TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 MARKETPLACE MARKETPLACE HEALTH WHEELS TECHNOLOGY LEARN ARABIC P | 4 P | 5 P | 7 P | 11 P | 12 P | 13 • QR20,000 gift voucher with new Cadillac XTS • Al Sayyad Tent at Diplomatic Club a perfect place for iftar experience • Stem cell advance boosts prospects for retina treatment • VW to revive Phaeton as Passat fades • In redesigned Gmail, where’s ‘Return to Sender’? • Learn commonly used Arabic words and their meanings inside Conjuring horror flick leads box office P | 8-9 In rough patch patch Handmade rugs are Iran’s most important export. Many people associated with the trade are being forced out of business and believe its survival is threatened.
• Learn commonlyused Arabic wordsand their meanings
inside
Conjuring horror flick leads box office
P | 8-9
In rough patchpatch
Handmade rugs are Iran’s most important export. Many people associated with the trade are being forced out of business and believe its survival is threatened.
2 COVER STORYPLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
Iran’s rug makers struggle to keep industry aliveBY JASON REZAIAN
This capital’s vast bazaar is home to, by most estima-tes, the highest concentra-tion of handmade rugs in the world, with millions of
the floor coverings piled high in more than a thousand shops in a labyrinth of ancient passageways.
Iran’s rug exports, however, are declining — revenue was down 17 per-cent last year — as are the number of people employed in the industry. Many people associated with the trade believe its survival is threatened.
The centuries-old industry has been hit hard by repeated economic crises in recent years, as well as by econo-mic sanctions imposed by the United States, formerly the biggest market for Persian carpets. Even in Iran, cheaper, machine-made rugs are starting to outsell handmade ones. The industry’s
decline is just one more problem facing the Islamic republic’s president-elect, Hassan Rowhani, when he takes office in early August. Iranian carpet experts are calling on the government to boost the image of the hand-woven rugs in countries other than the United States.
“We expect the new government to assign enough of a budget for our pro-motional campaigns to better intro-duce Iran’s rugs internationally,” said Mojtaba Feyzollahi, marketing deputy of the Iran National Carpet Center.
Ali Reza Ghaderi, the founder and director of the Tehran-based Persian Carpet Think Tank, agreed that offi-cials should concentrate on promoting exports. “The problem is not pro-duction, but marketing and selling,” Ghaderi said.
After energy products, handmade rugs are Iran’s most important export, accounting for $560m last year, which amounts to about 20 percent of the
global handmade rug market. But not all Iran analysts think the government should support the ancient craft.
“I don’t think this is an industry that the country needs to protect, as it does not produce good jobs that young people should be seeking,” said Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, an economics professor at Virginia Tech who visits Iran regularly.
But the industry employs an esti-mated 2 million Iranians; an estimated 10 percent of the population benefits economically from some aspect of the rug business, according to the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Trade. That makes its preservation essential, at least for now.
In addition to merchants, the indus-try generates jobs for repairmen and the deliverymen who scurry around the bazaar with rusty hand carts brimming with inventory.
In Tehran and across Iran, however, the number of people in the industry is decreasing. according to industry experts.
“The rug bazaar is being eaten by the clothing bazaar, which borders us,” said Hossein Hosseiny, a 31-year-old third-generation rug merchant, navigating through crowds of people pawing through stacks of garments in the shops that are taking over much of the old bazaar.
Trading in Chinese- and Turkish-made clothes is more lucrative than selling Persian rugs, so clothing impor-ters are willing to pay exorbitant rents — more than $2,000 per month — for stalls measuring less than 100 square feet in some highly trafficked areas of the bazaar.
An Iranian carpet seller shows carpet to cus-tomers at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar
The industry employs an estimated 2 million Iranians; an estimated 10 percent of the population benefits economically from some aspect of the rug business, according to the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Trade. That makes its preser-vation essential, at least for now.
The centuries-old industry has been hit hard by repeated eco-nomic crises in recent years, as well as by eco-nomic sanctions imposed by the United States. The archaic industry also suffers from the rising cost of labour and the difficulty in importing mate-rials, such as silk, and some dyes.
3PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
Although many of his fellow mer-chants are abandoning the rug trade, Hosseiny says he has no intention of quitting. He, like many other Iranians, considers carpets a vital part of the country’s heritage.
“In this tough economy, some con-sider switching to a more profitable business, but then what will happen to art and those jobs which are rooted in our tradition?” Hosseiny said. “I try not to lose my hope. I have to think about not only helping myself, but also my country and the art of rugmaking, with hope for the future.”
Like many in the business, Hosseiny
was exposed to it at an early age, spen-ding hours in his father’s shop, deve-loping an extensive knowledge of rugs produced in various parts of Iran. At 18, he embarked on three years of tra-vel throughout Iran to learn what he did not know. “In almost every corner of Iran, people weave rugs,” he said.
His knowledge of types of carpets
has become an important advantage, as most rug merchants here deal in merchandise from particular regions, usually where they have familial ties.
Many of them are being forced out of business because their inventory is limited, including only a small num-ber of styles and colours. Iran’s rug
exporters have difficulty competing with the variety of styles produced by other countries’ rug industries.
Sanctions on Iran are also having a deep impact on the business. Banking sanctions and a 2010 embargo on Iranian rugs by the US government are impeding merchants’ ability to sell goods abroad and transfer the proceeds home.
This is bad not only for the rug busi-ness, but also for Iran’s image, accor-ding to Hosseiny. “Rugs can be a great ambassador for this country,” Hosseiny said. “When someone buys a rug and takes it home to their country, other people see its beauty and hear its story, and it gets them interested in Iran.”
The archaic industry, which has changed little since Hossainy’s grandfa-ther started his business half a century ago, also suffers from the rising cost of labour and the difficulty in importing materials, such as silk, and some dyes. Producers hope the government will give them assistance in marketing and access to better health insurance for weavers, who can suffer joint and back injuries, among other problems.
“We have to care for our industry like a farmer grows a tree, ensuring that in the future we can continue to pick its fruit,” Hosseiny said.
Carpet experts and economists say Iran’s rug production might ultimately return to being what it was when it started, a specialized art form.
“Eventually, as a handicraft, it must go upscale and produce carpets for high-income people. In that phase, it will be employing very few people and will not be part of the national indus-tries to protect,” Salehi-Isfahani said.
WP-BLOOMBERG
A worker repairs an Iranian hand-made carpet at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar.
Iranian men using traditional techniques to help give rugs a uniform shape.
“Rugs can be a great ambassador for this country. When someone buys a rug and takes it home to their country, other people see its beauty and hear its story, and it gets them interested in Iran.”
PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 20134 MARKETPLACE/COMMUNITY
QR20,000 gift voucher with new Cadillac XTS
Mannai Auto Group is offering customers the most attractive offer on the Cadillac XTS in partnership with QIB and Damas.
The all-new Cadillac XTS, launched recently in Qatar, is the most technologically advanced production car in the brand’s history and one of the most desirable cars in its category in terms of visual appeal and performance on the road and inside the cabin. Through QIB, new Cadillac owners can secure the best finance available at a profit rate of 2.55 percent, plus up to three-month grace period subject to bank approval and eligibility. Courtesy of the world-renowned jewellers Damas, new Cadillac XTS owners will also receive a QR20,000 gift voucher which can be redeemed at any Damas store in Qatar.
Mohammed Helmy, Group General Manager, Mannai Automotive, said: “This Ramadan, Mannai Auto wanted to bring customers of the highly coveted Cadillac XTS
benefits that complement each other. The all-new XTS is perfectly suited for the upwardly mobile and chic car enthusiast and with each purchase new car owners can complement their lifestyles with a carefully selected range of lifestyle gift options from Damas. Customers can avail the best financial solutions through QIB. Cadillac customers continue to benefit from world-class after sales service, trade-in facilities, door-to-door pickup, drop-off services, and maintenance at their doorstep.”
Customers also receive complimentary services such as window tinting, GardX body paint protection, and GardX interior protection when purchasing Cadillac XTS this Ramadan. For details or an appointment call the Doha showroom on 44558709 or the Wakra show-room on 44483651. Showroom timings during Ramadan are from 9am to noon and 8.30pm to 11.30pm Saturday to Thursday. The Peninsula
Qatar Insurance Group organised its annual staff sohoor gathering at the Katar hall, in the presence of Khalifa Al Subaey, Group President and CEO, and other senior executives. It featured activities and prizes for staff and their families. The 18-member team was awarded for winning the first insurance companies football champion-ship, followed by a draw with prizes.
Gulbarga Friends Circle in Doha organised an iftar gathering on Sunday.
Niyaz Ahmed from Chikamagalore was unanimously elected President of Karnataka Muslim Cultural Association, affiliated to ICC under the aegis of the Indian embassy for 2013 -2014, at the annual general body meeting and iftar gathering at Mazza Restaurant. Other elected members include: Vice President, Saquib Raza Khan (Mangalore); General Secretary, Ibraiz Khan (Bangalore); Joint Secretary, Mohammed Mujeeb Ulla (Bangalore); Treasurer, Fayaz Ahmed (Karkala); Sports Secretary, Sayed Ashfaq (Udupi); Special Needs, M Iqbal Manna (Udupi); Media & PR, Irfan Shariff (Bangalore); Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Saeed Assadi (Mangalore). Advisory panel includes Sayed Abdul Hye, Rehman Saab, Mohammed Akram and Muneer Sheikh and committee members include N H Ibrahim, Riyaz Ahmed Abdulla Khatri, Abdulla Mono, Mumthaz Hussain and Ashmath Ali.
Audi has unveiled an exceptional offer this Ramadan, in coopera-tion with Salam Stores. For the
first time in Qatar, with every new Audi purchased, buyers will receive a voucher from Salam worth up to QR50,000. Until August 15, 2013 the public can take advantage of the deal on every model in the Audi range.
Q Auto, Audi’s new dealership in Qatar, has managed the brand since September 2012 and aims to enhance the overall experience of owning one of the world’s premium vehicles. A new flagship showroom in Salwa road is set to officially open during quarter-four of 2013, in addition to strategically
spreading Audi branches. For the past 60 years, Salam has been recognised as Qatar’s fashion authority.
“Audi has always been committed to enhancing the lives of the people who drive our cars. This is one way of show-ing our gratitude to the most impor-tant people in our business,” said Audi’s General Sales and Marketing Manager, Mohamad El Talkhawi. Managing Director of Salam Stores, Pierre Al Khoury, said: “We are extremely proud to be associated with a premium brand such as Audi. Salam and Audi cater to the same clientele; people with a taste for the finer things in life.”
The Peninsula
Audi launches best Ramadan offer
The all-new Cadillac XTS
5MARKETPLACE
Bang & Olufsen unveils BeoLab 14 sound system
NBK Automobiles, exclusive distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Qatar, has announced that it has signed a new partnership with Total
Marketing Qatar, marking the beginning of a five-year supplier agreement. Total will supply Mercedes-Benz with engine oils for diesel and petrol engines, transmis-sion hydraulics, coolant and brake fluid, among other items.
Khalid Shabaan, General Manager, Mercedes-Benz Qatar, said: “We are delighted to announce our new part-nership with Total and look forward to developing our supplier relationship with them over the next five years.”
Total Marketing Qatar, a subsidiary of Total, has a prominent market share in the Qatari lubricants market, catering to major automotive, construction, industrial and marine customers. Total’s lubricants products in Qatar are widely used by many leading European and Japanese car dealers and prestigious retail service cen-tres in Doha city.
Maher Thabet, General Manager, Total Marketing Qatar, said: “It is fantastic to be able to add NBK Auto and Mercedes-Benz to our list of clients within the coun-try, and we look forward to working with them.”
Designed to offer multiple benefits to Mercedes-Benz customers in Qatar, the partnership brings together the leading logistics and support schemes of Total Marketing Qatar, with the world-renowned automotive products of NBK Automobiles, which has been leading the Qatari market for more than six decades. Total products used for Mercedes-Benz are approved by Daimler before being introduced to the market. All products are available at Total Marketing Qatar’s state-of–the-art logistics cen-tres across the country. The Peninsula
Officials at the signing ceremony.
NBK Auto signs partnership with Total Marketing Qatar
The Diplomatic Club is the first private club in Doha, which offers members and guests
the perfect convivial atmosphere for relaxation and entertainment, with countless amenities, including a wide range of facilities for entertainment, health and spa services and world-class cuisine.
One of the club’s distinctive res-taurants is Al Sayyad, which enjoys a sterling reputation among Qataris and expats.
It is also considered the flagship of the club where patrons can enjoy the most delicious eastern seafood dishes, beautiful scenic view overlooking the “Pearl” of Qatar, and the skyline of the capital Doha.
Al Sayyad restaurant is the perfect
place for any kind of occasion.Ramadan dishes in Al Sayyad cater
to families and private banquets, where families can have a quiet iftar contain-ing all nutritional necessities the body needs during fasting during Ramadan, especially dry fruits, dates, soups, hot and cold appetisers, main dishes and sweets, not to mention suhoor nights where the most talented chefs prepare a rich and varied menu.
