Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha. Gandhi won the election from Wayanad in Kerala.

He had also contested from the Gandhi bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh but was defeated by BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani by a margin of over 55,000 votes.

Rahul took the oath in English.&nbsp;

Minutes before taking the oath, he tweeted that his fourth consecutive term as a member of the Lok Sabha begins on Monday.

"Representing Wayanad, Kerala, I begin my new innings in Parliament by taking my oath this afternoon, affirming that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India", he tweeted.&nbsp; 
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My 4th consecutive term as a Member of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LokSabha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LokSabha</a> begins today. Representing Wayanad, Kerala, I begin my new innings in Parliament by taking my oath this afternoon, affirming that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India 🇮🇳
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1140546699644952577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha. Gandhi won the election from Wayanad in Kerala. He had also contested from the Gandhi bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh but was defeated by BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani by a margin of over 55,000 votes.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha. Gandhi won the election from Wayanad in Kerala. He had also contested from the Gandhi bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh but was defeated by BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani by a margin of over 55,000 votes. Rahul took the oath in English. Minutes before taking the oath, he tweeted that his fourth consecutive term as a member of the Lok Sabha begins on Monday. "Representing Wayanad, Kerala, I begin my new innings in Parliament by taking my oath this afternoon, affirming that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India", he tweeted. My 4th consecutive term as a Member of the #LokSabha begins today. Representing Wayanad, Kerala, I begin my new innings in Parliament by taking my oath this afternoon, affirming that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India 🇮🇳 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 17, 2019 ×

Rahul Gandhi takes oath as Lok Sabha member

In this segment of WION Wings we are in Hyderabad and this time a visit to AIR India's MRO facility. Have a look around

WION Wings: A visit to AIR India's MRO facility

A junior resident doctor at the emergency ward of the AIIMS Trauma Centre was allegedly verbally abused and manhandled by the attendants of a patient late on Sunday night, following which his colleagues at the premier institute have gone on a strike withdrawing all nonessential services till Tuesday morning.

The AIIMS Resident Doctor's Association (RDA) said services at outpatient departments (OPDs) and routine operation theatre, and ward visits have been withdrawn from Monday noon till 6am on Tuesday, but emergency services such as ICU, casualty and labour room services are available.

This comes against the backdrop of the medical fraternity holding protests all over the country in solidarity with the junior doctors in West Bengal who are on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured allegedly by relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The incident took place around 11.30pm Sunday in the emergency ward of the AIIMS Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre when a patient with a foot injury reached there for treatment, president of AIIMS Resident Doctor's Association (RDA) Dr Amarinder Singh Malhi said.

"The patient arrived with his attendants. The doctor on duty was attending to a high-risk patient at that time when the attendants asked him to attend their patient on priority basis.

"The doctor asked them to wait for a while saying he attending a high-risk patient who required immediate medical care. He told them that he will definitely attend the patient. But the attendants started verbally abusing the doctor and even manhandled him," Dr Singh claimed.

"The medico at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre was allegedly assaulted for giving preferential care to a critical patient," the RDA said in a statement and demanded enactment of a comprehensive central law for checking violence on doctors and healthcare staff at hospitals.

Police said a case has been registered after the AIIMS doctors filed a complained.

According to a senior police official, two persons have been detained for allegedly misbehaving and abusing the doctor while the third accused is absconding.

However, after the incident, resident doctors of the AIIMS in Delhi, which earlier had decided not to join a nationwide strike keeping in view patient care announced the withdrawal of all non-essential services from Monday noon till Tuesday 6 am.

Doctors of the AIIMS also held a protest march in the campus between 8am and 9am.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A junior resident doctor at the emergency ward of the AIIMS Trauma Centre was allegedly verbally abused and manhandled by the attendants of a patient late on Sunday night, following which his colleagues at the premier institute have gone on a strike withdrawing all nonessential services till Tuesday morning.

