Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Ramadan 27, 1441 AH

Doha today 280 - 380

Cover
Story
New dawn?
First human trial results in the US raise
hopes for coronavirus vaccine. P4-5

Bollywood Back Page

Past several weeks have been French athlete sees the spirit of
very difficult: Deepika. love for humanity in Ramadan.
Page 14 Page 16
2 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

SERIES TO BINGE WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME

PRAYER TIME
Fajr 3.19am
Shorooq (sunrise) 4.48am
Zuhr (noon) 11.32am
Asr (afternoon) 2.58pm
Maghreb (sunset) 6.16pm
Isha (night) 7.46pm

USEFUL NUMBERS

Bosch has problems with authority, follows his gut and bends a
DIRECTION: Eric Ellis Overmyer few rules while achieving the best solved case rate in all of
CAST: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino California.
SYNOPSIS: Harry Bosch is an irreverent homicide Whatever situations the writers put him into he will
detective in Los Angeles. Like any good protagonist he undoubtedly be entertaining as he pursues justice.
Emergency 999
Worldwide Emergency Number 112
Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991
Local Directory 180
International Calls Enquires 150
Hamad International Airport 40106666
Labor Department 44508111, 44406537
Mowasalat Taxi 44588888
Qatar Airways 44496000
Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333
Qatar General Electricity and
Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464
Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 
44593363
Qatar Assistive Technology
Centre 44594050
Qatar News Agency 44450205 
44450333
Q-Post – General Postal
Corporation 44464444

Humanitarian Services Office

(Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)
Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372,
40253369
Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364
Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365
Qatar Airways 40253374
Sneaky Pete takes cover by assuming the identity of his prison cellmate,
DIRECTION: Bryan Cranston, David Shore Pete, reuniting with his estranged family, that threatens
CAST: Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland, Shane McRae to drag him into a world just as dangerous as the one he’s
SYNOPSIS: A con man on the run from a vicious gangster escaping.

uote Unquote
Q
“Sometimes life hits you
in the head with a brick.
Don’t lose faith.”
— Steve Jobs

Community Editor
Kamran Rehmat
e-mail: community@gulf-times.com
Telephone: 44466405
Fax: 44350474 Making the Cut chance to break into the industry in this reality competition.
STARS: Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell Each week, a designer is eliminated from the competition
SYNOPSIS: Aspiring fashion designers compete for a after exhibiting their work in front of a judges’ panel.

OFFBEAT
Ways to fight coronavirus
transmission at home
DISINFECTING SURFACES: You can reduce potential spread of Covid-19 by cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, such as tables, doorknobs,
light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets and sinks.
H
ealthcare providers
and researchers are
gaining a greater
understanding about
the coronavirus
disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak
and how the virus can spread.
Public health messages emphasise
the importance of frequent,
thorough hand-washing and
social distancing to slow the
spread of Covid-19.
You can also take steps in your
home to keep the virus from
spreading. No special supplies are
required. You likely already have
what you need.
How is Covid-19 spread?
The virus that causes Covid-19
can be spread by contact with
someone who has Covid-19, as
well as contact with surfaces or
objects that person has touched.
When someone with Covid-19
sneezes or coughs, respiratory
droplets are released into the air.
Droplets typically don’t travel
far — no more than 6 feet (about 2
metres).
The virus may stay on surfaces
from hours to days.
CLEANING ELECTRONICS: You can clean cellphones with disinfecting wipes that are 70% alcohol. Wipe the face of
the phone and along the sides and back where you hold it. Let it air dry.
How can I prepare my home?
You can reduce potential spread
of Covid-19 by cleaning and
disinfecting frequently touched
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
COMMUNITY
surfaces, such as tables, doorknobs,
light switches, handles, desks,
GULF TIMES 3
toilets, faucets and sinks. Do this
daily if someone in your home has
Covid-19.
Start by putting on gloves
before cleaning and disinfecting —
preferably disposable gloves, so you
can throw them away immediately
after you’re done. If you only have
reusable gloves, don’t use them for
any other purposes. Thoroughly
wash your hands after removing
your gloves.
Cleaning with soap and water
removes dirt and lowers the
number of germs on surfaces. Once
surfaces are clean, you can apply
disinfectant to knock out any germs
that are left.
What disinfectants kill
Covid-19?
The US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has a list
of disinfectants for use against
Covid-19. Although these products
haven’t been tested against this
specific virus, they’re known to
work against other, harder-to-kill
viruses.
Look for products with active
ingredients such as ethanol,
hydrogen peroxide or quaternary
ammonium. In the US, check labels
for EPA registration numbers.
Read and follow product
instructions, including what
precautions to take when using the
product. Many disinfectants need
to remain on surfaces for some time
to be effective. This is called the
contact time. Check the label for the
specifics. Also make sure you have
good airflow in the room when you’re
using any type of disinfectant.
Does bleach work against
Covid-19?
Yes. You can make a disinfecting
solution by combining 4 teaspoons
(about 20 millilitres) of household
bleach and 1 quart (slightly
less than 1 litre) of water. Read
and follow instructions and
precautions. For example, wear
gloves and make sure there’s good
airflow in the room. Don’t mix
bleach with ammonia or any other
cleanser — the combination could
produce toxic fumes.
How can I disinfect phones
and other electronics?
Follow manufacturers’
instructions for cleaning and
disinfecting. Otherwise, you can
clean cellphones with disinfecting
wipes that are 70% alcohol. Wipe
the face of the phone and along
the sides and back where you hold
it. Let it air dry. The same goes for
computers, laptops, tablets and
remote controls. Wash your hands
thoroughly when you’re done. –
Mayo Clinic News Network/TNS
4 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020
COMMUNITY
The first promise
Eight initial volunteers in US produced an antibody response
from Moderna’s RNA vaccine, writes Sarah Boseley
‘
SPOTLIGHT: The Moderna lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, where a coronavirus vaccine is under development.
This is a promising
start, but efficacy data
will be key followed by
an ability to scale in a
manner that provides
global access should this
vaccine be successful
— Robin Shattock,
professor of mucosal
infection and immunity
COVER STORY
T
he first results from human trials of a
vaccine against Covid-19 have given a
glimmer of hope after a US firm’s study
produced positive results in a group of
eight volunteers.
These results — which come a day after the UK
government revealed a deal to secure 30mn doses
of a rival Oxford University vaccine, should it be
successful — showed that each of the participants
produced an antibody response on a par with that
seen in people who have had the disease. And
they suggest that the vaccine is safe for use in
humans.
Part of a first-stage trial of 45 people run
by the US company Moderna, the results are
from a preliminary safety study and do not
demonstrate that the treatment will work. But
they will be a sign of encouragement for experts
and governments desperate for a breakthrough
in the battle to bring an end to the coronavirus
pandemic — widely believed to be impossible
without a vaccine.
Although both programmes are in the early
stages, the findings also appear to put the US
research ahead of the UK’s. While the Oxford

