From the Editors: Stay abreast of rules during pandemic travel

UPDATED COVID-10 TEST RULES: Travelling amid pandemic times warrants a double check on the rules pertaining to COVID-19 tests as requirements keep changing. Thankfully, airlines, both within and outside the UAE, are constantly updating their websites on the changes. Some Indian airlines announced yesterday that tests from three more labs in India will not be accepted for Dubai-bound passengers. Emirates too said a pre-travel COVID-19 test is not mandatory for UAE residents and transit passengers from 60 countries, as well as tourists from UK and Germany. UAE residents from these countries can do the test on arrival. So don’t forget to keep abreast of the changes if you are travelling [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

HEALTH WORKERS-HEROES IN THESE GRIM TIMES: The Saudi government has decided to offer SR500,000 in compensation to the family of every health worker who died of COVID-19, including expats. The decision will be backdated to March this year when COVID-19 infection cases among health workers were first recorded. This move is a recognition of what a debt society owes to these heroes, who have confronted the insidious virus head-on, often at great personal risk. Thousands of health workers around the world have fallen victim to coronavirus. But the medical fraternity has continued the fight for the benefit of the rest of us. [COMMENT BY Omar Shariff, International Editor]

GERMANY PONDERS NEW COVID-19 CURBS: After coping relatively well with the first coronavirus wave, Germany is now pondering new restrictions, including closing restaurants and bars, and putting strict limits on private and public gatherings. Germany has recorded 449,275 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic with 10,098 deaths. It comes on the heels of fresh restrictions in other parts of Europe and a warning that ‘pain’ will be felt across the continent. The rising cases only show that we cannot led down our guard in the fight against the coronavirus and that we need to continue to be vigilant. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

WHEN INFLATION IS A REASON FOR CELEBRATION: Australia's consumer prices rose slightly faster than forecast in the last quarter. The Reserve Bank of Australia in recent months had adjusted its inflation framework to allow the economy to run a little hotter. With COVID-induced economic contraction, inflation is on the wish list of most policy makers. Governments and central banks around the world are using fiscal and monetary tools to reflate the economies. In normal times, inflation is often seen as a villain causing value erosion and lower purchasing power. A general rise in prices becomes desirable when it helps boost consumer demand and consumption, driving economic growth. [COMMENT BY: Babu Das Augustine, Business Editor]

SUNRISERS KEEP PLAY-OFF HOPES ALIVE WITH A STUNNER: Sunrisers Hyderabad kept alive their hopes of making the last four of the IPL 2020 with a stunning 88-run victory over the Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Tuesday night. Rashid Khan delivered three telling blows to rock Delhi’s chase after Wriddhiman Saha (87 off 45) and skipper David Warner (66 runs off 34 balls) Hyderabad to a mammoth total of 219/2 in 20 overs. Saha, coming in as opener in only his second game this year, was the Man of the Match, [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

HAS THE PANDEMIC SAPPED YOU DRY OF INSPIRATION? Then maybe it’s time to take a leaf out of the books of artists such as Paul McCartney, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and others who’ve worked on music during this time. Any musician will say that performing for fans is one of their biggest joys, but they’ve not been able to do that. So making music is all they can do. Even if it’s not music for other people, making something or doing something productive while being safe during the pandemic will surely help us get through this with our sanity intact. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor - Features