24112020-TTB-01.qxd 11/24/2020 12:02 AM Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.140 no.325 | 12 pages | ~5.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2018-2020 established in 1881 BIDEN PICKS BLINKEN AS SECRETARY OF STATE WORLD /thetribunechd FM REACHES OUT TO MNCs, SAYS REFORMS WILL GO ON BUSINESS PM INAUGURATES 76 FLATS FOR MPs BACK PAGE /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com tuesday, november 24,2020 Covishield trials show 90%efficacy Amid LAC standoff, key Army Checks transmission too, claim developers | Aim to supply 3 bn doses next yr posts lying vacant for months Aditi Tandon Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 23 Announcing a major breakthrough in the global fight against Covid-19, Oxford University and AstraZeneca today said their vaccine candidate Covishield was 90 per cent effective in combating the disease when administered as a halved first dose and a standard second dose after a month. The developers made another major claim based on interim results from latestage phase-3 trials on 24,000 participants across the UK, Brazil and South Africa, saying “early indication is that the vaccine could reduce virus transmission from an observed reduction in asymptomatic infections.” This is the first time any global Covid vaccine developer has said trials were helpful in preventing not only the disease, but also its transmission. The developers said they aimed to supply three billion doses globally during 2021. The announcement bodes well for India where phase-3 trials of the Oxford vaccine are underway, so is the production. Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, manufacturing partner in the global collaboration, said, “I am continued on page 9 edit: mask as metaphor Former Assam CM Gogoi dies of Covid Guwahati, November 23 Veteran Congress leader and a three-term former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi died here on Monday while undergoing treatment for post-Covid-19 complications, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. He was 84 and is survived by wife Dolly, daughter Chandrima and son Gaurav, a Lok Sabha member. BACK PAGE IN BRIEF Youth shoots three, kills self in Bathinda BATHINDA: A 22-year-old youth shot dead his ex-girlfriend and her parents at her house in the Kamla Nehru Colony in the city. Later, he committed suicide by shooting himself. The deceased have been identified as Simran Kaur (20), her father Charanjit Singh Khokhar (45) and mother Jaswinder Kaur (43). INSIDE SC extends parole of Rajiv’s killer DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday extended by a week the parole of Rajiv Gandhi’s killer AG Perarivalan, serving life sentence, and asked the Tamil Nadu Government to provide escort to him to enable him to undergo medical tests. BACK PAGE NEW Kangana moves HC, wants FIR quashed MUMBAI: Actress Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel filed a petition in the Bombay High Court on Monday, seeking to quash an FIR registered against them by the police for allegedly “trying to create hatred and communal tension” through their posts on social media. — TNS COVID-19CASES INDIA ABOUT OXFORD VACCINE ■ Oxford vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV- 19 is made from a virus COUNT ■ Is a weakened version of aden- 91,39,865 ovirus, a common cold virus ■ Genetically altered so that it’s impossible for it to grow in humans TOTAL RECOVERED DEATHS RECOVERED 85,62,641 FRESH FATALITIES 511 TOTAL DEATHS 1,33,738 WORLD 5,91,69,361 4,09,29,535 13,96,471 PM REVIEW MEET TODAY ‘DELIGHTED WITH RESULTS’ PM Narendra Modi will on Tuesday review the situation in worsthit Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Kerala. hear that ❝ I’m delighted toup to 90% Covishield will offer protection in one type of dosage regime and 62% in the other. Adar Poonawalla, SERUM INSTITUTE CEO TESTING AT RLY STATIONS A health worker takes a swab sample from a passenger in Lucknow on Monday. PTI M’RASHTRA SEEKS NEGATIVE REPORT FROM TRAVELLERS SC pulls up Delhi,Guj govts Night curfew in 4 HP dists new Delhi, November 23 As the Covid-19 situation worsened in many parts of the country, the Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Delhi and Gujarat governments over poor handling of the pandemic. A Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan asked all states and UTs to file status reports along with measures as also the help needed from the Centre to deal with the pandemic. Noting that the situation was likely to worsen in December, the court said all states and the Centre must take adequate steps to deal Seeks status reports from all states with Covid-19. “We are hearing about a huge spike in the current month. We want the latest status report from all states. Worse things may happen in December if states aren’t well prepared,” it said. “We want to know how are you managing the situation, how are hospitals treating patients? ” the Bench sought to know from the Delhi Government. — TNS Shimla, November 23 Worried over the sudden spurt in Covid cases, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet today re-imposed night curfew in the four worst-hit districts of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi and Kangra. It will remain in force from 8 pm to 6 am till December 15. The Cabinet also decided to shut all government educational institutions till December 31, though online studies would commence from November 26. Teachers have been allowed OTHER DECISIONS ■ Fine for not wearing a mask hiked from ~500 to ~1,000 ■ Gatherings at outdoor events capped at 200 ■ Buses to ply at 50 per cent capacity till December 15 ■ Govt educational institutions shut till December 31 to work from home for now. The attendance of Class III and IV employees in government offices has been restricted to 50 per cent. — TNS After 2 months, rail services resume in Punjab Police and dog squad carry out a check at the railway station in Patiala on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAJESH SACHAR Ferozepur, November 23 The train services were partially restored today in Punjab, exactly two months after these were discontinued on September 24 in the wake of ‘rail roko’ agitation by farmer unions in protest against the three Central farm laws. The Railways has first resumed freight and goods train movement in the state. The passenger train services would be restored in a phased manner over the next few days, said sources in the Railways. INSIDE Kerala Govt puts gag law