COVER STORY
vaccine was shown in a safety
study to protect macaque monkeys
against pneumonia, it did not
stop infection — which could
leave people liable to spread the
virus, even if they do not get sick
themselves.
With the backing of the British
government, the Oxford group is
partnering with the drug company
AstraZeneca to make 30mn doses
for the UK — if the vaccine works.
It is to receive £65.5mn to fund its
work. Imperial College London,
which also has a vaccine under
development, has been awarded
£18.5mn.
In the US study, run by the
National Institutes of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases, all eight
volunteers made neutralising
antibodies which were tested in
human cells in the lab and stopped
the virus from replicating. The
higher the vaccine dose, the more
antibodies the volunteer produced.
However, as with antibody tests,
there will still be questions over
whether this response is enough to
prevent people from being infected
by the virus. This approach does
not stimulate another arm of the
immune response, from the T-cells.
It is also not known whether an
antibody response will last.
Many different companies and
institutions around the world are
racing to develop a vaccine in record
time, using different approaches.
The World Health Organization has
a list of 76 contenders. Moderna
“I felt guilty” — volunteer on signing up for vaccine trial
By Ben Quinn
As one of hundreds of volunteers
involved in the University of Oxford’s
coronavirus vaccine trials, Dan
McAteer said he had a few nerves
on the day of receiving the jab itself.
However, he recalled an unexpected
incident from the night before.
“They were well meaning, but a
relative shared an online post of
what was obviously a piece of fake
news claiming that one of the trial
participants had died,” said the
23-year-old student.
“It didn’t give me pause to stop in
the least, but there was a sort of
weird dynamic because it was on
Facebook, which had played a role
in my recruitment when I saw an
original callout for volunteers. In fact
it emphasised why the vaccine was so
important. You get a sense society is
sort of fraying.”
Two weeks have now passed and
the fact that a vaccine for the global
pandemic could be pulsing through
his body (half the study participants
get the Covid-19 jab and half get a
control one) has largely faded to the
back of his mind.
Like others, he will soon have the
first of monthly blood tests, but in
the meantime has been taking his
temperature and logging in online to
record any symptoms.
“It’s all very well organised and you’re
given emergency contact details if
needed, but by the second week you
have basically just become a data point
MODERNA AT WORK: A worker delivers protective lab coats to the headquarters of Moderna Therapeutics, which is
developing a vaccine against the coronavirus disease, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
was the first in the world into
clinical trials with an RNA vaccine,
which uses a segment of genetic
material from the virus itself,
called messenger DNA, to provoke
the immune system into making
antibodies.
Imperial College is also
developing an RNA vaccine,
although its approach is different.
Robin Shattock, professor of
COMMITTED: Dan McAteer, 23, is taking part in the University of Oxford’s
coronavirus vaccine trial.
in someone else’s spreadsheet,” he said.
If that sounds like a modest
assessment of his role in something
that could save millions of lives and
allow the world to return to some
semblance of normality, then he is
equally self-effacing about his reasons
for taking part.
“I felt guilty, to be honest — aware of
the privileges of youth, health, and
being able to stay at home,” said
McAteer, a postgraduate studying
the history of science, medicine and
technology at St Edmund Hall, one of
the university’s colleges.
“There are thousands of people out
there fighting for breath, skewed
mucosal infection and immunity,
who is leading the Imperial trials,
said the Moderna findings were
encouraging. “While it will be
important to scrutinise the actual
data, the reported findings are in
line with expectations that vaccine
candidates should provide levels
of neutralising antibodies that are
at least equivalent to convalescent
subjects,” he said.
dramatically by class and race. But
there are also thousands of carers,
nurses and doctors collapsing with
exhaustion at the end of another
mega-shift every day. So I thought: my
brain is quite useless, maybe my body
can help.”
That admiration for healthcare
workers also comes through in his
invocation of staff he met on the day
when the vaccine was administered,
comparing them to the generation
mustered for the war effort in 1939.
He recalls feeling flattered after arriving
on his bicycle when a nurse also
participating in the trial mistook him for
a young doctor. “No, I’m one the guinea
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
COMMUNITY
Reuters
“This is a promising start, but
efficacy data will be key followed by
an ability to scale in a manner that
provides global access should this
vaccine be successful.”
Stephen Evans, professor of
pharmacoepidemiology at the
London School of Hygiene &
Tropical Medicine, also gave the
news a cautious welcome. “Well,
it isn’t bad news and there are a
pigs,” he replied at the time.
“For an ancient university, they’ve
really kicked into gear at speed.
You can tell that things have been
put together with urgency, but also
that they know what they’re doing.
There’s a particular kind of doctor who
exudes a gentle, studious authority
as they work. There seem to be a
fair few of them around. For a small
group of medics and scientists, this
is like an engineer corps throwing a
bridge together in a warzone: fast and
methodical.”
McAteer also spoke of medical
students who had been enlisted to
help across the NHS, encountering
one who helped him with some
paperwork: “I was struck by how
his university life had been turned
upside down even more than mine.
He should have been on a rotation or
cramming for exams, but had instead
been deployed to Covid work for the
foreseeable future.”
Inside a small room – “just like any
other in a doctor’s surgery” – he lay
down and was given the injection by
a nurse who, like him, didn’t know if it
was the vaccine or the control, a well
established meningitis vaccine.
“She was one of those really
experienced people, who have
amazing skill but are also really
soothing, one of those people who can
just keep conversation going.”
A little over an hour later, after
undergoing temperature and other
checks, he was on his way home,
where he experienced some mild
symptoms that evening in line with
GULF TIMES 5
number of good points that suggest
optimism that this vaccine may
work,” he said.
Oxford University has published
results of safety trials in macaque
monkeys. While the vaccine
prevented the monkeys from
developing pneumonia, it did not
block the virus from infecting the
animals.
Jonathan Ball, professor of
molecular virology, University of
Nottingham, said that the Oxford
results were encouraging in that
they prevented serious illness, but
that if the vaccine works the same
way in humans, it may not prevent
the spread of disease.
“If this represents infectious
virus and a similar thing occurs in
humans, then vaccinated people
can still be infected, shed large
amounts of virus which could
potentially spread to others in the
community,” he said.
“If the most vulnerable people
aren’t protected by the vaccine to
the same degree, then this will put
them at risk. Therefore, vaccine
efficacy in vulnerable populations
and the potential for virus shedding
in vaccinated people needs very
careful monitoring.”
Moderna has so far only released
results for the youngest group
of volunteers. It intends to press
ahead to the next stage of human
trials involving 600 people shortly,
with a much bigger trial involving
thousands set to begin in July.
— The Guardian
some of the expected common side
effects of vaccines.
“I had a fever, some shivering and a
headache the evening of my jab, but
this all cleared up within 24 hours.
Nothing to fear, in my personal
experience.”
Life switched back to a lockdown
routine at the house he shares with his
girlfriend, in which the need to meet
looming academic deadlines have
kept boredom at bay.
Like many people, their news
consumption has rocketed — although
interest in the evening Downing Street
briefings has fallen — and he likened
the national picture to “a bit of an
Oxford psychodrama” involving Chris
Whitty, Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer
and other alumni.
McAteer has also closely followed
coverage of the vaccine trial: “It’s
clear that the university has been very
upbeat in their communications and
Prof Sarah Gilbert, who is leading the
project, even publicly floated the idea
of being ready by September.”
It’s a degree of optimism that he
doesn’t quite share: “September,
or October even, feels like a very
optimistic scenario.” But he very much
wants the vaccine to succeed.
Above all, however, there’s an
overarching admiration for those
involved in the trial and wider efforts
to tackle Covid-19: “We’re talking about
people who are getting on with it with
calm professionalism and compassion.
Some snidely call the NHS a national
religion. But I think it’s a pretty good
one to have.” — The Guardian
6 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020
COMMUNITY
GU-Q Seniors on rebuilding
the post-pandemic world
A
s the pandemic
continues to change
expectations of a once
far more certain future,
students from the Class
of 2020 at QF partner Georgetown
University in Qatar are drawing
respect and praise for meeting the
challenges with unshakable courage
and resilience, and beginning the
next chapter of their lives with an
impressive record of achievement.
The significance of these efforts
was captured by Sarah Muteb
al-Mutoteh, the 2020 senior class
speaker at Tropaia, the university’s
virtual celebrations of four years
of academic success. “The fact
that you’re here today, means that
you’ve grown and survived, and
that is something, powerful, and
beautiful, and worth celebrating.”
Sarah was also an award winner
at Tropaia, inducted into several
honour societies and recognised
for achieving cum laude academic
“Georgetown has taught me the importance of giving
back to your community, and fighting for education
as a human right is how I hope to continue giving
back to mine”
— Ousman Camara,
Education Above All
Latin honour for a degree in
International Politics. Sarah also
honed her professional skills
via internships at Weill Cornell
Medicine, WISE, and Qatar
Foundation. Speaking on the role
of higher education in a crisis, she
said: “Georgetown has prepared us
for life.”
Joining Sarah at the digital
Tropaia event was Ghanim
Youth Advocate
and GU-Q Senior
Mohamed Alyafei, whose move
from a public school in Doha to
the diverse international student
body at GU-Q was a game
changer. “With five or six different
perspectives in class, I learned a lot
just from the group discussions.”
And he did learn, taking part in
internships, business competitions,
and finishing school magna cum
laude, with great honour. “The
effects on the economy are being
felt heavily all over the world, even
more so in our region with the
impact on energy markets. As an
International Economics major, I
believe this is our time to shine.”
One of the bright stars shining
at Tropaia was Noor Rajab al-
Esmail, who won the Dean’s Medal
for having the highest scholastic
average. Noor was drawn to a BSFS
degree in International Economics
because it combined her love for
math and science, with her love
for the liberal arts. And in the
programme, she excelled, balancing
motherhood and academics to
earn the distinction of summa cum
laude, the highest academic honour
accorded to graduating seniors.
Noor also honed her research
skills through an honours senior
thesis and credits the mentorship
of her professors for pushing her
to focus on the process of creating
scholarship. Her advice to new
students is “Put yourself out there.
Don’t be afraid to try something
new or to take risks.” For Noor, the
risks have paid off, and she now has
plans to enrol in graduate school in
the future.
Wesley Chen, International
Politics major, enrolled at
Georgetown and quickly worked to
set himself apart, gaining induction
into several honour societies and
garnering a magna cum laude
academic honour at the end of his
studies. As an undergrad, he wrote
an honours thesis examining the
ongoing trade dispute between
the United States and China
and pursued an American Bar
Foundation fellowship, which is
only awarded to four recipients
annually. He plans to enrol in law
school next, but says, “I haven’t
ruled out graduate school just yet.”
This year’s International
Economics Outstanding Student
Award was awarded to Nadine
El-Dehaibi, whose achievements
include the highest academic
honours, summa cum laude, as well
as Honours in the Major. The prize-
winning economics student was
also an editor of The Georgetown
Gazette. “I’ve always loved
English!” is her simple explanation,
a passion that served her well
as a class teaching assistant and
tutor in the GU-Q writing centre.
“Developing my writing skills gave
me an advantage in writing my
thesis, and led me to discover a love
for teaching.”
The transformative journey
of higher education changed the
future of International Politics
major and Education Above All
Youth Advocate, Ousman Camara.
It also changed the futures of 200
boys and girls in The Gambia where
he organised a fundraiser to rebuild
his mud brick primary school into a
concrete structure with electricity
and running water. He also
launched a non-profit initiative
called Educate A Generation to
scale his efforts across the country
to change even more. “Georgetown
has taught me the importance of
giving back to your community, and
fighting for education as a human
right is how I hope to continue
giving back to mine.”

