against all odds - gulf times

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Sunday, October 8, 2017Muharram 18, 1439 AH

CommunityThe 21st annual Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab

Awards will be presented to Pakistan’s Prof. Fateh Mohammad Malik and India’s Prof. Abdus Samad.

P6 P16 CommunityA large number of poets attend

a mushaira organised by the Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar to mark the launch of Iftikhar Raghib’s new book.

COVERSTORY

Director Jennifer Brea

exposes the personal

pain of a rare disorder

in the doc Unrest. P4-5

Againstall odds

Sunday, October 8, 20172 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

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USEFUL NUMBERS

Quote Unquote

PRAYER TIMEFajr 4.13amShorooq (sunrise) 5.29amZuhr (noon) 11.22amAsr (afternoon) 2.43pmMaghreb (sunset) 5.16pmIsha (night) 6.46pm

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First,

by refl ection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the

bitterest. – Confucius

SoloDIRECTION: Bejoy NambiarCAST: Dulquer Salmaan, Sai

Tamhankar, Neha SharmaSYNOPSIS: An anthology, telling

the story of four diff erent people, each story revolving around four diff erent elements: Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. Like most Bejoy Nambiar

fi lms, Solo is visually breathtaking and it’s complemented by easily the best soundtrack from south this year. The songs don’t stick out like a sore thumb and are used at perfect junctures to aid the narrative fl ow. The album favourite, Sita Kalyanam, for instance, is used in a wedding and the placement of the song goes hand-in-hand with the mood

of the scene. Roshomon, a celebratory number, is used in an army camp. Aygiri Nandini, the song about Navdurga, is used in a shootout in Mumbai. Bejoy does full justice to the visuals and the music with his scene conception and execution.

THEATRES: Landmark, Royal Plaza, The Mall

ChefDIRECTION: Raja Krishna MenonCAST: Saif Ali Khan, Padmapriya Janakiraman, Svar

Kamble, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Sobhita DhulipalaSYNOPSIS: Taking inspiration from Hollywood’s

delectable fi lm of the same name made by Jon Favreau in 2014, director Raja Krishna Menon gives us a slice-of-life fi lm that satiates the palette and tugs at your heartstrings. Roshan

Kalra (Saif) is a three-star Michelin chef who gets fi red from New York’s Gulli restaurant after he punches a customer. Forced to take a break, he fl ies to Kochi to spend time with his son, Armaan (Svar) and his estranged wife Radha Menon (Padmapriya). It’s a fruitful trip because he manages to mend broken family ties. In a bid to help him get his mojo back, his wife suggests he put up his own food truck and begin afresh.

THEATRES: Landmark, Royal Plaza

The Mall Cinema (1): Mahanubhavudu (Telugu) 2pm; My Little Pony: The Movies (2D) 4:30pm; Solo (Malayalam) 6:15pm; Solo (Tamil) 9pm; The Foreigner (2D) 11:45pm.The Mall Cinema (2): My Little Pony: The Movies (2D) 2:15pm; The Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 4pm; The Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 5:45pm; The Foreigner (2D) 7:30pm; The Foreigner (2D) 9:30pm; Chef (Hindi) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (3): Solo (Malayalam) 2pm; Chef (Hindi) 4:45pm; Flatliners (2D) 7:15pm; Judwaa 2 (Hindi) 9pm; Solo (Malayalam) 11:30pm.LANDMARK CINEMA (1): (1): The Foreigner (2D) 2:15pm; The

Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 4:15pm; The Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 6pm; Solo (Malayalam) 8pm; Solo (Tamil) 11pm.LANDMARK CINEMA (1): (2): My Little Pony: The Movies (2D) 3pm; My Little Pony: The Movies (2D) 5pm; The Foreigner (2D) 7pm; The Foreigner (2D) 9pm; The Foreigner (2D) 11pm.LANDMARK CINEMA (1): (3): The Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 2:15pm; Chef (Hindi) 4pm; Flatliners (2D) 6:30pm;(Chef (Hindi) 8:30pm; Solo (Malayalam) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1):

My Little Pony: The Movies (2D) 3pm; My Little Pony: The Movies (2D) 5pm; The Foreigner (2D) 7:15pm; The Foreigner (2D) 9:15pm; The Foreigner (2D) 11:15pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): The Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 2:15pm; Chef (Hindi) 4pm; The Foreigner (2D) 6:30pm; Solo (Malayalam) 8:30pm; Solo (Tamil) 11:15pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Solo (Malayalam) 2:30pm; The Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 5:15pm; The Son Of Bigfoot (2D) 7pm; Flatliners (2D) 9pm; Chef (Hindi) 11pm.Asian Town Cinema: Solo (Malayalam) 5:30, 6:30, 8:15, 9:15, 11pm & 12am; Solo (Tamil), 5:30, 8:15 & 11pm; Chef (Hindi) 6:30pm.

3Sunday, October 8, 2017 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

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

EVENTS

Art Attack – Silk Art Painting Workshop

When: Oct 10Discover the art in you and bond with

the family with silk art painting! Open to all from ages 16 and up. The fee of QR250 includes all the materials for the workshop. For inquiries, call 3300-3839 or register on [email protected]

Once in a LifetimeWHERE: Doha College, Al WaabWHEN: Oct 18- 19Dr Philip Zimbardo will be at Doha

College, giving a lecture on his careers work, including the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment. The biggest psychology event ever in Qatar: The ASPIRE Growth Mindset Psychology Conference. This is an amazing opportunity for Qatar to have the world’s most famous psychologist in the country. His work precedes him, so much that he had a Hollywood movie made about him. With millions of views on his TED talks and several books and studies taught in colleges and universities around the world, this is an opportunity not to be missed. For further information, please contact [email protected]

Skate Girls of Kabul ExhibitionWHERE: KataraWHEN: Until Oct 20Award winning photographer Jessica

Fulford-Dobson will present her critically-acclaimed series of portraits, Skate Girls of Kabul in her first show in the Middle East. Presented by Qatar Museums, the exhibition will be at the QM Gallery Katara. The portraits tell the extraordinary story of Afghan girls who took up skateboarding, thanks to Skateistan, an Afghan charity

that provides skate parks as a hook to get children from disadvantaged families back into the educational system. The striking images bring to life the hopeful spirit of these young girls that show a new perspective and dimension to skateboarding culture – one that shows strength in the face of adversity.

Effective Presentation And Public Speaking

WHERE: HBKU Student Center, DohaWHEN: Until Oct 17TIME: 5pmA community course that helps attendees

learn valuable skills required for success in a challenging business environment. The course teaches attendees how to present effectively, appropriately and clearly in all situations at work.

