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The other view - Gulf Times
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
                                                                                          Sha’ban 8, 1441 AH

                                                                                         Doha today 220 - 310

             Cover
             Story
                           The other view
   He survived coronavirus. He’s broke. But he thinks America is overreacting. P4-5
Bollywood                                   Back Page
We must have a mind                         ‘Introduce children to games
of our own: Aahana.                         to develop key cognitive skills’.
                      Page 14                                               Page 16
The other view - Gulf Times
2     GULF TIMES Wednesday, April 1, 2020

             COMMUNITY                                                                                                                      ROUND & ABOUT
                                                           SERIES TO BINGE WATCH ON NETFLIX

PRAYER TIME
Fajr                                          4.07am
Shorooq (sunrise)                             5.26am
Zuhr (noon)                                  11.39am
Asr (afternoon)                              3.08pm
Maghreb (sunset)                              5.52pm
Isha (night)                                  7.22pm

USEFUL NUMBERS                                               Gossip Girl                                                     (Leighton Meester) is the toast of the adolescent population
                                                             DIRECTION: Stephanie Savage, Josh Schwartz                      of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, envied by her friends and the
                                                             CAST: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley,             adversary of many fellow rich girls.
                                                           Chace Crawford, Kelly Rutherford, Ed Westwick                        Her ideal world begins to collapse, however, when her
                                                             SYNOPSIS: Gossip Girl, a ruthless and mysterious                ex-best friend, Serena Vander Woodsen (Blake Lively) freshly
                                                           blogger reveals secrets about privileged teens living on the      excluded from her previous boarding school, enrols at Blair’s
                                                           Upper East Side of New York. The beautiful Blair Waldorf          private school.
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,      Friends                                                         something year-olds, living off of one another in the heart of
                                                40253369     DIRECTION: David Crane, Marta Kauffman                          New York City.
Ministry of Health                  40253370, 40253364       CAST: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt          Over the course of ten years, this average group of buddies
Hamad Medical Corporation           40253368, 40253365     LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer                           goes through massive mayhem, family trouble, past and future
Qatar Airways                                   40253374     SYNOPSIS: Rachel Green, Ross Geller, Monica Geller,             romances, fights, laughs, tears and surprises as they learn
                                                           Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing and Phoebe Buffay are six 20        what it really means to be a friend.

             uote Unquote
            Q “Health
          is the greatest gift,
       contentment the greatest
      wealth, faithfulness the best
             relationship.”
               — Buddha

            Community Editor
              Kamran Rehmat
    e-mail: community@gulf-times.com                         Good Girls                                                      themselves by robbing the local grocery store. But when the
         Telephone: 44466405                                 DIRECTION: Jenna Bans                                           manager catches a glimpse of one of them and the loot is far
              Fax: 44350474                                  CAST: Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman                   more than they expected, it doesn’t take long for the three
                                                             SYNOPSIS: When three suburban moms get tired of                 best friends to realise the perfect getaway will be harder than
                                                           trying to make ends meet, they decide it’s time to stick up for   they think.
The other view - Gulf Times
Wednesday, April 1, 2020   GULF TIMES                    3

 BODY & MIND                                                                                                                    COMMUNITY
  Five ways to avoid arguments with
   your roommate in this lockdown
By Rachel Schnalzer

Y
            our partner is bellowing
            into their conference
            call as you try to get
            reports filed. Your
            roommate showed
you six memes in the last hour.
Meanwhile, your manager sent
over three more requests for you to
complete by end of day.
  The coronavirus crisis poses
major challenges to the global
workforce, even for those workers
fortunate enough to have secure
employment that allows them to
work from home. Many employees
with the ability to work remotely
have found themselves working
alongside their partner and/
or roommates for the first time,
competing for limited space,
internet connection and attention.
  I reached out to a few friends and
experts for tips on how to navigate
the sometimes-fun, sometimes-
frustrating experience of co-
working with significant others and
roommates. Here is their advice:

  1. Set clear boundaries
  Setting up crystal-clear
expectations for the workday is
crucial, according to Sharon Emek,
the founder, chairman and chief
executive officer of WAHVE, a           ESTABLISHING CLEAR LINES: It’s important to establish a clear line between professional and personal life, even when both are taking place inside your home.
service that matches companies
looking for workers with specific                                                                                                                                etiquette and preferences. “For
skills with experienced talent                                                                                                                                   example, Kit is fine with people
interested in working from home.                                                                                                                                 talking on the phone in front of
Emek specifically recommends                                                                                                                                     her while she’s working. But I still
setting boundaries around                                                                                                                                        sometimes like to go to another
workspace, explaining, “You                                                                                                                                      space,” she explains. Others
have to set up the rules. If I close                                                                                                                             recommend creating a shared
the door to where I’m working,                                                                                                                                   calendar for roommates to use to let
then you cannot come in.” She                                                                                                                                    one another know about conference
advises that live-in partners and                                                                                                                                calls as far in advance as possible.
roommates establish boundaries                                                                                                                                      Bloom also advises that partners
early on but remain open to                                                                                                                                      and roommates invest in a quality
redefining the rules as needed. “It’s                                                                                                                            microphone to limit the need to
about being compassionate and                                                                                                                                    speak loudly over calls. “Being able
helpful,” she says.                                                                                                                                              to have a directional microphone
                                                                                                                                                                 makes a big difference,” Bloom says.
   2. Share your communal
space                                                                                                                                                               5. Take care of each other
   Working entirely from your                                                                                                                                       Even if you have a secure job that
bedroom can be a recipe for                                                                                                                                      is possible to accomplish remotely,
disaster. Nicholas Bloom, an                                                                                                                                     working from home can put a strain
economics professor at Stanford                                                                                                                                  on anyone’s mental health. “Check
University who has studied remote                                                                                                                                in on your roommate. Is there
work, suggests that partners and                                                                                                                                 anything you can do to help them?”
roommates make an effort to share                                                                                                                                recommends Bloom. In addition
communal space, so that one             CHALLENGE: Another challenge that comes with sharing a home office is the inevitable noise disruptions when one          to regularly touching base with
person isn’t entirely relegated to      or more roommates have to participate in conference calls.                                                               your partner or roommates, it can
their room. “People find (working                                                                                                                                be a good idea to take some time to
in their bedroom) depressing,”          clear line between professional         distracting co-workers in the office.      4. Be sound-conscious                 lighten the mood.
says Bloom. He recommends that          and personal life, even when            “Respect when people are in the            Another challenge that comes             Jocelyn Coffin, a social media
roommates create a schedule so          both are taking place inside your       zone,” she says. Emek cautions          with sharing a home office is            manager, and her partner found a
that everyone gets a turn working       home. Erica Hendry, a writer now        against using work devices in areas     the inevitable noise disruptions         solution to the work-from-home
in group areas. “One person gets        working from home alongside two         designated for personal time, like      when one or more roommates               blues: “Skye and I have been taking
the living room in the morning,         roommates in the midst of the           your dinner table or bedroom.           have to participate in conference        dance breaks together every two
one gets it in the afternoon,” he       coronavirus crisis, recommends          She explains, “Don’t bring any          calls. Hendry, the writer working        hours to keep things positive and
explains.                               separating work and non-work time       electronics to your bedroom.            remotely with her roommates,             light-hearted. We let Spotify pick
                                        and making a conscious effort to        Don’t bring your iPhone to dinner,”     suggests that everyone sharing           the song and we dance for the entire
  3. Protect your personal life         avoid distracting your roommates,       adding, “Make sure you do some          a home workspace have a                  length of whatever it is.”
  It’s important to establish a         the same way you would avoid            family things together at night.”       conversation about phone call                        – Los Angeles Times/TNS
The other view - Gulf Times
4       GULF TIMES Wednesday, April 1, 2020