FASHION
Will we ever give up
comfortable clothes?
Lockdown has changed almost everything
about our lives – including the way we dress.
But for fashion, there may be no ‘back to
normal’, writes Alyx Gorman
T
here’s a scene in the
1933 comedy Duck Soup
where two Marx brothers
– Chico and Harpo –
repeatedly raise their
legs up high, putting their thighs
into the hands of an unwitting
lemonade stand owner. Lately, my
Instagram feed has been remarkably
similar to this film, only instead
of scruffy scamps in wide-legged
’30s trousers, it’s attractive young
women showing off how flexible
and comfortable their clothes are. In
lockdown, trackpants became “the
height of fashion”. Anna Wintour
wore a pair; Shalini Ganapathy,
a buyer for young women’s high
street brand Sportsgirl, tells me
their sales of the product increased
300% online, and on TikTok,
videos of women dancing in sweats
proliferated.
It’s not just trackpants –
Sportsgirl also report huge increases
EN VOGUE: A more subdued, comfort-focused style of dress does not mean in demand for “cosy knitwear”.
the end of people wanting to look nice. In March, budget retailer Big
W reported loungewear sales
outstripped the sale of normal
clothing, while Natalie Kingham,
the buying director of high-end
e-commerce store Matchesfashion,
says “loungewear, nightwear and
activewear have been bestselling
categories”.
Now, in Australia, stay-home
orders are easing. People can visit
friends and family, and by 1 June, the
whole country will be able to eat in a
restaurants again. But after months
of elasticated waistbands, can we
bear to go back to normal clothes?
A quick search of social media
suggests not. Jokes and complaints
about jeans, bras and high heels are
everywhere.
Francesca Muston, vice president
of fashion content for WGSN, one of
the world’s largest trend forecasting
agencies, is inclined to agree with
Twitter and Instagram’s assessment.
“I don’t think there will be a normal
again,” she says. “Everything will be
fundamentally changed.”
Muston and Ganapathy both
say the Covid-19 shutdowns have
accelerated trends that were already
rising in popularity. Even before
stay-at-home orders, women
were wearing more trackpants,
says Ganapathy. Muston explains:
“We’ve just come out the back over
10 years of athleisure, so already
we have pretty high expectations
TRENDING: In lockdown, trackpants have become “the height of fashion”. around comfort.”
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
COMMUNITY
Raised on streetwear, sneakers
and activewear, younger people were
already resistant to uncomfortable
clothing, but now Muston suggests
that because shutdowns affected
fashion on a “mass level … the
expectation is going to be raised
further still”, and it won’t just be
demand from younger consumers.
Muston says people working
from home, exercising at home,
dining in on delivery services and
being entertained by streamed TV
are trends they’ve been tracking for
over four years, and while they did
not predict the shift would be “so
extreme … certainly there’s a lot of
evidence towards people spending
more time at home anyway.”
People staying in more means a
shift in our expectations of what
a “flexible” outfit might look like.
Sportsgirl have noticed a decline in
the day-to-night dressing category,
with Ganapathy explaining it’s
not presently relevant to their
customers’ lives.
Muston says it’s also important to
understand the “economic impact
of coronavirus and what that does to
consumer spending”.
In Australia, a survey conducted
by the Australian Fashion Council
found 75-80% of textile, clothing
and footwear brands have had their
businesses negatively impacted by
coronavirus. Muston says with this
“absolute deluge of overstock that
has to clear, how do you create new
stock that’s going to stand out? How
do you justify that to the consumer?
How do you justify that to the
planet?” Her answer is “versatility”.
“Products that … can be worn for
multiple things are going to be an
easier sell. Maybe it’s a top you can
work out in but you can also wear it
out.”
“Items with longevity are most
relevant,” Kingham says of her
customers. “I think unprecedented
times mean that people re-evaluate
what is important.”
Muston notes that direct-to-
consumer brands (such as the
ones that have been flooding my
Instagram feed) are excelling when it
comes to differentiating themselves.
“They often come with a problem-
solving direction to them,” she says.
Because these brands do not have
hundreds or thousands of products,
they spend more time in research
and development, investing in
highly technical fabrics that breathe
GULF TIMES 7
well, or never wrinkle; or shoes that
“really look at the arch of the foot
and the position of the foot in the
shoe”.
Ganapathy and Kingham both
believe that as the lockdown eases,
their customers will want to get very
dressed up again – with Kingham
suggesting a hunger for “special
pieces for evenings out”; and
Ganapathy saying “I think party
dressing and Christmas is going to
be really big this year.”
Muston is a little more cautious.
“You always get trends that are
seemingly opposing that run in
parallel,” she says. “You’re going
to get revenge spending, where
people want to go out and treat
themselves. But some people … just
don’t have the finances. But more
importantly it’s about the fear.” She
says even if people are desperate
to get dressed up and go out, they
might be too nervous about the
risk of contracting or transmitting
Covid-19 to do so.
Furthermore, she suggests the
pandemic will result in a shift
in values. “There was this idea
of ‘stealth wealth’ after the last
recession … this is going to be
even more compounded.” Muston
believes as celebrities face backlash
and previously less glamorous
citizens such as healthcare workers
and grocery store clerks are elevated
to hero status, looking like a reality
star in chafing raw denim and
vertiginous heels may no longer hold
the same appeal.
But a more subdued, comfort-
focused style of dress does not mean
the end of people wanting to look
nice. Ganapathy and Kingham have
both noted sales increases in above-
the-waist items such as earrings and
smart shirting, for instance. “She can
look good while being comfortable,”
Ganapathy says of her customer. “I
think that will play a big part in how
she dresses moving forward.”
“I don’t think we’ll live
forevermore in some kind of
dystopian loungewear future,”
Muston says. But, “I think we’re
going to see a breaking down of
what are at the moment fairly clearly
defined categories of fitness and
activewear, casual-wear, formal
and tailoring and party-wear. We
need to start breaking down those
boundaries because that’s just not
how people are living their lives.”
– The Guardian
8 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020
COMMUNITY
The best books and audio
H
ere are our highlights of
the year to date.
Children’s and
young adult books
Viper’s Daughter by Michelle
Paver
Returning to the world of her
classic Chronicles of Ancient
Darkness series after a decade, Paver
sets her Stone Age heroes Torak
and Wolf on a quest to find their
former companion Renn in the icy,
forbidding north – a place full of
deceit and dangers, not least woolly
mammoths.
What we said: Meticulously
researched, atmospheric and
relentless, this instalment
deservedly introduces Paver to a
new generation of readers.
Monstrous Devices by Damien
Love
After sending 12-year-old Alex
a small tin robot in the post, his
mysterious and dapper grandfather
whisks him away on a breakneck
chase through Europe to discover its
terrifying secret, as assassins – both
human and machine – hunt them
down.
What we said: A superbly
assured debut … an effortless,
atmospheric evocation of place and
history combine in an unforgettable,
immersive reading experience.
The Strangeworlds Travel
Agency by LD Lapinski
When Flick walks into a
dilapidated travel agency and
befriends Jonathan, its teenage
proprietor, she makes the
intoxicating discovery that the
suitcases lining its walls are
gateways to other worlds. But
energy is draining from Five Lights,
the world at the centre of everything
– can Flick somehow save it from
collapse? The book narrates it well.
What we said: Assured, witty,
riotously inventive, this debut has
“future classic” written through it
like Brighton rock.
The Highland Falcon Thief by
MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman,
illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
The first in a new series by
Beetle Boy superstar Leonard
and Sedgman, this novel follows
Harrison Beck, who reluctantly joins
his uncle on the last journey of royal
train the Highland Falcon – but a
stolen brooch, a stowaway, a cabin
full of samoyeds and a race against
time make for unexpected fun.
What we said: A pacy and
intensely satisfying mystery,
boasting a sparkling golden-age
crime fiction sensibility despite its
contemporary setting.
Burn by Patrick Ness
In 1950s America, the cold war
is raging and an uneasy human/
dragon truce has been in place
for hundreds of years. When her
farmer father hires a dragon to
clear some fields by burning them,
teenage heroine Sarah comes to
befriend the creature – and sets in
motion a prophecy.
What we said: Ness is on tip-
top form here, deftly propelling a
complex plot.
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
On the island of Raxter, the
Tox – a deadly virus that causes
mutations and savagery – has
kept the girls of Raxter school
quarantined for 18 months. As the
outside world forgets them, the
survivors forge fierce bonds; when
her best friend disappears, Hetty
will break all the island’s rules to
find her.
What we said: Body horror
meets boarding school in a moving,
terrifying thriller.
Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann
In a tightly crafted series of punchy,
often heartbreaking narrative poems,
we meet Amber Rai, an ambitious
runner who must challenge her
abusive father’s expectations in order
to keep her freedom and avoid an
arranged marriage.
What we said: Mann’s brilliant,
coruscating verse novel lays out the
anatomy of Amber’s revolution, and
the tentative first flowerings of hope
and change.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly
Jackson
Pip Fitz-Amobi, schoolgirl star
of Jackson’s bestselling debut, A
Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, is
back, now running a hugely popular
podcast. She is determined not to
be a detective any more – but then
her friend Connor’s brother goes
missing.
What we said: As nail-biting,
taut and pacy as her first book, Pip’s
second outing confirms Jackson as a
homegrown thriller writer to watch.
Poetry
Tongues of Fire by Seán
Hewitt
An inspirational, uplifting and
BOOK R
assured debut, reflecting on nature
and mortality.
What we said: It is extraordinary
to encounter a debut collection that
feels as established as Seán Hewitt’s
and not in a willed or derivative way.
How to Wash a Heart by Bhanu
Kapil
This brilliant and subtle collection
sees a migrant talk to her white,
middle-class liberal host, a stand-in
for the nation state that consigns
immigrants to the role of constant
guest.
What we said: In this series of
precise, destabilising poems, Kapil
skilfully amplifies the pressured
immigrant heart, showing how
precarious it is to exist in colour in a
white space.
Zonal by Don Paterson
Inspired by The Twilight Zone,
this latest collection by the prize-
winning poet is a witty, wily hall
of mirrors, by turns funny and
unsettling.
What we said: I love the
collection’s minutely wrought
originality and the way that even
dismaying subjects – loneliness,
insecurity, botched relationships –
have hilarious side-effects.