Public Speaking ClassesWHERE: Sharq CapitalWHEN: Oct 18Time: 6:30pm – 9pmDo you find it difficult to give a good

presentation? Are you afraid to speak in public? Get trained by experts to be a good speaker! Smedley Toastmasters is conducting a six-session speech-craft programme that teaches new members to speak confidently. The sessions will include topics such as improving voice quality, using effective body language and gestures and sharpening writing skills using rhetorical devices and vivid imagery.

For more information, call Lesiley at 6605 3485, Lynn at 3396 2047 or visit www.smedleytoastmasters.org

Qatar World Superbike Championship 2017

WHERE: Losail Circuit, Losail, DohaWHEN: Nov 2- 4TIME: 4pm-5pmThe Losail International Circuit once

again will host the final round of the WorldSBK, the Qatar Round. As previous years, the event will be held at night under the floodlight system of the circuit and the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is sure to be an exciting and unpredictable last round. This year the event will be from Thursday to Saturday.

Imperial Threads: Motifs and Artisans

WHERE: Museum of Islamic ArtWHEN: Until November 4This exhibition focuses on the exchange

of artistic and material cultures between the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires. Highlighting MIA’s masterpiece carpets, among other artworks, from Turkey, Iran and India, these objects will be contextualised within the historical circumstances of politics and artistic production of their time, primarily from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Train like a superhero WHERE: Aspire ZoneWHEN: OngoingKids Classes Now Open! Train like a

superhero at CrossFit Doha! CrossFit holds a variety of disciplines from weightlifting to calisthenics to gymnastics. This will help your kids excel in sports & retain the healthy & fit lifestyle! Support your kids’ natural urge for physical activities & train like a superhero, at CrossFit Doha’s in demand Kids Classes today! CrossFit Doha is located at Aspire Zone Sports City. For more information, call 44138484.

Breakdance ClassesWHEN: Sun-WedBreakdancing is part of the Hip Hop

culture that originated in New York and has since spread all over the world. Breakdancing is an athletic and acrobatic style of dancing, which can often appear

to defy the laws of physics. This extreme dance-sport uses tremendous upper-body strength for tricks and poses and a great way to get into shape and have fun. Register now by calling 33003839 or e-mail [email protected]

Reggae Beachfest DohaWHEN: Thursdays and FridaysWHERE: Oyster Beach Bar at St. Regis

HotelTIME: 8pm onwardsIn collaboration with Reggae Beachfest

in Dubai, Qatar will witness the best rasta nights around. The organisers say, “We’ve got the setup sorted to get you feeling the Caribbean vibe. Along with our resident band Earthkry all the way from Jamaica, we have so many big names in the Reggae scene lined up at this huge beachfest!” Entrance fee is QR50 at the door. For more information, please call 44460105.

Dance & Fitness Classes WHERE: Music and Arts Atelier, Villa 57,

Bin OmranWHEN: OngoingAtelier is the newest music and arts

school in Doha that offers dance and fitness classes for kids to adults such as ballet, hiphop, salsa, tango, and other Latin dances, Zumba, Tae Kwon Do, Yoga, kickboxing.

Contact at [email protected] or 33003839.

Reggae Nights every SundayWHERE: Sheraton Grand DohaWHEN: Every Sunday TIME: 9pmSpend your summer nights with some

good “irie” reggae music every Sunday. Doors open at 9pm at The Irish Harp. Entrance Fees is QR50 for gents. Ladies enter free. For further information, please call 44853000 or e-mail at F&[email protected]

Salsa Beginners Dance ClassWHERE: B Attitude Spa, West BayWHEN: Every FridaySalsa n Candela offers a variety of dance

classes for adults at Beverly Hills Tower West Bay B Attitude Spa, such as Salsa every Friday and other Latin dance during other days of the week.

Evolution Sports QatarWHERE: Evolution SportsWHEN: OngoingEvolution Sports will mark its anniversary by hosting a number of exciting events

throughout 2017 as well as some amazing promotions, ten years on from when the club was formed on Sepember 1, 2007. The club has been working with a panel of coaches and directors to plan the events which will be announced over the coming months. Members should look forward to a variety of different occasions, suitable for all ages so the whole family can get involved in the birthday celebrations. To kick-off things off, Evolution Sports recently launched their 10-year anniversary logo. The emblem has been designed by Toyan Greaves, the man behind the original Evolution Sports logo and will be used on all documentation, both online and offline for the next 12 months.


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

“Can’t tell how helpless it feels to not be able to move and cry for help”

SUNDAY CONVERSATION

You always

think, wouldn’t it be so wonderful to lay around and have

someone bring you food and not have to do anything? No, it’s

terrible

By Amy Kaufman

Jennifer Brea was a PhD candidate at Harvard University when her mind started to fail her. At age 28, she was already an accomplished academic, a graduate of Princeton who’d moved to Massachusetts to delve into the world of political economy and statistics.

But in the midst of her studies, she got sick. At fi rst, she didn’t think anything of the illness — it just seemed like a particularly bad case of the fl u, one that came with a 104-degree fever. And yet long after the fever broke, she still felt like her brain was misfi ring. She’d write one sentence of an e-mail and then pass out for four

— Jennifer Brea, documentary-maker, who suff ers from chronic fatigue syndrome


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

hours. When she’d try to work on a paper, all the words would come out in the wrong order. She felt like she’d lost her grasp of the English language, substituting the word “hope” for something arbitrary, like “rake.”

She went to a number of doctors, but none was able to get to the bottom of her mysterious condition. One told her she had conversion disorder, a psychiatric illness that stems from a hidden trauma and was commonly referred to as “hysteria” in the late 19th century.

But Brea knew something more was going on. So the next time she fell to the ground in her home, unable to speak or move her head, she took out her iPhone and fi lmed herself. At her next doctor’s appointment, when the medical professional suggested she might have an inner ear infection or severe dehydration, she showed him the footage.

“The expression on his face was like, ‘Oh, my God,’” recalled Brea, now 35. “Suddenly, he went from ‘Drink more water’ to ‘Let’s go get a spinal tap.’ It gave me a sense that my story could only be told visually.”

In 2012 — a year and a half after that high fever — Brea fi nally got a diagnosis: myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome. Though the neuroimmune condition aff ects more than 1 million Americans, it is largely misunderstood by both the public and the medical community.