              COMMUNITY                                                                                                                                         COVER STORY

                         The unimpressed
As the virus spreads into rural and small-town America, significant numbers of Americans
 continue to dismiss calls for more aggressive social distancing and shutdowns. Media
      sensationalism and liberal fearmongering, they say, will destroy the economy

  ‘ I’m making zero
    dollars for the
    foreseeable future.
    A person who makes
    $50,000 or $60,000
    a year just isn’t
    understanding

                                       ’
    what this means

    — Joey Camp, cook

                                       $10.65 an hour at Waffle House         small acts: greeting a server, sitting      Public health officials say that      suburbs have significantly more
By Jenny Jarvie                        and has lived with friends since       in a booth, perusing a menu.             such doubters pose a major obstacle      anxiety about Covid-19 than
                                       being evicted last year from              Until now, Covid-19 has mostly        to efforts to reduce the spread of the   Republicans and residents of small

F
                                       his apartment. After leaving           been experienced through the lens        virus and prevent mass casualties.       towns and rural areas.
           or three days, he was       quarantine, he worked just one         of metropolitan areas: Seattle,             The coronavirus is at least 10           While Democratic strongholds
           hooked up to an oxygen      shift before his boss cut his hours    San Francisco, Los Angeles, New          times deadlier than the flu and          like California and New York have
           tube. For six days after    because so few customers were          York. But as the virus spreads into      can be transmitted by people who         banned public gatherings and
           that, he was cooped up in   coming in. His other part-time gig,    rural and small-town America,            are infected but asymptomatic.           closed restaurants, reaction to the
           a 26-foot RV in a special   as a party bus driver, went away.      significant numbers of Americans         Even though many cases are mild,         pandemic has been slower and more
quarantine camp run by the state of       “I’m making zero dollars for the    continue to dismiss calls for more       especially in the young, widespread      uneven in Republican states, like
Georgia.                               foreseeable future,” Camp said.        aggressive social distancing and         infection could lead to hundreds of      Texas and Florida, where distrust
  So when Joey Camp, a 30-year-        “A person who makes $50,000            shutdowns.                               thousands or even millions of deaths.    of big-government regulations
old Waffle House line cook, learned    or $60,000 a year just isn’t              Media sensationalism and liberal         A libertarian who voted for           coincides with suspicion that the
he no longer had Covid-19 and          understanding what this means.”        fearmongering, they say, will            President Donald Trump in 2016           media is overplaying worst-case
could go home, he figured things          Almost every day since he got out   destroy the economy.                     and plans to vote for him again,         scenarios.
were getting back to normal.           of quarantine, Camp has squeezed          “With all the craziness going on      Camp compares Covid-19 to the               A good chunk of conservatives
Immediately, the former National       into his dusty black ’98 Chevy         in the world, America should show        flu.                                     have also taken their cue from Fox
Guardsman started making lunch         Camaro with its cracked windshield     people that this is not something           “It’s not going to kill the vast      News, whose pundits were late to
and dinner plans: all-you-can-         and driven, seat belt unbuckled,       that should shut down countries,”        majority of the population,” he said.    take the virus seriously and are
eat wings at Hooters? A super          to a string of restaurants: Hooters    Camp said after wiping his hands         “People are hearing 3.4% mortality.      now backing Trump’s call to reopen
burrito from Los Arcos Mexican         and Applebee’s, Waffle House and       at a sanitising station posted at the    They’re not hearing the 96.6%            the economy. (Camp doesn’t have
restaurant?                            Buffalo’s, Los Arcos and Huddle        entrance of 7 Tequilas restaurant.       survival rate.”                          cable, but he uses his smartphone
  Soon, heavier concerns loomed.       House.                                 “We need to be the adults in the            Polls show that Democrats and         to follow commentary on Daily
The divorced father of two made           Inside, he has sought to resume     room.”                                   those living in large cities and         Wire, Fox News and CNN.)
The other view - Gulf Times
Wednesday, April 1, 2020   GULF TIMES                      5

 COVER STORY                                                                                                                   COMMUNITY
        “It’s not going to kill
        the vast majority of the
        population. People are
        hearing 3.4% mortality.
        They’re not hearing the
        96.6% survival rate”

        — Joey Camp

WARNING: The coronavirus is at least 10 times deadlier than the flu and can be transmitted by people who are infected but asymptomatic. Even though many cases are mild, especially in the young,
widespread infection could lead to hundreds of thousands or even millions of deaths.

   Cartersville is a fast-growing       the son of a construction worker       or ventured to the West Coast.          gloves to go to the restroom, take      after his foray into baseball.
farming and manufacturing hub of        father and drug dealer mother             After four days in the hospital,     off the gloves when he came out,           Andrea, a server, wrapped her
about 20,000 people northwest of        — Big Bad Joey could take care of      his symptoms abated. He decided         wipe his hands down with baby           arms around him.
Atlanta. Here, pastures with horse      himself.                               not to self-quarantine at home —        wipes, pump gas and then wipe his          Two other servers gave him
fences increasingly give way to            So he carried on with his           he was living with a family with        hands with baby wipes again.            elbow bumps.
subdivisions and strip malls.           commitments, officiating at the        an infant son — and became the            “It’s like Mad Max,” he said as he       It was like he never left.
   It also is one of the epicentres     wedding of one of his best friends,    first Georgian to live in a special     drove down a four-lane highway,            But only a smattering of
of the coronavirus in Georgia.          until eventually the chills and body   quarantine site at Hard Labor Creek     passing very few cars. “It’s kind of    customers sat in the restaurant.
More than 80 people in Bartow           aches became so severe he had to       State Park, about 50 miles east of      weird. It’s like everybody’s holding    As business slowed, his next shifts
County have tested positive and         hole up at home.                       Atlanta.                                their breath, waiting for either        were canceled.
a 69-year-old man has died. The            Finally, when curling under the        As he recuperated in his trailer,    society to collapse or society to get      With minus $3.33 in his checking
local medical centre has erected        covers wouldn’t stop his chills and    watching Star Wars movies and           back to normal.”                        account and no savings, it wasn’t
outdoor triage tents and a large        chattering teeth, he went to an        “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” Camp          When Camp returned to                 like he wasn’t any better off than
sign saying, “We are all in this        emergency room.                        was aghast as officials closed          the Waffle House, which had             his co-workers.
together.”                                 A diabetic, he was diagnosed        schools, urged people to work           temporarily closed after his               “If I have to, I’ll make a bow and
   In Georgia, where more than          with pneumonia. After a few days,      from home, and shut down major          diagnosis, for his first shift after    arrow and go hunting in the woods,”
1,200 residents have tested positive,   he tested positive for the virus.      sporting events.                        the quarantine, Camp urged folks        he said after driving past the nearly
with 394 hospitalised and 40 dead,         Camp had no clue how he                Leaving quarantine, he was           on social media to drop in and meet     deserted Waffle House.
Republican Governor Brian Kemp          contracted the virus and assumes       shocked by what seemed like             “King Coronavirus.”                        If things got really desperate
has been reluctant to institute         it came from someone who was           extreme behaviour.                        Walking back into the diner,          and society collapsed, at least his
widespread business closures. On        asymptomatic. He hadn’t been              At a Circle K gas station, he        Camp felt like Michael Jordan           roommate, Trey, has a couple of
Monday, he ordered bars to close        overseas. He hadn’t taken a cruise     watched a man put on surgical           returning to the Chicago Bulls in ’95   pistols, an AR-15 and a 12-gauge
and banned public gatherings of                                                                                                                                shotgun.
more than 10 people, but he has yet                                                                                                                               A few hours later, he was on the
to shutter restaurants.                                                                                                                                        porch with Trey when his boss
   Bartow County officials have                                                                                                                                called: the diner would close, at
taken matters into their own hands,                                                                                                                            least for now.
closing all bars, dine-in restaurants                                                                                                                             “It doesn’t make any sense,” he
and theatres.                                                                                                                                                  said. “When Waffle House shuts
   While Camp distinguishes                                                                                                                                    down, that’s crisis mode.”
himself from his father,                                                                                                                                          He paused, shaking his head.
a conventional Southern                                                                                                                                           It didn’t feel like crisis mode. All
conservative who he said would                                                                                                                                 around him, everything was calm:
march with Trump to the gates                                                                                                                                  wind chimes tinkled softly in the
of hell, he insists there are still                                                                                                                            spring breeze; birds chirped as they
too few coronavirus victims to                                                                                                                                 flitted around a pair of blooming
warrant extreme government                                                                                                                                     Bradford pear trees.
intervention.                                                                                                                                                     “I don’t know how to deal with
   “We have probably more owners                                                                                                                               it,” he said. “It does not compute
of chickens in this county than                                                                                                                                at all.”
we have coronavirus victims and                                                                                                                                   But when he picked up his
there aren’t that many farms                                                                                                                                   cellphone to check the number of
around here,” Camp said as he                                                                                                                                  new coronavirus cases, doubt crept
stood outside his friends’ home on                                                                                                                             in. Was he wrong? Could he get
a rolling green pasture dotted with                                                                                                                            reinfected?
ducks, Canada geese, turkeys and                                                                                                                                  “Worldwide, it’s starting to kill
chickens.                                                                                                                                                      more people,” he said. “Maybe this
   As if on cue, a rooster crowed in                                                                                                                           thing is mutating and becoming
the background.                                                                                                                                                more deadly. And that worries the
   When Camp came down in late                                                                                                                                 hell out of me, because that puts me
February with a cough, he figured                                                                                                                              back in the pool.”
he had the flu or pneumonia and                                                                                                                                   By Wednesday, he had found
could tough it out. After growing       UNDER THE WEATHER: Tristan Thurman, 22, a Waffle House server, is struggling to earn money as her restaurant in        a temporary job — making hand
up in poverty in a trailer park —       Cartersville, Georgia takes only to-go orders and has cut her hours.                                                   sanitiser. — Los Angeles Times/TNS
The other view - Gulf Times
6       GULF TIMES Wednesday, April 1, 2020

