Discovering Qatar, with a purpose

DOHA 16°C—24°C TODAY PUZZLES 12 & 13D LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 11L P

Thursday, December 28, 2017Rabia II 10, 1439 AH

CommunityAspire Academy organises an

innovative interactive session for parents under the theme “Secrets to Excellence.”

P6 P16 CommunityRohan Gurung, president

of NAFEA, believes the country should encourage the use of remittances for productive activities.

COVERSTORY

Canadian expat Jeanne Bedard

Brown drives volunteers to clean

up coastal areas for the love of

environment and sea animals. P4-5

Discovering Qatar, with

a purpose

Thursday, December 28, 20172 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

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

Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365Qatar Airways 40253374

USEFUL NUMBERS

Quote Unquote

PRAYER TIMEFajr 4.56amShorooq (sunrise) 6.17amZuhr (noon) 11.35amAsr (afternoon) 2.33pmMaghreb (sunset) 4.54pmIsha (night) 6.24pm

Unity is strength, when there is

teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be

achieved. — Mattie Stepanek

FerdinandDIRECTION: Carlos

SaldanhaCAST: Kate

McKinnon, David Tennant, Miguel Ángel Silvestre

SYNOPSIS: Ferdinand tells the story of a giant bull with a big heart. After being mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfi t team on the ultimate adventure. Set in Spain, Ferdinand proves you can’t judge a bull by its cover.

THEATRES: The Mall, Royal Plaza

Tiger Zinda Hai DIRECTION: Ali Abbas ZafarCAST: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anupriya GoenkaSYNOPSIS: A sequel to the record-breaking blockbuster

Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai continues the story of two super spies Tiger and Zoya eight years later. The fi lm has superstar

Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Sajjad Delfrooz in the lead, and Angad Bedi, Kumud Mishra and Nawab Shah in supporting roles. The fi lm is based on the 2014 abduction of Indian nurses by ISIL. East Indian agent Tiger joins forces with Pakistani agent Zoya to battle a ruthless militant.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark

The Mall Cinema (1): Arth: The Destination (Urdu) 3pm; Pitch Perfect 3 (2D) 5:30pm; Ang Panday (Tagalog) 7:15pm; Ip Man 3 (2D) 9:30pm; Ip Man 3 (2D) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (2): Ferdinand (2D) 2:15pm; JUMANJI: Welcome To The Jungle (2D) 4pm; JUMANJI: Welcome To The Jungle (2D) 6pm; Bleeding Steel (2D) 8pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 10:15pm.The Mall Cinema (3): Alaa Wadaakh (Arabic) 2:15pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 3:45pm; The Greatest Showman (2D) 6:30pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 8:30pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 11:15pm.Landmark Cinema (1): Crooked House (2D) 2:45pm; Alaa Wadaakh (Arabic) 5pm; Jackals (2D) 6:45pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 8:15pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 11pm.Landmark Cinema (2): JUMANJI: Welcome To The Jungle (2D) 3pm; JUMANJI: Welcome To The Jungle

(2D) 5pm; The Greatest Showman (2D) 7pm; Bleeding Steel (2D) 9pm; JUMANJI: Welcome To The Jungle (2D) 11pm.Landmark Cinema (3): Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 2:30pm; Ang Panday (Tagalog) 5:30pm; Pitch Perfect 3 (2D) 7:45pm; Ip Man 3 (2D) 9:30pm; Ip Man 3 (2D) 11:15pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): JUMANJI: Welcome To The Jungle (2D) 2:30pm; The Greatest Showman (2D) 4:30pm; JUMANJI: Welcome To The Jungle (2D) 6:30pm; Ang Panday (Tagalog) 8:30pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 10:45pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Crooked House (2D) 2:30pm; Pitch Perfect 3 (2D) 4:30pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 6:30pm; Bleeding Steel (2D) 9:15pm; Ip Man 3 (2D) 11:15pm.

Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 2:30pm; Ang Panday (Tagalog) 5:30pm; Ip Man 3 (2D) 8pm; Jackals (2D) 10pm; Kalavadiya Pozhuthugal (Tamil) 11:30pm.Asian Town Cinema: Vimanam (Malayalam) 1pm; Balloon (Tamil) 4pm; Vimanam (Malayalam) 7pm; Vimanam (Malayalam) 10pm; Vimanam (Malayalam) 1am; Mca (Telugu) 12:30pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 3:15pm; Kalavadiya Pozhuthugal (Tamil) 6pm; Vimanam (Malayalam) 8:45pm; Balloon (Tamil) 11:45pm; Velaikkaran (Tamil) 12:30pm; Velaikkaran (Tamil) 3:30pm; Velaikkaran (Tamil) 6:30pm; Kalavadiya Pozhuthugal (Tamil) 9:30pm; Velaikkaran (Tamil) 12:30am; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 12:30pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 3:45pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 7pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 10:15pm; Tiger Zinda Hai (Hindi) 1:15am.

3Thursday, December 28, 2017 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

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

EVENTS

Car and Bike StuntWhen: Dec 29Where: Aspire ZoneTime: 8pmFriday Club presents the ‘Car and Bike

Stunt’ in drive-in Doha Aspire Zone this Friday. It starts sharp at 8pm. For more details contact Subramanya Hebbagelu at 5564-1025.

Lecture on Quaid-i-Azam and the Ideology of Pakistan

Guest Speaker: Syed Bilal QutabWHEN: Dec 30WHERE: Pak Shamaa SchoolTIME: 6pmPakistan Arts Society-Qatar (PAS-Q),

as you are aware, is a socio-cultural organization and has been working under the patronage of Pakistan Embassy-Doha since 1986.

This year as part of the ongoing celebrations of Quaid-i-Azam Day, the PAS-Q 28th lecture in this series is being orgnised by inviting Syed Bilal Qutab (This will be his 2nd lecture in Doha) an architect by profession, and an intellectual. Syed Bilal Qutab is an Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture National College of Arts, Lahore, renowned television host/anchor and media personality, from Pakistan. For more details, contact Adeel Akbar at 55815912.

ANECX Brain Battle’2018 WHERE: Birla Public SchoolWHEN: Jan 5ANECX-Qatar, the Qatar chapter of the

Alumnus of NSS College of Engineering, Palakkad, Kerala, India is conducting Brain Battle 2018, an inter-school quiz competition. The event, which will be hosted by GS Pradeep, shall be open to students of Grade 7, 8 and 9 of all Indian schools in Qatar. A circular has already been sent to all Indian schools. Those who are still interested may contact the organisers through their school officials or call at 6615-7615.

