SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016

‘Befikre’: A cliched entertainer

MARKETPLACE | 7 FOOD | 8 BOLLYWOOD | 11Cornmeal

thumbprints with tomato jam

GIFTS FOR CHILDREN

A look at 15 fantastic non-toy gifts for children for holidays that they will use!

P | 4-5

Email: dohatoday@pen.com.qa

D | 11World’s Leading

Travel Agency award for Regency

MARKW

awa

CAMPUSSUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016 03

DeBakey High School celebrates ‘Unity in Diversity’

DeBakey High School-Qatar celebrated the rich diversity of the school community with the theme, ‘Unity

in Diversity.’ This was a week-long event where students and faculty shared the culture and traditions of their native countries through a series of activities.

Activities included a regional booth display, a fashion show, internationally-themed lunch, tra-ditional board games, talent show and sport competitions. During the week, there was a cultural perform-ance by the Olive International school and parents attended throughout the week. Students and faculty had an opportunity to dress in their native clothing and the week served as a beautiful time for students to appreciate each other’s culture.

Student reflections included: “I liked the fact that everyone was proud about their nationality. A lot

of activities were held by the teach-ers, and teachers who wore their national outfit encouraged me to

as well.,” “It was so much fun to see my classmates proud of their country.”

CMU-Q hosts reunion for Class of 2011Carnegie Mellon University

in Qatar (CMU-Q) cele-brated the Class of 2011’s

five-year reunion, with alumni joining faculty and senior leader-ship to reconnect and network.

Welcoming alumni to the event, Ilker Baybars, Dean and CEO of CMU-Q, said: “We are incredibly proud of the success you have achieved in your respec-tive fields. Thank you for carrying

on the legacy of excellence and setting a fine example for current CMU-Q students.”

Carnegie Mellon Qatar grad-uates are highly sought after by local, regional and international organizations. They are employed in top organizations such as Google, Microsoft, Qatar Petro-leum, Shell and Commercial Bank Qatar, or are pursuing graduate studies.

COVER STORY SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 201604

Jamie Davis Smith The Washington Post

Children are dropping let-ters in the mail to Santa and letting parents know what they want for the holidays. For many par-

ents, however, the idea of bringing toys into the house that aren’t likely to be played with past New Year’s Eve has them looking for alterna-tives. The good news is that there are plenty options for great gifts. This year we have 15 bright ideas.

1. Exercise equipment: While children might not appreciate the gift of good health, they can appre-ciate fun that makes them fit. Try a mini trampoline for indoor use or go for a larger model for outdoor use. Or consider a moon bounce. As with trampolines, small ones may fit indoors (measure your ceilings before buying) or large ones can be used outdoors. If bouncing isn’t your thing, try a basketball hoop (even a small indoor version), a jump rope, or new two wheeler. There are

Backyard Ninja kits and colourful river stones and hilltops that can be used to create in-home obstacle courses.

2. Journal: Nearly every child likes to draw or write. Any simple book with paper will do, but kids will love a real journal with a lock or personalised with an initial or photo. Fans of “Iggy Peck, Architect” and “Rosie Revere, Engineer” will love a “Peck & Revere Journal” designed for noting down bright ideas. Many kids love the “Wreck This Journal” with creative prompts throughout. The “Who Is? Journal” based on the popular Who Was? series is a great journal that prompts kids to record the story of their own lives. Older kids will like “642 Things to Write About” with tons of writing prompts on just about every topic.

3. Conversation questions: To spark conversation and funny sto-ries, try some guided questions. The Family Dinner Box of Questions is a fun way for kids to ask questions and to get everyone talking. These

free printable questions can be used to make a Key Jar that kids can unwrap. Kids will love getting the opportunity to talk about themselves as a gift!

4. Multi-cultural treats: Many families consume their fair share treats during the holidays. Try some-thing different like a box of snacks from Universal Yums that is full of treats from a different country. Order one box to enjoy throughout the holidays or get a monthly sub-scription. Boxes may include “local” twists snacks you may already know, as well as treats typically only con-sumed in the country.

5. A box of awesome: The gift of an Awesome Box is a great idea for anyone on your list. The box of photos and notes is co-created by friends and family. Once you start a box, you can send invitations to any-one and they can design a card with a photo on one side and a note on the other. Once complete, Awesome Box prints the cards on high-qual-ity paper, packages them up, and

sends them to the lucky recipient. Any child would love to receive a box of notes from the important people in their lives. Or, create the cards yourself and fill a box with family memories from the past year. Photos can be uploaded right from your phone or Facebook.

6. Clothes: Clothes are a neces-sity, but they don’t have to be boring. Does your teen want an expensive pair of jeans or sneakers? Does your little girl want a frivolous furry fest? Do your kids clamour for every Pokémon shirt they see? The holi-days are a great time to splurge on these types of clothing items. Spe-cialty clothing your kids need for activities like dance, soccer, or even playing in the snow make great gifts. For very little ones, Hi Little One makes completely customisable adorable clothing.

