From the Editors: UAE shows the way, yet again, with its COVID-19 vaccination drive

UAE SHOWS THE WAY, YET AGAIN, WITH ITS VACCINATION DRIVE: Right from the time the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a pandemic, in March last year, UAE’s role in fighting the spread of the virus and protecting its citizens and residents has been exemplary. Once the vaccines reached the UAE’s shores, the same efficiency was noticed in getting the maximum possible people vaccinated in the minimum possible time. In light of this proactive role played by the UAE authorities and the country’s frontline workers, it is indeed heartening to note that between April 22 and 23, within a 24-hour time span, as many as 105,443 vaccine doses were administered to people in this country. This is just one example of how seriously the nation and its leadership have taken the challenge to counter this scourge. No wonder, even as the rest of the planet grapples to come to terms with a crisis that human kind has not seen since the two World Wars, UAE continues to play a pioneering role in the fight. [COMMENT BY: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

INDIA'S DAILY COVID-19 CASES CLIMB TO NEW WORLD RECORD: India’s health ministry said the country’s COVID-19 infections rose by 346,786 overnight meaning the country has set a new unwanted world record for the third consecutive day. Overwhelmed hospitals are begging for oxygen supplies to treat patients as the second wave of the virus continues to cause chaos. The government has deployed military planes and trains to get oxygen to medical centres across the country. India is currently reporting one COVID-19 death in every four minutes. It appears complacency in adhering to masks and physical distancing has played a massive role in the dire situation. Reducing transmission will be hard but somehow it must be done to protect the 1.3 billion population. [COMMENT BY: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

MUMBAI INDIANS' TEMPLATE FAIL TO CLICK AGAIN: Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians are known to be slow starters, but they have hardly looked as vulnerable as they did during their second straight defeat on Friday night. The middle order failed to fire once again and while the spinners like Rahul Chahar and Jayant Yadav tried to make a match of it against Punjab Kings, a total of 131 was good 20-25 runs short for winning the game even on the slow Chennai track. Full marks, however, to Punjab for ticking all the boxes – be it in bowling or the fearless start that KL Rahul & Mayank Agarwal gave their team – which succeeded in them winning the mental battle of chasing against Mumbai. [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

WHY THE WORLD NEEDS A BLACK CAPTAIN AMERICA: There is a moment in ‘The Falcon and Winter Solider’ finale that rings true for the times we live in. In the Disney+ season finale that aired yesterday, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has just saved humanity once again, only this time as a Black Captain America. Looking around those powerful people surrounding him, he informs them he has no blue eyes, no blond hair, nor a serum to turn him into a super solider. What he has in his possession is a belief that people need representation at a time when voices aren’t being heard and for those in power to ask the right questions. Sam’s monologue is steeped in simplicity, but sometimes it is a simple answer that can solve complex equations. Perhaps that is exactly what the world needs to listen to at a time when movements like Black Lives Matters demand attention. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]