From the Editors: Keeping our children safe is a collective responsibility

KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE IS A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY: There is some alarming bit of statistics released by Dubai Police, that show that there were 186 incidents reported last year of children getting trapped in elevators, in vehicles or at home after being left alone and unattended. In a recent incident, a father had left two children aged two and four years, inside a parked car as he went shopping. The trapped children were finally rescued by policemen. These incidents are indicative of a general malaise in society – that of parents and guardians not being attentive enough towards children. The UAE has very strict laws in place to penalise such negligence, but no extent of legal measures will be enough in ensuring the safety and security of minors unless we adults behave responsibly and do our bit to make sure our children are safe and secure. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

ANY SIGN OF EASING TENSION IS WELCOME: US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Geneva for three hours to discuss the way forward in the relationship between the two countries. Both sides claim victory, although concrete accomplishments were hard to define. But what is important is that world leaders meeting for talks is a step towards breaking barriers and moving ahead towards cooperation. The world cannot afford another cold war, at least not when the pandemic is still being fought and the economy is faltering. Any sign of easing tension, especially between the big powers, is welcome. [COMMENT BY : Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

DENMARK MAY STRUGGLE TO GET THEIR MIND BACK ON THE GAME AFTER ERIKSEN’S COLLAPSE: It is set to be an emotional return to action today for Denmark in Euro 2020 following the shocking Christian Eriksen incident last Saturday when the midfielder suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the pitch. The Danes will have to be mentally ready for their game against Belgium later but there is no doubt that they will be receiving incredible support from both sets of fans and will want to use that energy in a positive way. In the 10th minute of the game, Belgium will be kicking the ball out of play to take part in a minute's applause for Eriksen who is recovering in hospital. The timing has been chosen because he wears the number 10 shirt for the team but then after that, both sides will do their best to secure three points to help them advance in the tournament. But, it will feel odd to be playing the game at the Parken Stadium, the scene of his collapse. It will likely serve as a reminder that there really are more important things than football. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

WARTS AND ALL: Hollywood superstar Will Smith’s new video where he tries and fails to use gym equipment properly is meant to be a hilarious peek at the struggle of getting back into fitness after a long break. Earlier, he showed us his pot belly and promised to get in shape. It’s heart-warming to see a celebrity shed his perfect persona to show fans a silly side and hopefully encourage people to try to get fit instead of never attempting to change. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor – Features]