 VENUE: Losail International Circuit TIME: 7am The Dolphin Energy Doha Dash was created by Professional Sports Group to support the vision behind the Qatar National Sport Day. The event will bring the community together at Losail International Circuit for a chance to run in one of the three distances on offer.

My Book is Your Book DATE: Until Feb 11 TIME: 9am-2pm VENUE: Qatar University Textbook Sales Section at Qatar University will organise an event entitled My Book is Your Book from 9am to 2pm. This event aims to make effective use of used textbooks, which are in good condition in order to enhance the student’s evaluation of textbooks, and benefit the students who are in need of them. Souq Waqif Spring Festival 2016 DATE: Until Feb 5 TIME: 2pm-10pm VENUE: Souq Waqif Souq Waqif Spring Festival is back! The festival is featuring shows and entertainment programmes to suit all the family. Check out the link for more details and a full schedule of events http://www.souq-waqif.qa/ Pravasi Vanitha sports meet FCC Vanithavedi, a women’s forum, is inviting entries to a sports fest being organised on the occasion of Qatar Sport Day. The event is to be held on February 5 at Shantiniketan Indian School. Individuals can participate in items like 1km walk, 100m race, 200m race, sack race, lemon-and-spoon race and shot put. Group items include relay race and tug-of-war. Only women of 18 years and above are eligible to participate. Interested women can register their names online at: www. fccvanitavedi.wordpress.com or directly at the FCC office. Last date for registration is February 3. Contact: 44661213, 44663757, 44315099 VCU Qatar Faculty Exhibition DATE: Until Feb 15 VENUE: VCU Qatar Gallery VCU Qatar will organise its annual exhibition of works by artists and designers who are teaching and researching at the university. Entrance is free. This exhibition aims to give faculty members an opportunity to present their results of current artistic and design research and exploration in a select exhibition. Art Exhibition DATE: Until April 18 VENUE: Porto Arabia, Pearl Diffusion by Peter Zimmermann — A mesmerising solo exhibition of colourful, futuristic works. Anima Gallery, Parcel 17, Porto Arabia, The Pearl-Qatar. Contact: 40027437

Aspire Aquathon Series DATE: Feb 20 VENUE: Hamad Aquatics Centre You can join this popular combination of swimming and running sport race, organised by Aspire Zone Foundation in Hamad Aquatics Centre pool facility and around the Aspire Zone precinct. Entry fees: QR 20. Entry is open for all ages and talents, aged 8 years and above. Adult groups will run for 5km and swim 500m long, while kids will run between 1.5 - 3 km and swim between 100-200m long, according to their age group.

Qatari Agricultural Product Yards DATE: Until June 30 VENUE: Al Mazrooa, Al Zakheera, Al Khor, Al Wakrah The 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. Pottery workshop for kids DATE: Every Monday TIME: 5pm-6pm Kids will learn a new hand building technique for creating and finishing artworks in clay. For more, call 44865201. Sketching with pencil and charcoal DATE: Sunday and Wednesday TIME: 5pm-6:30pm If you can hold a pencil, you can draw … Discover techniques to make your drawing more realistic. Every Saturday and Wednesday from 5pm-6:30pm. For reservation: [email protected]. Works from Mathaf Collection DATE: Until February 14 TIME: 11am to 6pm VENUE: Arab Museum of Modern Art The artworks collection to be exhibited will reflect a number of important defining moments in Arab history and artistic innovations in the region.

Neuroscience Conference DATE: February 18-20 VENUE: Sheraton Hotel The 1st Qatar Annual Neuroscience Conference, organised by the Neurological Institute at Hamad Medical Corporation, offers a comprehensive educational programme specifically designed for the Mena region that will have significant emphasis on practical aspects of common neurological and neurosurgical disorders. The scientific programme committee has invited world leaders in their fields to share their knowledge with the attendees. Jewellery and Watches Exhibition DATE: February 23-27 VENUE: Doha Exhibition and Convention Center Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) is being held once a year in Qatar. This show is one of the most exclusive in the world for wealthy individuals interested in fine jewellery and unique pieces, watches, gemstones, and diamonds, all represented by more than 500 exclusive international brands. Additionally, a number of educational seminars will be delivered on jewellery and watches throughout the week. Aspire Run the Park DATE: Until February 13 VENUE: Aspire Park Aspire Zone Foundation will organise a series of four races on Saturday once a month on January 16 and February 13. Participants should compete in at least three out the four races to win a medal and prize. They have to be there an hour before the race. Aspire Park Cinema DATE: Ongoing until Feb 5 TIME: 6pm-8pm VENUE: Aspire Park Aspire Zone Foundation, in collaboration with Jeem TV, is presenting for the first time children movies on its giant screen behind Hayat Plaza, every Thursday and Friday from 6pm to 8pm.

Sushi Night in town Cosmo Restaurant, in Millennium Hotel Doha, invites its guests to explore the sumptuous and mouthwatering buffet spread of different authentic sushi, sashimi, tempura, teppanyaki, salad bar that offers International and Asian salads, and Edamame to savour from. The Sushi Night promotion is available every Wednesday starting at 7pm. To top this dining experience, guests can also enjoy a wide variety of desserts and fresh fruits. The ambiance and atmosphere gives fresh spirit and feelings of Asia, not to mention that the hotel team provides valued guests with the best experience through their friendliness, attentiveness and the attention to details.

FOODIE CHOICE RESTAURANT: Nozomi Doha LOCATION: Kempinski Marsa Malaz Nozomi Doha is a high-end Japanese restaurant from Knightsbridge in London. The spirit underlying Nozomi is one based on subtly fusing an entertainment and dining experience so that, as the highly acclaimed cuisine, is served, so too is a passionate musical offering, relying on a selection of world music choices designed to relax inhibitions and assure an unique and overwhelming atmosphere, that is Nozomi.

