P7 P16 - Gulf Times

CommunityNepal Non-Resident Federation of

Indigenous Nationalities – Qatar marks International Day of World’s Indigenous People.

P7 P16 CommunityModern technology brings the

joy of learning to kids in Doha with high tech virtual reality gaming areas and theme parks.

COVERSTORY

Wednesday, August 21, 2019Dhul-Hijja 20, 1440 AH

Doha today: 320 - 390

GLITZ & GLAM SHOWBIZ

The bold and

beautiful.

4

A Soldier’s Play fi nally comes to

Broadway after 35 years.

Page 15

XOXOXOXOAs hit television series As hit television series Gossip GirlGossip Girl gets a reboot, we explore how the original gets a reboot, we explore how the original

series took over the youth cult and will original cast return to the screens. series took over the youth cult and will original cast return to the screens. P4-6

Wednesday, August 21, 20192 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

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

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 3.48amShorooq (sunrise) 5.11amZuhr (noon) 11.39amAsr (afternoon) 3.08pmMaghreb (sunset) 6.05pmIsha (night) 7.35pm

“One touch of nature makes the

whole world kin.” — William Shakespeare

Thanneer Mathan Dinangal DIRECTION: Girish A.DCAST: Vineeth Sreenivasan, Mathew Thomas, Anaswara

RajanSYNOPSIS: Jaison is a higher secondary student, who

initially gets admitted to the Humanities stream. But, he

later switches to the Science batch and starts liking his new classmate, Keerthi. He is annoyed with Keerthi’s admiration for their new Malayalam teacher Ravi Padmanabhan. How Jaison wins Keerthy’s heart forms the crux of the story.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and ShawDIRECTION: David LeitchCAST: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris ElbaSYNOPSIS: Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs, a loyal

agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw, a former British military elite operative, fi rst faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But

when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw’s sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

For movie timings and further details please scan

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

3Wednesday, August 21, 2019 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

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

EVENTS

Art LessonsWHERE: Mathaf Manara Qatar MuseumsWHEN: Ongoing till August 28TIME: 4pm — 7pmJoin artist Ismael Azzam for Art Lessons at

Mathaf and learn drawing techniques called portraiture using pencil, charcoal and paint.

Lessons are off ered to people with basic to intermediate sketching and drawing skills. For more information, [email protected]

The Comedy of TangoWHERE: Katara – the Cultural Village WHEN: August 28TIME: 8pm-9pmWith the support of Katara – the Cultural

Village and embassy of Argentina in Doha Tango Pasión Doha presents Los Guardiola – “The Comedy of Tango” on August 28. A show consisting of seven scenes is inspired by famous tangos. Dancers, mimes and actors, Marcelo Guardiola and Giorgia Marchiori, known artistically as Los Guardiola, will project the audience into the fantastic world of their danced pantomime where comedy and tragedy merge into the rhythm of tango.

Yoga Class WHERE: Lululemon, Mall of QatarWHEN: Every SaturdayTIME: 8:30am – 9:30amJoin the complimentary in-store yoga

classes. No registration or mat is required. The class runs on fi rst come fi rst served basis.

Career GuidanceWHERE: Right Track Consultants, Al

SaddWHEN: Sunday – Thursday TIME: 6pm – 8pmCareer guidance for course, country,

college and entrance for students of Grade IX-XII, of all curriculum. Career assessments administered for stream preference, career test, branch preference, personality, multiple intelligence and learning styles and productivity. For more information, 55448835.

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

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

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

atelierqatar.com or call on 33003839.

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

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

Hobby ClassesWHERE: Mamangam Performing Art

CentreWHEN:Saturday – Friday

Mamangam is an art and performance centre started with a vision of spreading our knowledge, interests and experience in various disciplines in arts across diff erent countries for children and adults.

Summer camp at Mamangam has become the children’s favourite centre for learning art and craft, drawing, and learning spoken English. The kids also enjoy Bollywood dance, contemporary and hip hop music. To develop health consciousness, we teach them kids yoga, karate etc. Mamangam has also come up with chess and robotics in the regular batches in an attempt to give a better learning experience.

The fi rst batch of the summer camp began on June 26 continuing until July 25 from Sundays to Thursdays. The second batch will commence on July 28 ending on August 25. Registrations are open to kids between 5 to 16 years. For those who wish to register for more details, visit www.mamangamqatar.in

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

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

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

Dance and Instrument ClassesWHERE: TCA Campus, Behind Gulf Times

BuildingWHEN: Wednesday – MondayLearn the movements of dance styles in

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


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

‘You know you love me!’Muhammad Asad Ullah writes about how the hit television series,

Gossip Girl, defined the modern television and since the reboot has been

announced, can we expect original cast members again on the screens?

We’ve reached out to all of them (original cast members) to let them know it was happening, and we’d love them to be involved if they want to be involved, but certainly didn’t want to make it contingent upon

— Josh Schwartz,

Executive Producer of Gossip Girl

‘’W

hile some derides the pop culture, it won’t be erroneous to say – we wouldn’t be who we are today, without deriving an inspiration from it, one way or another. From a television show, to a movie, book,

or a cultural phenomenon that has taken over the face of stereotype over the years, there have been episodes that have inspired us profoundly.

“Hey there, Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here. And I have the biggest news ever.”

The fi rst words spoken on television series, Gossip Girl, were by the mysterious Gossip Girl,

voiced by Kristen Bell, star of Veronica Mars, back in 2007 when the pilot episode aired; these three sentences sparked a massive following of an entire generation of digital age kids. The show’s narrative is told through the eyes of the eponymous, always anonymous ‘Gossip Girl’ – a blogger in the midst of its well-heeled characters, who relays the what-they’re-wearing, who-they’ve-been-dating details about their lives with an eyebrow arched as high as ours.

The series lasted six seasons before coming to an end in 2012, and since then, largely thanks to Netfl ix


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

having the program available to stream, new generations have been able to bask in the secret lives of Manhattan’s elite. Although when it fi rst stormed the screens, the social media landscape was utterly diff erent from what it is today; 2007 was still a time when people worldwide were adapting to Facebook and Twitter was still in its beginning and Instagram didn’t even exist, let alone the hoopla of selfi es, gifs, memes and Whatsapp that would later come tumbling out of Pandora’s proverbial box.