The banquets, prepared in a unique way, involve a dedicated team in the royal Al Sayyad tent, inside halls, and a complete team to handle outside catering during the holy month.
Ramadan has a distinctive feature. It is a month with sanctity among Muslims, and the most beautiful atmosphere remains the one that
Al Sayyad Tent at Diplomatic Club a perfect place for iftar experience
brings families, guests and friends together at iftar. Al Sayyad Tent is the perfect place where you can get differ-ent meals, replete with this beautiful
atmosphere, combining the intimacy of families, support of the community, and unforgettable memories from this special month. The Peninsula
Al Sayyad Tent ... Ramadan ambience
PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
Bang & Olufsen has unveiled the BeoLab 14 sound sys-tem that combines com-
pact aesthetics and outstanding acoustic innovation to deliver the thrill of high-end surround per-formance without filling up the home with boxy black speakers. It can be used with all TV brands, not just Bang & Olufsen TVs.
It introduces a distinctive range of high quality audio to its effervescent patrons. With its refined design, endlessly flexible placement options and acoustic pedigree, it’s never been easier for one to enjoy home cinema in full aural splendour — with-out compromising one’s interior décor. The BeoLab 14 is a state-of-the-art product available at Bang & Olufsen store at Lagoona Mall, the first floor (44335500).
With a minimalistic design, BeoLab 14 creates a complete sound solution on Bang & Olufsen acoustic engineers’ ongoing achievements in packing stun-ning performance into surpris-ingly small volumes. The satellite speakers are diminutive circles of anodised aluminium with exchangeable fabric covers in a selection of colours, and integrate easily into even the most strin-gent interior design schemes.
The sculptural subwoofer con-tains separate amplifiers for all speakers in the system, and deliv-ers bone-bouncing bass from a beguilingly slender footprint. With a full array of placement options that includes wall and ceiling mounts and floor and shelf stands, BeoLab 14 is ready to fit in visually as it stands out acoustically.
“Today we are very excited to introduce the new concept of sound system, the BeoLab
14,” said the representative of Darwish Technology. “Bang & Olufsen stands out from many other brands in a number of ways, besides offering premium quality surround sounds, and our aim is to provide a high quality of sound experience to the Qatar market.”
According to Bang & Olufsen CEO, Tue Mantoni, BeoLab 14 was designed for consumers who want to add quality sur-round sound to their home view-ing experiences, but still have demanding expectations about their interior design.
“The launch of an all-in-one surround speaker system is an important new step for Bang & Olufsen,” he says. “It builds on our core approach that sound matters in everything that we do. Now we bring genuine Bang & Olufsen sound to anyone who wants the advantages of surround without having to hide away the subwoofer.”
BeoLab 14 connects seamlessly
to all Bang & Olufsen TVs, but is also just one plug away from lift-ing any other TV or AV receiver into a new level of sound per-formance. “Providing easy inte-gration for people who do not own a Bang & Olufsen TV, but still want to achieve a high-qual-ity Bang & Olufsen sound experi-ence, has been a particular focus for the team,” adds Mantoni.
The compact new speakers have been put through the same demanding development proc-ess as all other Bang & Olufsen products. Jens Rahbek, Senior Sound Engineer in the R&D Department, says: “Even with the very best components, sound is a subjective experience. We tune our speakers in a process that includes hours of listening — by different people, in differ-ent room environments, at dif-ferent stages of development — to achieve sound that is as close as possible to what the original art-ist intended.”
The Peninsula
The system can be used with all TV brands.
PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 20136 RECIPE
Dates and Walnut Milk Shake
Ingredients: • 1 litre fresh milk• 8 to 10 fresh wet dates• 200 to 300 gm walnut
Method:Remove seeds from dates.Add dates and 150gm walnuts in milk and grind it in mixer
grinder.Now add rest of150gm walnuts and grind slightly so that these
become only crushed in milk shake.Delicious and healthy milk shake is ready, serve as chilled.
Priya Gandhi
Semiya Paneer Delight
Ingredients: Makes 6 -7 servings• ½ litre fresh milk• ½ tin condensed milk• ½ cup roasted fine semiya• 2 tbsp brown sugar• 50 grams paneer• 2 tbsp chopped almonds• 2 cardamoms • 1 tbsp ghee• For decoration: Few raisins and chopped pista .
Method:Take milk in a heavy-bottomed pan. Boil for 10 minutes; keep
stirring occasionally. Then add roasted semiya and sugar and keep stirring continuously in slow heat.
Meanwhile, de-skin the almonds and chop then into small pieces. Cut the paneer into small squares and fry them in ghee. Remove them from pan when golden brown. Put them in hot water; soak for 5 minutes and then drain well.
When the milk starts thickening, add condensed milk and stir well. More fresh milk can be added to keep the desired consist-ency. Then add the fried paneer (keeping a few pieces aside for later decoration) and chopped almonds and mix well. Cook in slow fire for 2-3 minutes. Crush the cardamoms, remove the skin and mix it to the kheer.
Pour the kheer in a porcelain or melamine bowl. Decorate it with few pieces of fried panner raisins and chopped pista and refrigerate till serving.
Ipshita Chakravorty
Chilled Strawberry and Coconut Milk Soup Shooters – Refreshing Appetizer
Ingredients:• 8oz strawberries, rinsed and sliced• 2 tbsp granulated white sugar• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice• 1 cup low-fat coconut milk• Additional small strawberries for garnish• 1/4 cup toasted shaved coconut for garnish
Method:Toss together the strawberries, sugar and lime juice in a
medium bowl. Let the mixture marinate for 30 minutes. In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries and
coconut milk. Process until smooth. Pour into small serving glasses and garnish with strawberries
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar• 8 to 10 Almonds• 8 to 10 pistachios• 1/2 cup pure ghee• 1 1/2 tea spoon cardamom powder• cardomom 2 to 3 edible silver leaves.)
Method:Heat milk and add lemon juice.After it cools,drain the water and tie the solid in muslin cloth
and hang it for 3 hours to drain the remaining water.Untie the muslin cloth and knead the solid well with the
milk powder and sugar.Soak almonds and pistachios in one cup of hot water for
five minutes. drain, peel and chop them roughly.Heat ghee in a heavy pan and add the mixture. fry over
very low heat, stirring continuously, until the ghee separates.Take out off the heat and add green cardamom powder. mix
well and set aside to cool slightly.Knead again to a smooth blend.Shape into a flat cake and let it cool completely. sprinkle
with chopped pistachios and almonds.Cut into squares and decorate with silver foil and serve. Madhu
Method:Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Coat a dish with vegetable oil. In
a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat until light and fluffy. Sift in the cake flour, baking powder and salt, and stir until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and milk. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Fold into the batter. Pour into the prepared pie plate, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 165 degrees C. Continue to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the centre is set when you gently jiggle the pie. Serve hot or cold.
