WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017

CAMPUS | 3 BOLLYWOOD | 11

PISQ holds Inter-wings Scrabble Tournament

Asha Bhosle unveils her

wax statue at MadameTussauds

MEETING IN A BOWLExperiencing the bowls from the inside and the outside is the point, after all. That eight-foot circular bench on the inside of each bowl is meant to be used by anyone and everyone who passes through the space.

P | 4-5

CAMPUSWEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017 03

Olive International School students celebrated Gan-dhi Jayanti, the birth

anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with great zeal, enthusiasm and patriotism by starting their school day with a Special Assembly on October 2.

The assembly began with a tribute to Gandhiji. Children shared anecdotes from Gandhiji’s life. The highlight of the assembly was a song- Vaishnav Janato- Gan-dhiji’s favorite ‘Bhajan’ glorifying Gandhiji and how he heralded a new era for India.

The participants were dressed up in white traditional dress which symbolises peace as his main

principle. Going a step forward in help-

ing the children to understand all about the freedom struggle and the role of Mahatma Gandhi in help-ing India win its independence non-violently, the children were shown a biography video of Gandhi.

Thus, the children of Olive International School were given a deep insight into the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi and encour-aged to think about the sacrifice of our freedom fighters, analyse the importance and understand the value of freedom.

He was portrayed as the matchless world leader who led

the nation to freedom. Jacob KM, school Principal,

interacted with the students and said that all of us should be able to inspire others just like Gandhi did, inspiring India and the World.

He also went into detail on

how we can inspire others in the classroom as a student by being gracious, compassionate, under-standing, cheerful, sharing, caring and helping others.

The assembly was concluded by singing Indian National Anthem.

PISQ holds Annual Inter-wings Scrabble Tournament

To encourage students in enriching their English vocab-ulary, Pakistan International

School held its Annual Inter-wings Scrabble Tournament on Septem-ber 28.

Girls and Boys Wing students participated in this contest.

This inventive game aims at enhancing the students’ vocabulary

and making their mind strategic is a regular feature of schools’ weekly club activities.

It helps students discover a cre-ative way to improve skills in language arts, vocabulary, Mathe-matics and more. This tournament was organised by Reema Rashid, Head of arts and culture department.

The week-long arduous train-ing session of the Scrabble contenders with their instructors got accomplished in a nail biting competition. The enthusiastic par-ticipation of the students from Grade V to Grade VIII made the competition a triumphant success.

The programme started with

the recitation of few verses from Holy Quran.

The contestants were divided into junior (V-VI) and senior (Grade VII-VIII) categories.

They were then formed into two teams with each team comprising of two student players of their respective wings.

There were two rounds in which each team was given seven moves. In the Junior category (V vs VI) first position was notched by the girls team (Rafia Khan and Momina Moazzam). Whereas, in the senior category (VII vs VIII) 1st position went to the girls team comprising of Maira Naeem and Javeria Shakeel.

Competition was adjudicated by a jury made up of Shahab Gil-lani and Khawar Mehmood, teachers from Boys Wing; Rahat- ul- Ain, Zareen Gul and Naheed Akhter, teachers from Girls Wing.

At the end of the tournament, Nargis Raza Otho, PISQ Principal appreciated the winners and awarded them with certificates and prizes for their commendable performance.

Gandhi Jayanti celebrated

at Olive International School

COVER STORY WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 201704

The Washington Post

Near Arlington’s court-house, three unusual round wooden objects

are attracting attention and exploration by people of all ages. Some think they look like amusement park rides. To Had-ley Christiansen, 3, of Arlington,

“they look like salad bowls.”Hadley was close. This

urban furniture exhibit, on dis-play until November 1, is called

“Meeting Bowls.”Two of the designers, Emilio

Alarcón and Eva Salmerón, from Madrid, Spain, recently visited Arlington to talk about these unique seating areas. Col-laborating with two other artists in Madrid, they create interac-tive public art - art that encourages people to become a part of it rather than just being observers.

Then they partner with community groups around the world - in this case, Arlington Arts - to see how their ideas work.

“A circle is the perfect geo-metric shape,” Alarcón said.

Salmerón adds: “It’s impos-sible to be silent in a Meeting Bowl. I t encourages communication.”

The design, with sides resembling open window blinds, seats eight and gives visitors a sense of looking out from a cozy room. An earlier version of the bowls, which rocked, appeared in New York’s Times Square in 2011. These bowls will travel to Miami after leaving Arlington.

The designers’ company is called “Mmmm ...,” like the sound you might make when coming up with a new idea. For example, “Mmmm, what if ...?” Salmerón said the group chose the name because “anyone can

pronounce it as they wish.”Arlington resident Harvey

Fayhee, 7, and his family enjoy outdoor family meetings, often including a child-chosen topic. Harvey and his mom, dad, sis-ter Charlotte and grandma recently sat inside a Meeting Bowl while discussing mermaids.

“I like these because you can see each other’s faces while talking,” Harvey said. “They would give kids, especially shy kids, the chance to get to know each other.”

“You can see the personality of a community,” said Salmerón,

“by watching how people react in and out of the bowls.”

Alarcón noted, “People in the United States seem very interact ive, open to conversation.”