Amazing African CircusWHERE: Hyatt PlazaWHEN: Jan 8-21TIME: 5:30pmFrom January 8 to 21, the Amazing

African Circus will be at Hyatt Plaza food court area starting from 5:30pm. Bring your friends and family and come enjoy the show. Entry is free.

Art ExhibitionWHEN: Until Jan 16WHERE: W Doha Hotel & Residence TIME: 9am-7pmW Doha Hotel & Residences, the first

luxury lifestyle hotel in Qatar, is hosting the works of local artist Fahad al-Obaidly at the property’s in-house Art 29 gallery. The exhibition titled “Exploring Expression” is be open to the public until January 16 daily from 9am to 7pm.

Gold Workshop For Teachers WHERE: Marriott MarquisWHEN: Jan 17This one-day workshop will be about

English, Math, Science, Social Studies, History, ICT and new technologies for your classroom. Part of workshop will include working through a selection of new resources and materials relevant to Early Years up to University teaching environment.

Laugh Out Loud WHEN: Feb 9WHERE: Intercontinental Doha The

CityTIME: 9am- 1amEat, have fun and Laugh Out Loud with

two of the finest Filipino comedians – Wacky Kiray and Boobita. The event will start with a brunch meet and greet with Wacky Kiray and Boobita. In the afternoon onwards, the activities will be: Komikero/a (a stand-up comedy contest), videoke challenge, band performances, a comedy show with guest artist and dance party. For further information call 7777-8542.

Remote-controlled car racing trackWHERE: Aspire ParkWHEN: Thu, Fri, SatTIME: 4pm-10pmAspire Zone Foundation has created a

custom-made track specially designed for remote-control car racing, for car lovers across Doha. Interested motorsport enthusiasts can try the race track opposite the Aspire Academy, from 4pm to 10pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Outdoor and five-a-side football pitches

WHERE: Aspire ZoneWHEN: DailyTIME: 7pm-11pmAspire Zone’s five-a-side football

outdoor pitches opposite Al Waab Street are available every day from 7pm until 11pm from Sundays to Thursdays, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 7am-11pm.

B.Square Mall Grand EventWHERE: Al Thumama, DohaWHEN: OngoingTIME: 6:30pmThe only mall in Qatar dedicated to

entertainment, B.Square Mall will occupy a total space of 26,000 sq.m and 250 car parking spaces, as well as provide a range of shopping, services, and entertainment options.

Torba Farmers MarketWHERE: Education CityWHEN: OngoingTIME: 9amQatar Foundation (QF) has partnered

with Torba Farmers Market, a Qatar-based initiative that aims to deliver organic and locally-grown food and homemade products, to host a weekly market in Education City. Open to the public, the market be held at QF’s Ceremonial Court, accessible from gate 2, every Thursday from 9am-4pm and every Friday from 8am-11am and 2pm-5pm.The name ‘Torba’ is derived from Arabic, and means “the pure soil that feeds, nourishes, and nurtures.” A wide range of fresh, locally-grown items will be on offer, including organic fruits and vegetables, homemade preserves, syrups, and butters, as well as handicrafts and gardening supplies.

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 September 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.

Breakdance ClassesWHEN: Sunday-WednesdayBreakdancing 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 off ers dance and fi tness 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 NightsWHERE: The Irish Harp-Sheraton Grand

Doha WHEN: Every WednesdayTIME: 9pmGet ready for some Latin beats every

Wednesday night, where all the salseros and salseras in town meet and party all night. Entry is QR50 for gents. Ladies enter free. For details call 4485 3000

Off -Road biking tourWHERE: ZekreetWHEN: FridaysBlue Pearl Experience Qatar is off ering the

country’s fi rst off -road biking tour. Ride in the desert on a fat bike to explore the local fl ora and fauna spot desert wildlife, hike up jebels, chill in the magic of the Richard Serra statues and this unique landscape. Participants will get to cross the desert riding fat bikes from Zekreet to the Richard Serra statues, on a route of approximately 13kms. The route is easy to ride and suitable for people with average fi tness. You must be able to ride. Kids aged 9 and older are also welcome. The fee is QR 220 (QR190 for ages 9-14) and includes bike and safety equipment. The activity lasts about 2.5 hours.


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

“We want to promote eco-tourism and

enjoy Qatar’s natural beauty, with a purpose”

— Jeanne Bedard Brown, environment campaigner

CANDID: ‘I hate it when people say that there are paid people to clean the garbage. One does not need to pick somebody else’s garbage. What I only ask the people is to put their garbage in nearby bins,’ says Jeanne Bedard Brown.

By Mudassir Raja

Groups of volunteers have planned to carry out a large-scale activity to clean up beach areas and nearby

sand dunes. The volunteers will be collecting trash and litter the whole day on Friday (tomorrow).

Doha Environmental Actions Project and Qatar Volunteers have joined hands with Qatar International Adventures (QIA) to raise awareness about the environmental damages wrought by litter.

Jeanne Bedard Brown has been in the forefront of the volunteer campaign to clean up beaches. The 30-year-old Canadian expatriate has been living with her husband in Qatar for a year. A dietician by profession, she formed the Qatar Environmental Actions Project to voluntarily clean up the beaches.

Community caught up with her to discern about her work and the event on Friday.

Please tell us briefl y about yourself and your volunteer work.

I moved to Qatar a year ago with my husband, who, works in food safety fi eld. My interest for environment comes from my job because I think you cannot have healthy food without having a healthy environment. When we came here, we started snorkelling. I would be at the beach or in the sea as much as I could. When I snorkel, I see more plastic than fi sh. For me, it’s a problem. I do not like fi sh consuming plastic.

In May 2017, I started a Facebook group. I posted that while snorkelling, I will also be doing some beach cleaning. I started with two people and now I have 100 cleaning up the sea lines and inland sea. So far I have done 35 clean-ups. We have been to diff erent places for cleanliness like

public beaches, wild beaches, old fi shing villages, and coastal sand dunes. I am new to Qatar and it has been a great way to discover the country, with a purpose.

Many people make fun of me when they see me cleaning up the beaches. I do not care. My goal is not to make everyone clean up beaches. What I want is for people to stop littering beaches. I do fun and cleaning at the same time.

