Online games no longer pipe dream



Gamers across the Gulf are logging on to a range of home-grown websites offering digital versions of Arab pastimes old and new. Middle East life has moved online at great pace in the past decade, with a surge in websites catering to Arabic political discussion, religious debate and social networking. But a number of regional internet start-ups say the gaming business will be the next to mushroom in a trend that could threaten the market share of more established global rivals.

From traditional card games played over shisha and strong coffee, to virtual high-speed driving through the highways of Dubai, regional online game developers say business is booming. Jawaker, a Jordanian company that offers an online version of tarneeb, a bridge-like card game that is a fixture in cafes from Rabat to Ras al Khaimah, now has 350,000 registered users, 40,000 of whom visit the site every day. More than 25,000 new users register every month, with the company hiring three Web developers to keep pace with booming demand.

"The growth we are experiencing is really amazing, beyond our expectations," said Mohamed Haj Hasan, the co-founder of Jawaker. "Right now we are just pouring all our efforts into the technology and the back-end to handle the demand, so we really haven't had the time to develop the commercial product." Mr Hasan said the company planned to build an in-game advertising platform that placed advertisements on the back of cards, or on the virtual playing table. He also hopes a percentage of the users will pay for premium services to be added to the game, and to earn revenues from sponsored tournaments.

Quirkat, another Jordanian start-up, recently launched an Arabic interpretation of the international hit game Guitar Hero. Al-Moosiqar ("The Musician") challenges online players to perform renditions of classical Arabic music on a virtual oud, the predecessor to the modern guitar. Since its launch last September, the game has been played more than 10,000 times. Mahmoud Ali Khasawneh, the founder of Quirkat, said that while the total audience size for the game was relatively small, interest had grown rapidly.

"This is probably one of the least served markets in the online world and very few people are making a serious effort to develop original Arabic games that are truly from the region," he said. "Right now almost everything is imported, so we are making a stand for locally developed intellectual property." Tahadi, a game developer based in Dubai, is also seeing its user base boom. In the three months since the company launched an Arabic-language version of Ragnarok, a multiplayer online role-playing game originally developed in South Korea, it said more than 80,000 gamers had signed up. By the end of March, the company will release a localised version of the driving game Krazy Kart, set on the streets of Dubai.

Like other regional game developers, Tahadi hopes to earn a significant income stream from selling services to game players and displaying advertisements within the game. In the coming month, it will announce an in-game partnership with a major global brand, and more deals are in the pipeline. "We see huge opportunities everywhere we look," said Steve Tsao, the Tahadi chief executive. @Email:tgara@thenational.ae

Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
ABU DHABI T10: DAY TWO

Bangla Tigers v Deccan Gladiators (3.30pm)

Delhi Bulls v Karnataka Tuskers (5.45pm)

Northern Warriors v Qalandars (8.00pm)

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Results

4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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if you go
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