REVIEWS
obooks of 2020 so far – II
Rendang by Will Harris
A sharp and assured debut that
meditates on the multiplicity
of identity, spanning London to
Jakarta with formal expansiveness,
encompassing accomplished prose-
poems, concrete poetry and lyric
sequences.
What we said: Harris suffuses
the everyday with a mythic dignity
and excellence.
Homie by Danez Smith
A deeply personal collection
from the youngest winner of the
Forward prize and author of viral
sensation “dear white America”, and
provocative and moving meditation
on friendship, and American
African-ness.
Arias by Sharon Olds
This exploration of intimacy
and estrangement is the American
poet’s most moving yet, showing
her trademark compassion for all
her subjects – from her mother to
murdered black teenager Trayvon
Martin.
What we said: Olds writes to
find out what she thinks. She is
ingenuous and wise and there is no
way of knowing where she is going
before she gets there.
Killing Kanoko/Wild Grass
on the Riverbank by It Hiromi,
translated by Jeffrey Angles
A new dual edition of It’s most
lauded collections that intertwines
the sensual and the grotesque
in poems about postpartum
depression, infanticide and the
isolation engendered through
migration.
Wing by Matthew Francis
This shimmering collection
dissects the natural world with
a wondering, meticulous eye,
by a gentle and quiet poet who
occasionally recalls Dylan Thomas.
What we said: Francis’s gifts
are quiet but his name deserves
to be broadcast loudly … we need
poetry of this quality more than
ever.
Audiobooks
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld,
read by Carrington MacDuffie
With the print edition pushed
back to August by the pandemic,
you can get a head start on this
alternative history, imagining
what Hillary Clinton would have
done with her life if she had never
married Bill.
The Sea, the Sea by Iris
Murdoch, read by Richard E
Grant
Grant delivers this new recording,
released to mark the author’s
centenary, with the expected
pomposity and aplomb, making the
narrator Charles Arrowby, a retired
actor and theatre director and
dreadful bully, even more delicious
and terrible.
The Shapeless Unease by
Samantha Harvey, read by the
author
The novelist’s examination of her
year-long struggle with insomnia
is poetic and inventive. Her hushed
reading adds to the atmosphere.
Ramble Book by Adam Buxton,
read by the author
The much-loved comedian and
podcaster has written his memoirs,
which are naturally best enjoyed in
audio form. Warm, rambling and
self-aware – and yes, it has jingles.
Unorthodox: The Scandalous
Rejection of My Hasidic Roots
by Deborah Feldman, read by
Rachel Botchan and Cassandra
Campbell
If you liked the Netflix
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 GULF TIMES 9
COMMUNITY
dramatisation, this new recording
of Feldman’s 2012 memoir about
leaving behind her ultra-religious
Jewish community in New York is as
compelling as a true crime podcast.
Actress by Anne Enright, read
by the author
The Irish author’s performance
of her novel, about a daughter
unpicking her famous mother’s
life, brings out all the mischievous
empathy of her writing.
Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy
Ellmann, read by Stephanie
Ellyne
This stream of consciousness
inside the mind of an American
woman made headlines for its
huge length, but it is perfect for
an audiobook and Ellyne’s wry
warmth lasts the whole 45 hours. The Future We Choose:
Surviving the Climate Crisis by
Our Bodies, Their Battlefield: Christiana Figueres and Tom
What War Does to Women Rivett-Carnac, read by the
by Christina Lamb, read by authors
Antonia Beamish A passionate and optimistic call to
Hard, but extremely worthwhile arms from the former UN executive
listening about how rape has secretary for climate change and her
been used as a weapon of war. chief advisor, who deliver dynamic
Lamb’s emotive reading of her readings of alternating sections
own introduction sits alongside for an almost-conversational
Beamish’s clear and sharp voice. audiobook. – The Guardian
10 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020

