The Indian Council of Medical Research Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl on Monday criticised a recently published study on the long-term safety analysis of the Covaxin in adults and adolescents for its poor methodology and design, and clarified the article misleadingly and erroneously “acknowledges” ICMR. Dr Bahl said the study had no control arm of unvaccinated individuals for comparing the rates of events between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Hence, the reported events in the study cannot be linked or attributed to COVID-19 vaccination. The ICMR is not associated with the study and has not provided any financial or technical support for the research, Dr Bahl said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 May,2024 07:35 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Congress issued a stern warning to those indulging in anti-party activities in West Bengal and asked its state unit to submit a report on acts of vandalising hoardings outside the party office in Kolkata. A day after he snubbed West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for questioning TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s loyalty to the INDIA bloc, several posters and hoardings of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were defaced with ink in front of the party’s state headquarters in Kolkata on Sunday. Taking serious note of such acts, AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party would not tolerate such “gross indiscipline”. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 May,2024 07:33 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections registered a voter turnout of 57.47 per cent till 7.45 pm, the Election Commission of India said on Monday. With the end of polls in the fifth phase, voting has been completed in 25 states and Union Territories and 428 constituencies in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Two more phases — on May 25 and June 1 — are remaining now. A large number of voters were still in the queue at the polling stations even at 6 pm, the Election Commission said. In the corresponding phase in the 2019 polls, the turnout was registered at 64.16 per cent when 51 seats across seven states went to polls. According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout in the fourth phase stood at 69.16 per cent, 3.65 percentage points higher than the corresponding phase in the 2019 parliamentary elections. The updated voter turnout figures for the third phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections was 65.68 per cent. In the third phase of the 2019 elections, the turnout was 68.4 per cent. In the second phase of the 2024 parliamentary elections, the turnout was recorded at 66.71 per cent as against the 69.64 per cent in the second phase of the 2019 parliamentary polls. In the first phase of the ongoing general elections, a 66.14 per cent turnout was recorded. In the 2019 polls, the turnout in the first phase was 69.43 per cent.The poll panel said the final turnout will only be available after the results, with the counting of postal ballots and its addition to the total voting percentage. 69.16 percentTurnout recorded in fourth phase This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 May,2024 07:30 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Election Commission on Monday lamented the low turn in urban constituencies in various cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and Lucknow. The poll body said said that these cities have continued the trend of "urban apathy" as noticed in the 2019 parliamentary polls. However, it noted that in Mumbai, celebrities and common citizens alike, waited patiently for their turn to cast their vote. Celebrities from various walks of life have partnered with the Commission to motivate voters to exercise their franchise in the elections, it said.Various such motivational videos were uploaded on their social media platforms. On Sunday too, the Commission had pointed out that Mumbai, Thane and Lucknow have shown apathy towards voting in the past and asked these city dwellers to turnout in higher numbers. The poll authority had noted that in the past, these cities have "suffered" from urban apathy in voting. "The Commission specially calls upon these city dwellers to erase the stigma by turning out in higher numbers," it said. On May 3 too, while referring to voter turnout in phase two, the Commission had said it was "disappointed" with the turnout level in some metropolitan cities.The EC had last month assembled many metro commissioners here to work out a strategy to fight urban apathy. Urban and youth apathy is described as a phenomenon when young voters and those living in metros fail to turn up at polling stations on the election day.So far, the last four phases have registered a voter turnout of 66.95 per cent. On May 13, the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency recorded about 38 per cent polling, the second highest in a few decades, while Baramulla on Monday recorded an all-time-high voter turnout of 59 per cent. In the fifth phase on May 20, according to the Election Commission, West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout (73 per cent), followed by Ladakh (67.15 per cent), Jharkhand (63.00 per cent), Odisha (60.72 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (57.79 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (54.67 per cent), Bihar (52.60 per cent) and Maharashtra (49.01 per cent) Around 45.1 crore electors have exercised their franchise in the last four phases. As in February this year, the total number of voters stood at around 97 crore. (With inputs PTI)
