COMMUNITY | 6 MARKETPLACE | 7 ENTERTAINMENT | 1212

Hilton Doha named Best

Business Hotel

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016 @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatarEmail: dohatoday@pen.com.qa thepeninsulaqatar

TILL TECH DO TILL TECH DO US PARTUS PART

DNA Records launches celebrity

DJ Juan Pestana

P | 4-5

With technology blending into our lives in ways that we never could have imagined just a decade ago, it’s tricky to decide what’s okay and what is just the way we live now. It’s difficult to find a balance and to set boundaries, for our children and ourselves.

National Award panel not qualified enough for Big B: Ram Gopal Varma

More than 45experts partici-

pated in a workshop on au-

tonomous underwater vehi-

cles (AUVs) recently hosted

by TAMUQ in Education City.

The oil and gas industry in Qatar

represents the vital source of income

to the country with most of its infra-

structure being offshore, said Dr. Man-

sour Karkoub, professor of mechanical

engineering at Texas A&M at Qatar and

workshop organizer. Karkoub also di-

rects the Smart System Lab at Texas

A&M at Qatar.

“At the Smart System Lab, we have

been developing solutions for the oil

and gas industry in the area of auton-

omous systems and asset integrity for

the past six years,” Karkoub said. “This

workshop was a valuable opportunity

to share the latest research discover-

ies and expertise in the area of AUVs

and their application in the oil and gas

industry, as well as environment moni-

toring and protection.”

The workshop, called the Consor-

tium for O&G Asset Integrity and En-

vironmental Monitoring in Qatar, fea-

tured noted AUV scientists and

speakers from local industry, includ-

ing Maersk Oil Research & Technolo-

gy Centre, Qatar Petroleum, Siemens,

Shell, Rasgas, and Qatar Comput-

ing Research Institute; the Qatari Na-

vy; and top universities in the US, Eu-

rope and the Middle East, including

MIT, Georgia Tech, Rice University, the

University of Illinois at Urbana-Cham-

paign, Texas A&M and Texas A&M at

Qatar, KAUST, Kuwait University, Qatar

University, Hamad bin Khalifa Univer-

sity, University of Porto (Portugal) and

National Technical University of Athens

(Greece).

Featured speakers were all experts

in control, optimisation, ocean engi-

neering, underwater robotics, sensor

technology, computer science, and in-

dustry and government guests also in-

vited to attend.

The objective of the workshop was

to develop priority research and tech-

nology development areas for environ-

mental monitoring, search and rescue,

and asset integrity for the oil and gas

industry.

Participants explored emerging

trends and opportunities for advanc-

ing innovation in O&G asset integrity,

environmental monitoring and protec-

tion, and related technologies through

intelligent application, research and

development of innovative autono-

mous systems, sensors and communi-

cation technologies.

Karkoub also said the workshop

aimed to help lay the foundation for

the first consortium for advancing AUV

research for the purpose of offshore

infrastructure sustainability in Qatar

and in the region in line with Qatar Na-

tional Research Strategy and Qatar Na-

tional Vision 2030.

The experts who were invited to

present their work also assisted in de-

veloping a roadmap to establish a re-

search program and training facilities

in AUVs that will put the State of Qa-

tar among the leading nations in sub-

sea asset integrity and environmental

monitoring and protection.

“I am happy with the turnout and

the enthusiasm of the participants,”

Karkoub said. “The workshop was a to-

tal success and a follow up meeting

will be held soon at KAUST.”

| 03THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

CAMPUS

TAMUQ hosts workshop

on autonomous

underwater vehicles

Shantiniketan Indian School CBSE-i students conduct orientation for parents

In pursuit of excellence with

uniqueness, the CBSE-i

wing of Shantiniketan Indi-

an School (SIS) organised the

orientation session for parents

on various aspects like disci-

pline, evaluation system, vision

and mission and the impor-

tance of health and hygiene-

conducted entirely by the stu-

dents.

Waseem, Mohammed Re-

da, Ganga, Salma, Kareem and

Lamiya showed tremendous

skills as resource persons to

enlighten the parents with the

various school processes and

policies. Ganga and Diksha

danced to the tune of “Prem

Ratan Dhan Payo” to enthral

the parents with their scintil-

lating performance. Students

from 5th, 6th and 7th recited

Rudyard Kiplings “IF” to amaze

the gathering.

Principal Dr. Subhash Nair,

Vice-Principal Dudley O’ Con-

nor and parents applaud-

ed the children of the CBSE-

i stream for their confidence

in handling the entire session

with great professionalism.

COVER STORY

04 | THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

By Amy Joyce The Washington Post

Half of of all teens say they

feel addicted to their mo-

bile devices. That’s right,

50 percent of teens ac-

tually admitted that they feel ad-

dicted. Just imagine what the real

number is.

Not only do teens feel they

can’t put their devices down, but

their parents know it (59 percent)

and many parents themselves

can’t put their own devices down

(27 percent).

This according to a new report

by Common Sense Media, which

also found that teens feel their

parents are addicted as well.

“Digital devices have trans-

formed people’s lives. They are

changing everything from parent-

child relationships, to human in-

teraction, to our ability to focus

on the task at hand,” said James

Steyer, founder and chief exec-

utive of Common Sense, an or-

ganisation that studies and rates

media and technology for kids

and families. “And particularly for

young people who are growing

up as digital natives. It has public

health concerns.”

With technology blending in-

to our lives in ways that we nev-

er could have imagined just a

decade ago, it’s tricky to decide

what’s okay and what is just the

way we live now. It’s difficult to

find a balance and to set bound-

aries, for our children and our-

selves. For instance, 48 percent of

parents feel they have to answer

emails and texts immediately, and

72 percent of teens say they need

to; 69 percent of parents say they

check devices hourly while 78 per-

cent of teens do.

What impact does all of this

have on our lives? According to

the report, it’s led to multitask-

ing that our brains, and certain-

ly our children’s brains, can’t han-

dle. In fact, high percentages of

teens admitted that they watched

TV, used social media and texted

while doing homework. (And yet

most teens said they didn’t think

their multitasking harmed the

quality of their work.)