              COMMUNITY                                                                                                                                                    ADVICE

Tips to keep your startup
  alive during Covid-19
                      Abdulla al-Fadhala, co-founder of Hapondo, an online real-estate rental
                          platform, advises to stay positive and collaborate, learn, share
                           stories with fellow entrepreneurs in this time of health crises
                                                                                                                                                            cash laying around to help solve
                                                                                                                                                            problems caused by poor risk
                                                                                                                                                            management No matter how small
                                                                                                                                                            your operations, always discuss
                                                                                                                                                            business continuity plans within
                                                                                                                                                            your management teams

                                                                                                                                                              4. Be transparent with all
                                                                                                                                                            your employees of potential
                                                                                                                                                            difficult times ahead
                                                                                                                                                              If you have employees working
                                                                                                                                                            for you, communicate openly
                                                                                                                                                            with them if there will be lay-
                                                                                                                                                            offs, unpaid leaves, or changes to
                                                                                                                                                            operations. You owe this to your
                                                                                                                                                            team.

                                                                                                                                                               5. Brainstorm different
                                                                                                                                                            outcomes for how this situation
                                                                                                                                                            will play out.
                                                                                                                                                               For the Covid-19 situation, for
                                                                                                                                                            example, we know that it will take
                                                                                                                                                            some months to slow the spread of
                                                                                                                                                            the virus. The economic recovery
                                                                                                                                                            of this global slowdown will last for
                                                                                                                                                            time, depending how the situations
                                                                                                                                                            evolve in the next few weeks. Based
                                                                                                                                                            off the different outcomes, make
                                                                                                                                                            viable models for potential business
                                                                                                                                                            operation plans.

                                                                                                                                                                6. Build connections with
                                                                                                                                                            other entrepreneurs and startups
CUSTOMER LOYALTY: See how your customers are doing and how they are handling the situation. Also, inquire about what changes in operations they are         in your area
experiencing – are they working from home? Do they use Zoom for meetings? Always keep the lines of communication open.                                          Collaborate, learn, share
                                                                                                                                                            stories. Having a support system

W
                                                                                                                                                            is important, and there is so much
                  hen thinking         launched in the beginning of March                                                                                   knowledge transfer that can happen
                  about the risks      when Covid-19 situation was just                                                                                     just by learning from others. You can
                  associated with      at the beginning to rise.                                                                                            also find out about unique solutions
                  starting a new          Based off our experience, here are                                                                                other companies are implementing
                  company, most        some tips we can provide to start-                                                                                   by hearing from them.
entrepreneurs do not consider a        ups in these uncertain times:
global pandemic as one of the top                                                                                                                              7. With uncertainty comes
risks for his/her business. But here      1. Stay positive                                                                                                  opportunity
we are – caught in the middle of          While the situation facing the                                                                                       The world is still coming to grips
the Covid-19 pandemic that has         world right now is quite dark, it is                                                                                 with the impact this is having on
impacted almost everyone country       important to remain optimistic,                                                                                      our daily lives. Without a doubt, the
in the world. Being an entrepreneur    both at a personal level and                                                                                         Covid-19 situation will change how
in these uncertain times has been      business level. We have seen                                                                                         we see things. There will be new
thought-provoking; while my first      communities unite, and businesses                                                                                    opportunities in every sector and
concern is about the health and        offering support to their customers.                                                                                 every field. We are already seeing
safety of my loved ones, myself, and   Revisit your marketing activities       OPEN COMMUNICATION: If you have employees working for you,                   how companies that offer remote
my community, I am also thinking       and include messages of positivity      communicate openly with them if there will be lay-offs, unpaid leaves, or    conferencing services are doing so
about the future of my business.       to show your clients and customers      changes to operations.                                                       well. Kids are taking their classes
   As Co-Founder of Hapondo, an        that you care.                                                                                                       via e-learning. People are working
online real-estate rental platform                                             experiencing – are they working          and business continuity plans       out following live videos or apps.
that seeks to redefine the way            2. Check in with your clients/       from home? Do they use Zoom for             We are a small operation, but    Use this time as an opportunity
people in Qatar search for a new       customers                               meetings? Always keep the lines of       this situation has really made us   to see how your business can
home to rent, my partners and             See how they are doing and           communication open.                      think about how we are assessing,   adapt to take advantage of the
myself have had many discussions       how they are handling the                                                        evaluating, and mitigating our      changes we will see. It may also be
to see analyse how Covid-19            situation. Also, inquire about what       3. Never underestimate the             risks. Like most startups (and      the time to start thinking of new
is affecting hapondo. We had           changes in operations they are          importance of risk management            businesses!), we don’t have extra   opportunities!
The other view - Gulf Times
Wednesday, April 1, 2020   GULF TIMES                    7

 BONDING                                                                                                                                COMMUNITY

SUPPORTIVE: Pets, especially dogs and cats, can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve your cardiovascular health.

