wonder full! - gulf times

CommunityKeralite Engineers Forum is all set to

organise the third season of Kerala Champions League at Old Ideal Indian School grounds.

P7 P16 CommunityBaby seal robot looks like a cute

toy that can help treat diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Wonder full!COVERSTORY

Nine science stories to watch this year. P4-6

Wednesday, January 2, 2019Rabia II 26, 1440 AH

Doha today: 200 - 250

GLITZ & GLAM SHOWBIZ

New Year,

New You! Is it?

4

Farhad feels pressure of

directing Housefull 4.

Page 15

Wednesday, January 2, 20192 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

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

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USEFUL NUMBERS

Quote Unquote

PRAYER TIMEFajr 4.58amShorooq (sunrise) 6.20amZuhr (noon) 11.38amAsr (afternoon) 2.36pmMaghreb (sunset) 4.58pmIsha (night) 6.28pm

“With the new day comes new

strength and new thoughts.”

— Eleanor Roosevelt

AquamanDIRECTION: James WanCAST: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard,

Dolph Lundgren SYNOPSIS: Arthur Curry learns

that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people and be a hero

to the world. Once home to the most advanced civilisation on Earth, the city of Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm. With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people and then the surface world. Standing in his way is

Aquaman, Orm’s half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne. With help from royal counsellor Vulko, Aquaman must retrieve the legendary Trident of Atlan and embrace his destiny as protector of the deep.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

SimmbaDIRECTION: Rohit ShettyCAST: Ranveer Singh, Sara Ali Khan SYNOPSIS: Simmba is an orphan from Shivgadh from

where our beloved Singham was born and raised. Contrary to the philosophies of Singham, Simmba believes that a corrupt

offi cer’s life is an ideal life which inspires him to become one. While Simmba enjoys all the perks of being an immoral and unethical police offi cer, a twist in the tale transforms him and forces him to choose the righteous path.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

The Mall Cinema (1): Pretham 2 (Malayalam) 2pm; Aquaman (2D) 4:30pm; Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles (Tagalog) 7pm; Pretham 2 (Malayalam) 9pm; Pretham 2 (Malayalam) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (2): Thomas And Friends: Big Wolrd! Big Adventure! The Movie (2D) 2:30pm; Mary Poppins Returns (2D) 4:15pm; Mary Poppins Returns (2D) 6:45pm; Aquaman (2D) 9pm; Aquaman (2D) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (3): Simmba (Hindi) 2pm; Zero (Hindi) 5pm; Simmba (Hindi) 8pm; Simmba

(Hindi) 11pm.Landmark Cinema (1): Simmba (Hindi) 2:30pm; Aquaman (2D) 5:30pm; Simmba (Hindi) 8pm; Simmba (Hindi) 11pm.Landmark Cinema (2): Thomas And Friends: Big Wolrd! Big Adventure! The Movie (2D) 3pm; Mary Poppins Returns (2D) 5pm; Mary Poppins Returns (2D) 8pm; Aquaman (2D) 10:30pm.Landmark Cinema (3): Pretham 2 (Malayalam)

3pm; Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles (Tagalog) 6pm; Pretham 2 (Malayalam) 8:30pm; Pretham 2 (Malayalam) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1):Simmba (Hindi) 2:30pm; Aquaman (2D) 5:30pm; Simmba (Hindi) 8pm; Simmba (Hindi) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2):Pretham 2 (Malayalam) 2:30pm; Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles (Tagalog) 5pm; Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles (Tagalog) 7pm; Pretham 2 (Malayalam) 9pm; Aquaman (2D) 11:30pm.

3Wednesday, January 2, 2019 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

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

EVENTS

Pakistan Music FestWHERE: QNCCWHEN: January 9TIME: 7pm – 10pmStrings are about to rock Doha with

their nostalgic gigs and all the latest hits. Quratulain Balouch and Ali Sethi will be joining the pop band at Qatar National Convention Centre.

Archives ExhibitionWHERE: Qatar National LibraryWHEN: Ongoing till January 31TIME: 8am – 8pmThe exhibition explores the history of

Qatar through several family collections. It presents selected items from previously unseen private archives of photos, artefacts and documents to show the role that individuals within a community can play in building its identity and preserving its heritage and history.

Robotics Junior CourseWHERE: Recreation Centre, Al RayyanWHEN: January 19TIME: 1pm – 3pmChildren are invited to build their own

robot and make it move however they want. It will be a fun chance for them to delve

deep into the world of robotics and explore how computer programming and robot design can solve all kinds of problems.

Children’s Library Winter Book SwapWHERE: Qatar National LibraryWHEN: January 1- January 5TIME: 4pm – 7pmBring in the books you do not want any

more to the Children’s Library. They can be in any language and type. Books must be culturally appropriate and only gently used. Workbooks will not be accepted.

Katara Beach - School StudentsWHERE: KataraWHEN: OngoingTIME: 9am – 12pmBy participating in the programme of

‘Our culture is a school’, Katara Beach emphasises the Qatari marine tradition and introduces to students the meaning of Dasha, Al Qafal and various type of pearls. The students will discover all details of the Fath Al-Khair journey.

Ballet LessonsWHERE: Music and Arts AtelierWHEN: OngoingTIME: 4pm – 8pmFor more info e-mail at registration@

atelierqatar.com or call on 33003839.

Cycling: Losail Circuit Sports ClubWHERE: Losail CircuitWHEN: OngoingTIME: 5pmLosail Circuit Sports Club, in association

with Qatar Sports For All Federation, invites all cyclists, runners and walkers to train under the floodlights of Losail International Circuit every Wednesdays.

Heritage Library’s Permanent Exhibition

WHERE: Qatar National LibraryWHEN: Ongoing till tomorrowTIME: 9am – 8pmThe exhibition displays around 400 items

from the QNL Heritage Library collection that illustrate the spread and evolution of ideas throughout the Arab and Islamic world, as well as document interactions between Arabs and the West over the past several centuries. The exhibition features books, manuscripts, historical photographs maps, globes and travellers’ instruments that tell the story of Qatar, along with the history of science, literature, writing, travel in the region, and much more.

The Colour RunWHERE: QNCCWHEN: January 26TIME: 8:30amCelebrate the hero in you in a realm

where nothing is impossible and you are unstoppable. Soar to new heights in the all-new Super Zone and suit up in gear fit for only the most super of heroes as you collect your medal at the Finish Line! 2019 will also include the Foam Zone. Gates will open at 7am on January 26, with our first Color Runners setting off at 8.30am.

Doha Triathlon 2019WHERE: Museum of Islamic ArtWHEN: February 8Doha Triathlon has opened registration

for its third edition. Those wishing to participate in the event can visit www.doha-triathlon.com to register in either the Olympic or Sprint which offers registration for both individuals and team relays. Another choice is the Super Sprint which is only for individuals and open for both adults and kids aged between 13-15 years old. Also, a kids’ duathlon was introduced

this year for two age groups 7-9 and 10-12 years old to allow all family members to enjoy the event.

Arabic Calligraphy WorkshopWHEN: Saturday – WednesdayTIME: 6pmArabic Calligraphy workshop is back.

