From the editors: UAE’s vaccine initiative a boon for all

UAE’s vaccine initiative a boon for all: In a noteworthy initiative, the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Committee has announced that all persons with expired entry or residency visas will be provided with the COVID-19 vaccine. This move is a great help for all those stuck in the country due to travel restrictions on account of the pandemic. It also helps protect the larger community as this will allow these vaccinated persons a new lease of life and go about their normal routine. The UAE remains a global leader in the fight against COVID-19, and this is another step towards that goal. [COMMENT BY: Somshankar Bandyopadhyay, Assistant Editor]

G-7 Summit makes good start with promise of vaccines for poor: This year’s G-7 Summit - which brings together the world’s richest, most industrialised countries of US, Japan, UK, Germany, Canada, France and Italy - made a good start, with the promise to deliver one billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to developing nations. One reason why the G-7 would be eager to show it cares is the fact that China, which the group sees as a competitor on the global geopolitical stage, has given away 260 million doses to 95 countries. For US President Biden, it was back to the days of in-person global diplomacy, of which he is a veteran, having served as Senate Foreign Relations Committee chief and then as vice president. His toughest meeting lies ahead, though, when he goes one-on-one, face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

Djokovic ends Nadal’s reign at French Open: Yesterday’s French Open semi-final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal may well go down as one of the all-time great matches which the Serbian top seed won 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. It put an end to the Spaniard’s reign at Roland Garros but it could have gone either way. The champion in each of the past four years will feel disappointed to have lost having taken the first set. The match was full of drama and twists and turns and the 5,000 fans were loving every minute of it. They were allowed to stay past France's 11pm curfew as part of its coronavirus restrictions – but there may have been a riot if they were forced to leave this one. In the end Nadal - going for a record-extending 14th title - lost on the clay for just the third time in 108 matches. In the final, Djokovic will face Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas who beat German sixth seed Alexander Zverev in a five-set epic on Friday. Sunday’s final will be one not to miss. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

When is it time to give Meghan a break?: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has been facing a trial by media ever since she was welcomed into the family fold by the British royal family in 2018. In these years, she has been subjected to racial prejudice, faced attacks on her character, pushed to the brink of suicide and endured the pain of a miscarriage. Now, less than a week since she and Prince Harry welcomed their second child, Lilibet Diana, Meghan will be subjected to further hurt and embarrassment with her estranged father Thomas Markle poised to air more dirty laundry in a new televised interview, airing Sunday. Markle, who claims to love his daughter, perhaps fails to understand that all a woman needs after giving birth is time to heal physically and emotionally. How about giving the child you love a break for a change? [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]