The teenage drama set in New York’s exclusive Upper East Side became the hottest thing in showbusiness and cult; and changed the way the world watched television. A more than a decade ago, the show left an entire generation of youth permanently obsessed with the old money elite living, playing and raving up in Manhattan.

The cult phenomenon, which ran for six seasons between 2007 and 2012, was based on the best-selling books of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. It made stars out of newcomers Blake Lively, playing uptown blonde Serena van der Woodsen; Leighton Meester, Blair Waldorf; Chace Crawford, Nate Archibald; and Ed Westwick, Chuck Bass; as members of a wealthy clique of New York teenagers from the Upper East Side. Joined by the Brooklyn-residing scholarship student Dan Humphrey, played by Penn Badgley, who was the ultimate outsider, striving hard as ever but subtly to be the insider of Manhattan’s elite. The group’s every waking moment was broadcast to their peers by Gossip Girl, an anonymous blogger whose posts revealed many of the gang’s deepest, darkest secrets.

Gossip Girl’s identity was kept a mystery till the last episode when Dan – the perpetual outsider often referred to as ‘Lonely Boy’ – was

revealed as the eponymous blogger – to mass hullabaloo.

With its realistic portrayal of the ups and downs of female friendships, accurate enough representations of family struggles, and loads of characters with a willingness to do everything to get what they want, Gossip Girl enormously aff ected those who watched the show, sometimes in a good way and sometimes just ridiculously bad.

Whether it was Chuck leaving his mark on the Manhattan skyline, Dan publishing a novel while he was a student at NYU, or Blair creating a new junior line for her mother’s fashion company, we always found the characters’ passion for what they loved contagious. Of course, the characters’ passions also included the harassment of fellow students, multiple up-town parties, glamorous tiaras and total slanderous scheming, but the show allowed to live vicariously through the characters and their outlandish adventures. It allowed the entry into the most vulnerable and relatable time of these characters’ lives—the end of high school and the beginning of college, adulthood, and everything else.

Fashion and fi lm have been inextricably linked for the past century, with designers drawing inspiration from the silver screen and auteurs going to great lengths to secure the perfect costumes for their characters. Would Blair Waldorf have become a sensation without Valentino and Givenchy’s sophisticated designs? And what would the blonde Serena be without Balenciaga or Harry Winston?

From the moment Serena stepped into the frame in a natty brown jacket, with bags in hand at Grand Central NY, GG had us totally buggin’. Although the lavish lives of Serena, Nate, Blair, Chuck and even poor (literally) Dan and Jenny were too glamorous and

scandalised to be true, loads of us were still hooked. And once you got past the Chanel bags and private jets, the characters were actually kind of relatable; relatable in the sense that even the rich have problems too. We all can recall ourselves behaving in a similar way or struggling with a similar battle at some point in our lives which allowed us to sympathise with the characters. Despite all their fl aws we still rooted for them. Gossip Girl had many protagonists that all had their own timelines.

I’m back, XoxoWe are living in the age of the

reboot, with shows like Charmed and Will & Grace fi nding their way back to television. And while some of these reboots and revivals fl op, others excel, combining nostalgia from when they fi rst aired with relevance to today’s culture. But not all shows that were popular in the past are able to be refl ective of the time we currently live in. We had seen this moment coming for quite some time now: the reboot of Gossip Girl. It has been offi cially announced recently, that show will be making a comeback. The fans like myself, were rooting for it – but it all depends whether it will hit the right relatable chord or not.

Xoxo! The high heels of Constance Billard School Manhattan, from where the Gossip Girl started, seems to tip off again! It seems that those phantoms halls, prowled by the likes of Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, will once again halo the tolls of horrid pretentious laugher, the whispers of scandalous secrets. An updated reboot of Gossip Girl, is reportedly forthcoming from HBO Max!

Can lightning strike twice? How much fun can we expect to have? Will it feature the original Blair and

The show allowed us to live vicariously through the characters and their outlandish adventures. It allowed entry into the most vulnerable and relatable time of these characters’ lives – the end of high school and the beginning of college, adulthood, and everything else

DIRECTOR’S CUT: Leighton Meester, left, with Blake Lively during the shoot of Season 1 of Gossip Girl.

FASHION INSPO: The television show has been famous among fashion savvy viewers, keeping an eye to detail to what Blair and Serena channelled. Continued on Page 6


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

Serena, because we’re obsessed with them, And perhaps most importantly, what will the cast wear this time? Because we certainly remember what the original characters wore – giving major glitzy goals. In order to reboot Gossip Girl for today’s viewers, so much would have to be altered and changed. Is that possible? Maybe.

In the fi rst series, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump once had cameos on the show, who would be making this time. Would someone even agree – knowing the reach of the show and media now? But apart from that, the biggest question remains – will original cast members return on the screen?

Helmed by original executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and one-time showrunner Josh Safran, the reboot will focus on a new generation of high-school students who are ‘introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl’ when the old site is mysteriously restored.

The new series promises to address how social media has changed in the intervening years, but surely social media is what killed Gossip Girl in the fi rst place? By the time the show ended, the idea of one blogger had ceased to be a concept. The power had already been redistributed to the masses, who were taking to their laptops to post anonymously on public platforms and share every aspect of their lives themselves. Gossip Girl, which practically predicted the rise of the internet troll, can no longer claim to be “your one and only source to the scandalous lives of the Manhattan elite”.

“We’ve reached out to all of them (original cast members) to let them know it was happening, and we’d love for them to be involved if they want to be involved, but certainly didn’t want to make it contingent upon (them being involved),” said Josh Schwartz, Executive Producer of Gossip Girl, in a statement.

“They played these characters for six years, and if they felt like they were good with that, we want to respect that, but obviously...it would be great to see them again,” he added.

According to Variety, the series will address “just how much social media — and the landscape of New York itself — has changed in the intervening years.”

Schwartz went on to explain how Gossip Girl — as a character — would change as well, “So we thought there was something really interesting about the idea that we are all Gossip Girl now, in our own way; that we are all purveyors of our own social media surveillance state and how that has evolved, and how that has mutated and morphed, and telling that through a new generation of Upper East Side high school kids. We felt that a version with our cast grown up, regardless of what the challenges would be of assembling those actors again...it didn’t really feel like a group of adults that would be patrolled by Gossip Girl would make a lot of sense.”

