UAE businesses show resilience, university admission is now much easier for students, and death of a trend-setter in Indian cinema, our editors comment on the top stories of Feb 3

UAE BUSINESSES SHOW MORE THAN A HINT OF RESILIENCE: January has proved to be quite an OK month for UAE businesses. In fact, not just OK, but a good one, going by S&P Global’s PMI reading for the month. Private sector order intake showed solid gains, as did another important facet of sector performance – that of new hiring. From the extreme caution businesses were exhibiting as they closed out 2022 to be willing to take in more staff represents quite the leap of faith. Faith that they have the cushion to absorb any hits the global economy might take later on in the year. January showed UAE businesses in the mood to explore possibilities and not just be caught up in a shell. A few more months like this would be quite welcome… (By Manoj Nair, Business Editor)

UAE MAKES UNIVERSITY ADMISSION EASIER FOR STUDENTS: The UAE Ministry of Education has taken a timely decision to make the EmSat exams optional for students applying to the universities in the UAE. The Emirates Standardised Test (EmSAT) is a UAE-wide system of standardised computer-based tests based on national standards. The tests were earlier mandatory for high school students to apply to higher education institutions in the country. The decision is part of the ongoing efforts to develop a national education system that aligns with international best practices. The change will certainly serve the interests of students and their academic future. (By Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor)

HARDIK PANDYA KEEPS FOLLOWING MSD’S FOOTSTEPS: Hardik Pandya idolises former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The way the Indian all-rounder has modelled himself as a leader sees many shades of MSD. Pandya has been in focus, especially after he proved his detractors wrong on his fitness. For the first time, in 2022, the talented all-rounder showed that he could take the rigours of international cricket, by bowling his quota of overs. Now, Pandya, who has been measured with the legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev for his daredevil approach, after guiding India to another Twenty20 series win, is aiming to emulate MSD’s approach to stay calm and take the match deep, something Captain Cool was renowned for. (By A. K. S. Sathish, Sports Editor)

A TREND-SETTER IN INDIAN CINEMA: In a career spanning over six decades, K Viswanath, the Indian director who died on Thursday, has delivered many hits in Telugu and Tamil, and even excelled as an actor. However, his biggest contribution would be blending Indian art and music forms in cinema – and making blockbusters out of them. For instance, ‘Shankarabharanam’ (1980) and ‘Sagara Sangamam’ (1983, ‘Salangai Oli’ in Tamil) put the spotlight on classical dance and music, in storylines that were laced with social commentary, and remain critically acclaimed to this day. Now, that’s a tall order for any filmmaker. ‘Shankarabharanam’ made its lead actors Somayajulu and Manju Bhargavi household names, while the love story between the classical dancers Kamal Haasan and Jayaprada in ‘Sagara Sangamam’ remains a sight to behold. (By Rajagopalan Venkataraman, Assistant Editor-Features)