From the Editors: National Day weekend icing on the cake at Expo 2020 Dubai

NATIONAL DAY WEEKEND ICING ON THE CAKE AT EXPO 2020 DUBAI: There is good news for all visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai. On December 2, Thursday, entry to the mega global event will be free for all as a special gesture to commemorate UAE National Day and the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. Moreover, all through the weekend, starting December 2, there will be a huge variety of entertainment activities at the Expo venue to regale visitors -- ranging from traditional ‘Nabati’ poetry recitation to stunning nightly fireworks displays. Expo 2020 Dubai has already brought the world under one umbrella. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the UAE federation will be the icing on that cake. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

WILL POLL RESULTS MEAN ANYTHING FOR IRAQ’S SUFFERING MASSES? In Iraq, the political bloc led by Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr has been confirmed as the biggest winner in October’s parliamentary election. True to form, the other main Shiite faction, which is pro-Iran, has rejected these results. These political shenanigans will continue, but what about average Iraqis? The misery of their daily lives is highly unlikely to be reduced. Unemployment, lack of security, daily power cuts, collapse of medical services - these are the realities of daily life in Iraq. It is a country literally floating in oil, but its desperate citizens are dying in the icy waters of Europe in search of a better life. Iraq’s monthly oil revenues routinely top $6 billion. Where is that money going? [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

MOHANLAL ROARS INTO UAE CINEMAS OVER NATIONAL DAY WEEKENED: Cinemas have historically pegged film releases around the holidays to cash in on the lucrative box office potential. Which is why it comes as no surprise that the long awaited release of Mohanlal’s ‘Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Seas’ is screening in UAE cinemas over the National Day long weekend. The South Indian superstar has revealed the film will witness a huge release on Thursday, with 16,000 shows planned globally. In his Twitter post, Mohanlal also stated the period drama already has minted more than Rs1 billion through early bookings. As we head into the UAE celebrations on the wings of a promise, the return cinemas after the pandemic is certainly going off to a roaring start. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]