From the editors: India’s CBSE rule change, Tim Paine takes a break, Fight against COVID-19, British singer Jessie J opens up

INDIA’S CBSE WAIVING RULE FOR PRIOR APPROVAL A PRAGMATIC STEP: India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has waived a rule pertaining to granting of prior approval to students studying under foreign curriculum in countries outside India, who wish to return to India and study in CBSE-affiliated schools. According to CBSE, this decision has been taken in view of the influx of students from other countries to India during the COVID-19 pandemic. The move is indeed a pragmatic one, given the times we live in, and it will come in handy particularly for students seeking admission in classes X and XII. During times of crisis and uncertainties, worrying over school admission and concerns over ensuring a seamless academic transition from one country to another are the last things that parents and students should be grappling with. This new rule should therefore come as a huge sigh of relief for all stakeholders concerned. [COMMENT: Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor]

PAINE TO TAKE BREAK FROM CRICKET, WILL MISS ASHES SERIES: Tim Paine is to take a break from cricket and will miss the Ashes series against England which is due to start on December 8 in Brisbane. In a statement, the former Australia Test captain said he will be taking a leave of absence "for the foreseeable future". The 36-year-old stepped down as skipper last week over a historical investigation into sexually explicit texts which he sent to a female colleague in 2017. The wicketkeeper had sent messages to the co-worker at Cricket Tasmania which lead to a misconduct investigation. He was exonerated at the time by Cricket Australia but after hearing the texts would be made public, he stepped down as captain and will now be taking an indefinite mental health break. [COMMENT: Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 CONTINUES GLOBALLY: Just as most countries worldwide are getting back on their feet after almost two years of the COVID-19 nightmare, a new variant of the diseases, branded B.1.1.529, has emerged in South Africa and is being described as the most heavily mutated version discovered so far. The unceasing pandemic continues to frustrate efforts to contain it, especially in Europe and now, parts of Africa. Scientists are struggling to gauge the impact the new version is going to have. Some countries have already started restricting travel from southern Africa. News about this new variant also comes at a time when European countries are instituting lockdowns and accelerating booster campaigns. The fight against COVID-19 continues globally. [COMMENT: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

FINDING HEALING THROUGH MUSIC: British singer Jessie J has opened up about suffering a miscarriage the day before she had to perform a concert. The star said she wanted to start a family for herself and despite being heart broken at the tragic loss, Jessie still performed for her fans. It’s no surprise that a singer-songwriter would decide to get up on stage and share her grief in a public way. There’s no shame in talking about such a topic and opening up about it can be a way to heal from the trauma. Music, whether listening to it or making it, can also help process difficult emotions. [COMMENT: Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor - Features]