Both Leighton and Blake are open to scandalous Manhattan life again

The two queen bees of the show, headband-wearing, school-ruling, uptight Blair Waldorf and her free-spirited glamazon BFF/rival, Serena van der Woodsen, provided compelling viewing thanks to their love/hate relationship.

Lively spoke to Variety in April 2017, saying that she’d be fairly open to doing Gossip Girl with the original cast. “It sort of all depends,” Lively said. “Would I do seven years of the show? No, because it’s hard work and I’ve got my babies, and I don’t want to be away from them that much. But I’ve just learned in life you never say never. We had so much fun shooting and living and working in New York City.”

And when Meester spoke to Vanity Fair about a possible reboot in August 2017, she seemed somewhat open to the idea of re-enacting the role of princess Blair Waldorf, but approached the topic with a fair amount of hesitation. “I guess I hear that [reunion talk] in fi ts and starts here and there, but it’s hard to say,” she said. “If everyone was into it and if the timing was right, you know? I don’t want to say, ‘No, never…’”

After the news dropped that a reboot was a possibility, Meester was asked by E! News recently if she would be open to doing Gossip Girl again. “No one’s ever asked me,” she responded. “No one’s ever talked to me about it except for in interviews, and I always say the same. I never say never. So, I don’t know. No one’s sent me that information, it’s coming from you.”

Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley’s take

In December, Crawford told Us Weekly that he would “be open to talking about something.” Though he is open to the idea of playing Nate Archibald again, he thinks that the cast might be too old to reprise their former roles.“I don’t know what it would look like with us being in our 30s now, but I always say, because it was such a big part of my life.”

Penn Badgley also took a ‘never say never’ approach towards a Gossip Girl reboot. “I suppose you should never say never,” he told Variety ahead of the premiere of his new pscho-thriller series, You.

Ed Westwick is not really a fan of the idea

When Westwick sat down for an interview with Radio Times in May 2017, he said that he feels that his character, Chuck Bass, is “played out.” “Nah, that’s not gonna happen,” he told the interviewer. “It feels like we only just fi nished! And I haven’t done enough in between yet to feel like I could comfortably revisit it. And I did so much with that character – it’s played out, man. It’s done.”

Kelly Rutherford’s all up for it

The actress, who played Lily van der Woodsen, mother of Serena, recently told in an interview to Hollywood Life that she’d love to sign for the reboot. “It was exciting to hear the news. It was such a beautiful time in my life and such a great role, and working with all these people was such a gift and such a joy. Ofcourse would love to return!” she said. “In the original series particularly, you didn’t really see social media. So now, I’m excited to see how they’ll advance that,” she added.

Krysten Bell still giving her voice to the character?

In an interview with E! News, Kristen, who narrated the hit CW series, was asked whether or not she’ll return to deliver all of those iconic lines. Her response? “Maybe. I’ll never tell.” That said, Kristen has a suggestion for a replacement in the event she doesn’t lend her voice-over skills to the highly-anticipated reboot. “James Earl Jones,” she announced. “It’s gotta be, yeah.”

“You may be rid of Dan Humphrey, but you’ll never be rid of me. There always be someone from the outside wanting to get in. Who am I now? That’s one secret I’ll never tell. XoXo” As the

original series ended with this voice over, we can’t wait to unfurl the secret of who the new Gossip Girl be in the reboot series, airing earlier next year. Till then, Bisou Bisou!

Continued from Page 5


COMMUNITY

NNFIN marks 25th International Day of the World’s Indigenous PeopleNepal Non-Resident Federation of Indigenous Nationalities – Qatar (NNFIN) recently organised an event to mark 25th International Day of the World’s Indigenous People at Al Dallla Driving school and Academy. Shiva Bhujel, President of NNFIN, chaired the event. Siya Ram Chaudary, Adviser at NNFIN, along with the members of diff erent Nepali organisations in Qatar, including Tamu Society, Tamang Society, Sunuwar Society, Newar Pucha, Tharu Welfare Service, Kirat Rai Yayokkha Sakha, Limbu Society, Sherpa Society, Kirat Yakthung Chumlung, Majhi Welfare Society and Non-resident Nepalese Bhujel Society attended the event. NNFIN has been celebrating the International Day of the

World’s Indigenous People since 2006.The event featured a cultural show, demonstrating the traditional attires of indigenous Tamu community along with ethnic music. The show featured six male and six female artistes. Other performances, included Chambung and Bijuwo dance, by artistes from Kirat Yakthung Chumlung – Qatar (KYC); Dhime dance, Newa Pucha – Qatar; Ratauli – a comic folk dance, Majhi Welfare Society (MWS); and Nepali cinematic and Jhakri, Sunuwar Service Society. Artistes from Tharu Welfare Society also performed on the occasion. All the artistes carried ethnic musical instruments with them – Text and photos by Usha Wagle Gautam

Jollibee Qatar organises annual basketball tournamentJollibee Qatar recently organised its annual basketball tournament. A total of eight teams participated in the tournament, stated a press release. The teams included staff from Al Mansoura branch, Jollibee Bin Mahmoud, Jollibee Ezdan Garaff a, Jollibee Matar Qadeem, Jollibee Al Sadd, Jollibee Dar Al Salam and Jollibee Ezdan Wakrah. Company drivers along with repair and maintenance staff , IT, call centre and administration departments of Jollibee Qatar took part in the tournament. Jollibee Support (TRM) bagged the championship title, which was followed by Jollibee Bin Mahmoud with the first runners up title. Jollibee Mathar Qadeem and Jollibee Al Sadd bagged second

runner-up and third runner-up positions, respectively. Alvin Tabora was awarded the title of Finals Most Valuable Player, and Aljohn Buenconsejo, Rookie of the Year. The selection of Mythical Team, included Lester Saranillo, Adrian Dayanghirang, Manny Confesor, Richard Espinosa and Alvin Tabora. Jolibee Al Meera bagged the Best Uniform award. Mon Pedraya and Paul Bautista, Head of league organisers, extended their gratitude for the support of Ali al-Shami, Sunrise Trading and Food Staff General Manager, through Deepa Golash, HR Senior off icer.


