Pakistani singer and musician Emu talks about the nuances of ...

Glocal musicCOVERSTORY

Pakistani singer and musician Emu talks

about the nuances of his genre. P4-5

Sunday, March 1, 2020Rajab 5, 1441 AH

Doha today 180 - 250

QUIZ SHOWBIZ

Post four years:

a leap year.

Page 10

Shruti opens up

on plastic surgery.

Page 15

Sunday, March 1, 20202 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

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PRAYER TIMEFajr 4.39amShorooq (sunrise) 6.58amZuhr (noon) 11.46amAsr (afternoon) 3.06pmMaghreb (sunset) 5.35pmIsha (night) 7.05pm

“A friend to all is a friend to none”

– Aristotle

EmmaCAST: Josh O’Connor, Bill Nighy, Anya Taylor-JoyDIRECTION: Autumn de WildeSYNOPSIS: Following the antics of a young woman, Emma

Woodhouse, who lives in Georgian- and Regency-era England and occupies herself with matchmaking - in sometimes misguided, often meddlesome fashion.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

Bhoot: Part 1: The Haunted ShipDIRECTION:Bhanu Pratap SinghCAST: Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, Ashutosh Rana

SYNOPSIS: Based on a true accident, the fi lm tells the story of a couple on an abandoned ship lying static on a beach.

THEATRES: Royal Plaza

For movie timings and further details please scan

the QR code above with your mobile phone camera or visit qatarcinemas.com

3Sunday, March 1, 2020 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

MIA Park Bazaar 2020WHERE: MIA ParkWHEN: Ongoing till April 25TIME: 2pm — 8pmMIA Park Bazaar is a modern version of

the Old Souq tradition with vibrant mix of around 120 stalls. You can browse and buy handicrafts, accessories, paintings, clothing, food, jewellery, photography and art.

Artistic Gymnastic ClassesWHERE: Qatar Academy MsheirebWHEN: OngoingTIME: 3:15pm – 4:15pmThe Olympic sport using horizontal bar,

rings and fl oor exercises on mats for the children from age 4 till 16.

Metro Street FoodWHERE: DECC Metro StationWHEN: Ongoing

TIME: 12:30pm Street Food is the ideal venue for a leisure

experience for the whole family off ering over 20 dine-in options and 18-hole World Mini-Golf setup.

Hobby ClassesWHERE: Mamangam Performing Art

CentreWHEN:Wednesday – MondayMamangam is an art and performance

centre started with a vision of spreading our knowledge, interests and experience in various disciplines in arts across different countries for children and adults.

We offer regular classes in disciplines like traditional classical dance, art and craft, Bollywood and hip-hop styles, Carnatic music, robotics, percussion instruments, keyboard, yoga, zumba and martial arts like Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu and Kalari. For those who wish to register e-mail at [email protected] or call on 33897609/44723680

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

atelierqatar.com or call on 33003839.

Qatar Food Fest WHERE: Sheraton Hotel ParkWHEN: Ongoing till April 30TIME: 4pm — 1amThe festival is currently happening at

Sheraton Hotel Park. Qatar Food Fest features 77 stalls, food trucks, and trolleys, bringing culinary and cultural experiences from all corners of the globe to visitors and residents in Qatar.

Public Speaking Classes for AdultsWHERE: Sharq Capital, C-Ring RoadWHEN:Ongoing till July 1TIME: 6:30pm – 9pmGet trained by experts to be a good speaker.

Smedley Toastmasters is conducting a six-month speech-craft programme that teaches new members to speak confi dently and develop leadership skills. For more information, 66053485, 33232490 or visit www.SmedleyToastmasters.org

Whiskers & Purrs WHERE: Tennis Courts, The Pearl-QatarWHEN: March 7Time: 1:00pm-6:00pmA fun-fi lled event for the family which

will promote responsible pet ownership. The objective is to raise community awareness about animal welfare and highlight the plight of pets that have been abandoned by families.

2020 Grand Prix – Test and RaceWHERE: Losail International CircuitWHEN: March 6–82020 Grand Prix is set to take place from March 6 till March 8 at the Losail International

Circuit. Built-in just under a year, the circuit has been a regular venue of the MotoGP calendar ever since. You can watch the races with friends or family in an open-air setting where you will be surrounded by the uproar of larger crowds.

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


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

By Mudassir Raja

Fusion (in music) is a global phenomenon. The world has actually become a global village and music is

no exception. The fusion music is going to be a sustainable and long lasting genre.

“You are not meeting just east or west [in music]. You are actually evolving together as a culture. I will not call it fusion music but glocal music. I mix my local music with global music.”

Syed Imran Momina aka

Emu, a Pakistani singer and musician, is a staunch supporter and producer of fusion music. His enthusiasm in composing new fusion music has been so strong that he co-founded a band in 2001 naming it Fuzon. He along with Shallum Asher Xavier and Shafqat Amanat Ali founded the band. The pop rock band from Karachi has been described as a fusion of Hindustani classical and modern soft rock music blended with the Sufi style of singing. Emu is a multi-dimensional pianist and a composer, who has been playing since the age of 19.

“I will not call it fusion music but glocal music”

— Emu, Pakistani singer and musician

The world is connected in real time nowadays. I can ask some of my friends sitting in an African country to play something traditional for me that I will fuse with some Pakistani music

— Emu

‘’

SUNDAY CONVERSATION


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

“We have done lots of collaborative works

in India, Bangladesh and China. We sang

the Chinese national anthem entertaining a gathering. On the 70th

Independence Day of Pakistan, I performed in London. I have also

composed music for some movies in India.

Our work is best known for playback songs for

many Pakistani TV dramas”

QATAR ROUND: From left, Amir Saeed Khan from Pakistan Souq, Emu, Pakistani ambassador Syed Ahsan Raza Shah, and Commercial Attache Salman Ali.

Emu’s style for arranging his own music and testing with melodies made him set up his own recording and mixing studio and it is where Fuzon’s recording sessions occurred. The band touched the heights of popularity with their fi rst album Saagar, which featured 12 tracks, with a common strain of pop melodies blended with Pakistani classical and folk vocals. The opening track Aakhon Kay Saagar gave rise to their popularity within Pakistan.

Following songs, Akhiyaan, Tere Bina and Khamaaj were played in heavy circulation on the TV and FM stations of Pakistan and India. Fuzon was the first band to release their debut album Saagar in 2002 concurrently in Pakistan and India.

“I grew up listening to Pakistani classical music and western pop music. Since the beginning, I have been interested in creating fusion. I set up a music studio and joined hands with the other two founders and formed the band,” Emu said while talking to Community last week in Doha as the brand ambassador of Pakistan Souq, an online shopping platform.

