From the Editors: Benefits of the RTA’s Public Transport Day

BENEFITS OF THE RTA’S PUBLIC TRANSPORT DAY: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will hold its ‘12th Public Transport Day’ on November 1 under the theme ‘Together to Expo 2020 Dubai’. The initiative by the RTA is very important as it aims at encouraging UAE residents and visitors to use public transport in their daily travels, especially when visiting Expo 2020 Dubai. Commuters should try to use public transport and avoid personal cars whenever it is possible as by doing so they will not only save money on petrol and avoid traffic jams but also help improve environment and promote sustainable development in the city. Above all, they can also win exciting prizes announced by the RTA for frequent public transport users. [COMMENT BY: Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor]

WORLD MUST ACT TO SECURE FOOD FOR AFGHANS: More than half of Afghanistan’s population faces acute food insecurity this winter, the UN has warned. Children are a particular concern because they are affected badly and could be scarred for life. The findings come as a harsh winter threatens to cut off areas where families desperately depend on humanitarian assistance to survive the freezing months. The report also notes that this is the highest number of acutely food insecure people ever recorded in the 10 years the UN has been conducting analyses in Afghanistan. In a world where food is often produced in surplus and wasted in many parts, it is a crime to watch people die of starvation. Responsible organisations must act quickly to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

WHY THE ARYAN KHAN CASE DEMANDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION: Even the twists in ‘Game of Thrones’ didn’t give enough of a shock value when compared to the Aryan Khan case that has unearthed a cesspool of accusations and allegations of corruption within the corridors of power. The 23-year-old son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will see his bail plea play out in the Bombay High Court once again today, even as a letter finds its way on Twitter that alleges a racket within the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) that targets Indian film stars and extorts them for money. Names such as Deepika Padukone and Sara Ali Khan have all been mentioned in this letter that has been written by an unnamed source from within the NCB, or so they say. Going by the recent trajectory, more accusations are bound to fly targeting the anti-drugs agency and its Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede. Yet, in this frenzy to play a blame game, let us not forget the collateral damage; there are real lives at stake here. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]