Sunday Magazine 2 July 2017

July 2, 2017

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Hindus for Selfless Service – Guyana

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Beyond being a beauty queen Page 5

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

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Feature

F

ollowing the successful execution of three programmes, the Youth Ambassadors Guyana 2015 has embarked on yet anoth-

month later, the team ventured into two high schools outside of Georgetown with a mission to engage students in extra-curricular activities

thrive in the world of work and/or in their pursuits of higher education. To date, the few selected to represent Guyana on YAP 2015 has

Participants of the UpForYouths Summer Program during the disaster relief fundraiser

Participants of the Emerging Leaders of Guyana Program during the camp day at Camp Kabouyak

er notable initiative aimed at developing Guyanese youths, equipping them with the necessary skills to take on leadership roles within their schools, workplaces and communities.

In August 2015, a group of six high school students and one adult mentor journeyed to the United States to participate in the annual Caribbean leg of the Youth Ambassadors Program (YAP). That three-week cultural exchange, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, focused on civic engagement and exposed the participants to training in leadership, teamwork, communications, as well as project planning and execution.

The programme also included a 12-day homestay with American families, along with a series of skilfully crafted activities aimed at offering 42 participants belonging to the six different countries from across the region life-changing experiences.

Upon return to Guyana, the Youth Ambassadors were tasked with implementing projects within their communities, incorporating the knowledge and skills gathered from the three-week exchange. One

(namely sports and drama), while targeting a number of social issues. At the same time, the Ambassadors used sports and drama to help youths develop an interest in giving back to communities, ultimately making a contribution to the development of their country.

After the successful completion of the first project, the group of young leaders maximised on the experience gained to initiate and implement a ‘summer’ programme geared at helping young Guyanese unlock their potentials, while awakening their social responsibility towards their country.

This undertaking, dubbed the UpForYouths Summer Program, saw an excess of 35 participants engaged in a two-week experience, during which they were able to organise a disaster relief fundraiser to help a single-parent family who had recently lost their home in a tragic fire.

Building on what was already accomplished, Youth Ambassadors Guyana 2015 even pulled off a Professional Development Program during their Christmas vacation last year. The Emerging Leaders of Guyana initiative provided a unique opportunity for 25 young adults to

influenced the lives of over 100 young Guyanese, who in turn have gone on to impact change within their communities.

Given that the ultimate goal of these undertakings is to inspire a sense of social responsibility and enhance the capacity of young Guyanese to execute charitable ventures within their communities, the Youth Ambassadors Guyana 2015 has now turned their attention to groups in need of support to realise their service project ideas. As such, the Guyana Youth and Social Entrepreneurship Program (GYSEP) was birthed.

GYSEP is aimed at engaging young Guyanese in service to their country through employing the strategies of business and innovation. This fourth initiative of the 2015 Youth Ambassadors seeks to increase the capacity of emerging change-makers by developing their projects ideas to be implemented across the country. Also, the programme provides an ideal opportunity for emerging change-makers to benefit from charitable experiences, while promoting growth through the execution of civic initiatives.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Natisha Mokutnauth, Youth Ambassador 2015, explained the objectives of the newly conceptualised initiative and provided an overview of her team’s dedication in giving back to the country.

“We are cognizant of the fact that only a few are fortunate enough to benefit from the Youth Ambassadors Program. Therefore, it is our goal to extend the knowledge and skills gained from the life-changing experience to create an army of changemakers to assist in our work to impact social change in Guyana,” Mokutnauth pointed out.

The young leader added

that with every programme executed, youths learn from the experience. As a result, youths “improve on their efforts to develop an enhanced approach in tackling many of the prevalent social issues affecting our societies”.

Mokutnauth explained that the programme is targeting groups of 3 to 5 persons between the ages of 18-25 who possess ideas for service projects, but are in need of assistance in developing and executing their initiatives. At the end of the programme, the groups will be better able to implement their projects, which are to go in effect in the following months.

In her call for applicants, Mokutnauth urged: “If you are a member of an organisation or just a group of friends looking to give back to your community, we encourage you to apply to our programme and let us help you develop your ideas.”

The programme is set for four days in July (15th, 17th, 19th, and 22nd) and will be hosted at the Raquet Centre, Camp Road, Georgetown.

The unique experience will wrap up with a Youth and

Project Exposition, which will allow the groups showcase their initiatives to members of the public, while vying for one of the two spots in the grand takeaway. That is, two groups presenting the most impacting ideas will benefit from further coaching which will be conducted by business and digital marketing expert, Dr. Rosh Khan of SocialRank and the Master Class Institute.

Groups interested in participating in this programme are invited to visit the Youth Ambassadors Guyana 2015 Facebook page for access to the online application or to obtain more information.

Application to GYSEP is currently on-going and will remain open until July 8, 2017.

The Guyana Youth and Social Entrepreneurship Program was initiated and will be facilitated by the Youth Ambassadors Guyana 2015 in collaboration with a number of local organisations. This effort is supported by the U.S. Embassy Georgetown and is accessible to all Guyanese fulfilling the criteria and is free of cost.

Participants of the Emerging Leaders of Guyana Program in photo with Dr. Rosh Khan

Note to Readers

Youth Ambassadors Guyana 2015 joined by students of the Hope Secondary School during their service project

As you peruse this week’s Sunday Times Magazine, you will notice that the publication is now 16 pages, with additional changes in content. These pertinent adjustments were made in an effort to produce a comprehensive publication focused on promoting more local content. Your feedback is valuable to us, hence we invite your comments and suggestions for story ideas, which you can send to guyanatimes@gmail.com or call us on 223-7230/31. We thank you for your continued support.

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Sunday Times Magazine

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Feature

Hindus for Selfless Service – Guyana

designating the saffron flag of Sanaathan Dharma (Bhagwa Dwhaj) as its preceptor/Guru.

For the past two decades, HSS has held numerous activities beneficial to communities.

It held Ayushpa - suicide prevention seminars, 1996-1997; Parivartana - response to widespread conversion of Hindus; response to floods, 20052006; first Hindu Unity Day; National Diya, 2015; Indian Arrival Mela, 2016; Abolition

T

Guyana - primary and secondary divisions. We were very enthused when your predecessor signalled in 2015 that Physical Education would receive an increased emphasis in the school system because of the need to develop healthy bodies and minds. This is a core belief and practice in the HSS. “Yoga is a physical activity that has almost no cost in its implementation, save trained

HSS family

he uniqueness of ‘Hindu dharma’ and the culture practised by the Hindu community have a significant contribution to the benefit of humanity.

Hindu dharma is not a ‘religion’, but a way of life. That means it is not just about ‘beliefs’, but how we act in this world. Proper action leads to the ultimate goal of ‘Moksha’ (liberation).

In the west, Hindus were forced to change their way of life or ‘dharma’. The duties that go with different roles have been forgotten.