Emu is also connected to Karachi Arts Council. He is a member of the governing body and chairman of the music committee of the council.

“I look after a music school run by the art council. There are 25 teachers and numerous students. I am preparing an archive of Sindhi folk music for the provincial government. I am also working with a private channel to nourish the singing talent of young children to sing Sufi music. I also organise programmes to hunt for talented young singers,” he disclosed.

Emu and his band have done collaborative music with diff erent musicians across the world. “So far, we have collaborated with Norwegian and Italian musicians. We also have worked with New York- based jazz musicians that included Muslim jazz musicians as well. We have done lots of collaborative works in India, Bangladesh and China. We sang the Chinese national anthem entertaining a gathering. On the 70th Independence Day of Pakistan, I performed in London. I have also composed music for some movies in India. Our work is best known for playback songs for many Pakistani TV dramas.”

The musician wants to see more creative and innovative music produced in Pakistan. “Currently, there are many private TV channels and companies paying much attention on the music production. I want to see the government take more interest in music production. There should be new material injected in the national music scene. Earlier, musicians used to produce music for Radio Pakistan. We need to have more national heroes in the music market.”

The enthusiastic composer is however, happy with the digital platforms available nowadays for music. “Many music platforms have gone obsolete such as CDs. Radio and TV is still available

but people now listen more to online music. However, whenever, some new platforms appear in the market, there is always pilferage of music. It worries the musicians. But online platforms such as YouTube are becoming a lot securer.”

Emu believes that music

fusion is a genre that can be more creative and innovative. It is going to last for a long time. “The world is connected in real time nowadays. I can ask some of my friends sitting in an African country to play something traditional for me that I will fuse with some Pakistani music. To

give an example, I recorded a composition for the members of Ballet Beyond Borders, a US-based ballet dance group, on their recent visit to Pakistan. They enjoyed my composition so much that they invited me to the US where they again performed on my compositions.

“Music fusion will develop more. It is a genre now. You are not only making east or west meet. You are actually meeting with other cultures — evolving together as a culture. If I use one word for fusion, it is glocal. I have mixed Pakistani folk music with western pop music.”

Emu notes that there are a few families who are keeping the eastern classical music alive in Pakistan. “There are Sham Chaurasia gharana [family], Delhi gharana and Gwalior gharana. They keep the music in its purest classical form. There are very good classical singers in Pakistan. I also keep encouraging the young classical singers to stay in touch with their roots.”

Emu was invited by Pakistan Souq as its brand ambassador to Doha. “The love for music has brought me to Qatar. I am thankful to Pakistan Souq. This was my first ever visit to the country. Surprisingly, I met one of my very old friends — Shoaib Baloch, who has been living and working here. We have plans to bring our music to Doha in near future. I also met the Pakistani ambassador here and found him very candid. He is very keen to work for the expatriate community in Qatar.

“I have found Qatar very peaceful. I have met many people who are very friendly and cooperative. Pakistanis living here are doing very well for their country and for Qatar as well. I would love to come here again. I would like to bring young talented singers here in the near future. I am also in discussion with some people to set up a studio here. I want to have a platform for Qatar-based singers.”

Photos supplied

“I have found Qatar very peaceful. I have met many people who are very friendly and cooperative.

Pakistanis living here are doing very well for their country and for Qatar as well. I am also in discussion

with some people to set up a studio here. I want to have a platform for Qatar-based singers”


COMMUNITY

Nepali organisations elect new office bearersMorang Sunsari Welfare Society (MSWS), a Nepali community organisation established in 2001, recently organised its 15th general assembly. MSWS elected its new off ice bearers under the leadership of Dilip Parajuli. Prof Dr Narad Nath Bhardwaj, Ambassador of Nepal, was the chief guest on the occasion. Laxman Khanal, Prabin Bhattarai and Jina Adhikari, off icials from the embassy of Nepal, also attended the event. Shristi Hingmang, local Nepali singer, performed at the event. The new off ice bearers of MSWS, include Bhim Bishwokarma and Lilanath Ghimire, Vice Chairman; Bhola Basnet, Secretary; Yojana Sharma and Gopal Bastola, Assistant Secretaries; Sushma Khatiwoda, Treasurer; and Kiran Thapa and Parshuram Banjara, Assistant Treasurers. The new members, include Bharat Shrestha, Sabin Baral, Prem Bahadur Rai, Birgung Thapa, Biran Kathayat, Sunita Koirala Acharya, Achyat Bhatterai, Sabita Dahal Bhatterai, Gamala Basnet Khatiwada, Hari Bahadur Khadka, Pasuram Pokheral, Gamesh Adhikari, Gobinda Biswokarma and Jeevan Yakha Rai. The event was compered by Dilip Parajuli.Likewise, Ramechhap Welfare Society (RWS), another Nepali community organisation, also elected its new off ice bearers. The convention reelected Lalit Kumar Tamang as the Chairman of RWS. The event kicked off with a welcomed note by Ashish Moktan Tamang, which was followed

by diff erent presentations by Uddav Kumar Magar, Nirmal Khadgi and Nar Ghising Tamang. Uttam Gurung and Amina Khan, Nepali community leaders, also spoke on the occasion. The new off ice bearers of RWS, include Nir Magar, First Vice President; Rabi Chandra Karki, Second Vice President; Nar Ghising Tamang, General Secretary; Nirmal Newa, Secretary; Ashish Moktang Tamang, Treasurer; and Suba Raj Sunuwar, Co –Treasurer. Others members, include Binda Khatri, Renuka Lama, Binita Ghising Tamang, Anju Moktang Tamang, Ashok Bal Tamang and Ajaya lama Tamang Pyuthan Sewa Samaj (PSS) Qatar recently held its 6th General Convention and elected its off ice bearers under the leadership of Dharma Singh Biswakarma, President of PSS. The new off ice bearers of PSS, include Keshar Bahadur K C, First Vice President; Basanta B K, Second Vice president; Dipendra Thapa, Third Vice President; Amrit Bahadur Sunuwa, General Secretary; Samundra Khadka, Secretary; Bhim Bahadur Sunar, Treasurer; Ramesh K C, Co-Treasurer; and Rabilal Sunar, Sitaram Sunar, Bishnu Sunar, Saraswati Kawar, Ekraj Puri, Bhoj Pun, Bhim Bahadur G M, Arjun Khadka, Om Prakash K C, Bikash Sunar, Nim Bahadur Pariyar, committee members.