The report also found that de-

vices are impacting our relation-

ships. Of the parents surveyed, 77

percent feel teens get distracted

by devices and don’t pay atten-

tion when they are together and

41 percent of teens say the same

about their parents.

Screens are also impacting our

health and safety: 56 percent of

parents admit to using devices

while driving — with kids in the car

— and 51 percent of teens see their

parents checking mobile devices

while driving.

Digital devices have transformed people’s lives. They are changing everything from parent-child relationships, to human interaction, to our ability to focus on the task at hand. And particularly for young people who are growing up as digital natives. It has public health concerns.

Here’s how parents can help teens from tech-addiction

COVER STORY

| 05THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

The report, which surveyed

more than 1,200 teens and par-

ents, also pulled together recent

reports and research on technol-

ogy use and suggests the con-

stant attention to devices is mak-

ing it difficult for our children to

have face-to-face conversations or

learn to be empathetic. In case you

still think teens aren’t in front of

screens all that much, November’s

Common Sense Census: Media Use

by Teens and Tweens, found that

teens in the US spend an average

of nine hours daily on media.

As a true sign that both par-

ents and teens recognise this is

a problem, about half of parents

and one-third of teens surveyed

said they very often or occasionally

try to cut down on the amount of

time they spend on their devices,

and 52 percent of teens said they

agree that they spend too much

time on their mobile devices. Yes,

that’s more than half of teens say-

ing they are on their devices too

much.

So why not just turn all tech-

nology off and go back to pio-

neer days? Very funny. We all

know that’s not possible, but it al-

so wouldn’t be smart. Parents who

have a balanced approach to me-

dia, and who allow their teens ac-

cess to it, can guide the usage and

conversation around it better, and

help them find a healthy balance,

Steyer said.

Need some help figuring out

how to develop better balance?

Common Sense offers up ways

parents can help teens locate that

sweet spot when it comes to tech-

nology use:

• Declare tech-free zones and

times. As with most things, bound-

aries are good. Support your kids

in trying to find balance and set

limits. These rules could be as sim-

ple as no phones at dinner or no

texting after 9 p.m.

• Check the ratings. Choose

age-appropriate high quality me-

dia and technology for your fam-

ily. These things can be especial-

ly beneficial when used to form

deeper relationships, allow for cre-

ativity and exploration. Encourage

kids to be creative, responsible

consumers, not just passive users.

• Talk about it. Connect with

your kids and support learning by

talking about what they’re see-

ing, reading and playing. Encour-

age kids to question and consider

media messages to better under-

stand the role media plays in their

own lives.

• Help kids understand the ef-

fects of multitasking. As parents,

we know that helping kids stay fo-

cused will only strengthen inter-

personal skills and school perform-

ance. Encourage them to minimise

distractions and manage one task

at a time, shutting down social me-

dia while working online for home-

work or engaging in a conversa-

tion.

• Walk the walk. Put your de-

vices away while driving, at meal

times and during family time. Par-

ent role-modeling shows kids the

behavior and values you want in

your home. Kids will be more open

and willing participants when the

house rules apply to you, too.

• Seek expert help if needed. If

you observe significant negative is-

sues with your kids’ use of media

and technology (for example: It’s

harming their mental health, dis-

rupting their relationships or hurt-

ing their academic performance)

and you don’t feel equipped to ad-

dress it yourself, consult your pedia-

trician, a psychologist, a social work-

er or another professional for advice.

COMMUNITY

06 | THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

DNA Records

launches celebrity

DJ Juan Pestana

Dana Alfardan, CEO of DNA

Records, Qatar’s first record

label, has confirmed her lat-

est signing of celebrity DJ and

producer, Juan Pestana, launched at

an exclusive media event at Antica Pe-

sa on April 28. Juan’s debut perform-

ance, the DNA Records Take Over Event

will also be hosted at The St. Regis Ho-

tel. Juan Pestana and DNA Records will

also be releasing Juan’s highly antici-

pated debut single, We are The Light,

at the media event.

The rising Portuguese producer

who grew up on the island of Madeira

and also has Venezuelan heritage, has

had a deep love and passion for mu-

sic from a young age, as Juan started

playing the piano when he was just six

years old after his older sister received

it as a birthday gift, but she wasn’t

too interested in playing it. Over the

years, Juan built his first home studio

where he spent countless hours play-

ing songs that he heard on the radio,

recording them and then mixing them,

heavily influenced by electronic music

that had started to sweep the world’s

airwaves in the early 90’s.

As a self-taught musician, Juan in-

vested a lot of time in honing his musi-

cal talent by forming his own band at

14, learning to play and perform mu-

sic across a wide range of musical gen-

res including rock, pop and Latino, and

then touring with his band across Por-

tugal and Europe, as he simply loved

the feeling of playing live music in front

of a crowd of people.

Following his move to Doha in 2012,

Juan has been busy expanding his mu-

sical abilities as he now also plays the

bass guitar, drums and percussion.

During this time, Juan has also spent

a lot of time in the studio mixing music

and working on his singles, including

We Are The Light, written by Dana Al-

fardan, an engrossing and exhilarating

debut which features a combination of

exquisite cello played by renowned Qa-

tar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) cel-

list Kiki Schmitz. Juan’s other singles in-

clude These Are The Best Times and

The Sun Will Rise, with both melodic

and easy going house tracks poised to

be the summer anthems of 2016, will

also be played live for the first time

during The Rooftop event.

Commenting ahead of his Doha de-

but, Juan Pestana said: “I really love all

kinds of music and I think that a lot of

diversity as a musician is incredibly im-

portant. I’m really proud of everything

that I have accomplished to date, es-

pecially with We Are The Light, and

thanks to the ongoing support of Dana

and DNA Records. With Dana’s con-

tinued encouragement and the foun-

dation of DNA Records we have been

able to create a unique sound that

people are responding well to, and I’m

pleased to say that Dana is constantly

at the forefront of music in Qatar.”

