OMICRON: GOVT TO REVIEW DECISION ON RESTARTING INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

As concerns mounted over the spread of potentially more contagious coronavirus variant Omicron to many countries, the Centre on Sunday decided to review the resumption of international flights and issued a slew of directions to the states for ramping up testing-surveillance measures and health facilities.

Omicron variant has reportedly got over 30 mutations in the spike protein region giving it the potential to develop a immunoescape mechanism, and thus the efficacy of vaccines against it needs to be evaluated critically, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guelria has said.

Alert to the looming threat, states began to re-tighten curbs and urgently trace people who arrived from abroad especially 'at risk' nations in the last one month while a demand to not allow flights from the countries affected by the new variant was made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

No cases of the variant have so far been recorded in India.

The Centre has asked all states and UTs to focus on intensive containment, active surveillance, enhanced testing, monitoring of hotspots, increased coverage of vaccination and augmentation of health infrastructure.

India, which battled the deadly second wave blamed on the Delta variant in April-May, faces the Omicron challenge after easing curbs to a large extent following an improvement in the situation.

WINTER SESSION BEGINS TODAY

Bills to repeal three controversial farm laws, ban private cryptocurrencies and extend the service tenures of CBI and Enforcement Directorate chiefs will top the government’s legislative agenda in the winter session of Parliament starting on Monday.

The government has listed The Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021 for passage in the Lok Sabha on the very first day of the session today.

The joint opposition, in a meeting called by the government today to discuss the parliamentary discussion items, demanded that farm laws be repealed on priority and a law to guarantee minimum support price be also brought in the session.

Compensation for the families of 700 farmers who died during the course of the yearlong agitation triggered by farm laws was another demand of the united opposition at the government meeting chaired by defence minister and leader of Lok Sabha Rajnath Singh in the Parliament House Complex Sunday morning.

“We sought opposition support for smooth functioning of Parliament,” said parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Josh after the monsoon session was washed out over a deadlock on the Pegasus snooping issue.

THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT GOVT MAY NOT COME TO OPPOSITION MEET: CONGRESS ON TMC

The Congress on Sunday put up a brave face in the wake of TMC’s decision to skip the opposition meeting called by veteran Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday morning to discuss the parliament session strategy and said those who don’t wish to fight the government may not come for the meeting.

Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Kharge has sent our invitations to all non-BJP parties to attend the meeting at his chamber on Monday morning, but the TMC has said it will not attend.

With the TMC deciding to stay away from opposition meet today the winter session is starting on a dissonant note for the unity of non-BJP parties. The TMC has of late poached several top Congress leaders.

DEPOSITORS OF 16 STRESSED CO-OP BANKS TO GET UP TO RS 5 LAKH TODAY

Customers of 16 stressed cooperative banks will get up to Rs 5 lakh deposit insurance cover on Monday by RBI subsidiary DICGC as part of its mandate under a new law.

The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) had earlier prepared a list of 21 banks but five, including Punjab & Maharashtra Co-Operative Bank (PMC Bank), are out of the list as they are either in merger process or out of the moratorium.

Parliament in August passed the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 ensuring that account holders get up to Rs 5 lakh within 90 days of the RBI imposing a moratorium on the banks.

Following enactment, the government has notified September 1, 2021 as the date on which the provisions of the Act would come into force. The mandated 90 days from the notified date comes to an end on November 29, 2021.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST 98/Nov

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Sunday 8,309

Active Cases 1,03,859 (-1,832)

Deaths 4,68,790 (+236 )

Total Vaccination: 122.41 Crores (+42,04,171)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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OMICRON SPREADS AS CASES DETECTED IN NETHERLANDS, DENMARK, AUSTRALIA

The Omicron coronavirus variant kept spreading around the world on Sunday, with 13 cases found in the Netherlands and two each in Denmark and Australia even as more countries imposed travel restriction to try to seal themselves off.