– Text and photo by Usha Wagle Gautam

GTM holds 11th Annual Speech ContestGalfar Toastmasters Club (GTM) recently conducted its 11th Annual Speech Contest at the Oryx Rotana Hotel. The members of the Corporate Club comprised entirely of Galfar Al Misnad staff , who competed in four diff erent categories, including International Speech, Table Topics, Evaluation Speech, and Humorous Speech. The event was attended by over 40 members and guests.Kingsley Okoro bagged first position in both International Speech and Table Topics categories. Rajeshwar Rao bagged the title in Evaluation Speech category. Shashi Prakash Singh won the Humorous Speech category. The first and second place winners of each category recently went on to represent GTM at the Area Speech Contest, where Kingsley Okoro topped the International Speech and Table Topics category. He will now represent Area 03 at the upcoming Division A Contest.Galfar Al Misnad, one of the leading construction company which has been operating in Qatar for nearly 25 years, instituted its own Corporate Toastmasters Club in 2009 as a management

initiative to develop Leadership and Communication Skills amongst staff members. Through this programme, the company has seen a large number of employees upgrading themselves to perform better in their functional roles as good speakers and eff ective leaders. Within three years of its existence, members of GTM started participating in area contests, and by 2016, they were participating in division level contests. GTM has ensured its representation right up to the District level in the speech contests. Over the past decade, the club has won the best Corporate Club award a numerous times, and is considered one of the most sustainable and successful Corporate Clubs in Toastmasters. GTM was also designated as a ‘President’s Distinguished Club’ in the 2018-19 term. This is the highest recognition possible for any Toastmasters’ Club, and makes it the first club in Area 03 of District 116 to achieve this feat, and the second club in Division A. GTM conducts its regular meeting every first and third Saturday of the month at the Toastmasters Hall, a place exclusively provided by the company as their meeting and activity venue.


COMMUNITYINTERIOR DESIGN

By Nell Card

In the middle of the wall in Africa Daley-Clarke’s living room is a print illustrating the passengers disembarking from the

Empire Windrush. Before moving into her flat last June, she sold all of the art on her gallery wall to fund the purchase of this new print. Three of Daley-Clarke’s grandparents took a similar journey from the West Indies in the early 1960s: it’s a journey she is reminded of every time she sees the print, and an image she hopes her daughters will remember growing up with.

Daley-Clarke, 29, lives with her husband, Jermel, 33, and two young daughters – Israel, 4, and Ezra, 2 – in a social housing flat in Islington, north London. The street they live on comprises mostly detached Victorian villas. The property they live in has been split into three apartments. Here, on the first floor, in a two-bedroom flat with a front room, kitchen, bathroom and small balcony, Daley-Carke has created what she describes as a “natural, nourishing home” for her young family. “I never want my family to go without because we can’t afford to live in a bigger home,” she says. “But really, we don’t need any more.”

Through her social media channel, @thevitamindproject, she talks openly about home ownership and the stigma of living in social housing. “When I was growing up, I genuinely didn’t know that people rented privately,” she recalls. “I thought you either owned your home or you lived in social housing.” It wasn’t until her early 20s that she realised the opposite was also true: friends and colleagues who rented privately had very little understanding of social housing.

“There is nothing to prevent anyone from applying for social housing,” she says, before going on to explain the “very fair” points-based system housing associations use to allocate properties. The rent – which is non-subsidised and non-profit – is pegged to local salaries and their tenancy is secure for five years. “All of that is rarely talked about,” says Daley-Clarke, “and I think that is where the stigma comes from – from not understanding that not everyone has the same start in life, and from not understanding that privilege comes in so many different shapes and forms.”

According to a 2019 report by the English Housing Survey, the

nationwide shortage of social housing has lead to the highest levels of overcrowding since records began 24 years ago. Daley-Clarke recalls her own experience of leaving home at 16 and living in temporary accommodation for seven years before her name eventually made its way to the top of the waiting list. Her first rented home was a one-bedroom flat in King’s Cross. While living there she met her husband and started a family. It was another three years before a two-bedroom property became available.

When the call finally came to view their current flat, Daley-Clarke agreed to the tenancy on the spot, knowing it could be

another three years before the next two-bedroom property became available.

“It was in such a bad state of disrepair that six other families had already turned it down,” she recalls. While the housing association has a duty to ensure its properties are safe, anything deemed cosmetic is left to the tenants.

The home Daley-Clarke has created bears little resemblance to the flat she first saw last June. Earthy tones, second-hand furniture, natural fabrics and abundant plant life fill the space with warmth and character. Daley-Clarke manages an interior design showroom: her eye for

design is apparent throughout.Having moved in, the couple

prioritised the girls’ bedroom. They painted the walls white and set up a second-hand Ikea bed and cot, draping the frame in natural fabrics in shades of turmeric, terracotta and grey. Their toys (mostly wooden, mostly second-hand) are corralled in easy-to-reach baskets and drawers and their books are displayed in an alcove created by removing the bedroom door, freeing up the dead space behind.

By week three, they had also decorated the main living and dining area, filling it with plants and furniture from their previous flat. (The only new additions are

the gigantic banana plant and dining table.) The hallway has been papered in a busy bamboo print that reminded Daley-Clarke of the set in Only Fools and Horses. The master bedroom is still a work in progress.

The couple invested two-years’ of savings in the renovation of the bathroom and kitchen, both of which were dilapidated, cold and clinical. The work was undertaken concurrently in just 10 days. “If you’re living in the space at the same time with two small children, you’ve got to do it quickly,” says Daley-Clarke. In the kitchen, Jermel built the work surface and open shelving from reclaimed scaffolding boards. The bathroom has been turned into a cosseting, tactile space with irregular teal tiles and a patterned terracotta floor that wraps over the side of the bath, creating the illusion of a built-in tub.

“Even if we have to leave this flat after five years, we took the decision to invest in our home from the outset – to treat it like our forever home,” she says. (She makes the point that their renovation costs equated to about 10% of what they’d need to pay for a deposit on a similar two-bedroom flat.)

For Daley-Clarke and her family, their home is a safe place for memories to be made and savoured. “Paying fair, affordable rent has given us the freedom to plan financially,” she says. “It’s enabled us to both work full-time and support our family without relying on housing benefits. It’s given us breathing space.”

Top tips:Contact your council:

If you are planning to do any structural work on a social housing property, it will need to be pre-approved by your council or housing association. Social housing tenants are subject to yearly inspections and must provide safety certificates for any structural works carried out.

Buying for the future: When buying furniture or appliances, make sure you buy with intention. Save up and buy the best you can afford, not the first thing you see.