Speaking about the signing of Juan

Pestana to DNA Records, Dana Al-

fardan, CEO of DNA Records, said:

“As soon as I met Juan and I had the

chance to hear his sound, I believed in

him as an artist and saw what he was

capable of. DNA Records is proud to

be supporting and nurturing local tal-

ent in Qatar, and it is also a testament

to the fact that music is continuing to

grow in Qatar and that it is becoming

increasingly a part of our culture, and

that is a beautiful thing.”

Carolin Zeitler, founder of How

Women Work, is leaving a legacy

After nine years in Qatar and seven years of actively empower-

ing the women of Qatar, Carolin Zeitler, founder of How Wom-

en Work (HWW), is now preparing her impending departure

from the community.

The How Women Work Community has been empowering wom-

en in Qatar to grow and succeed since its inception in 2009, hosting

a wide variety of events, including conferences, workshops, master-

mind groups and retreats, to name but a few. The next conference

on the agenda is “How Women FIND Work” on May 12.

“Qatar will always have a place in my heart. The unrivalled hospi-

tality, the amazing people and the opportunities I have found here

ensure that I have many happy memories.”

Zeitler is now setting out to write a book about her time in Doha,

about the joys and challenges of founding and growing a commu-

nity like HWW and her learning from it. While Zeitler will be provid-

ing the main narrative, many of the women whose lives have been

touched by her work will be adding their perspectives to the book

as well. The community has already officially been handed over to

Zeitler’s successor, EvryIliaki, a Greek social entrepreneur, who relo-

cated to Qatar in 2015. For three months, from March to end of June,

the two women are working together to ensure a smooth transition.

| 07THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

MARKETPLACE

Hilton Doha

named Best

Business Hotel

Hilton Doha exceptionally fa-

mous for being the business

hotel by the beach area add-

ed one more accolades in it

growing list of awards and recognition

by winning the “Best Business Hotel in

Doha 2016” for the second time at the

recently concluded Business Traveller

Middle East held in Dubai, UAE.

Adham El Sebaey, general manag-

er, said,” We are incredibly proud and

honored to receive this award from a

highly respected organisation dedi-

cated to travel, tourism and hospitality.

The hotel team members are delight-

ed to be recognised as the best busi-

ness hotel in Doha and are encouraged

to continue their dedication and devo-

tion to bring the best hospitality expe-

rience to guests”.

On its 5th year, the Business Trav-

eller Middle East Awards are hosted

each year to celebrate the very best of

business travel where the region’s top

companies in the airline, airport, hotel

and car rental industries compete for

honours.

Hilton Doha is an attractive destina-

tion in a time where a remarkable de-

velopment in Qatar’s tourism sector is

witnessed ideally located in the heart

of West Bay area.

Few minutes away from the em-

bassies, government offices, exten-

sive shopping and prominent land-

marks, Hilton Doha features 7 restau-

rants including the popular Trader Vic’s

and leisure facilities including eforea,

Hilton’s very own spa concept.

Mosafer celebrates opening of its first flagship store in US

Mosafer, Fine Art of Travel, the trav-

el lifestyle store, celebrates its first

flagship in the United States, and 21st

store worldwide with a VIP event host-

ed by Shark Tank’s Daymond John.

In an exclusive interview for the

store’s soft opening in December of

2015, chairman and founder Ashraf

Abu Issa addresses the niche: “The

travel lifestyle is the ultimate lifestyle.

People want to show off their best

clothing and bags,” he said. “We’re try-

ing to revive and refresh that. We want

to entertain customers.”

And entertain they will. The night is

set up to highlight the new approach

to travel retail through introductions

to new categories of travel retail, with

the VIP guests amongst the first to en-

gage. Brand activations will be organ-

ised around 3 key categories; health

and wellness during travel, travel tech

innovations and the latest in in-flight

comfort.

FOOD

08 | THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

IANS

Suffering from dehydra-

tion this summer? Here

are some easily made

recipes from nutrition-

ist Suvidha Raibole of Care24

for home-made smoothies that

will instantly cool you down and

keep you fresh and healthy.

Smoothie for digestion:

Green Smoothie

This jade-green smooth-

ie has anti-inflammatory, stom-

ach-soothing foods such as gin-

ger. It also includes pro-biotic

rich yogurt.

Ingredients

1 cup cubed honeydew mel-

on

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled,

seeded, and cubed

1/2 cup kale

1/2 cup plain yogurt, prefer-

ably organic

1 teaspoon fresh ginger,

grated

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Dash of ground cloves

Well blended, this alkaliz-

ing smoothie improves your di-

gestion and boosts nutrient

absorption. Ginger settles the

stomach, while the flax seeds

provide omega-3s and fiber.

Smoothie to increase me-

tabolism: Yummy Tropical

Smoothie

This one has so many yum-

my tropical fruits that you may

just want to enjoy one every

day. While it does help to boost

your metabolism, it also has Vi-

tamins A and C and zinc so it

helps to boost your immune

system as well.

½ cup cantaloupe - cubed

½ cup mango - cubed

¼ cup pumpkin seeds -fine-

ly chopped

½ cup pineapple - cubed

Enough water to thin —

again, this is dependent on how

thin or thick you want your drink.

Just blend all of the ingredients

together and enjoy.

Smoothie for healthy hair:

Spinach and berry smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup baby spinach

1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 banana, cut into chunks

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla

almond milk, 3-5 ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in a

blender until smooth and frothy.

Berries are a great source of Vi-

tamin C, which helps the body

absorb iron. Spinach provides

folate and Iron that helps red

blood cells transport oxygen

around the body.

Keep healthy this summer with easily-made smoothies

Dinner in 30 minutes: Tomato soup with grilled havarti cheese croutonsBy Bonnie S Benwick The Washington Post

Tomato Soup With Grilled Havarti Cheese Crou-

tons.

