From the Editors: Grateful for the wise leadership

DEEP GRATITUDE: It doesn’t take only a day like today, the 15th anniversary of the Accession Day of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to acknowledge his achievements and the excellence in governance. The sense of gratitude is felt every single day as residents go about their daily grind. Being in the UAE teaches residents many life lessons. Top on the list are values like tolerance, respect and empathy. The ability to turn dreams into reality through hard work and a strong will is also a learning that they will ever be grateful for. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

ANOTHER UK LOCKDOWN SEEMS INEVITABLE: With over 50,000 COVID-19 cases and an average of 500 deaths a day, it’s obvious that the UK is in serious trouble. It’s one of Europe’s worst hit countries. We are all hoping and praying that everyone recovers and the virus magically disappears but the government needs to act now to save lives. The only way that the spread was curbed before was with a national lockdown. And, as much as it hurts to say it, this is what may be needed again. Of course, it is the last thing that anyone wants. Yes, we have two vaccines now but it’ll be ages before everyone is inoculated by them. Throw in the fact that the NHS is being stretched beyond belief, drastic actions are needed in the UK. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

CHELSEA AND LAMPARD FEEL THE HEAT: Only a few short weeks ago it was Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta who were in the Premier League sacking spotlight as the English giants were struggling. Now it is the turn of another relatively new manager to feel the heat as Frank Lampard’s Chelsea are slumping and Sunday night’s thumping by Manchester City has pushed the club into crisis mode. While United and the Gunners have shown patience with their team managers, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is notorious for his propensity to dismiss coaches and Lampard will need to find results sharpish if he is to hold on to his post at the London club. [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

CELEBRITIES PAYING THE PRICE OF FAME: When is the price of fame too high for a celebrity? Is there a thin line between public devotion and scrutiny? For actors such as Bollywood’s Varun Dhawan, the constant attention into his personal affairs is something he claims to have accepted over the years. But when that same attention becomes an obsession, surely a celebrity is able to say, enough is enough. The young actor has felt the lick of fear when his longtime girlfriend Natasha Dalal was threatened by one such devoted fan in 2019. Dhawan isn’t the only actor to have received death threats targeting his loved ones and he won’t be the last. Yet, public figures also deserve private lives, ones that are safe and devoid of harm befalling their near and dear ones. Surely that isn’t too much to ask, even for a celebrity. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]