'Meeting Bowls' public art is designed to spark conversations

COVER STORYWEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017 05Recently, Stephanie Ochoa,

10, and her brother Luis, 5, vis-ited the meeting bowls while helping their dad with his vege-table stand at the nearby farmers market. After climbing inside and sitting quietly across from each other while looking around the bowl, they relaxed and began chatting. “I think this could work,” said Stephanie, smiling.

Salmerón’s son, Nico, 10, who lives in Madrid, was one of the first kids to try the Meeting Bowls six years ago. In an email, he described thinking of them then as “mysterious” and “like flying saucers.”

“I know the Meeting Bowls are going to amuse you,” Nico said.

Would you step inside one if other people were already there?

Duke Shackleford, 10, of Arlington considered it while watching people use the bowls as he enjoyed breakfast nearby with his dad. “If it was just kids my age, I’d be more likely to go in,” he said.

What is next for Mmmm ...? They would like a permanent place for the Meeting Bowls, Salmerón said, and “we want to make a playground.”

Upon hearing of that dream, Duke exclaimed, “I would love that!”

COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 201706TOPi holds outreach programme for distressed OFWs

Tanghalang Overseas Pinoy (TOPi), a non-profit Filipino group promoting Filipino cul-

ture through theatre arts, recently held an outreach programme at POLO – OWWA called “Share a Blessing” to hand over their pledge of two one-way plane tickets to dis-tressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

This was made possible because of the success of their musical show Scenes from the Stage – A tribute to Original Filipino Musicale held at City Centre, Rotana last Septem-ber 2, part of the proceeds of which was allocated for the plane tickets.

The outreach event was attended by Philippine Labour Atta-che David Des Dicang, UFOQ Vice President Jaffar Abdelhamid and UFOQ Treasurer Layla Bernal.

TOPi, together with represent-atives from Oman Air and Resettlement Solution, handed over the plane tickets to the recipients.

The beneficiaries were very happy to receive the tickets because they can finally go back to their families which they have missed so much.

They also prayed for the rest of their friends to have faith and told them, they too will have their time to go home.

To make the event fun and exciting, TOPi arranged some games, handed over donations of clothes, food, canned goods, noo-dles and toiletries to all the distressed OFWs.

The group also performed sev-eral songs to the delight of the crowd. They also conducted a med-ical mission with the assistance of

Naseem Al Rabeeh Medical Clinic who offered free medical check up during the event.

TOPi also had a ceremony to hand over certificates of apprecia-tion to their partners who supported them in their last show.

“We are very thankful for the generous contributions of members, friends, colleagues and Naseem Al Rabeeh Medical Clinic who whole-heartedly assisted and shared their blessings to our fellow Filipinos in Doha who are in need,” said ,” said

TOPi President Bryan Ricafrente. He also thanked the sponsors

including Resettlement Solution, Max’s, Al Dana Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry Center, L’arc En Ciel, Kabayan Express, Mezza Restau-rants, Oman Air, City Centre Rotana, LiQha, Kulay, LBC Express and Gharissa Ice Cream as well as UFOQ, media partners and Filipino com-munity leaders.

“The process in preparing for this show was very tough, we faced a lot of obstacles along the way, but we still continued, persevered, and believed that we needed to push through up to the last minute to deliver our commitment to our ben-eficiaries. In the end, it all paid off and we are very happy,” said Ricafrente.

TOPi is preparing for their next projects lined up from this month until March. They will be having weekly auditions for aspiring mem-bers to join their group.

For details please contact Raul Martin 3368 2231 or Chester Men-doza 7038 1796 or email them at topi.dohaqatar@gmail.com or visit their Facebook public group page Tanghalang Overseas Pinoy.

The Indian Cultural Centre under the aegis of Embassy of India, has celebrated the

148th birth anniversary of Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi on October 2.

Gandhi Jayanti is observed annually as a national holiday in India to commemorate the birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gan-dhi (October 2, 1869 - January 30, 1948).

ICC President Milan Arun wel-comed the gathering. The Ambassador of India & Patron of ICC Shri P Kumaran addressed the gathering, attended by ICC CO

Rajesh Kamble, Embassy Officials, Community leaders and represent-atives of affiliated organisation, Heads and representative of Indian Schools, school children and ICC members.

A Special Group Song related to Gandhi Jayanthi, Presentation on Life of Gandhiji and Gandhi Jay-anti themed Mono Act Competition was held, which was appreciated by all.

Certificate of Appreciations were issued to all the participants and Volunteers of 71th Independ-ence Day Flag Hoisting Ceremony & Cultural celebration, Eid

Programme conducted by Ministry of Interior Qatar and Gandhi Jayan-thi Celebration 2017.

Head of Culture Activities Vishal Mehta coordinated Artist felicitation, with the able support

of all other ICC MC members. Head of Consular and Mem-

bership, ICC K S Prasad proposed the vote of thanks for the event. Joint Secretary, ICC Sri Raja Vijayan compered the event.

Indian Cultural Centre marks Gandhi Jayanti

CAMPUS/COMMUNITYWEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017 07Birla Public School students develop new software

Two students from Birla Pub-lic School have developed a social media prototype of

their own called ‘Connect’. Yukesh Balamurugan and

VinushVishwanathhave, both in grade 12, used the programming language called Python for devel-oping the software.