7. Pocket knife and tools: If you have ever seen a group of Cub Scouts happily whittling away at a stick, you know how much joy chil-dren get from handling something grown-up and making something with their own hands. Other chil-dren take pride in having their own hammer to help with projects around the house. As long as your child is old enough to understand safety parameters they will be delighted with a gift that shows you trust them and that they can use to help out around the house or create.

Gifts that kids will use!

COVER STORYSUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016 05

8. How-to and then do: Does your child love to help you make cookies? Try a pastry cookbook, along with a package of ingredients and an apron. Has your child shown an interest in photography? Try a book like “Photo Adventures for Kids” along with something kid-friendly like the Polaroid Snap Touch Instant Share that allows users to print or share directly from the camera. The possibilities are endless from gar-dening and building projects to coding and travel planning.

9. Book of their artwork: Many kids create artwork at an astonish-ing rate - and get very upset if they find one of their masterpieces in the trash. Solve your clutter problem and address your child’s attachment issues with a book of their artwork. Snap a photo of any piece of artwork then print a book of their artwork. Check out an Economy Photobook like one from Mpix if you think the book will take a beating.

10. Furniture: While kids likely won’t be excited about a new living-room sofa, they would love their own kid-friendly piece, like a comfy beanbag chair, a new desk, or a kid-sized table for play and snacks. A

Learning Tower from Little Partners is popular with the toddler and pre-school set to allow kids to safely

“help” in the kitchen. Or, try some-thing fun like a race-car themed bed that will last for years.

11. Jewellery: Many children love the colorful jewellery sold at toy stores. If your budget is a little higher, consider a customisable option from the Isabelle Grace Jewelry Mini and Just for Kids collections so that your

child can have a necklace that reflects her personality. If you are looking for an heirloom piece, try starting a charm bracelet that you add to each year. Boys might like faux dog tags, a shield initial tag, or a pair of cuff links that they can use into adulthood.

12. Music: Find a way to incor-porate music into your holiday giving. Make a new “mix tape” on a CD or phone of your child’s favorites. Or,

take the opportunity to introduce her to all new music. Another option is to create a personalised song, such as those available from Instasong that you can create online in about three minutes. Try a kid-friendly Karaoke machine like a Singing Machine that has a large screen from which kids can read lyrics and comes with a real microphone.

13. Pictures galore: Most kids love seeing photos of themselves and their families. It may be difficult to pass off that framed family portrait you have been wanting as a gift for your child, but check out fun options like a photo growth chart, statuettes, and even wall clings made from your photos.

14. Books and beyond: Books are an obvious non-toy gift, but think beyond the ordinary for the holidays. If you are always on the go or your older child reads a ton, try a sub-scription to Audio Books that syncs your reading progress across multi-ple devices. Younger kids will enjoy a personalised book that can put them in any story from a Christmas adventure to a Frozen or Star Wars story. If you get lucky, you may be able to get an autographed copy of new release by checking your local bookstore or calling the publisher. If you are really lucky, you may be able to find your child’s favourite author in person. Or, go the more traditional route with a boxed set of books for little kids, choose from a set of clas-sic series that come with a personalised book band with the recipient’s name or make your own set like one from Puffin Classics.

15. Anything they need: Think creatively about upcoming pur-chases that can double as gifts. Will your son need a new bike helmet? Does your daughter have a camping trip in the spring and needs a sleep-ing bag? Are your paints and crayons in need of replacements? The holi-days are a perfect time to give these things to your children. If you feel a little guilty buying something for the holidays that you would purchase anyway, consider an upgrade such as a backpack with a character if you would normally buy a solid colour or a bike helmet with a Mohawk or fun animal ears.

CAMPUS SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 201606

PIS students visit Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum

Keeping in view the vital significance of out of class activities, the students of PIS were provided with an

opportunity to visit Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum, one of the biggest private museums in the world.

Established in 1998 by Sheikh Faisal, one of the Middle East’s most prominent business leaders, the

Museum is a priceless resource for researchers, academicians and schools, as well as a day-tripper destination in its own right. The stu-dents were welcomed by the museum authorities and taken inside by a tour guide. Talking about the priceless treasure pre-served in the museum, the tour guide briefed the students that four themed collections; Qatar heritage, Islamic art, coins & currency and

vehicles including over 15,000 pieces from all the continents have been built. Each collection has other sub classifications making the Museum a treasure trove of Arabic manuscripts, fine arts, unique fos-sils, prehistoric figurines, scriptures, vintage cars, Islamic textiles, rare coins, as well as the world’s largest private collection of militaria. The students were also told that the Min-istry of Art, Culture and Heritage

selected the museum as one of Qatar’s cultural landmarks as part of the ‘Qatar capital of Culture’ activities in 2010.

The students took keen interest in the extensive vehicle collection which comprised of a historic steam car from the latter part of the 19th century, 1940s Desoto models, val-uable Ford T models, Buick models from first half of 20th century and Dodge service vehicles.

Juventus Camp for kids kicks off in Umm SalalA few days before the final of

Supercoppa Italiana Juven-tus vs. Milan, the football

event of the year in Qatar, FFG Sports Management will organise the first Juventus Camp Qatar for kids from 5 to 17 years old at the Umm Salal facility.

