POLICE STOP FARMERS' MARCH TO DELHI AT HARYANA, U.P. BORDERS

Tens of thousands of farmers are planning to storm Delhi on Friday to

protest against the Centre's new farm reform laws. With the Delhi Police

moving to prevent their entry, the alliance of farmers groups demanding the

repeal of the laws has called for an "indefinite siege" of the capital.

Convoys of farmers from Punjab surged across Haryana throughout the day,

having broken through or bypassed police barriers at multiple locations. At

other points in Haryana as well as along the Uttar Pradesh border, however,

farmers were blocked from entry, while leaders were detained or arrested.

Within Delhi, two protests were broken up by the police, and hundreds of

protestors detained.

Although Delhi's borders have not been sealed, barricades and pickets have

been activated to prevent entry by the marching farmers.

"It is expected that more than 50,000 farmers will be standing at the Delhi

border by today evening. The numbers are expected to swell through the night

as thousands of tractors and trolleys are carrying farmers, women and

children from interior areas of Punjab," said a statement yesterday from the

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an alliance of farmers groups.

At the Punjab-Haryana border in Shambu, Haryana police resorted to use of

tear gas and water cannons to disperse agitating farmers, who toppled and

dismantled barricades. Farmer convoys were seen cutting across fields to

bypass barriers, travelling by foot, tractor-trolleys, cars and two

wheelers.

Swaraj India national president Yogendra Yadav, who was taken into

preventive custody at Gurugram's Rathiwas village along with a dozen

protestors around noon, said it was unfortunate that farmers were being

deprived of their basic constitutional right to go to the national capital

for protest on Constitution Day.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar issued an appeal to farmers groups

to choose the path of dialogue, noting that Punjab unions have been invited

for talks on December 3. "I want to appeal to our farmer brothers to not

agitate. We're ready to talk about issues and resolve differences. I'm sure

that our dialogue will have a positive result," Mr Tomar said on the

sidelines of an official event.

ON 26/11 ANNIV, PM SLAMS PAK, REMEMBERS POLICE MARTYRS

Prime Minister Modi marked the 12th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attack

by holding Pakistan responsible for the carnage in the country's financial

capital and stressing that India's approach towards terrorism had changed.

"Today's date is related with the biggest terror attack on India. In 2008,

terrorists sponsored and sent by Pakistan had launched an attack on India in

which several lives were lost, people of several countries were killed. I

pay my tributes to the victims of the terror attack," Modi said.

This was the second time in the past few days that the PM held Pakistan

directly responsible for the terror attack. Earlier, he had attributed a

plot to carry out a major terror strike in J&K, foiled by security forces

who eliminated the four terrorists who had infiltrated from Pakistan, to the

hostile neighbour.

Paying tributes to policemen martyred in the Mumbai terror attack, Modi said

India would never forget the wounds inflicted by the terror strike. He said

the armed forces had successfully foiled conspiracies like Mumbai terror

attack.

FOREIGN SECRETARY MEETS NEPAL PM AS DELHI MOVES TO REPAIR TIES

In the first high-level diplomatic visit to Nepal since the slide in ties

after the boundary row this summer, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla

reached Kathmandu Thursday and met the country's leaders including Prime

Minister K P Sharma Oli.

Sources said that Foreign Secretary's discussions with Oli - they had a

one-on-one meeting, apart from the delegation-level talks - included a

"candid review of the state of the bilateral relationship", and the

potential for bringing India and Nepal closer. Oli, Indian sources said,

conveyed Nepal's desire to build on the momentum in the bilateral

relationship and enhance the level of engagement.

The Nepal Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said "They also discussed the

boundary matters and exchanged views on completing the boundary work in the

remaining segments."

At the meeting, all facets of the bilateral relationship were discussed, the

Indian embassy in Kathmandu said.

Shringla also handed over 2,000 vials of Remdesivir to Gyawali on behalf of

India as continuing assistance for Covid-19 patients.

Oli thanked Shringla for India's assistance during the Covid pandemic.

Discussions took place on vaccine development and deployment, and the

Foreign Secretary said Nepal's requirement would be considered on priority.