A junior resident doctor at the emergency ward of the AIIMS Trauma Centre was allegedly verbally abused and manhandled by the attendants of a patient late on Sunday night, following which his colleagues at the premier institute have gone on a strike withdrawing all nonessential services till Tuesday morning. The AIIMS Resident Doctor's Association (RDA) said services at outpatient departments (OPDs) and routine operation theatre, and ward visits have been withdrawn from Monday noon till 6am on Tuesday, but emergency services such as ICU, casualty and labour room services are available. This comes against the backdrop of the medical fraternity holding protests all over the country in solidarity with the junior doctors in West Bengal who are on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured allegedly by relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The incident took place around 11.30pm Sunday in the emergency ward of the AIIMS Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre when a patient with a foot injury reached there for treatment, president of AIIMS Resident Doctor's Association (RDA) Dr Amarinder Singh Malhi said. "The patient arrived with his attendants. The doctor on duty was attending to a high-risk patient at that time when the attendants asked him to attend their patient on priority basis. "The doctor asked them to wait for a while saying he attending a high-risk patient who required immediate medical care. He told them that he will definitely attend the patient. But the attendants started verbally abusing the doctor and even manhandled him," Dr Singh claimed. "The medico at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre was allegedly assaulted for giving preferential care to a critical patient," the RDA said in a statement and demanded enactment of a comprehensive central law for checking violence on doctors and healthcare staff at hospitals. Police said a case has been registered after the AIIMS doctors filed a complained. According to a senior police official, two persons have been detained for allegedly misbehaving and abusing the doctor while the third accused is absconding. However, after the incident, resident doctors of the AIIMS in Delhi, which earlier had decided not to join a nationwide strike keeping in view patient care announced the withdrawal of all non-essential services from Monday noon till Tuesday 6 am. Doctors of the AIIMS also held a protest march in the campus between 8am and 9am.

Resident doctor manhandled at AIIMS trauma centre, colleagues go on strike

After the long-drawn and action-packed Lok Sabha election which returned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power with overwhelming majority of 303 seats, the stage is all set for the 17th Lok Sabha to kick start its proceedings from Monday.

1st Day of Lok Sabha Session after Polls 2019, House To Elect Its Speaker This Week

The blackbox of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-go-into-an-32-aircraft-crash-ensure-it-does-not-happen-again-iaf-chief-227278">ill-fated AN-32 aircraft</a> that crashed in Arunachal Pradesh with 13 personnel on board has suffered damage and an investigation by the Air Force to find out the actual cause of the crash may take more time.

"The blackbox was recovered and brought out of the crash site almost three days ago. It has been damaged in the crash and we are analysing whether the data from it can be retrieved by the HAL or it will have to be sent to some other agency," defence sources told ANI.

The sources said that prima facie it seemed that the accident happened due to navigational error but the exact causes would be known only after a detailed probe is carried out into the incident.

The analysis is still on and the focus of the Air Force at the moment is to get the mortal remains of the 13 personnel back from the crash site.

"The air effort from our side has been increased in terms of chopper deployment for getting the mortal remains of the personnel back from the mountain top where even sustaining our rescue team members has become a big task," sources said.

Eastern Air Commander Air Marshal RK Mathur`s scheduled visit to Bangladesh has also been called off as he is busy overseeing operations to retrieve the mortal remains.

The black box of the plane was recovered by a team of mountaineers that was sent to the site on June 9.

The AN-32 aircraft went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat.

The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1 pm.

After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper.

The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh at an elevation of 12,000 feet.&nbsp;

The blackbox of the ill-fated AN-32 aircraft that crashed in Arunachal Pradesh with 13 personnel on board has suffered damage and an investigation by the Air Force to find out the actual cause of the crash may take more time.

The blackbox of the ill-fated AN-32 aircraft that crashed in Arunachal Pradesh with 13 personnel on board has suffered damage and an investigation by the Air Force to find out the actual cause of the crash may take more time. "The blackbox was recovered and brought out of the crash site almost three days ago. It has been damaged in the crash and we are analysing whether the data from it can be retrieved by the HAL or it will have to be sent to some other agency," defence sources told ANI. The sources said that prima facie it seemed that the accident happened due to navigational error but the exact causes would be known only after a detailed probe is carried out into the incident. The analysis is still on and the focus of the Air Force at the moment is to get the mortal remains of the 13 personnel back from the crash site. "The air effort from our side has been increased in terms of chopper deployment for getting the mortal remains of the personnel back from the mountain top where even sustaining our rescue team members has become a big task," sources said. Eastern Air Commander Air Marshal RK Mathur`s scheduled visit to Bangladesh has also been called off as he is busy overseeing operations to retrieve the mortal remains. The black box of the plane was recovered by a team of mountaineers that was sent to the site on June 9. The AN-32 aircraft went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat. The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1 pm. After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper. The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh at an elevation of 12,000 feet.