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

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COVER STORY

Against all odds Physically sunken from the privations of the all-consuming trip — their blistered feet swollen to the extent it became difficult to even take off their shoes — British explorer Mark Evans and his Omani colleagues Mohammed Zadjali and Amer al-Wahaibi finally made it to the Ar Rayyan Castle in Qatar. Umer Nangiana finds out how

TEST OF ENDURANCE: The explorers say teamwork and co-ordination was at the heart of their successful feat.

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ore than 1,000 kilometres long and 500 kilometres wide with sand dunes as high as 300 metres interspersed with gravel and gypsum plains. They were up against the barren land that has not been inhabited for decades, and they were on foot. It took them 49 days of walking, not to say resilience, to get through the arduous journey. Physically sunken from the privations of the all-consuming trip but spirited, the three travellers finally made it to their

final destination, Ar Rayyan Castle in Qatar. It was the thought of this castle that helped them survive the mounds of sand, without going astray. British explorer Mark Evans, and his two Omani colleagues, Mohammed Zadjali and Amer alWahaibi, called the Tahaddi Arabia team, walked 1,300 kilometres to cross Rub al Khali or ‘Empty Quarter’. They were retracing the footsteps of British explorer Bertram Thomas and Sheikh Saleh bin Klute from Oman, who sought to cross the Empty Quarter nearly 85 years ago

in 1930. No-one has ever done it on foot in the interim because the ‘Empty Quarter’ is literally empty! “There is nothing there. It is just barren. For thousands of years no-one has lived there. They did that in the past when the climate was very different and Arabia was green, but for many years it has just been barren, (offering only) hostile environment,” team leader Mark Evans tells Community upon reaching the Rayyan Castle. They were greeted by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, the president of Qatar Olympic Committee, and ambassadors of

Saudi Arabia, Oman and United Kingdom besides other state officials. ‘Tahaddi Arabia’, the journey, started from Salalah, Oman, on the 10th of December 2015, and continued across Saudi Arabia through to the Empty Quarter and culminated in Qatar. It was the same route taken by the explorers in 1930. Their conclusion? It is “even emptier now!” “The Bedouin now have pickup trucks and they have moved to the edge of the desert where environment is relatively easier

with employment opportunities,” observes Evans. However, he acknowledges the 1930 explorers were extraordinary, who at the time walked into nothing, with no maps or support system. Today, life is comparatively easier and it was nice for him and his colleagues to step back and realise “how lucky we are today.” Evans has lived in the Middle East for 20 years and believes the desert is his home now. For the past 12 years, he has been based in Oman. Nevertheless, he and his team had to thoroughly prepare and train for the epic journey.

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COVER STORY They did some stimulatory training in the desert in Oman besides hitting the gym, but it was impossible to physically train for the 7-hour-a-day trek with their full time jobs. So they selected the route carefully. “We chose the regimen in a way that we had two weeks at the start to enable us to get super fit before we hit the biggest sand dunes on the border with Saudi Arabia. By the time we got there, we were really quite fit, our legs were really strong and we all had lost a lot of weight by then,” Evans recalls. It was this careful planning, preparation and the right equipment that, he says, was the key to survive out there. Quoting the famous aviator Richard Byrd, he suggested, “there were old pilots, and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots”. He probably meant to say, if you are reckless and just dive into something, you are not going to survive. “That is why we are not old, bold explorers. We are old but we are not bold. We are not reckless. We planned this very carefully. We had two fantastic support vehicles with foods and supply,” says Evans, smiling. He says he chose people on his team, who, he was sure, had the rights skills to do the job. One of his two companions, he says, is a Bedouin who knows how to handle camels which was the most important part of the job. The other, Mohammed Zadjali, is an instructor with Evans’s organisation in Oman. From his journey in the desert, Evans particularly remembers the nights. The nights in the desert are just fantastic, he says. “When the sun goes down, it is just beautiful. You know the temperatures are going to drop and the heat is going to die and those amazing stars come out and when there is no moon, that sky is just unbelievable out there,” he recalls. Their mantra was not to let negative thoughts enter their minds. If it gets difficult, you look for solutions and they had enough resources with them to solve any problems, says the team leader. This journey has not been recreated for 85 years and will probably not be for another 85 years and this, Evans says, makes them feel honoured and privileged. His colleague Mohammed Zadjali, himself an experienced explorer, concurs. “The survival is in team effort. I would always convince myself that Doha was right in front of me and we would move on. It is all about resilience, tenacity and patience besides problem-solving skills,” says the Omani explorer. He said the route offered every hardship imaginable. They went up the mountain to the South which is 2,000 metres, dropped down to the sandy bit where the sand dunes go up to 300 metres; however, the real test was the sharp rocky terrain. Imagine walking 30 kilometres on such a terrain day after day. “Your blistered feet get swollen to the extent that it is difficult sometimes even to remove your shoes,” says Zadjali.

GULF TIMES

WELCOME: HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, president of Qatar Olympic Committee, receiving the expedition team at Ar-Rayyan Castle. He has been an explorer for over 12 years but this, he says, was his biggest expedition. And he, Zadjali says, wanted to give the message that despite having political borders, “we are all brothers and we will always be.” With his next expedition — destination yet to be decided — he wants to drive home the importance of protecting the environment. His team leader and colleague has undertaken many expeditions before to the Arctic, Greenland, besides paddling a one-man boat around the entire 1700km coastline of Oman and Qatar. However, he too feels ‘Empty Quarter’ was right up there. But what’s up next for him? “For now, a good night’s sleep. I had my first shower in 49 days this afternoon. I am going to have another one tonight. I am going to have a big meal and then a good night’s sleep,” he smiles, rubbing his over-grown stubble.

