Dubai Police expands its network and Sweden votes Far-right, our editors comment on the top stories of September 12

DUBAI MOUNTED POLICE A FORCE TO RECKON WITH: The high success rate of Dubai’s Mounted Police in dealing with various crimes needs to be lauded. After all, it is no mean feat that over the last eight months alone, 1,182 security patrols have arrested 71 wanted individuals, seized 915 vehicles and issued 352 fines. State-of-the-art training apart, the Mounted Police officers are able to access narrow lanes and by-lanes on their horse backs which is a huge advantage. As Dubai Police expands its network and operations to cover different areas, it must clear to one and all that there is no escaping their stringing vigil. (By Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor).

SWEDISH ELECTION REFLECTS A BIG SHIFT: Far right has made big gains in the Swedish general elections. As counting of votes continues, early results point at the rightwing bloc taking a slim lead. Sweden Democrats, if they manage to pull it off, will be causing nothing short of a political earthquake in Stockholm. Even if the party becomes the country’s second-largest by vote share, it is enough for the rightwing bloc to edge ahead of the incumbent centre-left. It appears that the leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson, will raise a toast or two today, and the Social Democrat Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson might be left wondering: what just happened? (Sadiq Shaban, Opinion Editor)

ALCARAZ BECOMES YOUNGEST GRAND SLAM CHAMPION SINCE 2005: Carlos Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud in the men’s US Open final at a packed Arthur Ashe stadium in New York 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-3. It was the Spanish teenager’s first major final and he becomes the youngest men’s Grand Slam winner since 2005 when Rafael Nadal won the French Open. 23-year-old Ruud would have become the new world number one had he won the match but it is Alcaraz who has now replaced Russia’s Daniil Medvedev at the top. With Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic coming to the end of their glittering careers the path is open for both Alcaraz and Ruud to take on the mantle and become the dominant forces in the game for years to come. (By Imran Malik, Assistant Sports Editor)