‘Connect’ is a social networking prototype having all the features that a Social Networking Website like Facebook has to offer.

Users can make new friends, share pics and videos, showcase their life to the public via posts etc. are just a few of a long list of fea-tures that this software provides.

It is an Internet based applica-tion which uses a server based in the United States where users can login to their accounts from any-

where in the world. Other features include email

confirmations for registrations via email, retrieving password (again by using email), liking and

commenting on posts, searching for friends, friend requests, notifica-tions, newsfeeds etc.

The feature which makes the project stand out is a Personal

Assistant called ‘ECHO’ that works on voice recognition and is powered by Artificial Intelligence. ‘ECHO’ can understand voice commands and perform multifarious tasks like per-forming web searches, live updates on weather, news etc. and play vid-eos and many more. The potential and possibilities of the tasks that ECHO can perform are endless.

Although the software was developed as their grade 12 Com-puter Science Project, the standard of the project is way higher than what is expected at this level, the latest feather in the cap of Birla Public School continuing its legacy of excellence.

A P Sharma, School Principal, applauded the efforts of the stu-dents and urge for continuous “out of box” thinking approach.

Doha resident elected to Global Society Automation

SIS hosts CBSE Qatar Cluster Handball Tournament

Shantiniketan Indian School (SIS) is organising the CBSE Qatar Cluster Handball Tournament 2017 on October 3 and 4. The matches are conducted for under-17 and under-19 categories

for both boys and girls. MES Indian School, Ideal Indian School, Shantiniketan Indian

School, DPS –Modern Indian School, AL Khor International School, Birla Public School and Doha Modern Indian School are the schools took part in the event.

MES Indian School clinched the Cluster under -17 Boys’ Football Championship. The winning team will represent Qatar in the CBSE National Tournament in India.

Nilangshu Dey, a social and professional activist and long time resident of Doha

has been elected in the Executive Board of International Society of Automation (ISA) , the largest worldwide professional body for Automation engineering profes-sionals having its headquarter in North Carolina, USA for a period of three years effective January 1, 2018 .

Presently, Dey is the President of International Society of Auto-mation – Qatar Section since last 10 years and was also the District Vice President of ISA – Europe, Middle East and Africa region in 2015 and 2016.

Dey is the first person from Middle East region to attain this highest position in this global pro-fessional body .

ISA is playing a vital role in Technical up gradation and intro-duction of latest Technology being used in various Oil & Gas indus-tries among the Control & Instrumentation Engineers of Qatar thru regularly arranging Technical Seminars, Conferences,

Symposiums and Exhibitions etc. Nilangshu Dey, a Masters

degree holder and Gold Medalist in Instrumentation & Electronics engineering having 38 years of experience in il & Gas, Petrochem-ical, Process and Super Thermal Power Plants in India, Saudi Ara-bia, Dubai and Qatar. He is also a recipient of Section Leader of the Year 2012 Award by ISA globally for his outstanding contribution in an innovative way provided excep-tional value to the local ISA Section.

FOOD WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 201708

Bonnie S Benwick The Washington Post

Ingredients1 1/2 pounds large, peeled

and deveined shrimpOne 2-inch knob fresh gin-

ger root3 cloves garlic5 scallions2 large egg whites1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red

pepper flakes2 teaspoons cornstarch1/2 cup ketchup1/2 cup no-salt-added

chicken broth1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt1 1/2 teaspoons freshly

ground black pepper1/2 cup canola oil1/2 cup packed fresh

cilantro4 servingsCooked white or brown rice,

for serving

StepsIf the shrimp still have tail

shells, peel and discard them, and place the shrimp in a mix-ing bowl.

Peel the ginger and mince it. Cut the garlic into thin slices. Trim the scallions, then finely chop the white and light-green parts (to

yield about 1/2 cup). Crack the egg whites into a small bowl, reserv-ing the yolks for another use, if desired.

Add the ginger, garlic, egg whites, the crushed red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of the corn-starch to the shrimp; use your clean hands to toss so that they are well coated.

Whisk together the ketchup, broth, sugar, salt, pepper and the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch in a liquid measur-i n g c u p u n t i l w e l l incorporated.

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Once the oil starts to sputter,

add the shrimp and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the shrimp start to turn pink and get a bit crisped on some edges.

Stir in the ketchup mixture; cook for about 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are just cooked through. Stir in the scallions and remove from the heat.

Coarsely chop the cilantro and toss it in. Serve right away, over rice.

Nutrition: Per serving: 460 calories, 37 g protein, 16 g car-bohydrates, 29 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 275 mg choles-terol, 930 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 10 g sugar.

Stir-fried shrimp and scallions

FOODWEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017 09Jim Shahin The Washington Post

A staple at fundraising events by civic organisa-tions and volunteer fire

departments in the Finger Lakes area of New York as well as bar-becue restaurants there, this chicken is a vinegar-based cre-ation of a professor at Cornell University in the late 1940s. The basting sauce, mixed with eggs and cooking oil, creates a creamy texture and tangy flavor that mates beautifully with yard birds.