Blackbox of crashed AN-32 damaged, data retrieval for accident probe may get delayed

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/accept-all-demands-says-mamata-banerjee-urging-doctors-to-resume-work-227380">West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee</a> on Monday agreed for media coverage of her meeting with two representatives from each Medical College of the state.

As doctors' strike enters the seventh day in the state, Banerjee said she will meet two representatives from each medical college of the state in Nabanna today.

On Saturday, Banerjee said the state administration is ready to accept all valid demands proposed by the agitating doctors and promised not to invoke the stringent Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). She also appealed them to resume work immediately.

Banerjee had stated that the state government would bear all medical expenses for the treatment of the two junior doctors, who were assaulted in a Kolkata hospital that triggered the strike.

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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has agreed for media coverage of her meeting with two representatives from each Medical College of the state. <a href="https://t.co/CNeDx2HYq0">https://t.co/CNeDx2HYq0</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1140556140540915712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Hundreds of medical professionals in the state have tendered their resignations, while strikes and protest across the nation continue even after Banerjee's assurances.&nbsp;

Two medical professionals at Nil Ratan Sarkar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital were allegedly attacked by the relative of a patient on Tuesday. The patient had died on June 10.

The Centre on Saturday issued another advisory to West Bengal government and sought on the matter of striking doctors.

In its advisory, the Ministry pointed at the growing number of incidents of election-related, political violence and casualties over 4 years from 2016 to 2019.

Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-to-hear-on-june-18-plea-for-safety-security-of-doctors-at-government-hospitals-227843">Supreme Court on Monday said</a> it will hear on June 18 a plea seeking safety and security of doctors in government hospitals across the country.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/hospitals-in-delhi-to-join-doctors-strike-call-today-227805">Indian Medical Association (IMA)</a> on Monday began its strike with the withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday agreed for media coverage of her meeting with two representatives from each Medical College of the state. As doctors' strike enters the seventh day in the state, Banerjee said she will meet two representatives from each medical college of the state in Nabanna today.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday agreed for media coverage of her meeting with two representatives from each Medical College of the state. As doctors' strike enters the seventh day in the state, Banerjee said she will meet two representatives from each medical college of the state in Nabanna today. On Saturday, Banerjee said the state administration is ready to accept all valid demands proposed by the agitating doctors and promised not to invoke the stringent Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). She also appealed them to resume work immediately. Banerjee had stated that the state government would bear all medical expenses for the treatment of the two junior doctors, who were assaulted in a Kolkata hospital that triggered the strike. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has agreed for media coverage of her meeting with two representatives from each Medical College of the state. https://t.co/CNeDx2HYq0 — ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019 × Hundreds of medical professionals in the state have tendered their resignations, while strikes and protest across the nation continue even after Banerjee's assurances. Two medical professionals at Nil Ratan Sarkar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital were allegedly attacked by the relative of a patient on Tuesday. The patient had died on June 10. The Centre on Saturday issued another advisory to West Bengal government and sought on the matter of striking doctors. In its advisory, the Ministry pointed at the growing number of incidents of election-related, political violence and casualties over 4 years from 2016 to 2019. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday said it will hear on June 18 a plea seeking safety and security of doctors in government hospitals across the country. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday began its strike with the withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal. (With inputs from agencies)

Doctors' strike: Mamata Banerjee agrees for media coverage of meeting with medical college representatives

An Indian magician who went missing after being lowered into a river while tied up with chains and ropes in a Houdini-inspired stunt is feared drowned, police said Monday.

Chanchal Lahiri, known by his stage name "Jadugar Mandrake" (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered by winch into the river in Kolkata on Sunday in a yellow and red costume.

But the 40-year-old, his legs and his arms tightly bound, failed to emerge from the water to the horror of onlookers including his family and team members.

Rescue workers have been scouring the fast-flowing murky waters since Sunday but he was yet to be found, Syed Waquar Raza from the river traffic police told AFP.

"We fear he drowned in the river," he said.

Lahiri told AFP beforehand that he had successfully pulled off a similar stunt 21 years ago at the same venue in the eastern city.

"I was inside a bulletproof glass box tied with chain and locks and dropped down from Howrah bridge. Then I came out within 29 seconds."&nbsp;

He admitted it would be tough to free himself this time.

"If I can open it up then it will be magic, but if I can't it will be tragic," he said.

