From the Editors: Dubai braces for the great summer rush

A GREAT SUMMER EXODUS: Starting tomorrow (June 24), if you have any plans where DXB figures prominently, then make sure to check in early. Because Dubai and the UAE will in the coming days be seeing the great summer travel exodus. More than 200,000 passengers will proceed – daily - through the immigration counters and gates of Dubai International Airport in the coming days. And the process gets a repeat for the Eid weekend later. All these numbers represent the high notes of summer for airlines, hungry to have passengers back in full on each of their flights. Carry enough of that momentum forward, and come September, Dubai and the UAE can look to any busy phase of heightened business activity. And as always, travel remains central to that… {COMMENT BY: Manoj Nair, Business Editor]

EXPO CITY A BEFITTING VENUE FOR COP28: Yesterday’s announcement that the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) will be hosted at Dubai Expo City is a reiteration of the stature and suitability of the Expo City to host the world’s most prestigious events. It also builds on the legacy of EXPO 2020 Dubai and reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to sustainability. As a global hub for innovation and creativity, Expo City is a symbol of a global future city while preserving the rich local heritage of the UAE.[COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor].

A BIG SALUTE TO SERENA’S SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION: It’s not easy to make a comeback after a certain age, where the body doesn’t respond faster and the recovery time takes longer than when one was young. And add motherhood to that. It’s probably the most difficult part for a sportsperson. But the fighter that she is, Serena Williams, at the age of 40 and after almost a year of break, has returned to the tour by taking part in the Wimbledon tune-up in Eastbourne. The 23-time Grand Slam champion is targeting the elusive record-equalling 24th at the grasscourts next week by getting into the groove with the doubles. Though it is not going to be an easy task, the American champion deserves a big salute for the girt, determination and the never-say-die spirit.[COMMENT BY: A.K.S. SATISH, Sports Editor}

SAMANTHA RUTH PRABHU STANDS TALL IN THE FACE OF MISOGYNY: The verbal lynching that actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been subjected to in the aftermath of her divorce to Naga Chaitanya is a case study in how misogyny continues to rule with an iron hand even today. The South Indian star has been forced to defend herself from trolls lurking in the darkened halls of social media, hiding behind their screens as they let loose tirades against the star for speaking her mind. In the most recent incident, Prabhu was forced to set the record straight over a news report that claimed her PR team was planting rumours about her ex-husband and his current relationship status. Earlier, it was a vicious comment saying the actress was ‘going to end up dying alone with cats and dogs’, while others speculated on reasons why her husband ‘left her’. At what point did this become acceptable behavior? Perhaps before throwing rocks at others, trolls should look at the glass houses they find themselves enclosed in. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]