Space-saving solutions: We have hardly any floor space in our kitchen, but we also have beautiful 3m-high ceilings, so we’ve stacked our open shelving high to maximise storage. We’ve also maximised floorspace in the living room by fixing two shelving systems to the wall and using a row of vintage theatre seats in place of a second sofa. They fold up when not in use, which frees up more precious floor space.

– The Guardian

Tips on redecorating a rental property eff iciently on a budget

THE LIVING-DINING ROOM: Earthy tones, second-hand furniture, natural fabrics and abundant plant life fill the space with warmth and character.

SPACE SAVERS: Repurposed theatre seats fold away when not in use.


COMMUNITY TRAV

Lounging on a beach with a tropical beverage at a resort in Cancun or Tulum makes for a great escape from the

frozen tundra. That’s why so many Americans – myself included – head to the Yucatan, that peninsula at the southern tip of Mexico that splits the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Sunshine is abundant. Thoughts of snow melt with the warmth. Relaxation rolls in with each wave.

But I’ve also ventured beyond the popular Yucatan beaches. During my last trip, I stayed in Merida, a landlocked city with a rich Mayan and colonial history. On day trips from there, I found places with more locals than tourists, I searched for alligators and fl amingos, swam in caves and bumped down remote roads that led to shockingly pink waters, where river and the Gulf of Mexico meet.

Each of these off -the-beaten-path places is alluring in its own way, and visiting them is surprisingly easy. In fact, some of the locations I’ve explored – all hidden oases of the Yucatan, within

an hour or two of Merida – can be easily experienced during a day trip from the Yucatan’s Caribbean side. As for the beach chair back at the resort with your name on it, well, it’ll be waiting for you.

Ria LagartosAs my friend Joel and I climbed

onto a small boat, a fi sherman approached us. He showed us his day’s catch of a not-so-ordinary-looking fi sh. Then he wished us luck in capturing an alligator.

I wondered about that comment, even though the small fi shing village of Rio Lagartos translates to Alligator River. But we weren’t here after a 2 hour ride from Merida to catch anything, least of all a scaly reptile. We’d come to explore the bird-rich tangle of nature on the town’s edge known as the Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve.

The 233-square-mile reserve holds mangrove forest, saltwater estuaries and sand dunes – and about 400 species of birds, including snowy white ibis and brown pelicans. It’s most known, though, for its vast population of fl amingos, said to be the largest in

Mexico. We cut our hour-long boat ride short because of an impending storm, so we didn’t make it to the fl amingos’ nesting site. We were, however, mesmerised by the number of beautiful birds we encountered. In the end we spotted one alligator and a handful of visitors with white clay smeared on their bodies for its alleged healing benefi ts. A beautiful sunset greeted us as we made our watery way back to our car.

Find information on the Unesco Biosphere Reserve at tinyurl.com/vvhrlwf.

Las ColoradasAfter our adventure along the

river, we took a short drive to ‘the pink sea of Yucatan’ known as Las Coloradas. These saline lakes appear in otherworldly hues of rose and pink, a result of high concentrations of algae, shrimp and other organisms. Flamingos, which are gray early in life, become pink after feeding on the organisms in the coloured saltwater. It is prohibited to go into the water. There isn’t much infrastructure for travellers – bring your lunch

– but the scene is worth the drive (thetravelblog.at/pink-lagoon-las-coloradas/).

Choco-Story MuseumAbout 40 miles south of

Merida, Joel and I hiked through the ancient Mayan city of Uxmal, where archaeological fi nds include a pyramid, palaces and other buildings that are among the best preserved Mayan ruins in the country. So after exploring Uxmal, a popular tourist site, we didn’t expect much in comparison when we dropped in at the Choco-Story Museum across the street. But the museum off ered far more than anticipated.

We learned about the history of cocoa and its importance to the Mayan people. I was even more surprised by the museum grounds, where paths cut through lush vegetation, past an array of parakeets and to a visit with rescued spider monkeys. We also saw a re-enactment of a Mayan shaman cleansing. And then there was the gift shop: Let’s not forget about the amount of chocolate I coveted (choco-storymexico.com/

uxmal - ingles.html).

Cenote Hacienda MucuycheOne of the most unusual natural

wonders in the Yucatan Peninsula are its cenotes, sinkholes created by the collapse of limestone. There are 6,000 of these pools in the Yucatan. They were once used as religious places for the Mayan people, who considered them sacred wells. Today, many off er rappelling activities, diving equipment and rope courses.

Among my favourites are Cenote Hubiku in Valladolid, and Cenote Hacienda Mucuyche in Abala. One day, we set out from Merida to fi nd Mucuyche. After an hour’s drive, we came to a village where thatch-roofed palapas lined dirt roads, their inhabitants sleeping in hammocks. A wooden sign with ‘cenote’ carved into it seemed like a good omen. Horses were tied to a tree. The crowing of roosters penetrated the air. At the entrance to a deep cave, life jackets dangled from a rope. We were invited to visit the small family cenote for a small fee, but it wasn’t Cenote Hacienda Mucuyche.

6 best off -the-beaten-path spMany Americans head to the Yucatan, peninsula at the southern tip of Mexico

that splits the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, where the sunshine is

abundant and relaxation rolls in with each wave, writes Elizabeth Flores

PERFORMANCE: Dancers performed during a show documenting the history of Mexico through dance at Xcaret Park.

9GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSunday, March 1, 2020

VEL

pots on the Yucatan Peninsula

“Down the street, two blocks to the left,” a man instructed. We soon came upon a large stone gate – and our destination. We waited to buy tickets behind a handful of mostly Mexican tourists. Inside, we were led on a brief tour through what remained of a beautiful, historic hacienda that once housed a wealthy family. Then we followed a winding path lined by trees that led to a cave with turquoise water. It was magical, peaceful and tranquil.

A guide led us, wading, through the pools into a dark cave. I put on the goggles the site provided, dipped my head into the water and saw a wonder of the world. That may be an exaggeration, but it looked like New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns, only underwater. Stalactites seemed to go on forever.

Back into the light, we fl oated down a long green stream lined by pothos vines to a subterranean waterfall.Like most cenotes today, Hacienda Mucuyche has locker rooms and a restaurant where local Mayan women make homemade corn tortillas (cenoteshaciendamucuyche.com/en).

CelestunThe small fi shing village of

Celestun, about 60 miles from Merida, is near the Celestun Biosphere Reserve, a main courtship area for greater pink fl amingos who fl ock there during fall and winter. Tour guides on the beach wait under palapas to take visitors on small-boat excursions to see the fl amingos and freshwater springs. We opted to lounge on the secluded white-sand beach, which we shared with locals, cold beers in our hands. It was just another day on the Yucatan.

