Latest news with #Creative
Observer
a day ago
- Business
- Observer
Establishment of UTAS branch in Musandam contributes to balanced development
KHASAB: The establishment of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) in Musandam Governorate is a strategic project with economic, scientific, tourism and social dimensions. It forms part of the comprehensive development and urban strategy to advance the governorate, aligning with the Oman Vision 2040. The project is expected to contribute to balanced development across Oman's governorates, attract investment in projects and services, and enhance the governorate's economic system, including marine eco-tourism, the fisheries sector, logistics transport services and renewable energy investments. Dr Said bin Hamad al Rubaie, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, emphasised that the Musandam branch will strengthen human development factors, increase job opportunities for the local community and supply the labour market with graduates who meet the requirements of the comprehensive development plan. This will be achieved through high-quality educational and training programmes that reinforce national identity and social values while equipping graduates with modern knowledge and skills for life and work. In a statement, he said that the establishment of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences branch in Musandam Governorate marks the first higher education institution in the governorate, aimed at developing Omani human resources and serving as a key driver of social and economic progress. The current admission plan anticipates around 750 students across various specialisations upon the graduation of the first cohort with bachelor's degrees. The number of enrolled and admitted students is expected to grow annually after the completion of the branch's permanent building. He noted that in the 2024/2025 academic year, the university's total student number reached 46,875, including 22,503 male students (48%) and 24,372 female students (52%), in addition to 147 postgraduate students. During the same academic year, the Musandam branch enrolled 328 students. The university offers diverse specialisations across its six colleges: Creative Industries, Education, Applied Sciences and Pharmacy, Economics and Administrative Sciences, Computing and Information Sciences, and Engineering and Technology. These programmes are available at diploma, advanced diploma and bachelor's levels. At the Musandam branch during the 2024/2025 academic year, several unique and in-demand programmes were introduced, aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including cloud computing, financial technology, digital business and analytics, and education. The university also plans to introduce scientific specialisations in the second phase, covering marine navigation, marine systems design and marine product processing technology. These programmes are expected to attract students from across Oman and beyond. He explained that, till the completion of the permanent branch building, a temporary facility has been leased to accommodate students and staff. The interim building includes classrooms, academic and administrative offices, computer and science labs, a library, meeting halls and other service facilities. As for the final designs for the main branch buildings in Khasab, he affirmed that pre-qualification for the project has been completed, and bids from companies are currently being analysed by the university's consultancy office and specialists. Dr Said added that future plans for the Musandam branch include establishing a marine sciences department in a prime location in Bukha. The branch will feature a control tower for boat competitions, a racing circuit, workshops, offices, labs and classrooms — all meeting global standards for higher education institutions. - ONA
Daily Mirror
30-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Avocados stay fresh for weeks if you place them in one household item
A TikToker known as Creative_explained has gone viral after sharing a simple hack to keep avocados fresh for up to three weeks, and all you need is a container and water Avocados have soared in popularity, thanks to their health benefits, scrumptious taste, and versatility in the kitchen. Whether you're smashing them onto toast, blending them into a smoothie, or tossing them into your salad, there's no denying these fruits are a culinary delight. Not only do they taste great, but avocados are also packed with healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. However, any avocado fan will be all too familiar with the struggle of keeping them fresh. Indeed, it seems as though avocados age in the blink of an eye. The window between an unripe avocado - when it's too hard and bright green - and an overripe one - excessively soft and mushy, with a dark brown or black interior - often feels fleeting. They can seem like a high-maintenance fruit, appearing to go off just after you've bought them. However, the ripening process and shelf life of an avocado can vary, reports the Express. At room temperature, unripe avocados can take four to seven days to ripen, while ripe ones can last a few days. Luckily, there are ways to extend the life of your avocado and prevent food waste. A TikToker known as Creative_explained has recently shared a video showcasing clever grocery hacks for saving money and reducing waste. Among the various ingenious methods to preserve different groceries, they demonstrated how to keep avocados fresh for up to three weeks. The technique is straightforward; all you need is a container and some water. "Fill an airtight container with water and add [the avocados] in," Creative_explained explained. In his latest viral clip, the TikToker displayed his nifty avocado preservation trick by submerging them in water within an airtight box and then tucking them away in the refrigerator.
