From the Editors: Easing of COVID-19 in the UAE restrictions is great news

EASING OF COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS IS GREAT NEWS: The relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions at public places and events from February 20 is great news for all residents and visitors. Not only does it spell normality, but also demonstrates the UAE’s excellent management of a globally challenging crisis. As was evident even earlier, the timing of and extent to which several protocols were introduced says a lot about the vision of the authorities who constantly monitored ground realities. The public also did their bit to cooperate, placing complete trust in the system to manage the situation and ease the protocols at the right time. The same maturity and responsibility will be required to ensure that the UAE continues to be the world’s most resilient country amid the pandemic. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

COVID -19 SITUATION IN BORDER MIDDLE EAST DOESN’T LOOK GOOD: The WHO has an important - and concerning - warning for Middle East countries: COVID-19 infections have been on the rise in the past six weeks. The main reason is low vaccination rates in many countries in the region. The daily average of cases for the entire region is now about 110,000, and daily deaths have increased to about 345. These are alarming figures. While a few states have achieved almost 100 per cent vaccination, many others are lagging far behind. The overall Middle Eastern average of fully vaccinated individuals is 35 per cent. A full 25 per cent of the countries have not even reached 10 per cent vaccination coverage (the WHO includes Djibouti and Afghanistan in the Middle East, too). This just goes to show that the fight against COVID-19 is far from over. This fight will go on until all of us are safe. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

CLUB WORLD CUP: A FITTING FINALE ON THE CARDS: The Club World Cup final in Abu Dhabi is poised for the most likely match-up as Chelsea, the Uefa Champions League holders, will take on Brazilian side Palmeiras at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday. The absence of coach Thomas Tuchel on the touchline after he tested positive for Covid-19 made no difference for the Premier League giants as they rode a match-winner by Romelu Lukaku to a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal on Wednesday to make the final. However, Asian champions Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia did not look a misfit at all, testing Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga several times in the second half. [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

IT IS OK THAT KIM KARDASHIAN CHOSE HAPPINESS: The Kim Kardashian-Kanye West divorce spectacle is an unfortunate end to a fairytale romance that soured over time. A quick sift through the arsenal of accusations and you can’t help but agree that Kardashian has made the healthy choice by taking care of herself in this breakdown. In her most recent interview with Vogue, the 41-year-old told the magazine that she decided she was going to make herself happy for a change. “And even if that created changes and caused my divorce, I think it’s important to be honest with yourself about what really makes you happy. I’ve chosen myself. I think it’s okay to choose you,” said the mother of four. Self-care is the very foundation of a healthy life, especially when juggling multiple roles as a mother, a wife and a businesswoman. Kardashian may be a lot of things, but she can’t be faulted for prioritising herself. In fact, she should be applauded.[COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]