XcaretThe only tourist trap we

encountered was Xcaret, a park with a $100 entrance fee, in Playa del Carmen. It felt like a zoo by the ocean, but there was one part that we found phenomenal: the cultural area that included a maze through a makeshift Mexican cemetery, a Mexican rodeo and a big cultural show at the end of the evening that was worth the price of admission alone.

– Star Tribune (Minneapolis)/TNS

NATIVE: A flower native to the Yucatan, the Maya Gold, (Heliconia champneiana) lined the area in and around the Choco-Story Museum at Uxmal, Yucatan.

ENCLOSURE: A jaguar made its way through its enclosure at the Choco-Story Museum and Eco-Park in Uxmal, Yucatan. The park has a Mayan chocolate museum, but it is also filled with plants, flowers, and animals native to the area.

BEACH SPOTTING: A starfish sun bathed on the white sandy beaches in the fishing town of Celestun in Yucatan, Mexico.

HOME TO FLAMINGOS: A pelican found a spot to watch fishermen and their daily catch in the fishing town of Celestun in Yucatan, Mexico. Surrounding the town is the 147,500-acre Parque Natural del Flamenco Mexicano, a wetland reserve that is the winter home to vast flocks of flamingos, as well as many herons and other bird species.


COMMUNITY QUIZ

Our year just became one day longer. Yesterday, February 29 was a leap day, the calendar oddity that occurs almost every

four years. For all of us with ‘Not enough time!’ an all-too-common reason for not following dreams, it was a bonus. Those living on a fi xed monthly rent had one free day of living. Prisoners with one-year sentences served an extra day. And for all of us on fi xed annual salary, we worked for free.

For centuries, humans struggled to sync civil, religious, and agricultural calendars with the solar year. It takes the Earth approximately 365.242189 days – or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds – to circle once around the Sun. The full rotation – decimals included – is called a tropical year, solar year, astronomical year, or an equinoctial year. That extra fi ve-or-so hours nobody likes to talk about are precisely why we have leap years. Without an extra day on February 29 nearly every four years, we would lose almost six hours every year.

How do we remember if it’s a leap year? Simple: If the last two digits of the year are divisible by four then it’s a leap year. Century years are the exception to this rule. They must be divisible by 400 to be leap years – so, 2000 and 2400 are leap years, but 2100 will not be one.

All other months in the Julian calendar have 30 or 31 days, but February lost out to the ego of Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus. Under his predecessor Julius Caesar, February had 30 days and the month named after him – July – had 31. August had only 29 days. When Caesar Augustus became Emperor he added two days to ‘his’ month to make August the same as July. So February lost out to August in the battle of the extra days.

People born on leap day are often called leapers, leaplings, twenty-niners, and leap day babies (LDBs). Most of them don’t wait every four years to celebrate their birthdays. The civil code in China takes the legal birthday of a leapling to be February 28. In Hong Kong the legal birthday of a leap day baby is on March 1.

According to History.com, about 4.1 million people around the world have been born on February. 29, and the odds of being born on this date are 1 in 1,461. Rarer still is the possibility that three children in the same family would be born on three consecutive Leap Days, but that’s exactly what happened with the Henriksen family of Norway.

Karin Henriksen gave birth to three children on February 29; her daughter Heidi in 1960 and her sons Olav and Leif-Martin in 1964 and 1968.

There is an Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies for people born on February 29. Launched in 1997, the HSLYDB now boasts more than 11,000 members worldwide.

February 30th? This even rarer date occurred in Sweden and Finland in 1712, when they added an extra Leap Day to February to help catch up their outdated Julian calendar with the new Gregorian calendar. There is, however, one race of people who celebrate February 30th every year: Hobbits. The wee folk of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings universe observe twelve 30-day months every year.

What’s crazier than February 29th? A woman proposing to a man,

says history. The custom has been attributed to St Bridget, who is said to have complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for men to propose marriage. Patrick supposedly gave women one day to propose. The tradition – now called Bachelor’s Day or Sadie Hawkins Day – peaked in the early 1900s and continues today in the UK, where some retailers even off er discount packages to women popping the question.

If the man should refuse, he must give a gift to soften the blow, such as a kiss, a dress, or a piece of fabric. In Denmark, the tradition varies a little and demands that, should a man refuse, he give his suitor 12 pairs of gloves! Of course, this tradition is pretty old fashioned; nowadays, it’s no big deal for a woman to propose to a man! You’re not the only one who thinks leap years are silly. Welcome

to ‘Nutty’s Infotainment.YAYS!’ Your time starts NOW!

According to the World Heritage Encyclopedia, which extremely rare feat related to birth and death was achieved by James Milne Wilson, the 8th Premier of Tasmania? He was born in 1812 and died in 1880.

Of being the only notable person known to have been born and died on Feb. 29.

Which animal is the symbol associated with February 29, perhaps because of its remarkable leaping abilities?

Frog. The Australian rocket frog can leap over two meters.

What is so special about the twin cities of Anthony, Texas, and Anthony, New Mexico?

They are the self-proclaimed Leap Year Capital of the World.

La Bougie du Sapeur is a humorous French newspaper launched in 1980 and is probably the world’s least frequently published newspaper. When is it printed?

It prints only on Leap Days.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, what is special about Peter Anthony, his son Peter Eric and Peter Eric’s daughter, Bethany Wealth?

The only verifi ed example of a family producing three consecutive generations born on February 29.

On February 29, 1944 Karol Wojtyla was run down and injured by a Nazi truck in Krakow, Poland. How is he most popularly known as?

Pope John Paul II.

The original Yahoo! company was founded by Jerry Yang and David Filo in January 1994 and incorporated on March 2, 1995. The word “yahoo” is actually a backronym. What does it stand for?

Yet Another Hierarchically Organized Oracle.

He is the youngest artist to have fi ve number-one albums in the US. He has a fair number of tattoos for a 26-year-old, including an owl and the word “Believe” on his left arm, a crown and Roman numerals on his chest, a bird on his hip and Jesus tattoos on ribcage and his left calf. Identify the pop sensation and today’s birthday boy whose middle-name is Drew.

Justin Bieber.

It is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit, narrated by a wise scholar to educate the three dim-witted sons of a powerful king, to help them become powerful rulers. The earliest known translation into a non-Indian language is in Middle Persian by Burzoe. This became the basis for a Syriac translation as Kalilag and Damnag and a translation into Arabic in 750 CE by Persian scholar Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaff a as Kal lah wa Dimnah. The book is also known as The Fables of Bidpai (or Pilpai in various European languages) or The Morall Philosophie of Doni (English, 1570). What is its original Sanskrit name?