The football camp will kick off on Monday at 5pm in the presence of Juventus Camp Head Coach Luca Corona. The kids will receive the official Juventus Camp kit and will enjoy double training session and matches until 8pm for ten days (break and prayer time will be included). The camp will end on december 22 with a final ceremony and the Juventus certificates.

The Camp was presented in Warwick Doha, Hotel Partner of the camp, and will see for the first time in Qatar Juventus Academy Coaches, supported by Umm Salal Sports Club, which will also provide the sports facilities and transportation for all the kids from/to: Umm Salal, Madinat Khaleefa, Al Saad, Al Rayan, Bin Mahmoud, Al Seeliya.

Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani, Umm Salal SC’s President, said: “We are very happy to host the Juventus Camp Qatar in our facilities in Umm Salal”.

“We’re extremely glad that a professional football school such as Juventus will host this camp in Qatar”. Guido De Sanctis,

Ambassador of Italy to Qatar, said, “Sport is a powerful way of building bridges between youth and cultures. I’m sure that the Juventus Camp Qatar will support local talents to develop their potential.”

FFG Sports Management’s Chairman and CEO Mohammed

Lajam and Fabrizio Puglisi said: “We are proud and happy to start this project in Qatar with Juventus Camp, after the JUventus Camp Academy Dubai’s expansion in three locations. Out projects will help to increase Juventus’ strong presence in the Middle East.”

MARKETPLACESUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016 07

World’s leading travel agency award for Regency

Regency Travel and Tours was awarded World’s Leading Travel Agency by World Travel Awards for the 10th consecutive

time, at a glitzy WTA Grand Finale Gala ceremony held at The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi in the Maldives on December 2.

Hailed as “Oscars of the Travel Industry”, the World Travel Awards are highly coveted and contested awards, with winners being chosen purely by virtue of the votes they receive. Established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry, WTA is currently in its 23rd year. WTA are acknowl-edged across the globe as the most sought after travel and hospitality awards and recognised as the ulti-mate hallmark of quality.

Regency Travel & Tours’ CEO Tareq Abdullatif Taha, the driving force behind the company’s stupen-dous success, was elated at the achievement and said, “We are hon-oured to represent the State of Qatar at this prestigious platform, and are absolutely thrilled on winning the World Leading Travel Agency title for the 10th time in a row. This is a proud moment for my entire team,

and the awards are a testament to our commitment in driving value to our customers, delivering quality service and our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving travel space.”

Taha attributed this achieve-ment to his customers for their trust and loyalty towards Regency Travel & Tours brand, as well as the team of 400 plus professionals for their dedication and passion. He added,

“We dedicate these awards to the people of Qatar and would like to express our gratitude to Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

and Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for bestowing their blessings and support for pri-vate enterprises and Qatar travel and tourism industry, reflected in Qatar National Vision, QNV, 2030.”

Katara Hospitality has taken the title of World’s Leading Hospitality Company at the World Travel Awards Grand Final 2016. Etihad Airways, taking the title of World’s Leading Airline for the eighth time in succession. St Petersburg, itself preparing to host the World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony 2017,

was also honoured, taking the title of World’s Leading Cultural City Destination.

World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said: “It has been a real honour to return here to the Maldives, and in particular to bring the Grand Final to Sun Siyam Iru Fushi for the first time. We have seen the best of international tour-ism recognised here at the resort tonight.

Commenting on the achieve-ment, Nasiruddin Mohammed Shafiq, GM of Regency Travel & Tours, said, “Being awarded these prestigious titles is an incredible achievement for all our employees who have put their best foot for-ward, year after year. The prevailing tough economic and market condi-tions have only fuelled our passion further and the desire to achieve greater heights.”

N M Shafiq added “We are for-tunate to have the support and backing of our visionary leaders, Regency Group Chairman & Presi-dent Ibrahim Hassan Al Asmakh and CEO & Vice-President Hassan Al Asmakh. Their direction and encouragement has shown us the way and given us self-belief to achieve greater successes.”

Qatar Steel organises blood donation driveIn coordination with the blood

donor Centre at Hamad Med-ical Corporation, Qatar Steel

organised a blood donation drive at its plant site in Mesaieed. Employees from various depart-ments and sections took part in the drive. The blood donation drive comes in line with the com-pany’s partnership and cooperation with the local medi-cal organisation, and in alliance of its corporate social responsibil-ity policy, and in compliance with its humanitarian role to support

the patients who are direly in need for blood, and to sustenance the blood stock in the hospital. It has been a tradition for Qatar Steel to hold a blood donation drive every year in an effort to promote the blood donation culture among its employees, and to emphasise its attention towards the health and welfare of the society to facilitate a sustainably developed society.

Qatar Steel’s employees applauded this donation drive, as it integrates benevolent and moral values, in addition to health and

social benefits and assisting the blood donor centre to build up suf-ficient stock of blood. “Blood Donation is a humanitarian act, which improves the of individu-als’ relations in the community

and strengthens the social ties between them, through extend-ing a helping hand to the patients who need blood instantly for sur-vival”, one of the donors commented.

FOOD SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 201608Kara Elder The Washington Post

Here, a corn bread sweetness meets the tang of tomato jam. The cookies look festive but would be suitable as anytime nibbles.