The heroic roles of pundits and Mandirs have to be supported and supplemented for the inculcation of Hindu values, and needs the creation of role models in the wider society.

The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) – Guyana, which translates to Hindus for Selfless Service, is dedicated to the organising of Hindus into their social roles in the modern world – in accordance to the principles of Sanaathan Dharma. Values leading to good character cannot be transmitted by words, but by action.

The practice and even knowledge of our social obligations and relationships have broken down. It is therefore essential for Hindus living in Guyana to develop unity and harmony in their communities to effectively promote these salient features. Their contributions to the economic, social and cultural way of life is widely acclaimed and recognised.

It is with all of this in mind that HSS Guyana was birthed in 1996. For the last 20 years,

the organisation has been involved in many activities at grassroots and national levels. With a flat organisational structure, members are all seen as equals. Despite their physical attributes (age, sex, qualification and religious persuasion etc), roles are determined by members’ willingness to undertake responsibilities.

The members of HSS believe that the changes they want to see in our world and society have to start with them. Notably, they believe that service to fellow humans, and society, comes before their personal needs and wants.

These are HSS’ core values, which have also been the pillars for the organisation and its growth in Guyana and its branches around the world also in India.

HSS’ philosophy states: “We are all the result of inherited characteristics (gunas) and our actions in our environment. We cannot change our gunas, but we can change our actions and environment.

Repeated actions result in habits through the formation of sanskaras in our minds. To act in accordance with Sanaathan Dharma we have to break old habits and form new habits prescribed by Sanaathan Dharma.”

HSS Methodology

Ideally, a ‘Shakha’ meets daily at a specific time and place for one hour on an open field.

During that time a number of specific activities (yoga, Indian martial arts, games, and others – ‘shareerik’) and some discussions on social issues facing youths and how

The male youth group of HSS

Hindus can deal with them in the community (charchas) are conducted by the members of both gender (Swayamsevaks – male and swayamsevikas - female/volunteers).

The activities are intended to impart the new habits or ‘sanskaras’ and the new environment is intended to break old habits or ‘sanskaras’, hence to build role models within our communities.

HSS seeks to impart the following qualities in its members: Self-confidence, enthusiasm, discipline, volunteerism, punctuality, cooperation, strength, fearlessness, knowledge-seeking, leadership and patriotism.

The organisation’s yearly activities include: Shakhaweekly meetings at various locations across Guyana; Hindu Training Camps, which are held for one week annually; Hindu Heritage Camps, which are held on a weekend four times a year; National Hindu Unity Day; Indian Arrival Expo; Abolition of Indentureship Mela; National Diya – annually; International Day of Yoga activities; yoga sessions at various locations across the country; Blood Donation Drives; medical outreaches and health sympo-

Ramayan Chanting Heritage Camp 2017

siums.

Aditionally, HSS collaborates with other organisations to observe and participate in events, showing that there is unity in diversity and HSS’ strong belief in its ‘shastras’ that “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam- We See the World as One family”.

HSS views all sects of Sanaathan Dharma as one and represents this unity by

Day, 2017; International Day of Yoga, 2015-2017; initiated the call for yoga to be included in the Physical Education curriculum in schools.

An excerpt of HSS’ letter to the Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, reads: “We would like to formally propose that yoga be introduced into the Physical Education curriculum of the public schools of

teachers who would also benefit from such training. HSS is willing to discuss the modalities of initiating such a programme with you or any official you may designate.

Fundamentally, our role could begin with “training the trainers” at the Cyril Potter College of Education and also interventions in schools in areas where our members reside.”

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Sunday Times Magazine

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JULY 2, 2017

Feature

Eating using the Mukulah mudra

'Bare-hand' eating

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n Guyana, eating with the hands is a norm. It is a cultural tradition that was passed down to us from our ancestors. Of course, there are certain foods – known as “finger foods” in some cultures – that require using the hands. For other cultures in Africa, India and the Middle East especially, there are meals which, though they are not called “finger foods”, are traditionally eaten with the hands. Some call it “handto-mouth” or “bare-hand” eating.

‘Seven curry’, a favourite dish served at Guyanese weddings and Hindu reli-

gious functions, is a meal that is “expected” to be eaten with the hands. People scoff at others who are seen eating ‘seven curry’ with a spoon, or, (even worse) a fork. Many would agree eating this meal with the hands is far more satisfying.

Interestingly, this tradition of using the hands instead of cutlery is a custom many Guyanese inherited from Indian as well as African ancestral tradition.

In Africa, like India, eating with the left hand is considered disrespectful – and unsanitary.

Within the Indian culture there is an old say-

ing, “Eating food with your hands feeds not only the body but also the mind and the spirit.”

According to ancient Ayurveda, all the nerves connected to the main parts of our body are interlinked and end at the hands and feet. The ancient native tradition of eating food with the hands is derived from the “mudra” practice, which is prevalent in many aspects within Hinduism.

Mudras are used during mediation and are very prominent within the many classical forms of dance, such as Bharatnatyam.

Kangula mudra is tak-

ing food with the thumb, forefinger and mid-finger.

Engage this mudra when eating long, slender pieces of food. As we bring food to our mouth in kangula mudra, the palm of the hand faces upward, evoking the spirit of consciousness as we touch upon nature. This mudra cultivates a gentle reverence for nature's precious gifts.

The first mudra, Ghronikah, activates and balances the element of earth within the body. The earth element controls our sense of smell and gives us added vision to “smell our way”, that is, to be keenly aware of our connection to Mother Nature.

Kadambah mudra crouches the five fingers around firm, solid food. This mudra is reserved for eating round-shaped fresh fruits that fit neatly in the palm of the hand, such as mango.

Practicing this mudra helps us to remember to be grateful for every speck of nature's food.

Mukulah mudra is eating with all five fingers tightly knitted together.

In this mudra, a minimal quantity of food is taken at a time, for example, ten grains of cooked rice. The mudra is used in annaprashanam, or the ceremony of first feeding, one of the 16 samskaras, usually performed in the fifth or sixth month of a child's life. It is said “every bite of food must serve to awaken cosmic memory of the first food we, as conscious human beings, imbibe from the ‘mother's nectar’.”

Fingers are considered to be one the most vital and precious parts for any type of action. According to ancient texts of Ayurveda, each finger is related to one of the

five elements. Thumb is fire, forefinger is air, middle finger is ether/space, ring finger is earth, and little finger (or pinky) is water. Each finger is said to aid better digestion process by releasing digestive juices and makes the person conscious about taste and smell.

Ayurveda scholars believe that each finger aids in the transformation of food, before it passes on to internal digestion. This belief states that “gathering the fingertips as they touch the food stimulates the five elements and invites ‘agni’, the fire of digestion, to bring forth the digestive juices. As well as improving digestion the person becomes more conscious of the tastes, textures and smells of the foods they are eating, which all adds to the pleasure of eating”.