This journey has not been recreated for 85 years and will probably not be for another 85 years and this, British explorer Mark Evans, the team leader, right, says, makes them feel honoured and privileged

DOWN MEMORY LANE: The first ever recorded crossing of the Rub Al Khali desert in 1930.

Photo by Umer Nangiana

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Sri Lankan expats all set to celebrate Independence Day By Umer Nangiana

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he Sri Lankan community in Qatar is all set to celebrate the 68th Independence Day (Nidahas Udanaya 2016) that falls on February 4. The celebrations are going bigger and better this year with the embassy of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Coordinating Committee (SLCC) planning cultural programmes. There would also be events for members of diplomatic community. A musical event has been organised on February 5 at Radisson Blu Hotel commencing at 5pm. On February 7, under the patronage of the ambassador of Sri Lanka Dr WM Karunadasa, the embassy will host a cultural show for diplomats and invitees at the Sheraton Hotel, Doha. The Sparrows Dance Troupe together with actress Sheril Romen Dekker, singer Ruwan Hettiarachchi, Vishadara Jagath Wickramasinghe, Nihal Pathiranage (guitar), Sanjaya Sooriya Arachchi (tabla), Uditha Wijeratne (violin) and Hema Nalin Karunaratne (MC) will be flown in from Sri Lanka for the celebration on February 5. Students from the dance academy of Dinu Rangayathanaya will showcase their talents at both programmes. Sparrows are a leading dancing academy in Sri Lanka that started in the early ’90s. They perform traditional dances and have enthralled audiences across the globe with their scintillating performances on stage. The troupe has expertise in different fields of art and has multiple dance and music teams including the Dance Team, Kandian Dance Team, First Dance Traning, Dance choreography, African Jembe Drums Team, Indian Dhol Drums Team, Ashtaka, Jayamangala Team, DJ, Sounds and Lights and Dancing

classes in Ballrooom, Latin, Salsa, Indian, Free style and Hip Hop besides Zumba. This is their first visit to Doha and the audience can be assured of an entertaining evening of dance and music during the celebrations. Singer Ruwan Hettiarachchi and

Actress Sheril Romen Dekker

Singer Ruwan Hettiarachchi

CULTURAL SHOWCASE: Sparrows are a leading dancing academy in Sri Lanka. actress Sheril Romen Dekker will entertain the community with popular songs and dance. Vishadara Jagath Wickramasinghe and his musicians will sing patriotic songs to mark the occasion. The tickets for the show are at QR100 and QR50 and will be

available at all Sri Lankan outlets and at the gates. Gates open at 4pm. Last year, a 15-member cultural troupe from Sri Lanka’s Rivega Dance Studio had performed in a spectacular celebration of Sri Lankan Independence Day in Qatar. The troupe included choreographer

Rangika Jeewantha, popular artistes Rodney Warnakula, Giriraj Kaushalya and Priyantha Seneviratne. The programme was compered by Hema Nalin Karunaratne. Dohabased Sri Lankan musical band Black Cats Sri Lankan Music Fans Club had enthralled the audience with their music performance. The students from the dance academies of Senuranga Dance Troupe with choreographer Asanka Salwathura and Dinu Ranga Kalayathanaya and choreographer Dinuk Lawrance showcased their talents during the cultural-cum-variety programme. In some of the previous cultural programmes on such occasions organised by SLCC and the embassy of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Community in Doha has witnessed some breathtakingly beautiful dance forms performed by famous artistes and dance groups. Wickramasinghe Academy performed Abishek, a dance form which is a combination of traditional music and drums beating to different rituals and dances carried out in Sri Lanka since the ancient times, in one previous celebration. Mayam was another dance form essayed by Sri Lankan girls dancing with water pots in yet another performance. It is a ritual dance. A dance act with sea horses and mermaids dancing at the bottom of the beautiful ocean surrounding Sri Lanka is another act. The girls and a boy in costumes resembling peacocks followed in a performance entitled Ranamonaru. Peacock has a special place in Sri Lankan culture. Ves, a traditional dance from Kandy, performed at festivals and celebrations with drummers and dancers, has also been a part of the performances. The variety in the colourful dances depict the richness of Sri Lankan culture. For event information, call Ranjith Gurusinghe 66580392 / 50409246, Dhammika Jayasena 55654241 or Viddya Sri Shanthikumara 33058041.

Singer Vishadara Jagath Wickramasinghe

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TALENT SHOW: The Women’s Fest 2016, organised as part of FCC Vanaitha Vedi (women’s forum), became a showcase for the creative talents of expatriate women in Qatar. In the two- day programme, Malayalee women were proving their talents in poetry recitation, singing, handicraft making and culinary arts. They exhibited their skills in competitions like ‘Mappilapatte’, light music, fabric painting, flower arrangement, cooking without fuel, ornament making, ‘best out of waste’, poem writing, extempore speech, and essay writing.

Indian youth dies of heart attack

INSIGHT: A lecture series was organised by Sri Lankan Majlis Qatar. ‘Surah Al Hujarath -- Lessons for our Lives’ was delivered at Al Attiyyah Masjid after Isha prayer. Around 600 people participated. A lecture titled ‘Islamic Family – Secrets for Success’ was held at Tariq Bin Ziyad Independent Secondary School for Boys. More than 220 families participated. The third lecture was held at Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre

(Fanar) Auditorium after Isha prayer. Around 500 people were present for the lecture which was titled ‘Work: Faith: Balance -- In a busy modern lifestyle’. All the talks were delivered by Ash Sheikh Mufthi Yousuf Haneefa, a prominent scholar from Sri Lanka. He is an executive member of the All Ceylon Jamiathul Elema (ACJU) and the Chairman of Zam Zam Foundation in Sri Lanka. All lectures were delivered in Tamil language.

