Author: dailyguardian.ae

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. As a long day of meetings at last week’s Game Developers Conference came to an end, I walked into a conference room to play one last game. I didn’t know much about it beyond its title, Empire of the Ants, and the fact that it featured “photorealistic ants.” It was the exact kind of curiosity-inducing sales pitch that I seek out at video game events like this, though I wasn’t expecting much more than an oddball curiosity. When I finally sat down at a PC and saw hundreds of intricately detailed ants milling…

Our car screeched to a halt when the traffic light suddenly turned red at Republic Square or Hraparak (as the locals call it) in the Armenian capital Yerevan. A woman in high heels and a striking outfit crossed the road slowly. Our driver Ashot, with a naughty look tells us that’s not Kim Kardashian. “Kim is Armenian, she is beautiful but no living here,” he mutters in broken English. Any other famous Armenians, I ask. “Yes, yes, you know Cher? Gary Kasparov? Andre Agassi? They no living here,” he enlightens us. Our guide Elize interjects to add that out of…

On the London Underground, hot dogs are no joking matter. Comedian Ed Gamble has been ordered to change a subway station poster campaign for his new standup show because the image of a hot dog violated the transit network’s ban on junk food advertising. The poster for the show, “Hot Diggity Dog,” showed a mustard- and ketchup-smeared Gamble beside a half-eaten hot dog on a plate. A bemused Gamble replaced the wiener with a cucumber, and the poster was approved. Gamble, who is diabetic and co-hosts the “Off Menu” food podcast, said he could see the point of the ad…

From national talent development to a pressing climate action agenda, to economic challenges to complex geopolitics, to fast-evolving technologies, a deluge of macro trends has meant public sector entities and businesses in the UAE are putting more focus on a role that can minimise risk and drive value creation: the chief procurement officer (CPO). Once considered a back-office function, the modern CPO can make all the difference to whether a forward-thinking organisation sinks or swims in today’s turbulent marketplace. With further uncertainties on the horizon for government leaders to navigate, here are the five key priorities for CPOs to consider…

Dubai-based Farooq Syed, CEO, Springfield Properties reports to his company’s Chairman and owner every day at home and in office too. You might wonder “why though?” Because his parents are his bosses too. This week’s feature is one of the rare stories where the CEO gives all the credit for his family business to his mother and owner of Springfield Properties, Shaista Naz. Farooq’s parents, Masroor Syed, and his wife Shaista Naz landed in the UAE in 1991. Masroor Syed came to Dubai as an electronic engineer working for General Electric and ventured into business in 1995, thanks to his…

LEGO® Middle East Unveils Ramadan Calendar Event at Nakheel Mall: A Celebration of Creativity and Family Togetherness Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 27th March, 2024: At the heart of Nakheel Mall on The Palm, a vibrant and imaginative world unfolds till the 4th of April, from 10 am to 10 pm, inviting families to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan in a truly innovative way. LEGO® Middle East is proud to introduce the LEGO Ramadan Calendar; a pop-up activation that offers an exciting journey through Ramadan. Each day reveals a new build on a giant calendar, igniting joy and anticipation during the…

Sega Europe is going through some major restructuring, and as a result, it is laying off about 240 developers and letting Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War and Company of Heroes developer Relic Entertainment spin off as an independent company. Although Sega’s Japanese developers are known for their platformers, action games, and RPGs, its European output is more strategy game-focused. A key component of that was Relic Entertainment, which has made games like Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, Age of Empires IV, and Company of Heroes 3 over the past decade. With the help of investment company Emona Capital, Relic…

More than 6,000 residents with diabetes and endocrine disorders in Al Dhafra will benefit from the first one-stop, tech-enabled healthcare facility in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, according to M42 healthcare group. The state-of-the-art facility by Abu Dhabi-headquartered M42’s Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) will come up in Madinat Zayed and aims to provide comprehensive care for diabetes and endocrine patients. Set to open in the latter half of this year, the facility will cut travel time for many by more than 75 per cent. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.…

The Palestinian Authority has announced the formation of a new Cabinet as it faces international pressure to reform. President Mahmoud Abbas, who has led the PA for nearly two decades and remains in overall control, announced the new government in a presidential decree on Thursday. None of the incoming ministers is a well-known figure. Abbas tapped Mohammad Mustafa, a longtime adviser, to be prime minister earlier this month. Mustafa, a politically independent US-educated economist, had vowed to form a technocratic government and create an independent trust fund to help rebuild Gaza. A number of the incoming ministers are from Gaza,…

Elon Musk, the owner of X, (formerly Twitter), took to the platform and declared that accounts with over 2,500 verified subscribers would receive premium features for free, while those with over 5,000 followers would be entitled to premium+ features at no cost, on Thursday. The announcement, made via Musk’s official X account, signifies a shift in the platform’s strategy towards rewarding high-engagement users and fostering a more vibrant creator ecosystem. Elon Musk posted on X, “Going forward, all X accounts with over 2500 verified subscriber followers will get premium features for free and accounts with over 5000 will get premium+…