Roughly this time a week ago, a conference centre in Los Angeles was witness to a corporate bloodbath the scale of which is unlikely to have been seen before, as thousands of men in suits battled zombies, terrorists, multi-limbed aliens and, at times, each other.
The annual E3 conference is the trade show everyone wants to attend, where dreary PowerPoint presentations are replaced by showcases of video games and video games machines of the future. Consider it the Cannes of the console world (without so much glamour), providing a glimpse into what's going to have gamers glued to their screens while frantically bashing on a controller. This year was no different, with some major announcements that are likely to top future Christmas lists.
One of the biggest stories was the reboot of every teenager's favourite archaeologist, Lara Croft, in a new Tomb Raider (March 2013, PS3, Xbox360, PC) that takes her back to her adventure-seeking roots as a graduate lost on a tropical island, firing a bow and sneaking past mercenaries. With dazzlingly lush graphics and fluid controls, the game could well facilitate Ms Croft's return to bedroom walls and cinemas, although Angelina Jolie might be too busy solving the world's woes to play the role.
Another big-budget game that looked impressive was The Last of Us (release date TBA, PS3), a third-person survival adventure set in a gorgeous looking post-pandemic world. Players control the weary, Indiana Jones-a-like Joel, the de facto guardian of the 14-year-old Ellie. In the same moul d as Uncharted (it's from the same developers), it feels more emotional and tense. In fact, it feels a lot like a film.
The announcement that Assassin's Creed 3 (October 2012, PS3, Xbox360, Wii U, PC) was going to take its greedy Templars to the American Revolutionary War was made several months ago, but E3 offered a glimpse of what to expect - and it's good. Demos revealed that as the Native American Connor Kenway, you do a lot of tree climbing, the odd spot of redcoat assassination and even some ship steering as you battle men-of-war.
It's almost impossible to mention this year's E3 without discussing Star Wars 1313 (no platform or release date yet). While it might be in preproduction deep within LucasArts, the jaw-dropping previews were more than enough to get people hot under the collar. Star Wars 1313players will be bounty hunters in an Uncharted-themed game that boasts expert involvement from Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm Animation. Expect shock waves when it lands.
Finally, those endlessly chirpy chaps at Nintendo brought some cheer to a whole lot of death-and-destruction themed mayhem with the launch of the new Wii U (December 2012) console. Going one step further than the original motion-sensor machine, the U invites global interactivity because the GamePad (which features a touch screen, monitor and webcam) allows you to speak to fellow gamers or even work together on the same game from afar, then head to the MiiVerse to ask for hints from others who might have played it. Now you just have to learn "how do you save the princess?" in several languages.
aritman@thenational.ae
Copa del Rey final
Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
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.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Team Angel Wolf Beach Blast takes place every Wednesday between 4:30pm and 5:30pm
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
The%20specs
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Dubai Creek Open in numbers
- The Dubai Creek Open is the 10th tournament on this year's Mena Tour
- It is the first of five events before the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship
- This week's field comprises 120 players, 21 of which are amateurs
- 15 previous Mena Tour winners are competing at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Results
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