A 26-year-old Indian expatriate died of heart attack at his accommodation in Al Wakrah on Saturday. Sources that identified the victim as Emmanuel Francis (pictured) said he had been indisposed for a few days and was keeping off duties. He was working for the last couple of years in a transportation and logistics firm in Al Wakrah area. Francis was native of Shaktikulangara, in Kerala’s Kollam district. He was the son of Francis William and Jacintha Francis of Thottathil Veedu, Shaktikulanagara, sources said. Efforts are on to repatriate the body to his native place, said a senior parishioner of the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Rosary, Doha.

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Art for Tomorrow slate After its successful edition last year, the conference spearheaded by Qatar Museums, will once again unite the who’s who of the global art scene in Doha. By Anand Holla

CONVERGENCE: A scene from the Art for Tomorrow conference last year.

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n the back of a successful debut edition, Qatar Museums (QM) has partnered again with the New York Times for a second year to treat Doha to the muchcelebrated Art for Tomorrow conference, scheduled from March 12 to 15 at the W Hotel. The conference that will once again unite the who’s who of the global art scene in Doha reflects the growing international recognition for Qatar’s contribution to dialogue and progress through art and underlines QM’s progress at

turning into a vibrant centre for the arts, culture and education. While QM will announce details about the event in the coming days, it has mentioned about it in its new blog post, giving a good idea of what to expect: “Art for Tomorrow brings together some of the world’s leading artists, curators, art collectors and museum directors to explore the complex relationships between the digital world and the creative process, the nature of creativity, its impact on developing cities and nations, and what goes into making a city ‘creative’.” At the inaugural edition, last year, more than 500 senior leaders

from the arts, public and private sectors, tourism experts, city planners and business developers were in attendance to discuss the changing dynamics of art and architecture and their potential to transform people and places. Guests were treated to key note speeches from 45 internationally renowned figures and cultural pioneers, as well as the leading lights of the arts and culture community from across the Middle East and in Qatar. Driven by the overall theme of Technology, Creativity and the City, the upcoming edition of Art for Tomorrow will gather the

world’s top artists and architects, and leading museum directors, urban developers, policy-makers and financiers to address critical issues such as the need for museums to reinvent themselves for a new generation and figure out the co-existence of the digital and real art markers, and their impact on the creative cities of tomorrow. From exploring the role of art in developing or regenerating a nation’s or city’s authentic identity to discussing the future of the museum, virtual or real, and its contribution to urban or wider cultural contexts, the event covers the whole spectrum of curiosities

and concerns surrounding the world of art. Some of the speakers at the event are performance artist Marina Abramovic, artist Jeff Koons, Google’s Director of Public Policy for Italy, Greece and Malta Giorgia Abeltino, UAE-based columnist Sultan Sooud al-Qassemi, Unesco Assistant Director General for Culture Francesco Bandarin, and Victoria and Albert Museum Director Martin Roth. Community gives you a first look into the highlights of the agenda of what promises to be the Qatar’s biggest art event of the year: On the evening of March 12,

Monday, Febraury 1, 2016

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ed for second coming

Sultan Sooud al-Qassemi

Arthur Sulzberger, Jr, chairman and publisher of The New York Times.

starting 6pm, a welcome reception and ‘Art Lab’ tour will flag off the proceedings – Art Lab is a pop-up art installation on Level 29 of the W Doha Hotel & Residences. The programme for March 13 begins with a welcome note by Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson, Qatar Museums, and Arthur O Sulzberger Jr, chairman and publisher, The New York Times Company. Then, Keynote 1: Smart City, Creative City, featuring Charles Landry, author: The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators will address the question: Does creativity now depend on technology? Keynote 2: Culture – Towards a New Urban Agenda will have Francesco Bandarin, assistant director general for culture, Unesco, discuss the city as a key actor in sustainable development, and culture as a key element in civic, national and international development strategies. This will be followed by a discussion featuring Charles Landry and Francesco Bandarin in Conversation with Roger Cohen, columnist, The New York Times. A panel discussion on The Digital Museum will have experts talk about how digital technologies and traditional museums can co-exist in a time when the former can offer experiences that the latter can’t. In Digital Originals # 1 and #2, we get a precious insight into the working methods of artist Parker Ito, whose medium is the world wide web, while artist and futurist Pia MYrvoLD will tackle issues, concerns, techniques and work-rounds as a creator of ‘digital originals’. Some of the other subjects that will tackled on the day are The Established vs the Emerging

Creative City: New York and Los Angeles; and Digital Editions: how is the Internet redefining the value of art? The much-celebrated Jeff Koons will deconstruct how a ‘celebrity artist’ approaches a collaborative project, and how much is the work for self or for community. A panel discussion featuring Koons and Dakis Joannou, civil engineer, architect and art collector, J&P, will seek simpler answers for complex questions such as: Does the digital landscape put pressure on the private collector to show a responsibility to the public, who may never have had the chance to see some of the world’s great artworks? What effect will

Martin Roth.

‘unlimited access’ have on the relationship between artist and collector? While a panel session titled Artist as Architect, Architect as Artist, will explore the space between architecture and art, and examine the mix of creative urges in both kinds of practitioner, another panel talk titled Will the Internet Redefine the Global Art Market? will discuss whether the Internet will eventually replace traditional galleries, museums and government funding bodies. Columnist Sultan Sooud al-Qassemi and artist Sophia al-Maria will discuss what Doha, the ‘emerging’ creative city, can learn from creative communities around the world.