MAKE AHEAD: You’ll have leftover tomato jam, which can be refrigerated for up to 1 month. The cookie dough needs to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Adapted from “The Southern Cookie Book,” by the editors of Southern Living (Oxmoor House, 2016.)

Ingredients (24 cookies)For the jam1 1/2 pounds red, round tomatoes1 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup apple vinegar1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest plus

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from 1 large orange)

1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger root (from a 2-to-3-inch piece)

2 teaspoons sea salt1 teaspoon ground coriander4 whole clovesFor the cookies8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at

room temperature1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar1 large egg, separated into white and yolk1 teaspoon vanilla extract3/4 cup flour, plus more for the work

surface3/4 cup yellow cornmeal1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg1/2 cup lightly toasted chopped pecans (see

NOTE)3 tablespoons granulated sugar

StepsFor the jam: Fill a bowl with ice and cool

water.Score a shallow X in the bottom of each

tomato. Place the fruit in a pot of boiling water

for a minute or two, then drain and place the tomatoes in the ice-water bath.

Once they’re cool enough to handle, peel them and discard the skins. Hull and chop the tomatoes, transferring them and their juices to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the granulated sugar, apple vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, ginger, sea salt, coriander and cloves, stirring to incorporate. Once the mixture is bubbling at the edges, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 45 minutes or until the mixture has thickened a bit. Discard the cloves. Let cool for 20 minutes, then transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. The yield is about 2 cups; you’ll need 1/2 cup for this recipe, and the rest can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.

For the cookies: Combine the butter and con-fectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer; beat on medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract; beat on low speed until incorporated.

Lightly flour a work surface.Combine the flour, cornmeal, lemon zest,

kosher salt and nutmeg in a separate bowl; grad-ually add this mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed until just blended, to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto the floured

surface; knead four times, then shape it into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

Stir together the pecans and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Lightly beat the egg white.

Shape the dough into twenty-four 1-inch balls. Dip each one into the egg white, then coat in the pecan mixture. Space the balls at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.

Use your clean thumb or the small end of a melon baller to make an indentation at the center of each dough ball that’s large enough to hold some jam.

Bake one sheet at a time (middle rack) for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and rein-force/re-press the indentations. Spoon some tomato jam into each indentation.

Return to the oven; bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE: Toast the pecans in a small, dry skil-let over medium-low heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan as needed to avoid scorching, until the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned. Cool completely before chopping.

Cornmeal thumbprints with tomato jam

HEALTHSUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016 09

IANS

Is it hard for you to avoid gorging on sugar-laden sweets and oily samosas? Your lack of proper sleep is to be blamed.A new study has suggested that rapid eye

movement (REM) sleep loss leads to increased consumption of unhealthy foods, specifically sucrose and fat.

REM sleep is a unique phase of sleep in mammals that is closely associated with dreaming and characterised by random eye movement and almost complete paralysis of

the body. The study showed that “the medial pre-

frontal cortex -- brain region that are recruited when thinking about oneself -- may play a direct role in controlling our desire to consume weight promoting foods, high in sucrose content, when people lack sleep,” said lead author Kristopher McEown from the University of Tsukuba in Japan.

In the study, the researchers used a new method to produce REM sleep loss in mice along with a chemical-genetic technique to block prefrontal cortex neurons and the

behaviours they mediate. The study showed that blocking these

neurons reversed the effect of REM sleep loss on sucrose consumption while having no effect on fat consumption.

The prefrontal cortex was found to play a role in judging the palatability of foods through taste, smell and texture.

Moreover, persons who are obese tend to have increased activity in the prefrontal cortex when exposed to high calorie foods, the researchers noted, in the paper published in the journal eLife.

IANS

It is not without any reason that we tend to breathe faster when we find ourselves in a dangerous situation. Scientists

have now discovered that the

rhythm of breathing creates elec-trical activity in the human brain that enhances emotional judg-ments and memory recall.

These effects on behaviour depend critically on whether you inhale or exhale and whether you

breathe through the nose or mouth.In the study, individuals were

able to identify a fearful face more quickly if they encountered the face when breathing in compared to when breathing out.

Individuals also were more likely to remember an object if they encountered it on the inhaled breath than the exhaled one. The effect disappeared if breathing was through the mouth, said the study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

“One of the major findings in this study is that there is a dra-matic difference in brain activity in the amygdala and hippocam-pus during inhalation compared with exhalation,” said lead author Christina Zelano, Assistant Profes-sor at Northwestern University

Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. The scientists first discovered these differences in brain activity while studying a small number patients with epi-lepsy who were scheduled for brain surgery.

A week prior to surgery, a sur-geon implanted electrodes into the patients’ brains in order to iden-tify the origin of their seizures.

This allowed scientists to acquire electro-physiological data directly from their brains.

The recorded electrical signals showed brain activity fluctuated with breathing. The activity occurs in brain areas where emotions, memory and smells are processed.

“When you breathe in, we dis-covered, you are stimulating neurons in the olfactory cortex, amygdala and hippocampus, all across the limbic system,” Zelano said.

The findings imply that rapid breathing may confer an advan-tage when someone is in a dangerous situation.