Panchtantra

At 634 metres , below is the image of the tallest tower in the world and the second tallest structure in the world. It was completed on Leap Day, 29 February 2012, with the tower opening to the public on 22 May 2012. What is it called?

(Answer next week. Answer to last week’s photo-quiz: United States Marines raise the US fl ag atop Mount Suribachi, during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945.)

Post four years: a leap year

1. This person was only 12 when he learnt that the French army used a certain communication system. By the age of 15 he came up with his own tactile system of reading and writing which helped him get over a certain impediment caused by a childhood accident. Till a few years after his death it was not much in use. Today it is universal and remains essentially unchanged from how he developed it. Who was this young man who saw that people like him could use the written word?

Louis Braille.(Maricel Belen, Qalco, Doha)

2. Who says this in the movie Casablanca: “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”?

Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine.(Hamid Patel, Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir, Muscat)

Do you have some interesting bytes to share? And, does yourvibe attract you to the ‘Tribe NI.yays!’ Every week two of your best questions will be featured here. Please do write to us at [email protected].

Tribe NI.yays

GENERAL RULE: If the last two digits of the year are divisible by four then it’s a leap year. Century years are the exception to this rule. They must be divisible by 400 to be leap years – so, 2000 and 2400 are leap years, but 2100 will not be one.


COMMUNITYINFOGRAPHIC

Side effects

Source: Danish Center for Human Nutrition,TNS Photo Service

Blood pressure rises Glycyrrhetinic acid in licorice interferes with hormones that help regulate blood pressure

When licorice is bad for youSome black licorice, easily identified by its sharp taste, contains harmful ammonium chloride, or sal-ammoniac.

If you eat large amounts of licorice containing more than 5 percent sal-ammoniac ...Bones lose calcium Sal-ammoniac changes acidity of blood, causing bones to release calcium to correct the acid imbalance

Healthy Living

Nutrient count

Not for some salads

Source: The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, TNS Photo Service

Nutritious and refreshingThe flesh and edible seeds of papaya fruit

are a delicious source of vitamin C.

Avoid using papaya in fruit-and-gelatin salad; an enzyme in papaya breaks down protein, which will keep the gelatin from thickening

In 1/2 cup fresh papaya, cubed

Vitamin C

Calories

Protein

Carbohydrate

50 mg

30

1 g8 g

Healthy Living


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.

SOAKSOLIDSORTIESOAPBOXSOLOSOUNDSOCCERSOLVER

SOURCESOCIETYSONATASOUTHSOCKETSONNETSOVIETSOCKS

SORBETSOWERSODIUMSORRELSOLACESORROW


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

Across1 Search thoroughly for groom (4)3 Viking calls man back (8)9 Unconventional â€” like a retired policeman? (7)10 Girl showing some honest affection (5)11 Substance agency has in mind (5)12 Growin’ dried fruit (6)14 One grows flowers (6)16 Stick with a Scottish island (6)19 Tight header in beautiful game (6)21 Africans, as in Mali, left out (5)24 Enchanted soldier in raincoat (5)25 Hairstyle from which combs may be taken (7)26 Royalist wandering without companions (8)27 Ringleader put in charge is unrestricted (4)

Super Cryptic Clues

Solution

Down1 How mince is cooked for a Chinese dish (4,4)2 Criminals held back by Thai family (5)4 Animals ordered to rest (6)5 Egyptian peninsula or some Egyptian islands seen from the south (5)6 Old woman with unyielding dog (7)7 New nosh not in a mess (4)8 Reputed monster is seen to be ridiculous (6)13 Islanders queue in HQ (8)15 Sick bird, we hear, is unlawful (7)17 Wood or metal initially placed in river (6)18 Storage unit in South African aircraft? (6)20 One should be engaged in diplomacy, it’s implied (5)22 A riskier finish for a winter sportsman (5)23 Audio equipment in Hampstead (4)


COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

The day is likely to be somewhat challenging, and it contains

some disappointments. You’re liable to feel dejected if you receive

a lacklustre response from the world. Apparently, Aries, your

performance has lost some of its ability to captivate an audience.

Whether you accept this or try to shine up your act is the question

of the day!

Cancer, today’s your chance to stand up to family members who

want to exert too much control over your love life. It’s time to bang

your fist on the table and say, “Enough’s enough, I’ll love who I

want to.” When you insist that well-meaning relatives respect your

choices, you’ll tap into a new well of self-respect.

You may have noticed for some time now to what an extent your

ambitions wear you out and to what point they have become

outdated. If you aspire to live an ambitious life, but also one that

is calmer and more balanced, the celestial energy is indicating the

moment has come to make some important decisions, Libra.

You’re being called upon to make a commitment or promise, most

likely relating to your love life. Will you take that decisive step? That’s

the question today. Over the next few days you will doubtless have

to prove what you’re made of. The challenge most likely emanates

from your romantic relationships. There is no running away this

time, Capricorn. It’s time to take a stand.

Taurus, you can expect the day to be a bit bumpy. If you were

an Olympic athlete, today you’d be standing at the starting line,

wondering if you had trained enough for a topnotch performance.

Have you had enough practice? Will you make the grade? Issues

related to your material resources will certainly be on the agenda.

It’s up to you to strut your stuff , Leo. As long as you’re bashful about

showcasing your innate gifts, it will be diff icult to find meaning in

your life. Today’s planetary alignment gives you the challenge to

take your talents more seriously. You could easily profit from them,

provided you look deep inside to discover how.

Are you hesitating, Scorpio? Do you feel caught between the desire

to participate fully in the world and the equally strong desire to

remain in your dream world, even at the risk of feeling a little out

of it? Who says that these two worlds are incompatible? If you look

closely, you will see that you don’t need to choose one or the other.

There are times in your love life when you may feel somewhat

inhibited, as though something is holding you back from total

fulfilment. Perhaps the emotions overwhelm you or the idea of

commitment frightens you. In any case, Aquarius, you’re well aware

that your reluctance to take the plunge is detrimental to your

relationship. The day will call on you to take a few more risks.

A planetary configuration like today’s often makes people afraid to

start anything that challenges the status quo. This is true for you in

your professional life. You should dare to take on more responsibility.

The aspects speak of fear only, not of being incapable of succeeding.

The saying about fear being the only thing to fear is something you

should take to heart right now, Gemini.