COMMUNITY PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE

 Wednesday, May 20, 2020 GULF TIMES 11

LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE
Explore diverse experiences
to boost happiness
R
esearchers have found
that new and diverse
experiences are linked
to enhanced happiness,
and this relationship
is associated with a greater
correlation of brain activity.
The results, published in the
journal Nature Neuroscience, reveal
a previously unknown connection
between our daily physical
environments and our sense of
well-being.
Our results suggest that people
feel happier when they have more
variety in their daily routines —
when they go to novel places and
have a wider array of experiences,”
said study co-author Catherine
Hartley from New York University
in the US.
The opposite is also likely
true: positive feelings may drive
people to seek out these rewarding
experiences more frequently,”
Hartley added.
Previous studies using animal
subjects had shown similar results.
The researchers, who conducted
the study prior to the onset of the
Covid-19 pandemic, recognise that
current public-health guidelines
and restrictions pose limits on
movement.
However, they noted that even
small changes that introduce
greater variability into the physical
or mental routine — such as
exercising at home, going on a walk
around the block, and taking a
different route to the grocery store
or pharmacy — may potentially
yield similar beneficial effects.
For the current study, the
researchers investigated the
following question: Is diversity
in humans› daily experiences
associated with more positive
emotional states?
To do so, they conducted GPS
tracking of participants in New
York and Miami for three to four
months, asking subjects by text
message to report about their
COMMUNITY
positive and negative emotional
state during this period.
The results showed that on days
when people had more variability
in their physical location — visiting
more locations in a day and
spending proportionately equitable
time across these locations — they
reported feeling more positive:
“happy,” “excited,” “strong,”
“relaxed,” and “attentive.”
The research team then sought
to determine if this link between
exploration and positive emotion
had a connection to brain activity.
To do this, about half of the
subjects returned to a laboratory
and underwent MRI scans.
The MRI results showed that
people for whom this effect was the
strongest — those whose exposure
to diverse experiences was more These are brain regions that are reciprocal link between the novel
strongly associated with positive associated, respectively, with the and diverse experiences we have
feeling (“affect”) — exhibited a processing of novelty and reward — during our daily exploration of our
greater correlation between brain beneficial or subjectively positive physical environments and our
activity in the hippocampus and the experiences. subjective sense of well-being,”
striatum. These results suggest a Hartley noted. — IANS

Aries
March 21 — April 19
Taurus
April 20 — May 20
Gemini
May 21 — June 20

You’re interested in better understanding yourself and your
reactions to the world around you. Well, Aries, today you should take
the time to look over your successes and failures, especially where
your family life is concerned. The atmosphere is changing and things
will be much more positive over the next few days. Think about
sharing with other people what you have learned.
Restriction might weigh heavily on you today, Taurus. Perhaps you’re
reminded that there are some critical details about health and finance
that you need to take care of. Perhaps you’d be wise to adopt a more
disciplined approach in your life. Is now a time for some restructuring?
Don’t be afraid of change, and don’t let feelings of responsibility hold
you down. Responsibility can be your best friend.
Today, Gemini, you’ll really be in the limelight. This could help you
change what is sometimes a very negative image you have of yourself.
You have a certain kind of energy and magnetism about you – it’s about
time someone noticed! It’s only natural that you should be proud of
yourself, and that other people should acknowledge your hard work
and effort. Revel in this moment of glory!

