The Evolution Championship Series, commonly known as Evo, is kicking off its 2023 event in Las Vegas on Friday.
The fighting video game tournament is the largest of its kind in the world and attracts global participation, including esports athletes from the Middle East.
More than 9,000 players are taking part in the competition, with the vast majority from the US and Canada. This year, 71 countries are part of the event, up from 60 nations represented in 2022.
Players will compete across eight fighting games, the most popular of which are Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 11.
The tournament attracts a large number of spectators, who show their support in person and online.
Abu Dhabi team Nasr Esports is represented at the tournament by three participants; Jordanian Amjad "Angrybird" Al-Shalabi, Algerian Adel "Big Bird" Anouche and Abdullatif Hisham from Saudi Arabia.
The National spoke to Al-Shalabi ahead of the start of the tournament.
“I’m so excited to compete in Evo because it’s the first year of Street Fighter 6 and it’s the most prestigious event of fighting games,” he says.
“I have followed Evo since I was a kid, since 2012, and it has always been a dream of mine to compete in it,” Al-Shalabi adds. He is competing in the tournament for the fourth time, and he has his eyes set on the big prize.
Al-Shalabi and his teammate Anouche competed in the Red Bull Kumite competition in July in South Africa, where the latter claimed first place in the Street Fighter 6 competition.
The popularity of esports has grown in the Middle East, with an increasing number of gamers taking the leap to become full-time competitors.
Al-Shalabi says: “The competitive fighting scene in UAE wasn't that big, but after Street Fighter 6 released, we saw a huge increase in the numbers.
“We started doing community gatherings and tournaments to increase those numbers,” he adds.
Evo will run until Sunday, with most of the champions being crowned on the final day.
Games will be streamed live on the tournament’s YouTube channel, evo2kvids, with the full schedule available on www.evo.gg
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Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
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Company profile
Company: Eighty6
Date started: October 2021
Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Hospitality
Size: 25 employees
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investment: $1 million
Investors: Seed funding, angel investors
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
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Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
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The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
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- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
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Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
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5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Al Montaqem, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m | Winner: Daber W’Rsan, Connor Beasley, Jaci Wickham
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m | Winner: Bainoona, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
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