Come and learn the artistic practice of Arabic handwriting and calligraphy at Music and Arts Atelier.

The lessons will take place every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday at 6pm. For more information, contact [email protected]

After School ActivitiesWHERE: AtelierWHEN: OngoingMusic and arts Activities for students

taking place after they finish their day in school includes Group Music lessons, Hip-hop, Ballet, Drawing and Painting, Drama Theatre & Taekwondo. Ages between 5 and 10 years old after school hours.

Hobby ClassesWHERE: Mystic Arts Centre behind Al

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

performing arts institution and a one stop solution for adults as well as children looking to explore their talents in various art forms. We offer classes in Carnatic Music, Hindustani Music, Karate, Yoga, Zumba, Classical Dance, Salsa, Hip Hop, contemporary and Bollywood dance forms. For details, call 33897609.

Dance and Instrument ClassesWHERE: TCA Campus, Behind Gulf

Times BuildingWHEN: Wednesday – MondayLearn the movements of dance styles

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


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

New Year wondersFrom the edge of Earth to the frontier of the solar system, there’s plenty of science awaiting

us in 2019. They promise to change our view of the world — and inspire new questions no-

one previously thought to ask. By Deborah Netburn, Melissa Healy and Julia Rosen

Redefining the metric system.

From the edge of Earth to the frontier of the solar system, there’s plenty of science awaiting us in 2019.

Some projects have been years in the making. Others were pushed to the forefront by the demands of a fast-changing world.

Either way, they promise to change our view of the world — and inspire new questions no-one previously thought to ask.

Here’s a look at some of the science stories we’ll be following in the new year.

New Horizons pays historic visit to Ultima Thule

While folks were welcoming the New Year’s Eve, a spacecraft 4 billion miles from Earth was making history.

Nasa’s New Horizons fl ew past a mysterious object known as Ultima Thule. Situated roughly 1

billion miles beyond Pluto, it is the most distant object ever visited by humankind.

Ultima Thule is located in the Kuiper Belt, a doughnut-shaped region of icy bodies encircling the sun beyond Neptune’s orbit. Because these worlds are so small and far away, scientists know virtually nothing about them.

That will all change at the beginning of 2019, when data from New Horizons reaches Earth.

Redefi ning the metric systemOn May 20, the international

metrology community will change the defi nitions of four basic units of measurement: the kilogram (mass), the Kelvin (temperature), the mole (amount) and the ampere (electrical current).

These changes won’t immediately aff ect your life — a pound of coff ee will remain the same — but scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg,

Maryland, say the shift represents a “turning point for humanity.”

From that day forward, these four components of the International System of Units, better known as the metric system, will be based on fundamental properties of physics that are constant throughout the cosmos.

The precedent was set in 1967, when the defi nition of a second was changed to the length of time required for a cesium-133 atom to


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

complete 9,192,631,770 oscillations. The metre followed in 1983, becoming the distance traveled by light in one 299,792,458th of a second. Anywhere in the universe, these two units of measurement would remain the same.

The new defi nitions coming in 2019 are based on similar principles. The kilogram will be defi ned using Plank’s constant, and an ampere will be a measure of how many electrons pass through a single point in one second.

“The idea is to build a measurement system for all civilisations,” said institute physicist Stephan Schlamminger, “even extra-terrestrial ones.”

Antarctica gets ready for its close-up

It’s summer in Antarctica, which means it’s the season for science. In January, two big expeditions will begin to explore pressing questions about how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is changing — and what that means for the rest of the planet.

One expedition is a $25-million US-UK collaboration to study the Thwaites Glacier. In recent years, scientists have issued warnings that the Florida-sized river of ice may be on the verge of a centuries-long collapse that could raise global sea levels by 10 feet. Now, researchers will inspect the glacier up close and personal. They’ll do it with the help of the Nathaniel B Palmer, a National Science Foundation research vessel that can break up heavy ice. They’ll also use an autonomous underwater vehicle — named Boaty McBoatface by the good people of the internet — to peer beneath the glacier’s fl oating ice shelf and study how the ocean is eating away at the ice from below.

In addition, scientists will “collaborate” with seals by outfi tting them with monitoring equipment that gathers data as they forage.

About 1,100 miles away, on the other side of the Antarctic Peninsula, another international team will study the Weddell Sea, the birthplace of a Delaware-sized iceberg that broke off from the Larsen C ice shelf in 2017. The ice shelf, like others that fringe Antarctica, helps slow glacial ice’s slide into the sea.

Scientists will use diff erent underwater robots to observe the ice shelf as it interacts with the ocean and see how much it’s thinning.

They’ll also explore the sea’s rich ecosystem, which some would like to see protected from commercial fi shing.

Time permitting, the researchers will investigate the whereabouts of the Endurance. Ernest Shackleton and his crew abandoned the ice-bound ship before it sank more than a century ago, and no one has seen it since. Perhaps that will change this year.

New ways to prevent opioid abuse

The statistics of opioid dependency and death remain grim. And let’s not sugarcoat this: The data suggest things will likely get worse before they get better. In 2019, government agencies, health policy experts and medical researchers will be looking for ways to change the trajectory of this American crisis.

Starting January 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will launch a raft of new policies governing the prescribing and dispensing of opioid narcotics to patients covered by Medicare Part D insurance — largely people over 65 and those receiving Social Security disability benefi ts. Those will trigger

new alerts for patients fi lling narcotic pain relief prescriptions that exceed certain strengths and durations, and in some cases a consultation between the doctor and the pharmacist will be required.

In early February, the National Institutes of Health will host a major meeting on the future of addiction and pain therapies. The goal will be to identify promising targets, fi nd potential biomarkers and take a hard look at what has worked and what hasn’t.

The US Preventive Services Task Force will be looking for ways to head off cases of opioid abuse in the fi rst place. This independent expert panel, which advises the government on medical matters, has posted its plan for investigating ways to minimise the use of opioids, or fi nd alternatives so more patients don’t start taking them in the fi rst place. The review is expected to get underway after the public comment period closes on January 16.

The overdose medication Narcan has made a signifi cant dent in preventing fatal overdoses involving heroin and most prescription opioids. But even at higher doses, Narcan is often ineff ective against fentanyl

and other super-powerful synthetic opioids. Federal agencies have invested millions of dollars in a drug called nalmefene, which they hope will fi ll this void. Pivotal studies of its safety and eff ectiveness are planned for the coming year.

Health offi cials are worried about their inability to counter fentanyl’s growing stranglehold on people with addiction. And there’s an even darker scenario: the use of fentanyl or similar drugs in a large-scale terrorist attack. In 2002, Russian forces pumped a vaporised form of fentanyl into a movie theater where Chechen rebels were holding 800 hostages. The counterattack killed about 100 hostages and sent hundreds more to the hospital, making clear fentanyl’s potential as a weapon of mass destruction.

The Periodic Table turns 150It’s time to step back and

appreciate one of the great marvels of science. That’s why the United Nations has designated 2019 the International Year of the Periodic Table.

