From the Editors: Dubai conducts COVID-19 tests before new school term, France makes masks mandatory

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO WEAR A MASK? France has ordered that everyone across Paris must wear one in order to fight a second wave of the coronavirus. The move comes after Paris was found to be one of the hardest-hit regions in France, with more than 5,400 confirmed new cases in just 24 hours - the highest level since May. French Prime Minister Jean Castex has warned a new lockdown cannot be ruled out. Germany and Spain have also announced tougher infection control measures. Wearing masks may be cumbersome at times, but it has been proved to keep infection at bay. Simple steps will go a long way in getting the global economy on track sooner rather than later. (COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor)

REASSURING MEASURES: Dubai’s move to get all school teachers and administrative staff tested for COVID-19 before the schools reopen on Sunday is yet another step in the UAE’s continuous and well-thought out efforts to check the spread of the coronavirus. After testing facilities were set up in seven schools, top government officials personally toured these centres and visited classrooms to ensure nothing is left to chance and safety protocols are in place. All these actions have proved to be very reassuring for parents, allaying any fears they may have had to send their children to school again after six months. (COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor)

SHOPPING POST COVID Granted that it is too short a period to make judgement about – but UAE’s retail sector seems to have dealt with the reopening after the COVID-19 imposed restrictions far better than it was expected to. Malls and stores have managed to get visitors back over the last three months, and where the price is seen as right, shoppers showed they are willing to pay. UAE shoppers have not migrated wholesale onto online channels – they are wailing to make a return to brick-and-mortar options just as well. On their part retailers need to stick with their current pricing strategy – any impression that they are going back to sizeable mark ups will nip this momentum… even before it got a decent build up. Keep checking the price tag. (COMMENT BY Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

A FRENCH TOUR DE FRANCE RACE LIKE NO OTHER THIS YEAR. This year’s Tour de France will be like no other. No Mark Cavendish, the ace sprinter, or Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome – who have won five Tours between them. Yet we can look forward to a competitive 107th edition when the tour rolls out of Nice on Saturday. Defending champion Egan Bernal is the firm favourite but a testing route consisting of 29 categorised climbs across all six of France’s mountain ranges will try the riders. The course will feature a mountain time trial, an unpaved summit and a handful of deceptive stages that could catch riders unaware if they are not careful. (COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor)

WHO’S THE BAD GUY? Bollywood’s ‘black sheep’ business is getting murkier every day – with names been drafted for prize deceiver on an hourly basis. Where Rhea Chakraborty fought her accusers on a TV interview, she was lashed at by the late Sushant Singh Rajput’s family members and ex-girlfriend. Journalists hounded the starlet’s home, going so far as to interrogate a food delivery boy about his cargo to Chakraborty’s house. So who is the villain really? Is it a gold-digging woman who orchestrated a rising star’s death? Or a grieving girlfriend being crucified? A reportedly estranged – or tight-knit, depending on who you speak to – family on the war path? Or the media, which seems determined to follow each tangential lead? Or is it you for reading this? (COMMENT BY Karishma Nandkeolyar, Assistant Online Edior)