Cancer
June 21 — July 22
Leo
July 23 — August 22
Virgo
August 23 — September 22

If you’ve been feeling a little under the weather, today’s planetary
configuration will make you feel a whole lot better, Cancer. In a few
days you’ll have the strength to pick up where you left off on the
projects you perhaps began last month. A lot of things are changing
in your life. Your motivations are evolving and your ambitions could
be taking a different direction.
Today is another passionate day in a series of passionate days!
Usually, Leo, you’re a fairly reserved person where feelings are
concerned. You’ll be much more demonstrative with your emotions
over the next few days. You can be like a fire trapped inside a wall of
ice, and today that ice is beginning to melt! Let it – and enjoy it!
If you come across someone a little strange or eccentric today,
try and get to know him or her, because that person could be a
reflection of part of you. The person will help you to see how modern
and innovative you are, and how much you should appreciate your
wonderful qualities. Meeting this person could be a kind of exercise
in self-satisfaction.

Libra
September 23 — October 22
Scorpio
October 23 — November 21
Sagittarius
November 22 — December 21

Decisions will be even more difficult to make than usual today, Libra. On
the one hand, you may feel a need to stabilize and specialize, while on
the other hand, it’s hard to deny the energy raging in a million different
directions as you crave new experiences and interactions. Try to adopt
a plan that combines both of these energies. Nervous energy keeps you
moving, and social distancing keeps you focused.
Feeling solidly grounded might also have you feeling less than
energetic about getting the ball rolling, Scorpio. Don’t be surprised if
your sense of restriction and duty are weighing you down. Rest and
reflection are very important in the natural cycle. Don’t assume that
you always need to be on the go in order to make progress. Put your
warring nature aside today and take it easy.
You enjoy reaping rewards for all your efforts. But in life, you have to
admit that you can never be sure of the quantity or the quality of the
fruits of your labours. Yet, today, Sagittarius, you could realise that
it’s time to plant some new seeds. You might not know how they’ll
turn out, but you do know better than anyone else that you can’t win
if you don’t play.

Capricorn
December 22 — January 19
Aquarius
January 20 — February 18
Pisces
February 19 — March 20

You probably know that you don’t attain freedom in one fell swoop,
but rather bit by bit as you go through life, Capricorn. Perhaps
you’ve been feeling as if you don’t have enough freedom. Over the
next few days you could find the situations or people you need
in order to liberate yourself. Don’t forget that love is the greatest
freedom of all. It could be time to make room for it in your life.
Throughout the day you may get the feeling that something has
changed in the way people relate to each other, Aquarius. It will be
as if people are surer of themselves, more open, more expressive.
Where, exactly, do you fit into all of this? Are you in a mood to charm
other people just for fun? This period is perfect for taking care of
your appearance and getting in shape. Do it!
You can relax a little at last! That’s what you could be thinking with
today’s celestial energy. The time is perfect to get ready for the
challenges that up to now were just anxieties inside you. If you’re
thinking clearly today, Pisces, it’s because you have the strength to
face your problems. Now that you have your self-confidence back,
you might open your heart even wider to someone dear.
12 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020

COMMUNITY CARTOONS/PUZZLES
Wordsearch Adam

Pooch Cafe

AGRA BHOPAL COCHIN

HYDERABAD JAIPUR LUCKNOW
NAGPUR SHILLONG SURAT
AHMADABAD CHANDIGARH DELHI
IMPHAL KANPUR MUMBAI
PONDICHERRY SIMLA VADODARA
BANGALORE CHENNAI GWALIOR
INDORE KOLKATA MYSORE
PUNE SRINAGAR

Codeword
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.
Puzzles courtesy: Puzzlechoice.com

Garfield

Sudoku

Bound And Gagged

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.
 Wednesday, May 20, 2020 GULF TIMES 13

PUZZLES COMMUNITY
Super Cryptic Clues Colouring

Across
1 Fastidious French resort (4)
3 Early birds sound pleased,
wanting last flower (8)
9 Mate in Sydney holding large
hammer (7)
10 Donne composed a lot (2,3)
11 Carmen, say, with some Mini
Cooper accessories (5)
12 Thin boxes, empty initially (6)
14 What happens at noon?
Reparation (6)
16 Start to sip convenient drink
(6)
19 Greek god left in a game (6)
21 Section of supermarket? I’ll
say! (5)
24 Chiseller, married, with a child
(5)
25 Be ardent then change
employment (7)
26 Relief organisation
embarrassed and annoyed (3,5)
27 River discovered in private
estate (4)
Solution
Down
1 Colin has changed his name (8)
2 The end is nigh! (5)
4 Stop artist ascending with
others (6)
5 Country singer seen by king (5)
6 Don’t stop persons going
astray (5,2)
7 Theme park attraction in the
Hebrides (4)
8 A pig died on the ship (6)
13 Fresh prey spotted up in the
mountains (8)
15 Former spouse was a model,
it’s revealed (7)
17 Hard ground that’s by the fire
(6)
18 Underwear for dogs (6)
20 One left right out? (5)
22 Dressing required impudence
(5)
23 Eastern potentate back in
Crimea (4)
Answers
Wordsearch Codeword
14 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020

COMMUNITY BOLLYWOOD

Past several weeks

have been very
AT ODDS: Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his wife Aaliya.
difficult: Deepika
Nawazuddin’s wife files for divorce
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s wife Aaliya has sent the actor a legal notice
demanding a divorce and maintenance from him over issues related to
their married life.
In a recent interview, Aaliya’s lawyer Abhay Sahay said that the
legal notice was sent to Nawazuddin on May 7 through e-mail and
WhatsApp, but he is yet to respond, reported timesofindia.com
Nawazuddin and Aaliya got married in 2009.
“I would not like to get into the details of the notice regarding what
are the contents and what are the allegations, but let me tell you that the
allegations are quite serious and those are very sensitive to Mr Siddiqui
as well as his family members,” Aaliya’s lawyer said in a video message
shared with Zee News.
Meanwhile, Nawazuddin and his family have been quarantined in his
house in Budhana in Muzaffarnagar district.
“Due to the recent loss of my younger sister, my mother, who is 71
years old, got anxiety attack twice. We have followed all the guidelines
issued by the state government. We are #HomeQuarantined at our
hometown Budhana. Please #StaySafe #StayHome,” he tweeted on
Monday. The actor and his family underwent medical screening and
have tested negative for coronavirus.
The actor reached his home on May 15 after taking a travel pass. He
and his family have been asked to remain in home quarantine till May 25.
His mother, brother and sister-in-law also made the journey with GUIDE: Deepika Padukone has curated a ‘Wellness Guide’ on Instagram, as part of the ongoing global Mental Health
him in his private vehicle. The actor told reporters that he underwent Awareness month.

