From the Editor: UAE’s move to manufacture vaccine a game-changer

UAE’S MOVE TO MANUFACTURE VACCINE A GAME-CHANGER: In a major boost to the global war against COVID-19, the UAE has tied up with the Chinese company Sinopharm to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine in the country. The locally-made vaccine has been named Hayat-Vax. As has been amply proven in the past few months through the country’s inoculation campaign, the vaccine is absolutely safe for use. With this agreement, the vaccine will be able to reach a much wider section of the world’s population rapidly, thereby boosting efforts for countries to re-emerge from lockdowns and resume normal life.[COMMENT BY: Somshankar Bandyopadhyay, Assistant Editor]

THE BIG STUCK BOAT WILL BE FREE SOON-HOPEFULLY: Slowly, steadily it seems to be happening. MS Ever Given, the mammoth container ship stuck in the Suez Canal, has been partly refloated. However, salvagers will continue with the job of fully floating the mega boat to clear the traffic jam of 450 ocean-going vessels that has had such a dramatic impact on global trade for the past few days. But a word of caution: Getting the back end of the vessel afloat is the easy bit. MS Ever Given is still stuck, and the hugely important shipping route is still blocked. Unable to wait anymore, some of the ships caught up in Suez have opted for the long and expensive trip around the Cape of Good Hope. It is remarkable commentary on the scale of globalisation that one relatively small mishap can hold up 12 per cent of international trade. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

BRAZIL CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE WITH THE VIRUS: The situation is spiraling out of control in Brazil. The country now accounts for one-quarter of the entire world’s daily COVID-19 deaths. The lockdowns and restrictions that were enforced last year seemed only half-hearted attempts and now the people are paying dearly. President Jair Bolsonaro could have handled the situation far better, indeed many lay the blame squarely at his feet. Experts are warning the nation’s seven-day average of 2,400 deaths may increase to 3,000 within weeks while spikes of daily deaths could soon hit 4,000. Bolsonaro currently only holds a 30 per cent approval rating and it seems the country may push for new governance but the virus looks likely to claim thousands of more lives before that happens. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

UNFORGETTABLE FOUR MONTHS FOR INDIA CRICKET: A memorable season ended on another high for Indian cricket when they wrapped up the three-match one day series 2-1 against England on Sunday. A miraculous Test series against Australia Down Under, followed by series wins in all three formats against England at home – the Ravi Shastri-Virat Kohli combination could not have had it better. What is heartening is the awesome bench strength which they have developed over the last few years. What’s on their wish list now? A major ICC title, which had been eluding them for them some time, may be! [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

MEGHAN AND THE THOMAS MARKLE AFFAIR: The Markle family drama continues with Meghan’s father Thomas Markle now reportedly attempting to get his own sit down with media mogul Oprah Winfrey where he hopes to present his truth about his estrangement with his daughter, the Duchess of Sussex. In the aftermath of Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan earlier this month, Markle had spoken to Piers Morgan (when he was still co-hosting ‘Good Morning Britain’), where he blamed his daughter for ghosting him and the family following her royal wedding in 2018. Whether or not there is any truth to these claims, it is tragic that a family’s personal matters have become dinner table discussion, with the possibility of such a sit down only causing further distress to Meghan who is currently pregnant with her second child. Sometimes, silence is truly the best way forward to heal rifts. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]