From the Editors: New technology on UAE roads welcome

WELCOME MOVE ON THE ROADS: It was only a matter of time that technology would get more specific and catch up with erring motorists in the UAE. The new vehicular attention and safety tracker announced by Abu Dhabi to monitor seat belt and mobile phone use violations by drivers is indeed a welcome move. To be implemented from January 1, it is a great New Year reminder to all motorists to follow the rules - or pay a price. UAE perhaps has the best and most modern roads in the world today, and it is for us to make them the safest too. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

END OF SUBSIDES IN LEBANON TRAUMATIC FOR SOME: The problems never seem to end for Lebanon. On the one hand, there is a total deadlock in government formation due to political reasons. On the other, removal of subsidies looms - without guarantees to protect the vulnerable. Lebanon has been subsidising basic goods by providing hard currency to importers at the old exchange rate of 1,500 pounds to the dollar. The reality is that the currency has fallen by 80 per cent from that rate. And the Central Bank has said it would only be able to do this for two months. What happens after that? This only underlines the urgent need for Lebanese politicians to end their political bickering. They can start by forming a government. [COMMENT BY Omar Shariff, International Editor]

A BIG DAY UN UK, BUT JUST THE BEGINNING: The day has finally arrived. The UK will start the Western world’s first national COVID-19 immunisation campaign on Tuesday, nearly a year after we first heard of the coronavirus which has since swept across the world. This is good news. In the early stages, only those most at risk will be vaccinated. So the public will have to be patient, not just in the UK but in other parts of the world too. Strict social distancing guidelines and wearing of masks must be followed to prevent a spike in cases before the vaccine reaches us. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

WILL HE, WON’T HE? HAMILTON STILL DOUBTFUL FOR ABU DHABI GP: As countdown begins for the season finale of the F1 season in Abu Dhabi on December 13, doubts remain on Lewis Hamilton’s participation. The seven-time world champion, who missed the Sakhir GP, is now in his own race against time to bring the curtain down on his monumental 2020 season in person as he awaits a COVID-19 all-clear by Thursday. The British Mercedes driver’s physical presence at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday will be a fitting finale for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

HOLLYWOOD IS CHANGING THE GAME: It is a wicked web that Hollywood appears to be weaving with the Warner Bros. announcement sending shockwaves through the industry. The production juggernaut recently revealed its plans to release it’s tentpole films in theatres, along with it’s streaming site on the same day. Productions such as ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ (out in the UAE on December 17, ‘Dune’ and ‘The Matrix’ will head to cinemas and HBO Max at the same time. Filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan are refusing to mince words, who has called out Warner Bros.’ saying that it’s not a good business decision and criticised how the company handled it. “It’s a unilateral decision that the studio took. They didn’t even tell the people involved,” Nolan said. “You have these great filmmakers who worked with passion and diligence for years on projects that are intended to be feature films with fantastic movie stars. And they’ve all now been told that they’re a loss-leader for a fledgling streaming service.” Critics have also suggested that the future for cinemas hangs in the balance if more and more production companies follow this new business model. The magic of movies on the big screen could very well be heading towards its own ‘The End’. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor, Gulf News]