COMMUNITY OFF B

When Janine Christley moved into her new house, she thought buying woollen carpets

would be the sustainable option. She had the stairs and two fl oors of her cottage carpeted, at a cost of thousands of pounds. Then the moths moved in. She fi rst noticed them about four years ago, just a few at fi rst. But then they started devouring the carpets, creating big bare patches. Gradually, Christley has had to rip them up and replace them with synthetic carpet. “I’ve still got woollen carpet in my room and the front room, but there are big holes where they’ve eaten it away,” she says. To a family of moths, it turns out, a wool-carpeted house is essentially an all-you-can-eat restaurant.

“Of course, they’re into clothes as well,” she says. They have eaten woollen jackets and gorged on the bags of wool she keeps for felting projects – as well as the fi nished works themselves. She has avoided chemical controls, but clothes regularly go into the freezer in an attempt to kill the moths’ eggs. “I’m constantly checking where they might be,” says Christley. “I go into the wardrobe and shake all my clothes regularly because they like to be dark and undisturbed. I check under furniture, swat any I

can fi nd. I’m always jumping up to try to catch them; I see them fl ying around. I’m encouraging spiders in my house now; they’ve got lots of cobwebs and I’m trying to get them to catch the moths.” It has been frustrating – and expensive. “And it’s all been a waste of time.”

In houses up and down the country, there is a war being waged against clothes moths. Among other things, it features chemical weapons, smoke bombs and armies of tiny, parasitic wasps. While virtually all the 2,500 or so species of British moths are ecologically benefi cial, there are two that eat textiles and objects derived from animals, including wool, silk, skin and fur. They will munch through antique rugs and treasured cashmere.

There are a range of reasons for the rising numbers. Hotter winters are almost certainly to blame, plus the fact we keep our homes so warm. Our housekeeping is probably not what it once was, either. Washing clothes at a lower temperature saves energy, but it means eggs are not being killed. This is less of a problem if you wear something regularly, but lots of us have so many clothes that outfi ts go unworn for months or even years. “It’s thought also that, nowadays, wool and other materials are less often treated with insecticides, so you don’t have the

residual eff ect that may have existed decades previously,” says Nigel Blades, a preventive conservation adviser for the National Trust. “It’s not always a wise use of insecticides, but it did have the eff ect of killing off moths.” In 2008, the EU banned the use of naphthalene, a toxic, fl ammable chemical long used in mothballs.

There has also been a shift back to natural fi bres in carpeting and clothing, which has created food for the pests. “One of the things that worries me is the push for natural fi bres for insulation,” says Pinniger. “Wool insulation is great environmentally, but if you stick wool up in your attic you’re going to get moths in it. Even worse, I know one house where they blew wool in cavity walls. They can’t get it out and they’ve got moths – they’re going to have to live with moths the whole time they live in that house.”

The previous owners of Emma Harrison’s house warned her there could be a moth problem when she moved in fi ve years ago. She cleaned the house from top to bottom and put insecticides down. It didn’t work. She discovered her clothes were being ruined, including a treasured (and expensive) coat. Carpets were devoured and had to be pulled up. She has tried hanging up bags of herbs and cedarwood, but nothing has worked. “The only thing

I’ve got left is either burn down my house or get the pest controllers in,” she says. “We’ve given up on repainting because all the walls are spattered. Every morning when I wake up there are about 10 or 12 on the wall. I don’t like killing creatures, but they’re a menace. I had a scarf that my grandmother gave me and that’s now mothridden, but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it. Every time you’ve got rid of them, they appear again.”

That is often around this time of year. Moths will happily breed in warm, centrally heated homes throughout the year, says Pinniger, “but there is a peak of adult emergence usually in April and May, and often another one in late August/early September when you get another generation through. Some of the museums I work with, there are moths all year round because the temperatures are constant, and we’re getting at least three generations a year. Each female can lay 100 eggs. That’s a pretty big potential increase.”

Moths don’t eat clothes; their larvae do. They hatch within a few weeks of being laid. “When they fi rst hatch, they’re only a millimetre long and they burrow into your clothes, so you don’t see them. It’s not until they get bigger that you see the evidence,” says Pinniger. In ideal conditions, he says, hungry

larvae will take three months to mature into moths, but it could take up to nine months. That is a lot of munching time. “They don’t eat quickly, but when you’ve got a lot they can produce some quite nasty damage.”

It is believed that case-bearing moths have been in the UK since at least Roman times. “We don’t know whether the Romans brought them over when they invaded, although we know they have been around a long time in the UK and northern Europe,” says Pinniger. The webbing clothes moth is thought to be a much more recent arrival; it is not described in scientifi c literature until the Victorian era. “The theory at the moment is that it probably came over from South Africa in Victorian times when they imported a lot of skin and feathers.” They like the warmth – they thrive in heated buildings and aren’t normally able to complete their life cycle outdoors in the UK. “Whereas we know the case-bearing clothes moth can live in birds’ nests,” adds Pinniger.

Clothes moths can’t fl y very far, so it is unlikely that they come into homes through open windows, although this is possible in urban areas. They are almost certainly introduced to a home on something such as a vintage blanket, an antique rug or a sweater from a charity shop. “In the natural world, they live in

Revenge of the clothes moths: as nuThey destroy sweaters, carpets and even wall insulation – and their population has tripled

in five years. But there are ways to quell these insatiable insects, writes Emine Saner

WAR AGAINST MOTHS: In houses up and down the country, there is a war being waged against clothes moths. Among other things, it features chemical weapons, smoke bombs and armies of tiny, parasitic wasps.

9GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYWednesday, August 21, 2019

BEAT

mbers boom, can they be stopped?

things like birds’ nests and they’d be eating feathers and the remains of birds,” says Blades. “If a bird falls down a chimney, or you’ve got a birds’ nest in the chimney, that can be a source.” They may have lived for years in your house without you noticing. “And then suddenly the conditions are right and you get a population explosion,” says Pinniger.

