From the Editors: COVID-19 fines an effective deterrent

FINES ARE AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT: The announcement by the UAE attorney-general that non-compliance with quarantine rules incurs hefty fines should serve as a stern reminder for anyone who might let their guard down as the UAE combats COVID-19. A comprehensive list of 21 categories of violations has been drawn up with fines ranging from Dh1,000 to Dh50,000. Besides fines being deterrents, the will to comply with the rules should come from within. As residents, we must willingly - and naturally – follow all precautionary measures for our own good and that of our community. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

FUEL PRICE INCREASE LATEST BLOW TO LEBANESE: As though things were not bad enough in Lebanon, there is a new problem Lebanese have to contend with. The government said on Sunday it was raising gasoline prices by 66 per cent in a partial reduction of fuel subsidies. One can’t really blame the authorities, as the central bank can simply no longer finance fuel imports at hugely subsidised exchange rates. But Lebanese, many of whom have reached a state wherein they are bartering household items for baby food, can hardly be expected to pay 66 per cent more for fuel. Every passing day, it seems, brings more hardships for the population. The situation has reached a boiling point - and could very easily get totally out of hand. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

PEOPLE MUST BE KEPT SAFE IN AFGHANISTAN: The situation in Afghanistan is becoming complicated. Seven people have been killed in chaos at Kabul’s international airport. There is a perceived threat from the Daesh affiliate in Afghanistan. The US Embassy has issued a new security warning telling its citizens not to travel to the airport without instruction from a government representative. And at the same time, thousands of people are being flown out of the country every day. All this makes the situation in the country fluid. All efforts must be taken to keep the people safe and ensure that they have access to food, clothing and shelter. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

PACQUIAO’S RETURN TO BOXING AFTER TWO-YEAR ABSENCE ENDS IN DEFEAT: After a two-year absence from the ring, Manny Pacquiao made a losing return to boxing last night as he was beaten by Cuba's Yordenis Ugas on a unanimous decision. It was the first bout for the Philippines star since he beat Keith Thurman for the WBA welterweight title in July 2019. Ugas was drafted in on August 10 for the injured Errol Spence Jr and in spite of the late change he was able to retain his WBA (super) welterweight title. When asked if this was his last fight the 42-year-old Pacquiao said he didn’t know. “I need to relax and make a decision. I had a hard time in the ring making adjustments. My legs were tight. I'm sorry I lost tonight, but I did my best.” The eight-division world champion now has a record of 62 wins, 8 defeats and 2 draws. He is a serving politician and was stripped of the WBA title in January because of inactivity. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

MINDY KALING TAKES A NICK AT FAT-SHAMERS: Mindy Kaling, the co-creator of ‘Never Have I Ever’ and the star of‘Mindy Project’, called out her colleague for commenting on her weight. The forty-something star was 25 back then when a fellow writer at NBC sized her up and claimed that she would do well if she lost around 7 kilos. It was a casual, almost flippant, remark, but it left a ‘devastating’ effect on Kaling, who was extremely sensitive about her body weight. She realised that people often thought they were entitled to comment on someone’s physical appearance and express their displeasure if someone didn’t fit into their idea of beauty or size. Since that sobering episode, Kaling has taken it upon herself to write stories and characters that don’t cater to popular ideals of superlative beauty. Perhaps, we should all take a leaf from Kaling’s life and learn not to make snide remarks about someone else’s physical attributes. And if someone still can’t help commenting on your size, just call them out like how Kaling is doing right now. [COMMENT BY: Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Assistant Editor Features]