Dutch health authorities said the 13 cases of the variant were found among people on two flights that arrived in Amsterdam from South Africa on Friday. Authorities had tested all of the more than 600 passengers on those two flights and had found 61 coronavirus cases, going on to test those for the new variant. “It is not unlikely more cases will appear in the Netherlands,” health minister Hugo de Jonge told a news conference in Rotterdam. “This could possibly be the tip of the iceberg.”

The discovery of Omicron, dubbed a “variant of concern” last week by the WHO, has caused worry around the world that it could resist vaccinations and prolong the nearly two-year Covid-19 pandemic.

The top US infectious disease official, Anthony Fauci, said Americans should be prepared to fight the spread of the new variant, but that it was not yet clear what measure such as mandates or lockdowns would be needed. He has said the variant is likely already in the country, although no cases have been confirmed.

In Britain, where two linked cases of Omicron identified on Saturday were connected to travel to southern Africa, the government announced measures to try to contain the spread, including stricter testing rules for people arriving in the country and requiring mask wearing in some settings.

Although epidemiologists say travel curbs may be too late to stop Omicron from circulating, many countries — including the US, Brazil, Canada, European Union nations, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand — have announced bans or restrictions on travel from South Africa and other southern African nations.

The South African government has denounced the travel measures as unfair and potentially harmful to its economy, saying it is being punished for its scientific ability to identify coronavirus variants early.

FRANCE: WON’T BE HELD HOSTAGE BY BRITISH POLITICS ON MIGRATION

France is ready for a serious discussion with Britain on issues relating to illegal migration, but will not be held hostage to London’s domestic politics, the country’s interior minister Gerald Darmanin said.

Top European migration officials held an emergency meeting Sunday in Calais to find ways to fight migrant smuggling, after 27 people died trying to cross the English Channel to Britain. UK officials were notably absent from the event, after the tragedy prompted a political crisis between UK and France. UK PM Johnson wrote to President Macron setting out five steps the two countries could take to deter migrants from making the journey. One of those — sending illegals back to France — angered Paris. France responded by cancelling an invitation to British interior minister Priti Patel to attend the meeting. “Britain left Europe, but not the World. We need to work seriously on these questions... without being held hostage by domestic British politics,” Darmanin said after meeting his Belgian, German and Dutch counterparts.

THE REST

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RULING BJP SWEEPS TRIPURA CIVIC POLLS, WINS 329 OF 334 SEATS

Tripura's ruling BJP pulverised Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and the Left on Sunday, capturing with surprising ease the Agartala Municipal Corporation and 13 other civic bodies where it now has 329 of the 334 seats.

Contesting its first civic polls after it stormed to power in the northeastern state in 2018, the saffron party steamrollered a feeble challenge from the opposition after a vitriol-filled campaign marked by communal tension, clashes and court battles that forced the Supreme Court to intervene and order peaceful polls.

Not a single opposition candidate could win from any ward of the 51-member Agartala Municipal Corporation all of which went to the BJP.

OVER 70% WOMEN IN 11 STATES, 1 UT NEVER TOLD ANYONE ABOUT VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED BY THEM: SURVEY

Over 70 per cent women in 11 states and one union territory never sought help or told anyone about the violence experienced by them, the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) found.

According to NFHS-5, the proportion of such women was over 80 per cent in four states and one union territory—Assam (81.2 per cent), Bihar (81.8 per cent), Manipur (83.9 per cent), Sikkim (80.1 per cent), and Jammu and Kashmir (83.9 per cent).

Tripura (76 per cent), Telangana (71 per cent), West Bengal (76.3 per cent), Maharashtra (76.4 per cent), Goa (75.7 per cent), Gujarat (70.6 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (79.7 per cent) are the other states where more than 70 per cent women never sought help or told anyone about the violence experienced by them.

MUNAWAR FARUQUI'S B'LURU SHOW CANCELLED

The Bengaluru police have denied permission to Munawar Faruqui's stand-up comedy show in the city on Sunday amid protest by the Hindu right wing outfits who alleged that the artist had hurt the Hindu sentiments in one of his shows.

