?? ???? Slovakian PM shot in broad daylight | ?? Supreme Court clips ED's wings | ?? After Covishield, report out on Covaxin side-effects

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Market Watch

• Indian benchmark indices ended the day in the green with the Sensex closing 676 points higher at 73,663 and the Nifty closing 203 points higher at 22,403.
• Barring Nifty PSU Bank, all sectors closed in the green.

Slovakian PM shot in broad daylight

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times in Handlova and has been hospitalized in what is being described as the most serious attack on a European leader in decades.

• Fico, who was shot 4-5 times, remains in the hospital and is said to be in a serious but stable condition.

Viewer discretion is advised:

The intrigue: Fico came back to power in 2023 under an anti-NATO, pro-Russia platform. This is despite the fact that Slovakia is a NATO member since 2004.

• His September 2023 election was won – partly – on a pledge to send "not one more round of ammunition" to Kyiv, promising to reverse the Slovak government’s policy of arming Ukraine with artillery shells, heavy weapons and even fighter jets.

Who is the shooter? The 71-year-old suspect is a writer from Levice and a founder of the DUHA Literary Club, with his identity confirmed by media and Slovakia's Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok.

• On social media and in a video, the suspect has made political statements, expressing concern over immigration and founding a “Movement Against Violence” aiming to prevent societal violence and war in Europe.
• There is speculation that the suspect, who has been charged with attempt to murder, was ideologically opposed to the PM who has been a vocal critic of Zelenskyy and the war in Ukraine.

Supreme Court curtails ED's arrest powers under Prevention of Money Laundering Act

The Supreme Court of India ruled that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) cannot arrest an accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a special court has taken cognizance of the complaint. This decision imposes significant restrictions on the ED's powers to detain individuals accused of money laundering offences.

What this means: The Supreme Court stated that once the special PMLA court acknowledges a money laundering complaint, the ED cannot arrest the accused under Section 19 of the PMLA. If the ED requires custody of the accused, it must seek permission from the special court.

• If the ED wants custody of an accused who appears after being summoned by the special court, it must apply to the court. The court will grant custody only if it is convinced that custodial interrogation is necessary.
• The court clarified that the stringent twin conditions for bail under Section 45 of the PMLA do not apply to an accused who appears before the special court in response to a summons.?
• The ruling also clarified that mere non-cooperation in response to summons is insufficient grounds for arresting under Section 19 of the PMLA.

Clip du jour

FM Sitharaman’s wry laugh at a valid question posed to her by a broker about over-taxation:

Hi, I’m Gaurav Jeyaraman, the editor of this newsletter. We’d like to hear some feedback on our newsletter: what works and what doesn’t work? WhatsApp me directly and tell me what you think.

Adverse events seen in some participants who took Covaxin, reports new study

Adverse events have been reported by some participants who received Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, raising concerns about its safety in certain populations, according to a new study.

Flashback: The focus on post-vaccination adverse events is back in the limelight after AstraZeneca admitted in court that its vaccines caused blood clots and low platelet counts in rare cases. This led to some backlash against SII's Covishield vaccine too, which was based on AstraZeneca's formula.

The details: A study published on SpringerLink found that nearly a third of participants experienced adverse events of special interest (AESI) after receiving Covaxin, with female adolescents and those with a history of allergies at higher risk of AESI.

• Researchers at Banaras Hindu University conducted a 1-year follow-up on 1,024 individuals and found that viral upper respiratory infections, skin and subcutaneous disorders, and nervous system disorders were common AESIs among adolescents, while adults frequently reported general disorders and musculoskeletal issues.
• Menstrual irregularities, ocular abnormalities, hypothyroidism, stroke, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome were among the serious AESIs observed, with the study suggesting individuals with pre-vaccination Covid-19 history, comorbidities, and post-vaccination typhoid were at higher risk of persistent AESIs.
• Patterns of AESIs after Covaxin administration differed from those reported with other Covid-19 vaccines, leading researchers to advocate for extended surveillance and focused monitoring of vaccinated individuals, especially those with a history of Covid-19 or comorbidities like hypertension.

By the numbers:?The Government Committee on Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI), vetted at least 36 cases of TTS and confirmed 18 deaths from it in 2021, the first year of Covid-19 vaccination in India. However, this does not specify which vaccine was used. Around 90% of Indians have been vaccinated by Covishield.

ICYMI

• ?? Turns out the viral “diesel paratha” video from Chandigarh was fake.
• ?? A dog and its owner were brutally thrashed by miscreants in Hyderabad over a dispute.
• ?? The AAP is in all sorts of trouble over the allegations that Swati Maliwal was assaulted at Arvind Kejriwal’s home by his aide.
• ?? Uber has got a license to operate buses in Delhi.
• ?? There are five teams still in contention for the last two spots in the IPL.
• ???? Here’s why Nivea and Ponds are slugging it out in court in Delhi.
• ? Sunil Chhetri has announced his retirement from international football.