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JULY 2, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine

Times Women

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Sharing out goodies to a local children's home

ven before getting into pageantry, USbased Guyanese Divya Yabindranauth, who currently holds the Miss United Continents Guyana 2017 title, has assiduously given back to her homeland. Her interest in pageants extends far beyond being a beauty queen, as she uses the platform to forward her humanitarian work.

Recently, Divya launched a fundraiser for the Saving Hands Emergency Aid, Inc. (SHEA) Charity – a US-based charitable organisation she has been working with for over three years. Under the theme “Saving Lives, Bringing Hope”, Divya is encouraging all to make a generous donation to SHEA. Raised in Tucshen Housing

Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, Divya migrated to the United States of America at the young age of 13. Divya has seen firsthand the struggles of some of her fellow Guyanese when it comes to healthcare and finding adequate treatment. From a very young age, she vowed to one day make a measurable difference. Three years ago, she joined forces with Saving Hands Emergency Aid, Inc., a non-profit organisation aimed at providing financial medical assistance, coupled with pro-bono or subsidised medical treatment for families in need.

As the Lead Regional Volunteer for SHEA, Divya seizes every opportunity as a gateway to continue in helping others and making a differ-

ence in the world. She assists with finding treatment services, raising funds, meeting with patients (especially children), and interactions on person-to-person basis.

Now, Divya’s goal is to raise GYD$1 million for SHEA. Thus far, she has received over GYD$55,000 via donations from her families, fans and supporters.

“This is my personal fundraiser for the SHEA Charity. I hope by August 1, 2017, you will help me meet and exceed this fundraising goal. I have pledged to help raise funds to aid in their mission. SHEA has been, and continues to be, a lifesaving portal for bridging the gap between healthcare and poverty in Guyana. I am kindly asking

all of you to make a contribution to the SHEA Charity, so that we can continue our lifesaving work. Whether it’s $1 or $1,000 your gift will make a difference for someone who otherwise cannot help themselves. Let’s come together as One People, One Nation and One Destiny to see how we can successfully save and transform lives one patient at a time,” Divya encouraged in her official press release.

In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, the humanitarian said that wining the Miss United Continents crown would not only be a “huge accomplishment” for herself, but will “help to put Guyana on the map in the world of pageantry”.

“The possibilities will be endless as it will open the door for many opportunities. It will give me the platform to continue my mission to raise awareness for the underprivileged, who are in need of urgent medical care, via SHEA Charity.

In addition, the Miss United Continents crown and title will allow me to be the voice of many who needs their voices heard. I will work diligently to represent the Miss United Continents organization, purposely fulfilling my mandate to the crown

Miss United Continents Guyana 2017, Divya Yabindranauth

and at the same time continue to work with my charity to not only provide health care services to Guyana, but to other countries that have people who need medical care but can't afford same. Of course, I will fulfil all my duties as a ‘queen’,” she declared.

Patrons who are interested in making a contribution to Divya’s worthy cause can do so by visiting Miss United Continents Guyana on Facebook. All funds received will be donated to SHEA Charity directly. To find out more about SHEA, visit http:// savinghandsemergencyaid.org Under the directorship of Missosology Guyana, Divya Yabindranauth was appoint-

ed Miss United Continents Guyana 2017. She will travel to Guayaquil, Ecuador to compete in the 2017 edition of Miss United Continents. This will be the second time a Guyanese beauty will be competing in this pageant, which will see the participation of different countries from all over the world battling it out in Evening Gown, Swimsuit, National Costume and Interview segments. The finals of Miss United Continents are scheduled for September 23, 2017.

Divya expressed sincere gratitude to everyone who has continued to support her on this once in a lifetime journey and vowed to make her country proud.

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JULY 2, 2017

Literary Corner

By Odeen Ishmael

O

ne day as Tiger was walking by the seaside, he saw a crab a little distance away throwing into the sea some small round objects which soon after would jump out from the water and return to him.

As Tiger moved closer, to his surprise, he noticed that the crab was actually removing his eyes and throwing them into the sea.

“What are you doing, my brother?” Tiger asked in great dismay.

“Oh, I am just playing with my eyes,” the crab replied.

“Well, you seem to be having quite a good time,” said Tiger. “Show me how you do it.”

But the crab was not willing to do this.

“Look here, Tiger,” he said, “I can’t make you play this game with your eyes because a big shark is in the sea.”

Nevertheless, Tiger insisted and finally the crab agreed to show him how the game was played. As Tiger looked on, the crab removed his eyes and threw them into the sea while singing softly, “Go my eyes, go to the middle of the sea. Go, go, go!”

Now to retrieve his eyes, he began to sing this other tune, “My eyes, from the middle of the sea, come back to me, come back to me.”

And immediately, the crab’s eyes leaped out of the water and returned into

their sockets.

Tiger was amazed, and excitedly he shouted: “I want to play this game! Remove my eyes and throw them in the sea as you did with yours.”

But the crab discouraged him.

“I can’t let you play this game,” he told Tiger, “because a big shark is in the sea and he may eat up your eyes.”

But Tiger was eager to play this game.

After continuous pleadings, the crab finally agreed. He removed Tiger’s eyes and threw them into the sea while singing loudly, “Go eyes of Tiger; go to the middle of the sea. Go, go, go!”

And his eyes leaped out of his head and flew into the sea.

Without sight and surrounded by total darkness, Tiger became very frightened and he jumped about and roared loudly.

“Bring back my eyes! Crab, bring back my eyes!” he roared angrily.

But there was no response from the crab, so the extremely scared Tiger tried on his own to get back his eyes by screaming out loudly “My eyes, from the middle of the sea, come back to me, come back to me.”

However, nothing happened. His eyes remained at the bottom of the sea.

Realising the situation,

Tiger became even more afraid, and jumped and roared louder and louder.

Then the crab spoke quietly to him, “It is because you are screaming and roaring that your eyes refuse to obey you.”

Tiger immediately stopped roaring. “Please, my brother, help me get back my eyes,” he begged the crab.

Then the crab sang

sweetly, “Eyes of my brother, from the middle of the sea, come back to him, come back to him.”

And the eyes immediately returned to Tiger’s face and his sight was restored.

As this was done the crab advised, “Now, take care of your eyes. If you play this game, the big shark in the sea could swallow them.”

Naturally, Tiger was most happy to regain his eyes, and he felt that he had become alarmed too quickly when his eyes were in the sea. So he felt that he must play the game once more.

He begged the crab to have his eyes thrown into the sea once again but to no avail. But when his continued pleas finally got on the crab’s nerves, he finally decided to do what Tiger wanted.

So the crab sang loudly, “Go eyes of Tiger; go to the middle of the sea. Go, go, go!”

Tiger’s eyes jumped out and again flew into the sea.

But just then the big shark was swimming in the area and he swallowed them as they sank to the bottom.