The National Trust uses pheromone traps as part of its monitoring programme – this doesn’t control the population, but gives an indication of the scale of the problem. The main approach for controlling numbers is regular cleaning. “Often that can be enough,” says Blades. “In some cases where we need to go beyond that, we use a commercial product called Constrain, which has a residual eff ect for a number of months. We use that to treat nooks and crannies where moths might like to hide away.” The National Trust has done a trial using tiny parasitic wasps, which seek out moths’ eggs and

lay their own inside, hatching new wasps. (These wasps aren’t harmful to humans, don’t live long and are so small that you would barely notice them among house dust.) This was carried out in one property, but Blades says it isn’t yet clear how eff ective it has been.

When an object such as a rug or costume has been aff ected, it is treated in a commercial chest freezer, where it is cooled to -30C. Mobile heat chambers are used for furniture with upholstery, where pieces are heated to about 50C.

Dee Lauder, a pest control manager at English Heritage, has noticed a signifi cant increase in moths in the past 10 years and particularly in the past fi ve. “The best way of keeping on top of it is very good management and housekeeping,” she says. “We have collection-care assistants who are trained to go into the houses and carry this out all the time for us. These are increasingly the things you need to concentrate on in the

average home as well. It’s not a case of running a vacuum over the carpet and thinking that’s done – at least once a month, and particularly during the spring and summer months, you need to thoroughly go round the edge of the carpet with a nozzle on the vacuum. Take out items in your wardrobes and give them a shake out because moths don’t like disturbance.” If you have carpet underneath your cupboards, you might want to think about getting rid of it, she says. “If you’ve got heavy items of furniture, and sofas, you need to be pulling them out at least once a month and thoroughly vacuuming underneath. This is how we keep on top of it in historic houses.”

She recommends people store seasonal clothes in vacuum-sealed bags. “You can’t really do that with historic costumes. We’ll keep them boxed up and the conservators check them once or twice a year and make sure nothing is in them. Because of the signifi cance of the collections,

you cannot start spraying chemicals on them, which could cause more damage than the larvae themselves. Our approach has always been trying to do it in the most natural ways possible.” It is constant, she adds. “We never get a chance to relax.”

Is there any way we can reframe our relationships with clothes moths? “I would suggest avoiding the chemical blitzkrieg that we tend towards whenever we notice something alive around us, which we never tend to win,” says Rob Dunn, a professor of biology at North Carolina State University and the author of Never Home Alone, a book about all the tiny beings with which we share our homes.

The idea that in the absence of a moth infestation your clothes are “clean” is wrong. “All of your clothing is covered with smaller species that you don’t see,” says Dunn of the microbes that live on your clothes, especially those made from natural fi bres. “They’re busy living on your clothes, slowly

breaking it down. So, even when you don’t have moths, the idea that your clothes last for ever is an illusion. You’ve also got your skin bacteria that wait for you to put clothing on and then they metabolise your sweat. With that motley crew, the clothes moth is the most charismatic of the bunch.”

He suggests that, instead of reaching for the insecticide, we pay attention to moths. “They remain incompletely studied. See if you notice something that nobody has seen before. In and of themselves, they’re pretty fascinating species that have fi gured out a way to eat stuff that other species can’t eat. They’re beautiful, they fl y around ephemerally; learn to enjoy that. You don’t want them devouring all your clothes, but once they’re there, it’s worth a moment to refl ect on their loveliness.” Can that really make up for a treasured cashmere sweater that has been lost, gobbled by the beasts? He laughs. “Maybe not.”

– The Guardian

DETERRENTS: Natural deterrents include lavender sachets and cedarwood blocks.

INTRODUCTION: Clothes moths can’t fly very far. They are almost certainly introduced to a home on something such as a vintage blanket, an antique rug or a sweater from a charity shop.

RECOMMENDATION: The TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp recommends freezing clothes to kill moths’ eggs.

LARVAE GAME: Moths don’t eat clothes; their larvae do. They hatch within a few weeks of being laid.


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

If you’re concerned about the love that certain close people have

for you, you shouldn’t try to compensate by being clingy or overly

aff ectionate. This period is about keeping your distance and putting

your relationships into perspective to see what they’re really

worth to you, Aries. Someone may ask you for an even stronger

commitment over the next few months.

You may be asking certain questions about your feelings, Cancer.

Do you know about the trap that many people get caught up in –

feeling so close to their partners that they often forget themselves?

Sometimes it’s easy to confuse your feelings with this kind of self-

denial. Today you need to think about how this aff ects your life.

You probably aren’t worried about being conventional in your

relationships, Libra. In fact, conventionality is often what causes

you problems. If you’re wondering about what makes relationship

stronger and what are they based on, this is a good day to think

about these questions.

Today you may feel like something is holding you back, Capricorn.

Everything was going just fine until now. If you believe the stream

of chatter in your head today, you will be regressing in every area of

your life! For example, you may be afraid to go any further in your

relationship because of your past failures. Use this time to lay the

past to rest.

This isn’t the time to make any more of a commitment to your

relationship, Taurus. You aren’t satisfied with your attitude toward

things lately. Don’t forget that your partner’s characteristics may

have something to do with it! You have two months to take care of

things. Take advantage of this revaluation period. It doesn’t happen

that often.

Nothing can hold you back for long, Leo. You have a hard time

resting your body and recharging your batteries. At the moment,

you’re probably still going through a deep transformation that won’t

allow you to slow down. Take the time to meditate and get in touch

with your feelings. What is it you really want out of life?

You may not be very precise. Your motto seems to be “everything

is relative.” However, paying attention to details doesn’t necessarily

mean that you lose sight of the fundamentals. Your friends could

tell you that. If you’re an artist, you might make an eff ort today to be

clearer in your expression and a little more down to Earth.

You may be looking for some new values in your personal life,

Aquarius. You’re no longer interested in superficial or frivolous

relationships. You need to meet diff erent kinds of people and select

friends who are really worth keeping. Don’t worry if you feel like

taking a step back to get some perspective, because this is the time

to do it. Relationships are too important to neglect.

Today you might want to think about getting things straight with

the people close to you. It’s possible you haven’t dealt with any

problems you had in your relationships last month, Gemini. It’s time

to look at things again. You may have hidden certain things from

yourself. You need to be much more honest about what you want in

your personal life.