4 to 8 servings

Make Ahead: The chicken needs to marinate in the refrig-erator for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.

Ingredients2 large eggs1/2 cup canola oil (may sub-

stitute peanut oil)2/3 cup apple cider vinegar1/4 cup store-bought or

homemade poultry seasoning blend (see NOTE)

1 tablespoon coarse salt (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)

4 chicken leg quarters (drum-stick plus thigh)

StepsBeat the eggs in medium bowl

until blended, then whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream, to form a thickened mixture. Whisk in the vinegar, then the poultry seasoning; if you are using a store-bought seasoning blend, add the optional salt and pepper.

Pour into a gallon zip-top bag, then add the chicken quarters

and seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Massage the pieces through the bag; refriger-ate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.

Transfer the bag of chicken and marinade to the counter; let it sit at room temperature for about one hour before grilling.

Prepare the grill for indirect heat. If using a gas grill, turn the heat to high (450 to 500 degrees). Once the grill is preheated (about 10 minutes), reduce the heat to medium (375 to 400 degrees). Turn off the burners on one side.

If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or briquettes; when

the coals are ready, distribute them to one side of the grill. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand 6 inches above the coals for 6 or 7 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames.

Place the chicken quarters skin sides up on the indirect-heat side of the grill; discard the mar-inade. Close the grill lid and open its vents halfway. Cook for about 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees, turning the chicken as needed. For crispy

skin and a little char, move the chicken, skin side down, directly over the coals for the last 3 to 5 minutes before removing it from the grill.

Serve warm.

NOTE: To make 1/4 cup of your own poultry seasoning blend, stir together 2 tablespoons fine kosher salt, 1 tablespoon ground sage, 1 tablespoon dried marjo-ram, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 tea-spoon ground cayenne pepper in a small container.

Grilled chicken recipe

HEALTH WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 201710

Reuters

People who skip breakfast may be more likely to develop atherosclerosis, or harden-

ing of the arteries, than individuals who start each day with a hearty meal, a new study suggests.

Even after researchers accounted for diet and other risk factors for heart disease, people who routinely skipped breakfast were significantly more likely to develop atherosclerosis compared to individuals who normally had a morning meal, the study found.

“A greater percentage of energy consumed earlier in the day may favor cardiovascular health,” lead study author Dr. Valentín Fuster of the CNIC in Madrid and Mount Sinai Heart in New York City said.

Previous research has linked skipping breakfast to a higher risk of problems that can lead to heart disease such as obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol, researchers note in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

For the current study, research-ers examined data from dietary questionnaires completed by 4,052 adults who didn’t have a history of heart problems.

Overall, just 3% of the partici-pants reported skipping breakfast, while 69% typically consumed a light morning meal and 28% had a hearty breakfast.

Those who skipped breakfast

were more likely to be male, smok-ers and dieters who consumed the bulk of their daily calories around lunchtime.

When they ate, breakfast skip-pers tended to spend no more than 5 minutes on their morning meal and consume mostly coffee or orange juice.

Compared to people who had a hearty breakfast, individuals who had a light breakfast were still 21% more likely to have damage in a major artery in the neck and 17% more likely to have damage in a major blood vessel in the abdom-inal area.

In addition to having the great-est risk of atherosclerosis, people who skipped breakfast also had the greatest waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, cho-lesterol and blood sugar levels.

Participants who skipped breakfast were more likely to have an overall unhealthy lifestyle, including poor overall diet, fre-quent alcohol consumption and smoking. They were also more likely to be overweight or obese.

The study wasn’t a controlled experiment designed to prove that skipping breakfast directly causes heart problems or hardening of the arteries.

Another limitation of the study is that some people may have been skipping breakfast because they were obese and were trying to lose weight or improve other risk

factors for heart disease that could also contribute to atherosclerosis, the authors note.

“Many overweight people who might be skipping breakfast or other meals in the hope of losing weight should keep in mind that studies have repeatedly shown that contrary to the commonly held belief, such habits can be associ-ated with (weight gain) and might lead to significant metabolic abnor-malities including the increased risk of metabolic syndrome and diabe-tes,” said Dr. Prakash Deedwania, author of an accompanying edito-rial and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco.

“Indeed, these studies have proved the age old concept that breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Deedwania said.

Individuals who regularly eat breakfast also tend to have a healthier lifestyle, exercising more, eating better and smoking less than people who skip their morning meal, said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a nutrition researcher at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.

The important thing is not to wait too long to eat, because peo-ple may then resort to unhealthy snacks or whatever they can grab on the go to give them a boost until it’s time to eat lunch, she said.

“Having a healthy first meal just sets the tone right for the rest of the day,” St-Onge added.

Gene therapy may restore blindnessIANS

Researchers have shown that gene therapy might help reverse

blindness by reprogramming cells at the back of the eye to become light sensitive.

Retinitis pigmentosa -- the most common cause of blindness in young people -- occurs mostly due to loss of millions of light sensitive photoreceptor cells that line the retina.

The remaining retinal nerve cells, which are not light sensitive, however, remain in the eye which can be treated using gene ther-apy, the researchers said.