Of course, neither Tiger nor the crab knew of this, so they were not alarmed.

Tiger himself was more relaxed this time and was not afraid of his blindness.

After a little while, he said to the crab, “Please call back my eyes.”

So the crab sang sweetly, “Eyes of my brother, from the middle of the sea, come back to him, come back to him.”

But this time the eyes did not return!

So the crab sang out once more, but still the eyes failed to come back.

The blind Tiger, realising that something had gone

es.

dreadfully wrong, also sang sweetly, “My eyes, from the middle of the sea, come back to me, come back to me.”

But his eyes failed to come back.

“Where are my eyes?” he roared in anger.

“I warned you not to play this game,” replied the crab. “It’s possible that the big shark swallowed them.”

That made Tiger even angrier and he jumped and roared and blindly tried to hit the crab. But the crab managed to keep away from him and finally crawled into the sea to escape.

So the lonely, blind Tiger remained on the beach for many days.

Because he could not run, he could not hunt and so he began to starve. He was dying of hunger when the paiman of the area found him stretched out near to some bush-

“What happened to you?” enquired the piaman. “You look as if you are starving.”

“I’m very ill,” groaned Tiger. “I’m blind and hungry, because the crab caused my eyes to jump into the middle of the sea, and they never came back.”

“You really look very ill,” observed the piaman.

“Please help me,” begged Tiger. “When I recover I will hunt deer for you.”

Feeling sorry for him the piaman told him, “Stay here while I go and search for some medicine.”

He then looked for a curi tree and collected the yellow gum on its stems and returned to the seaside where Tiger was waiting.

He built a fire and melted the gum into a thick liquid in a small pot.

“What are you doing?” asked Tiger impatiently.

“Have a little patience,” replied the piaman.

When the molten gum was ready, the piaman ordered Tiger to bow his head.

He then drained the molten gum into Tiger’s empty eye sockets, one after the other. At first, Tiger did not feel anything, but when he straightened himself, he screamed in pain. And he rolled on the sand and roared loudly.

“Why is someone as strong and fierce as you roaring so much?” asked the piaman.

“It is because my eyes are burning badly,” Tiger responded.

“Then you must open them so that the breeze will cool them,” directed the piaman.

Carefully, Tiger opened his eyes, and at first everything seemed to be yellow in colour. Gradually, his eyesight returned, and when he looked into a nearby pool of clear seawater, he noticed that he had clear, shining yellow eyes.

“You can go now to hunt deer for me,” the piaman ordered.

And ever since that time, Tiger continued to hunt deer for the piaman to repay him for those shining yellow eyes.

Story, published with permission from author, is taken from “Guyana Legends – Folktales of the Indigenous Amerindians”

by Odeen Ishmael, published 2012. Ishmael is a veteran retired Guyanese diplomat. He retired from the diplomatic service in June 2014. He last served as Guyana's Ambassador to Kuwait, taking up that post in January 2011.

Bend of the River (Malali) I listened from the shores in the shade To all the sounds that the forest made The rhythm of Guyana speaking words The echoes of life, the river and the birds The land, where the waters ran through The blessings, the ways that I once knew The stories of the gently Demerara tides Where my roots and heart- strings are tied Water cresting and ripples kissing the shore Ebbing and slowly flowing with folklore Swirling inside, things that give us worth Calm and serene, the dear land of my birth Anointed for life, from the heavens above To rise high, to cherish and to always love.

Dmitri Allicock (Guyanese poet)

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Sunday Times Magazine 7

Times Feature

T

he town of New Amsterdam developed as a settlement beside Fort Nassau, some 55 miles up the Berbice River. Around 1784, as a result of the fluctuating fortunes of Fort Nassau, the Dutch relocated the town to its present site at the confluence of the Berbice and Canje Rivers.

The name ‘New Amsterdam’ was chosen because most of the colonists originated from the province of Amsterdam in Holland. Between 1785 and 1790, New Amsterdam was established as the seat of Government for Berbice.

At that time the town was little more than a forest settlement, with a house here and a house there, no roads, no drains.

By the resolutions of an Ordinance dated January 11, 1791, plots of land were awarded to settlers along the river front. In 1776, George Pinkhard described the town as that of a wild country, only just opening into cultivation.

It comprised an extent of

wood and water, with small patches of land breaking into incipient tillage.

In May 1825, an Ordinance to establish a Board of Management for the town was passed.

Subsequent ordinances in October 1825 and September 1838 resulted in the establishment of a ‘Board of Policy’ to be responsible for the affairs of the town. In 1844, a Board of Superintendence was established for this purpose.

Under their guidance the town grew. The Board of Superintendence lasted until September 1, 1891, when legislation was enacted to incorporate the town into a municipality.

The membership of this council consisted of members who had served on the Board of Superintendents and Mr. Neil Ross McKinnon, K.C., who was president of that Board, was appointed as the town’s first mayor.

Sunday Times Magazine features today cherished photos of the old New Amsterdam, British

Guiana.

(Text and photos by National Trust of Guyana, http:// nationaltrust.gov. gy)

8 Sunday Times Magazine

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JULY 2, 2017

Travel & Tourism

Residents relaxing under a tree near Orinduik Falls

I

magine being lulled to sleep by the cascading waters of Orinduik Falls, and then waking up to such a magnificent sight. Well, for the residents living in the vicinity of the Falls, every day is a ‘getaway’.

Orinduik is located on the Ireng River in the Potaro-Siparuni Region (Region Eight) of Guyana.

Sunday Times Magazine visited the natural wonder and interviewed Rachel Abraham, a 36-year-old mother of six (the eldest being 17 years old) who spoke about living at Orinduik.

She revealed that the few families living at the Falls farm, fish, and sell crafts/cassareep to visitors.

“When we have to get goods/supplies, we walk to Brazil, which takes two days to get there and two days to return home. We make this trip about every three months. I grew up at Orinduik, but would now venture to nearby village, Kamana, to take my children to school. When school reopens we stay in Kamana, but when it is closes for the holidays we come back to Orinduik. Life at Orinduik is amazing, although it gets boring sometimes. We swim and mostly stay indoors. I enjoy being here because when I go to other villages they do not have water and we have so much here. I will continue to live here for as long as I can,” she declared.

Facts on Orinduik

Orinduik is at a point where the Ireng River thunders over steps and terraces of red jasper, at the border of Guyana and Brazil, before merging with the Takutu River and into Brazil to join the Amazon River. Although jasper comes in many colours, including yellow, green and greyish blue, at Orinduik, the rocks are red.

The Orinduik Falls is a wide, multitiered series of cascades, which makes it an

Tourists' meeting point before embarking on an exciting tour of the Falls

ideal waterfall for swimming, unlike many others. The name of the falls, Orinduik, is derived from the Amerindian (Patamona) word, Orin, which is the name given to an aquatic plant found in these falls. The Orinduik Falls in all its glory is approximately 25m tall and more than 150m wide.