Indeed, the illness consists of far more than just a proclivity for napping; patients experience something called post-exertional malaise, which means that if they exert even the smallest amount of energy, they are struck down with debilitating mental and physical fatigue. There is no cure, and only about $6 million in public research funding is devoted to the condition annually.

Which is why Brea made Unrest, a documentary about her battle with ME/CFS that will be shown on PBS in January. While the fi lm serves as

a medical explainer, it’s also a love story, following the relationship between Brea and her husband, Omar Wasow. When the couple met, Wasow was also working toward his PhD at Harvard. Eleven years older than Brea, he had already built up an impressive resume, serving as a technology reporter on NBC and even helping to teach Oprah Winfrey how to use the Internet on her talk show.

They were both intellectually curious, and in the fi rst year of their courtship, they travelled around the world exploring foreign countries. By the time they married in 2012 — the ceremony was led by their Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. — Brea was sick, but neither was aware how serious her condition was. They could still go on bike rides together, but Brea would do six miles instead of the usual 12.

As her illness worsened, Wasow became Brea’s full-time caretaker. At fi rst, he was frustrated: “What do you mean you can’t get up and help with some mundane thing around the house?” he’d think.

‘Credible advocate’“One of the most unsettling

moments in our marriage was after I had just read this book that said it was all in her head,” said Wasow, 46. “At a certain point, I just had to trust her. Because even years into this, I’m like, ‘Wait, this doesn’t make sense to me.’ She’ll have a reaction to something in the air and I don’t have that reaction, so it’s sort of discordant. But what I believe is that she’s a credible advocate of what’s going on in her own body.”

The couple were sitting next to each other in their apartment

building in Glendale this winter, just a few weeks after moving cross-country. They had decided to settle in Los Angeles because Brea’s immune system is particularly sensitive to mold, and the dry air in the West makes her feel better. Wasow, meanwhile, is working as a professor in the department of politics at Princeton, so he can be in California only roughly every two weeks.

Wasow and Brea can be more independent now — she’s on two antiviral medications that have greatly improved her day-to-day function.

But as Unrest shows, in the early days of Brea’s illness, she was forced to be incredibly reliant on Wasow.

In one scene, the couple attend a Princeton reunion parade. Though Brea is in a wheelchair, she’s having a great time cheering on alumni, decked out in her school colours. But as the event marches on, she begins to feel ill, and the two must leave the parade. Back at their home, she is so sick that she cannot walk up the stairs. Wasow tries to carry her, but it is so painful to be touched that she pushes him away, sobbing, in the fetal position on their porch.

“I can’t be anybody’s mom like this,” she cries to him later in the movie. “I can’t be anybody’s wife like this. I am nothing. I can’t give you anything.”

“You’re my wife,” Wasow replies through his own tears. “And you bring joy into my life every day.”

Filming moments like this, of course, was not easy. Sometimes, Brea would request Wasow fi lm her desperately trying to crawl up the stairs when he just wanted to help her. And before Brea raised $212,000

on Kickstarter — she’d later secure additional funding for Unrest through the Sundance Institute — she was working such long days interviewing other doctors and patients that Wasow actually worried the fi lm was making her sicker.

“It was like, if we do this shoot, it helps her feel alive in a moment where it’s hard to fi nd some meaning each day,” he said. “And if we do this shoot, it might actually cost her, her life. That was an impossible calculus.”

“I can’t tell you how helpless it feels to not be able to move and cry for help,” Brea added. “Those are the moments where you turn on the camera, because on top of everything, if this moment is unseen, this is just stupid, useless pain and it has no meaning. I needed that so badly in that moment that I was willing to take a lot of risks in terms of my own safety, but at the same time, I don’t know if I would have survived it had I not been shooting.”

Eventually, Brea fi gured out a way to actually make the movie from her bed, using her iPad to create her own version of Errol Morris’ Interrotron that allowed her to interview subjects from afar. With her grant money, she could hire production crews to travel in her stead, often monitoring shots via live stream. Still, she pushed herself when she felt able, traveling to Park City, Utah, to work on the movie with Sundance fellows.

“We were particularly concerned about her coming up a mountain in Utah because we didn’t want to make her work or exacerbate her condition,” said Tabitha Jackson, director of the documentary fi lm programme at Sundance.

“But the purity of the air was actually restorative. There was a fi nancing session where she was lying on the fl oor resting, but that was a sign of her dedication and commitment. She actually didn’t need any help, she just needed to be given the ability to be a creative person instead of an ill person.”

Hampered careerWorking on Unrest, Brea said, has

helped her feel like herself again. Thanks to her new drug regimen, her mental capacity has returned, even though she still has days when she physically can’t get out of bed. She no longer feels grief for herself, but she does for Wasow and his career, which she feels has been hampered by her ME/CFS.

“Clearly, there have been trade-off s,” Wasow acknowledged. “I have peers who graduated about the same time as I did from graduate school who are further along in their careers and have published more work. There are moments where I’m sort of benchmarking myself against colleagues and feeling like I wish I was more productive, and at the same time, I’m doing work I’m really proud of. I’m thrilled by the intellectual work I’m doing, and I’m also really happy to be on this adventure with you, so we’ll make it work. We’ll make it work.”

“You always think, wouldn’t it be so wonderful to lay around and have someone bring you food and not have to do anything? No, it’s terrible,” Brea said. “Such a big part of being human is being able to give to the person you love and take care of them to support them. That’s been hard for me — how am I Omar’s wife if I can’t give him these basic things? And one of the things he always says to me is that we both just feel profoundly lucky, because each of us is not right for most people, but we are so right for each other.”

“I’m an odd duck, but I’m her odd duck,” Wasow said, smiling. “It’s like two broken people together can be whole.” — Los Angeles Times/TNS

hours. WWhena paper, aalll thout in the wwroshe’d lost hher glanguage, suubst“h“ ope” for ssom““rake.”

She went tto a nbbut none wass ablebbottom of herr mysOOne told her sshhe haddisorder, a psyychiatsstems from a hhiddencommonly reffeerred tin the late 19thh centu

But Brea knnew somwas going on.. So the nfell to the groound in heto speak or mmove her heout her iPhohone and fi lmher next ddoctor’s appointhe medidical professional she mimigght have an inner eor sseevere dehydration, shehihimm the footage.

“The expressionlike ‘Oh

RESTING IN UNREST: Jennifer Brea and Omar Wasow in a scene from the documentary Unrest.