The Ministry of Environment has been doing a great job. They have put bins, garbage cans, and drums on beaches, but people do not usually use them. I do this work with a sense of community and relationship to Qatar. We work in a community having people from 25 diff erent countries to clean up Qatar’s sea and beaches. When we are at the beaches, we also raise awareness among visitors about not to litter the place.

How have you planned the big clean-up on Friday?

The QIA has noticed our earlier work. They are very happy with us because our eff orts not only support clean environment but also (help the cause of) tourism. We want to work together to promote eco-tourism and to enjoy Qatar’s natural beauty, with a purpose.

We have planned a major clean-up and the QIA is going to support us with transport facilities for 100 volunteers and a dinner at one of their desert camps. It is also very valuable to take care of sand dunes that are Qatar’s national pride.

In the beginning, I did not believe that cleaning up the beaches would become an important thing or purpose for me.

What kind of trash do you fi nd in the sea, on the beaches, and sand dunes?

Most of all, we fi nd plastic. A plastic bottle can stay in the ocean, say for 400 years. We fi nd a lot of plastic caps, plastic bottles, plastic bags, candy wrappers, and


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

even batteries. We fi nd many other things also.

We fi nd litter everywhere. If the garbage is not thrown by the people, it is brought ashore by tides. The trash in an ocean does not need a passport. I am more concerned about small chunks of plastic because these are the fi rst things that the fi sh or birds can eat. We can easily collect bigger objects, but the smaller ones are hard to get and collect.

Where and how do you dispose of the trash?

To the best of my capacity, I have been bringing all the trash back to my house and then giving it to a recycling company. Now, it is going big and my car is not too big. I have contacted the Ministry of Environment and a solid waste management company working in Qatar.

We now put the garbage in nearby bins. If we do not fi nd a bin nearby, I will inform the ministry or the company and will provide them the location where the waste is.

How is the response of the people to your clean-up drive?

I think the people care. We have many people who have only Friday as their weekly off day. They will still come with me on a Friday and do the clean-up activity. There are diff erent reasons; some of them are looking for a social activity; some people take it as a sport or a free gym; some of them do it to have contact with nature; some love animals and birds and they want to protect them. They also do it for better environment, for cleaner beaches and water. They love the country and they want to protect it.

Further, diff erent government departments have also been very appreciative of our work. For me, environment is everybody’s problem. We cannot accuse one or certain persons for this.

The ministry has been very

helpful. They provide me with plastic bags when I run short of the bags. They also help us remove our bags from the beaches. They give me permission to go to places that are diffi cult to access. They also sometimes give us transport. They

help us as much as they can.I hate it when people say that

there are paid people to clean the garbage. There are about 2.6 million people in Qatar, but there aren’t 2.6 million cleaners. One does not need to pick somebody

else’s garbage. What I only ask the people is to put their garbage in nearby bins.

What are your future plans?We are going to release a video

covering our past activities on

December 29. The video shows our work to clean up Qatar and improve the environment. Education is a big part of our activities. We need to stop people littering around.

In Canada, my love for nature came from woods and trees. When I came here, it was hard for me to relate to nature. However, it took me some time to learn about the desert. I have started loving the desert and beaches since. When you love something, you want to protect it.

DRIVEN: Group of expatriates collecting trash.

VOLUNTEERS: A file photo shows volunteers after the Al Thakira mangrove clean-up.

“Many people make fun of me when they see me cleaning up the beaches. I do not care. My goal is not to make everyone clean up beaches. What I want is

for people to stop littering beaches”


COMMUNITY

Bloomberg News MENA editor speaks at NU-QR

iad Hamade, executive editor of Bloomberg News MENA, shared his insight on how one of the world’s

leading news and fi nancial news information companies gathers and breaks news.

Hamade was the fi rst speaker in a series of presentations on media companies in context of their overall operations and content production that is being hosted by Northwestern University in Qatar.

“Our clients rely on our news portal to make major business decisions. We are held accountable for the news that we share and how quickly we do it,” said Hamade, a 17-year veteran of the company. “Bloomberg’s strength is that it does extremely well at connecting the dots between fi nancial information and business news, and it does that fast.”

“As a leading global source for fi nancial and business news stories, Bloomberg’s business

model and approach to news is unique,” said Everette E Dennis, dean and CEO of NU-Q. “It is important for our students to have access to leaders in the media industry who are able to share their expertise, as well as their thoughts on how this industry is responding world.”

Hamade pointed out that in the complicated industry of business, fi nance, and economics, journalists have to develop a good sense of understanding of how things work and be able to think critically about the information they are presented with. “Our reporters are not economists or fi nancial analysts, but with time and experience they start to understand the business industry, and it’s fascinating how hooked they get because they realise how important money is in politics, and in social and economic developments,” he said.

Following his presentation, Hamade was asked how Bloomberg News approaches news reports

that are on politically-sensitive topics.

“It’s a challenge,” said Hamade. “Our stories do not always please everybody, but again, our accuracy and commitment to fair reporting are our main support. We’re always open to feedback and will update the story accordingly. It’s also important for us to have people on the ground and to have good relationships with infl uential fi gures – you can’t be a great journalist unless you have good relationships.”

NU-Q regularly hosts sessions and interviews with leaders in the media industry, giving its community an opportunity to learn from and engage with the guests. Previous speakers this semester have included CNN host Fareed Zakaria; HE Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed al-Thani, director of Qatar’s Government Communications Offi ce; and journalists from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting.

SESSION: Riad Hamade, executive editor of Bloomberg News MENA, giving his presentation on financial information and reporting at Northwestern University in Qatar.

Aspire Academy holds an interactive ‘Secrets to Excellence’ session for parents

Aspire Academy organised an innovative interactive session for parents recently under the theme of the “Secrets to Excellence,” to demonstrate how positive behaviour changes

can stimulate brain development and enhance performance in student-athletes and young people.

Attendees received presentations from three of Qatar’s most prominent Pedagogical and Psychological experts, including the educational adviser and radio presenter Dr Abdulrahman al-Harami; Muhammad al-Anzi, Psychological Consultant at Aspire Academy; and Dr Jamil Babli, Head of Academic Support Department at Aspire Academy.

During the interactive session, parents had the chance to engage with the three experts and ask questions about the sessions and head about the latest research fi ndings on how positive behavioural changes can motivate the performance of their children.

“We all believe that in order to positively change the behaviour of our students we need involvement and commitment from both parents and teachers. The turnout today demonstrates the common understanding among us. We hope that everyone who attended took something away with them that will help them positively change the behaviour of their own children and help them become better student-athletes at the Aspire Academy in future years who perform to their best,” Dr al-Harami said.