CHINA, INDIA IN 'CANDID, IN-DEPTH COMMUNICATION' TO DISENGAGE TROOPS IN

EASTERN LADAKH: CHINESE MILITARY

China and India have maintained "candid and in-depth communication and

coordination" to promote disengagement in areas along the LAC in eastern

Ladakh after the eighth round of talks to resolve the current standoff, the

Chinese military said on Thursday.

"Since the 8th round of China-India Corps Commander-level meeting, the

situation in the China-India border areas have remained stable on the whole"

Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National

Defence told an online media briefing responding to a question on the

current situation at the India-China border.

"Following the meeting, China and India have maintained candid and in-depth

communication and coordination to promote disengagement in areas along the

Line of Actual Control in the western sector of China-India boundary," Ren

was quoted as saying by official website of the Ministry of Defence of

China.

Nearly 50,000 troops of the Indian Army are currently deployed in a high

state of combat readiness in various mountainous locations in eastern Ladakh

in sub-zero conditions as multiple rounds of talks between the two sides

have not yielded any concrete outcome yet to resolve the border standoff.

China has also deployed an equal number of troops, according to officials.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

DOUBTS OVER ASTRA'S VACCINE DATA RISK DELAY IN APPROVAL

The announcement this week that a cheap, easyto-make coronavirus vaccine

appeared to be up to 90% effective was greeted with jubilation. "Get

yourself a vaccaccino," a British tabloid celebrated, noting that the

vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, costs less

than a cup of coffee.

But since unveiling the preliminary results, AstraZeneca has acknowledged a

key mistake in the vaccine dosage received by some study participants,

adding to questions about whether the vaccine's apparently spectacular

efficacy will hold up under additional testing. Scientists and experts said

the error and a series of other irregularities and omissions in the way

AstraZeneca initially disclosed the data have eroded confidence.

While the success rate was 90% in the sub-group of volunteers, the efficacy

was 62% if the full dose was given twice, as it was for most participants.

That is well above the 50% efficacy required by US regulators. At the heart

of concerns, however, is that the trial's most promising result of 90% comes

from a technique that the scientists say can produce spurious readings.

Officials in the US have noted that the results were not clear. It was the

head of the flagship federal vaccine initiative - not the company - who

first disclosed that the vaccine's most promising results did not reflect

data from older people. The revelation, some experts say, could hinder its

chances of getting speedy US and EU regulatory approval.

A spokesperson for Astra-Zeneca said the trials "were conducted to the

highest standards." Menelas Pangalos, the firm's executive in charge of R&D,

said the dosage error was made by a contractor, and that, once it was

discovered, regulators were notified and signed off on the plan to continue

testing in different doses.

AUSTRALIAN 'WAR CRIMES': TROOPS TO BE FIRED OVER AFGHAN KILLINGS

Australia's defence forces have sent notices of likely dismissal to 10

special forces soldiers following last week's damning report on the murder

of 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners.

They are suspected of being accessories or witnesses to the killings, or of

being dishonest in testifying.

They are separate from the 19 Special Air Service troops who could face

prosecution for the murders.

Australia's prime minister and top military commander have apologised.

Afghanistan called the murders unforgiveable but welcomed last week's report

as a step towards justice.

Two more soldiers are reported to have been sacked already. They are

reported by Australian media to have been witnesses to the killing of an

Afghan man in a field, a case that was the subject of a TV investigation.

The report blamed the murders of "prisoners, farmers or civilians" in

2009-13 on an unchecked "warrior culture" among some soldiers.

It said 25 special forces soldiers had taken part in unlawful killings

directly or as "accessories", across 23 separate incidents. It recommended

that 36 incidents in total be investigated by federal police.

Australian Defence Force chief Gen Angus Campbell said none of the incidents

could be "described as being in the heat of battle".

THE REST

========

BHARAT BANDH: COMPLETE SHUTDOWN IN KERALA, DISRUPTIONS IN BENGAL

Normal life came to a complete halt in Left-ruled Kerala while it was

partially affected in West Bengal, Tripura, Tamil Nadu and Odisha due to the

24-hour nationwide strike called by various trade unions in protest against

the Centre's economic policies and contentious farm laws. While intermittent

clashes between Left activists and police were reported in several parts of

Bengal, other states saw road blockades, leading to disruption of vehicular

movement.

