From the Editors: Parking fee rule change in Abu Dhabi, a welcome move

ABU DHABI PARKING FEE RULE CHANGE, A WELCOME MOVE: The change in schedule for free parking and Darb toll gate passage in Abu Dhabi from Friday to Sunday is in line with the new weekend in the UAE and should be welcomed. That the public should pay for parking and the Darb toll gate on other days (Monday to Saturday) sits perfectly well with weekly schedules of office-goers and others. Like everything else, this change too will take a little getting used to before residents settle into the new routine. So don’t forget to pay for your parking this coming Friday (July 15) when the new rule comes into effect. You can park for free two days later – on July 17 – and on all other following Sundays and public holidays. [COMMENT by Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

UAE INVESTORS SIGN UP FOR RISK-OFF WAYS: It's the corporate results season all over again, and UAE companies across sectors are on track to deliver another quarter of solid gains. And putting in more distance from the Covid-induced turmoil on their financials. Since then, listed heavyweights have sought to keep a tight leash on their debts, calibrated their expansion plans, and ridden on demand spikes in the real estate space. All these would - and should - reassure investors that UAE's listed entities have the wherewithal to withstand the inevitable uncertainty that will accompany another US interest rate hike later this month. And more to come later in the year. For now, investors would do a lot of good for themselves to stay anchored to safety-first principles. [COMMENT by Manoj Nair, Business Editor]

TRUSS 11TH CANDIDATE TO TARGET 10 DOWNING STREET: The race to replace Boris Johnson is heating up. The latest to join the bid is foreign minister Liz Truss, which takes the number of those vying for No 10 to 11. Truss, who played the role of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in her school’s 1983 mock elections, said: “I am putting myself forward because I can lead, deliver and make the tough decisions. A frontrunner in the Tory leadership contest, Truss ranked just behind Rishi Sunak in an opinion poll. The MPs will get to decide which candidates will make the final two, in a series of voting rounds that could start as soon as Wednesday. But the Conservatives will pick the ultimate winner, after the leadership finalists make a six-week tour of the UK over the summer. Let’s wait and see. [COMMENT by Stephen N.R. Senior Associate Editor]

PRITHVIRAJ AND TEAM OWNS UP TO MISSTEPS IN ‘KADUVA’: Actors aren’t infallible and that was evident when someone as woke and progressive as South Indian actor Prithviraj admitted that he took a misstep with Malayalam-language Eid release ‘Kaduva’. His hyper-masculine character took a dig at differently-abled children to get back at his opponent, but that line where his character says that such children are a result of their parents’ past crimes has been promptly deleted following the backlash. Its director Shaji Kailas posted a long apology note in Malayalam asking his fans to ‘forgive the human error’ and Prithviraj re-posted it, and apologized for the same. While you wish that the makers including Prithviraj had caught that questionable dialogue right from the word go, it’s heartening to see A-listers like him take responsibility and onus when they publicly fumble. We are still waiting for that apology from Salman Khan who trivialized rape in one of his interviews. [COMMENT by Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Assistant Editor Features]

FRINGE PLAYERS TAKING TO HIGH SKIES: Sometimes it becomes a real task to follow the surfeit of sporting actions on a grand day. Sunday’s are notorious for that and it was no different this Sunday with endless top-quality actions, ranging from Wimbledon to cricket to formula one to golf. The list goes on endlessly. But it was also a day when the fringe international players took to the high skies, a feat that will make them feel that they now belong there. A day to remember in their careers, which will give the confidence to take on bigger challenges in the future. India’s Suryakumar Yadav joined an elite group after scoring a stunning century in a Twenty20 game against England, while the One Day International contest between minnows Ireland and World Cup finalist New Zealand was even more entertaining with the young Harry Tector and Michael Bracewell both scoring their maiden centuries in a thrilling win for the Kiwis. That’s the beauty of sport. [COMMENT by A.K.S. Satish, Sports Editor]