Al-Anzi discussed brain development and its role in the growth of athletes, saying: “New researches indicate that brain cells don’t stop development at a certain age as they continue to evolve. This demonstrates that human beings should not stop learning and developing and should always remain active. As for the positive behaviour change, this is an essential tool to the development of the brain of our children.”

Meanwhile, Dr Babli, Head of Academic Support Department at Aspire Academy, unveiled the Academy’s ongoing efforts to apply the latest human brain research findings on increasing both the academic and sports performance of student-athletes.

He said that the Academy is currently implementing models that track and analyse brain signals. Based on the results of this analysis, neurologists structure a protocol in collaboration with educators and coaches that leads to the development and improvement of student-athlete’s attention spans and emotional stability to help them eventually achieve excellence.

Aspire Academy promotes responsive educational environments and intercultural experiences to develop the student-athletes’ academic potential. Through personalised learning programmes and 21st century technology, the Academy develops responsible learners as it inspires every student-athlete to make valued contributions to the local and global community.

INFORMATIVE: From left, Dr Jamil Babli, Dr Abdulrahman al-Harami, and Muhammad al-Anzi at the session.


COMMUNITYTraining courses for young craftsmen to continue at Katara till AprilFirst training programme on traditional handicraft will continue in Katara at the square of Building 6 until April. The programme includes training courses on Al-Sadu, gypsum decoration and embroidery and will be held from 4pm to 8pm every Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.Salma al-Nuaimi, Cultural Counselor and Head of Heritage Committee at Katara Cultural Village, said, “The first training programme on traditional handicrafts aims at reviving the popular heritage and attracting Qatari youth, residents and children to engage in traditional crafts in order to create

a generation of craftsmen aware of the importance of the popular professions and their artistic and creative value, and possess the culture of quality, mastery, excellence”.She added, “We have divided the craft in terms of practitioners (female and male) and common crafts such as leather tanning, wicker wool, women’s crafts such as sewing, Al-Sadu, perfumery, cosmetics, and men’s crafts, such as carpentry, goldsmith, sea crafts, gypsum, pottery, and blacksmith.”

90 club off icers attend Toastmasters Division H trainingThe mid-year educational workshop recently organised by Toastmasters Division H in Qatar turned out to be another stand-out and sell-out event. Over 90 club off icers attended the training programme.In line with the Power of Three philosophy, the event had three training segments.In the first segment, Aldrine Fernandez, HR Manager at the Ali Bin Ali Group, conducted an interactive session on how to build healthy teams.In the second segment, executive committee members from the diff erent clubs took part in the role-

specific club off icer training. The third part of the workshop was the judges training, in preparation for the upcoming contests season. It featured three champion speakers from Qatar: Jonathan Sequeira, Nisha Shivram and Abhshek Chattopadhyay.District 20 Program Quality Director Rajeswar Sundaresan complimented Division H leaders for the achievements during the first six months and challenged them to perform at their best in the months to come. Division H Director Joseph Stanley gave the finishing touches to the event.


COMMUNITYSIS students secure top positions in FCC School Arts Fest 2017SIS students secured top positions in various competitions in the Friends Culture Centre (FCC) School Arts Fest 2017 that was held recently. A total of 16 students secured the first position, nine secured the second and six secured the third positions in the various competitions that were conducted under Kids, Sub Junior, Junior, Senior and Pre-Senior categories in Join the Dots

and Colour, Complete the Picture and Colour, Clay Modelling, Craft Installation, Caption Writing, Drawing, Action Song, Story Telling, Passage Reading, Elocution, Mono Act, Skit, Group Song and Poem Recitation. Principal Dr Subhash Nair, Senior Vice-Principal Shihabudheen Pulath and Vice Principal Dudley O’Connor congratulated the winners.

SIS emerges first runners-up in ‘Vamozhiyattam’SIS emerged as the first runners-up in the folk song competition ‘Vamozhiyattam’, organised by the Kairali TV and Kanal held at the Indian Cultural Centre recently. Artists, singers, prominent community members and the media attended the programme. Praseetha Chalakkudy from the Kerala State Music-Drama Academy appreciated the SIS team’s performance in the competition.

Counselling Session for secondary students, their parents at SISThe parents and students of Class X attended a Counselling Session organised by Shantiniketan Indian School recently. The parents were counselled about the advantages of each stream and various subject combinations for senior secondary courses in the Academic Session 2018-19. Tono Fernandez and Virgil presented the various subject options available in the science stream and commerce stream. Shakir Hussain oriented them with various subject combinations and career possibilities in Humanities. Principal Dr Subhash Nair took questions from parents to clear their doubts and help children in choosing their subjects according to their strengths and interests.


COMMUNITYInter-Community Beach Volleyball Festival announced by QVA and ISCThe Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA) and Indian Sports Centre (ISC) are jointly organising an Inter-Community Beach Volleyball Festival on January 11 and 12 at Al Gharafa Beach Volleyball Facility. Members of more than 15 expatriate communities in Qatar will compete in the tournament, said off icials at a recent press meet. The meeting was attended by Nilangshu Dey, ISC president; Ashik Ahmed, head of volleyball at ISC; along with Hussein Imam Ali, Roberto Reggiani and

Mamdouh Wafy of Qatar Volleyball Association; and others. There is no restriction on the maximum number of teams from a particular country. The organisers will also set up a fan zone where visitors will get a variety of food items. Seen here are QVA and Indian Sports Centre off icials along with expatriate community leaders from various countries during the meeting. For more details, please call 55854126 or 55451510.

Cultural Forum bags top honour in National Day activities for expatriatesCultural Forum Qatar (CF) has bagged the first place in the thematic march past competition for communities held as part of the associated activities of Qatar National Day celebrations, organised by the Ministry of Interior at Asian Town on December 18. More than 500 members of Cultural Forum put up a spectacular show in the tough competition that featured several community-based organisations. One of the major attractions presented by CF was a miniature replica of the Doha Metro on wheels, hand-crafted in an innovative and marvellous style by a group of 15 volunteers. The parade also featured theme-based displays by CF members on the World Cup Football to be hosted by Qatar in 2022, reflections on the humanitarian activities spearheaded by the State of Qatar across the world, a replica of the traditional dhow, key accomplishments and major strides by the country in a wide

range of fields. Many families including women and children carried the Qatari flag and wore maroon memorabilia – filling the air with patriotic fervour and creating a festive atmosphere. The team was led by Suhail Santapuram, Acting President of Cultural Forum; P K Thahira, Vice President; Majeed Ali and Sadiq Ali (both General Secretaries); A R Abdul Gafoor, Treasurer; Yasir M Abdullah, General Convenor; Alavikkutty and Mohammed Kunhi (both secretaries); Sameeullah; C H Najeeb; Mushtaq; Rasheed Ali; Anees Mala; Rubeena Mohammed Kunhi; Noorjahan Faizal; and Sajna Zakki. Earlier in the day, CF also organised a Qatar National Day celebration at the Qatar Rehabilitation Institute. Renowned Malayalam writer Santha Thulasidharan was the chief guest. The event featured a variety of folk dances performed by different groups of children and traditional music performances.


COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC


COMMUNITYLIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

You’re having a diff icult time connecting with your emotions today.

Things will run more smoothly if you don’t try to force yourself

to act cheerful if you aren’t. Be honest about your emotions. If

you’re feeling restless or negative, keep it to yourself. Go for a walk,

preferably near water, and indulge in a good healthy meal.

People are hesitant to deal with deep emotional issues today.

They’re erecting protective barriers so the things they hear, see, and

feel don’t hurt them. Respect these boundaries. Do your best to stay

rooted in your inner sanctuary. Try to keep a positive attitude even

though the prevailing mood may be sombre.

Don’t blame everything on others today. It’s important to be adult

enough to take responsibility for your actions. Understand that

things aren’t always going to happen the way you want. Realise that

sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. There’s a sombre

mood to the day that might overwhelm your normal attitude. Try to

stay focused and disciplined.

You might find your emotions stifled today. You have a great deal

to say, but for some reason there’s a bit of hesitation when it comes

to saying it. Don’t be surprised if you feel anxious in such a way that

makes it diff icult to communicate. Much of today’s talk may be filled

with fluff and not much substance.

Take some emotional time off today if you feel you deserve it. You’re

getting so wrapped up in other people’s dramas that you’re feeling

drained when it comes to your own concerns. Calm down and relax

physically and mentally. Getting too stressed about a certain issue

isn’t healthy. You may end up foiling the situation much more than if

you left it alone. Come back to it later.

You’re having a diff icult time getting started today. Don’t get

discouraged if things don’t seem to be working. Your expectations

may be too high, and your perfectionism is making it diff icult for

anyone to live up to your standards. Don’t get worked up over every

little detail. Perfection isn’t demanded of you.

You might need to adopt a stern attitude today in order to be as

eff ective as you’d like to be. When dealing with others, don’t make

assumptions for which you don’t have solid backing. Other people

are easily touched off , so keep things limited to the facts. Try not to

stir up heavy emotions.

You might not feel especially motivated today. Nonetheless, whether

you want to or not, it’s important that you attack the mountain of

tasks. Understand and respect the constraints of the ticking clock.

As long as you’re disciplined about accomplishing one small task at

a time, you won’t have a problem reducing the mountain to a small

pile.

You may get more emotional than usual when it comes to work.

Do your best to keep your emotional life separate from daily

responsibilities. If you feel overwhelmed by a certain job to the point

where you can no longer do it eff ectively, it may be a sign that you

need to make some changes. This is a time of heightened sensitivity.

Do your best to stay afloat.

Be polite and try your best not to impose on other people today. It’s

important to behave civilly in all circumstances. People may feel like

they’ve been cheated. Although you may not be the source of their

discontent, you may feel the consequences. Keep other people’s

issues separate from yours, and don’t let their discomfort seep into

your world.

You may not feel like your engine is working today. For some reason,

it seems like you’re using the wrong fuel. Don’t be surprised if it’s a

bit harder to get in touch with your emotional state. Your feelings are

playing tricks on you. Do your best not to be thrown off balance by

this energy. It gets easier from here.

You may be very busy today. This is a good time to get things

done. There’s a feeling of discipline that’s helping you stay focused.

Emotions are stifled, which may work to your advantage. Keep

everything limited to the facts at hand, and work can proceed much

more eff iciently than if simple issues become big soap operas.

How to keep digestion healthy during the wedding seasonW

ho doesn’t love the wedding season and all the beautiful ensembles, gala festivities and lively cheer that it comes with? But amidst all this, one

must not forget that over indulgence in food during this time can seriously aff ect digestion. However, few easy ways can protect your body and its digestive functions.

Mehar Rajput, Nutritionist at FITPASS and Sonia Narang, Nutritionist and Wellness Expert at Orifl ame India doles out easy tips to stay in top form, look your best while being the most enthusiastic baraati or bridesmaid.

Snack on fresh fruits and salads: You needn’t be a diet snob on weddings and act like someone who simply can’t eat any of the food on off er. But what you can do is scout out the healthiest options and snack on them fi rst. Most weddings have a salad bar or a fresh fruit counter these days. First fi ll your plate up with these so that you’re almost full before you hit the greasier stuff . You can obviously enjoy the latter as well but you’ll feel like eating it in limited quantities when you have had your dose of the fi bre rich fruits and salads already!

Keep your body well hydrated: This is the easiest way to keep your digestion healthy during wedding season. Drinking at least 2-3 litres of water every day will keep you feeling and looking your best. You can also add sliced lemons, cucumbers, ginger and chopped mint leaves to your bottle of water and sip it regularly for enhanced cleansing. This will not only help to fl ush out toxins but will help in digestion as well. Coconut water, jeera water, cinnamon water, fennel water, coriander water are the other varieties you can experiment with to cleanse your body naturally and get healthier looking skin.

Improve digestion with herbal teas: If you’re looking for a perfect drink to aid weight loss and improve digestion, then sip herbal teas at least 2-3 times a day. Healthy options such as green tea, chamomile tea and peppermint tea are caff eine free and therefore don’t dehydrate your system. They help to boost metabolism, aid weight loss and keep you in shape. While peppermint tea eff ectively aids digestion, helps relieve stomach gas and bloating, green tea reduces intestinal gas, digestive disorders and regulates the digestive system.

Avoid bloating with the right foods: A bloated abdomen can make you feel uncomfortable and conscious, especially when you’re wearing that slinky blouse with your new lehenga. The best way to avoid abdominal bloating and gas is to avoid eating certain raw vegetables like broccoli, kale, caulifl ower and cabbage.

Another trick to reduce bloating is to control your sodium intake. Stay away from processed foods as they are high on sodium. Having potassium-rich foods such as bananas and nut butter for breakfast can help to counteract the ill-eff ects of sodium and reduce bloating.