“If you are in a panic state, your breathing rhythm becomes faster,” Zelano said.

“As a result you’ll spend pro-portionally more time inhaling than when in a calm state. Thus, our body’s innate response to fear with faster breathing could have a positive impact on brain func-tion and result in faster response times to dangerous stimuli in the environment,” Zelano noted.

Sleep loss may up appetite for sugary & fatty foods

Breathing rhythm can enhance memory recall, fear response

The recorded electrical signals showed brain activity fluctuated with breathing. The activity occurs in brain areas where emotions, memory and smells are processed.

LIFESTYLE SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 201610

Leanne ItalieAP

Amid social, political and environmen-tal tumult around the world, the Pantone Color Institute plucked fresh and zesty “greenery” as the colour of the year for 2017.

The vibrant green with yellow undertones is an answer, of sorts, to bruising 2016, signal-ing a yearning to rejuvenate, and to reconnect to both nature and something larger than one-self, said Laurie Pressman, the institute’s vice president.

“It’s a realisation for many people,” she said in an interview. “This country is politically divided, and we see that around the world. It’s not just us. There’s a real division in terms of glo-balization and this desire to pull back from globalization. It’s Brexit. It’s what we just saw in Italy.”

The experts at the institute, which advises a variety of industries on the use of colour from fashion and home design to packaging and prod-uct development, have been choosing a colour of the year since 1999.

It’s a way to conjure the emotions that col-ours evoke. The team at Pantone, based in Carlstadt, New Jersey, scouts trends through the year in media, on runways and at trade shows

around the world. The colour “greenery,” simi-lar to chartreuse, is well represented in the first buds and grass blades of new spring, but it also plays out in history at times of major cultural shifts, including the suffrage movement and flap-per era of the 1920s and the war and racial justice protest movements and psychedelia of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

“It’s been there during times of bold change, when people are exploring,” Pressman said.

The hue is in contrast to the soft, serenity-inducing dual choices of “rose quartz” and

“serenity” blue as the colours of the year for 2016.In addition to the emerging recycle-and-

share economies, we have green rooftops, green spaces and indoor vertical farming. In home decor, there’s a trend to connect with the ele-ments outside through open spaces and vast

windows, and a desire to bring nature inside through forestry murals and living moss walls, Pressman said.

On the industrial side, both Skoda and Mer-cedes showed bright green cars for 2017. For the kitchen, Pantone spotted its shade in appliances, including a Keurig coffeemaker, and in cook-ware. And in fashion, menswear designers have played into the idea of gender fluidity through prints and accessories of bright greens, along with the creators of womenswear and beauty products, ranging from the couture of Oscar de la Renta in a leaf-embellished gown to bright green shades for eyes, nails and lips.

Katy Perry, Kylie Jenner and Lena Dunham have all taken turns dying their hair bright green. Last year, a cologne from the Diana Vreeland brand came in green and was dubbed “Bold.”

The shade also symbolises the organic and health frenzy in cleaning products and food — hello matcha! — coupled with efforts to rethink food waste in restaurants and processing plants.

In the tech and digital spaces, the colour pops up in products like earbuds and in logos and advertising for apps and startups, Pressman said.

“We saw it always as a bold colour,” she said, “but it may not have been accepted by some peo-ple. Today we look at this as a color associated with innovation. It takes on a whole different feeling.”

Pantonecolour of the year is‘greenery’

BOLLYWOODSUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016 11

Troy Ribeiro IANS

Film: “Befikre”Director: Aditya ChopraCast: Ranveer Singh, Vani Kapoor, Akarsh Khurana, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Julie OrdonRating: **1/2

“Befikre” is a familiar story of friendship, love and realisation, a tried and tested

premise that is predictable with the same landmark points or mile-stones that fulfil the dramatic quotient. Only the setting is differ-ent, in this case - Paris. And this plays a major part in contributing to the uninhibited lives of its characters.

The film begins on a dramatic note, with Dharam (Ranveer Singh) and Shyra (Vani Kapoor) fighting. In the heat of the moment Dharam abuses Shyra. Insulted and furious, Shyra walks out of her live-in rela-tionship, back to her parents house.

Narrated in a non-linear format, the plot encapsulates three years

of the protagonists’ lives, which reveal how Dharam, a stand-up comedian from Delhi, met Shyra Gill, an equally free spirited girl, on his first day out in Paris and how their, dare-to-live attitude binds them.

While every love story is based on the premise that the couple care a damn for society and are carefree, here the characters lead or at least pretend to lead a carefree life till realisation dawns on them that they are inseparable.

As a love story this works at a mundane level and the treatment, in keeping with the times, is racy and perfunctory. The humour seems forced. Every scene is a nug-get or a chapter that is juxtaposed with the past and present, a seem-ingly lazy method of screenplay. The characters too are poorly c r a f t e d , t h e y a r e one-dimensional.

The dialogues by Sharat Katar-iya are taut, racy and bluntly witty and are smoothly mouthed by the cast. On the performance front, the actors live up to their reputation. Ranveer Singh is charismatic and

charming with his abundant energy; he plays Dharam with conviction, but unfortunately appears stereo-typical. Vani Kapoor is competent as the “Psycho Chick” and she matches Ranveer in energy and his-trionics. Her performance reasonates with the right attitude that makes her stand out. In fact she sways the audience with her impressive dance moves.