You can be known for needing a lot of love, but you will never admit

that to yourself, much less anyone else. Sometimes it seems as if

you like feeling emotionally frustrated. Today is the perfect day to

meditate about whether or not this is true of you. Do you talk to

other people about your emotional needs?

This isn’t a good time to make any big relationship decisions. If

you’re thinking about starting a relationship, moving in together,

or getting married, you may feel a bit troubled by your decision,

Sagittarius. Take advantage of the day to re-evaluate things

objectively. There may be some issues to resolve before you go any

further.

You may want to take a little trip into your past to visit some old

friends, Pisces. You could find yourself daydreaming through your

good and bad memories. This is an excellent period to break with

some of the more negative ties to your past. If your partner is a little

worried about you going back in time at the moment, reassure him

or her.

Appetite for online retail sites among kids grows threefold

More children are taking to e-commerce sites for looking at products (and

sometimes buying) as new research by cybersecurity fi rm Kaspersky has found that the interest of children in online shopping has more than tripled in the last 12 months — from two per cent to nine per cent.

According to the statistics, youngsters’ growing interest in e-commerce sites is a global trend, however the extent varies depending on location, said the Kaspersky Lab’s annual report on kids’ safety.

At 23 per cent, the largest share (and also biggest growth) in online shopping searches has been seen in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the fi ndings showed.

While there are clearly some regional diff erences, the most searched for retailers by children

across the globe include AliExpress, Amazon and Ebay.

When it comes to Chinese

retailers in particular, kids’ queries are growing steadily year on year.

Sports apparel (Nike, Adidas),

electronics (Apple, Samsung), and fashion brands (Gucci, Vans, Supreme, Zara, Bershka) are the

most searched for sites among this young consumer audience, said the report.

But searching for goods online, as well as visiting specifi c retailers’ pages does not necessarily imply actual spending.

Kids might just be looking at things they want or compiling ‘wish lists’ to share with friends and family.

“The Internet off ers a lot of opportunities for kids, and we are now seeing many children becoming a key audience for online retailers,” said Anna Larkina, a web content analysis expert at Kaspersky.

“Whether they spend money or not, they need support and guidance from adults who can help them avoid inadvertently coming across inappropriate content, suff ering money loss or unnecessarily sharing their personal data,” Larkina added. – 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.

ABBEYCRIBBAGEPEBBLEABBOTDABBLEQUIBBLEBABBLEGABBLERABBIT

BLUBBERGIBBONRIBBONBOBBINHOBBLERUBBERBOBBLEHUBBUBSTUBBLE

BUBBLEJABBERWOBBLECABBAGELOBBY COBBLERNIBBLE


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

Across1 Impeded deer? Poor deer! (8)6 Used to be a revolutionary tool (3)9 Record left by girl (5)10 Very young cat I lost in ancient city (7)11 An unequal share? Certainly! (3,4)12 Irritable youth leader on trial (5)13 Is getting in support to put up a fight (6)15 Some postcodes, say, in port (6)19 Hat seen at Epsom? (5)21 Ancient city as opposed to old church (7)23 Awfully isolated, having dismissed fifty yes-men (7)24 Races round island to see wrecks (5)25 American uncle plays a major part (3)26 Pointers initially seem unnecessary (8)

Super Cryptic Clues

Solution

Down2 Lights that fused singe it (7)3 Greek letter taken up? Cheers! (5)4 Check polish once more (6)5 Action about night flier may be discussed (7)6 County loses its vigour (5)7 Like some beaches in Skegness and Yarmouth (5)8 Bet about northern composer (6)14 Nasty giant, somewhat gloomy (7)16 Accounts signed initially by politicians (7)17 Appalled — but helping to make Branagh a star (6)18 Bother with false lashes (6)19 The fruit of engagements (5)20 Province in actual centre of Germany (5)22 Beginner has left mountainous area (5)


COMMUNITY SHOWBIZ

Glitz &

GlamBy Muhammad Asad Ullah

Mehwish Hayat has had a fantastic last few years: whatever part she’s played in diff erent media

has been successful. Be it Asim Ali’s drama serial Mere Qatil Meray Dildar (2011), on premier entertainment channel HUM TV, her debut feature fi lm Jawani Phir Nahi Ani (2015) directed by Nadeem Baig — that went on to become one of the highest-grossing Pakistani fi lm ever — followed by the same director’s Dil Lagi (2016), on entertainment channel ARY Digital, that saw her return to TV, and then Punjab Nahi Jaung, feature fi lm in 2017, or Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza’s Actor in Law (2016) or Load Wedding (2018), it seems she can’t put a foot wrong. Mehwish Hayat has been riding the wave of success for the last few years. It won’t be erroneous to say that she is one of the most sought-after actresses in the country today.

Even before Mehwish did a substantial role in Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, she had done a cameo item number in Nabeel Qureshi’s Na Maloom Afraad in 2014, and since then a lot has been said about Mehwish Hayat. About her string of successful fi lms, about her screen presence, her singing, dancing, her style, her being outspoken, bold and most recently, her Tamgha-e- Imtiaz, a state-organised honour of Pakistan. It is given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements. Sometimes good, sometimes bad but Hayat knows how to take things positively as

her success fl ows. Her recent stint in another item number Gangster Guriya in Baaji (2019) was utterly praised; for her up-notch moves and crisp gaze.

Mehwish Hayat has decided to do full justice to her star status. Hayat while receiving the ‘Pride of Performance’ award recently at an awards ceremony in Oslo called upon the stereotypical misrepresentation of Pakistanis and Pakistan in general in international cinema.

Later, when asked if art should be politicised? Or should art not know any boundaries? Mahwish said, “Art and politics have been intertwined for as long as art has existed. Even the plays of Shakespeare were very political in their time. Art should refl ect society as a whole and should always be challenging and thought provoking. We have to question, we have to provide a mirror, we have to praise when we see something good and condemn when we see something wrong. Art without that social conscience is gutless and soulless. It is through entertainment that we can make the greatest change in our society.”

The Load Wedding star few days ago, also penned an op-ed for CNN, calling out faux celebrity activism and the responsibility that comes from an infl uential position.

A few days ago, Bollywood actor, Priyanka Chopra was called out for her aggressive tweet by Ayesha Malik, a young woman from Pakistan, in Los Angeles during an event, to which Chopra was haughty, saying, “Whenever you’re done venting. Got it, done? Okay cool.”