20 May,2024 10:36 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThree illegal constructions, including he farmhouse of a congress leader, were demolished by a joint squad of forest and police departments on Monday, reported news agency PTI. The move was part of an anti-encroachment drive in the Anantpura area in Kota, Rajasthan. Around 300 personnel from Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC) and police and forest departments reached the area with JCB machines early Monday morning and began razing the illegal constructions on forest land spanning over 4,300 square metres, they said. The farmhouse belonging to Amin Pathan, Rajasthan Congress general secretary, was among the three encroachments demolished during the operation that lasted for over three hours till 9.15 am, Kota DFO Apoorv Krishan Srivastav said. The two other encroachments razed in the operation are were owned by Pathan's wife and another person. Pathan could not be reached for a comment on the matter and was reported to be out of the city by his staff. Srivastav said the illegal constructions made on forest land in Anantpura were marked during a survey conducted earlier this year, following which the encroachers in the area were served notices in February and March for evacuation. The DFO said no untoward incident or protest occurred during the drive as encroachers had evacuated the place beforehand. The household items on the premises were removed before the demolition began. Notably, Pathan, days before the state assembly election in November 2023, had joined Congress after serving as a BJP member for around 25 years. He was arrested in March this year for allegedly obstructing government work and was released on bail from Rajasthan High Court within a fortnight. In another incident in Maharashtra, the civic administration in Raigad district has released a list of 499 dangerous buildings and issued notices to residents of the dilapidated structures, an official said on Monday. The administration conducted a survey in which 499 buildings in the limits of 15 municipal councils were found to be in a dangerous and dilapidated state, the official said. Notices have been issued to residents of 482 buildings, and they have been asked to vacate the premises, he said. According to the survey, Panvel had the highest number of 215 dangerous buildings, followed by Karjat with 153, the official said. (With inputs PTI)
20 May,2024 09:10 PM IST | Kota | mid-day online correspondentA voter turnout of 57.51 per cent was recorded as voting for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 concluded on Monday across all 49 parliamentary constituencies spanning eight States and Union Territories, reported the ANI. Polling, on Monday, also ended on 35 Assembly constituencies in Odisha. According to the Election Commission, West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout (73 per cent), followed by Ladakh (67.15 per cent), Jharkhand (63.00 per cent), Odisha (60.72 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (57.79 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (54.67 per cent), Bihar (52.60 per cent) and Maharashtra (49.01 per cent), as per the ANI. Meanwhile, Mumbai witnessed a voter turnout failing to cross 50 per cent till 7 pm. Mumbai North recorded a turnout of 46.91 per cent; Mumbai North Central saw a turnout of 47.46 per cent, Mumbai North East saw a turnout of 48.67 per cent per cent, Mumbai North West recorded a turnout of 49.79 per cent. Mumbai South had the lowest turnout in the city with 44.63 per cent recorded till 7 pm. Mumbai South Central saw a turnout of 48.26 per cent. In Mumbai, Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani, Ranbir Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor, Jaya Bachchan, Ranveer Singh and Deepika were among the celebrities who stepped out to cast their votes in the fifth phase of India General Elections 2024. Cities including Mumbai, Thane, and Lucknow voted in this phase, which has in the past suffered from urban apathy in voting. Of the 49 Lok Sabha seats, 14 are from Uttar Pradesh, 13 from Maharashtra, 7 from West Bengal, 5 from Bihar, 3 from Jharkhand, 5 from Odisha, and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Polling began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm across constituencies. As per the ECI, over 8.95 crore voters, including 4.69 crore males, 4.26 crore females, and 5409 third-gender electors, were eligible to decide the fate of 695 candidates in the fifth phase of voting. The fifth phase is witnessing key contests in various constituencies. The voting was held in eight states/UTs comprising Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal during the phase 5 Lok Sabha polls. In a bid to create a peaceful atmosphere for the electors, a total of 2,000 flying squads, 2105 static surveillance teams, 881 video surveillance teams, and 502 video viewing teams kept surveillance round the clock across the 94,732 polling stations. A total of 216 international border check posts and 565 inter-state border check posts also kept a strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash, and freebies. Strict surveillance was maintained on sea and air routes, the ECI said, the news agency reported on Monday. (with ANI inputs)