The choice wasn’t arbitrary: 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the theory around which the

table is organised. Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev discovered the cyclical pattern — or periodicity — in how the elements behave as they increase in atomic weight. For instance, the elements at the end of each row form stubbornly inert noble gases, while the metals in the middle of the table increase in hardness and melting points from left to right.

This way of arranging the periodic table predicted the existence of elements that had yet to be discovered and showed people how groups of elements shared similar chemical properties, says Chris Ober, a materials chemist at Cornell University. Over time, he said, “it became even more powerful than the inventors realised.”

The opening ceremony for events will take place January 29 in Paris, and feature, among other things, a tribute to 8th century alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan, who discovered sulfuric and nitric acids. In February, a symposium in Murcia, Spain, will highlight the contributions of female scientists to the periodic table.

In addition, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry will celebrate its 100th birthday by honoring rising young chemists and hosting an online Periodic Table challenge for students.

One of the organisation’s primary duties is certifying new elements, but chemists probably won’t fi nd any new ones in 2019, Ober said. Scientists fi lled in the seventh row of elements in 2015, rounding out the Periodic Table as we know it. That has helped get people excited for year’s festivities, Ober said: “It sort of captured their imagination.”

Youth climate lawsuit may fi nally go to trial

A landmark climate lawsuit has been inching closer to trial for four years. And in 2019, it may get its day in federal court at last — unless judges toss the case once and for all.

The suit was brought by 21 young people who say the US government is violating their constitutional rights by promoting the use of fossil fuels in spite of the dangers posed by climate change. The plaintiff s make the novel argument that federal authorities are legally obligated to protect the atmosphere as part of the public trust.

Continued on Page 6

Antarctica gets ready for its close-up.

This year the Periodic Table turns 150.


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

Continued from After years of legal manoeuvring

and numerous failed attempts by the Obama and Trump administrations to have the case thrown out, a court date was set for October 2018 in Eugene, Oregon. But on the eve of the trial, the federal government requested a stay from the Supreme Court. The justices denied the request, but a separate appeal to the 9th Circuit Court has kept the case in legal limbo.

If the trial proceeds, it will feature dozens of scientists on both sides. Experts for the plaintiff s will off er evidence linking the government’s actions to injuries suff ered by the youth, which include exposure to unhealthy wildfi re smoke, fl ooding brought on by increasingly extreme weather, and the emotional distress of facing a future made more uncertain by global warming. Those testifying for the defence will not deny that humans are fuelling climate change by releasing heat-trapping greenhouse gases. But they will argue that the US government is neither fully responsible for the eff ects nor fully capable of remedying the problem.

The young plaintiff s are not after money. If they win, they want the judge to order the government to slash greenhouse gas emissions to help ensure a safe and stable climate.

A traffi c jam on the moonIf you thought going to the moon

was passé, think again.In 2019, China, India and Israel

are all expected to land unmanned spacecraft on the lunar surface, while Nasa steps up its eff orts to return a human crew to the moon by 2028.

China’s mission will land fi rst. The Chinese National Space Administration launched Chang’e-4 to the far side of the moon in early December, and the craft is now in lunar orbit. Touchdown is expected in early January. If all goes as planned, it will be the fi rst mission to touch down on the side of the moon that never faces Earth — and it could reveal new details about the moon’s largest and deepest crater.

The Indian Space Research Organisation is scheduled to launch its second mission to the moon on January 31. Chandrayaan-2 will include an orbiter, a lander and a 6-wheeled rover. Together, these craft will measure moonquakes, study the lunar atmosphere and take the moon’s internal temperature.

Later in the year, Israel will send its fi rst spacecraft to the moon. Built by the Israeli nonprofi t SpaceIL in collaboration with the state-funded Israel Aerospace Industries, the lander will be lightest ever sent to the moon, weighing in at just 1,322 pounds (including fuel). The mission was a fi nalist for the Lunar XPrize, a modern-day race to the moon sponsored by Google. Google pulled funding for the competition

in March of 2018, but the SpaceIL team decided to move forward anyway.

Nasa has no fi rm plans to send a spacecraft to the moon this year, but it will start seeking proposals for a system that can transport humans to the lunar surface for the fi rst time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The space agency’s formal request for help from its industry partners is scheduled to go out on January 7.

How to move forward with gene editing

Few were expecting that 2018 would see the birth of twin girls whose DNA had been edited in the lab when they were just days-old embryos. But it did, and now the scientifi c and bioethical questions raised by gene editing promise to be front and center in 2019.

The claim by Chinese biophysics researcher He Jiankui that he altered the girls’ DNA to protect them against HIV prompted China’s ministries overseeing health, science and technology to denounce his actions as “extremely abominable.” They shut down labs associated with his research, and he has not been seen in public since.

Even so, researchers and scientifi c regulators will want to track the health of the twins and discern whether the gene-editing procedure introduced any “off -target” DNA anomalies or other unintended errors. They’ll also want to establish just how many children among us are the products of “germline

editing” — making changes in DNA that can be passed down to future generations.

In the meantime, gene-editing research will continue. Japan recently issued its fi rst-ever national guidelines on the subject, allowing — indeed, encouraging — its researchers to use gene-editing tools on human embryos. The guidelines limit the manipulation of embryos to be used in reproduction, but that restriction isn’t legally binding.

Other uses of gene-editing are considered ethically sound. The US Food and Drug Administration has already given its stamp of approval to Luxturna, a gene therapy treatment for a rare form of blindness caused by a genetic mutation, and others are on track to follow suit. These include additional gene therapies for blindness, as well as ones for spinal muscular atrophy, cystic fi brosis and haemophilia.

Will money start pouring in for gun research?

If the trend continues, the coming year will bring more school shootings and more mass shootings. And those will keep the complex of related issues — gun access and storage, mental health, and violence prevention — front and centre.

Philanthropies have responded to nearly 20 years of federal funding limits on fi rearms research with new private investments, and that money has begun to nurture

a generation of public health researchers with expertise in these subjects. The questions they are probing — What concrete measures work to reduce fi rearms deaths? How do you identify individuals prone to suicide or violence? — are central to getting a handle on gun-related injuries. But answers don’t come easy when federal research funds (an average of $22 million per year between 2004 and 2015) are only 1.6% of the amount you’d expect for a scourge that claimed 39,773 lives in 2017.

Meanwhile, with the federal government still divided over gun policy, states are enacting laws and testing initiatives to protect schools and other public places from would-be shooters. The eff orts range widely: Some states are intent on countering mass shootings by arming school administrators, while others are investing in more mental health screening and treatment for students. After the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a growing number of states adopted “red fl ag” laws. These allow law enforcement, family members or other concerned parties to ask a judge to order the temporary removal of guns from people who may pose a threat to themselves or others. Thirteen states now have such laws on the books, and two more are considering them.

The coming year will see one federal gun-related initiative implemented, and it could limit the carnage of future gun rampages. In the fi rst three months of 2019, those who own “bump stocks” — devices designed to make semi-automatic rifl es capable of rapid, sustained fi ring — will be required to turn them in to the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, or to destroy them. The Trump administration announced the ban on the sale or ownership of the devices in December in response to their use in the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, in which a gunman using a bump stock killed 58 concert-goers and wounded hundreds of others in a matter of minutes. —Chicago Tribune/TNS

Youth climate lawsuit may finally go to trial this year.