Amna
Pineapple Kheer
Ingredients: Serving for 6• 5 Cups Whole milk• 1 and 1/2 cans Pineapple chunks in pineapple juice• 4 Tbsp Coconut powder (finely shredded coconut)• 1 Tbsp Corn flour• 3/4 Cup Sugar
Method:Boil the milk in a heavy bottom wide pan on medium high heat. Stir often
to make sure the milk does not burn in the bottom of the pan. Cook until the milk is reduced to about half of its original volume.
Mix well 1 tablespoon Corn flour in 4 table spoons of water and add this in the milk, also add Coconut powder 4 table spoons in the milk and cook the milk for another 10 minutes on low heat. Then turn off the heat and let the milk cool down.
Drain 1 can pineapple using strainer let the juice dripped through without squeezing. Note: we will use juice and pineapple both.
Cut each chunk of pineapple in about 3 to 4 small pieces.In a pan put all the pineapple juice drained from 1 can, add ¾ cup sugar
and the pineapple pieces and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes: until the pineapple pieces become soft and translucent.
Then from another pineapple can, take out half of pineapples and half of its juice- blend it blender. Add this in the cooked pineapple mixture and cook for additional 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat.
Let pineapple mixture come down to room temperature.Once both the milk and pineapple mixture are cooled down, add the
pineapple mixture in the milk and stir gently.Serving SuggestionKeep in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving the desert.
You can use the remaining half of pineapple chunks to decorate the kheer making floral patterns and any other way you might like.
Tip: Mix pineapples in the milk when both the milk and pineapples are on room temperature or cold
Anjali Pimple
Roast Chicken in Milk
Ingredients: • 1.5 kg chicken (Whole)• 565 ml milk• salt, as desired • freshly ground black pepper• olive oil• ½ stick cinnamon• 1 good handful fresh sage, leaves picked• zest of 2 lemons• 10 cloves garlic, skin left on
Method:Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F, and find a snug-fitting pot for the
chicken. Season it generously all over, and fry it in a little olive oil, turning the chicken to get an even colour all over, until golden.
Remove from the heat, put the chicken on a plate, and throw away the oil left in the pot. This will leave you with tasty sticky goodness at the bottom of the pan which will give you a lovely caramel flavour later on.
Put your chicken back in the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the preheated oven for 1½ hours.
Baste with the cooking juice when you remember. The lemon zest will sort of split the milk, making a sauce which is absolutely fantastic.
To serve, pull the meat off the bones and divide it onto your plates. Spoon over plenty of juice and the little curds. Serve with wilted spinach and some mashed potato. Aysha Naeem
WINNER
Maple-Walnut Tapioca Pudding
Ingredients: • 1 cup low-fat milk• 1 large egg, well beaten• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp quick-cooking tapioca• 1/8 tsp salt• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, divided• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts• Pinch of ground cinnamon• Pinch of ground nutmeg
Method:Combine milk, egg, tapioca and salt in a medium
saucepan. Let stand for 5 minutes.Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and
cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil, 6 to 18 minutes (depending on your stove). Remove from the heat; stir in 1/4 cup syrup and vanilla.
Divide the pudding between 2 ramekins or custard cups. Let cool for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate until chilled.
Meanwhile, line a small plate with parchment or wax paper. Coat the paper with cooking spray. Combine walnuts, the remaining 1 tablespoon syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan or skillet. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, until most of the syrup has evaporated, 1 to 4 minutes. Spread the nuts out onto the prepared paper and place in the freezer until cool, about 10 minutes.
Crumble the chilled walnut topping into pieces. Serve the pudding topped with the maple walnuts.
Tip: Cover and refrigerate the pudding for up to 3 days. Prepare the walnut topping 15 minutes before serving.
Sherif Mohammed
HEALTH 7PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
PARIS: Blind mice have been able to see once more in a laboratory exploit that marks a further boost for the fast-moving field of retinal therapy, according to a study published on Sunday.
Scientists in Britain used stem cells — early-stage, highly versatile cells — taken from mice embryos, and cultured them in a lab dish so that they differ-entiated into immature photoreceptors, the light-catching cells in the retina.
Around 200,000 of these cells were then injected into the mice’s retinas, some of which integrated smoothly with local cells to restore sight. The rodents were put through their paces in a water maze and examined by optom-etry to confirm that they responded to light. Embryonic stem cells “could in future provide a potentially unlim-ited supply of health photoreceptors
for retinal transplantations to treat blindness in humans,” Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) said.
Photoreceptor loss lies behind degen-erative eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, also called AMD.
Stem cells have triggered a huge interest and investment on the back of hopes that they can become replace-ment tissue, grown in a lab dish, for cells damaged by disease or accident.
But the exciting field has to over-come big obstacles. One is the ability to coax these immature cells into safely becoming the specialised cells that are needed, rather than turn cancerous.
This is where the new work marks a gain, according to lead researcher Robin Ali at the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital.
His team previously found that sight could be restored in blind mice by transplanting immature photore-ceptors called rod cells that were taken from the retinas of healthy rodents.
The latest research takes things fur-ther because the transplanted material comprises all the different nerve cells needed for sight—and they were not taken from other animals.
Instead, they were grown in a lab and differentiated into the right cells thanks to a new technique, pioneered in Japan, that replicates the shape of the retina. “Over recent years, scientists have become pretty good at working with stem cells and coaxing them to develop into different types of adult cells and tissues,” said Ali.
“But until recently, the complex structure of the retina has proved dif-ficult to reproduce in the lab. This is
probably because the type of cell cul-ture we were using was not able to rec-reate the developmental process that would happen in a normal embryo.”
Ali added: “The next step will be to refine this technique using human cells to enable us to start clinical trials.”
The study appears in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
Last month, Japanese authorities approved proposals for the world’s first clinical trials using stem cells harvested from a patient’s own body.
The goal is to test therapy for AMD using so-called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS. These are adult cells that have been reprogrammed to return to their infant, versatile state. Provided that they are proven safe, they can provide a non-controversial alternative to stem cells culled from early-stage embryos. AFP
Stem cell advance boosts prospects for retina treatment
LOS ANGELES: Some are okay with long flights, while others face vertigo during long hours of flying. simple precautions like intake of water and Vitamin C can help peo-ple overcome air sickness during long haul flights. Here are five sim-ple ways to fly safely and in a healthy condition, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Eat raw food: Your body retains more water and suffers less from dehy-dration if you pack it with live, raw nutrients. Usually take a snack and a meal for a four hour period and double
it for longer journeys.Importance of Vitamin C: Vitamin
C helps to regulate cortisol and pre-vent blood pressure from spiking in response to stressful situations, like flying, airports, customs rate high on the stress-o-meter. Regularly elevated levels of cortisol in your body suppress normal functioning of the digestive sys-tem, reproductive system, and growth processes.