20 May,2024 08:40 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAndhra Pradesh police have arrested 124 accused persons allegedly involved in the recent election day and post-poll violence in the three districts of Palnadu, Anantapur and Tirupati on Monday, reported news agency PTI. A total of the 1,370 persons are allegedly involved in the incident. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Inspector General of police Vineet Brijlal, formed to investigate the riots submitted a 150-page report to DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, according to which 1,152 accused persons were yet to be arrested. "A total of 33 cases were identified...SIT sub-teams camped at the districts concerned and thoroughly reviewed the cases identified regarding investigation done so far," Brijlal said in a press release. As per the report, the teams visited the sites of offences, interacted with investigation officers, aggrieved persons, verified physical evidence, witnesses' statements and also checked if appropriate sections of law were applied or not. They also checked if all the incidents were registered as cases, accused persons identified and whether arrests were made or not, among others. Of the arrested persons, 94 were served notices under CrPC Section 41 A and the SIT told the investigation officers to 'complete pending arrests at the earliest.'According to Brijlal, many of the offences, which occurred in the Assembly constituencies of Narasaraopeta, Macherla, Gurajala, Chandragiri, Tirupati and Tadipatri in these districts were of extremely serious nature. They involved multitudes of miscreants brazenly rioting in two groups and pelting stones indiscriminately which could have led to serious injury or even death.Further, he observed that the SIT identified many lapses in investigation while probing these cases. The Inspector General said special teams were formed to identify and apprehend the accused persons at the district level and added that investigation officers have been directed to file a memo in the courts concerned to add appropriate sections of law. Andhra Pradesh went to polls on May 13 in the fourth phase. (With inputs from PTI) Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase 4 voter turnout dips: 62.84 per cent recorded The voter turnout in phase four of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections stood at 62.84 per cent at 8 pm on May 13 against 65.51 per cent in 2019, a dip of over 2.5 percentage points. However, the Election Commission said a large number of voters were still in the queue at polling stations even after 6 pm, indicating the turnout would go up.
20 May,2024 07:47 PM IST | Amaravati | mid-day online correspondentThe Enforcement Directorate opposed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's plea seeking interim bail in the Supreme Court on Monday, reported news agency PTI. Soren is seeking an interim bail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam to campaign in the Lok Sabha polls. In its affidavit filed in the top court on Soren's plea against his arrest and for interim bail, the probe agency said the materials on record establish that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was involved in the acquisition and possession of properties in an illegal manner which are proceeds of crime. A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear Soren's plea against his arrest and interim bail on Tuesday. "Various Statements recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002, which establish that property admeasuring 8.86 acres, situated at Shanti Nagar, Near Lalu Khatal, Bariyatu is under illegal acquisition, possession and use of Hemant Soren and the same has been done in a camouflaged and concealed manner," the agency said. Opposing the interim bail of Soren for campaigning during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the ED said, "It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right." The probe agency said that there is an active attempt on Soren's part to subvert the investigation by misusing state machinery and project the proceeds of crime as "untainted through his stooges". The JMM leader was arrested earlier this year on January 31 in the money-laundering case linked to the alleged land scam after he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister. He has challenged a May 3 order of the Jharkhand High Court that dismissed his petition against his arrest by the ED. He has also sought interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls till the court delivers its verdict on his plea against his arrest. On May 13, referring to the top court's recent order in a money-laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Soren sought interim bail for campaigning in the election. (With inputs from PTI)