All you need in isolation: a pet
                                                                                                                                                                         playfulness, and even improve your
By Dana Sparks                                                                                                                                                           cardiovascular health. Caring for
                                                                                                                                                                         an animal can help children grow

L
                                                                                                                                                                         up more secure and active. Pets also
            ike clockwork — almost                                                                                                                                       provide valuable companionship for
            antithetical to the disorder                                                                                                                                 older adults. Pets have evolved to
            of everything else right                                                                                                                                     become acutely attuned to humans
            now – ‘kitten season’ has                                                                                                                                    and our behaviour and emotions.
            arrived, offering relief                                                                                                                                     Dogs, for example, are able to
to eager foster families from the                                                                                                                                        understand many of the words
uneasiness of isolation.                                                                                                                                                 we use, but they’re even better at
   Each year, Greenhill Humane                                                                                                                                           interpreting our tone of voice, body
Society is tasked with finding foster                                                                                                                                    language, and gestures. And like any
homes for hundreds of kittens ­­— and                                                                                                                                    good human friend, a loyal dog will
the same duty remains this year.                                                                                                                                         look into your eyes to gauge your
Even during the coronavirus crisis,                                                                                                                                      emotional state and try to understand
their commitment to animal welfare                                                                                                                                       what you’re thinking and feeling (and
remains.                                                                                                                                                                 to work out when the next walk or
   “It’s known that animals can help                                                                                                                                     treat might be coming, of course).
people reduce stress and improve                                                                                                                                         A lot of people ask Reaves how it’s
health,” said Sasha Elliott, director of                                                                                                                                 possible to care for so many cute
operations at Greenhill, suggesting                                                                                                                                      kittens and cats without being able
that now might still be an appropriate                                                                                                                                   to keep them, but Reaves said it’s
time for people to consider fostering                                                                                                                                    exactly that: she gets to care for so
an animal – especially when staying                                                                                                                                      many kittens and cats that need her.
at home has been mandated.                                                                                                                                                  While Reaves isn’t experiencing
   People who foster an animal,                                                                                                                                          social distancing quite like everyone
temporarily care for it in their home                                                                                                                                    else, she’s an owner of a working
– rather than it living in the shelter –                                                                                                                                 tree farm and that requires much
before the animal finds a permanent                                                                                                                                      of her time and attention during
owner. For foster kittens, this might                                                                                                                                    certain parts of the year. She says
include helping them reach a healthy                                                                                                                                     that Greenhill always has been more
weight and learning to socialise with       ATTUNED TO HUMANS: Pets have evolved to become acutely attuned to humans and our behaviour and emotions.                     than ready to work with her on
humans.                                                                                                                                                                  finding the right cat-in-need based
   In an effort to support their            decline – and we often will also           wouldn’t normally be able to open        and resources. From there, a staff       on her ability and availability.
network of volunteers and pet               see the need to shelter surrendered        their home to fostering are right        member from Greenhill will contact          To support existing pet owners,
owners, Greenhill staff has altered         or abandoned animals increased,”           now,” Brezovar said. With happy          the applicant with the rest of the       Greenhill offers some resources
some of its basic operations. Right         Elliott said. “While it’s really intense   surprise, there are 30 applicants        details. The duration of foster care     like the Community Pet Food
now they are not on-boarding any            for people, this is also potentially       waiting to receive confirmation at       depends on the animal and the            Bank. It provides dog food, cat
new facility volunteers and ask that        going to have a very large impact          this time.                               availability of the individual – this    food, treats, litter and other items
the current ones stay at home. Pet          on companion animals in this                  Pairing animals with foster           could range from several months to a     for pet owners needing financial
adoption, and reclaiming and turning        community for a very long time to          families and supporting existing pet     few weeks, according to Elliott. This    assistance.
in of lost animals are by scheduled         come.”                                     owners allows the shelter to maintain    commitment should be assessed by            “Any sort of financial
appointment now.                                Of the hundreds of animals that        a healthy number of animals in the       the foster family and Greenhill.         disruption that members of
   Despite a temporary change in            were fostered through Greenhill last       facility and attend to more vulnerable      Lindsay Reaves and her husband        our community experience
operations, the mission remains. At         year, more than 400 were kittens,          populations. Along with kittens and      live on their tree farm that’s tucked    directly impacts their ability
this time, the Centres for Disease          according to Megan Brezovar, the           pregnant cats, that includes sick and    away in west of Eugene. Over the         to provide care for their furry
Control and Prevention has said             organisation’s event and community         injured animals.                         past 10 years, Reaves has fostered 136   family members, their companion
there is no evidence suggesting that        engagement manager. Each year,                Becoming a foster family begins       times – most often pregnant cats –       animals,” Elliott said. “We look for
animals can spread or be the source         kitten litters typically arrive            with an online application. Then         through Greenhill Humane Society.        opportunities to support people
of Covid-19 in the US.                      beginning in early spring. This year,      the Greenhill staff will call for           Pets, especially dogs and cats,       and, in situations where it is
   “Historically, in times of crisis like   it coincided with the implementation       follow-up questions and direct           can reduce stress, anxiety, and          appropriate, keep animals in those
this, when people feel uncertain, or        of Covid-19 mitigation measures.           applicants to a virtual training. The    depression, ease loneliness,             homes as much as possible” – The
at risk, we do see adoption numbers             “I think a lot of people who           training will outline responsibilities   encourage exercise and                   Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore/TNS
The other view - Gulf Times
8       GULF TIMES Wednesday, April 1, 2020

              COMMUNITY                                                                                                                                                               OFFB

  How spring can make us
                      Longer, lighter days can help us banish old habits, sleep better and improve
                         our mental health, even during the lockdown, writes Amy Felming
                                                                                                                                                             now. Maybe the old you failed to
                                                                                                                                                             quit smoking or start a lasting
                                                                                                                                                             exercise routine, but the new you
                                                                                                                                                             can do it.”
                                                                                                                                                                These moments, she says, also
                                                                                                                                                             tend “to promote bigger-picture
                                                                                                                                                             thinking, which gets us focused on
                                                                                                                                                             our goals”. Whether facing health,
                                                                                                                                                             financial or professional worries,
                                                                                                                                                             newly working from home or home
                                                                                                                                                             schooling, or being suddenly at a
                                                                                                                                                             loss for something to do, Milkman
                                                                                                                                                             says this effect can stretch “across
                                                                                                                                                             all of our goal-oriented activities.
                                                                                                                                                             We’ve seen that it affects
                                                                                                                                                             everything from decisions about
                                                                                                                                                             exercise to retirement savings.”
                                                                                                                                                                Spring can also fortify us with
                                                                                                                                                             the relief it brings from seasonal
                                                                                                                                                             affective disorder (Sad). Even if
                                                                                                                                                             you do not have a clinical case of
                                                                                                                                                             it, says Hugh Selsick, chair of the
                                                                                                                                                             sleep working group at the Royal
                                                                                                                                                             College of Psychiatrists, “most
                                                                                                                                                             people will experience some degree
                                                                                                                                                             of lifting of mood in the summer
                                                                                                                                                             months”. Studies looking at
                                                                                                                                                             populations in North America have
                                                                                                                                                             illustrated this neatly, according
                                                                                                                                                             to Selsick. “The further north you
                                                                                                                                                             go, the worse our mood gets in
                                                                                                                                                             the winter, because of that lack
                                                                                                                                                             of light. For us [in the north] the
                                                                                                                                                             payoff is that we also get these
                                                                                                                                                             really nice bright long, spring and
BLOOMING GREAT: A bluetit among crab-apple blossom.                                                                                                          summer days.
                                                                                                                                                                “As humans, we evolved in a