He also said he was undertaking the death-defying stunt to "revive interest in magic".

When Lahiri tried another stunt at the river in 2013, he was assaulted by onlookers who saw him escape from a locked cage via a door that was clearly visible.

He was beaten and punched and his long flowing golden-brown wig was pulled off by the crowd.

Almost a decade earlier, he declared he would walk on the river waters but had to beat a hasty retreat when the act went wrong.

Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American stuntman who became a sensation in the early 20th century with daredevil feats including escaping from a crate lowered into the East River in New York in 1912.

An Indian magician who went missing after being lowered into a river while tied up with chains and ropes in a Houdini-inspired stunt is feared drowned, police said Monday.

An Indian magician who went missing after being lowered into a river while tied up with chains and ropes in a Houdini-inspired stunt is feared drowned, police said Monday. Chanchal Lahiri, known by his stage name "Jadugar Mandrake" (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered by winch into the river in Kolkata on Sunday in a yellow and red costume. But the 40-year-old, his legs and his arms tightly bound, failed to emerge from the water to the horror of onlookers including his family and team members. Rescue workers have been scouring the fast-flowing murky waters since Sunday but he was yet to be found, Syed Waquar Raza from the river traffic police told AFP. "We fear he drowned in the river," he said. Lahiri told AFP beforehand that he had successfully pulled off a similar stunt 21 years ago at the same venue in the eastern city. "I was inside a bulletproof glass box tied with chain and locks and dropped down from Howrah bridge. Then I came out within 29 seconds." He admitted it would be tough to free himself this time. "If I can open it up then it will be magic, but if I can't it will be tragic," he said. He also said he was undertaking the death-defying stunt to "revive interest in magic". When Lahiri tried another stunt at the river in 2013, he was assaulted by onlookers who saw him escape from a locked cage via a door that was clearly visible. He was beaten and punched and his long flowing golden-brown wig was pulled off by the crowd. Almost a decade earlier, he declared he would walk on the river waters but had to beat a hasty retreat when the act went wrong. Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American stuntman who became a sensation in the early 20th century with daredevil feats including escaping from a crate lowered into the East River in New York in 1912.

Chanchal Lahiri, Indian Houdini, feared dead as stunt goes wrong in Kolkata

An Indian stuntman who entered the Ganges river Sunday tied up with steel chains and rope is missing, police said. Before entering the water, he said to AFPTV that it would be "tragic" if he didn't manage to open the ropes and chains.

Indian stuntman missing after Ganges escape goes wrong

Some familiar faces, who were not part of the previous Lok Sabha, returned to the House <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-along-with-members-take-oath-as-first-session-of-17th-lok-sabha-begins-227853">taking oath as new members on Monday</a>.

These include former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, DMK's top guns Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja and T R Balu, senior Congress leader from Goa Francisco Sardinha and former Union Minister Manish Tewari.

Union Ministers Amit Shah, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani and DMK leader Kanizmohi, who were members of Rajya Sabha, became Lok Sabha members for the first time and attended the session on the opening day.

Union Ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and S Jaishankar, who are not members of either House, were also present in the House.

While Akhilesh was seen sitting in one of the last rows, his father Mulayam Singh was seated in the first row.

NCP leader Supriya Sule, who was also a Rajya Sabha member till 2014, was seen giving a hug to Kanizmohi.

Before the House met for the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen greeting senior opposition leaders UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Mulayam Singh Yadav, TMC leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Kalyan Banerjee besides Maran and others.

Sule was also seen introducing two other NCP MPs to some of the Union Ministers besides Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and others.&nbsp;

Some familiar faces, who were not part of the previous Lok Sabha, returned to the House taking oath as new members on Monday. These include former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, DMK's top guns Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja and T R Balu, senior Congress leader from Goa Francisco Sardinha and former Union Minister Manish Tewari.

Some familiar faces, who were not part of the previous Lok Sabha, returned to the House taking oath as new members on Monday. These include former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, DMK's top guns Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja and T R Balu, senior Congress leader from Goa Francisco Sardinha and former Union Minister Manish Tewari. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani and DMK leader Kanizmohi, who were members of Rajya Sabha, became Lok Sabha members for the first time and attended the session on the opening day. Union Ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and S Jaishankar, who are not members of either House, were also present in the House. While Akhilesh was seen sitting in one of the last rows, his father Mulayam Singh was seated in the first row. NCP leader Supriya Sule, who was also a Rajya Sabha member till 2014, was seen giving a hug to Kanizmohi. Before the House met for the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen greeting senior opposition leaders UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Mulayam Singh Yadav, TMC leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Kalyan Banerjee besides Maran and others. Sule was also seen introducing two other NCP MPs to some of the Union Ministers besides Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and others.