Munch on healthy nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pistachio, fl ax seeds, chia seeds and sunfl ower seeds are packed with nutrients, minerals and healthy fats. They provide energy which we all certainly need to cope with the wedding celebrations and even boost overall nutrient intake. Add these nuts/seeds in your meals to enhance the taste and improve your health.

Keep your gut healthy with probiotics: Often referred to as good bacteria, probiotics

aid digestion and guard you from feeling bloated after heavy meals that you may end up eating at weddings. After all, who can resist an aromatic plate of butter chicken with a sinful garlic naan? Fermented foods like kefi r, yogurt kimchi and kombucha off er a healthy dose of probiotics that help to curb cravings, keep your gut healthy and are good for the skin as well. The good bacteria present in these foods break down lactose and other sugars in the food, making digestion easier. — IANS


COMMUNITY CARTOONS/PUZZLES

Adam

Pooch Cafe

Garfield

Bound And Gagged

Codeword

Wordsearch

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

Puzz

les

cour

tesy

: Puz

zlec

hoic

e.co

m

Sudoku

Sudoku is a puzzle based

on a 9x9 grid. The grid is

also divided into nine (3x3)

boxes. You are given a

selection of values and to

complete the puzzle, you

must fill the grid so that

every column, every anone

is repeated.

Poetry

ALLEGORY BALLAD BATHOS CESURA COUPLET DACTYL ELEGY ELISION EPIC FOOT

IAMB IMAGERY IRONY LYRIC METAPHOR PASTORAL QUATRAIN RHYME SATIRE SCANSION

SIMILE SONNET SPONDEE STANZA STRESS STYLE TROCHEE VERSE


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

ACROSS1. Uneasy, do more work in the

theatre (8)

5. Jokes about the splits (6)

10. What one thought of the

book before it became a big

seller? (5,10)

11. Cross, tries to decipher the

name written inside (7)

12. The chap with the rope is the

man in charge (7)

13. That’s one of the great things

about an eagle! (4-4)

15. Get out of being accurate (5)

18. It belongs in the zoo and the

man took it back (5)

20. The rise spiral is, to me on

the outside, aggravating (8)

23. Knock back the drink: the

one poured out for bedtime

(7)

25. Passes the back-numbers to

a member of the staff (5,2)

26. The moan that you stand too

much on ceremony? (6,9)

27. Get angry when the man, the

Continental, returns (6)

28. Would have you believe it’s in

a present-day setting (8)

Super Cryptic Clues

Yesterday’s Solutions

Across: 1 For shame; 5 Amused; 9 Assassin; 10 Tramps; 12 Combat; 13 Canister; 15 Several times; 18 Out in the open; 23 Lobsters; 24 Dinner; 26 Origan; 27 Careless; 28 Tagged; 29 Contrary.

Down: 1 France; 2 Resume; 3 Hostage; 4 Main; 6 Marxist; 7 Sometime; 8 Distress; 11 Paragon; 14 Leghorn; 16 Go all out; 17 Stabling; 19 Nut-case; 20 Eminent; 21 Angela; 22 Crusty; 25 Mayo.

DOWN1. Shake one’s head at the

waste (6)

2. Making one’s way, slowly,

through a smart catalogue

(9)

3. Authorising Nigel to run the

race in it (7)

4. A certain number got caught

in the river (5)

6. Peter’s prepared to

accommodate one for the

stay (7)

7. It’s hard, when Priscilla starts

to run wild (5)

8. One girl has her nose put out

of joint by another (8)

9. Is more liable to capture a

hostage (8)

14. She does, when the one-ten

chugs in, step out (8)

16. With a nod I wave the girl

through, letting her in (9)

17. Hear of and give your seat

to? (5,3)

19. Go back to the wrong terrace

(7)

21. A garment for which one has

little time (7)

22. Joins one, ready to return (6)

24. Become a leftist when

attacked (5)

25. The Greek kept her in order?

Just the opposite! (5)


COMMUNITY REVIEWS

By Justin Chang

The trailer for Pitch Perfect 3 makes it look and sound like a comedy, which puts me in the unfortunate position of announcing

that it is nothing of the kind. It’s a tragedy in four-part harmony.

The latest in a once-appealing series of movies about the joys of female friendship, campus rivalry and vocal percussion, it’s a coarse, ugly, pointlessly action-packed reminder that every modestly sharp and amusing property must eventually be converted by the commercial logic of Hollywood, into a soul-killing cash grab.

I won’t dwell on the details. The laziness with which this movie has been slapped together can’t really be described; it can only be emulated. Beca (Anna Kendrick), an

aspiring mixmaster who’s just quit her unfulfi lling record-label job, fi nds herself thrown back with her old gal pals from the Barden Bellas, a spirited if erratic a cappella group.

Post-college life is rough, and so the Bellas join a United Service Organizations tour to entertain American troops around the world and also to compete with several more seasoned, instrument-wielding bands for the chance to open for DJ Khaled. (The credits note that DJ Khaled played himself, but he couldn’t possibly be this dull in real life.)

The awful, corrosive thing about Pitch Perfect 3 is that what’s bothering the Bellas — their anxiety that their glory days of fun and fame have passed — becomes the movie’s unintended subtext and the actors’ as well. Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hailee Steinfeld, Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee are back but not exactly better than ever, trapped

doing wan variations on past shtick.There are the usual Top 40

mash-ups and riff -off s (Fly Away! Love Me Harder!), but the Bellas’ chief rivals — attitude-dripping pop-rock musicians with the much-repeated name of Evermoist — seem only a bit more invested in the outcome than the audience

will be. Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins return too with their snarky geek-chorus routine, though this time they’re playing not competition judges but amateur fi lmmakers trying to make a documentary about the Bellas. That seems to be as close as Banks, who did a more-than-creditable job

steering Pitch Perfect 2, was willing to get to the director’s chair. (The honour, if that’s the word, falls to Trish Sie.)

Some predictable idiocy ensues, followed by some less predictable idiocy. It’s no surprise to report that the delightful Rebel Wilson, once again stepping into the role of Fat Amy, spends most of the movie dropping vulgar innuendo, ogling the servicemen and perfecting her one-woman show, Fat Amy Winehouse. It’s a bit more surprising to learn that she is the daughter of a ruthless international assassin (John Lithgow, sporting an Australian accent and an uncharacteristic air of self-loathing).