Qatar Tribune
25-05-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
MCQ, QDB partner to shore up media entrepreneurship, creative talent in Qatar
Tribune News Network Doha Media City Qatar (MCQ) and Qatar Development Bank (QDB) have signed a Cooperation Agreement to strengthen Qatar's creative and cultural industries ecosystem by advancing innovation, nurturing global talent, and expanding opportunities for media startups. Signed during Day 3 of the 2025 'Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg', the agreement marks a joint effort to support media entrepreneurship in Qatar. The agreement outlines a comprehensive framework to support Qatar's media and creative economy through six strategic areas. These include joint efforts to identify and support large-scale media productions aligned with the nation's cultural and export priorities, as well as the launch of a co-branded acceleration program in partnership with QDB's Creative and Cultural Industries Hub (Scale7). This program will provide hands-on support to startups through workshops, masterclasses, hackathons, and pitching events, aiming to spotlight high-potential ventures and connect them with top investors and industry leaders. The agreement names Media City Qatar as an official partner in QDB's Talent Community Program, supporting startups and helping attract creative talent. Together, they will share opportunities, explore co-investments, and help startups grow across the region and beyond. Media City Qatar and QDB will also promote the Startup Qatar Investment Program, invite each other to events, and work with key partners to strengthen these efforts. Eng. Jassim Mohamed Al Khori, CEO of Media City Qatar, said: 'Our commitment to startups is no coincidence: over 60% of our 200+ licensed companies are startups. That is why partnering with Qatar Development Bank is a natural next step in our mission to build a vibrant culture of media entrepreneurship in Qatar. This Cooperation Agreement is designed to accelerate the growth of both our current and future licensed companies. By combining our strategic platforms with QDB's startup expertise and investment channels, we are creating real pathways for media entrepreneurs to scale and innovate. This will enable them to produce content that contributes meaningfully to the country's creative GDP.' Abdulrahman Hesham Al Sowaidi, CEO of Qatar Development Bank, commented: 'This partnership reflects a shared vision for building the next generation of media entrepreneurs who contribute to shaping Qatar's creative economy. By bringing Media City Qatar on board as an official partner in our Talent Community Program, we are enriching the national startup ecosystem with creative talent ready to scale, directly contributing towards building the knowledge-based economy and Qatar's 2030 objectives. The agreement also sets the stage for establishing the first media sector accelerator under our Creative and Cultural Industries hub, Scale7, designed to empower innovation across the national media landscape. He added: 'Beyond talent development, this collaboration expands our capacity to back ambitious media ventures and accelerate their path to regional and global relevance. This partnership also enables us to promote the Startup Qatar Investment Program further and provide an investment platform for Media-sector startups.' Media City Qatar, as the official partner of the Forum, continues to forge high-impact partnerships that unlock new value for Qatar's media sector and contribute to the national knowledge-based economy goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.
ILoveQatar.net
24-05-2025
- Business
- ILoveQatar.net
Media City Qatar and QDB sign strategic agreement to boost media startups and creative economy
Media City Qatar and Qatar Development Bank (QDB) have signed a Cooperation Agreement to strengthen Qatar's creative and cultural industries ecosystem by advancing innovation, nurturing global talent, and expanding opportunities for media startups. Signed during Day 3 of the 2025 'Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg', the agreement marks a joint effort to support media entrepreneurship in Qatar. The agreement outlines a comprehensive framework to support Qatar's media and creative economy through six strategic areas. These include joint efforts to identify and support large-scale media productions aligned with the nation's cultural and export priorities, as well as the launch of a co-branded acceleration program in partnership with QDB's Creative and Cultural Industries Hub (SCALE7). This program will provide hands-on support to startups through workshops, masterclasses, hackathons, and pitching events, aiming to spotlight high-potential ventures and connect them with top investors and industry leaders. The agreement names Media City Qatar as an official partner in QDB's Talent Community Program, supporting startups and helping attract creative talent. Together, they will share opportunities, explore co-investments, and help startups grow across the region and beyond. Media City Qatar and QDB will also promote the Startup Qatar Investment Program, invite each other to events, and work with key partners to strengthen these efforts. CEO of Media City Qatar Eng. Jassim Mohamed Al Khori said: "Our commitment to startups is no coincidence: over 60% of our 200+ licensed companies are startups. That is why partnering with Qatar Development Bank is a natural next step in our mission to build a vibrant culture of media entrepreneurship in Qatar". He added: "This Cooperation Agreement is designed to accelerate the growth of both our current and future licensed companies. By combining our strategic platforms with QDB's startup expertise and investment channels, we are creating real pathways for media entrepreneurs to scale and innovate. This will enable them to produce content that contributes meaningfully to the country's creative GDP." CEO of Qatar Development Bank Abdulrahman Hesham Al Sowaidi commented: "This partnership reflects a shared vision for building the next generation of media entrepreneurs who contribute to shaping Qatar's creative economy". He stressed: "By