Armaan Ralhan, O P Ralhan’s grandson, in an unstated but impressive performance, makes his presence felt as Aneya, the invest-ment banker who is supposed to marry Shyra. Akarsh Khurana and

Ayesha Raza Mishra as Shyra’s res-tauranteur parents are restrained with their limited screen presence.

The first half of the film has its moments of exaltation, but the sec-ond half, though racy, gets predictable and drags in parts. The chaotic climax that takes place at the wedding altar accompanied with a loud screechy background score, does not add any chutzpah to the narrative.

The songs are beautifully cho-reographed, but they punctuate the narrative rather oddly.

Visually the film is all gloss and Cinematographer Kaname Onoya-ma’s frames are good. In fact his aerial-sweeping shots are rather impressive. If only Aditya Chopra was not bogged down with the busi-ness of filmmaking and instead made a romantic film in a carefree manner from the bottom of his heart, his latest missive would have been a different tale to tell.

Overall, “Befikre” captures the “pagalpan and bachpana” that is the madness and childishness of its pro-tagonists in a cliched and not classic

‘Befikre’: A cliched entertainer

As a love story this works at a mundane level and the treatment, in keeping with the times, is racy and perfunctory.

ENTERTAINMENT SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 201612

AFP

Nominations for the Golden Globes will be unveiled on Monday with critics expecting musical “La La Land”

to lead the pack ahead of “Moonlight,” “Manchester by the Sea” and “Lion.”

In a departure from last year’s awards calendar, the announce-ments come before the influential Screen Actors Guild nominations, making them the first major bell-wether of momentum going into the Oscars race.

The Globe nominations, set to be made at the crack of dawn in Beverly Hills, are decided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Associa-tion (HFPA), a group of entertainment journalists who are wined and dined by publicists.

There has been controversy in the past over the category place-ment of films, with last year’s inclusion of “The Martian” and “Joy”

in comedy/musical raising eyebrows.

But awards prediction site Gold Derby has Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land” -- uncontroversially both a musical and a romantic comedy

-- comfortably in the lead in several races.

“Normally the Globe voters like to spread the wealth among a lot of different films, but I could honestly see it winning the film award and for Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone,” managing director Chris Beachum told AFP.

“It’s got a very good shot at ‘directing’ and maybe the score or song categories -- it could do really well.”

Experts say Kenneth Lonergan’s unflinching “Manchester by the Sea,” which has won acclaim for its cen-tral performance by Casey Affleck, has been getting the most recent attention on the drama side.

Another frontrunner is Barry Jenkins’s coming-of-age story

“Moonlight,” with cast members Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali in with a shout for acting nominations.

Tolerance of scandal

“Lion,” Garth Davis’s drama about a teenager adopted by an Australian family who searches for his long-lost blood relatives using Google Earth, is also expected to earn several nominations, includ-ing in acting for Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman.

The Globes will be the year’s first big test of Hollywood’s toler-ance of scandal, with Nate Parker’s

“The Birth of a Nation” seen as firm awards material until news emerged of a historical acquittal over rape allegations by a woman who ended up committing suicide.

“Will they separate the art from the artist? Will the film be able to stand on its own or will the very mixed reviews of it sink its chances?” writes Eric Anderson of the AwardsWatch.com blog.

Denzel Washington, nominated on seven occasions, looks a good bet to earn a first directing nomi-nation for “Fences” but faces

competition from “Silence” direc-tor Martin Scorsese who won in 2012 for “Hugo.”

Emily Blunt could get a sixth acting nomination for “The Girl on the Train” while French screen siren Isabelle Huppert has turned heads with her commanding lead in Paul Verhoeven’s “Elle.”

Viola Davis (“Fences”), Ruth Negga (“Loving”) and Natalie Port-man (“Jackie”) are all strong contenders for this category, however.

Among the television prizes, FX’s “Atlanta,” about two cousins trying to make it big in hip hop, looks a good bet for best musical/comedy after earning acclaim for its ten-episode debut season in the fall.

HBO black comedy “Divorce,” should also be in the running, as should its star Sarah Jessica Parker, who already has four Golden Globes for “Sex in the City.”

The 74th Golden Globe Awards will air on NBC live coast-to-coast from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on Sunday, January 8 from 5:00-8:00 pm PT (0100-0400 GMT Monday), with talk show host Jimmy Fallon presenting.

‘La La Land’expected to lead

Golden Globenominations

TECHNOLOGYSUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016 13

AFP

The first wave of virtual reality cinemas, heralding what their creators claim will be an entertainment revolution, rolls out across the world this month. The first

screening room in France opened on Wednes-day and several others are promised for Beijing, Shanghai and Los Angeles in the next few weeks.

Like the early days of cinema, virtual real-ity -- or VR -- is still something of a novelty sideshow.

But not for long, its supporters claim. “Film as we know it will be dead in the next

five to 10 years,” said the founder of the world’s first VR cinema in Amsterdam.