The Falls was discovered by C. Barrington Brown, who also discovered Kaieteur and Kuribrong Falls. There are frequent flights from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport (Ogle Airport), and most tours to Orinduik are combined with a trip to the Kaieteur Falls.

The Ireng River (or Maú River) forms part of Guyana’s western border with Brazil. It flows through the valleys of the Pakaraima Mountains for most of its length.

It is the only major river in Guyana that flows from North to South, and it is one of the northernmost tributaries of the Amazon River system.

The larger part of the Ireng River basin forms the frontier between Brazil and Guyana. The Ireng’s main branches are the Uailan and Canã rivers on Brazil side and the Cacó, Dacã and Socobi rivers on the Guyana side.

Orinduik is sheltered by the hills of the magnificent Pakaraima Mountains.

Thanks to the airstrip next to the Falls, visitors get a chance to experience Orinduik, which has become a popular tourist destination, meet the residents, listen to their stories and learn about their way of life.

Pay a visit to the Falls and be sure to greet the residents and support them by purchasing the delicious cassareep, and skilfully made artistic crafts. (Cover photo: Distant view of the meeting point at the Falls taken by Yogendra Callender)

Rachel Abraham and her baby

Breathtaking view of a section of the Falls (Yogendra Callender photo)

Aerial view of houses in the vicinity of the Falls (Yogendra Callender photo)

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JULY 2, 2017

Sunday Times Magazine 9

Healthy Living

Health Benefits of Jackfruit or ‘Cowa’

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jackfruit, known in Guyana as ‘cowa’, is typically between 3570 pounds. The heaviest jackfruit ever recorded clocked in at 94 pounds and 2.9 ounces in June 2016, according to Guinness World Records.

This mild and versatile fruit packs nutrients for a healthy body.

Like many fruits, jackfruit is a good source of fibre, offering between 10-20% of the daily recommended amount per day. A cup of sliced jackfruit contains about two and

I

f you’re like many people, your big toe may lean slightly toward your other toes. Over time, the base of the big toe pushes outward against the first metatarsal bone, which is directly behind it.

The result is a bunion -a bony, often painful hump at the base of the big toe.

Bunions form at a joint.

That’s where the toe bends normally when you walk.

But when you have a bunion, all of your body weight rests on it each time you take a step. It can hurt when you walk. And, because your shoe likely rubs against it, a bunion can also cause calluses to form.

Causes

Foot problems typically start in early adulthood.

As we age, our feet spread, and the problems tend to get worse.

Bunions can run in the

family. They may be just one of many problems caused by weak or poor foot structure.

Sometimes, they develop with arthritis. If one of your legs is longer than the other, you may develop a bunion on the big toe of the longer one.

Women are more likely to get them than men.

That’s because wearing tight shoes -- and especially high heels -- pushes the foot bones into an unnatural shape over time.

Smaller bunions (bunionettes) can develop on the joint of your little toe.

Symptoms

Take a look at your foot.

See where the bottom of your big toe connects to it? If you see a bony bump there with your big toe headed in the opposite direction, you probably have a bunion. It may sometimes swell, turn red, feel tender to the touch,

or even hurt. Over time, it may also become shiny and feel warm when you touch it.

When to Call a Doctor

If you have pain when you’re walking in flat shoes that should feel comfortable make an appointment with a podiatrist (a foot specialist). It could be a bunion or some other problem.

Treatments

First, your doctor will check on why you have bunions. The cause will affect what treatment you need.

Your doctor might recommend a prescription or over-the-counter pain reliever, and medicine to relieve swelling and pain.

You may also want to use a heating pad or warm foot bath to ease the immediate pain and discomfort.

Some people find that ice packs help.

If your bunion doesn’t

hurt all the time and you catch it early, you may just need to change to well-made shoes that fit you right.

Some doctors advise bunion pads, splints, or other shoe inserts, as long as they don’t put pressure elsewhere on your foot and worsen other problems.

In some cases, an orthotic specialist can prescribe shoes with specially designed insoles and uppers that take the pressure off affected joints and help the foot regain its proper shape.

Some bunions may need surgery, but only if the symptoms are severe. You shouldn’t get surgery just because you don’t like the way the bunion makes your foot look, because the risks can outweigh the benefits.

You’ll want to talk with your doctor about what you can expect, and what the recovery will be like. The sur-

your urine, says urologist Mehran Movassaghi, MD, of Movassaghi Urology in Santa Monica.

Water dilutes the urea, so if you're not drinking enough of it, your urine will contain a more concentrated dose of urea—making your urine both a deeper yellow and giving it a heavier ammonia-like smell, he says. If you rehydrate, your urine will usually get lighter and less stinky.

You ate something different

High protein diets can change the aroma of urine, as well as asparagus, Brussels sprouts and curry.

You drank extra coffee

W

hen you look into the bowl, you should see some pale yellow urine—that generally means that your urine is healthy and you're well hydrated. But how should it smell? Chances are you don't give your urine's odour a second thought. Unless, that is, you notice something suspect.

Most of the time, you won't notice anything at all—urine generally has only a slight ammonialike smell, if it has one at all. But

there are some instances that can cause your urine to stink. Find out what's behind your urine's stench, and if you should worry about it.

You’re dehydrated

Just as not taking in enough water can leave your urine extra yellow, it can also make it extra smelly, too.

When your body breaks down the protein you eat, a colourless compound called urea is formed, which is excreted through

Coffee beans contain a compound called caffeol, which is released during roasting—giving coffee that delicious, drinkme-now aroma. But it's insoluble in water, which means it remains intact as it runs through your system and out when you take a leak.

So if you drink enough coffee—especially if you've been skimping on water and you're a little dehydrated—the caffeol will be more concentrated, says urologist S. Adam Ramin, MD, of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los

a half grams of fibre.

Jackfruit is also a good source of both calcium and potassium. When compared to bananas, often considered potassium powerhouses, sliced jackfruit has 739 mg of potassium in a one-cup serving while the same serving of sliced bananas trails behind at 537 mg.

Both jackfruit pulp and jackfruit seeds are good sources of protein. Each cup of sliced jackfruit offers approximately 2.8 grams of protein, similar to a cup of sliced

avocados. Although jackfruit is often swapped for pork in plant-based and vegan dishes, keep in mind that the protein count in jackfruit is not as high as in meat, which averages closer to seven grams of protein per serving.

Sliced jackfruit is a good source of vitamin B1 (thiamine) and is high in vitamin C. Thiamine promotes a balanced metabolism and healthy nerve function while vitamin C protects against free radical damage and supports the immune system.

gery is called bunionectomy.

You may get local anesthesia, which numbs the area, and sedation. Or you might

get general anesthesia so you’re not awake for the procedure.

Angeles. And that can give your urine a slight coffee-like smell.