3 servings (makes about 4 ½ cups): This is a de-

cidedly non-creamy tomato soup, with acidity front

and center. Buttery, cheesy bites of grilled cheese

sandwich function as croutons, making the dish a

sophisticated version of a childhood favourite.

½ medium white or yellow onion.

Whole peeled fire-roasted plum tomatoes from

one 28-ounce can (10 or 11). 1 tablespoon olive oil.

¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt. 1 teaspoon ground

Aleppo pepper (may substitute hot or sweet pa-

prika). 2 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth (may

substitute chicken broth). 2 tablespoons unsalt-

ed butter, at room temperature. 2 thick slices mul-

ti-grain or whole-wheat bread. 2 ounces havarti

cheese, preferably with caraway seed (may sub-

stitute Leyden cheese with caraway). 1 ½ table-

spoons pesto (basil or spinach; optional). ½ lemon.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Coarsely chop the onion. Place the tomatoes in

a medium bowl; use your hands to gently crush

them. Reserve the can juices for another use, if de-

sired. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over me-

dium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the

onion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion

begins to soften. Add the tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon of

the salt and all the Aleppo pepper; cook for about

3 minutes, stirring a few times, then add the broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-

low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Meanwhile, spread a total of 1 ½ tablespoons of

the butter on both sides of each slice of bread. Cut

the cheese into small pieces; place them on one

slice of bread, then drizzle with the pesto, if using.

Top with the other slice, pressing gently to form a

sandwich. Melt the remaining ½ tablespoon of but-

ter in a small, ovenproof skillet over medium heat.

Place the sandwich in it and cook for 3 minutes on

each side, until lightly browned, then transfer the

skillet to the oven; bake for about 6 minutes.

Turn off the heat under the saucepan. Use an

immersion (stick) blender to puree the soup mix-

ture for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. Taste, and

add some or all of the remaining salt, as needed.

Squeeze the lemon half into the soup (to taste), be-

ing careful not to introduce any seeds.

FASHION/LIFESTYLE

| 09THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

Siriano will try anything to help you look goodBy Kim Bhasin The Washington Post

The final look at Christian Siri-

ano’s show at Kleinfeld Brid-

al’s Manhattan boutique was a

wild fuchsia ombre cupcake of

a wedding gown with endless tiers of

tulle. It might have felt more at home

in a fantasy novel than in the formal,

whitewashed home of the popular TLC

reality show “Say Yes to the Dress.” But

as the runway model turned the cor-

ner, spectators in the back row stood,

phone cameras in hand, to angle

themselves for a clear shot. This was,

as they say, a moment.

That pink wedding gown will retail

for $19,000, but Siriano’s fashion em-

pire spans all prices. Ever since he won

the fourth season of the fashion real-

ity competition, “Project Runway,” in

2008, he has walked a bifurcated path,

with his high-end, ready-to-wear line

on one side, and a series of inexpen-

sive retail partnerships with brands

such as Payless and HSN on the other.

He has sold cleaning products, make-

up and even phones; the bridal line is

yet another experiment in an aggres-

sively diverse business strategy.

Siriano’s marquee designs are his

gowns, colourful centerpieces that are

glamorously over-the-top. His fans in-

clude Heidi Klum, Lady Gaga and

Christina Hendricks, and many of his

evening looks have luxury price tags to

go along with the celebrity following:

a $5,800 pink silk petal evening gown,

or example, or a $4,000 black ostrich

feather skirt.

“It’s nice that people associate me

first with this kind of fantasy evening

wear,” says Siriano. “It’s very hard to

start low and go high. It’s almost im-

possible.”

Siriano’s latest push is to serve de-

signer goods to those usually unserved

by them: Today, he’s releasing a limit-

ed edition line with moderately priced

plus-size retailer Lane Bryant. New

York magazine recently lauded him for

for changing the time-honored busi-

ness of red carpet dressing by deliber-

ately aiming to lend clothes to women

of all shapes. He says he wants to dress

the everywoman, shunning the exclu-

sionary tenets of the fashion industry.

A few days after his bridal show, the

30-year-old fashion designer, exhaust-

ed by early afternoon, plops down on-

to a chair at a white lacquer table in his

showroom and studio on the 9th floor

of a building in Manhattan’s Garment

District. Clad

in all-black,

a Topman

blazer over

his Comme

des Garcons

tee, Siriano

is more sub-

dued than

the vibrant,

chipper self

that made

him so lika-

ble on televi-

sion. He apol-

ogises. Siri-

ano and his

team of de-

signers, pat-

tern-makers,

and seam-

stresses are

fully drained.

Everyone will be getting Friday off, he

says with a weary smile.

The pace is intense. After bridal and

Lane Bryant, there will be a home line

with Bed Bath and Beyond. He wants

to open more retail stores of his own.

Oh, and did he mention that he sells

hand cream at BJs Wholesale Club?

You can also still find the Chris-

tian Siriano name on $17 flats and $35

crossbody bags at Payless ShoeSource,

one of his more successful endeavours.

Siriano first linked up with the store

in late 2008, as he was prepping his

first fashion line. Now he prepares four

collections for the retailer each year,

selling styles from pumps to sandals.

They’re often found on sale.

The strangest project so far, he

admits, has been a line of patterned

sponges-the kind you scrub dishes

with-that he designed for O-Cel-O, one

of 3M’s home cleaning brands. During

less flush times, when he was a bud-

ding designer, he jumped at any op-

portunity he could.

“I did jobs because I needed the

cash flow,” he says. Lately, he’s been

choosier and more calculating.

Siriano’s operation involves 19 peo-

ple on two floors of the New York of-

fice building. In the showroom, next to

all the clothing racks and bag shelves,

an inspiration board is peppered with

photos of chunky knits, a prevalent

theme in the fall 2016 collection he

presented in at fashion week in Feb-

ruary. It’s his job to make sure his aes-

thetic remains consistent through all

his various products, lest he stray too

far from what shoppers expect of him.

“If you keep them too separate, then

customers don’t feel they’re getting a

part of the world,” he says.