The illness consists of far more than just a proclivity for napping; patients experience something called post-exertional malaise, which means that if they exert even the smallest amount of energy, they are struck down with debilitating mental and physical fatigue


COMMUNITY

SIS organises CBSE Qatar Cluster Handball TournamentThe Shantiniketan Indian School organised the CBSE Qatar Cluster Handball Tournament for 2017 recently. The competition was held for both boys and girls in the Under-17 and Under-19 age categories. A total of 300 students representing seven Indian schools took part in the competition. In the Under-17 category, both boys and girls teams of the Ideal Indian School emerged as winners. In the Under-19 category, the boys team of MES Indian School and girls team of Al Khor International School were the winners.

Schools that were in the second position are: Al Khor International School (Under-17 Boys), MES Indian School (Under-17 Girls and Under-19 Girls) and DPS-MIS (Under-19 Boys). The overall championship for boys were shared by MES and Ideal Indian School and the overall championship for girls were shared by Al Khor International School and Ideal Indian School.The event was organised by the PE teachers of all the Indian schools under the leadership of Liji Mathew, head of the PE department at Shantiniketan Indian School.

21st annual Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Awards function on November 2

The 21st annual Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Awards will be presented to Pakistan’s Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik

and India’s Prof Abdus Samad by Majlis-e- Frogh-e-Urdu Adab at Katara’s Amphitheatre on November 2.

Additionally, a Special Frogh-e-Urdu Award will be conferred upon Dr Taqi Abedi, who originally hails from India but is now based in Canada for many years. The event is being organised under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Sports with the co-operation of the Cultural Village Foundation, Katara.

“Katara is our cultural partner for this event. They are continuously striving to provide an authentic platform that showcases world-class international art, culture, literature, poetry, theatre and music from diff erent parts of the world,” Majlis Chairman Mohammad Atiq said. He continued, “We are very proud and pleased that Katara has given us an opportunity to hold our annual 21st Aalmi Awards and 23rd Indo-Pak Aalmi Mushaira functions in Katara’s Amphitheatre on the 2nd of November this year. Thus Katara is building communication bridges between the people of India and Pakistan and the people residing in the State

of Qatar through the formation of new windows that shed light on literary and poetic cultures and traditions.’’

Launched in 1996, the Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Awards (International Awards for the Promotion of Urdu Literature) – each of which comprises of a gold medal and cash award of Rs150,000 – are given annually to two Urdu writers, one from India and the other from Pakistan, for their lifetime achievements in creative fi ction, research and critical works.

The 21st Aalmi Awards were decided by two independent juries: headed in India by Prof Dr Gopi Chand Narang, former chairman

of Sahitya Academy of India, with Prof Shafey Kidwai, Nand Kishore Vikram and Prof Atiqullah as members and in Pakistan by Dr Khurshid Rizvi, reputed Urdu scholar, educationist and poet from Pakistan, with Dr Saleem Akhter, Prof Khwaja Mohammad Zakaria and Prof Tehsin Firaqi as members.

After the awards presentation, a mushaira will be held, which will feature top poets from India, Pakistan, UK, Canada, Japan and Kuwait. Majlis will also release a special souvenir on the occasion.

Guest poets from India this year are Farhat Ehsas, Azm Shaakri, Dr Mehtab Alam, Vijay Tiwari and Lata Haya. The guest poets from

Pakistan include Dr Inam ul Haq Javeid, Khalid Shareef, Zaeem Rasheed, Syed Naveed Haider Hashmi and Sabin Saif.

Prof Dr Khurshid Rizvi, Chairman of Pakistan’s Award Jury and who is himself the 19th Aalmi Award winner from Pakistan, will preside over the mushaira and Dr Taqi Abedi, Special Frogh-e-Urdu Award winner for this year, will also recite his poetry.

Ghazal Ansari from the UK, Amir Bin Ali from Japan, Badar Seemab from Kuwait and Doha-based poets Aziz Nabil (from India), Fartash Syed and Mushfi q Reza Naqvi (from Pakistan) will also participate in the mushaira.

Dr Taqi Abedi is the winner of the Special Frogh-e-Urdu Award this year. Professor Abdus Samad is the winner from India. Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik is the winner of the award from Pakistan.


COMMUNITYGandhi Jayanti celebrated at SISThe International Day of Non-Violence and Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated by students of all sections of Shantiniketan Indian School recently. The activities included the singing of patriotic songs, drawing and colouring, storytelling, quizzes and gardening.

Think pink at Four Seasons Hotel Doha this October

The PINKtober Afternoon Tea. Nobu Doha’s Pink Afternoon Tea.

To commemorate the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Four Seasons Hotel Doha, in partnership with the Qatar Cancer Society, will

be blushing pink throughout October with PINKtober – a pink-themed campaign to increase awareness about cancer disease and prevention. Until October 31, a portion of PINKtober proceeds will benefi t the Qatar Cancer Society.

“Four Seasons is pleased to join in the fi ght against breast cancer with our PINKtober campaign,” said Andrea Obertello, Hotel Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Doha. “The campaign features a variety of delicious and innovative pink-themed food and beverage options to empower guests to ‘think pink’ and increase awareness for this disease, along with supporting the Qatar Cancer Society.”

In an eff ort to raise awareness, Four Seasons has developed a selection of pink-themed food and beverage off erings throughout three of the restaurants and lounges. In addition to the eye-catching pink coloured culinary palette, featured menu items also infuse fresh, antioxidant ingredients, widely known for cancer prevention.

The PINKtober culinary highlights include:

Seasons Tea Lounge – PINKtober Afternoon Tea, featuring classic afternoon tea such a scones and tea bread with strawberry rhubarb jam, grapefruit curd, pink inspired pastries and savouries items.

PINKtober Afternoon Tea at Nobu Doha, featuring sweet and savoury selections of afternoon tea with a Japanese twist.

Beverage of the month Pink

Sangria, which features a delicious mix of grapefruit, strawberries, lime, orange, rose, grapefruit juice, and simple syrup.

PINKtober ‘Stardust’ mocktail at Elements, featuring peach, cranberry, and blueberry juice.

Four Seasons Friday Brunch that will feature pink themed desserts and a Chef Ingredient Board to promote healthy ingredients that aid in cancer prevention.