Faruqui shared a statement on social media confirming that his Bengaluru show that had sold "600 plus" tickets was cancelled Sunday in the wake of the "threats to venue vandalism" and said he was "done".

"Putting me in jail for the joke I never did to cancelling my shows which has nothing problematic in it. This is unfair. This show has gained so much love from people in India irrespective of their religion. This is unfair (sic)" he added in his Twitter statement.

Faruqui claimed that his 12 shows were called off in the last two months because of the threats to the venue and audiences.

CONG VS CONG AGAIN: MANISH TEWARI CLARIFIES AFTER ADHIR CRITICISES UNRELEASED BOOK

Congress MP Manish Tewari Sunday hit out at party colleague and fellow parliamentarian Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury after the latter criticised his yet-to-be released book.

Tewari’s ‘10 Flashpoints; 20 Years — National Security Situations That Impacted India’ has been courting controversy since he himself tweeted an excerpt that said the Indian government in 2008 — run by Congress-led UPA — should have “actioned a kinetic response” on Pakistan in the days after the 26/11 terror attacks.

While the Congress has said it will comment on the book when it is published, adding that members are entitled to their individual views, Chowdhury took potshots at Tewari. “He (Tewari) should be focussing more on China that has captured many of our areas on Ladakh and built villages in Arunachal Pradesh,” Chowdhury, the Congress’ leader in the Lok Sabha, said.

Tewari responded to Chowdhury’s comment Sunday with screenshots showing tweets directed at Rajnath Singh, adding that “the continued incursions by China & the response of NDA/ BJP government to them do form a substantial part of my book (sic)”. “…hope [they] address your concerns and criticism also,” he added.

TRADERS WANT MP COPS TO ACT AGAINST AMAZON OFFICIALS

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has demanded the arrest of Amazon officials in connection with the seizure of 720 kg of marijuana by the Madhya Pradesh Police earlier this month.

In a statement issued Sunday, CAIT alleged discriminatory treatment by authorities in drug-trafficking cases registered under the NDPS Act. The traders’ body drew comparisons with the Aryan Khan case and said the authorities should show similar promptness in the Madhya Pradesh case as well. It called upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah to look into the issue, since NDPS laws empower central government agencies to coordinate with state governments and authorities.

On 14 November, Madhya Pradesh police registered a case under the NDPS Act after it seized marijuana in Bhind district. The prohibited substance was supplied through the e-commerce portal.

Amazon is yet to publicly comment on the issue, but had in a previous statement said it was investigating whether there was any non-compliance by a seller.

40% FATAL CRASHES DUE TO REAR-END COLLISIONS: HIGHWAY AUDIT

Rear-end collisions account for around 40 per cent of fatal accidents on highway stretches, with driver “sleepiness and fatigue” behind many of these crashes, according to an audit initiated by the government to bring down fatalities on national highways.

The study — a pilot audit of data on four highway stretches in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra totalling 557 km one way — also found several engineering defects such as gaps in medians, missing crash barriers, concrete structures kept along the road etc, all of which added to accidents and resultant fatalities.

The four audited stretches had witnessed over 6,500 accidents over the past three years, of which over 1,600 were serious and fatal ones.

The auditors, NGO SaveLife Foundation, went through medical records of trauma care and data by highway concessionaires and found that fatigue, especially among drivers of commercial vehicles, led to them ramming into stationary vehicles or slow-moving vehicles from the rear. “There were no tyre marks which means brakes were not applied. The drivers most likely fell asleep and drove into another vehicle,” said Piyush Tiwary, SaveLife founder and member of the National Road Safety Council.

According to the audit, apart from usual deficiencies such as drink driving, riding without helmets, lack of proper illumination in some stretches, lack of enforcement by state governments etc, what has also contributed to accidents are local factors related to the weather.

The audit also assessed local trauma care set-up and found that instead of placing ambulances closer to accident prone zones, they were stationed at equidistant locations.

JIO JOINS BHARTI AIRTEL AND VODAFONE IDEA, GOES FOR 20% HIKE IN TARIFFS

India’s largest mobile service operator, Reliance Jio, hiked its rates by 20 per cent on Sunday, joining industry rivals Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) which went for a price revision earlier last week. Jio’s new rates will come into effect from December 1.