A
medical screening at 25 points during his journey.
Kushalpal Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), Budhana police circle, ctress Deepika
said that health officials had visited the actor’s house and told them to be Padukone says the
under home quarantine for 14 days. – IANS past several weeks
have not only been
“exceptionally
unusual”, but also very difficult,
with everyone facing the fear of
uncertainty about the future.
The actress added that she wants
to share how she is nurturing her
mental health amid the pandemic.
For this, Deepika has joined hands
with Instagram for an initiative.
The actor has curated a ‘Wellness
Guide’ on Instagram, as part of
the ongoing global Mental Health
Awareness month.
“I am sure we all agree that the
LEARNING: Amitabh Bachchan says each day is a learning and a new past several weeks have not only
awakening experience. been exceptionally unusual but also
very difficult; uncertainty about
the future, loss of livelihoods, and
the inability to be around family
and loved ones, are just a few of the
challenges facing us,” Deepika said.
“And situations such as these often
lead to or aggravate mental illness.
I look forward to sharing with all
of you some of the things I’ve been
doing over the past several weeks to
nurture my mental health, and I hope
you find them useful too,” she added.
The ‘Wellness Guide’ is
Instagram’s new feature to keep
people inspired during these tough
times. It is a new way to easily
discover recommendations, tips and
other content from your favourite
creators, public figures, organisations
and publishers on Instagram.
With people struggling due to
the Covid-19 pandemic, ‘Guides’
will first be focused on wellness and
mental health content. Globally,
Instagram is enabling public figures
and creators to connect with expert
organisations to share resources
during this time, and for India, it is
Deepika, along with The Live Laugh
Love Foundation, that has curated
this guide.
“We want to support their
mental well-being by amplifying
mental health resources and
empowering creators to create
inspiring, wellness related content.
The Wellness Guide is a step in that
direction,” said Ankhi Das, Director,
Public Policy, Facebook – India,
South and Central Asia. – IANS

Big B shares latest insight about the home front

Kriti urges producers to
The lockdown has given Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan a few clear dues of daily wagers
important insights about life, including “a sense of knowing where and
how everything functions in the home, instead of leaving to hired staff”. Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon
The actor blogged: “In extreme conditions and circumstances, the has urged producers to clear the
human develops and experiments with alternatives that, to say the dues of people who work in return
least, are sufficient to get the work done not to its optimum but within for daily wages on the sets of TV
range and within acceptance. This is a quality that comes to all of us. shows amid the Covid-19 induced
The innovation steps in with great ideas and inventions and we muster lockdown.
enough courage and guile to accomplish any obstacle that may come or Kriti shared a video on Instagram
way. in which an aged person, who claims
“Yes we have become accustomed to a certain routine that was to be a technician on the sets of the
prevalent before and perhaps we became comfortable with it , never TV serial Hamari Bahu Silk, could be
thinking of an alternative until the need for it came and came suddenly. seen alleging non-payment of dues
“There really is so much to do, which we never did on our own but from the producers.
how wonderful to be able to do it now. A sense of knowing where and Sharing the video, Kriti urged
how everything functions in the home, instead of leaving to hired staff. the producers to clear the dues of
Clean up the room, the bathroom, the work area and do the laundry – daily wagers. Kriti mentioned that
the essentials all to do. It’s all such a joy and most importantly you get she knew about this “incident”
to know what the staff and the hire was going through when they were because a friend of her was a part
doing the work that you are doing now and appreciate their effort and of the daily soap. The actress
hours of work.” also appealed to the Cine and TV
“Each day is a learning. Each day is a new awakening,” wrote Big B in Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) to
his blog. – IANS look into the matter.
“This is just one incident that I
know of because a friend of mine
has worked in this daily soap:
Humari Bahu Silk. But my heart
breaks to see so many people
suffering because they haven’t
received their payments! This is the
time when the daily wage earners
need their hard-earned money the
most!!
“I request the concerned
producers to pls pay everyone their
dues!! They have worked very hard
for this, and it’s rightfully theirs! @
cintaaofficial pls pls help them. It’s a
tough time we all are going through
and I urge all employers in every field
to please clear the pending payments
of their employees,” the actress
wrote.
Meanwhile, Kriti has been trying to
do some cooking during the ongoing
lockdown. Earlier in the day, the HEARTBROKEN: Kriti Sanon says
actress shared a video of a Burmese her heart breaks to see so many
dish, khow suey, prepared by her. people suffering because they
—IANS haven’t received their payments.

