From the Editors: UAE conducts over 10 million COVID tests

WE MUST COMPLEMENT GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS TO FIGHT COVID-19 PANDEMIC: UAE has become the first country in the world to conduct more COVID-19 tests that the number of people living in the country. National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Committee reveals that UAE conducted over 10 million tests since the beginning of the pandemic. It goes without saying that authorities concerned are doing their best to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and every one including citizens, residents and the international health bodies are satisfied with the steps taken to contain the contagion. Now, it is our collective responsibility to complement the government’s efforts by strictly following the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. [COMMENT BY: Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor]

LEBANON GOVERNMENT-FORMATION CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH: Listless Lebanese President Michel Aoun said parliament will meet on October 15 to begin government-formation discussions, following the August 10 resignation of the administration in the wake of the colossal blast in Beirut that killed 200 and destroyed many square kilometres of the capital. Lebanon is one of those countries that can run on autopilot for a while; indeed on many occasions in the past, it has continued to function without a government. But, even by Lebanese standards, the present situation is extreme as it involves a dysfunctional political dispensation, a collapsing economy, a free-falling currency, and a rampant pandemic. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

RACE FOR THE NOBEL PRIZE: While the world is focused on the fight against the coronavirus, the US presidential election and COVID-19 in the White House, it is also the week when the Nobel Prizes are announced. The Nobel for medicine and physics have already been declared – for research on Hepatitis C and Black Holes respectively – and we are looking ahead for the rest – chemistry, literature, peace and economics. The Nobel Prize for Peace will be declared on Friday and the bookies are working overtime. Experts say the World Health Organisation is a favourite this year because of the fight against the pandemic, but climate warrior Greta Thunberg is also in the reckoning. Stay tuned to find out who wins the award. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

LONGER MARKET CORRECTION LOOMING: US president Donald Trump on Tuesday abruptly cut off stimulus talks, delivering a final blow to any chance of getting additional pandemic aid to the economy before the election. The president’s action comes barely hours after the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, reiterated the Fed had done most of what it could, and that more needed to come from the fiscal side. In the highly politically charged environment, the prospects for enacting another trillion-dollar package before the election had already been looking dim. Predictably, the markets fell as the reality sank in. With so much hope pinned on the stimulus agreement, the current market correction could outlast the US election, if Trump does not make a reversal of his decision in his not so unusual style. [COMMENT BY: Babu Das Augustine, Business Editor]

MUMBAI INDIANS SHOW THEIR RUTHLESS STREAK AGAIN: The Mumbai Indians showed their killing instincts one again when they inflicted a 57-run defeat on Rajasthan Royals for their fourth win on the trot in IPL 2020 in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday night. They are now on top of the table with four wins out of six games and though it’s still early days, look a surefire team to be in the play-offs. Chasing the Mumbai total of 193, Rajasthan’s hopes sank when they lost three top-order batsmen inside the powerplay and never quite recovered from it .[COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

Rocker Eddie Van Halen, the immensely influential guitarist whose band, was one of the most popular rock acts of all time. He died on Tuesday at the age of 65. His son Wolfgang said that his father had succumbed to cancer after a “long and arduous” battle. In tributes paid to the star, many have praised his impressive guitar technique and flair, especially for perfecting the technique of two-handed tapping on the guitar neck. It’s a tragic loss for the music industry but hopefully his love for rock and his unique talents will inspire the next generation of musicians. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor – Features]