Some familiar faces return to 17th Lok Sabha

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-vayu-lies-centred-over-northeast-arabian-sea-india-meteorological-department-227822">Cyclone Vayu</a> has weakened and is likely to cross the Gujarat coast by Monday midnight as a "depression", the weatherman said.

However, the Kutch district administration is on alert as the cyclone can cause heavy rainfall in the region.

Five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local authorities are prepared to carry out relief and rescue operations whenever required, an official said.

The cyclone over the northeast Arabian Sea has recurved and moved northeastward with a speed of about 13 kmph in the last six hours and weakened into a "deep depression", the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its latest bulletin.

On Monday morning, the cyclone was centred about 260 km west-southwest of Naliya, 240 km west-southwest of Dwarka and 340 km west-southwest of Bhuj in Gujarat, it said.

"The system is very likely to weaken into a depression during the next six hours. It is very likely to move northeastwards and cross north Gujarat coast by midnight of June 17 as a depression," the IMD said.

The sea will remain "rough to very rough" along and off the state coast on Monday, the MeT department said.

It advised fishermen not to venture into the sea during the next 24 hours.

Kutch Collector Remya Mohan said five teams of the NDRF were stationed in the district to help in rescue and relief work.

She said the salt-pan workers were also advised to avoid venturing into the sea waters.

The cyclone was earlier predicted to make landfall in Gujarat on June 13. However, it later began to move away from the state, sparing the coastline of any possible damage.

The IMD last Friday said the cyclone was likely to "recurve" and return to the coast in Kutch district as a weakened system.&nbsp;

Cyclone Vayu has weakened and is likely to cross the Gujarat coast by Monday midnight as a "depression", the weatherman said. However, the Kutch district administration is on alert as the cyclone can cause heavy rainfall in the region.

Cyclone Vayu has weakened and is likely to cross the Gujarat coast by Monday midnight as a "depression", the weatherman said. However, the Kutch district administration is on alert as the cyclone can cause heavy rainfall in the region. Five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local authorities are prepared to carry out relief and rescue operations whenever required, an official said. The cyclone over the northeast Arabian Sea has recurved and moved northeastward with a speed of about 13 kmph in the last six hours and weakened into a "deep depression", the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its latest bulletin. On Monday morning, the cyclone was centred about 260 km west-southwest of Naliya, 240 km west-southwest of Dwarka and 340 km west-southwest of Bhuj in Gujarat, it said. "The system is very likely to weaken into a depression during the next six hours. It is very likely to move northeastwards and cross north Gujarat coast by midnight of June 17 as a depression," the IMD said. The sea will remain "rough to very rough" along and off the state coast on Monday, the MeT department said. It advised fishermen not to venture into the sea during the next 24 hours. Kutch Collector Remya Mohan said five teams of the NDRF were stationed in the district to help in rescue and relief work. She said the salt-pan workers were also advised to avoid venturing into the sea waters. The cyclone was earlier predicted to make landfall in Gujarat on June 13. However, it later began to move away from the state, sparing the coastline of any possible damage. The IMD last Friday said the cyclone was likely to "recurve" and return to the coast in Kutch district as a weakened system.

Cyclone Vayu weakens, to cross Gujarat coast by night

Medical services across public and private sector hospitals in Kerala have been affected following a nation-wide call by the Indian Medical Association to the medical fraternity to strike work on Monday, in an expression of solidarity with the doctors in West Bengal.

As Demands not accepted, Doctors refuse to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

India could soon be as important for the United States as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-treated-us-unfairly-says-trump-during-state-of-the-union-address-195468">Nato allies</a> if a bill moved by two US Senators gets through.

The bill moved by Democrat Senator Mark Warner and Republican Senator John Cornyn seeks to amend certain sections of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2020 of US on foreign military sales. The bill proposes amendment "(1) in sections 3(d)(2) (B), 3(d)(3)(A)(i), 3(d)(5), 21(e)(2)(A), 36(b)(1), 36(b)(2), 36(b)(6), 36(c)(2) (A), 36(c)(5), 36(d)(2)(A), 62(c)(1), and 63(a)(2), by inserting ‘‘India,’’ before ‘‘or New Zealand’’ each place it appears; (2) in section 3(b)(2), by inserting ‘‘the Government of India,’’ before ‘‘or the Government of New Zealand’’; and (3) in sections 21(h)(1)(A) and 21(h)(2), , by inserting ‘‘India,’’ before ‘‘or Israel’’ each place it appears."