Water always helps: It is very important to drink want in sips rather than gulping it. It helps in rehydrating
the body. So it’s better to spread water over the course of the flight.
Avoid drinks. It is important to avoid excess drinks during flights.
Probiotics are important. Flying makes you bloated because you are seated for so long. That creates pres-sure in your abdomen, interferes with digestion and slows everything down. Taking Probiotics, which consist of helpful bacteria or yeasts, helps your digestion to work again. Take one the day before you fly, the day of the flight and a couple of days after. IANS
Take right precautions to battle flight woes
Stroke risk risesif blood pressure drugs not taken rightly: StudyHELSINKI: Hypertension patients who do not take their blood pressure medications systematically have a greatly increased risk of suffering a stroke and dying from it compared to those who take their medication correctly, a study has shown.
A study of 73,527 patients with high blood pressure, published online in the European Heart Journal, found that patients who did not adhere to their medication had a nearly four-fold increased risk of dying from stroke in the second year after first being pre-scribed drugs to control their blood pressure, and a three-fold increased risk in the tenth year, compared with adherent patients.
“These results emphasise the importance of hypertensive patients taking their ant-hypertensive medica-tions correctly in order to minimise their risk of serious complications such as fatal and non-fatal strokes,” Dr Kimmo Herttua said.
Dr Herttua, the first author of the study, is a senior fellow in the Population Research Unit at the University of Helsinki, Finland.
“Non-adherent patients have a greater risk even 10 years before they suffer a stroke. We have also found that there is a dose-response relation-ship. The worse someone is at taking their anti-hypertensive therapy, the greater their risk,” Herttua wrote.
The researchers, including scientists from Finland and University College London, UK, used nationwide reg-isters in Finland that give details of prescriptions, admissions to hospital and deaths, reports Science Daily. IANS
A diminutive robot designed to talk to humans and offer companionshipis to be launched to the ISS (International Space Station) in August
Name derived from kibo, Japaneseword for hope and robot
Backup twinMirata is of
identical design
In spaceDesigned
to navigate whilefloating in zerogravity
Voice-recognitionUnderstands Japanese
and can converse naturallywith people
VisionCameras to
recognise facesand emotions
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Kirobo stationedon Kibomodule
Kirobo willcheck on healthof astronautKoichiWakataand take part inexperiments to see howwell robots and humans caninteract with each other
Kibo Robot Project:Ultimate goal is to provide
companionship to people livingin isolation. Created by Japanese
company Dentsu, in conjunctionwith Toyota and University of Tokyo
18cm18cm 15cm15cm
Weight:1kgWeight:1kg
34cm
34cm
11WHEELS PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
BY CHRISTOPH RAUWALD
VOLKSWAGEN plans to bring back the Phaeton luxury sedan to the United States as it looks to reignite flagging growth
in one of the few markets it has been unable to crack.
The Phaeton, the brand’s most expensive model, could be shown to US consumers in January as VW prepares the car’s return after pulling it seven years ago because of weak sales. The reintroduction, which would comple-ment the rollout of new sport-utility vehicles, is aimed at showing off VW’s engineering prowess as the lift from the mainstream Passat sedan fades.
“A brand as large as Volkswagen needs a halo project in the upscale seg-ment,” Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn told Bloomberg at a con-ference in the company’s hometown of Wolfsburg earlier this month, con-firming that the Phaeton will return to U.S. showrooms. “We’ve seen what happens to brands that don’t have that kind of project.”
The Phaeton, a pet project of VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech, last year sold about half the volume worldwide that the company initially targeted. Its US comeback is part of a plan to spend $5bn over the next three years to roll out new models and boost sales in the US, where deliveries have started to slip after a two-year burst following the 2011 rollout of the Passat and Jetta sedans that were redesigned for American tastes.
The Crossblue concept, a seven-seat sport-utility vehicle that would compete with the Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander, was shown at the Detroit car show this year. It’s inten-ded to be a big seller alongside the Tennessee-made Passat. The US push is critical to VW’s strategy to surpass General Motors and Toyota in global deliveries by 2018.
A new version of the Phaeton may be presented at the Detroit auto show in January to test the response for an even-tual rollout, three people familiar with the matter said. The car would share underpinnings with the Audi A8 sedan and a hybrid version is planned, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private.
At its current pace, the company will come up well short of its target of selling 800,000 vehicles in the US by 2018. IHS Automotive predicts delive-ries of 517,000 vehicles to American consumers in five years, missing the target by 35 percent.
This year, VW’s sales in the U.S. fell 0.9 percent to 206,792 cars in the first six months of 2013, while total light vehicle sales in the country rose 7.7 percent.
The Jetta, Beetle and Passat models, which fueled VW’s gains over the past two years, “reached maturity in terms of their sales cycles,” said Tim
VW to revive Phaeton as Passat fades
Urquhart, a London-based analyst at IHS Automotive. The Crossblue SUV should revive growth, while the Phaeton may offer little help, he said.
To reinvigorate growth, CEO Winterkorn traveled to Washington last week to show off new models to more than 500 dealers and “motivate them to give gas again,” the executive said.
Still, the return of the Phaeton could jar Volkswagen’s recent U.S. strategy of appealing to mid-market buyers. The company made the Passat bigger and cheaper than the European version to appeal to US drivers.
The Phaeton started at $66,700 before VW withdrew it. In Germany, the car starts at ¤70,000 ($92,100).
Those prices would likely mean the Phaeton would cost more than Hyundai’s Equus, which starts at $59,250. It could also rival the $75,100 A8 from VW’s Audi unit.
The return of the Phaeton “would be a bad decision,” said Jesse Toprak, an analyst for TrueCar Inc, which tracks U.S. auto sales. “No one spends $80,000 on a Volkswagen. The company already has luxury brands that can cater to that segment,” such as Audi.
The 2006 withdrawal of the Phaeton from the world’s largest market for upscale vehicles was a move by Wolfgang Bernhard, the head of the VW brand at the time, to stem los-ses in the region. The decision helped
trigger his departure because the move called into question Chairman Piech’s strategy.
The Phaeton was started by Piech while he was CEO, including the cons-truction of a $238m glass-walled fac-tory in Dresden. The plant has become one of the city’s top tourist sites, attracting about 90,000 visitors a year.
Production areas have parquet floors with workers wearing white robes — sometimes even white gloves — as they assemble cars by hand.