The smell is worse if you're dehydrated, since you'll also be dealing with that concentrated urea, which can amplify the aroma.

ics can also cause your urine to smell, because those that contain penicillin are derived from mold.

That can give your urine a yeasty or fungus-like funk, but it should dissipate once you run through your antibiotic course.

When an infection occurs anywhere in your urinary tract, bacteria can change the colour and smell of your urine, says Movassaghi.

Usually, you'll notice a very strong ammonia odour, or it can be slightly sweet. In the case of UTIs, the urine is often cloudy or bloody, as well. Since the infections are usually caused by bacteria, an antibiotic from your doctor can wipe them out—and the resulting odour, although you may have a different smell in the meantime from the medication.

There are some sexually transmitted infections that are known to cause malodorous urine, Movassaghi says. These include trichomoniasis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The change occurs because the organisms responsible for the diseases trigger more production of ammonia, which the body tries to clear through the urinary system.

Stinky urine might be the best head’s up you get for trichomoniasis, he says, since that STI usually has no other symptoms.

You have a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

You started a new supplement

Some vitamins, medications, and supplements have ingredients that can change the smell of your urine, and sometimes the appearance, as well. Anyone who's taken a multivitamin—especially one that contains vitamin B—and urined neon yellow after can attest to that.

Medications like antibiot-

You have a sexually transmitted infection

When to see a doctor

On its own, mildly smelly urine isn't usually worth a urologist visit unless it seems to be persisting, says Ramin.

If it comes with other symptoms like cloudy or bloody urine, pain or burning when you urine, or fever or chills, you should make an appointment. These can signal doctor-worthy issues, like an infection or even urinary stones.

10 Sunday Times Magazine Fashion

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onia Noel Designs offers chic collections for any occasion, like her signature lattice designs featured today.

Locally, regionally and internationally, Noel is famous for her sophisticated, versatile designs that can be worn from the beach to the ballroom.

Recently, the designer celebrated 20 years in the fashion industry.

Visit Makin' Style Boutique by Sonia Noel at the Courtyard Mall, Robb Street, Georgetown, or check out Sonia Noel Designs on Facebook.

JULY 2, 2017

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Sunday Times Magazine 11

Times Home & Cooking

Recipe of the Week

Ripe Plantain and Cheese Empanadas Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 cup mozzarella cheese (or cheese of your preference), grated 2-3 cups vegetable oil to fry 1 tablespoon of sugar

4 sweet plantains 8 cups of water Salt to taste 1 egg

W

hen you walk into local furniture stores you may see ‘blankets’ fashionably placed on sofas. These ‘blankets’ are actually called ‘throws’. Adding a throw to a living room can give it a completely different look and style. Below are some ideas to add style to your living room using throws.

A neutral-coloured throw ties all the colours in a room together.

Method

Wash and cut the plantains in half. Boil them with the skin at medium heat in a large pot with 8 cups of water and salt to taste, until plantains are completely cooked and soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Urinel and mash cooked plantains with fork until you get a purée. Let cool.

Stir in egg, flour, vanilla and mix well. Put

it in the refrigerator for half an hour. Form 12 balls with the dough, press down, and make them round with the palm of your hand.

Add the cheese to the centre, fold it in half and press a bit around, so the cheese is sealed and it does not melt out.

Fry them on both sides until they are brown, without letting them burn. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sugar on top.

Greatest Cooking Tips

Matching a throw with pillows gives the living room a touch of elegance.

Non-stick cookware can be used to reduce the need for cooking oil.

When browning vegetables, put them in a hot pan then spray with oil, rather than adding the oil first to the pan. This reduces the amount of oil that vegetables absorb during cooking.

Herbs are delicately flavoured, so add them to your cooking in the last few minutes.

Herbs such as ginger and garlic are especially complimentary in vegetable-based stir-fry recipes.

Home Help Ran out of toilet cleaner? Pour a can or bottle of coke into your toilet. Be sure to pour it around the rim so that it covers the whole interior of the bowl. Let the coke sit for 1 hour. For stubborn stains use a toilet scrub brush after the hour is up. Flush the toilet and enjoy the sparkling clean.

Sprinkle corn starch onto carpet. Allow it to sit for 1020 minutes before vacuuming. This can work as an allover treatment or be used to treat specific spots on your carpet. Corn starch is especially good at drawing out oily spots on your carpet.

Apply rubbing alcohol to your ink-stained clothing and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Rinse through the stained area and wash normally.

Using a faux fur throw adds texture and warmth to the living room.

12 Sunday Times Magazine

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Fun Facts/Puzzles

Spot the Difference Hammerhead Shark

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ammerhead sharks, scientific name Sphyrna, are excellent predators that use their oddly shaped heads to improve their ability to find prey. Their wideset eyes give them a better visual range than most other sharks. And by spreading their highly specialised sensory organs over their wide, mallet-shaped head, they can more thoroughly scan the ocean for food.

One group of sensory organs is the ‘ampullae of Lorenzini’, which allows sharks to detect, among other things, the electrical fields created by prey animals. The hammerhead's increased ampullae sensitivity allows it to find its favourite meal, stingrays, which usually bury themselves under the sand.

The great hammerhead is the largest of the nine identified species of this shark. It can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds, although smaller sizes are more common.

Find 10 differences between the two pictures

Found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, far offshore and near shorelines, hammerheads are often seen in mass ‘summer’ migrations seeking cooler water.

They are grey-brown to olive-green on top with off-white undersides, and they have heavily serrated, triangular teeth. Their extratall, pointed dorsal fins are easily identifiable.

Hammerheads use their wide heads to attack stingrays, pinning the winged fish against the sea floor.

Most hammerhead species are fairly small and are considered harmless to humans.

However, the great hammerhead's enormous size and fierceness make it potentially dangerous, though few attacks have been recorded.

Its group name is school or shoal.

Hammerheads can live up to 20 to 30 years in the wild.

Fun Facts

1. Up to 700 black widow spiders can hatch from one grape-size egg.

2. To keep from drifting apart, sleeping otters may link paws.

3. Sloths are clumsy on land, but are very good swimmers.

4. A group of butterflies is sometimes called a flutter.

5. The blue whale is the largest mammal in the world.

6. Bubble wrap was originally invented as wallpaper.

7. Young gorillas play tag like human kids do.

8. After a chase, a cheetah needs half an hour to catch its breath before it can eat.

9. Alligator teeth are hollow.

10. Cryptozoologists study legendary creatures such as Big Foot.

Colour by Number

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- ENAMORS

(ENAMORS: eh-NAM-ers: Inspires with love; captivates.)

Average mark 37 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 56 or more words in ENAMORS? earn name namer nares near noes norm nose aeon amen

arms arose arson mane mano manor manse mare maser mason

mean mesa meson moan mora more mores morn oarsmen omen

ramen ransom rase ream reason roam roan roman rose same

sane saner seam sear senor senora sermon smear snare snore

soar some sonar sone sora sore

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

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Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

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pple's iPhone turned 10 on June 29, evoking memories of a rocky start for the device that ended up doing most to start the smartphone revolution and stirring interest in where it will go from here.

