From the Editors: UAE seeing a gradual decrease in COVID-19 infection rate

GOOD NEWS: The National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority’s announcement on Tuesday that the UAE is seeing is a gradual decrease in the rate of COVID-19 infection over the past two weeks is good news. The country’s relentless efforts to check the spread of coronavirus, while ensuring a new normal for the benefit of residents is commendable. The responsibility of bringing down the infection rate further lies with us, the people. It depends on how genuinely we follow protocols like wearing masks and maintaining social distance, besides getting vaccinated. We owe it to ourselves and the country to remain safe [COMMENT BY: Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

FOR LEBANON, ALL HOPE IS LOST: Lebanon has reached such an appalling stage in its political existence that the chief of the army has come out and said, in plain words, that his men are going hungry. It is to be remembered that the French embassy donated food parcels last month to the Lebanese army. The country finds itself in the worst economic crisis in history, and the situation has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the colossal blast last year at the Beirut port, and a collapsing health care sector. Also, there’s new flare-up of demonstrations against Lebanon’s venal political establishment. But, like in the past, nothing is expected to change. However, people are so disoriented and angry that they need to vent steam. [COMMWNT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

PRACTICAL STEPS NEEDED IN BRAZIL TO FIGHT COVID-19: Just when COVID-19 cases around the world seemed to have plateaued, comes news that Brazil has broken its record for daily coronavirus deaths with nearly 2,000 fatalities. This is sad news for the people of the country and for the population at large. Only last week, President Jair Bolsonaro asked Brazilians to "stop whining" about COVID-19 and renewed his attacks on stay-at-home measures. Intensive care units are more than 80 per cent occupied in 25 of the country’s 27 capital cities. Bravado will not help fight the coronavirus, practical steps will. A change in the way the country tackles the virus and urgent steps to vaccinate the people will help slow the relentless onslaught of COVID-19 in Brazil. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham Senior Associate Editor]

EUROPEAN CROWN LOOKS FOREVER OUT OF REACH FOR RONALDO: After claiming the title for three years on the trot between 2015 and 2018 with Real Madrid, one begins to wonder if Cristiano Ronaldo will ever get his hands on the Champions League trophy again. Juventus — and Ronaldo — crashed out of the Champions League round of 16 on away goals for the second successive year as they were eliminated by 10-man Porto on Tuesday. With the Turin club on the slide under coach Andrea Pirlo, and looking like relinquishing their Serie A crown after nine years at the top, it looks unlikely that they will be the champions of Europe any time soon — and that is not good news for the ageing Ronaldo. [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

WHY CRITICIZING MEGHAN IS IN BAD TASTE: Piers Morgan’s dramatic exit from the ITV breakfast show ‘Good Morning Britain’ on Tuesday night comes at a time when the world is finally ready to shed the social stigma that comes attached with discussing mental health in public. Whether or not one believes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they spoke to Oprah Winfrey about Meghan harboring suicidal thoughts while pregnant with their son Archie, it is imperative that as a society and while speaking from a place of power, one wields that influence with responsibility. Morgan’s personal vendetta against Meghan has no role on primetime TV, especially when he questions the authenticity of a person openly talking about suicide. The world has come a long way in battling the bias that comes attached to mental health and it is time we act wisely. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]