If this bill is passed, it would show that India is a priority for the US administration in terms of defence sales, according to US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), which had worked on this important legislation.

This development comes days after the Trump administration revoked the preferential trade status under the Generalised System of Preference (GSP) programme. India was the largest beneficiary of the programme in 2017 with $5.7 billion in imports to the US given duty-free status.

The original co-sponsors of the legislation are Congressman Ami Bera the longest-serving Indian-American in Congress and the House India Caucus Co-Chairs, Congressmen George Holding, Brad Sherman and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Congressman Ted Yoho.

The NDAA for fiscal 2017 included special language recognising the unique US-India defence relationship that designated India as a "Major Defence Partner" of the United States.

Although powerful in its own right, the NDAA has no legal bearing on the State Department's body of legislation, nor does it compel the State Department to view defence with India more favourably, USISPF said in a statement.

This is yet another significant development after signing of the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) agreement with the US, which allows both countries to share encrypted technology for the defence sector.

India could soon be as important for the United States as Nato allies if a bill moved by two US Senators gets through. The bill moved by Democrat Senator Mark Warner and Republican Senator John Cornyn seeks to amend certain sections of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2020 of US on foreign military sales.

India could soon be as important for the United States as Nato allies if a bill moved by two US Senators gets through. The bill moved by Democrat Senator Mark Warner and Republican Senator John Cornyn seeks to amend certain sections of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2020 of US on foreign military sales. The bill proposes amendment "(1) in sections 3(d)(2) (B), 3(d)(3)(A)(i), 3(d)(5), 21(e)(2)(A), 36(b)(1), 36(b)(2), 36(b)(6), 36(c)(2) (A), 36(c)(5), 36(d)(2)(A), 62(c)(1), and 63(a)(2), by inserting ‘‘India,’’ before ‘‘or New Zealand’’ each place it appears; (2) in section 3(b)(2), by inserting ‘‘the Government of India,’’ before ‘‘or the Government of New Zealand’’; and (3) in sections 21(h)(1)(A) and 21(h)(2), , by inserting ‘‘India,’’ before ‘‘or Israel’’ each place it appears." If this bill is passed, it would show that India is a priority for the US administration in terms of defence sales, according to US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), which had worked on this important legislation. This development comes days after the Trump administration revoked the preferential trade status under the Generalised System of Preference (GSP) programme. India was the largest beneficiary of the programme in 2017 with $5.7 billion in imports to the US given duty-free status. The original co-sponsors of the legislation are Congressman Ami Bera the longest-serving Indian-American in Congress and the House India Caucus Co-Chairs, Congressmen George Holding, Brad Sherman and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Congressman Ted Yoho. The NDAA for fiscal 2017 included special language recognising the unique US-India defence relationship that designated India as a "Major Defence Partner" of the United States. Although powerful in its own right, the NDAA has no legal bearing on the State Department's body of legislation, nor does it compel the State Department to view defence with India more favourably, USISPF said in a statement. This is yet another significant development after signing of the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) agreement with the US, which allows both countries to share encrypted technology for the defence sector.

India can soon get Nato ally-like status as two US Senators move bill

Ahead of the first session of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/17th-lok-sabhas-first-session-from-monday-budget-triple-talaq-in-focus-227758">17th Lok Sabha</a> on Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that views of the Opposition are important for a healthy democracy.&nbsp;

"The opposition shouldn't worry about their numbers. We value their opinions and feelings. I hope they will speak actively and participate in house proceedings," he said while emphasising on the role of opposition in Indian democracy.&nbsp;

"The role of an Opposition and an active Opposition is important in a parliamentary democracy. The Opposition need not bother about their numbers. I hope they speak actively and participate in House proceedings," he said.

He urged all MPs to think of the country when in the House and address issues related to the larger interest of the nation.

"When we come to Parliament, we should forget Paksh (party) and Vipaksh (opposition). We should think about issues with a 'nishpaksh' (non-partition) spirit and work in the larger interest of the nation," he said.