Apple has sold more than 1 billion iPhones since June 29, 2007, but the first iPhone, which launched without an App Store and was restricted to the AT&T Inc network (T.N) in the US, was limited compared to today's version.

After sluggish initial sales, Apple slashed the price to spur holiday sales that year.

"The business model for year one of the iPhone was a disaster," Tony Fadell, one of the Apple developers of

he called the CEO and founder here," said David Bairstow at Skyhook, the company that supplied location technology to early iPhones. "He thought he was being pranked by someone in the office and it took

the device, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

"We pivoted and figured it out in year two."

The very concept of the iPhone came as a surprise to some of Apple's suppliers

him two days to call Steve Jobs back."

The iPhone hit its stride in 2008 when Apple introduced the App Store, which allowed developers to make and distribute their mobile

applications with Apple taking a cut of any revenue.

Ten years later, services revenue is a crucial area of growth for Apple, bringing in US$24.3 billion in revenue last year. (Reuters)

a decade ago, even though Apple, led by CEO Steve Jobs, had already expanded beyond computers with the iPod. "We still have the voicemail from Steve Jobs when

Amazon Prime Day returns July 11

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mazon said that its third annual Prime Day will be July 11. The sales day will include hundreds of thousands of deals worldwide and run for 30 hours, starting on July 10. As usual, these deals will be available only to Amazon Prime members, who pay US$99 a year in the US, for unlimited two-day shipping and other perks.

Amazon has found huge success creating the sales holiday in 2015 to mark its 20th anniversary. The company even broke its single-day sales record during Prime Day last year. But, as Amazon's dominance continues to grow, Prime Day serves as another example of the online seller gobbling up more market share as traditional retailers file for bankruptcy or close stores. The company last year accounted for 43 percent of all online sales in the US, according to researcher Slice Intelligence.

Perhaps aware of its increased influence, Amazon mentioned in its announcement that 40 percent of its "Lightning Deals" promotions on Prime Day will come from small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Since its first year, Prime Day has also gotten knocked for offering undesirable

Instagram to remove negative comments to combat online bullying

I deals along with low inventories of the most popular items. Responding to that criticism, the company increased its stocks of big-name items last year and decided to embrace the sometimes oddball or unexpected nature of the deals offered. These changed seemed to work, with Adobe Digital Insights reporting that customer sentiments on social media was more positive last year than during the first Prime Day. The company is also doing more this year to better organize deals and make it easier for customers to track and shop for sales.

Amazon will be continuing its "countdown deals" in the run-up to Prime Day. Those include discounts on memberships for Amazon Music Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited and Audible. (CNET)

nstagram has launched a new system that aims to prevent offensive comments being posted on photos shared on the platform.

The social network says it is a step towards keeping Instagram a "safe place for self-expression".

They hope the filter will help stop bullying and abuse taking place on the platform.

In May 2017 it was rated the worst social media platform for young people's mental health.

Instagram is now making visible efforts to change that perception.

"We know that toxic comments create negativity and discourage people from sharing. But it's also a hard problem to solve," the company says in an official statement.

Of the millions of comments left every day, the statement adds "only a small fraction of these are inappropriate."

The company is now employing people to teach computer systems to identify abusive comments, which will then monitor comments in various languages.

"The training process has taken several months, and has involved the review of more

than 2 million comments," says Michelle Napchan, Instagram's head of public policy.

"We know that this isn't easy. It's not just the words themselves — context is incredibly important to determining what's an offensive comment."

She says the computers will be looking at not only the words used in comments but sequence and combinations as well as the relationship between the person posting the comment and the one who shared the photo.

Instagram previously used a similar system to help remove spam comments from photos and says most people will not notice anything different in their Instagram feed.

(BBC)

Phone screens make eyeballs grow, experts say

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martphones are damaging people’s vision by causing eyeballs to continue growing for longer than they should, an ophthalmologist has claimed.

There are more people becoming short-sighted now than there were a decade ago, according to Andrew Bastawrous, who believes the amount of time we’re spending in front of screens is at least partly to blame.

Severe myopia can lead to sight-threatening conditions, including glaucoma and retinal detachment.

“The growth of the eye tends to slow down in your late teens and stop. But what's happening in these population is that it isn't stopping. It seems to continue, and it's being seen all over the world

but much more so in Asia,” Mr Bastawrous told Wired.

Myopia is caused by the elongation of the eye, which causes light from distant objects to fall just short of the retina, making the im-

age appear blurred.

“The initial theory for this is that people are doing more nearplane reading activity with smartphones which is encouraging the eye to become myopic to meet that

environmental need. There’s also evidence that suggests this is happening too quickly for it to be purely an environmental or genetic response.”

He added that this could also be

the case because people are spending less time outdoors, and getting less exposure to ultraviolet light.

“Many people no longer spend time looking at the stars and the mountains, they're looking at screens more often instead,” he said.

His views echo the findings of a King’s College London study from 2015, exploring the possible link between increased computer and smartphone use and rising rates of myopia.

The emergence of higher myopia rates in younger generations was “not related to the natural course of ageing”, it claimed.

However, it also added that the rise in myopia rates “might predate the computer” and phones.

(Independent)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

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Bollywood/Hollywood

Preity Zinta launches emergency response service for women A

ctress Preity Zinta, who is also a women’s right activist, is launching a new service for women’s safety. Launched in association with Anthony Moorhouse, exSpecial Forces Australia, her service called the Kavach Safety is a “pro victim – anti perpetrator” emergency response service that assures safety at the press of a button.

A source from the team says, “Backed by a national Emergency Operations Centre, members will have access to a special Kavach team, a network of security, legal and high end forensic support medical, all of whom are former army and special force professionals, to support victims.”

Talking about her project, Preity says, “I started Kavach to ensure that no woman should fear for her personal safety in her daily life. It has taken me five long years to get here because I feel like we have a duty to the women of India to reduce the risk of violence, to support those that have been affected, and to educate the country that safety is a right, not a privilege.” (Mumbai)

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to play a glamorous singer

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nil Kapoor’s “Fanney Khan” is set to feature Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as a glamourous singer, producer Prernaa Arora has confirmed.

Fanney Khan will mark the directorial debut of Atul Manjrekar, and is the Hindi adaptation of the 2000 Dutch release, “Everybody’s Famous!”

Aishwarya will soon start her preparations for the role.

“Aishwarya is a stunning and an extremely talented actress. In ‘Fanney Khan’, she will be seen in a completely different avatar from all our past films. She is the spunky, enchanting female protagonist who will make you smile with her screen presence,” Prerna said in a press statement.

