New fines introduced in the UAE and country gears up for economic action, our editors comment on the top stories of September 1

IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL BUS ‘STOP’ SIGN ARM: Authorities concerned in the UAE have been giving repeated warnings to motorists to respect the school bus ‘stop’ sign. A fine of Dh1,000 and 10 black points have been introduced to deter motorists from violating the school bus ‘stop’ sign rule. Unfortunately, some motorists still do not follow the rule, putting lives of school children in danger. Motorists must halt the car completely when they see school bus stop sign arm opened and must not cross the bus unless the bus driver closes the stop sign arm. It is also important for motorists to stop cars on both sides of a single road when a school bus stops to let the children embark or disembark the bus. (By Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor)

IT’S SEPTEMBER AND UAE IS READY FOR ACTION: A start of a new season of intense business activity, that’s what the UAE is up for as events and conferences get started. Travel and tourism is already ticking along nicely, and with the Asia Cup cricket matches on, it’s as if a dress rehearsal is taking place for the year-end FIFA World Cup matches in Doha and all the rub-off benefits that it will offer the UAE. A busy four months is what it will take for UAE’s businesses to create more cushion around themselves to offset more inflationary pressures. Or if a recession comes calling. These four months thus take on a far higher significance – in much the same way that it did last year ahead of the Expo opening. UAE businesses and the economy will welcome an encore… (By Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

IMF LOAN TO HELP SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka is to get $2.9 billion from the IMF over four years to help tide over the economic crisis. This should help restore financial stability for the country that has seen an upheaval over the past few months. Sri Lanka is in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis. An acute months-long shortage of essentials like fuel, medicine, and cooking gas due to a severe foreign currency dearth had led to large-scale protests. Recovery will be painful, but the steps must be taken to bring back normalcy. (By Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor)

CLASH OF THE TV TITANS: The prequels to hit show ‘Game of Thrones’ and iconic movies ‘The Lord of the Rings’ are going head-to-head. ‘The Rings of Power’, based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s work, releases tomorrow and is said to be the most expensive TV show ever made. ‘House of the Dragon’, on the other hand, has gotten massive praise already with its two episodes that are out. Both projects have a rich history and loyal fandom so it’s likely they will have enjoy viewership. It’s also another win for the streaming side, which keeps getting bigger and more successful. (By Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor - Features)