T
                                                                                                                                                             tropical place, where there was a
            hank goodness that,                                                                                                                              lot more light,” Selsick says. This
            in this time of crisis,                                                                                                                          means our brains have evolved to
            it is now spring. In the                                                                                                                         expect a certain amount of it. “It’s
            northern hemisphere, at                                                                                                                          probably why we are so susceptible
            least, we can say hello to                                                                                                                       to changes in light,” he says. And
green shoots, flowers, bumblebees                                                                                                                            why the gloomier months can
and butterflies. Finally, the clocks                                                                                                                         negatively affect sleep patterns
have gone back to British Summer                                                                                                                             and mood.
Time. We’ve lost an hour of sleep,                                                                                                                              Sad symptoms that spring
but hello, light.                                                                                                                                            might alleviate include low mood,
   The greatest hope for the new                                                                                                                             tiredness, sleeping longer than
season this year is that better                                                                                                                              normal and, says Selsick, cravings
weather will start to make it                                                                                                                                of carbohydrates in particular. So
harder for coronavirus to spread.                                                                                                                            feel free to harness this knowledge
And for those lucky enough to                                                                                                                                to fuel a new effort to start
still have their health, spring can                                                                                                                          exceeding your five a day.
provide other consolations. Its                                                                                                                                 Now that most of us are only
strong sense of a new beginning                                                                                                                              allowed out once a day, for
nudges our outlook and actions                                                                                                                               exercise, the greatest gains in
in welcome ways. Katherine                                                                                                                                   terms of making the most of spring
Milkman, a behavioural scientist                                                                                                                             light are to be had from stepping
at the Wharton School at the                                                                                                                                 out first thing in the morning. Not
University of Pennsylvania,                                                                                                                                  only will getting up and out help
has studied the phenomenon                                                                                                                                   avoid the crowds of joggers, but
and found that there is more to                                                                                                                              morning light is the most crucial
spring cleaning than the sunlight                                                                                                                            for setting our circadian rhythms.
suddenly showing up cobwebs                                                                                                                                  “It’s much better at synchronising
and window smears. “The start of                                                                                                                             our body clocks and getting us
spring generally makes us feel more                                                                                                                          back into sync with the outside
motivated – it’s a so-called ‘fresh                                                                                                                          world,” says Selsick.
start date’,” she says. As such, it                                                                                                                             When it’s dark, we produce
makes us feel less connected to the                                                                                                                          melatonin, which acts as a time
past. “That disconnect gives us                                                                                                                              signal to the body, telling it we
a sense that whatever we messed          BREATHE DEEP: Our brains have evolved to expect more light than we get in winter. It’s probably why humans are so   should be sleepy. “That first bit of
up on previously, we can get right       susceptible to changes in light.                                                                                    light in the morning,” says Selsick,
The other view - Gulf Times
Wednesday, April 1, 2020   GULF TIMES                      9

 BEAT                                                                                                                                COMMUNITY

us healthier and happier
 “is very effective at switching that
 melatonin off, which then tells the
 brain and the rest of the body it’s
 now time to be awake and active.
    “We have a special set of
 receptors in our eyes which
 communicate directly with the
 body clock in the brain,” he adds.
 “They’re particularly sensitive
 to blue-green light, which on a
 [sunny] day like today is the colour
 of the sky. So that sort of bright
 sunlight, that outdoor light is what
 our brains are particularly sensitive
 to.” Exposure to this in the
 morning helps us to wake up and
 shake off bleary-eyed grumpiness.
 “And it helps to regulate our sleep.
 If your body knows when the day
 is starting, it’s easier for it to also
 know at what time it needs to start
 winding down and getting ready
 for sleep.” And of course sleeping
 well has the positive knock-on
 effect of giving you a better shot
 at feeling content and having good
 overall health.
    The big danger with being locked
 down, warns Selsick, is “allowing
 your whole rhythm to drift”.
 Even if a temporary break from
 commuting allows you to sleep in
 a little, keep your waking-up time
 consistent to reap the benefits of        BOOSTING MEMORY AND CREATIVITY: Getting some sun can fill our heads with new ideas, too. In 2005, psychologists at the University of Michigan found
 the spring sunshine. “If you’re           that half an hour out in the sun boosted not only mood, but also memory and creativity.
 getting that first dose of light at
 a different time every morning,                                                                                                                                     20,000 British people crunched by
 your body has no idea where it is in                                                                                                                                researchers at the same university
 time,” he says. “You’re essentially                                                                                                                                 showed that the more time spent
 jet-lagging your body by having                                                                                                                                     enjoying nature, the greater life
 a different rising time every day.”                                                                                                                                 satisfaction reported.
 Setting regular meal times helps                                                                                                                                       This is why GPs have been
 keep our daily rhythms in sync,                                                                                                                                     prescribing gardening as therapy. So
 too.                                                                                                                                                                plant some seeds and watch them
    It’s essential that we make                                                                                                                                      grow, whether that’s in a flowerbed or
 the most of opportunities to be                                                                                                                                     a window-sill or balcony pot. Get a
 outside, whether it’s that one                                                                                                                                      bird feeder – ensuring it’s inaccessible
 permitted outing, or additional                                                                                                                                     to squirrels, which are bird’s nest
 gardening, or spending some                                                                                                                                         predators. Dig out your binoculars and
 time on the balcony. “The more                                                                                                                                      indulge in some twitching, or figure
 outdoors you can get the better,                                                                                                                                    out (with some online help) which
 without getting in close contact                                                                                                                                    song belongs to which bird.
 with people,” says Selsick.                                                                                                                                            The green shoots of a new chapter
    Getting some sun can fill our                                                                                                                                    in our lives provide opportunities
 heads with new ideas, too. In 2005,                                                                                                                                 to do better, says Milkman. “The
 psychologists at the University                                                                                                                                     Covid-19 crisis is inaugurating a
 of Michigan found that half an                                                                                                                                      new era and shaking up our routines.
 hour out in the sun boosted not                                                                                                                                     Horrific as the crisis is, it presents an
 only mood, but also memory                                                                                                                                          opportunity to size up our routines
 and creativity. To test the latter,                                                                                                                                 and consider what we want to
 they assessed changes in what                                                                                                                                       change and how we can be better. I
 they call cognitive broadening                                                                                                                                      hope people will capitalise on that
 – “a style of thinking in which                                                                                                                                     motivation and find ways to help
 people become more creative and                                                                                                                                     one another (from a requisite social
 which is hypothesised to be an                                                                                                                                      distance) and themselves achieve
 adaptive shift in cognition that                                                                                                                                    important goals.”
 leads to behavioral flexibility and                                                                                                                                    Yes, we are on lockdown. We may
 exploration”, write the authors.                                                                                                                                    be emotionally exhausted and scared,
    Late-evening light may be                                                                                                                                        but at least spring makes our daily
 less likely to have an impact on                                                                                                                                    outdoor exercise allowance more
 circadian rhythms than morning            SPENDING TIME OUT: It’s essential that we make the most of opportunities to be outside, whether it’s that one             enticing. On warmer days, we can
 rays, but, says Selsick, “people do       permitted outing, or additional gardening, or spending some time on the balcony.                                          throw open the windows, let the fresh
 generally report a better quality                                                                                                                                   air flood in and expel the indoor
 of life if they have some light           decreased mental health distress.       over Zoom, will seem appealing all       swallows, swifts, cuckoos, martins       pollutants that have accumulated
 in the evening”. Indeed. A 2016           Longer days also seem to extend         of a sudden. “Light does to some         and other feathery summer                from a winter’s worth of cooking
 study by researchers at Brigham           the amount of use we get from           extent push sleep away a little          visitors. The more birds we see in       and cleaning. We can welcome
 Young University in Utah looked           waking hours. When it’s light in        bit,” says Selsick. “And people do       our neighbourhoods, and the more         the reduction in traffic noise and
 at six years of data from more            the evenings, it feels like daytime     often feel more alert when there’s       greenery, the more robust our            fumes. These may be bittersweet
 than 16,000 adults and found              for longer. Staying up to batch         bright light.” And of course, with       mental health will be, according         byproducts of virus hell, but it’s all
 that seasonal increases in hours          cook, bake bread or, in the current     spring, light and warmth comes           to a 2017 study by the University        the better to hear the birds.
 of sunshine correlated with               climate, have beers with friends        nature. April will see the return of     of Exeter. In 2019, data from                                    – The Guardian
The other view - Gulf Times
10 GULF TIMES Wednesday, April 1, 2020