bringing Media City Qatar on board as an official partner in our Talent Community Program, we are enriching the national startup ecosystem with creative talent ready to scale, directly contributing towards building the knowledge-based economy and Qatar's 2030 objectives. The agreement also sets the stage for establishing the first media sector accelerator under our Creative and Cultural Industries hub, Scale7, designed to empower innovation across the national media landscape". He added: "Beyond talent development, this collaboration expands our capacity to back ambitious media ventures and accelerate their path to regional and global relevance. This partnership also enables us to promote the Startup Qatar Investment Program further and provide an investment platform for Media-sector startups." Media City Qatar, as the official partner of the Forum, continues to forge high-impact partnerships that unlock new value for Qatar's media sector and contribute to the national knowledge-based economy goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. (QNA)
Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New CEO has to get Creative, update firm's products amid rapid tech advances
Creative Technology has said it will reveal more on its next strategic steps in the coming months. PHOTO: ST FILE New CEO has to get Creative, update firm's products amid rapid tech advances SINGAPORE - All eyes will be on Creative Technology's new chief executive to drive innovation at the home-grown electronics firm. Mr Freddy Sim, 67, the younger brother of the company's late founder Sim Wong Hoo, is taking the helm at the iconic home-grown brand amid widening losses at the firm, rapid technological advancements and stiff competition. Aletheia Capital's head of consumer and internet Nirgunan Tiruchelvam said Mr Sim will need to come up with more relevant and innovative products to help revive the company, noting that it could do more in terms of advanced voice assistant integration and other relevant businesses. 'The R&D spend is very small compared to what the competitors in the US are spending,' he added. Creative, in its May 16 filing announcing Mr Sim's appointment, noted his experience as an entrepreneur in consumer electronics and technology for over 40 years. Mr Tiruchelvam said: 'As such, he may be open to the challenges that Creative needs to grapple with, which is to adapt their products to face the evolving technology.' Mr Sim, who like his brother will be drawing a nominal monthly salary of $1, said in a statement by the company that Creative is known as the flag bearer for innovation in the technology industry and that the new senior management team have 're-strategised and refocused on our core DNA of innovation'. The company has said it will reveal more on its next strategic steps in the coming months. Mr Sim's appointment follows a global search for a replacement for its CEO Song Siow Hui, a Creative veteran who took over as CEO when Mr Sim Wong Hoo passed away in January 2023. Mr Song retired in February. Executive chairman Tan Jok Tin was the interim CEO. Creative declined a request for an interview at this point, saying that it is in the midst of restructuring. Creative, known for products like the Sound Blaster sound cards under the leadership of Mr Sim Wong Hoo, has faced challenges in recent years. The company has struggled to keep pace with rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer preferences, leading to a diminished market presence, Dr David Leong, CEO of human resources consulting firm PeopleWorldwide, said in a Facebook post on March 18. In March, The Straits Times reported that the company retrenched about 40 staff, or 14 per cent of its workforce, as part of restructuring efforts to adapt to evolving market conditions. Large tech firms such as Microsoft, Meta and Amazon have also cut thousands of jobs, attributing the layoffs to economic challenges and the swift adoption of AI technologies as key drivers behind the downsizing. For the first six months of its fiscal year ended Dec 31, 2024, Creative's net loss widened to US$6.1 million (S$7.9 million) from US$4.1 million from the same period a year earlier. This was despite higher net sales of US$37.4 million, an 18 per cent increase from US$31.8 million a year ago, from selling new audio products such as the Super X-Fi earbuds and headphones. In its earnings report, the firm warned of uncertainties posed by the import tariffs announced by the Trump administration on certain countries and potential retaliatory measures from these countries as such moves could heighten inflationary pressures and impact consumer demand. Creative's stock has fallen nearly 23 per cent this year and close to 60 per cent in the past five years. Mr Tiruchelvam said investors are looking for more evidence of potential value creation given the challenging environment ahead. However, Creative said it expects its new products including speaker products such as Pebble Nova and Sound Blaster GS5, as well as audio products such as Sound Blaster G8, to drive revenue growth in the second half of 2025. Mr Sim Wong Hoo, one of Singapore's most famous tech entrepreneurs, founded Creative in 1981 and grew it substantially in the 1990s. Launched in 1989, its Sound Blaster sound cards, which allowed PCs to generate quality sound, were a success and the firm went on to sell more than 400 million units over the years. Creative became the first Singapore company to be listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in 1992. But it delisted from Nasdaq in 2007, citing low trading volume. In 2006, Creative won a US$100 million settlement against Apple for patent infringements over the iPod. Creative had launched its Nomad MP3 player in 1999, two years before Apple unveiled the iPod. It later also rolled out other music players such as the Nomad Jukebox Zen, which doubled up as a portable storage device for other media like photos and videos. However, its products ultimately lost out as Apple's music player gained popularity. Singapore-listed shares of Creative Technology were up $0.005 at $0.88 as at 4pm on May 20. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