Photo by Thierry Bal

Jeff Koons

Marina Abramovic Tuesday features discussions on topics such as Culture and the Established City: the new urban paradigm, which assesses the impact of new cultural institutions and activities on older cities; and The Patron and the Emerging Artist, which tries cracking the best ways to help the next generation of artists grow and nurture. In the discussion titled The Creative Airport, the brilliant minds behind Hamad International Airport’s new extension discuss the role of art in transit hubs and explain the rationale of the new building. Towards the end of the conference, there’s Art at the Eclipse of Capitalism: The collaborative, co-operative and

crowd-based business models of the digital age are essentially opposed to capitalism’s competitive philosophy. How does the practice of ‘new art’ contribute to this (arguably) incoming sea change? In A Symphony of Color, the subject is Cyborg Neil Harbisson’s performance that round his lyrical and provocative perception of the relationship between technology, colour and sound – a fitting finale to the conference. While participation at Art for Tomorrow is by invitation only, you can make a request on their website. Once accepted, you can avail the Full Experience Package at $1,995, which includes all sessions, receptions and tours.

Francesco Bandarin

10 GULF TIMES Monday, February 1, 2016

COMMUNITY

LEARNING CURVE: The entire teaching faculty of Shantiniketan Indian School (SIS) was enriched with the best teaching practices in the two-day workshop held at its campus recently. The workshop focused on strategic development of teachers in the role of facilitators to support knowledge sharing, collaboration, skill development and giving sense to their teaching experience.

UP CLOSE: Students of Ideal Indian School visited Indian Coast Guard ship Sankalp recently. The visit to the vessel was organised by Embassy of India. As many as 20 students from various classes got the opportunity to learn about the coastal protection methods, functioning of the ships. ICGS Sankalp, the 5th Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) of the Indian Coast Guard with latest and modern equipment and systems, provides her the capability to perform the role of a command platform and accomplish all Coast Guard charter of duties. Students got in-depth understanding on the roles, responsibilities and commitment of Indian Coast Guards in safe guarding water territories. Students also got an opportunity to interact with crew members.

Monday, February 1, 2016

GULF TIMES

11

COMMUNITY

LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

5 common heart health myths debunked

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s the number one cause of death in both men and women, knowledge is power when it comes to preventing heart conditions. Whether it runs in your family or not, this is one health issue you shouldn’t ignore. Heart disease is the same in men and women Although men and women share many of the same risk factors for heart disease, there are differences in the way the disease treats each gender’s body. Women tend to develop heart disease an average of 10 years later than men, and have a greater chance of dying from the disease. Women have smaller hearts and coronary vessels, which often makes heart surgery difficult. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer of women, so women especially should talk with their doctors about developing a heart health plan. If it runs in your family, there’s nothing you can do about it Even if heart conditions run in your family, these diseases are still 80 percent preventable. Healthy behaviour changes like losing weight, increasing exercise, eating a healthier diet and keeping your cholesterol in check will help you make tremendous strides towards heart health. The power of prevention is undeniable, especially with preventative screenings that identify risk factors for heart disease and

stroke early on. Life Line Screening offers affordable, preventative cardiovascular screenings conveniently in your community. Heart disease doesn’t affect fit and active people No matter how many marathons you run or yoga classes you take, you may still be at risk for a heart condition. There are plenty of other factors that can put you at risk, like high cholesterol, poor eating habits, elevated blood pressure, and smoking. Heart disease always exhibits the same symptoms While you might be under the impression that a heart attack always involves extreme chest pain, 64 percent of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. Women are more likely to experience back or jaw pain, dizziness and lightheadedness, shortness of breath or nausea and vomiting. Once you have heart disease, it’s too late It’s never too late to treat or prevent heart disease. Your lifestyle plays a crucial role in both controlling risk factors and caring for heart disease. Simple behaviour changes like those mentioned above plus consultation with you doctor can help keep your heart, and entire circulatory system, humming along.

ARIES March 21 — April 19

The Moon shifts gears into Scorpio today, joining up with your ruler Mars in the same part of your chart — your eighth house of joint investments and resources. If you have to talk about money, keep things on an even and calm keel.

CANCER June 21 — July 22

Get over yourself today Cancers. Get out of your own way and stop meddling in your business and other people’s business. Short but sweet advice!

LIBRA

September 23 — October 22 Don’t be alarmed if one of your best friends suddenly says or does something completely out of the blue that makes you question your entire friendship. It happens and it will happen again.

CAPRICORN December 22 — January 19

Be honest today. Are you really trying to do something or get somewhere as much as you think you are? Or are you being a tad lazy?

©Brandpoint

TAURUS April 20 — May 20

Don’t let someone talk you out of doing something you really want to do today bulls. You’re stubborn and it’s unlike you to let this happen. Stick to your guns.

LEO

July 23 — August 22 Being a Leo comes with a fair amount of responsibility. People look to you for leadership and for rescue at times and this can be rather overwhelming at times.

SCORPIO October 23 — November 21

Avoid being caught up in someone else’s drama or jam today Scorpios. If someone asks you to help them out of an impossible situation, just say “no”.

AQUARIUS January 20 — February 18

You need to rethink something today Aquarians. Maybe something that you put your hopes and dreams into but didn’t pan out. Onto the next dream.

GEMINI May 21 — June 20

There is nothing worse than feeling as if something or someone is within your grasp and not being able to grab it because you feel guilty — as if you are stealing someone else’s thunder.

VIRGO

August 23 — September 22 Be open to some constructive criticism today Virgos. Sure it might sting a little, but if you listen up, you will actually walk away feeling much stronger and resilient.

SAGITTARIUS November 22 — December 21

There is only so much you can do to pacify someone right now Sags. They have to work things out on their own without any help from you or anyone else.

PISCES

February 19 — March 20 Don’t let someone steer you off course today. You have your navigation/compass set in a particular direction and it needs to remain there, Pisces.

