From the Editors: UAE’S support for Turkey-Syria quake victims is exemplary

UAE’S SUPPORT FOR QUAKE VICTIMS IS EXEMPLARY. A number of victims of the recent earthquake in Syria have just arrived in the UAE where their treatment will be provided with all expenses covered by the Mother of the Nation, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak. The UAE has played a vital humanitarian role since the natural disaster struck Syria and Turkey, building field hospitals, sending relief, rescuing people – and now evacuating and treating the injured within the country. The UAE spares no effort in coming to the aid of affected communities and the latest endeavour is another shinning example of its benevolence. By Faisal Masudi, Assistant Editor

TURKEY BEINGS MAMMOTH TASK: Building homes for 1.5 million people Less than three weeks after the magnitude 7.8 quake struck Turkey, preliminary work began in earnest to rebuild homes. The task ahead is huge: Nearly 500,000 new homes are needed to house an estimated 1.5 million people. More than 160,000 buildings with 520,000 apartments collapsed or were severely damaged in the February 6 earthquakes that killed more than 43,500 people in Turkey. A million people are staying in temporary accommodation, including gyms, stadiums, hotel and dormitories, with limited access to essential services. The initial plan is to build 200,000 apartments and 70,000 village houses at a cost of at least $15 billion. US bank JPMorgan had estimated rebuilding houses and infrastructure will cost $25 billion. The country needs help. It’s time for charities and other organisations to gear up for the mammoth rebuilding efforts. (Stephen N.R., Senior Associate Editor)

'RRR's OSCAR DREAM INCHES CLOSER TO REALITY: 'RRR' wasn't India's official entry to the Oscars. Yet, it has managed to make wow audiences and critics around the world, while collecting a sackful of awards. Its latest exploit has been at the Hollywood Critics Association awards, where the Ram Charan-Junior NT Rama Rao starrer took home four prizes, upstaging even the crowd favourite ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. ‘RRR’s among the most-streamed movies on Netflix. And everyone from James Cameron to Steven Spielberg, from JJ Abrams to Adam McKay have praised the movie, based on a fictional tale of two Indian freedom fighters during the British rule. 'RRR' has gone where no Indian film did till now. All eyes, therefore, will be at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 12. Bringing home the Oscar statue will be a watershed for Indian — and world — cinema Rajagopalan Venkataraman, Assistant Editor-Features