Moving forward with gene editing. The focus will be on gun research.

In 2019, China, India and Israel are all expected to

land unmanned spacecraft on the lunar surface


COMMUNITYKEF to organise Kerala Champions LeagueKeralite Engineers Forum (KEF) is all set to organise the third season of Kerala Champions League at Old Ideal Indian School grounds. Some eight teams would be participating in the league. Zaitoon Restaurant is the main sponsor of the event this year. The matches will be played from 11pm to 11.30pm tomorrow till January 4. The teams participating in the league, includes Norva CC, Vatsun CC, Friday Cricket Club, KSD XI, MRA XI, Doha Rockers, Tuskers and Vison Group. There was a captains’ meet held yesterday where all teams promised to play the league with the spirit of sportsmanship. All teams have been sponsored and supported by various business establishments in Doha. The cricket tournament has been sponsored by Zaitoon Restaurant. “Arrangements for light refreshments and snacks have been made keeping the fans in mind”, said Jashmeer, the convener of the tournament.

Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar organises poetry symposiumBazm-e-Urdu Qatar (BUQ), the oldest Urdu Literary organisation in Qatar, recently organised a poetry symposium at the residence of Waseem Ahmad, member of BUQ. The event was compered by Iftekhar Raghib, General Secretary of BUQ. Dr Shakeel Ahmad, Urdu poet, presided over the event. Asif Hussain was the chief guest and Shamsuddin Rahimi, member of BUQ, the guest of honour. The event kicked off with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Ghulam Mustafa Anjum, Treasurer at BUQ. Iftekhar Raghib welcomed the gathering and incited Wasim Ahmed for the narration of his own essay ‘Benefits of Laziness’. With welcome speech the audience were geared towards Raghib to kick start the programme.

Qazi Abdul Malick recited Ghalib’s Ghazal and Shiraz Ahmed recited a humorous ghazal of Asrar Jamai. Other poets who recited Urdu ghazals at the event, included Zareef Mehr Bloch, Faiyaz Bukhari Kamal, Dr Wasi Bastavi, Vazir Ahmed Vazir, Communications Secretary at BUQ, Iftekhar Raghib and Dr Shakeel Ahmad.The event concluded with a speech by Rahimi. He said that such programmes are a dire need in today’s time to promote Urdu language and literature. Asif Husain also spoke on the occasion highlighting the work of BUQ in promoting Urdu language in Qatar. While speaking on the occasion, Dr Shakeel Ahmad thanks BUQ’s leadership and team for serving the cause of Urdu in a foreign country. Irshad Ahmed, Media Secretary of BUQ, proposed a vote of thanks.

HBKU students participate in ‘Seeds for the Future’ programmeThe students from the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), recently travelled to Beijing, China, to participate in Huawei’s annual ‘Seeds for the Future’ programme. The corporate social responsibility initiative by the Chinese multinational telecommunications company aims to develop the information and telecommunication technology (ICT) skills of university students from across the globe.The students who participated in the programme, included Hala Abou El Oula, a student of Master of Science in Cybersecurity; and Mohammed Ali Abdulla, a student in Master of Science in Data Science and Engineering. Some 150 international universities participated in the programme. Talking about her experience, Hala Abou El Oula said, “The ‘Seeds for the Future’ programme was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that introduced us to Huawei’s incredible journey and China’s rich history. In addition to immersing us in the latest technologies, the programme has taught us how to thrive in a global, competitive environment. Through my participation in the programme, I was able to enhance my understanding and knowledge of the ICT field.” During the two-week programme, participants worked at Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China where they studied at its cutting-edge ICT training centre, operating and practising in a lab with the latest equipment, and receiving up-to-date ICT solution demonstrations from the organisation’s experts. Dr Mounir Hamdi, Dean of CSE, said, “The ever-changing nature of ICT demands that scholars and

practitioners in the industry are constantly kept abreast of the latest advancements to ensure they are able to thrive in their careers. We are proud of our students, who were not only able to enhance their knowledge about the industry, but also learn about China’s rich culture and heritage and represent HBKU and Qatar on a global level.” Reflecting on his participation in the initiative, Mohammed Ali Abdulla said:, “I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in Huawei’s programme, which off ered an invaluable opportunity to learn about the latest developments and challenges within the industry. It was a remarkable experience, and I learned a great deal about ICT and Chinese culture throughout the trip.”Dr Mohamed Abdullah, Assistant Professor at CSE, said, “The ‘Seeds for the Future’ programme exposed our students to global ICT from one of the leaders in the industry.” Frank Fan, CEO of Huawei Qatar, commented, “We are proud of the HBKU students and their participation, as our vision is to empower this region’s generation and develop the necessary talents and skills that would help them accelerate their country’s digital transformation. Huawei is committed to deploying the most advanced technologies that will help implement Qatar’s 2030 national vision.”“Knowledge transfer and nurturing future ICT talent has always been a core pillar of the Huawei way”, added Farhan J Khan, VP, Huawei Qatar. The programme also provided a culturally immersive experience for participants who were introduced to China’s traditions and culture through visits to national historical sites and lessons to learn the Chinese language.


COMMUNITY BOOK REVIEW

By Marion Winik

In 2015, a hefty, salmon-coloured volume of stories by a writer who had died unknown 11 years earlier appeared and became a

sensation. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin was read with astonishment by readers such as myself. How had we completely missed the eight small-press books this virtuoso short-story writer had published during her lifetime? The collection was chosen as one of the 10 best books of the year by this newspaper, The New York Times and others, and went on to be published and win accolades in 28 countries.

Now there are two slimmer volumes to put beside it on the shelf: Evening in Paradise, another collection of stories, and Welcome Home, an unfi nished memoir and selected letters. Surmising that the additional books were conceived

in response to the success of the fi rst, which contained 43 of the 76 stories Berlin wrote, one has to wonder. Are we scraping the bottom of the barrel, reading less impressive stories and oddments the author had not intended for publication?

The answer is no with a tiny bit of well, maybe. Most of the stories in the new collection are as stellar as those in the fi rst, though it trails off a bit at the end. Again, the stories are autobiographical, many with protagonists having names that recall the author’s, their settings drawn from the author’s biography, growing up in El Paso, Texas, and Santiago, Chile; college and early domestic life in Albuquerque, New Mexico; on to Manhattan; then down to Mexico with her third husband, the musician/drug addict. Mexico is the setting for Evening in Paradise and La Barca de la Ilusion, among my favourites.

The title story is set in Puerto Vallarta during the 1963 shooting

of The Night of the Iguana, conveying the ambience of this transitional period in the history of this once unknown little town through the eyes of Hernan, a hotel waiter. Hernan is pouring benerages for John Huston, Ava Gardner, Richard Burton and Liz Taylor while keeping an eye on Victor, the local drug dealer, who now seems to be purveying cocaine along with marijuana and heroin. Victor reappears in the next story, La Barca de la Ilusion.

