UAE’s giant leap in space, ADNOC IPO and other top stories, our editors comment on the top stories of Mar 3

UAE TAKES ANOTHER GIANT LEAP INTO SPACE: Arabs’ dreams and ‘Zayed’s ambition’ were realised as UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on the longest Arab mission for a period of six months. The UAE made another giant leap into space when the Crew-6 Dragon ‘Endeavour’ capsule carrying Al Neyadi and three other crew members docked into the ISS on Friday morning. The country became eleventh in the world to lift off for a long duration mission at ISS. The milestone achievement, which incidentally fell on the fancy date 02/03/23, heralded a new era in Arab space history, with the UAE making its message of readiness for the space age loud and clear. (By Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor)

THAT’S ANOTHER UAE IPO HITTING BULL’S EYE: That ADNOC Gas’ IPO would be instantly over-subscribed was never in doubt. What was the core of much speculation in the days since the IPO – UAE’s first of the year – opened, was how much it would be over-subscribed by. Finally, those numbers are flashing on the screens – 50x overall and a whopping 58x times when you consider only the retail investors. Subscribers to the IPO clearly wanted to sign on for the $3.25 billion ADNOC Gas will start with on dividend payouts – but there was a feeling among investors that they were buying into something deeper. About being part of the UAE’s energy future, perhaps? (By Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

TESTS ARE IN FOCUS, A GOOD NEWS FOR PURISTS: India losing a Test at home is not something that happens every time. It’s one of the rarest phenomenon and every single team will dream of achieving it in at least one series. In that sense Australia have returned the favour that India achieved in Gabba, Australia’s citadel, in January 2021. It’s unfortunate that India chose not to play Kuldeep Yadav, who could have tested the Australian batters on a spin-friendly pitch at Indore. Though India have come under severe criticism for preparing pitches that favour their spinners, the spot in World Test Championship final has made the race increasingly competitive and hence the hosts’ desperation to seek extra edge. However, now Tests are in focus, win or loss, positive or negative, and that bodes well for the longevity of the longest form. (By A. K. S. Sathish, Sports Editor)

THERE IS NO ONE SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH FOR CELEBS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: In a recent media interaction, Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor said he avoids having a social media presence because he'd prefer fans to come to the theatre and watch his movies instead. There is no right or wrong to this line of thinking, and it boils down to the comfort level of the celebrity in question. Why Kapoor’s wife, the actress Alia Bhatt, has a notable presence on social media. Movie industries in India and around the world have personalities that readily interact with fans and those that are reticent. And then there are those that tweet or share posts on Instagram only ahead of a movie release. At least, he came clean on his thoughts on social media. (By Rajagopalan Venkataraman, Assistant Editor-Features)