COMMUNITYKitchen garden at MES Indian SchoolThe MES Indian School has collaborated with Nammude Adukkalathottam, a Doha-based Indian expatriates-run farming unit affiliated to the Indian Cultural Centre, to set up kitchen gardens in its campus. One of the prime objectives of such an initiative is to bring about awareness among students on the importance of utility-oriented gardening. This comes as part of clean air drive, maximising the utilisation of the vacant land areas in a productive manner, and promoting organic farming. The school says it is also keen to establish a vegetable garden for the

sustenance of clean environment in the school. Further to the success of the existing vegetable garden project of pumpkins and cabbage maintained through eco-friendly growing practice in one section of the school, the present initiative will encompass the entire campus with sustainable development and preservation of green and clean environment. “In a short span of time, we will be able to convert the campus into green land of organic kitchen plants,” said principal officiating, Hameeda Kadar.

MES wins the CBSE Qatar Cluster Handball TournamentThe boys’ handball team of MES Indian school emerged as the title winner in the Under-19 CBSE Qatar Cluster Handball Championship held at Shantiniketan Indian School recently. In the final, MES defeated DPS-Modern Indian School by three goals to two. In the Under-17 boys, the MES team secured the third position, while the Under-19 and Under-17 girls’ categories of the

tournament, the MES teams ended up as first runners-up. With this composite win of securing first and third positions in the boys’ 19 and 17 categories respectively, the school’s handball team shared the overall championship with Ideal Indian School aggregating 22 points. Physical Education Teachers Nazanin S Nadaf and Anish Anand trained the teams.


COMMUNITY

Over 100 finance professionals attend seminar on IFRS

The winner of the Most Outstanding Group Award which was announced after the seminar, together with speakers Pascual, Bueno and Fadera.

A group photo of the people who attended the event.

Speakers Greggy Bueno (standing, left), Clint Daniel Fadera (seated, left), Robert Lepon (seated, right), Paul Pascual, (standing, right) at the event.

PICPA Doha delivered held a seminar on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) recently at

Crowne Plaza. The IFRS seminar was attended by 104 fi nance professionals whose goals were to get updated and refreshed with IFRS, as well as to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit units.

This training session was PICPA Doha’s fi rst ever CPD-accredited seminar, approved by the Philippines Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). The CPD credit units are necessary for a Philippine-licensed professional to enable him to renew his PRC licence, of which, 120 CPD credit units are required for a Certifi ed Public Accountant (CPA) in a 3-year cycle.

The productive and successful seminar was conducted by CPAs and experienced IFRS speakers. Clint Daniel Fadera discussed IFRS 15 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers; John Arididon and Renie Pesontes discussed IFRS 9 – Financial Instruments; Paul Gregory Pascual talked about IFRS 10 – Consolidated Financial Statements; and Greggy Bueno discussed IFRS for SMEs. The

seminar was also attended by Robert Lepon, who delivered a short inspiring message to the participants and supported the speakers in the discussion of the IFRS topics. Despite an entire day of tedious topics, the participants enjoyed the seminar because the spirited speakers kept the discussions lively.

Also, PICPA Doha kept the event fun by organising group games and raffl es throughout the day. The participants were very happy to receive their Certifi cates of Attendance containing 8 CPD units right after the conclusion of the last topic.

Chapter President Jeff rey Quinto expressed his gratitude on behalf of the organisation’s council to all participants and speakers for their support and co-operation.

To continue what it has started, PICPA Doha’s next CPD-accredited seminar will be held on October 27 from 7:30am to 6:15pm at City Centre Rotana. This is a back-to-back seminar with two topics: 1)Thinking Like a CFO: Managing Risk and 2) Nurturing Resilience: Evidence- Based Practices to Help You Thrive. For more details, please contact Fredelene Magdaug at [email protected]


COMMUNITY HEALTH

Early school timings may trigger depression in adolescents

Is your child not getting ample sleep due to early school hours? Beware, your kid is more likely to develop depression and anxiety, warns a new study.

The study reveals that children, who start schooling before 8:30 a.m., get insuffi cient sleep or barely meet the minimum amount of sleep that is 8-10 hours, needed for healthy functioning of the body.

“Even when a student is doing everything else right to get a good night’s sleep, early school start times put more pressure on the sleep process and increase mental health symptoms, while later school start times appear to be a strong protective factor for teenager,” said Jack Peltz, Professor at the University of Rochester in the US.

School timings not only affect the sleeping habits but also the daily functioning of the body. It aggravates major health problems

like obesity, heart disease and others in adulthood.

The study, published in the journal Sleep Health, suggested that maintaining a consistent bedtime, getting between eight and 10 hours of sleep, limiting caff eine, turning off the television, cell phone and video games before bed may boost sleep quality as well as mental health.

The researchers used an online tool to collect data from 197 students across the country between the ages of 14 and 17.

The results showed that good sleep hygiene was directly associated with lower average daily depressive or anxiety symptoms across all students.

The risk of depression was even lower in the students who started school after 8:30 a.m. in comparison to those who started early.

“One possible explanation for the diff erence may be that earlier starting students have more pressure on them to get high quality sleep,” Peltz stressed. – IANS

Do you suff er from anxiety and depression as a result of being bullied as a child? Take heart, these mental health disorders may not continue but decrease

over time, suggests a study.The study found that the detrimental

eff ects of bullying decreased over time, which shows the potential for resilience in children exposed to bullying.

“While our fi ndings show that being bullied leads to detrimental mental health outcomes, they also off er a message of hope by highlighting the potential for resilience,” said author Jean-Baptiste Pingault at the University College London (Psychology and Language Sciences).

“Bullying certainly causes suff ering, but the impact on mental health decreases over time. So children are able to recover in the medium term.”

The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, involved 11,108 participants from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS).

By surveying twins, researchers were able to look at the associations between

bullying and mental health outcomes and then account for the confounding eff ects of their genes.

Both children and their parents fi lled out a questionnaire: at age 11 and 14 they were asked about peer victimisation and at 11 and 16 they were asked about mental health diffi culties.

The eff ect sizes were stronger before controlling for shared environmental factors and genetics, confi rming that bullying itself is only partly to blame for the poor mental health outcomes experienced by bullied children.

The researchers found that once confounding factors were removed, there remained a causal contribution of exposure to bullying to concurrent anxiety, depression, hyperactivity and impulsivity, inattention and conduct problems.

Two years later, the impact on anxiety persisted. Five years later, there was no longer an eff ect on any of those outcomes, but 16-year-olds who had been bullied at age 11 remained more likely to have paranoid thoughts or cognitive disorganisation. – IANS

Anxiety caused by childhood bullying declines over time

RISKY: Antibiotics kill bad and good bacteria in the gastrointestinal system.

TOO EARLY: Study reveals that children, who start schooling before 8:30am, get insuff icient sleep.

BULLYING: It takes time to decrease detrimental eff ects.

