From the editors: Dubai’s 100 million meals campaign gets outstanding response

DUBAI’S 100 MILLION MEALS CAMPAIGN GETS OUTSTANDING RESPONSE: The generosity of UAE citizens and residents once again have come to the fore, as in less than a week its launch, Dubai’s 100 million meals campaign has received Dh43 million in donations. This effectively covers almost half the targeted amount of Dh100 million that was targeted to be raised. The campaign aims to provide food support to disadvantaged individuals and families across 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa this Ramadan. The overwhelming response is in keeping with the spirit of the Holy Month, as we remember those less fortunate. (COMMENT BY Somshankar Bandyopadhyay, Assistant Editor)

SHORTAGE OF MEDICINES THREATENS BRAZIL’S HEALTH SECTOR A lack of medicine supplies to treat patients in hospitals is the latest problem Brazil is facing as it struggles to cope with COVID-19. The situation is so bad that health workers are now being forced to intubate patients without the aid of sedatives. They had earlier been diluting them to make their stocks last longer. This comes after weeks of warnings that hospitals were on the verge of running out of critical drugs. Brazil has an average of 3,000 deaths a day - one of the world’s worst daily COVID-19 tolls. President Jair Bolsonaro has not helped matters by opposing social distancing and scoffing at masks while the delay last year in acquiring vaccines has resulted in a slow immunization programme. Things may get worse before they get better. (COMMENT BY Imran Malik, Assistant Editor)

BOLLYWOOD COMES TO A STANDSTILL DUE TO COVID-19. As Mumbai goes into another lockdown to combat the second wave of COVID-19 cases, the prolific Bollywood industry continues to be a casualty. Producers, actors and directors who were planning to film in Mumbai in the coming months have halted their shootings and are playing a nervous wait and watch game. With the curfew being re-instated in Mumbai, the stars and its makers are in a proverbial fix. Film shootings of big-ticket films such as Akshay Kumar’s ‘Ram Setu’ and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Gangubhai Kathiawadi’ have also been stalled. It doesn’t help that the stars of these films are also battling the virus and taking turns to get better. For the first time in decades, Bollywood is witnessing an unprecedented halting of film shootings and delayed film releases. So what next? As Bollywood bleeds, expect selfies of sun-kissed stars faced sunning in the pristine beaches of Maldives, now billed as Bollywood party spot. Consider yourself warned. (COMMENT BY Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Assistant Editor Features)

MORRIS THE JOURNEYMAN SHOWS HIS WORTH FOR RAJASTHAN ROYALS A pay cheque of $ 2.25 million for Chris Morris? The armchair critics were astounded when Rajasthan Royals broke the bank for him in this year’s auction, but the South African showed he was worth the investment by taking his team over the line in a crucial win over Delhi Capitals on Thursday. His 36 off 18 balls were invaluable for the team, and his value need not to be over-emphasised with Ben Stokes ruled out of IPL and Jofra Archer’s return doubtful. Meanwhile, ‘Killer Miller’ seems in good touch – and that’s good news for last night’s winners. (COMMENT BY Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor)