DISCUSSIONS ON, IT IS SOMETHING CONFIDENTIAL BETWEEN US AND CHINESE:

JAISHANKAR

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that India and China

are engaged in talks to resolve the border standoff and what is going on is

"something confidential" between the two sides.

"Discussions are on; what is going on is something confidential between us

and the Chinese," he said, when asked about it at the Bloomberg India

Economic Forum. "There is not very much that I am in a position to say in

public. I certainly do not want to prejudge it," he added. At the same time,

he said there has been a troop build-up along the LAC and in many ways it

has no precedence in the recent past.

About the situation in Tibet as well as developments along the LAC,

Jaishankar said, "I do not think we should get into other issues which

frankly has nothing to do with the situation currently in Ladakh."

He said relations between India and China improved following signing of a

series of agreements since 1993 on maintaining peace and tranquillity along

the border. "For the last 30 years, we have built a relationship predicated

on peace and tranquility along the border," he said.

Jaishankar said that if peace and tranquility is not ensured and the

agreements signed are not honoured, then that is the "primary cause of

disruption".

Earlier in the day, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag

Srivastava said in response to the Chinese statement on Arunachal Pradesh

and Ladakh, "Our position on this has always been clear and consistent. The

Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and would

remain an integral part of India. China has no locus standi to comment on

India's internal matters. We hope that countries will not comment on India's

internal matters, as much as they expect the same of others."

"Our position on Arunachal Pradesh has also been made clear several times.

Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India." he said.

And, on the situation at the LAC, he reiterated the joint statement issued

after the seventh round of Senior Commanders' talks held on October 12.

"Disengagement is a complex process that requires redeployment of troops by

each side towards their regular posts on their respective sides of the LAC,"

he said.

CENTRE GIVES IN, SAYS WILL BORROW TO MAKE UP FOR STATES' GST SHORTFALL

In a sharp retraction of its earlier position, the Finance Ministry Thursday

said the Centre would borrow from the market to pay the GST compensation

shortfall of Rs 1.1 lakh crore to states, and then act as an intermediary to

arrange back-to-back loans to state governments.

A senior Finance Ministry official said the back-to-back loan would be

similar to the way funding from multilateral institutions such as the World

Bank and Asian Development Bank is routed to states, where the Centre

borrows and then lends to states. "So instead of states taking small loans,

one big loan will be taken by the Centre and distributed to states on the

exact same terms. Whatever interest rate the Centre borrows on, the same

rate will be passed on to the states," the official said.

The development comes two days after a standoff between Opposition-ruled

states and the Centre over the compensation shortfall.

After Thursday's announcement, Opposition-ruled states said they are willing

to negotiate with the Centre. "I welcome the new announcement as far as it

goes. But one more issue that should be discussed is how much compensation

should be deferred? I would like the entire Rs 2.3 lakh crore to be paid to

states this year itself," Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said.

GUPKAR DECLARATION TURNS INTO OFFICIAL ALLIANCE IN J&K

A year after the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and

its bifurcation into two Union Territories, mainstream political parties

here have formalised an alliance to seek "restoration" of the erstwhile

state's special position before August 5, 2019.

The decision to formally name the alliance 'People's Alliance for Gupkar

Declaration' was taken on Thursday. On August 4 last year - a day before the

special status was revoked - the signatories of Gupkar declaration had vowed

to "defend identity, autonomy and special status" of Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting on Thursday was held at the residence of National Conference

president, MP and former CM Farooq Abdullah. Convened after the release of

PDP chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti, the meeting was attended by Farooq,

Mufti, Omar Abdullah, People's Conference leader Sajad Lone, CPM leader M Y

Tarigami and Awami National Conference's Muzaffar Shah, besides other

mainstream leaders.

The signatories of the Gupkar declaration also demanded a resolution to the

Kashmir issue. "Also at the same time, we feel the political issue of the

state has to be resolved as quickly as possible," Farooq said, flanked by

Mufti and Omar. "And that can be resolved only through dialogue with all the

stakeholders, who are involved in the problem of J&K."

Senior Congress leader Taj Mohiuddin, who had attended the signing of the

declaration, did not attend the meeting, nor did the party's J&K chief G.A.

Mir, who said he was invited but couldn't attend due to medical reasons.

INDIA HAS NOT SENT ANY MESSAGE TO PAK EXPRESSING DESIRE FOR TALKS: MEA

India on Thursday rubbished the claim by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran

Khan's adviser on national security that New Delhi has sent a message to

Islamabad indicating a desire for talks between the two countries.

"As regards the purported message, let me make it clear that no such message

was sent from our side," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs

Anurag Srivastava said.

He was replying to questions at a media briefing on remarks by Pakistan PM's

advisor on national security Moeed Yusuf during an interview to news website

The Wire that India has sent a message to Pakistan with a desire for

conversation.

"We have seen reports on the interview by a senior Pakistani official to an

Indian media outlet. He has commented on India's internal matters,"

Srivastava said. "As always, this is Pakistan's effort to divert attention

from domestic failures of the present government and mislead its domestic

constituents by pulling India into headlines on a daily basis," he added.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

RECORD SURGE IN MAIL-IN VOTES, POLL OFFICIALS WARN OF DELAYED RESULTS

Every four years, the US has an "Election Day" on the first Tuesday after

November 1, with the result usually called by the end of the day. But this

year, election officials are speaking of an "Election Week", cautioning

Americans not to expect an immediate result. The reason for that is the

unprecedented surge in what was once an uneventful process - mail-in voting.

With Covid and social distancing the new normal, a record number of American

voters have opted to mail in their voting preferences.

Of the 78 million mail-in votes requested this year, 9.3 million had been

submitted by the beginning of this week, according to the University of

Florida's US Elections Project. By this point in 2016, with three weeks

still to go for the election, only about 1.4 million people had voted. This

year, some states - Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia - have already received

more mail-in ballots than their total mail-in ballots in 2016.

President Donald Trump has gone great lengths to discredit mail-in voting,

claiming since July that it would increase voter fraud. In the final moments

of the first presidential debate, Trump said, "As far as the ballots are

concerned, it's a disaster. This is going to be a fraud like you've never

seen. On November 3, you're watching and you're going to see who won the

election. But we might not know for months because these ballots are going

to be all over. It's a rigged election."

Election officials are preparing to see more Republicans come to vote

in-person. Some experts have expressed concern that this would mean their

votes would be counted first, skewing the early results. However, others

have tempered these concerns to say that majority of states count mail-in

ballots first, not last, in their tally.

Nonetheless, the long drawn counting process this year has Democrats worried

that Trump will have more of an opportunity to convince his base to doubt

the results.

EUROPE STRUGGLES WITH SECOND VIRUS WAVE

From France to Britain to the Czech Republic, European leaders are

confronting a surge in coronavirus cases that is rapidly filling hospital

beds, driving up death tolls and raising the grim prospect of further

lockdowns in countries already traumatized by the pandemic. The continent,

which once compared favourably to the US in its handling of the pandemic, is

being engulfed by a second wave of infection. With an average of over

1,00,000 new infections per day over the past week, Europe now accounts for

about one-third of new cases reported worldwide. The region has just

registered the highest weekly incidence of COVID-19 cases since the

beginning of the pandemic, with almost 700,000 cases reported.

Urging governments to "step up" swiftly to contain in a second wave of the

pandemic, the WHO's European director Hans Kluge said the current situation

was, "more than ever, pandemic times for Europe".

London will join other big cities in Europe,in tightening restrictions to

stem a rapidly rising second wave of coronavirus cases in Europe. A ban on

people mixing indoors in the British capital will begin after midnight on

Friday as London moves up into tier 2 - "high alert" level - in England's

new three-level restriction system, the care minister, Helen Whately, told

London lawmakers in a call on Thursday. People will also be discouraged from

using public transportation. Other parts of the UK are already taking strong

measures.