12 GULF TIMES Monday, February 1, 2016

COMMUNITY Wordsearch

Adam

Pooch Cafe

Microsoft Office ACCESS BASIC CHART DATABASE DATASHEET DOCUMENT EXCEL FORMS

GRAPHICS HELP LIST MAIL OUTLOOK POWERPOINT SCREEN SPREADSHEET

SUITE TABLE TEMPLATE TEXT WINDOWS WIZARD WORD WORKSHEET

Codeword

Puzzles courtesy: Puzzlechoice.com

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.

Garfield

Sudoku

Bound And Gagged

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.

PUZZLES/CARTOONS

Monday, February 1, 2016

13

COMMUNITY

PUZZLES Quick Clues

Across 1. Name (11) 9. Knight errant (7) 10. Entertain (5) 11. Elbow (5) 12. Gather (7) 13. Desire (6) 15. Bomb-hole (6) 18. Recuperate (7) 20. Converge (5) 22. Defect (5) 23. Regular (7) 24. Riches (11)

GULF TIMES

Colouring

Down 2. Faded (5) 3. Incessant (7) 4. Madness (6) 5. Track (5) 6. Abundant (7) 7. Wasteful (11) 8. Enterprising (11) 14. Contain (7) 16. Rowdy (7) 17. Stoop (6) 19. Essential (5) 21. Angry (5)

Cryptic Clues

Answers Wordsearch

Across 1. Passable reasons for entertainment sites (4-7) 9. Maltreated and shockingly sullied (3-4) 10. One who didn’t wish to wear his cap at school (5) 11. Where one puts up with other people (5) 12. Process used by various bodies (7) 13. Nettled, we hear, having reached one’s zenith (6) 15. March 15th saw his downfall (6) 18. Petroleum obtained by sailor at the back of the crag (4-3) 20. Where tea is produced from some of Russia’s samovars (5) 22. Adversary held back by infantrymen, evidently (5) 23. Now get a change of clothing (3-4) 24. Wires pretty well sorted out for office machines (11)

Down 2. Apportion a levy that’s been raised (5) 3. Determination to free from doubt (7) 4. Could be cured by direction to lose weight (6) 5 & 17Dn. Not the chief scribe in the insurance world? (11) 6. More than one ruler stands to be ruined about the end of the monarchy (7) 7. He serves guests with strong ale after dark (5-6) 8. By which to find the size of certain fellows in the flesh! (11) 14. This requires skill in taking a bow (7) 16. The first male colonist refusing to be moved (7) 17. See 5 Dn. 19. Herb found on the watch, we hear (5) 21. The track is far from satisfactory beyond the top of the street (5)

Codeword

Yesterday’s Solutions QUICK Across: 1 Pass over; 5 Alas; 9 Stay; 10 Sedition; 11 Astir; 12 Traduce; 13 In the mind’s eye; 18 Delicate; 19 Abut; 20 Chatter; 21 Singe; 22 Duet; 23 Chivalry. Down: 2 Artisan; 3 Stylish; 4 Electric torch; 6 Leisure; 7 Sincere; 8 Wizard; 13 Induced; 14 Tillage; 15 Excite; 16 Stamina; 17 Younger.

CRYPTIC Across: 1 Bankrupt; 5 Used; 9 Blue; 10 Refusing; 11 Igloo; 12 Bedtime; 13 Contact lenses; 18 Upstairs; 19 Pips; 20 High tea; 21 Piers; 22 Stye; 23 Asbestos. Down: 2 Allegro; 3 Keep out; 4 Presbyterians; 6 Spirits; 7 Degrees; 8 Subdue; 13 Couches; 14 Nosegay; 15 Adapts; 16 Napkins; 17 Esparto.

14 GULF TIMES Monday, February 1, 2016

COMMUNITY

BOLLYWOOD Deepika, up next for Hollywood Fresh after the success of the next big blockbuster of her life in Bajirao Mastani, which once again reaffirmed her status at the top of Bollywood’s leading ladies, what is Deepika Padukone up to? Not cooling her heels certainly. She has set her sights on foreign shores now that the country is captured. Sometime back there were rumours that she would be seen in the seventh edition of The Fast And The Furious with Hollywood star Vin Diesel, but that didn’t work

out. It however doesn’t mean that Hollywood plans are cancelled because Deepika is acting opposite Diesel in another movie, XXX: The Return of Xander Cage and confirmation comes from a variety of places. There is Deepika’s trainer, who has put out images and videos in Instagram of her working out to get into shape for the action flick. There was also a video put out by Diesel himself with Deepika in which he said he had wanted to work with her for a long time. Looks like after Priyanka we might soon have one more successful export to Hollywood.

DROP SCENE: Kajol isn’t happy with Shah Rukh Khan’s remarks over how the film fared and her own decision.

Not quite Dil wale

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t could be called the curious case of Dilwale. Because here is a movie that according to trade analysts has worldwide made over Rs 300 crore, which is a decent number. And yet there was Shah Rukh Khan the other day saying that the movie had done not as well as expected. In effect, he was saying, Dilwale had failed by his standards. Then more recently, a report in a gossip website, said that Kajol was regretting that she had done the movie and, what is more, feels slightly miffed that it was Shah Rukh who had convinced her to do it and now he himself was running down the movie. So what exactly were the fortunes of the movie? Actually, not spectacular if you consider

what it did in India where the movie made around Rs 150 crore. It is a decent number for any other actor but when it comes to the three superstar Khans then it pales in comparison to what Salman and Aamir have been delivering. Also, what is especially rankling for the Dilwale team is that Bajirao Mastani which released on the same day made almost Rs 40 crore more in India when everyone had thought the reverse would happen. The movie’s performance takes the sheen off its director Rohit Shetty to some extent. He was the man who could never not deliver a superhit, someone who didn’t rank very high with critics but knew the pulse of the audience. But, if he couldn’t deliver at least the biggest

hit of the year with a combination that had Shah Rukh and Kajol in it, then it does put a question mark on him. What is said to have made Kajol especially upset is that to be in Dilwale she dropped doing another movie called Durga Rani Singh, which would have had a main female protagonist, a movie that would revolve around her character. Sujoy Ghosh, its director, was the same man who made Kahaani that brought Vidya Balan so many accolades. As it turned out, Vidya is going to be in Durga Rani Singh. Kajol, who played a side role to Shah Rukh in Dilwale, finds that neither was the movie appreciated nor did it become a blockbuster which might have made it all worthwhile.