In a press release, the telco announced new unlimited plans. “Upholding the promise of providing the best quality service at the lowest price globally, Jio customers will continue to be the biggest beneficiaries,” it said.

The move will impact tariffs in all the existing slaps (Rs 75-2,399). While Airtel and Vi went for a 25 per cent rise in their entry level slabs, Jio hiked the rate in this segment by around 21 per cent.

Though companies, especially Airtel and Vi, had long been clamouring for a price revision, they were reluctant to take the first step for the fear of losing customers. Airtel bit the bullet last Monday, and Vi quickly followed suit.

These companies have indicated that the average revenue per user (ARPU) needs to go up to Rs 200 initially and then to Rs 300 to improve their financial health.

Airtel currently has the highest ARPU among the telecom companies. In the second quarter of FY22, it reported an ARPU of Rs 153. Jio and Vi reported ARPUs of Rs 143.6 and Rs 109, respectively.

FINTECH START-UP SLICE TURNS INDIA'S 41ST UNICORN IN 2021, RAISES $220 MN

Fintech start-up Slice has raised $220 million in a Series B round that values the company at over $1 billion, making it the latest entrant to India’s coveted unicorn club.

Slice issues prepaid visa cards with a credit line that allows users to get credit card-like benefits as well as build their credit score. It claims to have more than 5 million registered users and a 40 per cent month-on-month growth rate accompanied by industry-leading risk metrics. This year has a huge investor interest in start-ups with fintechs leading the way.

Even as most individuals in India have bank accounts and debit cards, only a sliver of this banking population has access to credit cards, which is less than 35 million according to industry estimates. Moreover, the nation’s young credit-rating system covers only a tiny fraction of this population, making it tediously challenging for them to own a credit card.

The company claims it has made it easier for users to pay their bills by letting them divide the bill into three months instalments at zero cost. Users get up to 2 per cent cashback on each transaction. “Slice has built a product that customers love, which we expect will result in continued growth and market share gains,” said Alex Cook, partner at Tiger Global.

KANPUR TEST, DAY 4: IYER, SAHA PUT INDIA IN COMMAND AGAINST NEW ZEALAND

Debutant Shreyas Iyer showed his ice-cool temperament under pressure to stand tall with a fine half-century, which placed India in a commanding position as they set up a stiff victory target of 284 for New Zealand on the fourth day of the opening Test, in Kanpur, on Sunday.

India declared at 234 for 7, for an overall lead of 283, and gave the Black Caps four tricky overs to face under fading light during which they managed four runs and lost opener Will Young to Ravichandran Ashwin.

With that scalp, Ashwin became the joint-third highest wicket-taker in Indian cricket with Harbhajan Singh (417 wickets).

The highest ever fourth innings chase by a visiting team in India is 276 by Viv Richards's West Indies against the Dilip Vengsarkar-led India in 1987, at the Ferozshah Kotla, which placed statistics on the home team's side.

The honours for India on the day were shared by Iyer (65 off 125 balls), who became the first Indian to score a hundred and fifty on debut and the plucky Wriddhiman Saha (61 not out, 126 balls), who battled a stiff neck to make an invaluable contribution, which will certainly count a lot in the final context of the match.

Axar Patel (28 not out) then conjured another 67-run eighth-wicket stand with Saha to slowly take the match out of the Black Caps' grasp.

If New Zealand are still in the match, credit must go to their tireless seam bowling duo of Tim Southee (22-2-75-3) and Kyle Jamieson (17-6-40-3), who showed an exhibition of top-class bowling on an unresponsive track.

Scores – India 345 & 234/7 (Declared); New Zealand 296 & 4/1

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

OFF TRACK

The HR department received an email requesting a listing of the department staff broken down by age and sex. The personnel office sent this reply...

"Attached is a list of our staff.  We currently have no one broken down by age or sex. However, we have a few alcoholics."