Antibiotics for dental procedures may up superbug infection risk

If you are planning to visit a dentist, think twice. According to a study, antibiotics prescribed by dentists may contribute to the growing problem of Clostridium diffi cile (C. diff ) – a serious and potentially deadly infection that causes severe diarrhea.

Dentists write more than 24.5 million prescriptions for antibiotics a year. And many of those antibiotics are likely unnecessary, the researchers said.

Antibiotics kill bad and good bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Wiping out the protective bacteria can allow the growth of C. diff bacteria – one of the top three most urgent antibiotic-resistant threats identifi ed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Dentists have been overlooked as a source of antibiotic prescribing, which can potentially delay treatment when doctors are trying to determine what is causing a patient’s illness,”

said lead author Stacy Holzbauer, from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

“It’s important to educate dentists about the potential complications of antibiotic prescribing, including C. diff . It is essential that they be included in eff orts to improve antibiotic prescribing.”

In the study, presented at IDWeek 2017 in San Diego, California, the team interviewed 1,626 people with community-associated C. diff between 2009 and 2015.

Of those, 926 (57 per cent) reported they had been prescribed antibiotics, 136 (15 per cent) of those for dental procedures. The study found patients who were prescribed antibiotics for dental procedures tended to be older and more likely to receive clindamycin – an antibiotic that is associated with C. diff infection.

Of those who had received antibiotics for a dental procedure, 34 per cent had no mention of antibiotics in their medical charts, illustrating the disconnect between dental and medical care.- IANS


COMMUNITYINFOGRAPHIC


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

OCTAVIA ODETTE ODILE OLGA OLIVE OLIVIA

OLWEN OLWYN OLYMPIA OONA OPAL OPHELIA

OPHRAH ORIANA ORIEL ORLA OTTOLINE OWENA

O Girl!

Sudoku

Sudoku is a puzzle based

on a 9x9 grid. The grid is

also divided into nine (3x3)

boxes. You are given a

selection of values and to

complete the puzzle, you

must fill the grid so that

every column, every anone

is repeated.


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

ACROSS1. Overturned by a monarch

rescinding it (8)

5. Put an end to a cause of

inebriation (6)

9. A subject god (8)

10. Much attracted by one held

back by ‘3’, briefly (4,2)

12. Gullible type is one taking a

drink (6)

13. Huge deficit in the product of

one nationalised industry (8)

15. Get a pipe from the priest’s

assistant (12)

18. Nothing but repetition, some

say slyly, perhaps (12)

23. Does it become a swimmer

to be making threatening

noises? (8)

24. Older Spaniard is without

one (6)

26. Puts up with Jack one day (6)

27. Many a pig went into the

wood (8)

28. Assimilate many one gets

wrong (6)

29. King George had same

trouble, note, in the Lake

District (8)

Super Cryptic Clues

Yesterday’s Solutions

ACROSS: 1 Headlines 6 Stamp 9 Rates 10 Getting on 11 Exposition 12 Ergo 14 Retired 15 Tension 17 Cayenne 19 Rioters 20 Pack 22 Abstracted 25 Porcelain 26 Incur 27 Relit 28 Eternally.

DOWN: 1 Horse 2 Antipathy 3 Last spring 4 Negated 5 Sets out 6 Spin 7 Anger 8 Pin-points 13 Innovation 14 Rice-paper 16 Identical 18 Embrace 19 Retinue 21 Carol 23 Dirty 24 Beat.

DOWN1. Salad vegetable is unusually

hard on the outside (6)

2. Briskly adds five plus four plus

one (6)

3. He has the knowledge then

disseminated (7)

4. Brief letter produced from a

wallet? (4)

6. A new romance for violin (7)

7. Change of destiny at one point

for this part of the country

(8)

8. Treating actress Irene to a gin

cocktail (8)

11. That’s including the work

producing headgear (3,4)

14. TT trials? (3,4)

16. Leading position for a

security man on a delivery

vehicle (8)

17. Flourishing out in the garden

(8)

19. They reveal they are working

in banks (7)

20. It’s oppressive, making one

terribly sour (7)

21. A very good speed for a

corsair (6)

22. The breakwater is no grey

construction (6)

25. Keep it on and stay calm (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

If you’re trying to learn a computer program, you might obsess

about it. In fact, it might even haunt your dreams. It could be

frustrating, dreaming about math and computers when you’re more

used to vivid images, but look at the dreams anyway. Should your

mind be operating in a more scientific manner right now? Does

something in your life not “add up”?

Romantic matters suddenly take a turn for the better as a long,

fascinating conversation takes place between you and your partner.

This could involve a subject that intrigues you both, so let the

information fly! The discussion could end with plans to dig up more

facts on the subject. What you find will probably bring up more

questions than answers!

This could be a lucky day as far as money matters are concerned.

Perhaps a sum you were expecting and gave up on will arrive

unexpectedly, or a chance to earn some extra income could come

up. There might be paperwork involved, and the circumstances may

be unusual, but don’t be intimidated. Think of this as the day you

grabbed the gold ring!

Some fascinating news could reach you today through a friend or

group activity. This could involve something close to home or an

intellectual subject, perhaps one discussed by the group. You’ll want

to tell others as soon as you can. Make sure of your facts before you

do. Some of them may be garbled.

A social event today could put you in touch with fascinating new

people in interesting fields. Intriguing discussions could take place

throughout the evening. The only problem is if you go there with a

partner, you probably won’t see much of him or her. You might get

involved in separate conversations that last for hours. You’ll have a

lot to share later!

Excitement mounts in your household when some new equipment

comes into your possession. This could involve a computer, phone,

or some other device. This could make a big diff erent to everyone,

but make sure you don’t treat it like a toy. You’ll want it to last a

while!

You tend to be unconventional, but today you could outdo even you.

A spiritual experience could be at the heart of it. You’re changing in

ways that are obvious to everyone. Don’t worry if they’re confused.

You’ll be confused, too. Think of yourself as a caterpillar becoming

a butterfly! The transition may be strange, but the butterfly is far

lovelier than the caterpillar!

Knowledge of a specialised nature could come into your possession

today. At some point you could be the centre of attention. Everyone,

including those with influence over your career, wants to know

what’s going on. You’ll tell your story and everyone will be rapt,

hanging on your every word, expecting answers without even

knowing the questions.

Equipment you’ve come to depend on in your daily life might

suddenly go down today. This might throw you into a panic, but

don’t fall into this trap. Phone a friend who knows about these things

or bring in a professional. At times like this, it’s best not to agonise

over a malfunction but to just get it taken care of as quickly as

possible.