Babus in a huff over Airlift taking liberty with facts Akshay Kumar maintains his status as the evergreen star of Bollywood constantly on the heels of the Khans, but never quite reaching that level. While other contenders have all had their day in the sun, they drop out sooner or later. There was a time when stars like Govinda and Saif Ali Khan seemed to be doing great but no longer. Only Akshay goes on, reinventing himself, from action to comedy, from commercial to middle brow. His latest movie Airlift, which has the unusual story of Indians being evacuated from Kuwait after the Iraq invasion of 1990, said to be the largest such operation of transporting 70,000 people. The movie has garnered great collections and has crossed that of other recent Akshay hits like Baby and Rowdy Rathore. It has however, also run into a controversy. Airlift’s plot shows the Indian government agencies lax in airlifting the stranded people until Akshay, who plays a local businessman, steps in. But according to present and former diplomats, that is far from the truth and the External Affairs Ministry was, in fact, behind the operation. One former foreign secretary said the movie, while entertaining, was badly researched and ludicrous when it came to facts. There

CAREER BOOST: Deepika Padukone.

Game of Throes: Hrithik debunks Kangana ‘affair’ This is a somewhat candid controversy in an industry where everyone shoots over someone else’s shoulders and never comes on record. Last year, as Hrithik Roshan’s marriage ended with wife Susanne, there were rumours that he had entered into a relationship with Kangana Ranaut. Of course, no-one confirmed the news and it just remained in the realm of gossip. Kangana recently made a rather astonishing statement that was confirmation. It followed after reports that Kangana, who was being considered for Aashiqui 3, was dropped from

consideration allegedly at the behest of Hrithik. She was asked about this in an interview and her reply was that exes would go to great lengths to get attention, implying, of course, that Hrithik was an ex-lover. Everyone then waited for Hrithik’s reaction and he put out a very sarcastic tweet that said, ‘Ther r more chances of me having had an affair with d Pope dan any of d (Im sure wonderful) women d media hs ben naming. Thanks but no thanks.’ There the matter rests hopefully unless Kangana says something to rake it up again. Send your feedback to [email protected]

FILM ROW: Akshay Kumar. were such annoyed comments from other bureaucrats as well. On the other hand, they seem not to comprehend that a movie’s primary purpose is entertainment and that every such feature film which is based on real life takes huge liberties with the truth and that is why they usually also have a disclaimer. AFFAIR THAT WASN’T: Hrithik has dismissed the suggestion in a tweet.

Monday, February 1, 2016

GULF TIMES

15

COMMUNITY

TELEVISION

Felicity goes dark for American Crime I’m honoured to have been a part of Desperate Housewives. It will be on my tombstone, prime time actress tells Greg Braxton

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or almost two decades, Felicity Huffman has been one of the busiest and most popular actresses on ABC’s prime-time slate. From her starring turn as a producer in Sports Night to her Emmy-winning stint as a harried mother on Desperate Housewives, Huffman has specialised in playing successful, likable women trying to make the best of difficult situations. But “likable” is one of the last words you’d attribute to Huffman’s characters on ABC’s American Crime, the highly acclaimed anthology series from Oscar winner John Ridley that has taken on tough and edgy subject matter rarely examined on network TV drama. In her Emmy-nominated role from last season, Huffman played Barb Hanlon, a bitter, divorced woman whose racial prejudices are exposed when minorities are accused of killing her grown son during a home invasion. In the show’s current and second season, Huffman portrays Leslie Graham, the ambitious, driven headmistress of an elite high school who confronts a mother (Lili Taylor) accusing members of the basketball team of raping her son during a drunken party. In a lively interview at her publicist’s Hollywood office, Huffman, the mother of two

teens, discussed her move to the dark side, memories of Desperate Housewives and twisted breakfast table talk with her husband, Shameless star William H Macy. Q: Viewers we’re surprised last year on American Crime when you played a woman with bigoted views. Now you’re portraying a woman who is more pleasant on the surface but is more cunning and dangerous. What was your response when John Ridley first talked to you about her? A: I was pleased. As we were building Leslie, I said to John, “She wants to be someone that people are drawn to.” Men find her attractive, but women don’t find her threatening. They go, “I like her skirt, I like her hair.” She wins people over. She’s such a chess player and a mastermind, a politician. And you changed your hair colour to dark to become her. If you’re as fortunate as I’ve been to work in television all these years, the audience gets attached to your character. Particularly after eight years of Desperate Housewives, I didn’t want any residue left over. I wanted to flavour a new character. John’s characters ask for audiences to see them as a whole against a wide sky. That’s why last year I went with the brown contact

lenses. I didn’t wear any makeup, the gray was coming in. It was kind of fabulous. I spent all of two minutes in the makeup chair. This year, I wanted to not have an aftertaste of last year. You have described Leslie as a politician. She is a company man. She will do the job that is given to her, and do it 100 percent, whether it is a private school or a Fortune 500 company or a nonprofit. She cares about the big picture. I also think she’s lonely. She’s a bit of an island. The way Barb was. Although she cares about the institution, she’s also insensitive to the mother who is so distraught. That’s exactly right. But if you care about the institution and your goal is the greater good, there will be times when you go, “I understand that you’re upset, but I can’t do anything about it.” If the body is sick, sometimes, you have to cut off the foot to save the body. You’re a mother. How would you respond if Leslie were the headmistress at your children’s school? It depends on whether my children were in trouble or not. It depends on whether I had to cross her. If I did, it would be difficult because she’s formidable and

