Abu Dhabi’s flexible health insurance, UAE mega IPOs return, Badminton Asia Championships, our editors comment on the top stories of Feb 17

FLEXIBLE HEALTH INSURANCE ENSURES BETTER MEDICAL CARE: Abu Dhabi has launched flexible health insurance options for residents, investors and entrepreneurs seeking to live and work in the emirate. The new initiative will provide insurance at low and competitive costs, with opportunities to upgrade insurance coverage if required. Flexible health insurance, indeed, is a great step towards better health care for all as it will provide treatment coverage up to a cost of Dh150,000 per year, as well as 100 per cent coverage for emergency treatment, and require only 20 per cent co-pay for the cost of all outpatient treatment services, and 30 per cent co-pay for medications. (By Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor)

RETURN OF THE UAE’S MEGA-IPO – AND MORE TO COME: The announcement by ADNOC of the UAE’s first IPO of 2023 will have settled the buzz that’s been building up among the investor base wanting a return of public issues. And if the offered up IPO is big on scale and ambition, all the better. ADNOC Gas will not disappoint anyone, promising to be one of the biggest floats in the UAE. ADNOC has built up quite a form in extracting significant value from its subsidiaries and JVs through IPOs. So, all eyes will been ADNOC Gas’ share pricing – and whether there is a chance it would upsize the offer. Beyond that, investors are already scanning the horizon for the next one… (By Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

ASPIRING BADMINTON PLAYERS GET WINGS TO REALISE THEIR DREAMS: When the Badminton Asia Championships were announced to be hosted by UAE, one felt it would be another big event coming to the sporting capital of the world. However, what made the event and its impact much higher is the participation of teams from West Asia. Four teams from the region, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and hosts UAE took part in the mixed team continental championship and were able to test their mettle with the best. It was a red-letter day for the UAE players, made up of Emiratis and expatriates, when they won the first points in the championship. It’s a dream come true for UAE’s Madhumitha Sundarapandiyan and twins Dev Ayyappan and Dhiren Ayyappan, to score their first wins, which must have sent huge message to the aspiring players that they could realise their dreams and reach the top in UAE badminton. (By A.K.S. Satish, Sports Editor)

BRUCE WILLIS IS FADING AWAY. LET’S CELEBRATE HIM: Bruce Willis is best known for portraying John McClane, who'd single-handedly wage impossible battles against evil forces of various hues wanting to capture the US in the Die Hard franchise. Therefore, it comes as a tragedy that Willis is up against a personal battle of his own. Willis, according a statement by his family, has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a condition that doesn't have any treatment at present. Studies indicate that, following the onset of its symptoms, people have an average life expectancy of 7-13 years. An icon is fading away from our lives gradually. The best we can do is to celebrate him by revisiting his classic movies over the decades. And empathise with anyone facing challenges of any kind. (By Rajagopalan Venkataraman, Assistant Editor-Features)