From the Editors: Sharjah's effective deterrent against erring motorists

EFFECTIVE DETERRENT AGAINST ERRING MOTORISTS: Sharjah Municipality’s move in locking up 192 vehicles over the past three months over unpaid fines is a step in the right direction. The locks coupled with notifications and the placement of stickers on the vehicles will hopefully serve as an effective deterrent against future violations. Of course, those who do not pay heed will also be duly dealt with as their vehicles will be towed away. As residents of the UAE, every motorist has the responsibility of abiding by the law. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

AFRICA NEEDS VACCINES: Africa is in the grip of another wave of COVID-19 infections and things are not looking good. Cases are rising, the Delta variant is spreading across the continent and deaths are mounting. The African Union special envoy on vaccines has blasted the global effort to distribute vaccines to low and middle income countries saying “not one dose, not one vial, has left a European factory for Africa.” Epidemiologists expect another wave of disease will follow before the end of the year. Only 1.1% of Africa’s 1.2 billion people having been inoculated compared with about 50% of the populations of the US and the UK that are fully inoculated. In the rush to get vaccinated, we must remember that no-one is safe until everyone is safe. Nations that have more jabs than needed for their population must share it with those who do not have, especially countries in Africa. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

ENGLAND EXPECTS AS DANES DELIVER: What a night of football! We had the evening for all to remember in the round of 16, but England and Denmark rivalled it with two tumultuous games on Saturday in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals. First up were the Danes, who dispatched the Czech Republic 2-1. But that became a footnote after England booted Ukraine to the touchline with a 4-0 thumping. Those results did not tell the story, though, as Denmark fought tooth and nail with the Czechs, who very nearly took their tie to extra-time. England, however, were in steamroller mode and seem to be coming to the boil just at the right time. Harry Kane, Gareth Southgate, this your moment. [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

WHY THE SUCCESS OF ‘F9’ IS BEING CELEBRATED BY ALL OF HOLLYWOOD: ‘Fast and Furious 9’ or ‘F9’ to fans is accelerating its way towards the $100 million mark by the July 4th long weekend in the US, a feat for any film in good times but an exceptional one for Hollywood that has seen box office returns dwindle in the wake of the pandemic. Even though the film has drawn polarized reviews from critics and fans, its success gives a much-needed boost to a hopeful Hollywood that is awaiting the release of summer tentpoles such as ‘Black Widow’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, ‘Jungle Cruise’, among others. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]