HOLLYWOOD
SHOCK: Gregory Tyree Boyce was
pronounced dead on May 13 along with his
girlfriend Natalie Adepoju.
Swift’s City of Lover Concert
special was brief, bittersweet
By Dan DeLuca
T
aylor Swift’s City of Lover Concert
aired on ABC recently at the most
prime of times, following the season
ending American Idol.
After the socially distanced Idol
broadcast ended with a Lionel Richie-led We
Are The World singalong, City of Lover snapped
Swifties back to the painfully inaccessible
recent past.
The hourlong show was recorded in
September at the Olympia theatre in Paris,
shortly after the release of Lover, Swift’s
seventh album and her most mature to date.
City of Lover, which as of last Monday is now
streaming on Hulu and Disney+, was staged
before 2,800 excitable fans crammed into a
space intimate by the standards of Swift, who
typically plays arenas and stadiums.
Watching City of Lover on lockdown reminds
us of the thrill of hearing musicians we love
while actually standing alongside fellow music
lovers who share our ardour. Remember that?
The show was part of a Swift promotional
run for Lover, and the only proper full-length
concert with a band that she performed. (In
the US, she did do a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR
music that was a solo enterprise.)
With all of Swift’s 2020 dates cancelled, City
of Lover is going to have to do to tide fans over
until the tour can be rescheduled in 2021.
The City of Lover show, edited for TV, is
enticing. But it’s also frustratingly brief. Swift
is justifiably proud of her songwriting on the
album, which finds her largely getting past the
obsession with haters that began to be a drag by
2017’s Reputation.
And for anyone who hasn’t been paying
attention to her accomplishments over the last
decade, her gift for marrying personal stories to
undeniable pop hooks is on full display.
There were a few big production numbers.
The opening, Me!, benefited greatly from
being disassociated from its cotton-candy
video clip with Brendan Urie of Panic at the
Disco! (absent here). And the show closed
with a full-band treatment of Lover’s title
cut.
But for the most part, Swift was alone on
stage, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar
Twilight actor Boyce found dead
Actor Gregory Tyree Boyce, best known
for playing Tyler Crowley in the first Twilight
film, was found dead in Las Vegas. He was 30.
According to the Las Vegas Medical
Examiner’s office, Boyce and his girlfriend
Natalie Adepoju were pronounced dead on
May 13. The cause of death for either has not
yet been disclosed.
Boyce and his 27-year-old girlfriend were
found dead in their Las Vegas condo, reports
eonline.com
“Greg’s cousin woke up and noticed that
Greg’s car was still at the house. He was
worried because Greg was to be in LA. His
cousin went to check on him and found them,”
the source said.
The source added that prior to his death
Boyce was “really focused and handling a lot
of business”.
ENTICING: Taylor Swift performs onstage during the American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in
Los Angeles.
or piano, giving her fans something to shriek
about by sharing a big reveal or two. She wrote
Cornelia Street in the bathtub!
The whole performance is energised with the
kick that comes from playing songs in public
for the first time. (Not knowing it would be the
last time, for awhile.)
But with a full load of commercials, some
starring Swift, the whole show amounted to
42 minutes of music, with all eight songs,
including a touching Daylight and pointed The
Archer, coming from Lover.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
COMMUNITY
He has moved to Las Vegas to help his
mother, the source said that the actor “would
commute to LA for acting jobs and to see his
daughter”.
Another source said: “Greg was definitely
a person who loved life and (was) super
positive... super animated, really witty, he was
the life of the party. I will definitely miss him.
He was one of my funniest friends in LA and
made my experience there really memorable.”
Boyce turned 30 in December. In an
Instagram post, he wrote: “At one point I
didn’t think I would make it to see 30 years
old. Over the years like everyone else I have
made mistakes along the way, but today is
one of those days I only reflect on the great
ones. What a time to be alive. Happy Dirty
30 self! Let’s make the rest of these years
your best!!”
He is survived by his 10-year-old daughter
Alaya. – IANS
That’s understandable, with a new-at-
the-time album to promote. But the actual
Olympia concert was 16 songs long, with eight
songs from Swift’s ample catalog, such as the
masterful All Too Well and of course, a Shake It
Off encore.
It would have been nice if City of Lover could
have found a room for a few of those, rather
than be a single-minded promotion vehicle for
the not-so-new-anymore album. But I suppose
we’ll have to wait to the expanded version for
that. – The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS
GULF TIMES 15
REMEMBERED: Lynn Shelton, who
died few days ago at 54, had brief and
busy filmmaking life.
Where to watch
Shelton’s films
Lynn Shelton’s filmmaking life
was brief, and busy: Just 14 years
elapsed between her coming-of-age
first feature, We Go Way Back in
2006, and her death last week at age
54. In that short time, she directed
eight theatrical features (writing the
screenplay for seven of them) and
dozens of television episodes.
Here are five highlights from her
career – most of them filmed in
Seattle – and where to watch them.
Humpday: Shelton’s third film
– and the one that brought her
national attention (it was her first
film to receive wide distribution)
– is an unexpectedly sweet comedy
about two male friends. (Streaming
on Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes)
Your Sister’s Sister: My own
favourite of Shelton’s work, this film
showcases beautiful work from Mark
Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie
DeWitt as the three points of a
fresh, funny triangle; a small story
about siblinghood and friendship,
masterfully told. (Streaming on
Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes)
Laggies: Movies are full of
man-child characters; this one
charmingly presents a woman-child
(Keira Knightley), stuck in arrested
development as she spends her days
hanging out with a teenager (Chloe
Grace Moretz). (Streaming on Netflix,
Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes)
Outside In: Less comedic than
many of Shelton’s films, this
quiet character study about an
unexpected connection between
two mismatched people (delicately
played by Jay Duplass and Edie
Falco) is one of her more moving
works. (Streaming on Netflix,
Amazon Prime, YouTube)
Little Fires Everywhere: Shelton
(who became a master of episodic
television later in her career)
directed four episodes of this
dramatic miniseries about mothers
and daughters, based on the novel
by Celeste Ng and starring Reese
Witherspoon and Kerry Washington
– including its tense, electric finale.
(Streaming on Hulu).
– The Seattle Times/TNS
16 GULF TIMES Wednesday, May 20, 2020

COMMUNITY
French athlete sees the spirit of
love for humanity in Ramadan
By Mudassir Raja
“I believe social distancing

T
here are numerous
stories of human
endurance in fight
against unpleasant
situations but the
current circumstances caused by
the novel coronavirus pandemic
have come to test us all in new
ways.
The spirit of kindness and
generosity during Ramadan helps
some people in strengthening
faith, and ward off negativity.
Fasting itself can boost human
endurance and inculcate patience.
French expatriate Pierre Daniel
is a strong athlete and sportsman
who has gained fame in Qatar by
making a world record for the
fastest crossing of the country
from north to south on foot.
He recently shared his views
on the current health crisis and
experience of Ramadan in Qatar
with Community.
Talking about how as an active
outgoing person he has been
dealing with the new situation,
Pierre said: “I work for the
marketing department of the
Aspire Zone Foundation. I have
been living in Doha with my family
for more than 11 years.
“We have been coping with the
current situation with patience.
I am a great outdoor sports
aficionado. Reducing the amount
of time I spend outside practising
sports and training with friends
or travelling to some adventure is
what probably I miss the most. But
we all have to face this situation
with philosophy of positive
thinking. Beating ourselves up
with negative thoughts is pointless
and makes it only harder. So, why
not focus on the positive and make
the most of the situation.
“For the past weeks, we have
all been staying indoor, juggling
between home schooling for
our three kids and working from
home. Fortunately, Aspire has
immediately set up many digitals
tools to enable us to carry on
working and we are all trying to
conduct business as usual.”
The athlete sees social
distancing norm as an opportunity
to realise the value of social
interactions. “I believe social
distancing and this unfortunate
global situation are factors that
may help us realise the value of
social interactions and how much
we need the others for our personal
development. It brings us back to
the universality of humanity. All
of us are affected by a disease that
can infect any one of us. It has
managed to destabilise our global
economy, and so we all equally
need social interactions.”
As for Ramadan, Pierre has
consistently been fasting in
solidarity with his Muslim friends
in Qatar. “For the past decade,
I have been sharing the spirit
of Ramadan with the Muslim
community here in Qatar. I have
been consistently fasting in
solidarity with my Muslim friends.
It first started when we just moved
to Qatar. I very quickly had a
lot of Muslim friends and when
Ramadan came I was very eager
to experience it fully with them
as part of my thirst of discovering
in depth the local culture and also
for the reason that it gathers many
values I respect, such as the spirit
of communion and charity as well
as self-discipline, self-control
and endurance in scarcity. Not to
mention the physical and spiritual
benefits of fasting which I recently
applied to my lifestyle when I
started to fast for a full day twice a
week every Monday and Thursday.”
The French athlete sees the
spirit of self-love and love for
humanity in Ramadan. “I believe
that regardless of our application
and this unfortunate
global situation are factors
that may help us realise the
value of social interactions
and how much we need
the others for our personal
development. It brings us
back to the universality
of humanity. All of us
are affected by a disease
that can infect any one
of us. It has managed to
destabilise our global
economy, and so we
all equally need social
interactions”
— Pierre Daniel
of a dogma or pursuit of spirituality
in the form of our interaction with
our self and with others, the way
we appreciate and experience
everything during the holy month is
a demonstration of the universality
of love. It includes self-love, love to
others, love of life, love of working,
creating and caring. It is a mindset
that can be reached by all and that
is very much present in the Muslim
community during the holy month
of Ramadan.”
Pierre added: “This Ramadan
is a bit special because people
cannot meet and share this
moment of communion. However,
the mindset is still present, and
friends and families try to stay
close nonetheless using all the
tools available. I have many digital
meetings with my friends where
we break the fast together and
some of them even sent food to my
home as a nice gift.
“I believe that with positivity
and discipline we will prevail and
adapt to and hopefully get back to
a more normal life soon.” HOMESCHOOLING: Pierre seen with his daughter.