Expect a full day of activity. You might spend a lot of time on the

phone, perhaps making arrangements for a social event. There may

also be a number of errands to run, though there could be some

diff iculty with them. Perhaps some items you need are out of stock.

You’ll still feel productive by day’s end.

Unusual dreams, visions, and audio phenomena may come to you

today. You might think you’re hearing voices. Before jumping to

conclusions, rule out any logical conditions. You’re not crazy. This

probably indicates a growing psychic awareness. You should write

down what you see, hear, or learn during this time. It could be

valuable.

If you’ve wanted to take a class in astrology, science, or computers,

it’s time to sign up. If you’re already taking such a class, expect a

fascinating, stimulating discussion in connection with it. Make sure

you take notes, as you won’t want to forget this information as soon

as you hear it.

Your backyard garden was a huge success this year – you grew a tonne of fresh food, which not only saved you money at

the grocery store but also ensured your family ate nutritious, great-tasting fruits and vegetables with every meal. But now that the growing season is coming to a close, you might be wondering how to make the abundance of ripe produce in your fridge last.

Canning is the sensible next step for anyone who loves to garden and wants to continue enjoying the many benefi ts of the hobby throughout the winter months.

Simply put, canning is a method that stops the natural spoilage of food. To help you get started, the experts at Tractor Supply Company have compiled a list of pointers that will allow you to hold on to the

fl avour and nutritional value of your homegrown harvest.

Getting startedThe initial cost for home canning

is minimal and the supplies you do need, like Ball jars, lids and seasonings can be purchased at an aff ordable cost.

To begin water bath canning, you will need some basic equipment:

Ball jars with lids and bands Large stock pot with jar rack Rubber-tipped tongs for

gripping the jars in hot water Wide mouth funnel for fi lling

jars with foods to be preserved

Tips for beginnersFor your fi rst home canning project

consider starting with something simple, like a marinara sauce made from leftover tomatoes or berry jams and jellies made from strawberries,

blueberries or even apples. When selecting your produce, try to pick ones that don’t show signs of bruising.

Water bath canningWater bath canning is a shorter,

lower-temperature canning process that works best for foods with high acidity, such as apples, berries, cherries, pears and peaches. Water bath canning works to kill the bacteria that causes food to spoil in the fi rst place, but also creates airtight seals that prevent mold and bacteria from contaminating food down the road.

Alternative methodsIf you’re interested in preserving

your harvest but are looking for a less involved process, you may want to consider storing, freezing or drying your fruits and vegetables.

Storing – Certain fruits and vegetables like apples, potatoes, winter squash, garlic, onions, carrots and cabbage can be stored for months in a basement or root cellar. You simply need to know the storage requirements of each. For example, root crops such as beets and carrots like cool, moist conditions and can be stored in perforated plastic bags in the basement. Potatoes like cold, moist conditions and can be stored in perforated bags in the refrigerator.

Freezing – Freezing your produce is often the easiest method. Some vegetables, such as tomatoes, can be cut up into chunks and frozen in freezer bags. Most vegetables, though, need to be blanched before freezing. To blanch vegetables, dip them in boiling water for a few

minutes and then allow them to cool. Drying – Individuals that live in

hot, dry climates like the southwest have the option of drying fruits and vegetables (even herbs) outdoors on drying racks. However, most home gardeners need to use an oven or a dehydrator to dry produce. Dehydrators are specially constructed to maintain the right temperature and air movement necessary for proper drying. If you don’t want to invest in a dehydrator, you can use an oven. Simply set the oven temperature on low and leave the oven door ajar to allow for air movement. And remember to be patient – it may take all day to properly dry some vegetables and fruits.

©Brandpoint

4 ways to preserve summer tastes from your garden

Sunday, October 8, 2017 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

I’m greedy about my fi lms’ performance, says Vidya

Actress Vidya Balan says she is “very greedy” when it comes to the performance of her films.

The National Award winning actress was present at the Jio MAMI Movie Mela yesterday, and said: “I want all my films to do well in theatres first and then do good in festivals, I am very greedy that way. One film just won’t do me any good.”

Vidya also spoke about being inspired by Iranian movies, which she feels are simple and big-hearted. Her own forthcoming movie Tumhari Sulu is on similar lines.

“I have watched a lot of Iranian movies at (previous editions of the) MAMI film fest and they inspired me a lot. The storytelling and performance in those movies were very simplistic, but the films were with a very big heart. I just hope I get to do more of those kind of movies. I feel my upcoming Tumhari Sulu is one of those kind of movies.”

Vidya is also a member of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

“Now I get to see a lot more films from what I used to in the last few years and I am enjoying it. It is fun,” said Vidya.

During an interactive session here,

Vidya also spoke about her favourite movie character. She said she loves the late Rajesh Khanna’s character in Anand, which also starred Amitabh Bachchan.

“Anand, the character played by Rajesh Khanna... He inspires me to make the most of every minute. I think what can be worse than knowing that you are going to die but the way he deals with it is so beautiful. I haven’t seen all of Rajesh Khanna’s films, but I think it is his best performance, in my opinion.

“Towards the end when he dies, you want him not to die; you’re hoping there is miracle, which usually happens in Hindi cinema. – IANS KEEN: Vidya Balan cares too much for her films.

Blade Runner 2049: How director Denis Villeneuve approached a sci-fi classicBy Gary Thompson

When he was off ered the job to direct the sequel to Blade Runner, Denis Villeneuve went a

little Batty.As in Roy Batty, the synthesized

human “replicant,” played by Rutger Hauer, who makes a pilgrimage to confront his visionary maker in the original. Villeneuve insisted on his own pilgrimage, albeit a less ominous one — he wanted the blessing of Blade Runner visionary Ridley Scott, and he wanted it in person.

Otherwise, no deal.Blade Runner meant that much

to Villeneuve, who was profoundly moved by the 1982 movie when he saw it as a teen in Quebec, and who has drawn upon its vast infl uence for his own memorably moody sci-fi , like last year’s Arrival. Blade Runner is also all over his 2013 movie Enemy — featuring Jake Gyllenhaal as a rumpled philosophy professor who becomes obsessed with his doppelganger — in its urban dystopian atmospherics and its themes: What is identity? Am I original? Who am I really?

Villeneuve’s identity, for the moment, is this: The guy fi ddling with the DNA of a beloved classic, fi nding a way to replicate (pardon the pun) that experience for fans, while creating something essentially new.