somewhat unmovable. But if she were in my corner, I think it would be swell. (Laughs) An interesting irony is that Barb last season was in a desperate fight to get justice for her son. This season, you’re playing a woman fighting a mother seeking justice for her son. Kudos to John Ridley. He set that up. It’s a wonderful turntable to have me on the other side of the fence and watching this brilliant actress, Lili Taylor, being agonised over her boy. Lili is so brilliant and so heartfelt . But I do believe in Leslie’s point of view, which is to consider what it means to falsely accuse young men of something they didn’t do. Their life is done. The American Crime cast seems very bonded, much like a repertory company. We heard through the years of tensions behind the scenes of Desperate Housewives. How does being in this situation differ from being a part of an ensemble playing the same characters over many years? I’m honoured to have been a part of Desperate Housewives. It will be on my tombstone and made it possible to be where I am in my career right now. There was an explosive element to that show. From the moment we aired, it

went “boom.” We were shot out of a cannon, and it was kind of bewildering. We were all seasoned professionals, but experiencing that makes it hard to find your sea legs. What we had on Desperate Housewives was (creator) Marc Cherry’s distinct unifying voice, which was the defining factor, and not so much a common aesthetic. With American Crime, there is a unifying aesthetic, and it incorporates the actors. Your husband stars on Shameless, which couldn’t be more different than American Crime. What are those breakfast conversations like? Bill is hilarious. We’re all sitting around the breakfast table and one daughter will say, “I have a French test today,” and the other one says, “I have a field trip today,” and my husband says, “Uh, I’m doing cocaine on a toilet seat today.” (Laughs) Georgia has her school photo, and Sophia brings her school photo, and Bill brings in a picture of him naked with pink pasties and tassels and a fluffy feathered cod piece. The really funny thing is, he’s in his sixth year. We run lines in our house all the time. When he started, I said, “The girls cannot run lines with you.” But now they’re old enough, and he runs lines from Shameless with my girls. —Los Angeles Times/TNS

16 GULF TIMES Monday, February 1, 2016

COMMUNITY

Soon: The poignant tale of Tashi and the Monk Rated as one of the most moving and heartfelt documentaries, the film about a Tibetan monk and his compassion for homeless children, is lined up for free screening in Doha By Umer Nangiana

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ight years ago Buddhist monk Lobsang Phuntsok, hand-picked by the Dalai Lama to share Tibetan Buddhism with the West, had a calling to leave behind a life as a spiritual teacher in the US and return to the region of his birth to rescue homeless children. Since then he has created a unique community in the foothills of the Himalayas called Jhamtse Gatsal (Tibetan for ‘The Garden of Love and Compassion’), which provides a permanent home for 85 orphaned or abandoned children all learning to live compassionately. This story captured in an awardwinning film Tashi and the Monk by filmmakers Johnny Burke and Andrew Hinton is rated as one of the most moving and heartfelt documentaries. Tashi and the Monk comes to town for a free screening for the local audiences. Phuntsok is a person who has channeled his own unhappy childhood into an opportunity for these ‘uninvited guests of the universe’ to avoid a similar fate. Driven by a longing to experience being part of a family, he has become for the children at Jhamtse Gatsal something he never had, a father. Perched on a remote mountaintop and surrounded by poverty, today the community is stretched beyond capacity and Phuntsok faces the heartbreaking task of weighing the requests he receives for new kids to join. During the film he is confronted by the very real consequences of his decisions, a local 11-year-old boy who he turned down two years ago for a place in the community commits suicide. In a nearby village another young boy’s father dies suddenly and his family, unable to cope, plead with Phuntsok to take him in. Within the community he is challenged by concerns from staff that any further expansion will compromise their ability to help the kids they already have. Alongside Phuntsok’s work, the film tells the story of Tashi Drolma, Jhamtse’s newest arrival who recently lost her mother and was abandoned by her alcoholic father. A wild and troubled five-year-old, Tashi Drolma, is a big personality

LOVE AND LONGING: Buddhist monk Phuntsok with 5-year-old Tashi in the movie Tashi and the Monk, directed by Andrew Hinton. Photo courtesy: Tashi and the Monk in a small body. Despite (or because of) her challenging temperament, she is thrillingly alive. Tashi struggles initially to find her place amongst 84 new siblings. Gradually, as Phuntsok and the

community work their magic, we witness her transformation from alienation and tantrums into someone capable of making her first real friend. The atmosphere of warmth and

support at Jhamtse Gatsal provides a backdrop to the unfolding stories. Full of children who elsewhere might be classified as ‘at risk’ after experiencing often unimaginable trauma in their short lives, this

Tashi Drolma is Jhamtse’s newest arrival who recently lost her mother and was abandoned by her alcoholic father.

is the kind of institution that in the West would be staffed by psychologists and social workers relying on an arsenal of medication to keep their charges under control. Here the staff have no formal training and children are simply invited to become active members of a community and participants in their own and each other’s healing. The results are remarkable. In a region where the only prospects are a life in the fields or breaking rocks beside the road, the lucky few at Jhamtse are given a shot at something much greater, the chance to become, in Phuntsok’s words, “amazing human beings.” A special screening of Tashi and the Monk by filmmakers Johnny Burke and Andrew Hinton is taking place next month at Grand Hyatt Doha’s Al Silia Ballroom on March 2. Johnny Burke has been involved with filmmaking for 15 years. Born in Germany, he went to 11 different schools by the time he was nine years old and is used to change and travel, and living out of a suitcase. The film, besides winning award, has won immense praise from critics for its story and treatment.