[NEWS OF THE DAY]

1. Punjab: BSF shoots down drone in Amritsar, recovers suspicious polythene bag
2. AIIMS server hack: Cyberterrorism, extortion cases registered; Chinese, North Korean hackers suspected behind attack
3. ‘UK delivering on new FTA with India’: Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak
4. India, France discuss defense co-production, military exercises
5. Protest in China: China tightens security after rare protests against Covid curbs

What Else

6. Religion should be unifying tool, not divisive instrument, says Indonesian minister
7. Center Backs Tough Laws Against Forced Religious Conversions, Files Affidavit in SC
8. RBI announces pilot launch of retail digital rupee on Dec 1
9. Centre returns 20 files to SC Collegium of appointment of HC judges: Report
10. Indian Army kite ‘Arjun’ trained on preying drones shown in action at Indo-US wargame
11. The Friedmann equations, and how they are related to protests in China
12. China willing to build closer partnership with Russia on energy: Xi Jinping
13. Taliban ends ceasefire with Pakistan govt, orders new attacks across country
14. Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa hands over baton of command to Gen Asim Munir
15. Pakistan receives $500m from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
16. Khar, Taliban leadership’s wide-ranging talks underway in Kabul

What Media is Cooking

Nadav Lapid Comments on Kashmir Files Movie

Punjab: BSF shoots down drone in Amritsar, recovers suspicious polythene bag

• The Border Security Force (BSF) at the International Border near Punjab’s Amritsar shot down a drone entering from Pakistan to the Indian territory, it informed on Tue.
• The release by BSF said that the area has been cordoned off and police and other concerned agencies have also been informed.
• It further said that the BSF has recovered one Hexacopter in partially damaged condition with a suspected item in white polythene.
• Further details are awaited.
• Meanwhile, in a fresh crackdown against gangsters, the NIA on Mon morning launched massive multi-state raids covering UP, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
• Earlier on Sat, the BSF foiled an intrusion attempt by Pakistan on the Srikaranpur border area in Rajasthan on the 14^th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attack.
• Till July this year, a total of 107 drones flying from across the border were spotted inside Indian territory as compared to 97 drones spotted last year.
• 64 such cases were reported in Punjab last year, 31 in Jammu. (here)

AIIMS server hack: Cyberterrorism, extortion cases registered; Chinese, North Korean hackers suspected behind attack

• For the 7^th day in a row, the servers of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences remain down likely because of security reasons being hacked.
• The AIIMS administration published a notice on Mon stating that all services are still being performed manually.
• Police also said that the ransomware’s genesis is unknown, but it is of foreign origin and expected to be from China or North Korea, most likely.
• The Delhi Police Department refuted reports of hackers demanding Rs 200 crores in cryptocurrencies as ransom, as declared in some media reports.
• The National Investigation Agency has joined the ongoing investigation into the alleged malware attack, which has already been investigated by agencies such as the India Computer Emergency Response Team, Delhi Police, Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, and Ministry of Home Affairs. (here)

‘UK delivering on new FTA with India’: Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak

• British PM Rishi Sunak has reiterated the UK’s commitment to a Free Trade Agreement with India as part of the country’s wider focus on enhancing ties with the Indo-Pacific.
• He also pledged to “do things differently” when it came to China, which he said poses a “systemic challenge” to British values and interests.
• “Before I came into politics, I invested in businesses around the world. And the opportunity in the Indo-Pacific is compelling,” said Sunak.
• “By 2050, the Indo-Pacific will deliver over half of global growth compared with just a quarter from Europe and North America combined.
• That’s why we’re joining the Trans-Pacific trade deal, the CPTPP, delivering a new FTA with India and pursuing one with Indonesia,” he said.
• On China, Sunak said he wants to “evolve” the UK’s approach as he distanced his govt from a slogan used by the previous govt to describe UK-China bilateral relations just over 7 years ago.
• “…..We recognize China poses a systemic challenge to our values and interests, a challenge that grows more acute as it moves towards even greater authoritarianism,” he cautioned. (here)
• Britain on Tue expelled China’s nuclear firm CGN from the construction of its new Sizewell C nuclear power station, which will now be built with remaining French partner EDF.

India, France discuss defense co-production, military exercises

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held the 4^th India-France annual defense dialogue with his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu in New Delhi.
• A wide range of bilateral, regional, defense, and defense industrial cooperation issues was discussed in the dialogue, the Ministry of Defence said.
• The two ministers agreed that the technical groups from both countries should meet early next year and take the key cooperation issues forward.
• They noted with satisfaction that India and France recently held their bilateral air exercise ‘Garuda’ at the Air Force Station, Jodhpur successfully.
• They noted their convergences on several strategic and defense issues and committed to working together on enhancing cooperation, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific.
• France is the current chair of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the Indian Scan Naval Symposium (IONS) and both countries cooperate closely in these fora.
• France is one of India’s most trusted strategic partners and the two countries are looking forward to celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership in 2023. (here)
• External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Mon held discussions with Lecornu on contemporary strategic developments.
• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also met with Lecornu and discussed a range of issues of mutual interest including global, regional, and bilateral security-related issues.