Blade Runner 2049 arrives Friday, starring Ryan Gosling as a police offi cer in mid-century Los Angeles searching for his missing predecessor, Roy Deckard (Harrison Ford, reprising his title role), who holds the key to a crucial mystery.

We talked to Villeneuve about his challenge.

Q: Scott talks about Blade Runner being his most personal movie ever. Did he tell you why?

A: After Alien, his plan was to do Dune, and something happened, he lost a brother (to cancer). And

suddenly Blade Runner was the movie that was a more meaningful refl ection of his state of mind. He needed to work, he needed to explore the shadows that were related to how he felt, and that was “Blade Runner.” He was angry with God. I think you can feel that in Blade Runner. And I think the movie as it resulted is very close to the dream of the movie he had in his head when he began. And that is rare, and special.

Q: I think for a fi lmmaker there must also be something special in the way Philip K Dick’s story lends itself so aptly to the medium of fi lm. In the original, a replicant fi nds out memories she thinks are hers are actually designed for her and implanted. Film comes very close to fulfi lling that role

for us — movies become shared memories, implanted.

A: Well, that’s the beauty of the original, and the source of its melancholia, which is the feeling we tried to preserve. That idea of a character who is struggling with identity, struggling to know how much is programmed. Replicants are so close to humans, and we too are programmed by our genetic heritage, and also by our experience. Can we get free of that? Can we become truly independent entities?

Q: One of the things that separate your sequel from the original are its references, often to classic art and literature, even to Sinatra. They pop up like the ghosts of a dead civilization, and that civilization is ours.

A: We had to preserve the idea

that it is the future, but one that is still in relationship with its past. That’s one of the things about Ridley’s movie that was so brilliant, that made it feel real, in a way. The objects were reminiscent of old phones, old cars. What we show people in 2049 is a continued expression of that logic, and so I had to choose artists who would be in keeping with that, and with that melancholia. There will be no place for Celine Dion — this is a sci-fi fi lm noir.

Q: There’s a nod to Nabokov that seems telling. It’s a selection from “Pale Fire,” which Nabokov concocted as a fi ctional poem by a fi ctional poet, but in the process created something completely original. That’s very Blade Runner .

A: Also, this movie has a more

Eastern Bloc feel to it. The fi rst movie has a defi nite Asian feel to it, (Scott likened it to Hong Kong on a bad day) ours is more suggestive of the old Soviet empire, and there are elements of that in the original story.

Q: The movies are very concerned with how to distinguish between humans and replicants. I’m wondering: In your opinion, can replicants make art?

A: A fascinating question. I think, yes. They are very close to human. They lack human experience, they are diff erent from an emotional point of view, but they have their own sensibility, so I think yes, defi nitely. But it’s an interesting question. I think, if there is a Blade Runner sequel, I will steal your idea. – The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

SWEARING BY THE ORIGINAL: Director Denis Villeneuve says he kept the original source intact in the sequel.


COMMUNITY

Urdu poets enthral audience at mushairaThe session by Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar was organised

to mark the launch of Iftikhar Raghib’s new book

By Mudassir Raja

Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar (BUQ) on Thursday organised a mushaira (recitation of poetry) at Hotel Crystal

Palace, where Qatar-based poets enthralled a good number of poetry afi cionados.

The event marked the launch

of a new poetry book by Iftikhar Raghib, BUQ’s general secretary. The name of the book – his fourth – is titled Yani Tu (That is you) and it is an anthology of Urdu ghazals (sonnets).

The mushaira was presided over by Jaleel Nizami, a well-known Urdu poet of Indian origin living in Qatar, and founder and president of India Urdu Society. Chief guests of the evening were Farooq Ahmed, ex-president of Bihar Association

in Qatar, and Haseeb-ur-Rehman, founder of Karwan-e-Urdu, another organisation working in Qatar for the promotion of Urdu language and literature. Raghib was the guest of honour.

The conductor of the mushaira was BUQ president Mohammed Rafi que Shaad Akolvi.

The evening started with the singing of ghazals of famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib by Nishad Ahmed and Qazi Abdul Malik.

They also rendered some ghazals beautifully from Raghib’s new book, on request of some of the listeners.

The mushaira started with a beautiful Hamd (poem in praise of Allah) written by Iftikhar Raghib. As many as 10 local poets living in Qatar recited their poems and sonnets. The audience appreciated them for their eff orts. Some of the poets also read out fresh ghazals from Yani Tu.

BUQ Chairman Dr Faisal Hanif praised Iftikhar Raghib for his mature poetry through the presentation of an imagined dialogue between two famous Urdu poets, Mirza Ghalib and Muhammad Ibrahim Zauq. In the dialogue penned by Dr Hanif, the two poets visit Qatar to attend a BUQ mushaira and are particularly impressed by the work of Iftikhar Raghib.

The dialogue praises Raghib as a young and emerging Urdu poet who has the command over Urdu vocabulary to put his imaginations into verse. He said that the young Raghib, if he continues to work hard, will make his name in Urdu poetry in the coming years.

The hallmark of the mushaira was the poetry of Jaleel Nizami, better known in Urdu literary circles of Qatar as Shair-e-Khaleej (Poet of Gulf), and Fakhar-ul-Mutaghazileen (Pride of Ghazal Poets). Nizami was scheduled to be the last to read his poetry, and everyone stayed seated till the very end of the programme, as if just to listen to him. He did not disappoint, spellbinding everyone with his poetry.

“I really enjoyed the evening – the poetry of Nizami and Raghib was very beautiful. I have been in Qatar for the last three months. This is my fi rst ever attending of an Urdu mushaira here. I think I will keep coming whenever there is a mushaira,” said Dr Shakeel Ahmed, a Pakistani doctor working at Hamad General Hospital.

He added, “I also write poetry and I was also allowed to read it out today and was appreciated. This has encouraged me and I will write more and will try to improve my work.”

Iftikhar Raghib said, “I was very happy to get high appreciation for my new book. It has been received with warmth back in India. I live and work in Qatar and when my book is praised here, I am happier. BUQ is a platform for everyone in Qatar. If someone thinks he or she can write good Urdu poetry, they are welcomed in these mushairas.”AUDIENCE: The session was attended by Urdu poetry lovers in Qatar.

ATTENTIVE: Iftikhr Raghib, first on left, and other poets listen to a poet present his work at the event.

PRESENTATION: Iftikhar Raghib, second from left, presenting his book to BUQ Chairman Dr Faisal Hanif, first from left.

against all odds - gulf times

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