He has cultivated a devoted fol-

lowing since he rose to fame on re-

ality television. After interning at Vivi-

enne Westwood, Alexander McQueen

and Mark Jacobs, he jumped at an op-

portunity to appear on “Project Run-

way.” Siriano has since maintained the

fan following that fell in love with his

fiery attitude and flurry of catch-phras-

es. Early on, as he began to strategize

his life after reality TV, Siriano knew he

faced a unique problem: Most young

designers have products but no cus-

tomers; he had customers but no

products.

Siriano decided he wouldn’t limit

himself to the high-fashion stage be-

cause his fans ran the spectrum of lo-

cation and income. That meant going

into such stores as Payless and Vic-

toria’s Secret in order to serve them.

The strategy worked: His operation

has grown steadily each year. Wom-

en’s Wear Daily pegged his business at

around $1.2m in 2010. Siriano says he

expects revenue this year to be from

$6m to $8m.

Protecting the extravagant outfits-

those evening gowns and dresses-is

paramount. He keeps these at luxury

prices, the source of his credibility in

high fashion circles, and continues to

have his name associated with fash-

ionable actresses and musicians. By re-

fraining from selling cheaper versions

of his hottest couture looks, the Chris-

tian Siriano label retains its integrity in

evening wear, so that the woman who

goes to Neiman Marcus in search of an

outfit for a posh gala feels comforta-

ble picking his $6,900 strapless metal-

lic ball gown.

HEALTH & FITNESS

10 | THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

Eat dark chocolate to curb diabetes & heart disease riskIANS

Fancy eating chocolates every day?

You may soon have the recommen-

dation of doctors to indulge a little as

researchers have found that a dark

chocolate bar daily could reduces the

risk of developing diabetes and heart

diseases.

For the study, the researchers ana-

lysed data of 1,153 people aged 18-69

years old who were part of the Obser-

vation of Cardiovascular Risk in Luxem-

bourg study.

It was found that those who ate

100 g of chocolate a day — equivalent

to a bar — had reduced insulin resist-

ance and improved liver enzymes.

Insulin sensitivity is a well-estab-

lished risk factor to cardiovascular dis-

ease. The findings were published in

the British Journal of Nutrition.

The analysis took into account life-

style and dietary factors, including the

simultaneous consumption of tea and

coffee. This is because both drinks can

be high in polyphenol, the substance

which may provide chocolate with its

beneficial cardiometabolic effects.

“Given the growing body of evi-

dence, including our own study, co-

coa-based products may represent an

additional dietary recommendation to

improve cardio-metabolic health; how-

ever, observational results need to be

supported by robust trial evidence,”

said Saverio Stranges, visiting academ-

ic at the University of Warwick Medical

School in England.

“Potential applications of this knowl-

edge include recommendations by

healthcare professionals to encourage

individuals to consume a wide range of

phytochemical-rich foods, which can

include dark chocolate in moderate

amounts,” Stranges said.

However, it is important to differen-

tiate between the natural product co-

coa and the processed product choc-

olate, which is an energy-dense food.

Therefore, physical activity, diet and

other lifestyle factors must be carefully

balanced to avoid detrimental weight

gain over time, the researchers warned.

IANS

A healthy intake of vitamin

D in the first year of life

can build up more mus-

cle mass and reduce

body fat in toddlers, finds a new

study. “We were very intrigued by

the higher lean mass, the possibil-

ity that vitamin D can help infants

to not only grow healthy skeletons

but also healthy amounts of mus-

cle and less fat,” said one of the

researcher Hope Weiler, director

of the Mary Emily Clinical Nutrition

Research Unit at McGill University

in Canada.

The team analysed 132 infants

in Quebec who were given a vita-

min D3 supplement at one of four

different dosages between the ag-

es of one month and 12 months.

Using body scans they assessed

bone density to measure the chil-

dren’s muscle and fat mass.

Vitamin D supplementation is

routinely recommended for babies

until they can get an adequate

amount through their diet.

Children who had higher stores

of vitamin D in their body averaged

around 450 grams less body fat

at three years of age, the study

found.

The findings confirmed the

importance of a vitamin D sup-

plement of 400 internation-

al units per day during a baby’s

first year for the development of

strong bones.

However, higher doses did

not show any additional benefit --

at least not in terms of bone de-

velopment.

The study, published in the

journal Pediatric Obesity, indi-

cated a correlation between lean

muscle mass and the average lev-

el of vitamin D in the body over

the first three years of a child’s

life. The only other factor found

to make a significant difference

to the children’s amount of body

fat was their level of physical ac-

tivity, the researchers stated.

Vitamin D may help cut body fat in infants

ENTERTAINMENT

| 11THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

TV acting is an entirely different animal: Jane FondaIANS

Two-time Academy Award winning actress Jane Fonda, who stars

in American comedy-drama series “Grace and Frankie”, says tele-

vision acting is foreign territory for her. “Episodic TV is an entirely dif-

ferent animal: Being in every episode, working very long hours, not

entirely knowing the arc of the entire season, having to learn lines

very quickly,” Fonda told variety.com.

The stars of Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie” celebrated new begin-

nings at its season two premiere last weekend with a screening at

the Harmony Gold Theatre in West Hollywood.

The two episodes screened included the show’s usual mix of

comedy and pathos. The series picks up moments after the end

of season one as Sol (Sam Waterston) is returning home to Robert

(Martin Sheen) after met with ex-wife Frankie (Lily Tomlin). Tomlin

said she and longtime friend and co-star Fonda have got along fa-

mously for more than 35 years without having “too many quarrels”.

Justin Lin in talks

to direct ‘Space

Jam’ sequelIANS

Filmmaker Justin Lin is in talks to direct ‘Space Jam

2,’ starring American professional basketball play-

er LeBron James, for Warner Bros. The original

starred former National Basketball Association (NBA)

star Michael Jordan, who teamed up with the Looney

Tunes cast to battle a group of aliens in an epic basket-

ball game.

Lin and Andrew Dodge are penning the script for

the film, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

Rumours of a “Space Jam” sequel sparked last sum-

mer after James and his company SpringHill Entertain-

ment signed a deal with Warner Bros.