“There are many blind patients in our clinics and the ability to give them some sight back with a relatively simple genetic procedure is very exciting,” said lead author Samantha de Silva, specialist registrar, Ophthal-mology and Clinical research training fellow at the Univer-sity of Oxford.

“Our next step will be to start a clinical trial to assess this in patients.”

In the study, detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sci-ences, the team used a viral vector to express a light sen-sitive protein, melanopsin, in the residual retinal cells in mice which were blind from retinitis pigmentosa.

Post treatment, the mice were monitored for over a year and they maintained vision during this time as they were able to recognise objects in their environment which indicated a high level of visual perception.

“The cells expressing melanopsin were able to respond to light and send visual signals to the brain.”

Skipping breakfast risks heart problem

BOLLYWOODWEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017 11

Asha Bhosle unveils her wax statue at Madame TussaudsIANS

Celebrated singer Asha Bhosle, whose wax figure for the maiden Madame Tussauds museum in India was launched here on

Tuesday, says being immortalised with a life-like figure capturing all aspects of her real self, has made her feel immensely proud.

“I have won many awards... I have got hon-ours from the government and even hold a Guinness World Record. I have got it all. But the way I am, they (Madame Tussauds’ artistes) have made me (the figure) like that only, and watch-ing that is making me very happy and proud.

“I am feeling proud of those who have made it for making it well. I am happy that I am one of those they have chosen from India (for the museum)... This is India’s victory, not mine,” Asha said in response to a question by IANS here.

The legendary singer looked radiant and ele-gant in an off-white sari, complete with sparkling solitaires in the ears, a pearl string on her neck, a bindi and white flowers adorning her hair.

At the unveiling, Asha stood besides her wax figure, which is sculpted in a symbolic singing pose with a mic and has been crafted from over 150 measurements and photographs. She posed just like the figure -- looking like a mirror image.

Only the sari is different, she quipped.“It is looking very beautiful and they have

caught every detail intricately. The jewellery,

earrings, neckpiece, off white sari... It’s all like what I wear.

“It’s like I’m looking in a mirror... If I wore that sari, I would have looked like this only,” she said as she admired the figure, which will be placed in the Bollywood music zone of Madame Tussauds museum, due to open here on Decem-ber 1.

She says the officials had asked her where she’d like the figure to be placed.

“I told them I want it between that of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.”

When the young at heart songstress, who has sung in multiple genres, styles and languages throughout her glorious career, was asked if she feels the figure has come too late in her life, she said on a positive note: “Aaya toh sahi (At least it happened).”

Asked what are her expectations and ambi-tions in life after working hard for so many years, Asha said: “I don’t keep any such ambitions. God gives a lot... I am in the 85th year of my life, 84 have finished... In my mind, there was this desire (about the wax figure) and that has got fulfilled.

“I don’t expect much from life... Whatever God gives, I am happy in that. And whatever work God gives, I work hard on that. It has reaped benefits. I gave my work my all and I sang every song like my first song.”

Summing up the launch, Asha gave into a

request for a song, and broke into the evergreen “Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko”, sounding as young and melodious as when the song first saw Zeenat Aman strumming away a guitar in the 1973 film “Yaadon Ki Baaraat”.

Madame Tussauds Delhi, being launched by Europe’s Merlin Entertainment, will have wax figures of Bollywood, Hollywood, sports, history and political personalities under one roof, through planned themes and interactive areas. It will open at the iconic Regal building in Connaught Place.

Pankit Thakker & Vahbiz Dorabjee to launch chat showIANS

Actor-entrepreneur Pankit Thakker will foray into direction and production

with soon-to-be launched “Show-biz with Vahbiz” chat show with business partner Vahbiz Dorabjee.

Asked if the “Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii” actor always dreamt of directing, he said in a statement: “Not really. I have been an actor and will always continue to be one. When Vahbiz and I started out with our business part-nership, we never thought that we would get into production so soon, but we were on the same page. We wanted to make some good content.”

“Both of us are working actors, so we knew that we wanted to do something that will not cut down on our acting offers. Whether I would get into direction or not... I hadn’t thought about it. I realized that I enjoyed direction while making the pilot of our chat show,

‘Showbiz with Vahbiz’,” he added. The process of putting a show

together and working with the cast and crew as a director-producer

“felt good”. When did he start writing the

script of the show? “I guess that happened when

Vahbiz told me ‘let’s work on a chat show’. Working in TV for so long... the experience of working as an actor and an artiste, the whole

discipline of writing was already instilled in my system,” he said.

Has acting helped him?“100%. Acting always chal-

lenges our creativity. Whenever we enact scenes... it is almost like an exercise. When you remember dialogues and create moments out of that, there’s a certain kind of education happening even within that kind of space,” he said.

“It is playful and fun, and I will always continue my journey as an actor. I guess most intelligent actors know how to go about direction, but it is a choice.”

Pankit doesn’t “like distrac-tions” and needs to be alone while writing.

“It also depends a lot on the

nature of the content we are shooting. So, how you approach a content, becomes really impor-tant,” he said.

At times, there are certain external factors that play a role.

“For example, when we are shooting with actors who are com-mitted to a show and already tied up due to current and ongoing daily soaps; we aren’t only follow-ing the deadlines set by the production team but also work-ing along the deadlines set by these actors,” he said.