Public health experts have long warned that the virus could roar back when

the days grew colder, driving people indoors, where the risk of transmission

is far greater. In several European countries, lockdowns were lifted

abruptly, sowing complacency among people who felt they could return to

their normal lives. In the face of intense political pressures, European

leaders have been reluctant to impose new, economically damaging lockdowns,

often opting for the lightest possible measures.

The European Commission urged member nations on Thursday to step up

preparations against the new surge and recommended common steps to roll out

vaccines should they become available. "Time is running out," said EU Health

Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, urging greater coordination in tracing

infections.

THE REST

========

BIHAR POLLS: CONG FIELDS SHATRUGHAN'S SON, SHARAD YADAV'S DAUGHTER

The Congress on Thursday released a second list of 49 candidates for the

upcoming Bihar elections, and fielded actor politician Shatrughan Sinha's

son Lov Sinha from Bankipur assembly seat and former NDA convener Sharad

Yadav's daughter Subhashini from Bihariganj.

Subhashini Yadav had also joined the Congress yesterday and said she wanted

to carry forward her father's political legacy. Bihariganj is in Madhepura

Lok Sabha segment which Sharad Yadav represented in Lok Sabha for many

years.

TRP SCAM: NEWS CHANNEL RATINGS PAUSED FOR 3 MONTHS

Television ratings agency BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) has

decided to pause weekly ratings for news channels for three months to

"review and augment the current standards" of data after a huge controversy

over the alleged rigging of viewership ratings by three channels.

In a statement yesterday, ratings agency BARC said the move is in order to

"review and augment the current standards of measuring and reporting the

data of niche genres, to improve their statistical robustness and to

significantly hamper the potential attempts of infiltrating the panel

homes". The suspension of ratings applies to all English, Hindi, regional

and business news channels.

While the Rajat Sharma-led News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has welcomed

the decision of BSRC, the News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), headed by

Arnab Goswami, has objected to the decision.

While the NBA's members include India Today and India TV, the NBF largely

comprises regional channels like First India Rajasthan and Gulistan News,

besides Republic TV.

Republic TV, had also gone to the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into the

allegations raised by the Mumbai police. The Supreme Court yesterday refused

to admit the petition, saying that the channel should approach the Bombay

High Court "like any other citizen facing investigation".

DAWOOD IBRAHIM MAY LINKS TO KERALA GOLD SMUGGLING CASE, SAYS NIA

India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and his D Company may have

links to the Kerala gold smuggling case, the National Investigation Agency

told a special court in Kochi. The agency said that the accused have visited

Tanzania several times, where the underworld don has an extensive network.

In September, sleuths of the NIA had claimed that the consignments of Holy

Quran were brought to Kerala State Centre for Advanced Printing &Training

(C-apt) office in Thiruvananthapuram before distribution at various places

using its vehicles. Official sources said the NIA officials gathered

information in detail from the C-apt officials on the Quran packets brought

from the UAE consulate.

The smuggling came to fore when Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi,

seized 30 kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crore found camouflaged in diplomatic

baggage from the UAE on July 5.

SC NOTICE TO CENTRE ON PIL TO REGULATE CONTENT ON OTT PLATFORMS

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking

setting up of an autonomous body to regulate over the top (OTT) platforms

such as Netflix and Amazon Prime which provide paid film and television

content to consumers via a high-speed Internet connection.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde asked the

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Internet and Mobile Association

of India to respond to a PIL filed by advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha.

Jha pointed out that there was no law or autonomous body governing the

digital content to monitor and manage these digital content available to the

public at large without any filter.

None of the OTT/Streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Zee5,

and Hotstar have signed the self-regulation provided by Ministry of

Information and Broadcasting since February 2020, the petitioner contended.

APOLLO READY TO ADMINISTER 1 MN COVID VACCINES DAILY

Leading private hospital group Apollo Hospitals on Thursday that it is

prepared to administer one million Covid-19 vaccines per day whenever the

vaccine is rolled out.

The group said it will leverage its robust pan-India network of 19 medicine

supply hubs with cold chain facilities, 70 hospitals, over 400 clinics, 500

corporate health centres and 4000 pharmacies alongside their omni-channel

digital platform to ensure massive administration capacity of Covid-19

vaccines.

Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson, The Apollo Group of Hospitals,

told reporters here that the group is strengthening the cold chain to manage

the safety of 300 million doses per annum. About 10,000 professionals are

being trained in safe vaccination protocols.

She said the network was ready to work under the aegis of the government to

administer the government approved and procured Covid-19 vaccine.

DENMARK OPEN: SRIKANTH SAILS INTO DENMARK OPEN QUARTERS

Back in action after a seven-month long coronavirus-forced break, ace Indian

shuttler Kidambi Srikanth stormed into the quarterfinals of the Denmark Open

with a straight-game win over Jason Anthony Ho-Shue, in Odense yesterday.

The fifth seed Indian took 33 minutes to beat his Canadian opponent 21-15

21-14 in the men's singles second round match of the Super 750 tournament,

the only event happening this year in Badminton World Federation's calendar.

The BWF was forced to cancel multiple tournaments and postpone the Asia leg

and the World Tour Final to January next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Srikanth, a former world No. 1 and currently ranked 14th, will next face the

winner of the other second round match between second seed Tien Chen Chou of

Chinese Taipei and Ireland's Nhat Nguyen.

KXIP FINALLY FIND A WAY TO WIN AFTER GAYLE AND RAHUL'S SIX-HITTING

COMPETITION

K L Rahul played a captain's knock and Chris Gayle fired in his first game

since January as Kings XI Punjab finally ended their five-match losing

streak with an eight-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in an IPL

match here on Thursday.

Chasing 172 in a must-win game, the in-form opening pair of Rahul (61 not

off 49) and Mayank Agarwal (45 off 25) got off to a flying start before

Gayle (53 off 45) joined his skipper in the middle to get KXIP close to the

finishing line.

Needing seven off the final two overs with nine wickets in hand, KXIP

somehow managed to take the game to the last ball with Nicholas Pooran

finally hitting the winning six.

Batting first, skipper Virat Kohli top-scored with 48 off 39 balls in his

200th game for RCB before Chris Morris' 25 off 8 in the death overs took the

team to 171/6

It was a rare all-round effort from KXIP who had failed to close out games

earlier in the competition.

RCB have 5 wins from their 8 games while KXIP have now won 2 from 8.

INDICATORS

Sensex 39.729 (-1,066), Nifty 11,680 (-291), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

54,840.42

Nasdaq 11,714 (-55) Dow 28,494 (-20), S&P 3,483 (-5)

US$-Rs. 73.25 GBP-Rs. 94.87, Euro-Rs. 85.84, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.94, Can$-Rs.

55.50, Aus$- Rs. 51.99

GBP 0.77 /US$, Euro 0.85 /US$, Jap.Yen 105.31 /US$, Aus$ 1.40 /US$, Sing

1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 83.26 /US$, Can$ 1.31 /US$, Mal Ring 3.61 /US$,

Pak Re 162.24 /US$, Phil Peso 48.65 /US$, Russian Rouble 78.00 /US$, NZ$

1.51 /US$, Thai Baht 31.16 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 28.08 /US$, Norway NOK 9.32

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 11,533

Dollar Index 93.84 Brent Crude 42.84 BDI 1,637

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,908 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,055 / 4,955

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 61,600

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, 'What!

You, too? I thought I was the only one'. - C. S. Lewis

OFF TRACK

A new camp commander was appointed and while inspecting the place, he saw 2

soldiers guarding a bench. He went over there and asked them why do they

guard it.

"We don't know. The last commander told us to do so, and so we did. It is

some sort of regimental tradition!"

He searched for last commander's phone number and called him to ask him why

did he want guards in this particular bench."

I don't know. The previous commander had guards, and I kept the tradition."

Going back another 3 commanders, he found a now 100-year old retired

General."

Excuse me sir. I'm now the CO of your camp you commanded 60 years ago. I've

found 2 men assigned to guard a bench. Could you please tell me more about

the bench?"

"What? Is the paint still wet ?!?"