         COMMUNITY                       INFOGRAPHIC
Wednesday, April 1, 2020   GULF TIMES                           11

 LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE                                                                                                                                  COMMUNITY
Women with psychiatric disorders
 less likely to have second child
R
             esearchers have claimed                    of 19.5 years until the next live birth,
             that women who suffer from                 emigration, death, their 45th birthday or June
             psychiatric disorders such                 2016, whichever occurred first.
             as depression, anxiety and                    They identified women with postpartum
             schizophrenia following the live           psychiatric disorders by seeing if they
birth of their first child are less likely to go on     were given prescriptions for psychotropic
to have more children.                                  medications or had hospital contact for
   The study, published in the journal                  psychiatric disorders during the first six
Human Reproduction, found that 69 per                   months after the live birth of their first child.
cent of women who experienced postpartum                   A total of 4,327 (one per cent) of women
psychiatric disorders within the first six              experienced psychiatric disorders following
months after the birth of their first baby went         the birth of their first child, according to the
on to have further children.                            study.
   This contrasts with 82 per cent of mothers              These women were a third less likely to
who did not experience psychiatric problems.            have a second live birth compared to women
   “We wanted to explore whether women                  who did not experience psychiatric disorders.
with postpartum psychiatric disorders had                  If the first child died, the difference in
a reduced possibility of having a second                subsequent live birth rates disappeared.
child. Furthermore, we considered whether                  However, if the psychiatric problem
a reduction in the live birth rate was due to           required hospitalisation, the likelihood of a
personal choices or decreased fertility, as             woman having a second child nearly halved
these are important issues to consider,” said           and this remained the case irrespective of
study lead author Xiaoqin Liu from Aarhus               whether the first child survived or not.
University in Denmark.                                     “Although fewer women with postpartum                    we need to differentiate the reasons why they               explanations for the reduction in the
   For the findings, the research team                  psychiatric disorders had subsequent                        did not have another child. If they avoided                 subsequent live birth rate may be that women
analysed data from Danish registries for                children, it is noteworthy that about 69 per                another pregnancy due to fear of relapse, an                with postpartum psychiatric disorders
414,571 women who had their first live birth            cent of these women still chose to have a                   important clinical message to them is that                  are less able to conceive or have more
between 1997 and 2015 in Denmark.                       second child,” Dr Liu said.                                 prevention of relapse is possible,” Liu added.              problematic relationships with partners.
   They followed the women for a maximum                   “For the remaining 31 per cent of women,                   The researchers said that other possible                                                         — IANS

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

Today’s planetary configuration will give you a strong urge to be out       Are your views about certain intellectual or spiritual matters slowly           Business success may have come your way, Gemini, but today you
and about, Aries, but responsibilities could keep you at home or the        changing, Taurus? If so, you may not be all that comfortable with               could find yourself feeling a little sad and wondering why, since
office. Perhaps you’re waiting for a delivery or an important phone call    the changes. Traditional values and ideas could seem especially                 there’s no real reason to feel this way. What’s going on is probably,
or visitor. This could be boring and rather tedious for you today. Find     attractive to you today, so your resistance could be greater than               first of all, a letdown, since your brain is no longer churning out the
something to do that engrosses you, even if it’s only reading or catching   normal. Yet you know you can’t stay the same way forever. Give                  endorphins. Second, you may be wondering where you go from
up on paperwork. There’s no point in just twiddling your thumbs!            yourself a break today. Tomorrow you’ll be back in the groove.                  here. Only you can decide that. Set a new goal and move on.

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

Today you could feel torn between the desire to get a little exercise       Do you have the uncomfortable feeling that you’ve forgotten                     If you’ve been thinking about starting a new creative project,
and a powerful inclination to curl up in your favourite chair and           something but you have no idea what it is, Leo? Are you haunted by              Virgo, don’t try to do it today. Friends and family could vie for your
catch up on some reading, Cancer. There isn’t any reason why you            the memory of a seemingly insignificant past event, but can’t figure            attention and distract you. Other responsibilities could interfere with
can’t do both. Go out for a brisk walk and then reach for a favourite       out why? It isn’t a good idea to obsess over either. You’ll remember            your desire to get going on it now. Don’t hesitate to try to come up
book when you return. The key isn’t giving up on one, but attaining a       whatever it is eventually. You’ll soon realise the significance of the          with ideas, but you might have to wait until tomorrow to start the
balance between the two.                                                    memory. Your subconscious is trying to tell you something.                      work. Tomorrow you should be raring to go. Be patient!

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

Business might be going very well for you, Libra, but intense               Have you been planning a vacation to a distant place, Scorpio?                  Money matters could have you descending into a state of pure
changes on the job could have you feeling stressed. Delays in               Unexpected, discouraging glitches could interfere with your plans,              gloom, Sagittarius. On the surface it might seem like you’ll never
starting new projects could prove frustrating. Don’t fall into the trap     which could have you thinking that you’ll just cancel the trip. You might       be able to sort through all the paperwork, but you will. Don’t give
of thinking that this is going to be a trend. All should be brought         be tempted to pick up the phone and do it. Take no action today. The            up. Stay focused on the task and take one step at a time. Before you
back into focus tomorrow. Go to the gym tonight and work off some           entire situation should be straightened out by tomorrow, and you’ll look        know it, your efficiency and practicality should have it sorted out
frustration. You’ll be fresh in the morning. Hang in there!                 forward to your trip again. Stay focused and don’t do anything rash.            and behind you. Cheer up, and plan a great evening!

