From the Editors: Dubai Police yet again rises to the occasion

DUBAI POLICE YET AGAIN RISES TO THE OCCASION: An Ethiopian woman, who went into labour while transiting through Dubai International Airport recently, was assisted by personnel from Dubai Police as she delivered a baby boy. Police and security forces all across the world are known to provide various humanitarian services as and when the situation so demands, rising way beyond their immediate job brief. But this incident at Dubai International Airport is rare even by such standards, revealing yet again the extent to which security forces in this country are ready to stretch themselves when a soul in distress needs a helping hand. This remarkable outreach by Dubai Police tugs at one’s heartstrings all the more because the pregnant woman in question was travelling with three minor children and there was no other family member or friend or acquaintance near at hand to help her. Given such a scenario, what the Dubai Police personnel did was no less than what a family member or a friend would have done – proving yet again the truth behind the adage: ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’[COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

WATCH THOSE COSTS - DON’T LET THEM PILE UP: From credit card bills to loan and mortgage payments, UAE residents will find that their monthly outgo is adding up to quite an amount. More substantial than anything they have experienced in the last two years, even longer. Add in the fuel bills, and one needs to balance all those expenses adroitly. Because this is not going to be a one-off; in the last two months, there have been two increases in rates and more are on their way, courtesy of the US Federal Reserve’s decisions to try and tame the inflation genie. Not just governments and businesses, individuals everywhere have to keep balancing those books. Don’t let up in this exercise. [COMMENT BY: Manoj Nair, Business Editor]

REAL MADRID PRODUCED INCREDIBLE FIGHTBACK TO STUN MAN CITY: Last night the world witnessed arguably the most thrilling Champions League semi-final in the history of the competition. Real Madrid, recently crowned La Liga champions, produced an incredible late comeback against Manchester City to book their place in the final. City took a late lead from Riyad Mahrez to make it 5-3 on aggregate and that looked to be that but Madrid’s Brazilian striker Rodrygo produced two injury time goals to level the tie and send the match to extra time. And then a penalty from Karim Benzema gave Madrid the lead. City threw everything at them in a desperate attempt to take the match to penalties but the Spaniards held firm to send the Bernabeu into absolute euphoria. They will now meet Liverpool in the May 28 final at the Stade de France.[COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Sports Editor]

JOHNNY DEPP-AMBER HEARD CASE KEEPS EVOLVING: The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial saw another emotionally charged testimony on Wednesday when the ‘Aquaman’ actress took the stand, choking back tears as she details the abuse she was subjected to during her brief marriage to Deep. Heard revealed that Depp had slapped her multiple times when she joked about one of his tattoos, going on to detail other incidents where the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor reportedly abused her physically. While more skeletons are sure to spill from this closet in the coming days of the trial, one truly wonders whether there will ever be a clear winner in the end, even after a verdict has been reached. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]