I probably should have prefaced that with a spoiler alert, but the only way I could ruin Pitch Perfect 3 for you would be by encouraging you to see it. – Los Angeles Times/TNS

Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep shine in The Post

FREE PRESS: Tom Hanks, left, in the movie. It is the story of a newspaper standing up to a United States president.

By Rafer Guzmán

Steven Spielberg’s The Post tells the story of a newspaper standing up to a United States president who wants to bully the free press into submission. The year is 1971 and

the fi ght is over the Pentagon Papers, a trove of classifi ed documents published by The Washington Post despite legal threats from Richard Nixon’s White House. The Post may be a period piece, but its central battle could

take place in just about any era, including and perhaps especially this one.

The Post, essentially a two-hander, features two very fi ne old hands who have never before come together on screen: Meryl Streep, as Post publisher Katharine Graham, and Tom Hanks, as editor Ben Bradlee. These two characters are very diff erent people: Graham is a Capitol Hill society matron who’s friendly with high-powered types like Secretary of Defense Robert S McNamara (Bruce Greenwood), while Bradlee is a genteel rascal who’s not above sending an intern to hang out in the offi ces of The New York Times.

(Jason Robards won an Oscar for his crusty Bradlee in All the President’s Men, but Hanks puts his own mischievous stamp on the role.) The newshound and the businesswoman have coexisted for years without having to ruffl e each other’s feathers. That is about to change.

When Nixon legally stops The Times from publishing the Pentagon Papers — a damning report suggesting years of offi cial falsehoods about Vietnam — Post reporter Ben Bagdikian (a wry Bob Odenkirk) obtains his own copy. Graham and Bradlee must now decide what to do: Sit on the documents and protect the paper from legal action, or uphold

the principles of a free press and publish? Screenwriters Liz Hannah and Josh Singer do a fi ne job of turning abstract issues into taut drama with tense phone calls, newsroom powwows and boardroom blowups.

The Post sometimes feels more elegant than urgent, more fi nely crafted than fervent. Still, the cast and crew deserve credit for making this fi lm at a fast clip (it was reportedly fi nished just last month) in response to what’s going on right here and now. If the fi lm’s real-life subjects were alive, they would surely approve. – Newsday/TNS)

Pitch Perfect 3 is a fatally off -key sequel

POINTLESS: A scene from the movie. It is a coarse, ugly, and pointlessly action-packed film.

Thursday, December 28, 2017 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYBOLLYWOOD

Salman Khan turns 52, B-Town wishes him more success

With double celebrations in order for Salman Khan – who turned 52 on Wednesday and is revelling in the success of his latest entertainer Tiger Zinda Hai – his Bollywood colleagues wished the superstar a happy and successful year.

Salman brought in his birthday at his Panvel farmhouse with his friends, including Tiger Zinda Hai co-star Katrina Kaif. The film has crossed Rs150 crore since releasing on December 22, bringing some much-needed respite at the Bollywood box office.

He also planned to ensure there was something special for his fans on his special day. So, he decided to off er discount on select merchandise of Being Human clothing and jewellery.

Here’s what the celebrities tweeted: Aamir Khan: Dearest Salman, have a great

day and a wonderful year! Many happy returns of this day! Congratulations on the record breaking collections! Superb! Love.

Sonam Kapoor: Looking back at my time in Bollywood, no one stands out as much as you!

My fi rst ever hero and long time friend and inspiration. Happy Birthday Salman, thank you for being the fi nest co-star I could have asked for.

Ali Abbas Zafar: Happy birthday Salman Khan. Some bonds are just special “aur bhai bhai hota hai”.

Vishal Dadlani: Happy Birthday, Salman Khan. Thank you for your faith, for being so chill and for giving us the space to do what we do in both Tiger Zinda Hai and Sultan. You’ve carried both to amazing heights, and it’s been a privilege to have our songs fl y along with you.”

Bipasha Basu: Happy birthday Salman Khan. Many many congratulations for the super success of Tiger Zinda Hai too. Celebrations galore.

Pulkit Samrat: Happy Birthday Bhai! Love and hugs! Respect forever, Fan forever.

Mika Singh: Yaaro ka yaar, Salman Khan. May you live long bhai. May god bless you with lots of happiness, success and a good health.

Mohanlal: Have the happiest of Happy Birthdays Salman Khan. God Bless.

Neil Nitin Mukesh: Happy Birthday Salman bhai. God bless you with all the

happiness always. Have a super year ahead.Divya Dutta: Happy birthday to someone

who is all heart and rules all hearts!!! Big hug Salman Khan.

Riteish Deshmukh: Happy Birthday Bhau.

Shraddha Kapoor: Happy happy birthday! Keep shining, smiling and being awesome!

Prosenjit Chatterjee: Wish you a rocking birthday Salman Khan and congrats for Tiger Zinda Hai. -IANS

A good commercial film will always work: Rohit ShettyF

ilmmaker Rohit Shetty, who scored a hit with Reliance Entertainment-backed Golmaal Again in a year which has

seen Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan’s fi lms fall fl at at the box offi ce, says a good commercial movie will always work.

During a conversation on Saavn’s Take 2 with Anupama and Rajeev, Shetty was asked if there was any sort of anxiety about the fact that a chunk of commercial fi lms were rejected in 2017 before Judwaa 2 and Golmaal Again came, read a statement.

Shetty said: “No... What has happened is that just because you have a big star, you tag it as a commercial fi lm. I don’t see Tubelight as a commercial fi lm. Whereas Salman Khan’s Tiger Zinda Hai is a commercial fi lm – you can make out, there is action, there is song and there is everything what a Salman Khan fi lm should be like.

“And I really admire and respect Kabir (Khan) for taking Salman Khan after Bajrangi (Bhaijaan) and making a fi lm like Tubelight. It didn’t work, that’s a diff erent story altogether but at least he was honest in what he was doing. So I don’t see Tubelight as a commercial fi lm.

“I don’t see Jab Harry Met Sejal as an out and out Shah Rukh Khan commercial fi lm. So you can’t call these two fi lms commercial. And other than that what happened this year was that a lot of people took back-foot, ‘Oh, commercial is not going to work’, which is a wrong theory altogether. A good commercial fi lm will always work.”

As for himself, he says he doesn’t know if there’s a success formula.

