Awards season 2025 is now officially in full swing, but there is one glaring question that needs to be answered: will Hollywood go quiet on Gaza?
That certainly was the case at the Golden Globes. During the three-hour ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, the Gaza war was not even alluded to. On the red carpet, only three celebrities wore Artists for Ceasefire pins: Guy Pearce, Ayo Edebiri and Steve Way, who stars in Ramy, and attended the event with Egyptian-American comedian and nominee Ramy Youssef.
This is a far cry from the awards ceremonies of last year, where the ongoing tragedy in Gaza was seemingly omnipresent. At the Academy Awards last March, for example, a wide number of attendees wore the red pins of the Artists4Ceasefire group, which stands for the “collective support for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all of the hostages and for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza”.
Youssef, who has long been one of the most vocal members of the group, spoke pointedly about the movement on the Oscars red carpet, saying at the time “We're using our voices to speak to people's hearts. We want people to have safety and justice,” he said.
But this year, he made no such public declarations on the red carpet. One can only imagine what Youssef may have said in his acceptance speech had he won the award for best stand-up comedy special, but the prize went to Ali Wong instead.
A similar scene played out in September at the Emmys, at which Youssef lost the award for best director, and no other speaker mentioned or alluded to the situation in Palestine.
It’s hard to say how much of this silence is only a matter of personal choice. After all, at the Cannes Film Festival last May, there were overt directives to not make political comments. Are similar edicts being made to attendees of award shows?
Outside of the awards circuit, there does appear to be a conscious silencing of voices for peace in effect, however soft their calls.
Several months ago, Golden Globe nominee Kate Winslet was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Speaking about her film Lee, a biography about war photojournalist Lee Miller, the British actress made indirect reference to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. She said: "Everyone has a right for their story to be remembered in conflict. And that is so relevant to today.” This quote was edited out from the interview when it was uploaded to the show’s official social channels only hours later.
During last year's awards season, the most vocal call for peace came from director Jonathan Glazer, whose film The Zone of Interest won at the Baftas and the Oscars. On stage at the latter event, Glazer said: “Our film shows where dehumanisation leads at its worst. It shaped all of our pasts and present. Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation that has led to conflict for so many innocent people.”
Glazer’s comments were met with condemnation from many, with an open letter signed by 1,000 people in the film industry, though some names were of questionable legitimacy. Though Variety deleted the list after initially publishing it, the message was clear.
Since that incident, there has been far fewer bold moments in support of Palestine such as Glazer’s. What’s grown from that act of intimidation is a powerful culture of fear.
Speaking to British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan in October, singer and actor John Legend spoke bluntly about the current mood in the American entertainment industry surrounding Gaza.
“They've seen people lose their agent or lose jobs from it,” Legend said. “They're afraid they'll suffer professional consequences.”
Regardless of the reasons for the current quiet in Hollywood on Gaza, that silence is powerful. The threats to the lives of innocent men, women and children in Palestine have not lessened. Only days ago, 26 Palestinians were killed in strikes.
The people of Palestine need the cries of the world against injustice to echo now more than ever. We must hope that as awards season progresses, and artists once again have the world’s eyes on them, they find the courage to speak out for the people of Gaza, as any form of protest for peace might help save lives.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