American expats Maya and Buzz are living with their sons on an isolated beach outside Puerto Vallarta. He plays sax at the restaurants in town; she is absorbed in the domestic rituals of primitive living and the exquisite beauty of the setting. “The datura that bloomed in a profusion of white fl owers that hung heavy clumsily until night, when the moonlight or starlight gave the petals an opalescent shimmer of silver and the intoxicating scent wafted everywhere in the house,

out to the lagoon.” Maya had not known Buzz was a heroin addict when she married him, but now he has kicked the habit and they are living in paradise. Then they run into Victor. Ultimately, Maya deals with him in a way that Lucia Berlin must have been aching to in real life.

Readers of the fi rst book will recognise this marriage; those who go on to Welcome Home will fi nd a great many correspondences between the life and the stories, including a memoir version of La Barca de la Ilusion, with the exact same sentence about the datura fl owers.

The fi rst half of Welcome Home is a series of autobiographical vignettes from the ungodly number of places the author lived, starting with Juneau, Alaska, and ending somewhere in Chiapas, Mexico. Abundant family photos reaffi rm Berlin’s Liz Tayloresque beauty. After the last vignette, the editor (apparently her son, Jeff Berlin, who wrote the introduction

and acknowledgments) appends an amusing list of catastrophes written sometime in the 1980s titled The Trouble with All the Houses I’ve Lived In.

Finding all the connections to the stories in the memoir is fun. The letters, the earliest written at age 11 and most in the author’s mid-to-late 20s, off er some of that same pleasure but more powerfully underline the fact that the voice that seems so off -the-cuff and natural in the stories is something she consciously created; the version of her persona and her life that got into the stories is clarifi ed and curated. The ubiquity of ‘groovy’ and ‘I dig it’ and other period slang in the letters, most of them addressed to the poet Ed Dorn and his wife, Helene, is a funny surprise.

If you haven’t yet discovered Lucia Berlin, start with A Manual for Cleaning Women. Then, if you love her as much as I and so many others do, go on to these bonus tracks. – Newsday/TNS

The Lucia Berlin revival continues in two new books

If you haven’t yet discovered Lucia Berlin, start with A Manual for Cleaning Women.

Then, if you love her as much as I and so many others do, go on to these bonus tracks

VIGNETTES: The first half of Welcome Home is a series of autobiographical vignettes from the ungodly number of places the author lived, starting with Juneau, Alaska, and ending somewhere in Chiapas, Mexico.

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL: In Evening in Paradise, the stories are autobiographical, many with protagonists having names that recall the author’s, their settings drawn from the author’s biography, growing up in El Paso, Texas, and Santiago, Chile; college and early domestic life in Albuquerque and New Mexico.

SENSATION: In 2015, a hefty, salmon-coloured volume of stories by Lucia Berlin who had died unknown 11 years earlier appeared and became a sensation.


COMMUNITYMUSIC

FAN: Flo Hayler, who runs the world’s only Ramones Museum in Berlin, recently published a book about the punk rock band and his experiences.

If he’s not THE world’s biggest fan of the 1970s punk rock pioneers the Ramones, then Flo Hayler must be pretty close to the

top. The 45-year-old not only runs a museum devoted to the band in Berlin, but he recently issued an opulent volume – 640 richly illustrated pages long – that tells not only the history of the Ramones but also weaves in how it has infl uenced his own life.

Hayler swears his new book, Ramones: Eine Lebensgeschichte (Ramones: A Life Story), is not about the money, but rather a way “to meet people and just talk about the Ramones” across Germany.

In 1974 the Ramones, from New York City’s borough of Queens, launched the punk-rock style and would infl uence legions of other groups.

Hits such as I Wanna Be Sedated

and Blitzkrieg Bop are among the undisputed classics of rock music. Still, the quartet, with their shaggy hair and torn shirts and jeans, were the ugly duckling of rock ‘n’ roll – revered by fans but never attaining commercial success.

It was only after the band broke up in 1996 and then the early deaths of Joey in 2001, Dee Dee a year later and Johnny in 2004 that the mainstream began to grasp the signifi cance of the group. Tommy Ramone, the original drummer for the group, died in July 2014 at 65.

Hayler fi rst discovered the Ramones as a teenager in his Lower Saxony town of Helmstedt, when he saw members of German punk group Die Toten Hosen wearing Ramones shirts. “I went to a record store and bought the album Halfway to Sanity,” the lanky blond-haired man recalls.

He was alone in his enthusiasm

at his school. But he would eventually fi nd other fans. “If you wore a Ramones shirt, you would quickly fi nd a pal,” he says. Soon he began travelling to Ramones concerts.

His fi rst one was on November 16, 1990, in Bremen. He went on to attend about 100 more concerts and got to personally know the musicians, who mixed well with their fans and would help out some of the younger ones at times – even the moody and scowling guitarist Johnny. “He asked us if we had enough money to stay somewhere and whether our parents knew where we were,” Hayler recalls.

The Ramones accepted the teenage German fans the way they were. “Our English was poor and we looked terrible, but Johnny said ‘You’re OK,’” says Hayler, who corresponded with Johnny through

letters up until the musician’s death. He got a Christmas card every year from Johnny, who even invited the young German fan to visit him in his house in Los Angeles. Over the years, the hardcore Ramones fan collected T-shirts and other memorabilia of the band, until the point that he ran out of space in his apartment for all the items.

In 2005, he opened the world’s only Ramones Museum in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighbourhood to make all his treasures accessible to the public. The museum features more than 1,000 items from the 22 years the band existed – posters, fl yers and photographs, as well as clothing and furnishings that had belonged to the musicians.

“There is no way to put a price tag on all this,” Hayler says of his collection. “In ideal terms, all the items are valuable.”

Hayler even had a wall shelf unit from Joey Ramone’s apartment in New York shipped to Berlin – at a cost of more than 9,000 dollars.

“Of course this is crazy,” he admits. “On the other hand, it’s my aim to show people good and new things.”

Hayler’s huge volume refl ects his 28 years of collector mania and 13 years running the museum, and he worked on it for three years.

“The book provides a new perspective about the group,” he says.

Hayler adds that even he, who has read all the books, seen all the fi lms and watched all the YouTube interviews with the Ramones hundreds of times, still discovers some new uncharted terrain.

“I have uncovered some treasures that I otherwise never would have stumble across,” he says about his research. – DPA

German man’s devotion to Ramones unparalleled

German Flo Hayler is arguably the world’s biggest Ramones fan. He’s opened a

museum dedicated to the 1970s punk rock band in Berlin with all his collectibles, and

recently published a comprehensive 640-page tribute book. By Matthias Bossaller


COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC


COMMUNITYLIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

There’s a warm and friendly feeling to the day that you will find

agreeable to your boisterous personality, Aries. Find strength

and peace with the people around you and work to make solid

connections among your friends. The people around you are your

greatest resource, so treat them with honour and respect. Stay in

balance by recognising the strength in others.

Realise that to conquer new ground you may have to make some

sacrifices, Cancer. Things may not always go according to your

perfect vision, but that’s the natural way of things. Life should be

simple and free flowing. The tangle of voices in your mind is usually

the thing that makes issues and situations more complicated than

they need to be. Maintain the peace and keep things easy.