20 May,2024 07:04 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentFollowing the tragic demise of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Iran's Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, the Government of India has decided that there will be one day of state mourning on Tuesday (May 21) throughout the country as a mark of respect to the departed dignitaries. Ministry of Home Affairs said that the National flag will be flown at half-mast throughout the country on all buildings where it is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day. The Iranian President was returning from a visit to Azerbaijan when his helicopter crashed in Tabriz city. The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi has lowered its flag to half-mast following the tragic deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the Foreign Minister, and other high-ranking officials in a helicopter crash. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the demise of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a fatal helicopter crash. In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi acknowledged Raisi's contribution in strengthening the India-Iran bilateral relationship. "Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening the India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow," PM Modi tweeted. The helicopter carrying Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and his accompanying delegation crashed a day ago in the Dizmar forest, nestled between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azarbaijan Province, state media outlet Press TV reported today. Earlier today, Iranian state media IRNA shared drone footage shot by the Red Crescent showing the wreckage of the crashed helicopter. News outlet Tasnim, which is affiliated with the country's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, reported that Raisi's funeral will be held tomorrow in Tabriz. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 May,2024 06:43 PM IST | Delhi | ANIA fire broke out at a cloth shop in central Delhi's Karol Bagh on Monday, officials of the Delhi Fire Services said. "We received a call regarding a fire at a cloth showroom at 5.28 pm. A total of 14 fire tenders were pressed into service. The process of dousing the flames is going on," an official of the DFS said. "So far, there is no information on anyone getting injured," the official added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 May,2024 06:40 PM IST | Delhi | PTIThe Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested four Sri Lankans with links to the banned outfit Islamic State (IS) who were allegedly on a mission to carry out terror activities in India, police said on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, the ATS apprehended the accused at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel airport after they travelled from Sri Lanka's capital Colombo via Chennai on Sunday night, an official said. The men travelled to India to carry out terror activities at the behest of IS, Director General of Police Vikas Sahay said. The ATS team also recovered three Pakistan-made pistols and 20 cartridges lying abandoned at a location in the city's Nana Chiloda area based on geo-coordinates and photographs found on the mobile phone seized from the accused, Sahay said. The men were allegedly directed by their Pakistani handler to collect these weapons, he said. The accused, Mohammad Nusrat (35), Mohammad Faarukh (35), Mohammad Nafran (27) and Mohammad Rasdeen (43), took a flight from Colombo and reached Chennai in the wee hours of Sunday. They then took another flight to Ahmedabad, where they landed around 8 pm Sunday, the official said. The men informed investigators that they were earlier associated with the banned Sri Lankan radical militant outfit, National Thowheeth Jamath (NJT), and joined IS after getting in touch with Pakistani handler Abu Bakr Al Bagdadi, he said. They are members of IS radicalised by a leader from Sri Lanka who is living in Pakistan, Sahay told reporters. "They got in touch with Abu (the IS leader in Pakistan) in February this year and remained in contact with him through social media and were completely radicalised by the ideology," he said. Their leader ordered them to carry out terrorist activities in India, to which they agreed, and even showed readiness to carry out suicide bombings, Sahay said. The men were paid Rs 4 lakh in Sri Lankan currency to carry out the activities, he said. The mobile phones recovered from the accused had photographs and documents showing their association with IS, and an IS flag was also recovered from their bag, and two such flags were recovered from the abandoned parcel containing weapons, the official said. The men were instructed to leave these flags at the site of their terror activities, he said. Sahay said the ATS used a translator to interrogate the accused, as they did not understand any other language apart from Tamil. Interrogations revealed that Abu had informed the accused about the weapons hidden at the given location in Ahmedabad for their use, he said. The pistols carried star marks, and cartridges were prima facie found to be made in the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) of Pakistan, he said. One of the four arrested terrorists, Mohammad Nusrat, also holds a valid visa for Pakistan. The men were booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Indian Penal Code and Arms Act, and further investigation was underway, Sahay said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 May,2024 06:34 PM IST | Ahmedabad | PTIADVERTISEMENT
