From the Editors: Dubai offers the most convenient COVID-19 testing

DUBAI PROVIDES THE MOST CONVENIENT OPTIONS FOR COVID-19 TESTING: Dubai has made the COVID-19 testing very convenient for all residents and citizens. People can choose to do COVID-19 tests at private hospitals, drive through centres, government hospitals, health centres or at specially set up tent across the country. To make it even more accessible to everyone, the Dubai Health Authority has gone a step further and opened the testing centres at major shopping malls in the city. Anyone can book an appointment to undergo COVID-19 test just for Dh150 while on a shopping trip. All residents must undergo testing to curb the pandemic spread. [COMMENT BY: Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor]

COULD HARIRI RETURN AS LEBANON PM? We could be back to square one in Lebanon. After all the upheaval in recent years, after short-lived governments, could we be back to a Saad Hariri premiership? The former PM, who resigned a year ago, said his meeting with the president was good, after having earlier said on TV that he was “definitely a candidate” for prime minister. Political big wigs from Christian and Druze blocs are also likely to back Hariri. What does this tell us about the situation in Lebanon? It shows us the political bankruptcy that the confessional system had bred in the country. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

TRUMP RETURNS TO CAMPAIGNING: US President Donald Trump made a defiant return to campaigning after being sidelined with COVID-19, with a rally in Florida where there was no social distancing and most people did not wear masks. With just weeks left before Election Day, Trump said he was ‘immune’ to the virus and felt healthy enough to plunge into the crowd and give voters ‘a big fat kiss’. Histrionics apart, the President realises that much needs to be done in the short time ahead. Which is why this week will also see events in Pennsylvania, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Wisconsin - a very busy week for someone who tested positive to the coronavirus only 10 days ago. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

KOHLI’S CHALLENGERS STORM TO THIRD POSTION IN TABLE: It was a batting masterclass by AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli which saw Royal Challengers Bangalore notch up a comprehensive 82-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium last night. The duo, en route to a 100-run partnership, completed 3000 runs together in IPL. The Kohli-led team are now in third position in the table, followed by KKR – whose run-rate took a beating after a poor chase on Monday. Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals occupy the first and second positions, respectively. [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

Korean music group BTS has made history on the Billboard Hot100 chart, securing both No 1 and No 2 for the songs ‘Savage Love’ and ‘Dynamite’ respectively. The group, which made their debut in 2013, has broken numerous barriers to reach this level of worldwide recognition. In a recent interview, the septet’s leader RM revealed that they still felt like outsiders in the Western music industry despite their global domination. Many people have pointed out that the doors to certain industries are still hard to open for people of colour, but hopefully things are slowly changing. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto Assistant Editor – Features]