Join others for stimulating conversation and purposeful dreaming,

Libra. You aren’t alone in your thoughts and strong opinions. Now is

the time to be heard. Work towards maintaining peace by exposing

truth. Take the time to create fantasy in your world by diluting the

fears of reality. Make decisions based on love, co-operation, and

prosperity instead of neediness, trepidation, and anger.

Things might be too elusive to actually grab hold of today, Capricorn.

Don’t be so concerned with capturing something and making it your

own. See the beauty around you and hold it in your heart. Leave

the flower unpicked so others who come after you can enjoy its

splendour as well. There’s an airy, uplifting feeling to the day that

you should enjoy.

Don’t go where you aren’t invited and don’t take things that aren’t

off ered, Taurus. Rules and manners are the cornerstones to healthy

friendships and strong bonds among new acquaintances on a day

like today. You will find that a cheery attitude and pleasant smile go

a long way. Before you know it, you will be invited everywhere and

off ered all the things you desire.

There’s a great deal of air to fuel your fire today, Leo. Conversations

will light up upon your arrival. Dreams, fantasies, and inspired wishes

may come to the surface, asking you to digest them with your open,

adventurous mind. Use this fuel to keep things burning red hot

within you. Bring your dreams to the surface and turn them into

realities by joining forces with others.

It’s time to come up for air, Scorpio. Come out and take a deep

breath. Experience the lightness and rejuvenation of the energy

present in the air around you. Do some yoga or go for a jog to open

up your channels and get your circulation moving. Use this exercise

to clear your mind and open your consciousness to let new ideas

and dreams be born from within.

This is a terrific day for you, Aquarius. You should find that the

puzzle pieces naturally come together almost eff ortlessly. Important

connections can be made today as long as you keep all the lines of

communication open. Information exchange is a key part of bringing

people and ideas together in a constructive manner. A burst of

inspiration can lead to a rewarding journey through time and space.

Let your true personality shine, Gemini, for this is your day to

radiate. There’s an element of fantasy and deception working in

the equation, but you will find that this may be just the thing you’re

looking for. The missing piece may come from a place you least

expect, but be confident that it will come. Be open to new ideas and

information, regardless of how odd they seem.

Although you may want to bring things down a bit so you can

better plan, organise, and rearrange, Virgo, this may not be the best

course of action today. You’re better off keeping things light and

uplifting. Things will fall into place as you need them. Trust in others.

Realise that some of the best experiences you will have in life are

spontaneous. Put your to-do list away.

Take a step back today, Sagittarius, and sink into a light and dreamy

fantasy world that is pleasing to you. You will find that beautiful

objects and sweet fragrances catch your attention. Go shopping or

indulge in a gourmet meal. The time is right to keep things open and

social. Have fun and focus on your partnerships with others instead

of your tendency to lead or dominate.

There’s a stronger connectedness to dreams and fantasies today,

Pisces, but you may need to adjust your thinking in order to link to it.

Pick a path that includes a few steps on the sunny side of the street

where you can see things in a positive light instead of focusing on

the gloom in every situation. Communicate your thoughts and think

about how you can promote peace in your inner circle.

Layer up smartly this winterA

s the winter arrives, the wardrobe is full of turtleneck sweaters or shirts, cardigans, shawl, muffl ers, ankle length or

knee length boots. But teaming the right look also demands good amount of time, so make sure you are doing it right.

Ashima Sharma, Owner of Ashima S Couture and Anushka Tugnait, celebrity stylist, off er some tips to layer up smartly this winter.

Denim jacket with high neck top along with the jeans and boots — This winter season layering is becoming a trend. So, for a layering combination worthy of few compliments, try to team up your denim jacket with a turtleneck sweater.

Let it be thin cotton or chunky wool, a highneck shirt will not only keep you warm, but it will also elegantly elongate your neck. To make it more stylish, pair it with skinny jeans and a boot. You wear a mini skirt as an alternative to skinny jeans. Finish off the look with some light accessories. Or you may simply go with bold red lip colour.

Sweatshirt with binny cap paired

with Jeans — Sweatshirts for a long time have been associated with sporty types, but over the years, it has evolved as a versatile wardrobe necessity. Now sweatshirts are more than comfy clothing. Pairing a sweatshirt with a jeans will give a chic and elegant look. You can alternate the jeans with a mini skirt.

Make sure the sweatshirt is about the right size. An oversize may come across as a lounge wear. A perfect fi t will give a stylish look. To add more glam, wear it with heels. To top the look you can also wear a binny which is also a winter wardrobe essential.

Full sleeve t-shirt under a cropped sweater with under jacket, skin fi t jeans with casual shoes-Crop tops are not just for summers, you can still get your crop top style fi xed for colder months. Crop sweaters are one of the trending styles.

Pair the crop sweaters with full sleeves, button-down shirt and skin fi t jeans. To add the sex quotient, wear a casual shoe along with it. If you want a professional look, then instead of jeans wear a formal trouser with heels. Wear minimal accessories with this style. – IANS


COMMUNITY CARTOONS/PUZZLES

Adam

Pooch Cafe

Garfield

Bound And Gagged

Codeword

Wordsearch

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

Puzz

les

cour

tesy

: Puz

zlec

hoic

e.co

m

Sudoku

Sudoku is a puzzle based

on a 9x9 grid. The grid is

also divided into nine (3x3)

boxes. You are given a

selection of values and to

complete the puzzle, you

must fill the grid so that

every column, every anone

is repeated.

Poetry

ALLEGORYBALLADBATHOSCESURACOUPLETDACTYLELEGY

ELISIONEPICFOOTIAMBIMAGERYIRONYLYRIC

METAPHORPASTORALQUATRAINRHYMESATIRESCANSIONSIMILE

SONNETSPONDEESTANZASTRESSSTYLETROCHEEVERSE


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

Across1. Put through the letter-box

when one visited? (7,2)8. She’s all set to change key,

for a start (7)9. Fire breaking out, she and I

got trapped in the vehicle (7)10. With water, call on to be

economical (7)13. Suitable wear for clubs? (4,4)14. To facilitate it, enunciate the

letters (4)16. Wishing one hadn’t gone by

sea? (4,6)20. A robust he-man at heart (4)22. Do better than, on the round

(4)24. Unoccupied and vacant?

(5,5)28. Are off side at the end (4)29. Holding in the nurse is

ominous (8)31. Rang off before giving the

name, I concede (7)34. Face one, at the stern (7)35. Copy it takes a time to churn

out (7)36. The pretty Miss Stone is

crooked and a cheat (9)

Super Cryptic Clues

Yesterday’s Solutions

Across: 3 End product 8 Martin 9 Chad 10 Cherry Ripe 11 Eon 13 Cosh 14 Scratch 15 Step 17 Image 20 Power 22 Part 24 Miracle 25 Iota 27 Did 28 Delighting 29 Gore 30 Number 31 Test flight.

Down: 1 Bathroom 2 Starch 3 Enzymes 4 Debit 5 Race 6 Undertow 7 Trencher 12 Prop 14 Spar 16 Type 17 Immodest 18 Abridges 19 Each 21 Extended 23 Tangent 25 In time 26 Sling 28 Deal.