The factory’s most eye-catching building is a 40- meter (131-foot) glass tower where finished Phaetons are par-ked awaiting delivery.
WP-BLOOMBERG
A Volkswagen Phaeton at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi. Volkswagen plans to bring back the Phaeton luxury sedan to the US, hoping to reignite flagging growth in one of the few markets it’s been unable to crack.
TECHNOLOGYPLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 201312
BY ALEXANDRA PETRI
Dear Google,Lately, I’ve noticed a worrisome
trend. You are becoming the very thing we fled to you to escape.
I have always hated change. Even in 2008, when everyone was getting excited about change as a general concept, I had to be talked into it. Especially online, change too often is synonymous with “replacing something I liked with some-thing I like less.”
Facebook changes are one thing. Those just give more of our personal data to large corporations, and giving my personal data to large corporations has always been one of my hobbies and/or interests.
But Gmail interface changes we have to live with.
Google, do you remember how you got so popular? It was because the rest of the Internet was gross and cluttered with pop-ups and complicated inter-faces. To get information, you had to pretend to be a P.G. Wodehouse char-acter. “Jeeves,” you would say, “how do I fix a carburetor?” and Jeeves would attempt to guess what you were talk-ing about.
Then came Google in its glorious, streamlined simplicity. If you wanted more information about something, you didn’t have to hack your way through the jungle of Yahoo or type a keyword into AOL. You just Googled it. Easy. Simple.
Then came Gmail, which offered lots of storage and great spam filtering. It was noteworthy for its lack of clutter. Everything was straightforward.
But now, Google, you are doing a good impression of that woman who is trying to use plastic surgery to transform her-self into a big cat, possibly because her husband once made an offhand remark about “liking the look of those big cats,” or something.
And, hey, there are other places we can go. Bing’s out there. (Don’t laugh like that, Google. It’s unbecoming.) I have used Bing search on multiple
In redesigned Gmail, where’s ‘Return to Sender’?
occasions, and only one of them was because I opened Internet Explorer by mistake.
Don’t take me for granted, Google. I will get right off this bus that I am taking to pay you for Google Glass — see if I don’t!
Here are my complaints:First, you used to have a nice, easy-
to-understand interface. Now there are all these wacky symbols that I cannot interpret. I clicked what I thought was a very excited octagon, and it turned out I was marking all work emails as spam.
What have you done to all the icons? Yes, I can guess the square in a hat is a trash can, but what’s wrong with saying “trash”? You are an email programme. It is okay to presume that people can read.
Why can I compose emails only in a tiny window off in a corner? It makes
me feel strange and furtive. Why are you hiding the “reply all” button?
I am not writing this because I am becoming crotchety, though I worry this might be the case every time I object to a Newfangled Computer Thing. I’m writing because I appreciate good design. And, Google, if you are confused about what good design is, just look at what Gmail looked like a month ago.
Maybe I don’t mind the new tabs. “Primary”? “Social”? “Promotions”? It’s not a bad innovation, but at this point it’s the principle of the thing. Also, what if my best friend were named Dave Groupon? I would resent having to pick through three inboxes to hear from him.
Would it be so hard to ask me before you change things?
True, if you asked, we might notice that you are systematically dismantling
all the things that we liked in the first place. You’re pulling a Magneto on us, turning into the very thing you most despised. It was a problem when Magneto did it in the first “X-Men” movie, and it’s still a problem now. Please, stop giving us features we do not want.
I understand that progress is progress. I am, in fact, on my way to pick up Google Glass, and I intend to wear it at the dinner table and give you all my metadata and location data forever. But I still wish you’d pretend I had the illusion of choice about this “progress.” That’s all I — or any user — can ask for.
Regards, Alexandra(Petri writes the ComPost blog at wash-
ingtonpost.com/blogs/compost.)
WP-BLOOMBERG
Flying Alphabetinis
Fight brain drain with some word-game funRight in the heart of summer vacation, it may
seem like school will never be in session again. But now’s the perfect time to fight off the summer brain drain with educational apps — which can help ease you back into academic thinking without making it feel too much like school.
“The Flying Alphabetinis,” from Fingerprint Digital, is a Boggle-like game, recommended for ages 6 and up, that pits players against each other, and the clock, to find as many words as possible in a grid. Players can get bonus points for finding special words served up by the game each round.
The game requires parents to register with Fingerprint Digital and also has the option for online play against strangers. The app will gener-ate a random username for you, in order to keep kids from letting information about their true
identities slip. This is not a complex game, but it can be used to expand vocabularies and the com-petition aspect could help your reluctant students get on board. Free, for iOS devices.
Poetry AppThe written word
If you’re looking for a little inspiration or sim-ply another way to slowly get the students in your house back into the swing of things before school starts again, drop in a little appreciation for the written word with the Poetry App from the Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation.
