From the Editors: Take weather alerts seriously

WEATHER ALERTS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY: The alert on unstable weather conditions continuing in parts of the UAE today must be taken seriously by motorists and others alike. Heavy rain is expected in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, according to the authorities. Wednesday’s flash floods in some of the emirates left many residents stranded, with vehicles being stuck in water and families being rescued from affected areas. Exercising caution at times like these is an absolute must. (By Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor).

A 0.75% HIKE AND THE MARKETS JUST SHRUGGED: The Fed did it - and the rest of the world shrugged and went about doing their stuff. Financial and stock markets stayed positive, and everything from gold to crypto assets were posting gains, small, big or about par. It was as if the 0.75 per cent rate hike was just another milestone on the road to taking on inflation - or preparing for a recession. Will the effects take longer to be felt? Consumers worldwide won't have to wait that long, that's for sure. Anything that they want to do with a bit of lending will have them dig deeper into their pockets. On that point, the Fed did deliver a punch. (By Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

ASIA CUP: SPOTLIGHT ON THE UAE AS HOSTS AGAIN: Finally, it’s official: the UAE will again host Asia Cup cricket again after 2018 as the Asian Cricket Council confirmed late on Wednesday that it would be shifted from Sri Lanka in view of the persisting political turmoil in the island nation. The UAE, who had acquitted itself seamlessly as the first ICC associate member nation to stage the T20 World Cup last year, acting as Pakistan’s ‘home’ venue for than a decade as well as the two IPLs - get another opportunity to host top bracket international cricket from August 27-September 11. The overwhelming presence of expats from the Indian sub-continent will ensure the stands are packed as the fans can brace for an ideal dress rehearsal for the World T20 later this year. (By Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor)

STANDING UP TO CRIPPLING HATE: Bollywood filmmakers and stars are notorious for distancing themselves from films that turn into box-office duds, but ‘Shamshera’ director Karan Malhotra isn’t one of them. After his star-studded fantasy adventure ‘Shamshera’, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Vaani Kapoor, bombed spectacularly and coughed up scathing reviews, he took to Instagram for some instrospection. "My Dearest Shamshera, you are majestic the way you are. It is important for me to express myself on this platform because here is where all the love, the hate, the celebration and the humiliation exists for you. I want to unimaginably apologise to you for abandoning you for these past few days as I could not handle the hate and rage," wrote Malhotra on Instagram. While you can’t ignore that his pet project is one of 2022’s biggest misfires, you have to give him credit for owning up to his failures. It takes a lot of courage and grit to stand up when your cards are down. Here’s a big shout out to Karan Malhotra for standing tall, even if his project was deeply flawed. [By Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Assistant Editor Features]