Down1. Resolved, having the

document, to ring the police (7)

2. Say old English was full or irregular verbs (7)

3. It’s a mistake to hold up the vessels (5)

4. There’s an L in ‘bold’, my love (7)

5. Makes up for the gun (4)6. Take it for the animal (4)7. Saucy girl one goes off on

holiday with (7)11. Quite fair (6)12. Thought to be a good boss,

in turn (4)15. Rounds on mum when you

drive off (4)17. Look drunk, the cockney said

(3)18. The head man takes note (4)19. Come out East and run into

each other (6)21. Was first prompted (3)22. At the local, a gin sling is

cheap (7)23. Look up, first, a piece of

music (4)25. The pains are shooting, in the

outset (7)26. Go back again and find (7)27. He painted the sun silver (7)30. He says he’s going to enter

(5)32. Tender billet doux, perhaps?

(4)33. Coloured but faded, we’re

told (4)


COMMUNITY SHOWBIZ

Glitz &

GlamBy Muhammad Asad Ullah

New Year’s Resolutions are tricky. They’re easy to make, but a lot harder to keep. At the start of every year, we

are bombarded with articles and adverts that extol the ‘New Year, New You’ mantra, whether this involves becoming vegan, using less plastic, giving up fur or investing in your beauty regimen and a gym membership. The global appetite for self-improvement doesn’t appear to be crumbling anytime soon. Call it the triumph of hope over experience: It’s a new year, full of promise and anticipation, and though your brain knows that the resolutions you make might get broken along the way, your heart impels you to list those promises anyway. Because being positive is all that matters and it is one of the only things you’re going to have besides you when everything else seems bleak at some point of time. Which we wish never happens. You outshine always!

My New Year resolution is to have a fashionista year – full of surprises, glitter, paparazzi and pizzazz runways. Is it the same for celebrities who actually live such life anyways. We fi nd out! It clearly shows that all of them are very skeptical about making drastic resolutions, often seeing them as ‘a load of nonsense that is recycled year after year and quickly left forgotten.’ Instead, they prefer to approach the New Year as a time to realign one’s priorities, starting with the very basics and sometimes just about facing what the year throws at their face and deal with it with an uncanny strength and belief.

Sanam Baloch“My resolution is to continue

to have the grace to be thankful for everything including the places, things and people you’d sometimes rather just forget. Every single thing happens for a reason. Keeping up with my acting career and connecting with my fans and

audiences as they want to see me more in drama serials – following my passion you know. Also it’s always the same for me - to be happier and healthier than the year before. Be kind to myself, be happy in my own skin and take more ‘me time’, just fi nd time to do enjoyable things for myself.”

Ayesha Omar“I want to make fi tness a priority.

I want to start exercising more and focus on strengthening my body.”

Farhan Saeed“This year I have given myself the

goal to make a positive diff erence in the lives of upcoming music artistes who are going through a defi nitive phase of their journey. I have been there myself and where I am now, I feel it is my responsibility to tap into my immensely talented Pakistan.”

Sana Javed“My New Year’s resolution for

2019 is to make sure I create a more positive social circle for myself and

eliminate all the negative things and vibes”.

Sadaf Kanwal“I always end up breaking my

New Year resolution. So this time I’ll try hard to keep it. I want to look after my fi tness even more than this year, skip junk food and spend some more time with my family and friends.”

Ramsha Khan“Nowadays everyone is so

hooked to their phones that they

are almost addicted to it and often happen to miss out on life’s precious little things happening around them. Since I prefer living in the moment, my resolution for the coming year is to focus less on the digital screen and more on the world and the beauty it beholds in every moment.”

Junaid Khan“To be a better version of myself.

Contribute in anyway possible towards giving awareness about how important human life is.”

Wahaj Ali“New year is the time to make

some new changes and setting some goals, my resolution for this year is to accept yourself as you are, as you see self-acceptance is really important. Just live your life, have as much faith as you can and it’s okay to be afraid, to be depress but talking to someone, taking help and don’t let fear prevent you from moving forward. Letting go and being there for someone.”

Hareem Farooq“Nothing very extravagant but

spending more time with my family. Something that is extremely close to my heart.”

Ali Rehman Khan“Instead of making a resolution,

I just plan to get into 2019 full throttle and see what the year throws my way!”

New Year, New You! Is it?

Wednesday, January 2, 2019 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

Pete Davidson ‘enjoying being single’

Comedian Pete Davidson, who was seen with a mystery woman over the weekend, is “enjoying being single.”

The Saturday Night Live (SNL) star, 25, was spotted at the Mandarin Oriental hotel club in Miami on Saturday, dining by the pool with an unknown brunette, according to photographs published by TMZ.

In the images, Davidson was dressed casually in a Green Day t-shirt and sunglasses, and had seemingly gone back to his natural hair colour after previously sporting blonde and blue hues.

A source tells people.com that Davidson “was there visiting friends and is very much enjoying being single as he is focusing on himself.”

Representative for Davidson and SNL did not immediately return People.com’s request for comment.

One week earlier, the comedian was seen out and about while supporting his friend Machine Gun Kelly at one of the rapper’s concerts in Ohio.

Davidson concerned friends and fans on December 15 by writing on his now-deleted Instagram account, “I really don’t want to be on this earth anymore.”

Hours later, he made a brief appearance on the Matt Damon-hosted SNL broadcast, appearing in a pre-taped sketch, as well as introducing musical guests Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson. – IANS

Camila Cabello fi nds skiing challenging

Singer Camila Cabello, who took some time off from her warm, tropical hometown of Miami and headed to the snowy slopes, has tried out skiing for the fi rst time.

On Instagram, the 21-year-old shared her skiing videos and said that she is proud of herself as she learnt skiing, but it was quite challenging for her as she hails from the tropical region and she is not used to such cold climate, reports femalefi rst.co.uk

“There’s lots of things happening in this video:

My fam aka us tropical Miami basies in the snow for the fi rst time and taking it to the next level, skiing for the fi rst time.

My rendition of ‘I believe I can fl y/ski’.

My sister at the end of the video being an Olympic skier trying to push my dad out of the way (to which she says she did because I had to get there fi rst) – anyway, I am proud of myself because I left the slopes in one piece and I usually trip over air so this was very cool,” the Havana singer captioned the videos and photos. – IANS

Tougher to get break in fi lms than in web shows: Nidhi

Actress Nidhi Singh says that for a newcomer, getting an opportunity in a Bollywood fi lm is tougher as compared to bagging a digital show.

“I think when it comes to working harder for grabbing opportunities, we are putting equal eff ort to everything but for a newcomer, it is much tougher to get a break in a fi lm than digital shows,” Nidhi said.

“In feature fi lms, stakes are higher and that is why people invest wisely on stars and popular faces over newcomers.”

However, the actress is hopeful with the changing scenario in Bollywood.

Citing the example of Badhaai Ho, she said: “In that fi lm, all the good actors received appreciation for their work and the fi lm also did well at the box offi ce. So I think such things will surely bring a change and open doors for actors like us.

