From the Editors: Students must choose the right university

STUDENTS NEED HELP TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COURSE AND THE UNIVERSITY: A new survey released in Dubai on ‘What About Youth?’ focusing on the higher education is an eye-opener not only for the universities but also for parents and industry leaders. In the startling revelation, most of the students polled said that they would not study in the same university again nor would they study the same course if given the choice. Some 97 per cent of students said they do not even receive formal career guidance from career counsellors. It is time that universities in the country review their degree programmes to bring them in line with the job market and industry needs instead of just ‘mass producing’ graduates. [COMMENTS: Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor]

ATTACKS IN AFGHANISTAN AND AUSTRIA SHOW NEED FOR VIGILANCE: Two attacks, worlds apart, but stemming from Daesh’s violent ideology reinforce the fact the world can’t let its guard down against the group. Twenty two innocents, mostly students, were killed in the brutal assault on Kabul University on Monday morning while three civilians were killed in the heart of the Austrian capital Vienna in a shooting on Monday night. While Daesh claimed responsibility for the Afghan attack, Austrian authorities have described the shooter - who was killed - as being a Daesh sympathiser. Unfortunately, we have become inured to this kind of mindless death and destruction. But, that cannot be an excuse for inaction. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

US ELECTION 2020: THE PEOPLE SPEAK: The day has finally arrived. After months of hearing out US President Donald Trump and Democratic contender Joe Biden, the American people have started voting to decide who of the two they will trust for the next four years. Despite his laid-back campaign, Biden leads in almost every opinion poll, but Trump has been defiant and confident till the end. There’s a good chance we may get to know the results later than usual because a record number of mail ballots have been cast, requiring more time to process. Expect legal challenges too. The winner will have plenty of tough decisions to take soon, chief among them being how to tackle the second wave of the coronavirus. [COMMENT BY: Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]

DELHI CAPITALS SET UP FIRST QUALIFIER WITH MUMBAI: Delhi Capitals won a battle of nerves against Royals Challengers Bangalore by six wickets to qualify as the second-placed team in play-offs of IPL 2020. Capitals have now set up a meeting with top-placed Mumbai Indians in the first qualifier on November 5, while RCB who finished third, will play in the Eliminator against either Sunrisers Hyderabad or Kolkata Knight Riders. Chasing a target of 153, Shikhar Dhawan (54) and No.3 Ajinkya Rahane (60) played a key role in taking Delhi over the line. [COMMENT BY: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

Model and reality TV star Kendall Jenner went all out for her birthday party in Hollywood, inviting multiple stars for the decadent affair. It's almost like she and her friends forgot there was a pandemic raging outside their little bubble. It was reported that everyone entering the venue was given a rapid COVID-19 test on-site and was required to show a negative result before entering the party. Even with these precautions, Jenner's decision shows a lack of concern for the grim reality the US faces in its fight against COVID-19. [COMMENT BY: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor – Features]