The bandh, called by 10 central trade unions, except the BJP-aligned

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, was near total in Kerala, with government offices,

business establishments and banks remaining shut. The streets were also

deserted as private buses, auto rickshaws and taxis did not ply.

BJP MLA WHO 'GOT CALL' FROM LALU PRASAD LODGES FIR

Two days after senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi accused Lalu Prasad of

calling up a BJP MLA to allegedly make him "go absent" during Wednesday's

election for Bihar Assembly Speaker, the legislator from Pirpati, Lalan

Paswan, on Thursday lodged an FIR against the RJD chief at Patna's Vigilance

Police Station.

Based on Paswan's complaint, Vigilance police lodged the case against Lalu

Prasad under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

In Ranchi, from where Lalu allegedly called up Paswan, the jailed former

Bihar CM was shifted from the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences

director's bungalow to its paying ward.

Lalu is in jail after he was convicted in the fodder scam cases. On

Wednesday, the Jharkhand government had ordered a probe into Sushil Modi and

Lalan Paswan's allegation that he had called up the latter and asked him to

abstain from voting in the Speaker's election.

The JD(U) on Thursday demanded that the RJD chief be shifted from jail in

Ranchi to Delhi's Tihar Jail. The party also asked the government in

neighbouring Jharkhand to thoroughly probe into alleged violation of jail

manuals, with Lalu ostensibly "meeting people for political discussions and

keeping a third aide, against provisions of keeping only two aides or

sevadars" while in jail.

INDIA HAD ESTIMATED 74 MILLION COVID-19 INFECTIONS BY AUGUST: ICMR'S 2ND

SEROSURVEY

Nearly 7 per cent of India's population aged 10 and above was exposed to

SARS-CoV-2, amounting to an estimated 74.3 million infections by August,

with the seroprevalence being highest in urban slum areas followed by urban

non-slum and rural areas, the findings of ICMR's second national serosurvey

stated.

According to the findings which have appeared in the Lancet Global Health

pre-print, the overall seroprevalence of below 10 per cent in India

indicates that a large proportion of the population remains susceptible to

novel coronavirus infection.

"The transmission of infection is expected to continue in most Indian states

till the herd immunity threshold is achieved, either by natural infection or

vaccination. While this threshold is unknown, most estimates place it above

50 per cent," the report said.

It stated that one in nine individuals who did not report any

COVID-19-related symptoms in the past had the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG

antibodies, indicating asymptomatic seroconversion among the general

population in India.

COAL DONS IN CUSTODY OF CENTRAL AGENCIES

Bengal's super fugitive coal dealers, Anup Majhi - Lala to his friends - and

his deputy Joydeb Mondal, are currently being interrogated at an undisclosed

location by a host of investigating agencies for their alleged involvement

in illegal mining and operating fake companies to mask their dubious

business as legitimate operations.

Last week, officers of the CBI, ED and DRI raided Majhi's 20 offices in

Kolkata and a few offices in Dhanbad, Purulia and Asansol. The agencies

claimed that they found documents linking both Majhi and Mondal to an

illegal coal empire worth Rs 20,000 crore.

The sleuths say that the two were on the run for almost 14 years, and have

escaped repeated police swoops since 2006.

Medi reports suggest that Majhi has confessed - in a written statement -

that he routinely paid large chunks of cash to influential politicians in

Bengal so that his operations could run without any trouble. And that the

duo has been doing this for over two decades.

SET UP FOUR COURTS OF APPEAL, MAKE SC CONSTITUTIONAL COURT: AG

As the pendency of cases in the Supreme Court keeps rising, Attorney General

KK Venugopal on Thursday suggested structural change in the Judiciary to set

up four Courts of Appeal to hear appeals from the high courts and to make

the top court a truly constitutional court.

"The Supreme Court is the apex court of the country and it should be dealing

with only matters of national and constitutional importance," Venugopal said

in his Constitution Day address at a function organised by the Supreme

Court. The Constitution should be amended for this purpose, he added.