“The kind of fi lms I make are for pan-India. There’s a large segment of the audience which come and see these kind of fi lms, commercial fi lms... I make commercial fi lms keeping in mind my audience which

is largely family audience and mass audience and I try to cater to them every time. It’s just going right all the time... That’s all I can say. I try to cater to a segment of audience which I know (would like my

cinema).”He went wrong with Dilwale.“That is the fi rst time in my

career that I went to cater the audience which is not mine, that’s a Shah Rukh-Kajol audience... We

changed the whole fi lm and that went wrong. So that was a learning experience – to cater to an audience and not to shift that.”

Shetty is himself a fan of director Rajkumar Hirani.

“I have a lot of respect in my heart for him because I think he is the only director who can pull off a commercial fi lm with so much value and so much of message. He is the only commercial director who can cater to everyone. If you watch a Raju Hirani fi lm, it has everything. The class that Raju Hirani brings in is amazing.

“I think he is the fi nest director we have in our country or in the world I would say,” he said of Hirani, known for movies like the Munna Bhai series, 3 Idiots and PK.

Talking about whether he feels angry that he doesn’t get the respect he deserves, Shetty said: “Earlier I used to, but now I know that it’s never going to happen ever in my life. But you know what, because of television, I think I’ve calmed down. And when I say television, it’s because people know who Rohit Shetty is, you become a brand because of that and then you start meeting people when you’re travelling, you’re at the airport, in the gym or you’re with your family at a mall or a restaurant.

“And then people start loving you so much giving you so much love and respect. This is the reason now I’ve mellowed down a lot. Just to make yourself sound intellectual you can’t bring a Rohit Shetty down. You can work hard and make your own space.”

Shetty has been a part of reality TV show Khatron Ke Khiladi as host. –IANS

MEGAHIT: Salman Khan’s latest film has crossed INR150 crore in the five days since it has been released.

CATERING TO HIS AUDIENCE: Director Rohit Shetty on the sets of reality television show India’s Next Superstars.


COMMUNITY

By Usha Wagle Gautam

There are around half a million Nepali workers in Qatar. The country has become one of the foremost work destinations for Nepalis. As a gracious host to these

Nepali workers, the State of Qatar has taken a number of steps to provide an enabling environment, making it more convenient and aff ordable for Nepalis who aspire to work in the country, including the provision of free visa and ticket for Qatar-bound workers.

Manpower agencies in Kathmandu and other Nepali cities play an essential part in getting these workers here. Community caught up with Rohan Gurung, president of Nepali Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA), and talked to him about matters regarding labour migration.

Which countries and regions are the

most popular work destinations for Nepalis?

Nepali youth desire to go to Europe and America, but the demand of workers is much less there. There is a huge movement of Nepali labour into the Gulf region in recent

times. Qatar is the second-most popular destination for them in the region.

How do you assess the performance

of foreign employment agencies in facilitating the move of workers to destination countries?

There are around 900 manpower agencies in Nepal. Operators of these manpower agencies travel to other countries to identify labour markets. They do so at their own costs. The amount of remittance going to Nepal is increasing and has become the backbone of the economy. Manpower agencies observe the working conditions and facilities during their fi rst phase at foreign work sites. These agencies check whether the workers are getting the stipulated salaries and facilities or not.

These agencies, known as manpower agencies in Kathmandu, are accused of fl eecing potential workers? What is your take on it?

Most of the youths who choose labour migration come from remote districts. Many of them don’t have adequate information of coming to Kathmandu for visa and ticket processing. So, they rely on local agents. These local agents take a lot of money from the workers. This has become a challenge

for both the government and manpower agencies.

There are rumours that manpower agencies in Kathmandu charge high fees from workers bound for the Gulf region in general and Qatar in particular, even though Qatar and Nepal have agreed to charge no fees (free visa and free ticket) for Qatar-bound workers?

The facility of free visa and free ticket is very good. Even though “free visa and free ticket” facility is indicated in agreements, many companies abroad want to hire workers through the manpower agencies, which provide them with commission. So there has become an unhealthy competition between agencies to provide commission and send labourers to the companies. The authorities need to examine the fi nal audit reports of companies, which they have to submit at the end of every fi scal year. The government should know how the companies have shown the expenditures of visa and ticket fees in their fi nal fi scal report.

How do you assess the future of foreign migration and sustainability of remittance economy of Nepal?

The remittance going to Nepal is utilised in unproductive sectors. A worker fi rst wants

a home to live in. Then, he or she has to take care of health and education of his or her kids. The remaining saving can then be used in productive activities, but the right environment is needed for that saving to be utilised in production.

There are many reports that state that Nepalis fi nd their work and facilities diff erent from what is promised by the manpower offi ces in Kathmandu. Is it true and how does that happen?

The responsibility solely lies with the company if a worker doesn’t get the promised job and facilities. When UAE-based companies didn’t provide the promised salaries, 76 of them were blacklisted by our organisation. In some cases, Kathmandu-based manpower agencies also make mistakes.

How can we minimise the hassle, confusion and problems faced by Nepali workers when it comes to manpower agencies?

Most of the hassles come up when there is discrepancy between Foreign Employment Act of Nepal and the rules, regulations and policies of the labour-importing countries. Nepal and labour-importing countries should discuss this matter and formulate labour-governing instruments accordingly.

What do you think of the new regulation made by the Qatari government regarding the establishment of a medical centre in Nepal? How it can benefi t the Nepali citizens who want to come to Qatar?

It is good to have a medical check-up centre in Nepal. But our organisation doesn’t want the workers to be subjected to huge medical costs.

Can you talk about the labour demand in Qatar? Do you have data on the workers?

Around half a million Nepalis come to Qatar annually. Among them, 70 percent are unskilled, and the remaining are semi-skilled and skilled.

Have you seen any fl uctuations in labour demand in the past six months?

I am not happy with the ongoing Gulf crisis. I wish this problem will be solved as soon as possible. After the blockade, the overall demand of labour in the Gulf region has decreased. But, I have not heard anything about this blockade aff ecting our workers in Qatar. We in Nepal experienced a similar blockade in 2015 and suff ered a lot. The reason behind Qatar not being aff ected by the blockade is that it is a developed country. I wish Nepal will move toward prosperity in the same way and will stand by itself if its neighbouring countries impose sanctions.

Making the most of remittances to Nepal

Rohan Gurung, president of Nepali Association of Foreign Employment Agencies,

believes the country should encourage the use of remittances for productive activities

INTERVIEW: Rohan Gurung says about 70% of Nepalis coming to Qatar are unskilled labourers, while the rest fall in semi-skilled and skilled categories..

Discovering Qatar, with a purpose

Documents

Transcript of Discovering Qatar, with a purpose