This was after security snatched the mic from Malik.

“Girl, don’t yell, we’re all here for love. You’re embarrassing yourself,” said Chopra to the mic-less young woman. Chopra has since drawn criticism for her response and reaction.

Reacting to the episode of Chopra, Mehwish wrote in the op-ed, “Chopra’s response to her questioner in LA, as well as the February tweet, did have a positive aff ect, and forcing many of us to think about celebrity activism, its uses – and its abuses.”

She added, “Celebrities who act as charity spokespeople should always focus on humanitarianism. Chopra – again, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador – should not be using her voice to legitimise a regime opposed to the values she claims to represent. Rather than use her position as a US-based celebrity to broaden what it means to be an Indian celebrity…”

Adding a feather to the many hats Mehwish wears, she has also been appointed now as an Ambassador of Penny Appeal, a charity with which she wants to rebuild 5 schools in Sukkur Sindh, “for over 900 children.”

The actor revealed that she is now an Ambassador of Penny Appeal, a charity with which she wants to rebuild 5 schools in Sukkur Sindh, “for over 900 children.”

“Penny Appeal is an amazing charity organisation that’s working in over 30 countries and I’m very happy to be on board with them and I want to work for education,” adds Hayat, “The condition (children in rural Sindh) are getting their education in is really a heart-wrenching situation. But parents really want their girls to get an education and be a part of the community. It’s just the lack of resources, otherwise, there is a very progressive state of mind.”

“Many don’t realise that if a young girl wants to raise a family, education is very important and if she gets the primary education, she will have the power to decide if she wants to continue... so maybe giving them that basic education, the girls will have a voice which actually will in the longer run, help raise and build nations. That will be amazing. I really want parents to let their children – their girls - to follow their dreams,” said Hayat in. statement.

The Load Wedding actor will be taking part in the annual London Marathon to help raise the funds for the rebuilding. She’s aiming to raise £100,000 for the project.

The bold and beautiful

PHILANTHROPIST: The Load Wedding actor will be taking part in the annual London Marathon to help raise the funds for rebuilding 5 schools in Sukkur. She’s aiming to raise £100,000 for the project.

HONOURED: Mehwish Hayat was recently presented with Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, a state-organised honour of Pakistan. It is given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

A Soldier’s Play finally comes to Broadway

after 35 yearsBy Ashley Lee

A Soldier’s Play, the Pulitzer-winning work by Charles Fuller that helped to launch the careers of Denzel Washington and Samuel L Jackson, is fi nally headed to Broadway.

Tony-winning director Kenny Leon is commanding the charge, and David Alan Grier and Blair Underwood will star. Additional casting will be announced later.

Preview performances for the Roundabout Theatre Company production’s limited run will begin at the American Airlines Theatre on Dec 27, ahead of opening night on Jan 21.

Set in 1944, the military drama begins with the mysterious murder of Sgt Vernon C Waters (Grier) on a Louisiana Army base. Capt Richard Davenport (Underwood) is tasked with solving the crime quickly, at the request of his white superiors.

At fi rst glance, the fl ashback-fi lled piece appears to be a conventional whodunit or courtroom drama. But at its core, it’s what The Times previously called a “harrowing study of self-negation,” especially within the African American male identity.

“The play is not designed that it should be a salve for all racial problems that operate in the United States – I don’t think anyone knows the answers to those kinds of questions – but it might touch on some things,” Fuller told The Times of the forthcoming Broadway staging. “I hope people enjoy it, and walk away from the theatre understanding more about the country than when they walked in.”

Leon – who most recently directed Shakespeare in the Park’s bold staging of Much Ado About Nothing, starring Orange Is the New Black breakout Danielle Brooks – considers the Broadway debut of A Soldier’s Play an urgent one.

“I think America needs to hear the newness and the freshness of this play, even though it was fi rst produced in the mid-80s’,” he said. “To me, the play is a deep investigation of the impact of racism on a specifi c race and culture. For example, in the play, how does the racism in our country aff ect the black soldiers dealing with other black men while serving the country?

“If you’re looking at our country now, what is the racism toward the Latino and Hispanic community now doing to that community within itself? Fuller doesn’t take the easy way out; he deals with all the resentment and self-hatred that comes from that.” A Soldier’s Play premiered off -Broadway in 1981 with Washington, Jackson, Adolph Caesar, Larry B Riley, Peter Friedman and Charles Brown among the original cast of the Negro Ensemble Company production (with Grier rotating in later in the run). Fuller directed the work, which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Subsequent

stagings have featured Anthony Mackie, Mike Colter, Taye Diggs, Wood Harris and Steven Pasquale, among others.

Fuller adapted his play into the 1984 fi lm A Soldier’s Story, with Washington and Caesar reprising their stage roles onscreen. Directed by Norman Jewison, the movie also featured Grier and Patti LaBelle in the ensemble cast. It was nominated for three Academy Awards.

The new production’s design team will include set designer Derek McLane, costume designer Dede Ayite, sound designer Dan Moses Schreier and lighting designer Allen Lee Hughes (who worked on the original staging of A Soldier’s Play).

Roundabout also announced on Monday the Broadway transfer of Caroline, or Change from the West End. Sharon D Clarke will reprise her titular, Olivier-winning performance in the Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori musical, directed by Michael Longhurst and choreographed by Ann Yee. It will begin performances on March 13 and open on April 7 at Studio 54. – Los Angeles Times/TNS

NOT A SALVE: Denzel Washington in A Soldier’s Story, the 1984 film.

Alia to raise funds for animals via baking

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt will raise funds for an animal welfare organisation through actor Arjun Kapoor’s sister Anshula Kapoor’s online fundraising platform, Fankind.

As part of a campaign on Fankind, a fan will get a chance to bake a cake with the star under the guidance of Indian Pastry Chef Pooja Dhingra.

Fans have to donate a minimum amount of Rs300 or multiples thereof and at the end of the campaign period, one fan will be randomly selected to bake a cake with the Udta Punjab actress.

“The welfare of animals is a cause

I truly believe in and funds raised through this unique experience will support World For All, a charitable

organisation based in Mumbai that works towards creating a better and safer environment for the cats and dogs living on our streets,” Alia said in a statement.

