From the Editors: Jab for kids a welcome move

JAB FOR KIDS A WELCOME MOVE: The approval of the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 is welcome as parents of those who are eligible have been eagerly waiting for the go-ahead. The decision represents a critical stage in the UAE’s combat against COVID-19. It underlines the Government’s systematic approach in introducing new measures and enabling residents to return to a normal life. The move to administer booster doses to those in the 18 to 49 age group, besides frontliners aged 18-59, also reflects the same proactive approach. [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES: Over the years, the militant group Hezbollah’s stranglehold over Lebanese policymaking has strained Lebanon’s relations with Arab states. Things came to a head when comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kurdahi - who is from the Christian political party Marada, which is allied to Hezbollah - on the Yemen war came to the fore. The comments were unwarranted and an affront to diplomatic protocols. They were also untrue. Most Gulf states have taken a dim view of this development, and UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have asked the Lebanese envoys to leave. Saudi Arabia has also suspended all imports from Lebanon, which will cost the country $244 million in losses, at a time when its economy is spiralling down an abyss. Moral of the story? When you make unacceptable comments against allies who have stood by you over time, there could be consequences. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

INDIA’S SEMIFINAL CHANCES HANGING BY A THREAD: India could now struggle to make the semifinals of the T20 World Cup following another poor performance. Having lost their first match against Pakistan by 10 wickets, they lost once again last night to New Zealand by 8 wickets. Now they find their hopes hanging by a thread if they are to reach the last four. The latest defeat comes as a surprise as the team should have been fresh after a 7 day break between their first and second matches and it was ample time to work on tactics and to put things right on the field but they were unable to. They were the pre-tournament favourites but have been well below par in their two Super-12 matches and if they lose against Afghanistan on Wednesday then they are out and it will be a disappointing end to Virat Kohli’s captaincy of the team. Their only chance now is to win their last three matches and also hope that New Zealand and Afghanistan lose at least one of their remaining games. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

HOLLYWOOD HAS NO PLACE FOR ANTI-VAXXERS: At a time when memorials are being held around the world in remembrance on the five million people who lost their lives during this on-going battle with COVID-19, we hear news about rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube walking away from yet another Hollywood project over the production’s vaccine requirement. Even as more Hollywood studios are putting this clause as part of the safety protocols, Ice Cube isn’t the first and he certainly won’t be the last in taking this stance. But Jennifer Aniston took the right stand when she decided to leave some friends behind who were against getting a Covid jab. “There’s still a large group of people who are anti-vaxxers or just don’t listen to the facts. It’s a real shame,” she told InStyle magazine in August adding that “a lot of opinions don’t feel based in anything except fear or propaganda.” [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]