Dubai plan for more beaches to boost tourism, Efforts to end Sudan conflict: Gulf News Editors comment on the top stories of May 27

DUBAI MASTER PLAN FOR PUBLIC BEACHES IS A BIG BOOST FOR TOURISM: Dubai has announced its new plans to extend the length of the emirate’s beaches from 21 km to 105 km. The plan, which forms part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, features the opening of new beaches and the development of existing ones with advanced facilities. This is a wonderful plan as Dubai is always committed to ensuring the highest standards of excellence in urban development as the emirate places the utmost priority on improving the quality of life and ensuring the happiness of citizens, residents, and visitors. The expansion of public beaches will not cater to growth in the emirate’s population but also attract more tourists from around the world. (Comment by Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor)

EFFORTS NEEDED TO END THE SUDAN CONFLICT: The warring sides in Sudan’s conflict are adhering to a weeklong ceasefire following days of sporadic fighting that will pave the way for the delivery of urgently needed medical supplies and aid in Khartoum. Efforts are also underway to restore telecommunications services in the country, This is good news. However, the call by the army for reservists and retired soldiers to re-enlist is a cause for concern as it may add fuel to the conflict. The army moves may indicate it is gearing up for a long conflict. This is bad news for a country where roughly half of the 49 million people need aid. There is an urgent need for making efforts not just to ensure a ceasefire is holding but also to pressure the rivals to end the war which has left more than 860 dead and almost a million displaced. (Stephen N.R., Senior Associate Editor)

SHUBMAN GILL IS INDIAN CRICKET’S NEXT BIG THING: Shubman Gill’s remarkable display with the bat last night, where he smashed an impressive 129 runs off just 60 deliveries, lead his team Gujarat Titans to victory over Mumbai Indians. He helped set up a thrilling Indian Premier League final against Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad tomorrow. The anticipation among fans is high, as they eagerly await the clash between these two formidable teams. But in the world of sports, fans are always on the lookout for pivotal moments that signify a changing of the guard. Gill’s consecutive IPL centuries outshone Virat Kohli's impressive batting performances for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Now you can’t help but acknowledge the passing of the torch and the emergence of Gill as the future king of Indian cricket. He has long been touted as the natural successor to Kohli, and this match only solidified those beliefs. In the world of sports, we revel in both inevitabilities and surprises, and this passing of the baton promises an exciting future for Indian cricket. (Imran Malik, Assistant Sports Editor)

GIVE CELEBRITIES THEIR PRIVACY, PLEASE: British actor Hugh Grant alleged that a UK publisher unlawfully gathered information about him. Yesterday, the actor won a court bid to bring to trial his claim against the publisher. Some of Grant's allegations sound disturbing, such as the publisher hiring private detectives to "target him in various ways". It's heartening to see the 'Love Actually' star take up the cudgels against such unauthorised activity. This trend isn’t limited to the West, though. A few months ago, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt railed against a leading Indian media group for sending a cameraman to her neighbour's rooftop to get "exclusive" photos of her apartment. Yes, they are public personalities, but should we not give them their privacy? (Rajagopalan Venkataraman, Assistant Editor-Features)