Talking about rumours that Aishwarya makes her singing debut with “Fanney Khan”, Prernaa Arora said, “For now she is not singing, but yes she is playing a singer in the film, but in reality we still have to wait for that big moment when she decides to sing.”

Fanney Khan’s lead actor Anil Kapoor may be lending his voice for a number of

I

ndian actors Priyanka Chopra, Irrfan Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, among other new members, have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture 2017.

Director Mrinal Sen, writer Goutam Ghose, documentary maker Anand Patwardhan, costume designer Arjun Bhasin, and sound expert

J

ay-Z has dropped his highly anticipated new album, 4:44, on TIDAL and fans are freaking out.

Not only because it's genius, but because it directly addresses the cheating rumours made on Beyonce's Lemonade album.

The hip hop legend faced a huge backlash last year after his wife's award-winning album addressed long-

standing rumours about his infidelity. Now, Jay has finally responded to the scandal, holding his hands up to his wife's claims. He even mentions that infamous lift incident with his sister-inlaw, Solange and references 'Becky'.

In the first track of the album 'Kill Jay Z', the 47-year-old father-of-three raps:"You egged Solange on,

knowing all along all you had to say you was wrong / You almost went Eric Benet, let the baddest girl in the world get away" - a reference to the American actor who was unfaithful to Halle Berry.

Moving on, in the song '4:44', Jay admits to feeling ashamed and apologises for his "womanising" ways with the lyrics: “I apologize, often womanize/Took for my child to be born to see through a woman’s eyes.”

He then goes onto explain the affect his infidelities would have on his children, saying: “And if my children knew, I don’t even know what I would do/If they ain’t look at me the same, I would probably die with all the shame... What good is a menage a trois when you have a soulmate / You risked that for Blue?” (Glamour)

Selena Gomez tops Instagram ‘rich list’

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songs for the film. Anil will kick off shooting in the first week of August. Aishwarya joins him by the month end and the film will wrap up in a start-to-finish schedule by October.

Anil and Aishwarya were earlier seen together in Subhash Ghai’s “Taal” (1999) and Satish Kaushik’s “Humara Dil Aapke Paas Hai” (2000). (Hindustan Times)

Amrit Pritam Dutta are other Indians invited by the respective branches of the Academy.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is a voting body of The Oscars, has issued 774 invitations to new members from across 57 countries, in order to diversify its membership, surpassing the 683 invitations issued in 2016. From 2015, there has been an in-

crease in women and People of Color (POC), invited to join the Academy. Since 2015, the Academy’s overall female membership has grown from 25% to 28% and its non-white membership from 8% to 13%.

Talking about the invitation, Irrfan Khan says, “It’s an honour for any actor to receive such an invite from the Academy, which is the highest organisation in the movie business. It’s great to see one sharing their name on a list, which has such diverse talent from across the globe— some of the best actors, directors and technicians in world cinema. However, it would have been nice to see some deserving directors from India in the list, too, who are in this business for telling stories.”

(Mumbai)

elena Gomez has been named the highest celebrity earner on the Instagram rich list, earning an estimated £425,000 per post.

She is also the most followed person on the photo-sharing app, with 122 million followers.

Kim Kardashian West and Cristiano Ronaldo make up the top three, earning £385,000 and £310,000 each.

Beauty guru Huda Kattan tops the social media influencer list, earning £13,850 per sponsored post.

Fourth place on the celebrity list goes to Kylie Jenner, with fifth, sixth and seventh being filled by Kendall Jenner and Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian.

Models Cara Delevingne and Gigi Hadid are in eighth and ninth place, earning £120,000 and £93,000 for each post they share.

Rounding the list up, in 10th place is basketball legend LeBron James, who takes

home £93,000.

The list was compiled by Hopper HQ, an Instagram scheduling site, using its internal data and public information. (BBC)

K

endall and Kylie Jenner have apologised following criticism of their new range of T-shirts.

The tops featured their faces and logo superimposed over images of musicians such as Tupac, Notorious BIG and Kiss.

The reality TV stars have now withdrawn the US$125 (£95) tops from sale.

"These designs were not well thought out and we deeply apologise to anyone that has been upset and/or offended, especially to the families of the artists," Kylie wrote on Twitter.

"We are huge fans of their music and it was not our intention to disrespect these cultural icons in any way.

"The T-shirts have been pulled from retail and all im-

ages have been removed.

"We will use this as an opportunity to learn from these mistakes and again, we are very sorry."

Before the apology was issued, Voletta Williams, mother of Notorious BIG, distanced herself from the clothes.

"I am not sure who told Kylie and Kendall Jenner that

they had the right to do this," Wallace said on Instagram.

"The disrespect of these girls to not even reach out to me or anyone connected to the estate baffles me.

"I have no idea why they feel they can exploit the deaths of Tupac and my son Christopher to sell a T-shirt."

(BBC)

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Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

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Fun Times

Archie

Lie low, keep the peace and focus on what you can (March 21do, not on what you can’t.

April 19) Only make changes that promote emotional stability and greater security. Learn from experience.

ARIES

Uncontrollable situations TAURUS are best dealt with from a (April 20- distance. Observing things May 20) and looking out for your own interests will help prevent you from getting sucked into the eye of the storm.

Reconnecting with someGEMINI one from your past will tempt (MAY 28- you, but before you decide to June 20) move forward, think about why you didn’t stay in touch or how compromising the relationship was.

Uncertainty due to someone’s unpredictable nature (June 21will be a warning sign. Opt to July 22) do your own thing and to stay focused on physical and intellectual improvements.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Peanuts

Take care of any responsibilities you have regarding your family, friends, children or community. You’ll be frowned upon if you neglect to do what’s expected of you.

Protect your reputation.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Try not to overreact to what others do or say.

Distance yourself instead, and guard against being lumped in with anyone who is unpredictable or difficult to handle.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Assess your situation quickly and guard against anyone trying to masterfully push you in one direction or another. Remaining calm and being rational will help you avoid a loss.

SCORPIO Spend time with someone (Oct. 24- you love. Togetherness will Nov. 22) encourage you to make solid plans. Taking a day trip or fixing up or altering the way you live is favored.

Accept that which you SAGITTARIUS have no control over and (Nov. 23change what you can to boost Dec. 21) your emotional well-being and financial future. Aim to stabilize your life, position and future.

Calvin and Hobbes

Weigh the pros and cons CAPRICORN of any position that will af(Dec. 22- fect your home, an imporJan. 19) tant relationship or a chance to explore your dreams.

Romance will improve your personal life.

An emotional incident AQUARIUS regarding money or health (Jan. 20- matters will surface quickly.

Feb. 19) Don’t overreact or make an impulsive move. Search for answers and make a decision based on wisdom and facts.

Make up your own mind.

PISCES (Feb. 20- Refuse to let someone use Mar. 20) emotional tactics to get you to give in. Speak up and make it clear what you will and will not do.