From the Editors: A timely reminder from Abu Dhabi Police

A TIMELY REMINDER FROM ABU DHABI POLICE: Drivers who jump the red light in Abu Dhabi will be liable to pay a fine of Dh51,000 and their driving licences will be withdrawn for a period of six months. In addition, their vehicles will be impounded for 30 days and the driver concerned will be slapped with 12 black points. These are extremely timely measures and are in keeping with the seriousness of the crime, given the reckless ways in which some motorists tend to behave when behind the wheel. The series of horrific video footages released by Abu Dhabi Police to alert motorists about the dangers of disobeying the red light are sufficient proof of how some drivers endanger their lives and also those of other road users. The punitive measures announced by Abu Dhabi Police will hopefully go a long way in helping instil caution and responsibility among motorists. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

TIME RUNNING SHORT FOR IRAN: Talks to rein in Iran’s nuclear arms programme are on the verge of collapse, a report said on Friday, after the US and three European powers agreed in Paris consultations on the need for Tehran to return quickly to negotiations amid growing alarm over a delay. More than four months have passed since Iran stepped away from the negotiations in Vienna, saying that it would return, but has balked at setting a date, and Tehran has been using the time to continue to advance its uranium enrichment and spin more centrifuges. At the Paris talks, France said: “It is urgent and essential that Iran ends violations of unprecedented gravity” of the nuclear accord. Earlier this month, the US and Israel warned that they are exploring a “plan B” for dealing with Iran. Is the patience within Joe Biden’s team wearing thin? [COMMENT BY: Stephen N.R., Senior Associate Editor]

ENGLAND CHASING WHITE-BALL HISTORY: This evening will see a rematch of the 2016 T20 World Cup final as England start their campaign against West Indies in the Super 12 stage at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. England will be seeking revenge having lost the final five years ago in the last-over. West Indies needed 19 runs from the last 6 balls for an unlikely victory, but Carlos Brathwaite hit Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes to seal the most unbelievable win. England will fancy their chances tonight as not only are they the top-ranked Twenty20 team, they are also the current 50-over World Champions and in Dawid Malan they have the number-one T20 batsman. They are aiming to become the first team to hold both the 50-over and T20 World Cups at the same time. Can they do it? They are coming into the tournament on top form and boast some of the best players in the world. They won’t have a better chance than now. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

RELIVING THE MAGIC OF BOLLYWOOD ON BROADWAY: There are perhaps two films in the history of Bollywood that are perfectly poised for a Broadway outing. One would have to be the tragic romance of ‘Devdas’ and the other, Indian cinema’s most beloved classic, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’. As the latter heads for its big stage debut in 2022, under the guidance of the film’s original director Aditya Chopra, ‘DDLJ’s enduring appeal perhaps lies in the simplicity of its tale, while seeped in traditional Indian values. Boy meets girl on a holiday, sparks fly, but she’s betrothed to another through an arranged marriage set up by her overbearing father. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol immortalised Raj and Simran’s love story on celluloid. We live in hope that whoever slips into those roles for the Broadway production doesn’t take away from the magic that we continue to draw from 26 years after the film first released. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]