Religion should be unifying tool, not divisive instrument, says Indonesian minister

• Religion should be a unifying tool, not a divisive instrument, visiting Coordinating Minister for Political and Security of Indonesia Mohammed Mahfud said on Tue.
• The minister was speaking on the role of ulema in fostering interfaith peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia at an event held at the India Islamic Centre here.
• Mahfud added that the purpose is to provide an occasion for ulema from two nations to discuss how religious leaders could help foster a culture of peace and social harmony.
• In Indonesia, we have more than 17,500 islands, with more than 275 million people; 714 tribes; also, more than 1100 local languages; and many religions and faiths. (here)
• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tue highlighted that cross-border terrorism and ISIS-inspired terrorism continues to pose a threat to humanity.
• “In a democracy, no space for hate speech”, says NSA, adding that India and Indonesia both are home to the world’s largest Islamic populations.
• The idea of this meeting began when Ajit Doval, discussed this with him during their bilateral meeting in Jakarta last Mar. (here)

Center Backs Tough Laws Against Forced Religious Conversions, Files Affidavit in SC

• The Centre told the Supreme Court on Mon that religious freedom does not include a fundamental right to convert other people to a particular religion
• Also, added that it certainly does not embrace the right to convert an individual through fraud, deception, coercion, or allurement.
• The central govt said it is “cognizant of the menace” and laws that seek to control such practices are necessary to protect the cherished rights of vulnerable sections of society including women and economically and socially backward classes.
• A bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravi Kumar, while hearing the matter, observed it was not against religious conversions but forced conversions.
• The court deferred hearing on the petition as well as an implement application challenging its maintainability till Dec 5. (here)

RBI announces pilot launch of retail digital rupee on Dec 1

• The pilot will cover select locations in a closed user group, comprising participating customers and merchants.
• The pilot aims to test the robustness of the entire process of digital rupee creation, distribution, and retail usage in real-time.
• The RBI has roped in 8 banks for phase-wise participation in this pilot.
• The first phase will begin with 4 banks – State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank and IDFC First Bank in four cities across the country.
• Four more banks — Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank will join this pilot subsequently.
• According to the central bank, the e₹-R would be in the form of a ‘digital token’ that represents legal tender.
• It will be issued in the same denominations that paper currency and coins are currently issued and distributed through banks. (here)

Centre returns 20 files to SC Collegium of appointment of HC judges: Report

• The govt has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider 20 files related to the appointment of high court judges, including that of an advocate who has candidly spoken about his gay status, sources said on Mon.
• The govt expressed “strong reservations” about the recommended names as it sent back the files to the collegium on Nov 25.
• Out of the 20 cases, 11 were fresh cases and 9 were reiterations made by the top court collegium, they said.
• Kirpal’s name was sent by the Delhi High Court Collegium to the collegium in Oct 2017 for elevation as a high court judge.
• But the collegium is deferred deliberations on his name 3 times. (here)

Indian Army kite ‘Arjun’ trained on preying drones shown in action at Indo-US wargame

• On the 1^st, the Indian Army trained kites (hunting birds) to prey on enemy drones which was exhibited in the ongoing joint training exercise Yuddh Abhyas of India and the US in Auli, Uttarakhand.
• During the exercise, the Indian Army created a situation, in which the Indian Army used a kite and a dog to identify the location of enemy drones and destroy them.
• In this, the dog alerts the Indian Army after hearing the sound of the drone. Whereas the kite works to identify the location of the enemy’s drone and circumcise it in air.
• US Army soldiers of the 2^nd Brigade of the 11^th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the ASSAM Regiment are participating in the exercise.
• The training schedule focuses on the employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate. (here)

India issues notification for a very large (5,400 km) no-fly zone indicative of a likely missile test Launch Window on 15-16 Dec 2022, from APJ Abdul Kalam island to the Indian Ocean.