Panipat SP booked for for social media on hold ex-councillor’s suicide New Delhi, November 23 Under fire, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left front government in Kerala today decided to put on hold a controversial amendment to the Police Act that many described as an assault on the freedom of expression and media. The amendment, made via an ordinance, entailed up to fiveyear jail term to those making defamatory social media posts. Vijayan made the announcement shortly after CPM and CPI top leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja said in Delhi that the decision would be reconsidered. A Left leader said one way for CUSTOMS TO ARREST CM’s EX-PRINCIPAL SECY Kochi: A special PMLA court on Monday granted permission to the Customs Department to arrest CM’s ex-Principal Secy M Sivasankar, who is currently in judicial custody, in connection with the Kerala gold smuggling case. PTI the state to get out of the quandary was to let the ordinance lapse in six months. Kerala is due for Assembly polls in April-May. — TNS edit: kerala’s u-turn Panipat, November 23 Panipat Superintendent of Police (SP) Manisha Choudhary and two other cops have been booked for allegedly abetting the suicide of former councillor Harish Sharma. The other two police officials against whom a case has been registered under Sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC include SI Baljeet Singh and ASI Mahabir Singh. A police complaint was lodged by Sharma’s daughter today, in which she FIRAGAINST PROTESTERS FOR BLOCKING HIGHWAY The police on Monday lodged a separate case against a large number of people for allegedly blocking National Highway-44 for over three hours after placing Harish Sharma’s body on the road and pelting the police with stones. alleged they were harassed by the accused, following which her father ended his life. The former councillor had jumped into a canal on Thursday. — TNS HC raps Punjab for skipping liquor quality test Directs DGP, Home Secy to file affidavits on ensuring adequate checks Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 23 Punjab has little reason to say cheers as far as its investigations into spurious liquor are concerned with the Punjab and Haryana High Court finding that the state was skipping “qualitative tests” to detect whether the liquor flowing in was fit for consumption. Taking a serious view of the omission, Justice Arvind HOOCH TRAGEDY Singh Sangwan has directed the state Director General of Police and the Home Secretary to file affidavits on providing adequate set-up for conducting both quantitative and qualitative tests. Justice Sangwan also made it clear that the police and excise departments were dutybound to get both quantitative and qualitative tests conducted to find out the contents. If an accused sold spurious liquor in the market after marking it as branded, it could not be said that a direction by the court, the police department or the excise department was required. The assertion came more than three months after more than 100 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Punjab. Justice Sangwan asserted qualitative tests were performed by laboratories through systematic analysis to identify the contents of the samples for determining whether it was unfit for human consumption. continued on page 9 Tribune News Service NEW HEADS AWAITED New Delhi, November 23 Last Friday when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) okayed the posting of Lt Gen SK Sharma, Commander of the Jalandhar-based 11 Corps, as the next Director General of Military Intelligence (DGMI), the Army finally got a regular DGMI. The post had been vacant for more than six weeks, which was unusual in itself. The DGMI, as the name suggests, coordinates various human sourced and technical inputs on enemy movement and own action along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. In what is a further indication of the slow decision-making, the crucial posts of Director General of Infantry and Director General of Aviation have been vacant for several months even as Indian armed ■ Director General of Infantry Shringla briefs diplomats on Nagrota incident Khalid hatched conspiracy to fuel Delhi riots: Cops NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 23 Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday briefed a select group of Heads of Missions on the planned terrorist attack in Nagrota district of Jammu on November 19, which was foiled by security forces. In what will be the first of several briefings to be conducted by the MEA in small groups in view of the pandemic, Shringla explained the implications of the incident on security, diplomacy and the battle against terrorism. BACK PAGE New Delhi, November 23 With an aim to launch propaganda on “atrocities” against minorities in India, former JNU student leader Umar Khalid hatched a conspiracy to fuel Delhi riots during US President Donald Trump’s visit in February this year, the police have alleged in the chargesheet filed on Sunday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Quoting the chargesheet, sources said, Khalid allegedly left Delhi on February 23 for Patna and came back on February 27 as part of the PROFILE: Advises Army Chief on equipment, battle worthiness and training of Infantry. Responsible for modernisation. Infantry largely deployed along LoC and LAC ■ DG of Army Aviation PROFILE:In charge of all flying ops, including new raisings DGMI APPOINTED AFTER 6 WKS ■ Director General of Military Intelligence (DGMI) coordinates inputs on enemy movement with own action PROMOTIONS PUT OFF TOO ■ Promotions, postings of 39 officers in the ranks of Maj Gen and Lt Gen cleared last week after over 4-5 months ■ Selection board for Colonels behind schedule by 6 months TARDY HANDLING BY NEW DEPT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS ■ Delay in promotions is raising scepticism over the new Department of Military Affairs (DMA) ■ Task of promotions was handed over from Dept of Defence (DoD) to DMA, which was set in January. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat is DMA Secretary forces face a belligerent China. The DG of Infantry is tasked to advise the Army Chief on matters of equip- ment, battle worthiness and training of Infantry, the largest fighting arm of the Army. continued on page 9 Umar Khalid His aim was to create trouble during Trump visit: Chargesheet conspiracy. It further alleged that the accused held meeting with other co-accused at continued on page 9