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

Is your friend out of town, Capricorn? If so, you’re probably feeling a     You probably won’t feel like working today, Aquarius. You may not be            Family matters could appear to be moving far more slowly than
bit lonely and insecure. Your friend is most likely as bored as you are,    tired, but you’re probably bored, restless, and unable to focus. It’s best to   you’d like, Pisces. You may be overloaded with responsibilities now
either transacting business or fulfilling family obligations. Relax, find   concentrate on routines or mundane chores you can do automatically              and unable to see others much. It’s frustrating, but you’ll get through
something to do, and the time will pass before you know it.                 on days like this. Put on your headphones. Take a long, leisurely lunch or      it. In the meantime, don’t let your insecurities get the better of you.
                                                                            perhaps brunch with friends. It’s important to have some fun. Think of it       Be patient!
                                                                            as an exercise to balance your usually serious self!
12 GULF TIMES Wednesday, April 1, 2020

                                     COMMUNITY                                                  CARTOONS/PUZZLES
                   Wordsearch                                                Adam

                                                                             Pooch Cafe

BARE                                   DARE                         FARE
FLARE                                  MARE                         PARE
RARE                                   STAIR                        WEAR
BEAR                                   DECLARE                      FAIR
HAIR                                   MAYOR                        PEAR
SNARE                                  STARE                        WHERE
CARE                                   ÉCLAIR                       FLAIR
HARE                                   PAIR                         PRAYER
SQUARE                                 WARE

                   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, April 1, 2020   GULF TIMES   13

 PUZZLES                                                                              COMMUNITY
 Super Cryptic Clues                                                     Colouring

Across                               Down
1 White rose cultivated              2 Fungus in chocolate (7)
differently (9)                      3 Grub found in lettuce at
8 A mostly dreary time –but not      supermarket (4)
for children (5)                     4 See law being broken by a
9 Forgetting a name is unusual       beast (6)
(7)                                  5 Former nurse attempts to find
10 Steal an elevator (4)             guards (8)
11 Shopped, yet bread has been       6 Observe opening for estate
ordered! (8)                         agent (4)
13 The fat of the land, say? (6)     7 Man united, somehow, with a
14 Stay with mother in control (6)   single relative (6,4)
17 Satisfies silly sausages (8)      8 Loyalty, for example, in union
19 The language of Monsieur          (10)
Dumas? (4)                           12 Fool repeatedly at home for
21 Card game making some             killer (8)
American a star (7)                  15 Dressed for a military
22 So far Yeats is read in           operation, we hear (7)
translation (2,3)                    16 Extremely simple harp
23 New deal with China to supply     designed for an angel (6)
spicy food (9)                       18 Was a vocalist in Los Angeles?
                                     (4)
                                     20 Don’t succeed in making
                                     female suffer (4)

                                                                         Answers
 Yesterday’s Solutions                                                   Wordsearch         Codeword
14 GULF TIMES Wednesday, April 1, 2020

             COMMUNITY                                                                                                                                      BOLLYWOOD

                                                                 We must have a mind
                                                                 of our own: Aahana
                                                                A
                                                                               ctress Aahana Kumra says she didn’t grow up
                                                                               understanding the meaning of consent, adding
                                                                               that she feels it is a very important conversation
                                                                               everybody must be having.
                                                                                 “Consent for me is everything. I don’t think
                                                                I grew up with the idea of understanding what consent
                                                                meant because obviously we are all conditioned to believe
                                                                that everything that our parents impose on us or the society
                                                                imposes on us is the end of everything,” Aahana said.
 SOCIAL CAUSE: Juhi Chawla often uses her stardom to               “But I have realised over the years that we must have an
 create awareness about protecting the environment.             opinion, we must have a mind of our own. The good thing is
                                                                that my parents have always explained to me the difference
 Lockdown diaries: Juhi shares                                  between good touch and bad touch. They have always had
 trick for healthy hair                                         these conversations with me even when I was a child,” she
                                                                added.
    Actress Juhi Chawla, who recently came back from               The actress continued: “So, I was always taught these
 London and is currently observing self-quarantine with         things, and this is the same conversation I have with the
 her family, is doing what she loves and swears by – organic    children in my family. Consent for me is everything because
 living.                                                        it really has opened me up in terms of conversation with
    In an Instagram post, Juhi shared the trick for             the person in front of me and I think only once when you
 healthy hair straight from kitchen. She wrote: “My new         get into a relationship and then you understand what a
 experiment ..!! Methi seeds every morning ...!!! I am          relationship is going to teach you. Thankfully, I have had
 determined to have thick hair.”                                great relationships in the past and I have learnt so much
    Many found the tip useful and said they would try it too.   from them. So, of course it is a very important conversation
 Others had their tricks and tips that they shared in the       everybody must-have.”
 comments section.                                                 At the moment, Aahana is seen in drama thriller web
    The former beauty queen often uses her stardom to           series Marzi. It is about a series of casual activities between
 create awareness about protecting the environment and          the two protagonists of the show, who subsequently falls
 creating a sustainable planet for our future generations.      into a major mishap, exposing the fading line between
    Juhi even took to her micro-blogging site when she          power, deception, and trust.
 discarded high-end personal grooming products replacing           Set in Shimla, the show, which streams on Voot Select,
 them with organic products available in one’s kitchen. –       questions the loyalty of a situation while constantly asking
 IANS                                                           the question - ‘who’s side are you on?’. It also stars Rajeev
                                                                Khandelwal.
                                                                   Talking about the show, she said: “The script was fabulous
                                                                and that’s something that I thought was very challenging.
                                                                It is something different from what I have done in the past
                                                                on the screen. I think it was very liberating in many ways
                                                                because I felt that sometimes even in performances there
                                                                are spurs of moments wherein you need to be emotional,
                                                                dramatic, frustrated but here I was constantly violated, I was      RISING STAR: Aahana Kumra can be currently seen in drama
                                                                constantly agitated, constantly frustrated and it obviously         thriller web series Marzi.
                                                                felt like something that I haven’t ever done in my life.”
                                                                   “I think it really did completely change my perception           it’s rather important to have this conversation because I
                                                                towards performance to quite an extent. It’s a conversation         think in this century we can only move forward and not
                                                                that I feel is very important to have in today’s time               backward. This is a conversation that we must pass on to
                                                                and I think a lot of people are moving towards having               our generations to have because we are learning through our
                                                                conversations about consent which is something that                 mistakes and they should see what mistakes we have made
                                                                people didn’t speak about earlier or back in the days. Now,         and should not repeat them,” she added. – IANS

 GRIEVED: Salman Khan, right, with his nephew Abdullah
 Khan, who had heart-related ailments.                          Sidharth can’t wait to be back at work
 Salman’s nephew Abdullah no more                                  Actor Sidharth Shukla says a lot of projects are on hold
                                                                due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, adding that he is
    Salman Khan’s nephew Abdullah Khan passed away on           waiting for the health crisis to pass so that he can “be back
 Monday. As per reports, the 38-year-old was admitted to a      to work”.
 hospital in Mumbai owing to heart-related ailments.               After winning Bigg Boss 13, the actor has featured in the
    The Bollywood superstar took to social media to mourn       music video of singer Darshan Rawal’s new number, Bhula
 the loss of his nephew. Salman posted a black and white        dunga, along with Shehnaaz Gill, also a housemate of the
 photograph with his nephew on Instagram and wrote:             show and his close friend.
 “Will always love you...”                                         Asked what’s next for him, Sidharth said: “At this point,
    Commenting on the post, actress Akanksha Puri wrote:        due to the virus, a lot of projects are on hold but I’m hoping
 “Still can’t believe he is no more. #gonetoosoon. Deepest      that once the world has combated this virus, I can be back to
 condolence to the entire family! May his soul R.I.P”           work and entertaining my audience.”
    Singer Kamaal Khan, who is a close friend of the actor,        There were many reports claiming that Sidharth has
 commented: “You will always be remembered and loved.”          bagged a role in a Bollywood movie, and has started prepping
    As per reports, Abdullah Khan was admitted to               for it.
 Dhirubhai Kokilaben Ambani Hospital a couple of days              Quizzed about the reports, Sidharth said: “When I am
 ago, from where he was later shifted to Lilavati hospital.     ready to announce my next project, I will definitely let you
 He was diabetic and reportedly suffering from heart-           guys know. As of now rumours shall be rumours and there             ANXIOUS: Sidharth Shukla says a lot of projects are on hold
 related ailments.                                              are so many floating.”                                              due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
    Abdullah was close to Salman and often featured in             Earlier in an interview, Sidharth addressed his
 videos shared by the actor. It seems from Salman’s social      relationship status with Shehnaaz, calling her a “dear                 Talking about how the bond changed after the show, the
 media post that he is deeply upset at the sudden loss.         friend”.                                                            Bigg Boss 13 winner said: “Knowing someone when you
    Meanwhile, Salman Khan and his entire family have              Sidharth and Shehnaaz’s relationship was one of the most         are locked up inside the house versus (knowing someone)
 shifted to their farmhouse in Panvel where they are under      talked-about topics of Bigg Boss 13. In fact, their fans gave       outside is very different. The bond however is still the same
 quarantine amid the Covid-19 lockdown. – IANS                  their bond a name – #SidNaaz – and the hashtag keeps on             as we still meet each other the same way as we did inside the
                                                                trending on social media.                                           house.” – IANS
Wednesday, April 1, 2020   GULF TIMES                    15
 HOLLYWOOD                                                                                                                           COMMUNITY
John leads a heartfelt, socially
 distant coronavirus telethon
                                                  live-music business shut down. In addition
By Mikael Wood                                    to the aforementioned acts, the special
                                                  featured performances – each shot in a

