For many, Zoom video calls have been a lifeline to the outside world. Whether it's work or play, it's been a primary method to staying in touch with those you need to.
Six weeks in, living and chatting through a video may, for some, have grown a little tiresome.
So, why not mix the video calls up with a few Zoom-friendly games, which will mean the conversation will be less "How's your day been?", "Oh, I haven't done much really ... just worked, napped, worked and read" ... and more "Fancy a game of Charades?", "You're clearly Harry Potter."
Of course, there are also plenty of interactive games to play via programmes, but here we round up the best games to play over video calls:
Quizzes
Everyone and their pet dog has either hosted or been invited to join a quiz via Zoom. A very low-maintenance game, simply get your friends and family to join a meeting at a set time – this works with as many or as few people as you want – and get quizzing.
Either have one quiz master, or share the rounds around, and work on a trust basis when it comes to marking the answers. Thanks to Zoom's share screen function, picture and music rounds are also totally doable with a bit of organisation.
Just make sure you get everyone to mute themselves, or it will be a very easy round with one chatty brain box on the call.
Charades
Another easy game to play by video call is Charades. Simply silently act our your film, TV show, book or play of choice to your friends, for them to guess. If you're extra strict, you can even mute them so there's no chance of cheating.
If you want to keep it totally fair, you could even use a Charade Ideas Generator to provide the titles.
Pictionary
Pictionary is another easy win, and fun for players of all ages. Using Zoom's whiteboard function, which you can access when you click share screen, you can draw out objects, movies, TV shows and books out to your heart's content. Just make sure you give your fellow players a time limit, or you could be there all day watching them create digital art before your eyes. Ideas generators, such as the Game Gal's, also work well here.
Catchphrase
This works best of you have some words or phrases pre-prepared, so print them off or write them out. Then work your way through the words, getting your fellow players to guess them, without saying the actual word.
For example if the phrase was 'fried egg', you'd be able to say 'Chickens lay this, and then you cook it in a pan with oil'.
Most Likely To
If you're a group of people who know each other well, you can work through a game of Most Likely To. Simply read out categories and have everyone vote for the person they think would do each thing.
Most likely to leave the milk on the counter? Most likely to win a spelling competition? Most likely to fall into a swimming pool? Most likely to get a parking fine? You get the drill...
Card games
Providing you all have the boxes, group card games like Cards Against Humanity and What Do You Meme? are not off the table.
Get everyone to deal themselves the pre-decided number of cards, and work your way through the pack as usual, and show your chosen cards by the camera link.
It removes a little of the anonymity and there is a small chance you'll double up, but working your way through a pack of the laugh-out-loud (but not family friendly) game is still totally possible.
Head's Up
If you all have the app, there is no reason why you can't work through Head's Up's many rounds. Keep describing the words on the player's screen, without saying them of course. This works best if you pin the main player each round, so that they don't disappear in gallery view, leaving you unable to see the words on their screen.
Bingo
If you have a printer, you're off to a flying start when it comes to a few rounds of Bingo. Website myfreebingocards.com will guide you through the making and organising of the game, depending on how many rounds you want and people you'll have playing. You can even upgrade to a paid version that provides a set of Bingo cards from $10 (Dh37) on the site.
With the paid version, the website then gives you an auto generated call list, which the organiser can read out by Zoom, and when someone calls, 'Bingo!' you can type in their sheet number to see if they do, in fact, have the full house.
Classic Bingo calls, including "22, two little ducks," "11, legs 11" and "17, dancing queen" are to be added by you.
Just watch a film or series together
At the end of the day, many of us have more time than ever on our hands to binge a series, but that doesn't have to be a solitary experience. Get Zoom going and tee up your show, then with a simple "3, 2, 1 ... Go!" countdown hit play, that way you're watching in time with your friend, and you can chat about the on-screen happenings to your heart's content.
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Celtic Prince, David Liska (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Grand Argentier, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: Arch Gold, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Ibn Malik, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
10pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Four%20scenarios%20for%20Ukraine%20war
%3Cp%3E1.%20Protracted%20but%20less%20intense%20war%20(60%25%20likelihood)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E2.%20Negotiated%20end%20to%20the%20conflict%20(30%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E3.%20Russia%20seizes%20more%20territory%20(20%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.%20Ukraine%20pushes%20Russia%20back%20(10%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EForecast%20by%20Economist%20Intelligence%20Unit%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
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No_One Ever Really Dies
N*E*R*D
(I Am Other/Columbia)
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
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The biog
Family: wife, four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren
Reads: Newspapers, historical, religious books and biographies
Education: High school in Thatta, a city now in Pakistan
Regrets: Not completing college in Karachi when universities were shut down following protests by freedom fighters for the British to quit India
Happiness: Work on creative ideas, you will also need ideals to make people happy