This poetry discovery app lets users find poems by mood, subject and poet, as well as by brows-ing through online audio files. You can even try to come across poems at random, with a poetry spinner that will pick two subjects (e.g. love and youth) and use those as a basis to recommend poems. Just shake your phone to have the app find
two random subjects.Users can save favorite poems within the app
and also share poems they find via email, Twitter or Facebook. The app includes poems published in the foundation’s “Poetry” magazine as well as works in the public domain and a range of poems included with permission from the authors. Free, for Android and iOS devices. Wp-bloomberg
Apps
of t
he D
ay
COMICS & MORE 13
Hoy en la HistoriaJuly 23, 1829
1903: Ford sold its first automobile, the Model A, featuring a twin-cylinder internal combustion engine1914: Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia after the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand1999: U.S. Air Force Colonel Eileen Collins became the first woman to command a space shuttle flight2001: President Wahid of Indonesia was ousted in favour of popular vice president Megawati Sukarnoputri
William Austin Burt of Mount Vernon, Michigan, received a patent for his “typographer” machine, the forerunner of the typewriter
cornerstone 5 ___-Saxon10 Drafts may be served on it13 Serves a draft, e.g.15 Undomesticated16 Org. for fillers and
drillers17 62-Across to a
mathematician19 Kith’s companion20 Like some inclement
weather21 Money V.I.P.22 What nonparallel lines
do eventually23 62-Across to an
astronomer26 Elbow28 Federal biomedical agcy.29 Family member: Abbr.30 Olive genus32 ___-black35 Usefulness39 62-Across to a Yankees
fan42 Long-limbed
43 Video game manufacturer
44 “___ ain’t broke …”45 Province on Hudson
Bay: Abbr.47 Princely inits.49 Summer, in about one-
sixth of Canada50 62-Across to a student
of Semitic languages56 Elis’ school57 “___ the land of the
free …”58 Drum kit components61 Sense of self62 Age at which Jim
Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse died
64 Prefix with con65 Sexy woman in a
Beatles song66 Inscribed pillar67 The law has a long one68 Bandleader Kay69 Extinct carnivore,
familiarlyDOWN 1 iPad users’ purchases
2 “Joy to the World,” for one
3 German city noted for trials
4 Monteverdi opera hero 5 Helm location in a sloop 6 Candy wafer
manufacturer 7 Stern and brusque 8 British party 9 Cry to a torero10 Already occupied, as a
seat11 Closing bid?12 Part of an outfit14 Determined to
accomplish18 Jaded ones22 Nyasaland, now24 Parts of an outfit25 Guns, as an engine26 Prominent Nixon feature27 Skin-care product
ingredient31 Politico whose name is
an anagram of GAOLER33 “___ you O.K.?”34 Miner’s hat feature
36 Candy item that comes in five basic flavors
37 Metric ___38 Sunrise direction in
Spain40 Bit of force41 Ribald46 Like most roads48 Carol ___, five-time
world figure-skating champion
50 Striped scavenger51 Beaverlike52 Come to fruition53 Yorkshire city54 Banks or Els55 Love for Scarlett59 TV component60 Pretzels and chips, in
adspeak62 “For shame!”63 Thrice, in prescriptions
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13 14 15 16
17 18 19
20 21 22
23 24 25
26 27 28 29
30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
39 40 41
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45 46 47 48 49
50 51 52 53 54 55
56 57 58 59 60
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B A L E A D D S P E R M SE L U L N O W S A V A I LB O X S C O R E S R I F L EO H O R I A L S A L T E DP A R K I N G L O T S
I S T G O O T A EF S T O P W O R K L O A D SU T E S T E P E E T R I PJ U N K H E A P S P H O N YI N S I N V R U E
B E E R B A R R E L SD E F E A T O R T S L E EI S A A C Q U I T E A F E WB A T C H E T A L L I C ES U S H I D E N Y I N H D
How to play Kakuro:The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers.However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number.Within each collection of cells - called a run
- any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once.
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
14
EASY SUDOKUCartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate
Easy Sudoku PuzzlesPlace a digit from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so everyrow, every column and every 3x3 box contains allthe digits 1 to 9.
MALL
1
Honey Bee (2D/Malayalam) – 3.00 & 9.00pm
Four Sisters & A Wedding (2D/Comedy) – 11.30am
2
D-Day (2D/Hindi) – 3.00 & 9.00pm
No Tell Motel (2D/Horror) – 11.45pm
3Shaolin (2D/Action) – 9.00pm
Byzantium (2D/Drama) – 11.30pm
LANDMARK
1
No Tell Motel (2D/Horror) – 9.00pm
Honey Bee (2D/Malayalam) – 11.00pm
2Shaolin (2D/Action) – 9.00pm
Byzantium (2D/Drama) – 11.30pm
3
Monster University (3D/Animation) – 9.00pm
Four Sisters & A Wedding (2D/Comedy) – 11.15pm
ROYAL PLAZA
1
Ramaiya Vastavaiya (2D/Hindi) – 3.00 & 9.00pm
No Tell Motel (2D/Horror) – 11.45pm
2
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2D/Hindi) – 3.00pm
Four Sisters & A Wedding (2D/Comedy) – 9.00pm
Shaolin (2D/Action) – 11.15pm
3
Monster University (3D/Animation) – 9.15pm
Byzantium (2D/Drama) – 11.30pm
CINEMA / TV LISTINGS 15
TEL: 444933989 444517001SHOWING AT VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER
11:45 Sweden vs
Germany
13:30 FIFA Futbol
Mundial
14:00 Sports News
14:15 Superbike World
Championship -
Russia Round
15:30 Dereck Chisora
vs Malik Scott
16:30 Netherlands
U19 vs Portugal
U19
18:30 FIFA Futbol
Mundial
19:00 Malaysia vs
Chelsea
20:45 Turkey U19 vs
France U19
02:15 Netherlands
U19 vs Portugal
U19
04:00 Turkey U19 vs
France U19
05:45 Olimpia vs
Atletico Mineiro
08:00 News
09:00 Al Jazeera
World
10:30 Inside Story
11:00 News
11:30 The Stream
12:00 News
12:30 Viewfinder Asia
13:00 NEWSHOUR
14:00 News
14:30 Inside Story
15:00 Al Jazeera
Correspondent
16:00 NEWSHOUR
17:00 News
17:30 The Stream
18:00 NEWSHOUR
19:00 News
19:30 Earthrise
20:00 News
20:30 Inside Story
21:00 NEWSHOUR
22:00 News
22:30 The Stream
23:00 Al Jazeera
World
14:35 Border Security
15:05 Auction
Hunters
15:30 Auction Kings
16:00 Ultimate
Survival
17:50 Mythbusters
20:05 How It’s Made
21:00 Flip Men
21:30 Catfishin’ Kings
22:25 Robson’s
New Extreme
Fishing
Challenge
23:20 River Monsters
13:00 Seinfeld
13:30 Arrested
Development
14:00 Breaking In
16:30 All Of Us
18:00 Last Man
Standing
18:30 Raising Hope
21:00 The Daily
Show
22:00 Malibu Country
22:30 The Neighbors
23:00 The Office
13:00 Austin And Ally
15:00 That’s So
Raven
16:30 Cars Toons
17:00 Austin And Ally
18:30 Shake It Up
20:05 A.N.T. Farm
20:30 Shake It Up
21:15 Austin And Ally
21:40 That’s So
Raven
22:00 Jessie
12:00 Surf’s Up
14:00 Monte Carlo
16:00 The Search For
Santa Paws
18:00 Beethoven’s
Second
20:00 Grassroots
22:00 Neil Delamere
14:20 Gadget Show -
World Tour
14:45 How Tech
Works
16:00 Ten Ways
20:20 Large
Dangerous
Rocket Ships
2011
22:00 Scrapheap
Challenge
22:50 Large
Dangerous
Rocket Ships
2011
14:00 The Glades
15:00 The Mob
Doctor
16:00 Emmerdale
16:30 Coronation
Street
17:00 Ellen DeGeneres
Show
18:00 The Glades
19:00 Royal Pains
20:00 Franklin & Bash
21:00 The Killing
22:00 Breakout Kings
13:00 Tareq Taylor’s
Nordic Cookery
15:00 Cash In The
Attic
17:00 Phil Spencer -
Secret Agent
20:35 Extreme
Makeover:
Home Edition
22:15 Bargain Hunt
23:00 Phil Spencer -
Secret Agent
13:00 Mrs. Miracle
15:00 Ip Man 2
17:00 Madea’s Big
Happy Family
18:45 We Bought A
Zoo
21:00 Arbitrage
23:00 Husk
QF RADIO 91.7 FM ENGLISH PROGRAMME BRIEF
LIVE SHOWS Airing Time Programme Briefs
SPIRITUAL HOUR
6:00 AM A time of reflection, a deeper understanding of the teachings of Islam.
