From the Editors: UAE Non-Muslim Personal Status Court highlights tolerance

UAE NON-MUSLIM PERSONAL STATUS COURT CONFORMS TO NATION’S TOLERANT FACE: The Non-Muslim Personal Status Court in Abu Dhabi has issued the first civil marriage contract. Contracting and registration of marriage can now be done through video conferencing, in accordance with UAE law. The setting up of the Non-Muslim Personal Status Court ensures a flexible legal environment for all community members in UAE, in accordance with international best practices. It conforms to civil principles that are close to the people in terms of their culture, customs and language. This initiative to have a Non-Muslim Personal Status Court in itself is a remarkable decision and it goes perfectly well with the qualities of tolerance and respect towards all communities that the UAE has always championed. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

IRAQ’S SUPREME COURT COMES TO RESCUE OF DEMOCRACY: The biggest losers in Iraq's general elections held in October this year were the political blocs of the heavily armed pro-Iran militias. They made repeated attempts to overturn the vote. But on Monday, the country's Supreme Court ratified the results of the parliamentary election and rejected appeals lodged by pro-Iran factions, thereby clearing the way for the newly elected parliament to convene. This also means that talks can now begin in earnest to find a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi and his Cabinet. Iraq's problems are too numerous to list here. Suffice to say that a new government cannot come a moment too soon for the country. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

AUSTRALIA RETAINED THE ASHES: In thumping style, with an innings-and-14-run win in the third Test in Melbourne on Tuesday leaving England with a lot of soul-searching to do. Debutant paceman Scott Boland laid waste to England’s hapless batters with a devastating six-wicket haul. Boland, only the second Indigenous Australian to play a men’s Test match, came off the Melbourne Cricket Ground turf with a prize stump and astonishing innings figures of 6-7 as England capitulated for 68 before lunch on day three, their 13th lowest total in Tests.“I thought we had a pretty good chance of winning but I had no idea we would do it before lunch,” said 32-year-old Boland. “Obviously I thought (debuting) was going to be really tough, a big step up from anything else I’d played before. I was hoping to make a bit of an impact.” Australia sealed the series 3-0 in front of a festive ‘Boxing Day’ test crowd of 42,000, leaving England playing for pride in the final two tests in Sydney and Brisbane. [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

STAR-STUDDED END TO 2021 AND A RED CARPET WELCOME TO MORE CELEBRITIES: Top-billed stars will be heading down to the UAE to ring in the New Year with performances by Pakistan’s Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, along with Indian singer Guru Randhawa and British artist Robbie Williams featuring on the 2021 roster. In the coming months, the country will also host the prestigious International Indian Film Academy or IIFA Awards on Yas Island, along with hosting celebrities such as ‘Fast & Furious’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ star Nathalie Emmanuel at the upcoming Comic-Con. While the UAE is welcoming live events and a return to normalcy as we head into 2022, it is also our responsibility to ensure that we follow safe practices while a pandemic still wreaks havoc around the world. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai Entertainment Editor]