From the Editors: Do not disclose work-related information

KEEP WITHIN LIMITS: The Public Prosecution’s reminder that disclosing work information could cost employees addresses a very pertinent issue as it is not uncommon for people to loosely discuss their work matters with family, friends and even strangers. Jail terms and fines of up to Dh1 million serve as an effective deterrent and employees would do well to keep within their limits while talking about their work. Information is a powerful weapon and can be easily misused if it ends up in the wrong hands. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

AL HOUTHIS WILL DO WELL NOT TO GET CARRIED AWAY: The US has removed Yemen’s Al Houthi militia from its terrorism blacklist. But, the Yemeni government has taken a dim view of this decision. It is upon the militia now to ensure that it immediately ceases attacks on civilians and new military ventures. However, that could be wishful thinking. Their latest military operations against the government-controlled oil-rich province of Marib have killed 20 people. For any broader effort to negotiate a political solution to the six-year-old Yemen war, it is imperative that such attacks end. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

PROTESTS IN MYANMAR CONTINUE: It’s been a week since the military took over in Myanmar leading to demonstrations. On Monday there were fresh protests and police fired a water cannon to disperse the crowd. Calls to join protests and to back a campaign of civil disobedience have grown louder and more organised over the past week. There are no initial signs that either side is backing down. Thankfully, the protests have remained peaceful and for the sake of democracy and the country the military must ensure that the people are not hurt. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AREN’T BARKING MAD: Tinki, the 8-year-old German Shepherd police dog which helped solve 49 cases with the Muzaffarnagar district police of Uttar Pradesh, died in November last year following a brief illness. As a tribute to the super smart dog, a statue has been erected of her, however, animal rights activists have a bone to pick with the police. They believe dogs should not be used to serve the needs of humans and fear for their safety in dangerous situations. Brutal methods are also not unheard of in K-9 training and so they have a valid point...But, dogs have 225 million scent receptors compared to a human’s 5 million, they are able to use their incredible noses to do incredible things such as find missing persons, or detect bomb threats and locate drugs. They are extremely valuable members of law enforcement and military teams due to their unique skill set and have been a major part of law enforcement for decades. They are not just important to police departments, they are irreplaceable. Can we really do without them on the force? [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

BRADY SETS NEW STANDARDS IN GREATNESS: Every experiment sets out to prove a hypothesis, and Tom Brady formulated an outrageous one last March, when he chose to flee the empire he helped build in New England to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Going from a franchise with whom he had won six titles to one that had won only six play-off games, Brady believed that, at age 43, he could master a new offence while the coronavirus pandemic limited in-person activity. The most precious of NFL baubles is the Super Bowl ring, and each of Brady’s — seven, the latest secured on Sunday night — reinforce an indomitable truth: When he has something to prove, he is just about unbeatable. Flicking away the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady guided the Buccaneers to a 31-9 romp that recalibrated his own standard for greatness on home field. This Super Bowl win was certainly Brady’s hardest, his sweetest and his strangest. [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

HOLLYWOOD BLASTS OFF INTO SPACE: Space, the final frontier… The trademark opening line of ‘Star Trek’ perfectly sums up the voyages of mankind’s exploration into space. Hollywood has explored the far depths of its resources to bring these voyages on screen in a multitude of settings, with space odysseys such as ‘Star Trek’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Expanse’ and films like ‘Gravity’ and ‘Interstellar’ defying the parameters of imagination. As the Emirates Mars Mission reaches a pivotal stage in its journey on February 9 with the Hope Probe’s Mars Orbital Insertion, the UAE’s landmark undertaking is just a small step for mankind and perhaps Hollywood as well. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]