CHILDREN OF ADAM & EVE
8:00 AM, 1:00, 7.00 PM
The program will provide spiritual sustenance during the month of Ramadan bringing scholars of religions and special guests to discuss various topics of interest for our everyday lives.
YOUR HEALTH FIRST
9:00 AM A series of health tips to benefit the community throughout the observance of the month of Ramadan.
INTERNATI-ONAL NEWS
12:30 PM The latest news and events from around the world.
LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF FAITH
2:00 PM,5:00 & 9.00 PM
The program focuses on how “a life in the light of faith” uplifts and inspires people to live in the fullness of God.
RAMADAN 101 4:00 PM,7:30 & 10:30 PM
The program is a crash course to help you jump right into the spirit of the holy month. Every day the audience is introduced to a new word, this way you can learn more about the traditions and rituals of Ramadan.
MUSIC AND INFORMATION
ALL DAY Loads of music and of course information through QF Radio’s Factoids series.
PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
PLUS | TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013 POTPOURRI16
Editor-In-Chief Khalid Al Sayed Acting Managing Editor Hussain Ahmad Editorial Office The Peninsula Tel: 4455 7741, E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
If you want your events featured here, mail details to [email protected]
From Qurtuba To CordobaWhen: Until August 31, 1oam-10pm Where: Katara Gallery 1 - Bldg 13
What: This exhibition displays a variety of ornamental details -testimony of past splendour- which is often taken for granted by Cordoba’s dwellers and visitors. The collection highlights emblematic monuments, walls, doors, towers, minarets and baths, including some examples of Mudéjar art, a more recent architectural style inspired by the influences of Al Andalus in the Iberian Peninsula. Free entry
Omar Khalifa – “Infinite”When: Until Dec 15; 10am—10pmWhere: Katara Cultural Village What: This outdoor photography installation examines ‘the nature of being’. Using digital multiple exposure techniques, an image is crafted that gives us a sense of other-worldliness and depth of perspective through the human form. Free Entry
Qatar National Library Heritage Collection When: Public tours twice every Sunday and Tuesday at 10am and 11:30am. Where: Qatar National Library What: Qatar National Library’s remarkable Heritage Collection is a rare trove of manuscripts, books, and artefacts documenting a wealth of Arab-Islamic civilisation and human thought. Among its more than 100,000 works, the collection contains an edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia, which was printed in Rome in 1478 and is the oldest printed map showing the name of Qatar or referred to in Latin as ‘Catara’. Free Entry
Events in Qatar
IN FOCUS
A cultural dance performed by Qatari citizens at Souq Waqif in February 2011. The picture was shot in monochrome using an SLR camera.
by Christopher Asuncion
Send your photos to [email protected]. Please mention where the photo was taken.
Machine turns sweat into drinking water in Sweden LONDON: Drinking another per-son’s sweat may sound obnoxious, but a machine that takes sweat-laden clothes and turns the mois-ture into drinking water has been launched in Sweden.
The device spins and heats the mate-rial to remove the sweat and then passes the vapour through a special membrane designed to only let water molecules get through, BBC reported.
Since its launch, its creators said more than 1,000 people have “drunk other’s sweat” in Gothenburg city. The experts said the liquid was “cleaner” than local tap water. The device was built for the Unicef to promote a cam-paign highlighting the fact that 780 million people in the world lack access
to clean water. The machine was designed and built by engineer Andreas Hammar, known locally for his appear-ances on TV tech show Mekatronik.
Hammar said the critical part of the sweat machine was a water puri-fication component developed by the HVR company in collaboration with Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology. “It uses a technique called membrane distillation,” he told BBC.
“We use a substance that only lets steam through but keeps bacteria, salts, clothing fibres and other sub-stances out. They have something similar on the International Space Station to treat astronaut’s urine - but our machine was cheaper to build. The amount of water it produces depends on how sweaty the person is - but one person’s T-shirt typically produces 10 ml, roughly a mouthful,” he said.
Mattias Ronge, chief executive of Stockholm-based advertising agency Deportivo — which organised the event — told BBC the machine helped raise awareness for Unicef, but in reality had its limitations. He said the machine “will never be mass produced... there are better solutions out there such as water purifying pills”. IANS
LONDON: Women love trying new trends, but a research suggests that certain outfits should be avoided by women of certain age groups as fash-ion comes with a wear-by date. Women should ditch belly-bearing crop tops by the age of 34, and avoid showing off midriffs in bikinis as soon as they reach 40, reveals the study conducted by All-Bran Five Day Challenge, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Miniskirts, hotpants and belly but-ton piercings should also be avoided after mid-thirties. And it’s not just crop tops and bikinis that the over-30s need to avoid, with the miniskirt being labelled as “too old” for those aged 37 or above, even hot pants should be ditched at 35.
Ruth Gresty, spokeswoman for the All-Bran Five Day Challenge, said: “People may say, ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it,’ but it seems that this isn’t always the case for some of our wardrobe staples.”
“It’s alarming that the crop top or bikini is causing such widespread ‘midriff mayhem’, and women actually believe it should come with some kind of a wear-by date. Ultimately, it should come down to how confident you feel about your stomach and body — if you have worked hard to maintain a flat tum, you should be able to show it off.”
“But for some women, a flat, less
bloated tummy can prove elusive no matter how many stomach crunches they do and mean they aren’t comfort-able in revealing clothes as they get older. However the secret can be as simple as making a few small dietary changes like eating a fibre rich break-fast cereal every day, which is proven to ease bloating and that swollen tum look,” Gresty added.
The study conducted on 2,000 women also found that leggings should be avoided after one reaches 37 years of age and stilettos are a complete no-no if you are 41-plus. Belly button piercings should be removed by the time you turn 35, while long hair should be given a chop at 42 for a shorter, more “mature” look. As many as 27 percent believed that ladies should stop shopping in younger clothes stores. Another 16 percent believe in the mantra “if you’ve got it, flaunt it”.
It also emerged that it’s not just women who should put limits on their wardrobe, as the results also showed that men should quit their beloved football shirts at the age of 25. Researchers also found that women are taking the lead from celebrities, with 67 percent of those surveyed said that famous females are making it more acceptable for women to wear belly-bearing clothes after a certain age.
