From the Editors: Dubai Safari all set to add to city's charm

DUBAI SAFARI ALL SET TO ADD TO DUBAI’S CHARM: With the countdown for Expo 2020 Dubai already on, there was more good news on Wednesday as the authorities in Dubai announced that Dubai Safari shall reopen for its new season on September 27. With a large array of animals on display -- offering visitors a rare opportunity to see them up-close in the safari’s large, climate-controlled surroundings -- Dubai Safari is bound to be one of the top draws among residents and visitors in Dubai and the UAE this autumn and winter. From the world’s first drive-through crocodile exhibit to the largest drive-through lion habitat, Dubai Safari offers an unparalleled experience to animal lovers -- both adults and children alike – with 3,000 animals on display. So get set to soak up the sun and a lot of fun at Dubai Safari in this brand new season.[COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

ALGERIA-MOROCCO RIVALRY IS POINTLESS AND RUINOUS: After cutting diplomatic ties with Morocco last month, Algeria has now closed the country’s airspace to all Moroccan aviation. It said the reason was ‘continued provocations and hostile practices on the Moroccan side’, without getting into specifics. The border between Morocco and Algeria has been closed since 1994. The regional rivalry between these two important Arab and African nations is one of the most pointless, and ruinous of all inter-state rivalries in the world. On the face of it, they have almost everything in common - religion, language, culture, geography. Yet, they continue to be at loggerheads over border dispute, and there’s also an extreme lack of trust. The fear is the relationship between these North African powers turn into a zero sum game. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

HOME ADVATANGE WILL HELP US IN RYDER CUP: The 43rd edition of the Ryder Cup starts tomorrow after a one year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic with the US looking for revenge over Europe in Wisconsin. And, with up to 40,000 home fans expected daily at Whistling Straits - and hardly any European support due to tough US travel rules - they may just get it. Europe won the last tournament in Paris but the US will be hoping a partisan atmosphere will give them the edge. In the last 11 events, Europe have only won two away from home (2004, 2012) and so the pressure will be on. “I think winning any Ryder Cup is huge and it's a monumental achievement for all that are involved,” said Europe's Rory McIlroy. “But winning a Ryder Cup on the road has become more meaningful. We're coming in here as underdogs.” [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor}

TAKING A NICK AT BEAUTY STANDARDS: It took a super model like Linda Evangelista a whopping five years to open up about a fat-freezing procedure that went horribly wrong in her life. In an emotionally-charged Instagram post on September 23, the famous recluse, 56, opened up about a cosmetic botched-up process that scarred her for a long time. The 1990s supermodel, whose popularity rivalled Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington, claims she became horribly disfigured, lost her livelihood, and her identity after the cosmetic misfire. In her bid to shave off some fat from her person and fight the bulge, Evangelista – often hailed as a paragon of beauty and litheness -- lost a lot of her person in the painful process. In her post, she talks about how the episode triggered a downward spiral where she was filled with ‘self-loathing’ and ‘sadness’. Her post makes you wonder why an accomplished woman – who has graced more than 700 fashion magazine covers – would go on this quest of eternal youth and not embrace her laugh lines or her curves. But it’s never too late. Her telling post is an indication that she is now ready to move on and not let the concept of ideal beauty mar her current reality. Here’s more power to her. [COMMENT BY: Manjusha Radhakrishnan – Assistant Editor Features]