From the Editors: Wishing everyone a happy, healthy New Year

HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR: As the UAE gets set to bid 2020 goodbye and usher in 2021, the season’s greetings have taken on an all-new meaning. The first thing that comes to anyone’s mind as wishes for a happy new year pour in is the hope that it will be a healthy new year. With the administration of COVID-19 vaccines in brisk progress in the UAE, the mood is undeniably upbeat. As residents, let’s pledge to be responsible and do what it takes to keep ourselves safe. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy New Year. [COMMENT BY: By Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

SCALED BACK LIVING: Around the world governments are scaling back New Year’s events in a bid to keep people safe and tackle the spread of the coronavirus. Fireworks displays and live performances will be watched mostly online or on television. In a sense it also makes us think about the way we want to live in the new year – scaled back or extravagant. With the world economy struggling to get back on its feet, we must take a fresh look at the possibilities that lie ahead and see how we, as individuals, can tailor our own lives to help make the world a better place.[COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

LET’S LOOK FORWARD TO A SPORTING 2021: Like everything else in the world, the COVID-19 pandemic had transformed a potentially happening 2020 in sport into a huge non-starter. We now look forward in hope for a feast of the backlog in the Tokyo Olympics, Euro 2020 and a T20 World Cup of cricket. There are ifs and buts over hosting of the mega events, especially the Summer Olympics as it involves a slew of qualifying competitions while the Tokyo residents are still cagey about welcoming thousands of athletes, guests and tourists from all over the world. Let’s however hope for a sporting 2021. Wishing you all a happy new year! [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

LEARNING NEW THINGS: Veteran Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan has a fondness for social media and is always giving fans his insights about the world. This time, his recent post was about stepping into the recording studio to make some music with his granddaughter. The 78-year-old actor is one of many stars in Bollywood and Hollywood who has found ways to adapt and reinvent. In the new year, we can all take inspiration from our favourite stars and challenge ourselves to find our hidden talents, learn new skills and evolve. Apart from it being exciting and fun to do, who knows, you might find a totally new career path too.[COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor – Features]