James has been compared to Jordan since the NBA

all-star entered the league in 2003. Following Jordan’s

footsteps on the big screen makes sense for James, as

well as the studio, which is constantly looking for mate-

rial with established brand value.

James made his acting debut in the Judd Apatow

comedy “Trainwreck”, where he played himself.

Lin, best known for reviving the “Fast and Furious”

franchise, is currently in post production on “Star Trek

Beyond”. He also recently helmed an episode in the

newest season of HBO’s “True Detective”.

Julia Roberts made $3m for four

days work on ‘Mother’s Day’

IANS

Actress Julia Roberts earned $3m for her

supporting role in romantic comedy film

‘Mother’s Day’ that required her to shoot

for only four days.

That means her rate — of $750,000 a day —

puts her among the top-earning actresses in Hol-

lywood. But it’s nowhere near the record (for a

woman) $20m she received at the peak of her ca-

reer for the 2000 film “Erin Brockovich”, reports

variety.com.

“Mother’s Day” opened with a disappointing

$8.3m over the weekend. It’s a reminder that Rob-

erts’ days as an A-list star who could carry a movie

on her own could be over — as evidenced by other

recent misfires like “The Secrets in Their Eyes” and

“Mirror Mirror”.

The ticket sales of the film were hurt by terri-

ble reviews.

Directed by Garry Marshall, the film features a

sprawling cast from Jennifer Aniston to Kate Hud-

son that pop up in a series of vignettes.

Roberts plays Miranda, a famous home shop-

ping network star who sports an Anna Wintour-

like wig.

ENTERTAINMENT

12 | THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

National Award panel not qualified enough for Big B: Ram Gopal Varma

IANS

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma,

who is in the national capi-

tal to promote his forthcoming

film “Veerappan”, says the Na-

tional Award Committee is not quali-

fied enough to give megastar Amitabh

Bachchan an award.

Speaking in regard to the veter-

an actor’s Best Actor Award at the

63rd National Film Awards, the “Satya”

filmmaker believes that Amitabh has

proved his talent multiple times over

the decades.

“Amitabh Bachchan has proved his

talent multiple times over the decades.

I think National Award Committee is

not qualified enough to give him an

award,” Varma told reporters here.

The biographical film has been writ-

ten and directed by Varma, based on

the life of Indian bandit Veerappan,

and the events leading to Operation

Cocoon to capture or kill Veerappan.

The film features actors Sandeep

Bharadwaj, Lisa Ray, Sachiin J Joshi

and Usha Jadhav.

The film is slated for a worldwide

release on May 27, 2016.

Ace filmmaker Ramesh Sippy head-

ed the Feature Film jury of the 63rd Na-

tional Film Awards. The 63rd National

Film Awards ceremony here got a dash

of glitz and glamour of Bollywood with

Amitabh Bachchan and Kangana Ra-

naut getting Best Actor and Best Ac-

tress honours.

A total of 21 awards were given

by President Pranab Mukherjee in the

Non-Feature Film category while the

number of awards in Feature Film cat-

egory were 51.

While Amitabh, dressed up in a

black suit, picked up the award for his

act as a Bengali father in “Piku”, which

also starred Deepika Padukone, Kan-

gana looking radiant in off-shoulder

gown got the honour for her superla-

tive dual act in “Tanu Weds Manu Re-

turns”. She has previously won National

Awards twice for her roles in “Fashion”

and “Queen”.

The award for the Best Feature Film

was given to filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s

magnum opus “Baahubali: The Begin-

ning”, produced by Shobu Yarlagadda

and Arka Mediaworks Pvt Ltd. The tal-

ent of the Hindi film industry was laud-

ed along with regional film industries

like Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil,

Telugu and Assamese.

It was the tragic romance saga

of Maratha warrior Peshwa Bajirao I

(played by Ranveer Singh) and Masta-

ni (Deepika Padukone) in “Bajirao Mas-

tani” that shone through the ceremony

as it scooped up many honours. San-

jay Leela Bhansali got the Best Director

award for it as Remo D’Souza won the

award in Best Choreography.

Shriram Iyengar, Saloni Dhatrak and

Sujeet Sawant won for the movie’s pro-

duction design.

In the audiography section, Biswa-

deep Chatterjee’s sound designing and

Justin Ghose’s re-recording of the final

mixed track for the Ranveer Singh and

Deepika Padukone starrer, have been

honoured.

“Masaan” directed by Neeraj Ghay-

wan and produced by Phantom Films

received the Indira Gandhi Award for

Best Debut Film of a Director.

Superstar Salman Khan’s on-screen

journey to Pakistan from India via “Ba-

jrangi Bhaijaan” became the Best Pop-

ular Film providing Wholesome En-

tertainment. The film’s director Kabir

Khan, looking sophisticated in black

bandhgala, received the award.

The gala also witnessed the per-

formances by 63rd National Film

Award winners — Monali Thakur, who

won the Best Female Playback Sing-

er for the song “Moh moh ke dhaage”

from “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” and Ma-

hesh Kale, who won the Best Playback

Singer (male) for the Marathi film “Kat-

yar Kaljat Ghusli”.

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj bagged

the Best Screenplay Writer (adapted)

Award for “Talvar”. The Best Screenplay

Writer (original) was shared by Juhi

Chaturvedi (“Piku”) and Himanshu Ku-

mar (“Tanu Weds Manu Returns”).

Just post the announcement of the

award winners back in March, many

questions surfaced pretaining to why

regional cinema and talent was side-

lined. Hinting at the stir, the Presi-

dent also spoke of the importance of

films in context of variety and diver-

sity of India and the important role it

played in unifying the nation. Amita-

bh, who has earlier won the National

Film Award thrice for films “Agneep-

ath”, “Black” and “Paa”, was cheered by

his family including wife Jaya, son Ab-

hishek, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai

and daughter Shweta Nanda.

