Qatar World Cup kicks off tomorrow and Abu Dhabi's 'forgiving' roadmap for traffic safety, our editors comment on the top stories of November 19

2022 QATAR WORLD CUP KICKS OFF TOMORROW: The waiting is almost over and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will kick off tomorrow. It looks set to be one of the most exciting tournaments in the history of the competition and also perhaps the most unpredictable too. European teams have been crowned champions at every tournament since 2002, with the trophies shared among Italy, Spain, Germany and France, but expectations are swelling in Argentina and Brazil that the time has come again for one of the two South American powerhouses. Argentina will be desperate to win it because it will be the last finals for star man Lionel Messi. The 35-year Paris-Saint Germain attacker has already said he will retire from the national team after the tournament and it would be a great way to sign off by lifting the famous gold trophy. But there are plenty of other sub-plots – will England’s Harry Kane become the first player to win two Golden Boots? Have Denmark replaced Turkey as everyone’s favourite dark horses? And which young player will make the stage his own? All will be revealed over the course of the next 28 days of riveting action. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Sports Editor]

ABU DHABI’S ‘FORGIVING’ ROADMAP FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY: Designing ‘human-centric’ infrastructure for roads and traffic management, while boosting safety awareness, is the secret to reducing accidents, experts in Abu Dhabi say. This has already led to halving of crashes and injuries over the decade, and Abu Dhabi’s Joint Traffic Safety Committee is determined to achieve a zero-fatality rate. The key message is that traffic safety is a shared task, bringing together engineers, police, motorists and pedestrians in the common goal for society’s wellbeing. That means each one of us has a role and responsibility, so let’s play our part faithfully. [COMMENT BY: Faisal Masudi, Assistant Editor]

THE REGION'S TOURISM SECTOR IS GEARING UP FOR QATAR WORLD CUP: The world’s biggest sporting event – the FIFA Football World Cup - is only one night away, and the region's aviation, hotel, and F&B industry is gearing up for the busiest season in Middle East history. A whopping 120 shuttle flights will operate from DWC to Doha daily, not including the private jet operations. Leading hoteliers across the Emirates have revealed all standard rooms in three- and four-star properties in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are fully booked until December. What’s more? Tourists are arriving in the UAE in large droves, and many choose to watch the games in the Emirates. The tourism sector in the Middle East is expected to generate more than $246 billion in 2022, according to an earlier forecast by the World Travel and Tourism Council. After two years of pandemic–triggered losses, the World Cup in Qatar is serving as the most significant revival for the sector that earlier predicted would need at least five years for recovery. [COMMENT BY: Dhanusha Gokulan - Chief Reporter]

IS THIS THE END OF TICKETMASTER?: Sources have said that the US Justice Department has been probing Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster over possible violations of anti-trust law even before the recent Taylor Swift chaos. Fans have been complaining about the reign of the ticket seller for many years, so it’s about time authorities took it seriously and looked into the hold they have on the live events business. While it’s important for venues, artists and others involved to get paid fairly, it’s also imperative that fans are given choices on how and where to buy their concert tickets. Ticketmaster can’t hold this much power over how concert tickets are sold. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor - Entertainment]

MARITIME SECURITY MUST BE ENSURED: Two days after an oil tanker associated with an Israeli billionaire was struck by a bomb-carrying drone off Oman coast, another unmanned aircraft circled a ship on Friday in the Gulf of Oman, about 50 miles southwest of Muscat. In Tuesday’s incident, Pacific Zircon sustained minor damage with no spillage of the oil cargo. Thankfully, the crew were reported safe in both incidents. Attacks on tankers in Gulf waters in recent years have come at times of heightened regional tensions. There was a spate of shipping attacks in the region in 2021. The drones that can carry precision-guided missiles now pose a bigger threat. It’s time maritime security is beefed up with more patrols and increased vigilance by vessels passing through Gulf waters. [COMMENT BY: N.R. Stephen, Senior Associate Editor]