“It’s a whole different way of telling the story. I think it is really what we are moving towards in the entertainment world,” Jip Samhoud told AFP.

Elisha Karmitz, who is behind the MK2 screening room in Paris, insisted “that the VR

revolution is already happening. “2016 is year zero of this revolution,” he added.In a glass cube inside a MK2 cinema near

France’s national library, viewers can choose between HTC Vive, Playstation VR and Oculus Rift headsets, or they can go for “full body immersive” simulators.

For 12 euros ($13) you can feel what it is like to fly like a bird for 20 minutes through a forest of New York skyscrapers in the film “Birdly”.

Flap your wings

Lying flat on your stomach suspended from the ceiling, you change direction with electronic

“wings” placed on your arms, and speed up by flapping them faster.

MK2, which has signed a deal with the acclaimed Chinese film director Jia Zhangke to produce more content, predicts that with the cost of producing VR film falling, its time is com-ing fast.

Keen not to be left behind, Hollywood is also

investing in the technology, with a few minutes of the new “Assassin’s Creed” film already avail-able in VR. There is also a “Star Wars”-inspired game in which the viewer becomes an X-wing fighter pilot like Luke Skywalker.

Analysts argue that more and more conven-tional films will be released with spin-off VR sequences.

US 3D giant IMAX announced earlier this year that it is planning to open six VR locations world-wide in malls and multiplexes, with the first destined for Los Angeles.

Its first British VR centre is due to open in Manchester later this month, with another expected in China.

The VR headsets it will use -- created by Swedish company Starbreeze -- give a 210-degree field of vision, nearly twice that offered by Oculus Rift and HTC Vive sets, it claimed.

IMAX is also working with Google to create a cinema-quality VR camera, expected to be ready for commercial use towards the end of next year.

However with VR cinemas in their infancy, it is unclear whether gaming-based formats -- which are already hugely popular in Asia -- will dominate.

‘Film changed forever’

As yet all we have to go on is the experience of Samhoud’s cinema in Amsterdam, which has welcomed 60,000 visitors since it opened in February.

His cinema has 50 custom-made chairs which turn 360 degrees so the viewer, who is given special VR glasses, can move around in their seat and watch the action around them.

“The big difference with 3D is you lean back to see the action, whereas in VR you lean forward because we are putting you right into the heart of the story,” said Samhoud.

Movie-goers pay 12.50 euros for a 30-minute show, with a variety of genres on offer from horror to an environmental documentary to a kid’s show where you can swim with dolphins.

Samhoud’s company is now focusing on filming its own content, keen to get in on what it sees as a rapidly expanding market.

Last week it signed a deal with Chinese media giant Gome Group to distribute films to 100 VR cinemas there, with the first to open in Beijing and Shanghai in late December. Plans to expand to Russia and India are also in the works.

Whatever its future, what appears certain is that VR will change utterly the collective experience of going to watch movies.

Every person experiences a VR film differently, said Samhoud, because they see it from different angles. “So I might be looking at the nice girl on the left, whereas you are looking at the painting on the right.”

This is ‘year zero’of a virtual reality revolution

BABY BLUES

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE

Set in Paris, Befikre is a free spirited, contemporary love story of

Dharam and Shyra, who find love in an impulsive, engaging series of

experiences. Doused in the spirit of Paris, it celebrates love- sensual,

carefree and focused on living life to the fullest.

Note: Programme is subject to change without prior notice.

BEFIKRE

NOVO ROYAL PLAZA

AL KHOR

ASIAN TOWN

MALL

LANDMARK

ROXY

Underworld 5: Blood War (2D/Action) 10:00am, 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, 10:00, & 12:00 midnightMoana (2D/Animation) 10:00, 11:00am, 12:20, 1:20, 2:40, 3:40, 5:00, 6:00, 7:20, 8:20, 9:40 & 10:40pm: Wolves At The Door (2D/Thriller) 10:15am, 12:00, 1:45, 3:30, 5:15, 6:00, 7:00, 8;45, 10:30 & 12:15amBefikre (2D/Hindi) 10:30am, 1:10, 3:50, 6:30, 9:10 & 11:50pmTrolls (2D/Animation) 10:30am, 12:30, 2:30, 4:30, & 6:30pmThe Neighbor (2D/Thriller) 8:20, 10:10 & 11:59pmBad Santa 2 (2D/Comedy) 10:30am, 3:00, 7:30 & 11:50pmAllied (2D/Action) 12:30, 5:00 & 9:25pmThe Girl With All The Gifts (2D/Thriller) 10:15am, 12:30, 1:50, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 7:45, 9:30 & 11:45 & 11:59pmFantastic Beast And Where To Find Them (3D IMAX/Adventure) 11:00am, 1:35, 4:10, 6:45, 9:20, 11:55pmUnderworld: Blood Wars (2D/Action) 12:00, 4:00 & 10:00pm