Eff ectively, 70 per cents of the donations will go to ‘World For All’; an NGO which Alia is closely associated with. This Mumbai-based animal welfare organisation has revolutionised the model of stray animal adoptions.

“As an animal lover and pet parent myself, animal welfare is a cause that is close to my heart and I am so glad that with Alia’s association, Fankind is able to help spread the message about the importance of animal welfare and can raise funds for World For All,” Anshula said. — IANS

Big B says 75 percent of his liver is gone

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan often shares his health issues with the public, and this time he admitted that 75 percent of his liver is gone.

“I keep quoting my personal example all the time and try and propagate the idea of getting yourself detected and I don’t mind saying this publicly I am a tuberculosis survivor, Hepatitis B survivor... Bad blood infusion went in and 75 percent of my liver is gone but because I was able to detect it even after a period of 20 years, when 75 percent of my liver is gone... I am still surviving on 25 percent,” Big B said at NDTV’s Swasth India launch.

The 76-year-old, who has been associated with various health campaigns like Polio, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis and diabetes, urged people to get tested and diagnosed.

“Then there is a cure. Even with Tuberculosis... I did not know for almost 8 years I was suff ering from Tuberculosis. I keep saying that with immodesty if it can happen to me (it can happen) to anyone. Therefore if you are not willing to get yourself tested then you would never fi nd out and there’s never going to be a cure for it,” he said. – IANS

Chris Pine to play Richard Nixon’s lawyer in new biopic

Wonder Woman star Chris Pine has been roped in to play Richard Nixon’s lawyer John Dean in a new biopic.

Amazon Studios has acquired the pitch and is developing the project about Dean, a pivotal fi gure in the Watergate scandal, reports variety.com.

The fi lm will trace the life of Dean, who served as White House counsel for Nixon from July 1970 through April 1973.

Producer Bob Cooper is backing the project with his Landscape Entertainment banner along with Billy Ray. Dean will be executive producer of the movie with his manager Rick Berg. Screenwriter Evan Parter is on board to pen the feature.

John Dean, known as the ‘connoisseur of cover-ups’ in the media, was one of the most important whistle-blowers that implicated Nixon in the Watergate cover-up. In exchange for his testimony, Dean served four months of house arrest and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. – IANS

ADVICE: Amitabh Bachchan urges people to get tested for early diagnoses.

NEW PROJECT: Chris Pine will play John Dean, a pivotal figure in the Watergate scandal.

ACTIVIST: Alia Bhatt says she believes in the welfare of animals.


COMMUNITY

Modern technology brings the joy of learning to kids in Qatar

By Mudassir Raja

The Summer in Qatar (SiQ) campaign proved to be one of the biggest success stories that kept the residents and tourists

entertained this summer.With the collaboration of over

30 public and private sector partners in hospitality, retail, and entertainment, the SiQ has demonstrated the commitment across sectors to further evolve to build a sustainable tourism sector, the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has said.

The campaign that ran for over three months included numerous activities to entertain and educate families and particularly children. Special arrangements were made for the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha when the residents of Qatar enjoyed utmost indoor music shows, comedy shows, theatre plays, summer camps, and diff erent community activities in major shopping malls.

During the SiQ campaign, multiple activities arranged for children proved to be the most engrossing attractions. Among many summer camps and entertainment festivals, the kids enjoyed diff erent play areas, theme parks and virtual reality gaming.

Kidzania at Aspire Park proved to be the most engaging activity for the children. The theme park that ran for about two months remained open for 12 hours every day.

It was the place where learning and fun, were combined perfectly. Kidzania was the place where kids freely explored a 5,500 square metres child-sized city, where they became fi refi ghters, doctors, chefs and artists. They performed real-life tasks. Without noticing, the children learnt many skills, from self-knowledge to self-confi dence.

Fuelled by a child’s natural desire to have fun, create, explore and

collaborate, KidZania off ered a progressive concept with more than 60 exciting hands-on activities designed for children from one to 14 years old.

From the aviation academy to the police station or even hospital, kids were running their own city packed with over 60 activities.

Packed wall to wall with exciting role-play activities, Kidzania taught the school children about careers, money management and life outside a school in a way that perfectly complements their curriculum.

Every activity inside KidZania was designed by educators and developed to match school curricula in Qatar to help bring learning to life. Whatever activity

they chose, all the visitors were able to enjoy a full learning experience as they worked, earned and played in an interactive and safe environment.

The activities the children learnt about were; teamwork, communication, entrepreneurship, fi nancial literacy, digital literacy, emotional intelligence, and global citizenship. Having birthday parties at the theme park was another excellent feature of Kidzania.

Another attractive and entertaining facility both for kids and adults has been Virtuocity at Doha Festival City (DFC). The city was started on June 14 and will continue until August 24.

The most exciting feature of the Virtuocity has been ‘Arena’

– an awe-inspiring space – that encompasses everything that is great in the realm of modern gaming. High spec and high tech, it surpasses even the most discerning gamer’s highest expectations.

The visitors immersed themselves in ‘The Coliseum’ – a 1100sq metres of pure gaming rapture. They were also engulfed in glory when they checked into the exclusive VIP rooms. The visitors selected a level that suited them then rose through the ranks to the dizzying heights of competitive gaming.

The racing at the Virtuocity was a pro F1 racing simulator with real-world racetracks, motion sensors and top graphics. It was the ultimate road test. The

competitors had to enter time trails, qualifi cation and races to reach the top of the leaderboard. The car and the pit were ready and all they had to do was get over the fi nish line in fi rst.

Angry Birds World again at DC was yet another attraction for the kids. Snow Dunes at DC however attracted people in crowds.

Qatar’s fi rst-ever indoor snow theme park opened its doors to the visitors on the second day of Eid al-Adha. Spread over more than 9,500sqm, the park off ered a variety of rides and attractions suitable for the whole family, as well as food and beverages outlets, retail store, and party rooms. E-sports Gaming Festival also attracted young adults at DC during the Eid days.

HIGH TECH: An exciting feature of Virtuocity at Doha Festival City (DFC) was the ‘Arena’ – an awe-inspiring space – that encompassed everything that is great in the realm of modern gaming.

P7 P16 - Gulf Times

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