“The grandeur of 70mm can never be replaced by anything, but I see no reason for not doing other work while waiting for a good big fi lm coming my way.”

The actress is popular for her work in web series like Permanent Roommates, Man’s World, Humorously Yours and Apharan. Nidhi also acted in the Netfl ix feature fi lm Brij Mohan Amar Rahe.

Asked if the growth of digital entertainment is helping to fl ourish new talent like herself, Nidhi said: “The digital entertainment has given opportunities to many talents and the job opportunities have increased, not only for actors but for everyone who is involved in the business.”

“At the same time, big producers, fi lmmakers and Bollywood actors are also working on digital content... whether it is a web series like Sacred Games or a fi lm like Lust Stories, the digital entertainment is becoming more legitimate than earlier,” she added. – IANS

COMEDIAN: Pete Davidson

CANDID: Nidhi Singh says in the films people invest wisely on popular faces.

PROUD: Camila Cabello says she is proud of herself.

REVELATION: Farhad Samji says Rana Daggubati will play a threat in the upcoming film.

Farhad feels pressure of directing Housefull 4

Screenwriter-director Farhad Samji has revealed that the Baahubali star Rana Daggubati will play a threat in their upcoming fi lm Housefull 4.

Rana had replaced Nana Patekar in the fi lm after the veteran actor was accused of misconduct by actress Tanushree Dutta.

Rana started shooting for it in Mumbai in November.

“I think it is too early to talk about his role. It’s an important role. He is playing the threat in the fi lm,” Farhad said in a telephonic interview about the movie that also stars actors Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Bobby Deol.

Rana is not the only replacement in the fi lm. In October, fi lmmaker Sajid Khan had to step down as its director after he was accused of harassment.

“It would have been diffi cult for me had I not written the screenplay and

dialogues of the fi lm. Whenever I narrate, I do it like a stand-up act. All the actors... even producers make it a point that I am present on sets. I was in Jaisalmer while the shooting was happening there.

“So, it is not a big jump for me. But yeah, as a director, there are so many departments that I have to look up to like costumes, timing, actors and all. I had worked with Sajid Nadiadwala (producer) before also in Housefull 3 so, he was also there with me,” said Farhad.

But Housefull 3 was co-directed by Sajid Samji and Farhad.

Talking about the pressure of directing all by himself, he said: “Had it been three directors, then also there would have been pressure. The same goes for directing solo. Pressure is there because it is a big franchise and is releasing on Diwali.

“It is a period comedy... something that we are doing for the fi rst time. The look,

clothes and scale of the fi lm are done on a diff erent level. That’s the challenge. For me, fi lmmaking is passion.

“It’s been about 17 years since I joined the industry. I have written for around 40 fi lms. This is what I have been craving for... to get bigger fi lms, good fi lms with a good cast. I am getting everything on a platter. I have to do justice to it.”

He has also written dialogues for Rohit Shetty’s latest directorial Simmba. The two will be teaming up again, this time for the fi fth part of Golmaal series.

“There is one shot in Simmba in which Kunal Kemmu, Tusshar Kapoor and all show a fi ve sign with their fi ngers. It’s a direct hint that we are coming out with Golmaal 5,” said Farhad.

“It is in the most important stage – the concept. That’s getting bounced. We are wondering whether to do this or that,” he added. – IANS


COMMUNITY

Baby seal robot helps treat Alzheimer’s

The furry baby seal looks like a cute toy. But the robot can open its eyes,

whine and help treat diseases like Alzheimer’s. Its Japanese inventor has

big plans for the little pup, including space travel. By Laura del Rio

Paro likes to be pet on the head and wag its tail. As the white baby seal follows people’s movements with its big black eyes, it’s hard to believe the pup is actually a

therapeutic robot.Paro is designed to treat people with

Alzheimer’s disease, autism and other conditions. Japanese inventor Takanori Shibata says he was inspired to create the robot seal by therapies using real animals.

“Interaction with animals improves the mood of the people, motivates people and also improves depression and anxiety,” he tells DPA in the Spanish capital, Madrid. But some people are allergic to animals, which can also transmit diseases, he says.

“At hospitals, nursing homes or other facilities, it is diffi cult to keep and manage animals,” he observes, adding that the upkeep for them also costs a hefty sum.

It occurred to him that an animal robot could make such treatments more widely available, and he designed prototype robots in the form of a dog, a cat and a seal.

Patients found the seal the easiest to relate to, because unlike with dogs and cats, they had no expectations about how it should behave.

“When they [started] to interact with the dog robot or cat robot ... they compared the robot with ... real dogs or cats and they expected too much of the robot,” Shibata said.

“In the case of the seal robot, people ... just accepted it.”

The robot’s original name, Paro, means “stoppage” in Spanish, and it was therefore renamed Nuka for the Spanish market. The robot learns its new name after hearing it several times, Shibata explains.

The furry seal contains sensors that allow it to perceive what is happening in its surroundings, to recognise light and to know where a voice is coming from. It looks at the person talking to it, makes whining noises and sucks a dummy.

The robot, which costs about 5,600 dollars, has been in use since 2003 in more than 30 countries, including Japan, Denmark and the United States.

Shibata says that research on people with Alzheimer’s or similar diseases has shown that the company of Paro/Nuka can reduce depression, anxiety and loneliness.

“People with dementia tend to have behavioural problems ... but the interaction with Nuka can suppress such negative behaviours [as] agitation, depression, wandering, walking around,” he adds.

In Spain, the therapeutic eff ects of Nuka have been analysed in the city of Salamanca by the State Reference Centre (CRE), which is linked to the Institute of Elderly People and Social Services (Imserso).

The seal robot improved patients’ quality of life by helping them relax, improving their mood and lowering their blood pressure, says Elena Gonzalez Ingelmo from CRE.

However, the robot did not make a big diff erence for serious states of anxiety and depression, she said.

Patients found a real dog more enjoyable than Nuka, but both generated “very positive emotional aspects” in them, Gonzalez Ingelmo adds.

Dementia patients have also been given dolls, which can make them less agitated, but they do not have the same impact as Paro/Nuka, according to Gonzalez Ingelmo and Shibata.

Patients accompanied by the robot have been able to reduce their intake of psychoactive drugs, which “have a lot of side eff ects,” Shibata says.

Some people have questioned whether it is ethical to confi de the care of human beings to robots, but Paro’s inventor stresses that it does not replace human caretakers.

“Robots can assist or help the caregivers” by calming the patients and making it easier to communicate with them, he says.

Paro may also be able to provide company to not just elderly patients, says Shibata, who now wants to send the robot to space.

The seal robot could accompany astronauts on longer missions, on which they are isolated and can get very lonely, he says.

“Interacting with Paro can improve the conditions on a spaceship or at a base on Mars, so Paro would be a very good companion for astronauts.” – DPA

RESEARCH: Elena Gonzalez Ingelmo is part of the State Reference Centre (CRE) in Spain, which is analysing the therapeutic eff ects of a baby seal robot in the city of Salamanca.

INVENTOR: Japanese inventor Takanori Shibata says he was inspired to create a robot baby seal to help Alzheimer’s patients by therapies using real animals.

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