You don’t have to answer to society’s cultural values, Virgo. If most

of your work is organised around an activity that’s considered

fashionable, you will never succeed in feeling good about yourself

or your creations. You’re too motivated by meaningful activities to

spend your time with frivolous ones. Today’s aspects will push you

to cut yourself off from all that doesn’t resonate deeply.

You can expect to have to make a choice today related to your

intimate relationships. You may have become aware that something

is missing, either in your partner or yourself. Today you will act on

that awareness, but it may not be easy. The root of the problem

could be an issue of independence and self-suff iciency. Try to figure

out the source of the problem before acting on it, Sagittarius.

The forecast today is stormy. You may have sensed that there was

some tension clouding the conversation at home. Resentments were

left unsaid and subtle power games were played without resolution.

Today, Pisces, it all becomes too unbearable for you. Regardless of

the risks involved, you will take measures to clear things up.

Want to live longer? Eat lessI

f you want to live longer, reduce levels of infl ammation throughout your body and delay the onset of age-related diseases — eat less food, say researchers.

According to a study, published in the journal Cell, researchers from the US and China provided the most detailed report of the cellular eff ects of a calorie-restricted diet in rats.

While the benefi ts of caloric restriction have long been known, the new results show how this restriction can protect against ageing in cellular pathways.

“We already knew that calorie restriction increases life span, but now we’ve shown all the changes that occur at a single-cell level to cause that,” said study senior author Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte from the Salk Institute in the US.

“This gives us targets that we may eventually be able to act on with drugs to treat ageing in humans,” Belmonte added.

For the fi ndings, the research team compared rats who ate 30% fewer calories with rats on normal diets.

The diet of animals in the age group of 18-27 months was controlled. (In humans, this would be roughly equivalent to someone following a calorie-restricted diet from the age of 50 to 70.)

The research team isolated and analysed a total of 168,703 cells from 40 cell types in

the 56 rats from starting as well as during the conclusion of the diet. The cells came from fat tissues, liver, kidney, aorta, skin, bone marrow, brain and muscle.

In each isolated cell, the researchers used single-cell genetic-sequencing technology to measure the activity levels of genes.

They also looked at the overall composition of cell types within any given tissue. Then, they compared old and young mice on each diet.

Many of the changes that occurred as rats on the normal diet grew older didn’t occur in rats on a restricted diet; even in old age, many of the tissues and cells of animals on the diet closely resembled those of young rats.

Overall, 57 per cent of the age-related changes in cell composition seen in the tissues of rats on a normal diet were not present in the rats on the calorie restricted diet, the study said.

“This approach not only told us the eff ect of calorie restriction on these cell types, but also provided the most complete and detailed study of what happens at a single-cell level during aging,” said study researcher Guang-Hui Liu from Chinese Academy of Sciences in China.

According to the study, some of the cells and genes most aff ected by the diet related to immunity, infl ammation and lipid metabolism.

The number of immune cells in nearly

every tissue studied dramatically increased as control rats aged but was not aff ected by age in rats with restricted calories.

In brown adipose tissue—one type of fat

tissue--a calorie-restricted diet reverted the expression levels of many anti-infl ammatory genes to those seen in young animals, the research said. – IANS

Sunday, March 1, 2020 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

Vikram dons seven looks in upcoming film Cobra

Tamil superstar Vikram dons seven diff erent looks in his upcoming fi lm Cobra. This was revealed in the fi rst look poster of the fi lm.

Dressed as a politician and an old man among his various garbs in the fi lm, Vikram shows off unrecognisable avatars in the poster.

Interestingly, the cast of the fi lm also

includes former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan in his Tamil debut as an actor. KGF fame Srinidhi Shetty also makes her Tamil debut in the fi lm, which also features fi lmmaker KS Ravikumar.

Ever since director Ajay Gnanmuthu announced Cobra, the buzz has been consistently high on the project. While the genre of the fi lm is still remains under

wraps, it is reported that Vikram’s character resembles a Cobra. We now hear that the cast and crew of the fi lm are shooting in Russia, and this is the fi nal leg of the shoot.

This isn’t the fi rst time Vikram is experimenting with looks. His Wolverine-like look and hunch-back look in Shankar’s I also became tremendously popular in the past.

The music of Cobra is composed by AR Rahman, while the fi lm is produced by Lalit Kumar of Seven Screen Studio.

Cobra is set for a summer 2020 release. Meanwhile, Vikram is also busy with Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan, which also stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha and Aditi Rao, Jayam Ravi and Karthi.

— IANS

Shruti opens up on plastic surgeryA

ctress Shruti Haasan recently took to her Instagram page to slam body shaming while admitting that she had gone under the knife. Having undergone plastic surgery, she says she neither advocates it

nor is against it, adding that she chooses to live that way.

In a long yet brave post, Kamal Haasan’s daughter said: “I’m not one driven by other people’s opinions of me but the constant commenting and she’s too fat now she’s too thin is so avoidable. These two pictures have been taken three days apart. I’m sure there are women out there who relate to what I’m going to say. Most often I’m at the mercy of my hormones mentally and physically and over the years I work hard to try and have a healthy relationship with it. It isn’t easy. The pain isn’t easy the physical changes aren’t easy but what’s become easier to me is to share my journey. No one famous or not is in a position to judge another person. Ever. That’s just not cool. I’m happy to say this is my life my face and yes I’ve had plastic surgery which I’m not ashamed to admit. Do I promote it? No am I against it? No -- it’s just how I choose to live. The biggest favour we can do for ourselves and others is just be and learn to accept the changes and the movement of our bodies and minds.”

She ended the note saying she is learning to love herself a little more everyday “because the greatest love story of my life is with myself and I hope yours is too”.

A few weeks ago in an interview with actress Lakshmi Manchu, Shruti Haasan opened up on her battle with depression, and overcoming alcoholism.

“I was trying to heal myself. I stopped caring about what people were saying. I had to fi gure it all out. I

took a one year break,” Shruti said.Shruti Haasan will soon be seen in the Telugu fi lm

Krack opposite Ravi Teja, and the Tamil fi lm Laabam opposite Vijay Sethupathi. — IANS

COMING CLEAN: “I stopped caring about what people were saying,” says Shruti Haasan.

Viewers don’t diff erentiate between star, actor: Sarika

Actress Sarika Singh plays a pivotal role in the upcoming fi lm Kaamyaab, which is about the struggles of character actors in the fi lm industry. She says the audience does not discriminate while remembering an actor, if a role is memorable.

“I believe that as an innocent audience, every memorable role — whether it is the hero or a one-line character actor — holds a special place in people’s mind, because for an audience both the actors are inaccessible to them. When I started working in the industry, I realised they are just working individuals who try to get up, go to work every day and do their best. For their love of the industry and their families. The audience sees the stardom, the reality is harsh for everyone,” Sarika said.