The first season of “Showbiz with Vahbiz” will features actors like Divyanka Tripathi, Vivek Dahiya, Manish Raisinghani, Avika Gor and Drashti Dhami.

ENTERTAINMENT WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 201712

'Blade Runner 2049' red carpet premiere cancelled after Las Vegas shooting

The Killers band

gets first No. 1

on BillboardReuters

Las Vegas rockers The Killers landed their first chart-top-ping album on the US

Billboard 200 chart, staving off new records from rapper Mack-lemore and R&B singer Jhene Aiko.

“Wonderful Wonderful,” the fifth studio album by The Killers, sold 118,000 album units in its first week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

Macklemore’s latest album, “Gemini,” debuted at No. 2 with 51,000 album units sold, while Aiko’s “Trip” came in at No 5 with sales of 37,000 album units.

The Billboard 200 chart tal-lies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album) and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).

Monday’s chart win was bit-tersweet for The Killers after 59 people were killed at a country music festival in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in mod-ern US history. While The Killers had no affiliation with the festi-val, the band tweeted: “We’ve got heavy hearts. We love you, Las Vegas.” On the Digital Songs chart, which measures online single sales, alt-rockers Imagine Dragons’ “Thunder” climbed to No. 1 from No. 4, with 65,000 copies sold.

Reuters

Warner Bros scaled back the world premiere for its sci-fi film “Blade

Runner 2049” following the dead-liest mass shooting in modern US history in which a gunman killed at least 59 people in Las Vegas.

The premiere for the film, which stars Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling, was scheduled for Tuesday night in Hollywood. The screening will go ahead but with-out a red carpet where stars chat

to reporters and pose for photos.“In light of the tragic events of

last night, Warner Bros. Pictures, Sony Pictures and Alcon Enter-tainment are cancelling the red carpet for tomorrow’s screening of ‘Blade Runner 2049,’” Time Warner Inc-owned Warner Bros. said in a statement.

Monday’s red-carpet pre-miere in Los Angeles for the movie

“Marshall” was also cancelled, and ABC television said “Dancing With the Stars” would begin with a moment of silence on Monday.

Variety also reported that Las Vegas shows Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group canceled Mon-day night performances.

Sunday’s shooting turned a three-day open-air country music festival into a scene of carnage. More than 500 people were injured after a 64-year-old gun-man released a hailstorm of bullets into the site of the Route91 Harvest festival.

Police said the motives of the gunman, who killed himself, were unknown.

Hall of Fame singer, Tom Petty dies at 66The Washington Post

Tom Petty, a singer and gui-tarist who burst onto the scene in 1970s as one of the

most original, searching voices in rock and remained a major hit-maker for four decades, writing songs including “Free Fallin’,” “I Won’t Back Down” and “Ameri-can Girl,” died yesterday at a hospital in Santa Monica, Califor-

nia. He was 66.Petty’s death was confirmed

by Tony Dimitriades, longtime manager of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, on behalf of the family.

Petty and his band, the Heart-breakers, released their self-titled debut in 1976 and soon drew com-parisons to the bluesy, guitar-heavy rock of the Rolling Stones and the Byrds.

Their music was unabashedly sentimental, seeming to speak to striving, everyday Americans no less than the songs of fellow rocker Bruce Springsteen, while featuring clever arrangements that intertwined the fretwork of Petty and lead guitarist Mike Campbell.

The group toured seemingly nonstop for decades, leading bois-terous shows as recently as last

week, when Petty concluded a nationwide tour that he said may well be his last. “I don’t want to spend my life on the road,” he told Rolling Stone.

Still, Petty seemed to treat rock as a religion, battling with his record label to prevent the cost of one of his albums from rising by $1 and exuding a sense of divine satisfaction while performing onstage.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYWEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017 13

IANS

In a finding that could lead to a non-toxic way to power bio-medical devices, scientists have

discovered a way to produce elec-tricity from tears.

The researchers observed that crystals of lysozyme, which is a model protein that is abundant in tears as well as in the egg whites of birds, saliva and the milk of mammals, can generate electric-ity when pressed.

The discovery, detailed in the journal Applied Physics Letters, may have wide reaching applica-tions and could lead to further research in the area of energy har-vesting and flexible electronics for biomedical devices.

Future applications of the dis-covery may include controlling the release of drugs in the body by using lysozyme as a physiologi-cally mediated pump that scavenges energy from its surroundings.

The ability to generate electric-ity by applying pressure -- known as direct piezoelectricity -- is a property of materials such as quartz that can convert mechan-ical energy into electrical energy and vice versa.

Bone, tendon and wood are long known to possess piezoelec-tricity, the researchers said.

“The extent of the piezoelectric-ity in lysozyme crystals is of the same order of magnitude found in quartz. However, because it is a

biological material, it is non-toxic so could have many innovative applications such as electroactive, anti-microbial coatings for medi-cal implants,” said lead author Aimee Stapleton, a postgraduate student at the Bernal Institute, Uni-versity of Limerick (UL) in Ireland.