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Protest in China: China tightens security after rare protests against Covid curbs

• The govt on Mon tightened security in several cities including Beijing and Shanghai where several hundred people, part of spontaneous demonstrations held across China
• The foreign ministry also dismissed questions on demonstrations, saying they do not reflect “what actually happened”, glossing over the widespread anger
• There was no official word on how many people were detained after police used pepper spray, according to the AP, in Shanghai and other cities to suppress.
• Thousands of people in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi, Wuhan, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, and dozens of university campuses came out.
• Some protesters called for President Xi Jinping to resign, saying “we don’t want an emperor”, and demanded democracy and accountability.
• 40,000+ infections: China reported 40,052 new Covid-19 infections on Mon for Sun, setting a new daily record for the 5^th straight day, as per official data.
• Citizens continued to post photos of blank white sheets of paper -a symbol of the protest – on China’s all-in-one, WeChat app. (here)
• American citizens in China are being urged to “maintain a 14-day supply of medications, bottled water, and food for yourself and any members of your home,” according to the U.S. Mission in China.
• The US on Mon said that the WH continues to stand up and support the right of peaceful protesters in China and Washington is monitoring the situation “closely”.
• Chinese police are searching for apps such as Twitter, Instagram, and Telegram in people’s phones, a report said.
• Unable to post protest content on the Chinese internet due to censorship, users were turning to platforms like Twitter to share news of local public defiance, with dozens of such videos circulating outside the country, according to WSJ.
• Former leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests Wang Dan said the ongoing demonstrations in China and a “violent” response from Beijing, could lead to the collapse of CCP and president Xi, a report said.

The Friedmann equations, and how they are related to protests in China

• Among all the protests that have erupted, one form that has stood out is the display of a physics equation.
• In images widely being circulated on social media, students of Beijing’s Tsinghua University can be seen holding sheets on which is written one of the Friedmann equations.
• What are the Friedmann equations: these are a set of equations that describe the rate at which the universe expands.
• The equation displayed in the protests in China is one form of the first equation. (here)

China willing to build closer partnership with Russia on energy: Xi Jinping

• China’s President Xi Jinping said Beijing is willing to forge a closer partnership with Russia on energy, according to a state media report.
• In a message sent to a China-Russia energy forum, Xi also said energy co-operation between the two countries is contributing to global energy security, says to state broadcaster CCTV. (HT)

Taliban ends ceasefire with Pakistan govt, orders new attacks across country

• The Pakistani Taliban on Mon ended a monthslong cease-fire with the govt in Islamabad, ordering its fighters to resume attacks across the country.
• In a statement, the outlawed TTP said it decided to end the cease-fire after Pak’s army stepped up operations against them in former northwestern tribal areas and elsewhere.
• There was no immediate comment from the govt or the military.
• The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but are allies of the Afghanistan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan more than a year ago.
• Mon’s announcement was a setback to efforts made by the Afghan Taliban since earlier this year to facilitate a peace agreement aimed at ending the violence. (here)

Khar, Taliban leadership’s wide-ranging talks underway in Kabul

• Dy Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who is leading a high-level delegation, is the first minister to travel to Afghan since the govt of PM Sharif took over in April.
• The FO stated that Khar met acting Afghan FM Amir Khan Muttaqi shortly after landing in Kabul. Pakistan’s special representative is also part of the delegation.
• The minister is meeting the Taliban leaders amid mistrust over certain issues, including firing exchanges along the border and a spike in Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan attacks.
• Pakistan says TTP operates from Afghan soil — something that the Afghan Taliban deny.
• Khar will also reaffirm Pakistan’s continued “commitment and support for all efforts aimed at strengthening peace and enhancing prosperity in Afghanistan”, the release read.
• Both sides have agreed to introduce new mechanisms for bilateral relations to review all common opportunities and problems through dialogue and to make progress, Afghan side said. (here)

Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa hands over baton of command to Gen Asim Munir

• Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tue handed over the command of the Pakistan Army to his successor Gen Asim Munir in a ceremony held at the GHQ in Rawalpindi.
• With the change of command, Gen Munir has become the 17^th army chief, while General Bajwa presented the guard of honor for the last time as COAS. (here)

Pakistan receives $500m from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

• Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Tue that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) had transferred $500 million to the State Bank of Pakistan.
• The Building Resilience with Active Countercyclical Expenditures Program is an Asian Development Bank financing program to counter the social fallouts of economic crisis.
• Last month, the ADB signed an agreement with Pakistan to provide a $1.5 billion loan for budgetary support and help flood-related rehabilitation and reconstruction.
• The loan under the BRACE Program was to fund the govt’s $2.3bn countercyclical development expenditure to cushion the impacts of external shocks, including the Ukraine crisis.
• The $1.5bn loan was aimed to provide social protection, promote food security, and support employment amid devastating floods and global supply chain disruptions.
• The State Bank later announced that it had received $1.5bn from the ADB “as disbursement of policy-based loan for the govt of Pakistan”. (here)
• Pakistan has to repay $1bn bond early on Dec 2: said SBP governor