Dubai Metro crosses a new milestone and UAE corporate tax laws take shape: Gulf News Editors comment on top stories of April 24

GREAT GOING DUBAI METRO: It is no mean feat that Dubai Metro has carried two billion passengers since its launch on September 9, 2009. The milestone is indeed a very proud moment for the UAE and Dubai. With a fleet of 129 trains serving 53 stations across the city, the operations also boast a punctuality rate of 99.7 per cent. But beyond these figures is what any Metro commuter would vouch for: The sheer convenience, efficiency and reliability of the train service. (By Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor).

UAE CORPORATE TAX LAWS: With each passing week, the UAE chisels out a corporate tax regime that will be in sync with the times and forward-looking. The latest decision to exempt from the purview of the tax entities engaged in the greater good of the community ticks both boxes. A tax regime is as much about bringing profit-seeking entities to conform to a set of rules as it offers flexibility to those who pursue a more altruistic way of doing business. The UAE authorities had sought views from possible stakeholders since the initial corporate tax launch announcement was made in December. The best elements of the feedback are getting their place in the laws — and that’s how any tax regime should be. (By Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

SHEERAN IN NEW COPYRIGHT BATTLE: The trial into whether Ed Sheeran — best known for the famous song ‘Shape of You’ —has plagiarised sections of Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’, a 1973 classic, will commence today in the US. The heirs of Ed Townsend, Gaye’s co-writer of the classic, sued Sheeran, alleging the English pop star’s hit 2014 tune ‘Thinking Out Loud’ has “striking similarities” to ‘Let’s Get It On’ and “overt common elements” that violate their copyright. Sheeran’s attorneys disagree. They say the similarity, if there is one, reflects the “songs’ undeniable structural symmetry”. But Sheeran isn’t new to copyright battles. A year ago, he won a battle in the UK over the hit that propelled him to fame, ‘Shape of You’. He had then decried the ‘culture’ of baseless lawsuits that squeeze money out of artistes. Which way will this litigation end? We don’t know. (By Rajagopalan Venkataraman, Assistant Editor-Features)

TENDULKAR TURNS 50: Sachin Tendulkar, who took international cricket by storm as a teenager, has turned 50 today. The master blaster carried Indian cricket and the hopes of fans on his shoulders for decades, drawing comparisons with the great Don Bradman. Just before his 50th birthday, Mumbai fans have another Tendulkar to cheer for, Sachin’s son Arjun, who debuted for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. At 50 not out, it is time to take a fresh guard. Happy birthday Sachin Tendulkar (By A.K.S. Satish, Sports Editor)