“Being naturally biocompatible and piezoelectric, lysozyme may present an alternative to conven-tional piezoelectric energy harvesters, many of which con-tain toxic elements such as lead.”

Electricity from tears could power biomedical devices

The Washington Post

Google is set to round out the major smartphone launches of the year, when the com-

pany is expected to debut the second generation of its Pixel phone, the company’s answer to Apple’s iPhone.

After a series of phone launches that have been a little boring, this is the last chance for a major firm to make a big first impression this year. Based on the rumors, we can expect the phone to keep most of its features with some models get-ting upgrades. Those include a second-generation fingerprint scanner, faster processor and larger screen (thanks to reduced bevels).

But for the phone to really impress, it will have to offer some-thing novel. Here are three ways I think it could distinguish itself:

Price: If Google offered a pre-mium smartphone for cheap, that could entice consumers who want modern features on their phones but aren’t excited enough by the new tech in Apple’s iPhone X or Samsung’s Note 8 to drop $1,000.

The company could take a cue from successful smartphone mak-ers in China, where consumers have rewarded such companies as Hua-wei and Xiaomi by snapping up their pretty good phones at cheap prices. Emulating that, with the Google name behind it, might give Google a good niche here and

around the world.Astonishing battery life: Google

has made some big claims in teaser promotions about the new Pixel, but perhaps none quite so practical as the promise of better battery life.

“What’s wrong with my phone’s battery?” is the first question in Google’s teaser, which lists an array of problems that the company apparently wants to fix. Setting that out as a top goal is smart, consid-ering that battery life is one of the most important aspects of picking a phone. Not having to top up your phone after work, or avoiding the panic of needing an outlet at the end of the night is just about priceless.

But it would have to be a major improvement - nothing incremen-tal, such as offering 12 hours instead of 11 hours.

Something really unexpected: Google may not have the world’s best record when it comes to hard-ware, but when it does succeed it’s because it offers something that’s both a little bit out there and solves practical problems.

Think of the Chromecast: When it launched, it was sort of a weird device for Google, and its main sell-ing point was its ability for you to easily watch YouTube on your television.

But it was also just $35 and let you watch streaming services on

your TV without having to buy another subscription - so, what was there to lose?

But Google’s real strength is in software and services, which could make for some interesting logisti-cal advances in the smartphone category.

Even useful, working improve-ments to Google Assistant would be a good selling point if it really meant that your phone would understand what you were saying.

It would also be exciting to see Google power some unusual expe-riences, perhaps on other devices, as both virtual reality and smart-home products are also expected to make an appearance today.

Three ways the new Google Pixel could stand out from the pack

BABY BLUES

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE

Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn

when she allows three young guys to move in with her.Note: Programme is subject to change without prior notice.

VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER

WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2017CINEMA PLUS14NOVO — Pearl

Home Again(2D) 10:00am, 12:00noon, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 5:00, 8:00. 10:00pm & 12:00midnightKingsman:The Golden Circle(Action) 10:15am, 1:00, 3:45, 6:30, 9:15pm & 12:00midnight The Son Of Bigfoot(Animation) 3D10:10am&1:50pm 2D 12:00noon,3:40,5:30& 7:20pm American Assassin (2D/Action) 9:10 & 11:30pm Al Khalya (2D/Arabic) 12:10, 4:50 & 9:30pm Mark Felt (2D/Drama) 10:00am, 2:40, 7:20pm & 12:00midnight IT (2D/Horror) 10:00am, 2:45, 7:30pm & 12:00midnight The Crucifixion (2D/Mystery) 12:45, 5:30 & 10:10pm The Lego: Ninjago (2D/Animation) 10:00am, 12:15, 2:30 & 4:45pm Victoria And Abdul (2D/Drama) 7:00, 9:15 & 11:30pm Open Water 3 Cage Dive (2D/Drama) 10:00am, 2:00, 6:00 & 10:00pm Countdown (2D) 12:00noon, 4:00, 8:00pm & 10:00pm Flatliners(2D/Horror) 10:00am, 12:15, 2:30, 2:50, 4:45, 7:00, 9:15, 9:50 & 11:30 pm Kingsman:The Golden Circle (2D/Action) 12:00noon & 7:00pm Kingsman:The Golden Circle (IMAX/2D Action) 10:00am, 12:45, 3:30, 6:15, 9:00& 11:45pm

MALLSpyder (2D) Telugu 2:30pm Tamil 11:30pmThe Son Of Bigfoot (2D/Animation) 2:30, 4:15 & 6:00pmHome Again (2D/Drama) 4:30pm Ya Thadi Ya Thaadi (Arabic) 6:15pmFlatliners (2D/Horror) 7:30 & 9:30pm Mark Felt (2D/Drama) 9:45 & 11:30pm Victoria And Abdul (2D/Drama) 9:30pm Loving In Tandem (2D/Tagalog) 7:45pmOpen Water 3: Cage Dive (2D/Thriller) 8:00pm Hara Hara Mahadevaki (Tamil) 2:00pm Judwaa 2 (Hindi) 5:00 & 11:30pm

LANDMARKThe Son Of Bigfoot (2D/Animation) 2:15, 4:00, 5:45 & 7:30pmSpyder (2D) Telugu 2:30 & 7:00 Tamil 11:30pm Karuppan (Tamil) 3:00pmThe Lego: Ninjago (2D/Animation) 5:00pm Loving In Tandem (2D/Tagalog) 6:00pmFlatliners (2D/Horror) 7:30 & 11:30pm Ya Thadi Ya Thaadi (Arabic) 8:00pmVictoria And Abdul (2D/Drama) 9:30pm Open Water 3 Cage Dive (2D/Thriller) 9:45pm Mark Felt (2D/Drama) 9:30pm Judwaa 2 (Hindi) 11:15pm

ROYAL PLAZA

ROXY

The Son Of Bigfoot (2D/Animation) 2:15, 4:00 & 5:45pmThe Lego: Ninjago (2D/Animation) 2:15 & 4:15pmSpyder (2D) Telugu 2:30 & 5:00 Tamil 11:30pm Home Again (2D/Drama) 7:30pm Mark Felt (2D/Drama) 8:15pm Victoria And Abdul (2D/Drama) 9:30pm Loving In Tandem (2D/Tagalog) 6:15pm Flatliners (2D/Horror) 7:30 & 9:15pmOpen Water 3: Cage Dive (2D/Thriller) 10:15pm Judwaa 2 (Hindi) 11:15pm Countdown (2D/Action) 11:45pm

The Son of Big foot (Animation) 2:15, 4:15 & 6:15pm Spyder (Telugu) 12:00noon, 2:50, 5:40, 8:30 & 11:20pm Kingsman Circle 12:00noon & 7:30pm The Lego: Ninjago (2D/Animation) 12:00noon & 8:15pm Flatliners (2D/Horror) 2:50, 5:10, 10:20pm & 12:30am Karuppan 12:00noon, 2:50 & 5:40pm Judwaa 2 (Hindi) 8:30 & 11:30pm

ASIAN TOWNSpyder (2D) Telugu 5:30 & 8:15pm Tamil 6:30, 9:15pm & 12:00midnight Judwaa 2 5:30 & 11:00pm Hara Hara Mahadevaki 8:15pm Kuruppan 1:00, 6:30pm, 12:00midnight & 01:45am Njandukalude 9:15pm

AL KHORThe Lego: Ninjago (2D/Animation) 10:30am, 12:15 & 2:30pm Judwaa 2 (Hindi) 12:15, 3:00, 5:45, 8:30 & 11:15pm Spyder - Telugu 3:15&8:45pm Tamil 12:30, 6:00& 11:30pm Flatliners (2D/Horror) 4:45, 7:15, 9:30 & 11:45pm

HOME AGAIN

JUICE

CROSSWORD CONCEPTIS SUDOKU

ALL IN THE MIND

08:00 News08:30 The Listening

Post09:00 Justice!10:30 Inside Story11:00 News11:30 The Stream12:00 News12:30 TechKnow13:00 NEWSHOUR14:00 News14:30 Inside Story15:00 Al Jazeera World16:00 NEWSHOUR17:00 News17:30 The Stream18:00 Newsgrid19:00 News19:30 Witness20:00 News20:30 Inside Story21:00 NEWSHOUR22:00 News22:30 The Stream23:00 Witness

13:10 Bizaardvark 14:00 Jessie15:40 Stuck In

The Middle 16:05 Liv And

Maddie 16:30 Descendants

Wicked World 16:35 Bunk’d 17:00 K.C.

Undercover18:15 Star Wars

Forces Of Destiny

20:30 Cracke 21:00 K.C.

Undercover 21:55 Bunk’d 22:20 Miraculous

Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir

22:45 Lolirock 23:05 Disney Mickey

Mouse

13:45 Baby Panda’s First Year

16:30 Running With Wolves

17:25 Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet

18:20 Treehouse Masters

21:05 Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet

22:00 Treehouse Masters

22:55 Wildest Latin America

23:50 Untamed & Uncut

00:45 Treehouse Masters

01:40 Rugged Justice

13:10 Alaska: The Last Frontier

16:10 Misfit Garage

17:00 How Do They Do It?

17:50 Garage Gold

18:50 Kings Of The Wild

21:00 Strip The City

21:50 Abandoned Engineering

22:40 Breaking Magic

23:30 Fast N’ Loud

00:20 Misfit Garage

01:05 Strip The City

01:50 Abandoned Engineering

King Features Syndicate, Inc.

BRAIN TEASERSWEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 15

Yesterday’s answer

Conceptis Sudoku: Conceptis Sudoku

is a number-placing puzzle based on a

9×9 grid. The object is to place the

numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so

that each row, each column and each

3×3 box contains the same number

only once.

ANTARCTIC, ARCTIC, ARCTIC

CIRCLE, ARCTIC FOX,

BLIZZARD, FREEZING, FROSTY,

FROZEN, GELID, GLACIER,

HUSKY, ICE, ICEBERG,

ICEBREAKER, ICE FIELD, ICE

FLOE, ICE SHELF, ICICLE,

IGLOO, NORTH POLE,

PENGUIN, PERMAFROST,

POLAR BEAR, SLED, SLEET,

SNOW, SNOWSHOE,

SNOWSTORM, SOUTH POLE,

WHITEOUT.