T
                                                  living room or bedroom or some such – by
            he most comforting thing about        the Backstreet Boys, Foo Fighters’ Dave
            Sunday night’s Living Room            Grohl, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day,
            Concert for America – an all-star     Tim McGraw, Sam Smith, Demi Lovato and
            musical fundraiser hosted by          H.E.R.
            Elton John and broadcast on Fox –        It’s a virus-specific approach to the kind
wasn’t Alicia Keys using her song Underdog to     of pop-star do-gooder-ism that in previous
salute the first responders putting their lives   crises would lead to a telethon (like A Concert
at risk to protect people from Covid-19. Nor      for Hurricane Relief after Katrina in 2005) or a
was it the brief message of sympathy Lady         live benefit gig (like The Concert for New York
Gaga offered folks who’ve already lost loved      City after 9/11 in 2001). This time, of course,
ones or their jobs – a message that, it’s worth   those types of large public gatherings are
pointing out, squeezed more compassion            part of the problem, which is how McGraw
into 40 seconds than President Trump has          ended up delivering his song Something Like
mustered in weeks.                                That while perched on the diving board of his
   Instead, the true reassurance to be had        enormous swimming pool.
from this socially distanced telethon came           For pop fans accustomed to the solidarity
from the fact that Mariah Carey appeared to       that can arise from an in-person audience,
have set up a small electric fan to blow her      this format clearly has its limitations. And
hair as she sang Always Be My Baby in her         Fox and iHeart didn’t help matters by making
home studio. It came from Camila Cabello          this show out of taped performances; because
and Shawn Mendes’ eagerness to flirt amid         the music wasn’t live (as it has been when
a global pandemic. And it came from the           John Legend and Chris Martin, among many
obvious boredom with which Billie Eilish          others, have gone on Instagram), you didn’t
sang her smash Bad Guy for what had to have       get to enjoy the thrill of artistes working
been the zillionth time.                          without a net.
   Typical pop-star stuff, in other words –          Still, the thing had its charms, not least
and a welcome reminder of life before (and        among them the discovery that Brian Littrell
hopefully after) the pain and disruption          of the Backstreet Boys keeps a branded BSB            COMFORTING: Elton John during the Fox Presents the iHeart Living Room Concert for America,
caused by the novel coronavirus.                  pinball machine in his home. Grohl sounded            a music event to provide entertainment relief and support for Americans to help fight during the
   Presented by media conglomerate                great in a solo-acoustic take on My Hero;             spread of the Covid-19 virus.
iHeartRadio on the evening originally             Eilish, even slumped on a lumpy sofa, was
reserved for its annual awards show,              as precisely nuanced a vocalist as ever. And          that he’d happily play a song himself …              young sons and busted out a few verses of
Sunday’s one-hour production was                  Carey earned her diva self-treatment with             except he was quarantined in the only one            Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me.
basically a more polished rendition of the        the smiley exuberance we’ve come to rely on           of his properties that lacks a piano. By               “When this is over and done, I’ll be out
virtual concerts that countless artistes          her for.                                              the end, though, he’d laid his hands on a            there playing for you again,” he vowed.
have been playing on social media since the          As host, John claimed at the beginning             keyboard he said belonged to one of his                Yes, please. – Los Angeles Times/TNS

    Hathaway to star in French Children Don’t Throw Food                                             Ozzy cancels Parkinson’s treatment trip due to Covid-19
       Actress Anne Hathaway                                                                             Grammy-winning singer and
    is set to star in an                                                                             songwriter Ozzy Osbourne has
    adaptation of French                                                                             cancelled a trip to Switzerland to
    Children Don’t Throw Food.                                                                       see an immunity expert.
       Based on the                                                                                      The rocker cancelled his 2020
    autobiography from                                                                               tour dates last month so he could
    Pamela Druckerman,                                                                               make the trip to Europe to seek
    the project is being                                                                             treatment for Parkinson’s disease,
    financed by StudioCanal,                                                                         but now due to the coronavirus
    with Blueprint Picture                                                                           pandemic he has had to cancel his
    set to produce, reports                                                                          plans, reports aceshowbiz com
    hollywoodreporter.com.                                                                               His manager and wife, Sharon
       The story, described as                                                                       Osbourne, shared it during an
    Julie & Julia in tone, follows                                                                   appearance on TV show The Talk
    an American journalist                                                                           on Monday, March 30, reports
    who moves to Paris for her                                                                       aceshowbiz.com
    husband’s job and raises a                                                                           “We had to cancel our trip to
    family there. As she tries to                                                                    Switzerland,” she said. “We were
    figure out how to balance                                                                        meant to go on the 8th of April,
    her family and career,                                                                           but we had to cancel.”
    and battle the feelings                                                                              Sharon also shared the ongoing
    that she is failing at both,                                                                     global health crisis has really
    she observes her French        NEW PROJECT: Anne Hathaway’s new project follows an               impacted her and Ozzy as they try
    neighbours and friends to      American journalist who moves to Paris for her husband’s          to stay safe and healthy.
    uncover the secrets behind job.                                                                      “We’re just hanging in, like        HANGING IN: Ozzy Osbourne wanted to make the trip to
    parenting well-behaved                                                                           everybody else, just trying to stay Switzerland to see an immunity expert.
    French children. She discovers that everyone, no matter how perfect they might                   away and be quiet and just hold
    appear, has their own problems.                                                                  it in there, but I honestly find this such frightening times (sic). I just think it’s a really, really
       Jamie Minoprio and Jonathan Stern wrote the most recent draft of the adaptation.              frightening time to be alive.”
       Hathaway is currently seen in the Joan Didion adaptation The Last Thing He                        “I’m not one of these people (who are), like, ‘Oh, I’m bonding with all these people’, and,
    Wanted from Dee Rees for Netflix. She next will be seen in Robert Zemeckis’ The                  ‘This is amazing’. I’m not that way. I cry every day when I watch the death toll go up and more
    Witches remake, playing the Grand High Witch. – IANS                                             and more people catch this virus and I’m just devastated by it. For me, I’m heartbroken.” – IANS
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