From the Editors: Daesh jailbreak, attacks in Syria and Iraq raise alarm

Daesh jailbreak, attacks in Syria and Iraq raise alarm: Daesh terrorists carried out deadly attacks on the intervening night of Thursday-Friday — this time in two countries, almost simultaneously. In Syria, over 100 militants armed with heavy machine guns, and vehicles rigged with explosives attacked the Gweiran Prison where 3,000 militants are being held. It was the deadliest assault by Daesh since 2019 in which dozens of militants were freed. In Iraq, they killed 11 soldiers who were asleep. These two operations show the group still has the capacity to carry out major attacks. The terror group, which was largely defeated in Iraq in 2017, and in Syria in 2019, remains active through sleeper cells. In recent months, Daesh attacks have been on the rise in both Iraq and Syria, where in 2014 the group set up a self-styled Islamic caliphate before being defeated by an international coalition. It’s time now for intelligence and security forces to work together and rise up to the challenge of thwarting such attacks. [COMMENT BY: Stephen N.R., Senior Asociate Editor]

New radars for safer pedestrian crossings in Dubai a smart move: Dubai Police have revealed a new radar to catch drivers who do not accord a priority to pedestrians at designated pedestrian crossings. The new, solar-powered radar was displayed at the 23rd edition of the Intersec summit in Dubai. The new radar is also capable of detecting motorists who do not wear seat belts or those who are busy on their mobile phones or other devices while driving. According to Dubai Police, the radar is equipped with sensors to identify pedestrians while they are crossing the roads and it has a red light to alert drivers to stop and give priority to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings. If a motorist ignores the red light, then the radar records the violation and a fine is issued to the errant motorist. This radar is a timely introduction for even better traffic management in the emirate. It will also come in handy in ensuring greater pedestrian safety, without the need for any human involvement. Accidents often occur at pedestrian crossings primarily because motorists often tend to ignore people trying to cross the roads. With this new radar, such reckless and irresponsible driver behaviour may well be a thing of the past. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

Concerts take a hit... again: Following the cancellation of Adele’s Las Vegas concerts due to COVID-19, her fans have expressed disappointment and even anger at the issue. According to reports, many people had booked not only tickets for the show but hotel stays and flight tickets to travel to see the British vocalist. Iconic group The Fugees have also announced that their reunion tour has been cancelled due to the pandemic. In these times of uncertainty, we can expect more cancellations and postponements. The best thing to do is be careful about spending lots of money on tours and events. You never know when plans will change. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor – Features]

Speculation growing regarding Guardiola’s future at Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s contract as manager of English Premier League champions Manchester City runs until the end of the 2022-23 season and there is speculation over whether or not the Spaniard will extend his successful stay at the club. A decision is needed on his future and the 51-year-old says he is not thinking about leaving the Etihad Stadium. He says the club has given him everything and does not want to betray them. This will be music to the ears of City’s fans who have enjoyed three titles under Guardiola’s time in charge and they look set to add a fourth. He has also won four Carabao Cups and the FA Cup but the one title missing is the Champions League. It seems a certainty that City will win that soon too but it will be interesting to see if they do it with or without Pep. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]