Befikre (2D/Hindi) 2:00 & 9:00pm The Girl With All The Gifts (2D/Thriller) 2:00 & 11:30pmMoana (2D/Animation) 2:15, 4:30, 6:00 & 6:45pm Underworld: Blood Wars (2D/Action) 5:30pm Bad Santa 2 (2D/Comedy) 4:15pm The Neighbor (2D/Thriller) 7:15pm Wolves At The Door (2D/Thriller) 4:00 & 9:30pmDhruva (2D/Telugu) 10:45pm Chennai 600825 II (Tamil) 11:00pm

Befikre (2D/Hindi) 2:00 & 9:15pmThe Neighbor (2D/Thriller) 2:15 & 9:15pmMoana (2D/Animation) 2:30, 4:45 & 7:00pm Chennai 600825 II (Tamil) 4:00, 6:45 & 10:45pm Bad Santa 2 (2D/Comedy) 4:15pm Underworld: Blood Wars (2D/Action) 5:45pm Kavi (2D/Malayalam) 9:00pmWolves At The Door (2D/Thriller) 7:30 & 11:30pmThe Girl With All The Gifts (2D/Thriller) 11:30pm

Moana (2D/Animation) 2:00, 4:15 & 6:30pm Befikre (2D/Hindi) 2:00 & 9:15pm Dhruva (2D/Telugu) 2:00 & 10:30pm The Neighbor (2D/Thriller) 4:30 & 9:45pm Bad Santa 2 (2D/Comedy) 6:15pmUnderworld: Blood Wars (2D/Action) 8:45 pm The Girl With All The Gifts (2D/Thriller) 5:00 & 11:30pm The Unmarried Wife (2D/Drama) 7:00pm Wolves At The Door (2D/Thriller) 8:00pm

Moana (2D/Animation) 10:30am, 12:45,3:15 & 5:45pm

Befikre (2D/Hindi) 11:00am, 1:30, 4:00, 6:30, 9:00 & 11:30pm; Katapana (Malayalam) 11:45, 2:30, 5:15, 8:00 & 10:45pm Dhruva (2D/Telugu) 8:15 & 11:15pm

Moana (2D/Animation) 2:00, 4:15, 6:15 & 8:15pm; Kahaani 2 (Hindi) 3:00, 5:30, 8:00pm Bad Santa 2 (2D/Comedy) 3:00, 5:00, , 7:00, 9:00 & 11:00pmSaithan (2D/Tamil) 3:00, 5:30, 8:00 & 10:15pmBefikre (2D/Hindi)10:30pm, Dhruva (2D/Telugu) 10:30pm

Ore Mugham (Malayalam) 5:30, 8:00 & 10:30pm Katapana (Malayalam) 6:00 & 8:45Dhruva (2D/Telugu) 6:30pm Chennai 600825 II (Tamil) 8:15pm Befikre (2D/Hindi) 5:45 & 11:00pm

SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016

VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER

CINEMA PLUS14

CROSSWORD CONCEPTIS SUDOKU

ALL IN THE MIND

08:00 News08:30 Latin America

Investigates09:00 Once Upon

a Time in Punchbowl

10:30 Inside Story11:00 News11:30 Talk To Al Jazeera 12:30 TechKnow13:00 NEWSHOUR14:30 Inside Story15:00 The Crusades: An

Arab Perspective17:00 News17:30 The Listening Post18:00 newsgrid19:00 News19:30 101 East 20:00 News20:30 Inside Story21:00 NEWSHOUR22:30 Talk To Al Jazeera 23:00 Al Jazeera

Correspondent

12:15 Shark Wranglers

13:05 Ice Road Truckers

13:55 Billion Dollar Wreck

15:35 Pawn Stars

16:00 American Pickers

16:50 Storage Wars

18:30 Time Team

19:20 American Pickers

21:00 Pawn Stars

22:40 Britain’s Bloody Crown: War Of The Roses

11:05 Lone Star Law

12:00 Life On Earth: A New Prehistory

12:55 Bondi Vet13:50 Mutant

Planet17:30 Wild Animal

Repo19:20 Tanked20:15 Dr. Jeff:

Rocky Mountain Vet

21:10 Wildest Europe

22:05 Dr. Dee: Alaska Vet

23:00 Tanked23:55 Gator Boys

13:05 How It’s Made: Dream Cars

14:20 Edge Of Alaska

15:10 Gold Divers16:00 Deadliest

Catch17:40 Wheeler

Dealers20:10 Storage

Hunters UK20:35 The

Liquidator21:00 Racing

Extinction22:40 Free Ride23:30 Fat N’

Furious: Rolling Thunder

01:10 Racing Extinction

02:50 Free Ride

King Features Syndicate, Inc.

BRAIN TEASERSSUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2016 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.

ARGON, ARSENIC, BARIUM,

BORON, BROMINE, CADMIUM,

CALCIUM, CARBON, CHLORINE,

CHROMIUM, COBALT, COPPER,

FLUORINE, GOLD, HYDROGEN,

IODINE, IRON, KRYPTON, LEAD,

LITHIUM, MAGNESIUM,

MANGANESE, MERCURY, NEON,

NICKEL, NITROGEN, OXYGEN,

PLATINUM, PLUTONIUM,

RADIUM, RADON, SILICON,

SILVER, SODIUM, STRONTIUM,

TITANIUM, TUNGSTEN, URANIUM,

XENON, ZINC.