RAK family reunion of inmates and US sinking of Al Houthi boats: Gulf News Editors comment on top news of Jan 1

ACTS OF COMPASSION: In a display of compassion, the Ras Al Khaimah Police organised a transformative programme during the Unified Gulf Inmate Week. Operating under the slogan “Let us open work and hope to them,” the initiative orchestrated reunions for nine families of inmates of the Punitive and Correctional Institution in Ras Al Khaimah. Organised from December 22 to 28, the event featured competitions and gift-giving. The initiatives demonstrate the pursuit of happiness for inmates and the renewal of hope through reform initiatives aimed at the inmates’ reintegration into society. (By Jay Hilotin, Senior Assistant Editor)

AL HOUTHIS MUST STOP ATTACKS ON SHIPS: Yemen’s Al Houthi militants have shown no signs of ending their reckless attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. The US military on Sunday sank three of Al Houthis’ four boats after they attacked a cargo ship in an escalation of the maritime conflict linked to the Gaza war. The US has formed a new international coalition, ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian, ’ to safeguard vessels passing through the key waterway. But that has not deterred the Al Houthis. Major shipping companies are now avoiding the Red Sea and taking a longer and costlier route around the Cape of Good Hope. The militants must stop attacks that threaten innocent lives and the global economy. (By Stephen N.R., Senior Associate Editor)

BONANZA AWAITS SPORTS FANS: A new year brings new challenges to sportspersons across the world. 2024 is the year of the Olympics, the greatest sporting spectacle. The Paris Games will top the packed calendar for sports fans. Apart from the Olympics, there are the Twenty20 World Cup cricket for men and women and European football championships. Then there are the annual events in tennis, motorsport, rugby, golf, cricket, the T20 franchise cricket leagues, and the football leagues. So, a bonanza awaits sports enthusiasts. (By A.K.S. Satish, Sports Editor)