Veteran Tanvi Azmi also won the

Best Supporting Actress award for her

act in “Bajirao Mastani”, and actress

Shabana Azmi and her husband Javed

Akhtar were seen lauding their relative.

In fact, they were so excited that they

went on photo clicking spree when her

name was announced. The award for

the Best Children’s Film was given to

“Duronto” (Hindi) produced by Code

Red Films. Master Gaurav Menon was

conferred award for Best Child Artist

for movie “Ben” (Malayalam).

Speaking in regard to the veteran actor’s Best Actor Award at the 63rd National Film Awards, the “Satya” filmmaker believes that Amitabh has proved his talent multiple times over the decades.

| 13THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

TECHNOLOGY

Cambridge scientists lay claim to world’s tiniest engine, a million times smaller than an ant

By Ben Guarino The Washington Post

Picture an ant. It’s fuzzy, black

and small, maybe a fifth of an

inch long —and capable of car-

rying up to 50 times its own

body weight. Now envision a power-

ful motor a million times smaller. (You

can’t, not really, but don’t worry — the

human brain wasn’t designed that

way.)

It’s at this microscopic scale that sci-

entists at the University of Cambridge

say they’ve constructed a working en-

gine. The prototype motor, which the

physicists described in the journal Pro-

ceedings of the National Academy of

Sciences, relies on lasers, gold particles

and the exploitation of a nifty physics

principle called van der Waals forces.

The nanoscale engine works like

this: Clumps of gold particles are em-

bedded in a watery polymer gel, which

the scientists blast with a laser for a

brief moment. The laser heats up the

gel, expelling the water as though

wringing a sponge. Without the water

to keep them separate, the gold parti-

cles cling together thanks to their mu-

tual van der Waals attraction. (A van

der Waals force is the relatively weak

interaction between two neutral mol-

ecules — it’s not as strong as the bond

holding a water molecule together, but

it’s powerful enough to keep a gecko

foot stuck to a glass plate.)

Once the gel cools, the polymer

once again soaks up water. The gold

particles violently snap apart. “It’s like

an explosion,” said Tao Ding, an author

of the paper and a researcher at Cam-

bridge’s experimental physics labora-

tory, in a statement.

“We have hundreds of gold balls

flying apart in a millionth of a second

when water molecules inflate the poly-

mers around them.”

The researchers believe that this

cycle of constriction and expansion,

like the oscillations of a spring or the

pumps of a piston, could be used to

power a nanomachine.

Such an engine is, reportedly, quite

efficient for its tiny size. “We can get

10 nano-Newton forces, about ten to

a hundred times more force per unit

weight than any known other machine,

from jet engines to molecular motors,”

wrote Jeremy Baumberg, a University

of Cambridge nanophotonics professor

and an author of the paper, in an email.

Baumberg named the engines “actuat-

ing nano-transducers” - ANTs, for short,

just like the small but strong insects.

Tao and Baumberg aren’t the first

scientists to claim creation of an in-

comprehensibly small engine. In 2014,

Popular Mechanics investigated an en-

gine that involves a single calcium-40

ion, which its inventors argued was so

efficient it broke the laws of thermo-

dynamics.

Claims of busting theoretical limits

aside, Popular Mechanics also noted

that “the sheer amount of laboratory

space and equipment these nano en-

gines require means that we won’t see

them outside a lab anytime soon.”

The Cambridge researchers say

theirs is the first stab at a more func-

tional nano-robot motor, thanks to the

unique use of the van der Waals force.

“We would say that this is really going

to be the basis for ‘practical’ nanoscale

engines,” Baumberg said in his email.

The springy gel provides sufficient

power, they say, to get a nanotechno-

logical device through our wet bod-

ies. “For nanomachines,” he pointed

out, “swimming is like us swimming in

treacle.

Water is very, very viscous on this

size scale. So you need huge forc-

es to make practical devices, and no

one has made these before.” Moreover,

because the engine is fueled by laser

light, there’s no need for wires.

Still, nanobots will remain firmly in

the realm of science fiction for the time

being. The University of Cambridge en-

gine needs a bit of refining before it

can be hitched to a nanoscale object.

“Our main challenge is how to build a

device that harnesses the forces for

motion in one direction — a bit like a

piston on a steam engine,” Baumberg

wrote.

“Currently the force just expands

and contracts in all directions.” But a

few steps down the line — once the di-

rectional problem is solved — he envi-

sions “tiny nanomachines that can walk

around, controlled by beams of light.”

Captain America: Civil War (2D/Action) 11:30am, 2:30,

5:30, 8:30 & 11:15pm

1920 London (2D/Hindi) 11:00am & 11:15pm

One Night Stand (2D/Hindi) 1:15 & 9:45pm The Jungle Book (2D/Action) 3:00 & 5:00pm The Man Who Knew Infinity (2D/Drama) 2:00 & 7:00pm Just The 3 of Us (2D/Tagalog) 11:30am, 5:30 & 9:00pm The Adderall Diaries (2D/Action) 4:00 & 11:30pm Kangar Hoppiena (2D/Arabic) 7:45pm

AL KHORCaptain America: Civil War (2D/Action) 11:30am, 2:30, 5:30, 8:30 & 11:30pm 24 (Tamil) 12:30, 3:30 & 6:30, 9:30pm & 12:30am Jacob’s Kingdom of Heaven (Malayalam) 11:00am, 2:00,

5:00, 8:00 & 11:00pm

ASIAN TOWN

NOVO

MALL

ROYAL PLAZAVILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER

JACOB’S KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

BABY BLUES

ZITS

A devoted family man, his entire life revolves around his wife Sherlyn and the couple’s four children. But when the global economic crash strikes, Jacob finds himself in deep trouble.