“The man who catches the local train at the age of 50 and rushes to the offi ce every day to earn, and the old actor who is going door to door of every production house and reminding people that he is an actor who acted in these fi lms and seeking for more opportunities — everyone is living a life behind the image that they have created for themselves,” said the actress who earlier appeared in fi lms like OK Jaanu, Jagga Jasoos, Bombay Velvet.

— IANS

Former child star Amanda Bynes says seeing the paparazzi photographs of herself is a “terrifying experience”.

Bynes has accused paparazzi of intentionally editing the photos they take of her to appear unfl attering, reports eonline.com.

Bynes said she wants to discuss “self-worth” in a video posted to her Instagram, explaining: “Whenever I see a paparazzi photo, the majority of the time I look nothing like myself. I’m talking 16 chins, face looks completely diff erent and it’s an all around terrifying experience to look myself up online, quite honestly. Like, I’m about to cry just thinking about it.”

The 33-year-old and fi ancé Paul Michael were recently photographed kissing while running errands here. In the images, Bynes is seen smoking a cigarette and drinking a can of Pepsi as Michael wraps his arm around her.

She continued in the video: “But, I wanted to post this video so people know that I’m just like you, I want to look my best. Of course, I can take an unfl attering shot, but the amount of unfl attering shots that I see online, I know that my photos are being photoshopped. I don’t look like that in the photos that I take or when I look at myself in the mirror.”

Just two weeks ago, she had announced her engagement. — IANS

Amanda Bynes on her

‘terrifying experience’


COMMUNITY

QCDC opens registration for career programmeQatar Career Development Centre (QCDC) at Qatar Foundation recently opened its registration for the second edition of ‘My Career - My Future,’ a programme for secondary school students that will off er participants the opportunity to experience real work environments across several industries. The five-day programme is delivered in Arabic in two stages, with the first stage taking place from 15-19 March, while the second stage will be held during from 21-25 July. Students who join the programme will be able to experience a wide variety of professional specialities, including business and finance, management, energy and industry, agricultural engineering, career guidance, tourism, media, and law and aviation.QCDC, a Qatar Foundation (QF) member, is also co-ordinating and inviting entities from various industries, including QF-aff iliated organisations, to participate in the programme. Participating entities will train at least six secondary school students – three boys and three girls – off ering them the opportunity to experience working at these institutions. Participating entities can choose to welcome more than six students.Inviting students to register for the programme, Abdulla al-Mansoori, Director of QCDC, said the experience will inspire creativity in participants and provide them with clarity about their future.

“The programme will off er students the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a professional field of their choice. They will learn about a working environment, as well as the concepts of autonomy and responsibility, enabling them to gain practical experience that will help them draw a clear picture of their academic and professional future. This will reflect positively on their performance and productivity,” he said.The first day of the programme at Multaqa Building (formerly known as Education City Student Centre) will off er students an overview of general rules and instructions. Students will also meet representatives of participating institutions, with a visit to the headquarters of participating institutions to experience the work environment on the second, third, and fourth days of the programme. Students will be introduced to universities across Qatar on the last day of the programme that will be followed by a review of the outcomes that students achieved during the closing ceremony. Representatives from various universities will provide students with an overview of the departments and academic specialisations that these universities off er. Students will learn about the academic programmes and admission requirements, in a bid to help them make informed academic choices and prepare for university life. Interested students can register at visit www.qcdc.org.qa, call 44546815, or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Students of NU-Q intern in London, New York and Washington, DCStudents of Journalism and Strategic Communication programme at Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) are spending the next 10 weeks working for international news outlets and strategic communication firms in major cities around the world – from London to New York City and Washington, DC to Nairobi.As part of NU-Q’s Journalism and Strategic Communication programme, students in their third year participate in a residency programme where they work as full-time interns for major international news outlets and public relations firms.“NU-Q’s residency programme, which is modelled on the programme at Medill on Northwestern’s home campus, off ers our students a unique opportunity to hone their skills in journalism and strategic communication at some of the finest and most respected media organisations in the world,” said Mary Dedinsky, Director of the programme. “The students are mentored by professionals in the industry and have the opportunity to build networks with media professionals.”This year, NU-Q students are interning at more than 20 organisations, including Ogilvy & Mather in London, The Guardian newspaper in New York City, VOX and USA Today in Washington, DC, Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha, and Africa Uncensored in Nairobi.Saad Ejaz, student of NU-Q who is interning with The Guardian, said, “The first days have already been rewarding. I’ve learned so much by working with my editor and listening to the conversations in the newsroom and pitch meetings.” Inaara Gangji, interning with USA

Today in Washington DC, where she will be working on stories that include the upcoming US presidential elections, added, “Getting to learn from experienced editors and reporters from such diverse career backgrounds and news beats in the same room is so enriching and is giving me the chance to improve my journalistic skills to match what the current news ecosystem is like.”The students participating in this year’s residency programme and their assignments, include Abdelmagid Huda, Time Out magazine, Doha; Aldana al-Jaidah and Haya Abu Ajeeneh, Portland Communications, Doha; Amadou O Jallow, Widmeyer Communications, New York; Asmaa al-Sulaiti, Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, Doha; Ayman al-Rachid, International Press Institute, Vienna; Danna Takriti, Dylan Finol and Farah AlSharif, VOX, Washington, DC; Fatima al-Khater, Ministry of Interior, Doha; Hanmin Kim, Voice of America, Washington, DC; Inaara Gangji, USA Today, Washington, DC; Khadija Islow, Medill News Service, Washington, DC; Manan Bhavnani, Pulitzer Centre on Crisis Reporting, Washington, DC; Maryam al-Badr, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha; Mohamed Eltayeb, Africa Uncensored, Nairobi; Mohamed Mohsen Eledrisi, Cosette Solutions, Doha; Saad Ejaz, The Guardian, New York; Mohamed Sikandar Chaudary, Ogilvy & Mather Group, London; Nada Ahmed Qaddourah and Rahma El-Deeb, AJ+, Washington, DC; Nadine Abulnasr, Doha Debates, Washington, DC; Razan Ghadban, AJ+, Qatar; Shafaq Zia, STAT, Boston; Shaikha AlDosari, Al Jazeera, Doha; and Yahya Salem and Zhouwei Zai, Fortune, New York.

NU-Q student Inaara Gangji is interning with USA Today in Washington, DC as part of the school’s residency programme.

Pakistani singer and musician Emu talks about the nuances of ...

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