The four Courts of Appeal with 15 Judges each sitting in four parts of India

would reduce the burden of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General said in

virtual presence of President Ram Nath Kovind, CJI SA Bobde, Law Minister

Ravi Shankar Prasad, senior judges and bar members.

He pointed out that at present the Supreme Court was hearing 400 different

categories of cases, including matrimonial matters, landlord-tenant

disputes, bails, matters and land acquisition cases, which the apex court of

other countries don't even touch. Because of this, there were arrears even

in criminal matters, he added.

"Now, we can start with a clean slate and the Supreme Court as the apex

constitutional court of the country should be burdened with only

constitutional cases. Then, as against the 75,000 cases at present, it would

have to cater to only 2,000 to 3,000 cases per year," Venugopal said.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO REMAIN SUSPENDED TILL DECEMBER 31

The Centre on Thursday extended the suspension of scheduled commercial

international flight operations to and from India till December 31.

"However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on select routes by

the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," said the DGCA

At present, India has entered into 'Air Bubble' agreements with several

countries. This type of arrangement allows nationals of both the countries

to travel in either direction.

JALLIKATTU PICKED FOR THE OSCARS

The Malayalam film Jallikattu has been selected to represent India in the

Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards.

Visually lush and emotionally jolting, Jallikattu is -- in many ways --

representative of an aspect of cultural annihilation that Indian cinema

seldom celebrates.

Rahul Rawail, who headed the Film Federation of India jury that made the

selection, tells Subhash K Jha, "After viewing many films in many Indian

languages, we found Jallikattu to satisfy all the requirements for

eligibility." "It is a film with deep roots in our culture. But it is also a

universal story on the dehumanisation of mankind, when the beast within

surfaces," Rawail said. "In that sense, it's the story that connects with

every culture. It is also technically very sophisticated."

LACK OF CLARITY ON STATUS OF ROHIT SHARMA'S INJURY: INDIA CAPTAIN VIRAT

KOHLI

There has been a lack of clarity on the status of Rohit Sharma's injury,

said India captain Virat Kohli on the eve of the first T20I against

Australia.

Rohit's injury has been a topic of national debate. But Kohli made it clear

that the Mumbai batsman's injury management has been a bit 'confusing'.

Rohit, who is still in India, nursing his hamstring injury at the National

Cricket Academy NCA), was initially not named in any of the three squads for

the tour due to the same injury. However, he was later included in the Test

squad after he returned to action for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020. But he was

unable to fly with the Indian team, since he was three weeks away from full

match fitness. But a 14-day quarantine (without training) would rule him out

of the Test series.

"It's been very confusing and there's been a lot of uncertainty and lack of

clarity around the situation [Rohit Sharma's injury]," said Virat Kohli

during the virtual press conference.

India play the first ODI in Sydney today, in a 3-match series. It will be

followed by three T20is and then four Tests

INDICATORS

Sensex 44,260 (+432), Nifty 12,987 (+129), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

61266.63

(US markets were closed yesterday on account of Thanksgiving Day)

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56.65, Aus$- Rs. 54.25

GBP 0.74 /US$, Euro 0.83 /US$, Jap.Yen 104.28 /US$, Aus$ 1.35 /US$, Sing

1.33 /US$, Bang Taka 83.21 /US$, Can$ 1.30 /US$, Mal Ring 4.06 /US$,

Pak Re 158.44 /US$, Phil Peso 48.05 /US$, Russian Rouble 75.59 /US$, NZ$

1.42 /US$, Thai Baht 30.26 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 28.17 /US$, Norway NOK 8.85

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 17,193

Dollar Index 91.95 Brent Crude 47.93 BDI 1,197

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,809 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,885 / 4,785

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 65,000

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I do not like the phrase: Never cross a bridge till you come to it. The

world is owned by men who cross bridges on their imaginations miles and

miles in advance of the procession. - Bruce Barton

OFF TRACK

A retired army officer applied for the post of Security Head of an MNC.

During interview the CEO said: "We want someone with a Suspicious mind, High

alertness, High sense of hearing, & a Killer instinct!

Do you think you are eligible?"

The officer thought for a few seconds, then said: "No! but can my wife

apply?......... She has all these qualities"