14 THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

CINEMA PLUS

Captain America: Civil War (Action) 3D 11:00am, 2:00, 5:00, 8:00 & 11:00pm 2D 10:30, 11:30am, 12:00noon, 1:30, 2:30, 3:00, 4:30, 5:30, 6:00, 7:30, 8:30, 9:00, 10:30, 11:30 & 11:55pm The Man Who Knew Infinity (2D/Drama) 10:15am, 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30 & 11:45pmHellions (2D) 10:00am, 2:30, 7:00 & 11:30pm The Adderall Diaries (2D/Action) 12:30, 5:00 & 9:30pmMother’s Day (2D/Comedy) 11:00am, 3:20, 7:40 & 11:40pmI Am Wrath (2D/Thriller) 1:20, 5:40 & 9:40pmThe Jungle Book (2D/Adventure) 11:30am, 1:45, 4:00 & 6:15pmTake Down (2D/Action) 8:20 & 10:45pmThe Huntsman Winter’s War (2D/Action) 11:00am, 1:30, 4:00 & 6:30pmKangar Hoppiena (2D/Arabic) 9:00 & 11:30pmCaptain America: Civil War (2D IMAX/Action) 10:00am, 12:50, 3:40, 6:30, 9:30pm & 12:30am

Jacob’s Kingdom of Heaven (Malayalam) 12:30, 1:30, 3:30,

4:30, 6:15, 7:30, 9:15, 10:30, 12:00midnight & 01:30am

24 (Tamil) 12:30, 1:00, 3:15, 4:00, 6:15, 7:00, 9:00, 10:00pm,

12:00midnight & 01:00am

The Man Who Knew Infinity (2D/Drama) 11:45am & 6:45pm The Jungle Book (2D/Action) 2:15 & 4:15pm One Night Stand (2D/Hindi) 4:00pm 24 (2D/Tamil) 5:45 & 10:45pmJust The 3 of Us (2D/Tagalog) 8:45pmCaptain America: Civil War (2D/Action) 11:00am, 1:30, 8:00 & 11:00pm Kangar Hoppiena (2D/Arabic) 6:00pmJacob’s King of Heaven (2D/Malayalam) 11:15am, 2:15

& 8:45pm

The Adderall Diaries (2D/Action) 5:00pm 1920 London (2D/Hindi) 11:30pm

Note: Programme is subject to change without prior notice.

EASY SUDOKU

15THURSDAY 5 MAY 2016

Yesterday’s answer

Easy Sudoku Puzzles: Place a digit from 1

to 9 in each empty cell so every row, every

column and every 3x3 box contains all the

digits 1 to 9.

Yesterday’s answer

MEDIUM SUDOKU

ALL IN THE MIND

CROSSWORD

BRAIN TEASERS

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal,vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

AEROBICS, ATHLETICS,

BALANCE BEAM, BARBELL,

BICEPS, BIKE, BODY

BUILDING, DELTOID, DIET,

EXERCISE, FITNESS,

GYMNASIUM, HEALTH,

HORSE, JOGGING,

MEDICINE BALL,

MUSCLES, NUTRITION,

PARALLEL BARS,

PECTORAL, PHYSIQUE,

PUSH UPS, RINGS, ROWING

MACHINE, RUNNING,

SPORT, SWIMMING,

TRAINER, TRAMPOLINE,

TREADMILL, TRICEPS,

WEIGHTS, WORKOUT.

ACROSS

1. Eternal (9)

6. Water barrier (3)

7. Precious gem (7)

9. Mistake (5)

10. One of the senses (5)

12. Expert (3)

13. Beer mug (5)

14. Score (5)

16. Very old (7)

18. Self (3)

19. Stage name (9)

DOWN

1. Military chaplain (5)

2. Compunction (7)

3. Survival (9)

4. Fifth sign of the zodiac (3)

5. Emblem (5)

8. Tried (9)

11. Physician (7)

13. Frighten (5)

15. Tempest (5)

17. Drinking vessel (3)

13:05 Game Of

Pawns

14:20 Yukon Men

15:10 Wheeler Dealers

16:00 Fast N’ Loud

16:50 Fifth Gear

18:30 For The Love

Of Cars

19:20 Diamond River

Hunters

20:35 Auction Hunters

21:50 For The Love

Of Cars

22:40 Ed Stafford:

Into The

Unknown

08:00 Chef

10:00 Bad Parents

12:00 Orange County

14:00 Hope Springs

15:45 Chef

17:45 Mystery Men

20:00 Textuality

22:00 Hot Tub Time

Machine 2

13:45 Gator Boys

14:40 Treehouse

Masters

15:35 Tanked

16:30 Africa’s Trees

Of Life

17:25 River Monsters

20:10 Animal Cops

South Africa

21:05 Treehouse

Masters

22:00 Ten Deadliest

Snakes With

Nigel Marven

22:55 Gator Boys

23:50 River Monsters

13:15 Dragonheart 3:

Sorcerer’s Curse

15:00 Son Of Batman

16:30 The Hundred-

Foot Journey

18:45 Jupiter

Ascending

21:00 The Forger

23:00 Necessary

Death Of Charlie

08:00 News

08:30 Witness

09:00 Killing The

Count

10:00 News

10:30 Inside Story

11:00 News

11:30 The Stream

12:00 News

12:30 People &

Power

13:00 NEWSHOUR

14:00 News

14:30 Inside Story

15:00 Witness

16:00 NEWSHOUR

17:00 News

17:30 The Stream

18:00 NEWSHOUR

19:00 News

19:30 Viewfinder

Latin America

20:00 News

20:30 Inside Story

21:00 NEWSHOUR

22:00 News

22:30 The Stream

23:00 Killing The

Count

13:10 Austin & Ally

14:00 Liv And

Maddie

16:10 Violetta

17:00 The Next Step

17:25 Alex And Co

17:50 Jessie

18:40 Gravity Falls

19:05 Evermoor

Chronciles

19:30 Liv And

Maddie

20:45 Good Luck

Charlie

21:10 H2O: Just

Add Water

21:35 H2O: Just

Add Water

22:00 Binny And The

Ghost

22:25 Sabrina

Secrets Of A

Teenage Witch

22:50 Sabrina

Secrets Of A

Teenage Witch

23:10 Hank Zipzer

23:35 Binny And The

Ghost

TV LISTINGS