"Today marks the start of the first session after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. I welcome all new MPs. With them come new hopes, new aspirations and new determination to serve," said PM.

Prime Minister in his address also appreciated the high number of women MPs in Lok Sabha.&nbsp;

"I am happy that this new house has a high number of women MPs. My experience also suggests that when the Parliament functions smoothly, we are able to fulfil numerous aspirations of the people of India," he said.

Yesterday, PM&nbsp;chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 who have an MP either in the Lower House or the Rajya Sabha to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue.

The meeting will also discuss the issue of celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said.

Modi also invited all MPs from both houses of Parliament for a dinner on June 20 where they will interact freely and exchange views.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ahead of the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha on Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that views of the Opposition are important for a healthy democracy. "The opposition shouldn't worry about their numbers.

Ahead of the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha on Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that views of the Opposition are important for a healthy democracy. "The opposition shouldn't worry about their numbers. We value their opinions and feelings. I hope they will speak actively and participate in house proceedings," he said while emphasising on the role of opposition in Indian democracy. "The role of an Opposition and an active Opposition is important in a parliamentary democracy. The Opposition need not bother about their numbers. I hope they speak actively and participate in House proceedings," he said. He urged all MPs to think of the country when in the House and address issues related to the larger interest of the nation. "When we come to Parliament, we should forget Paksh (party) and Vipaksh (opposition). We should think about issues with a 'nishpaksh' (non-partition) spirit and work in the larger interest of the nation," he said. "Today marks the start of the first session after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. I welcome all new MPs. With them come new hopes, new aspirations and new determination to serve," said PM. Prime Minister in his address also appreciated the high number of women MPs in Lok Sabha. "I am happy that this new house has a high number of women MPs. My experience also suggests that when the Parliament functions smoothly, we are able to fulfil numerous aspirations of the people of India," he said. Yesterday, PM chairing an all-party meeting on the eve of the first session, invited heads of all parties to a meeting on June 19 who have an MP either in the Lower House or the Rajya Sabha to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue. The meeting will also discuss the issue of celebrations of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said. Modi also invited all MPs from both houses of Parliament for a dinner on June 20 where they will interact freely and exchange views. (With inputs from agencies)

We value the opinion of Opposition: PM Modi at inaugural session of 17th Lok Sabha

Swiss authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having accounts in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/switzerland-steps-up-process-to-share-banking-information-11-indians-get-notices-in-a-day-221821">Switzerland-based banks</a>, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth.

These individuals largely include businessmen associated with companies, including the dummy ones, in sectors ranging from real estate, financial services, technology and telecom to paints, home decoration, textiles, engineering goods, gems and jewellery.

Officials involved in the process of mutual administrative assistance between the two countries said.

Switzerland has been striving hard for the past few years to shed a long-standing perception of it being a safe haven for black money, while the issue has been a politically sensitive one in India as well.

When the Modi government first came to power in 2014, it had termed the crackdown on the black money, including those allegedly parked in Swiss banks, as a key focus area.&nbsp;

Since then, the two countries have strengthened their framework for the exchange of information in cases of financial wrongdoings, including by signing the global automatic exchange of information framework.

The two countries have also strengthened their bilateral pact on this front and the economic considerations for boosting the bilateral economic ties have further helped increase the cooperation when it comes to bringing to book the people with dubious records, especially in amassing illicit wealth.

Citing the federal gazette notifications issued by the Swiss government to the concerned individuals, the officials said at least 50 Indian nationals have been issued notices in the past few weeks giving them one final opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details with the Indian authorities.

Some of these notices have followed after the preliminary appeals by the concerned clients of Swiss banks have already been rejected due to inadequate supporting facts and documents, leaving a limited chance of their further pleas getting heard, officials said.

They said the sharing of details of Indian clients of Swiss banks with dubious records, showing suspected illegalities in amassing of funds deposited there, has been a continuing process in the recent months.

While details of more than 100 Indians nationals have been shared in the past one year by the Swiss government with the Indian authorities, there is a high chance that a large majority of the cases currently under scrutiny would result in the administrative assistance being provided in the coming months, officials said.

Under the Swiss laws, foreign clients of Swiss banks are given an opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details within 30 days (only 10 days in some cases) after a country with a mutual assistance treaty, or party to the multilateral information exchange framework, seeks the details while giving sufficient proof of suspected financial wrongdoings.

While the Swiss government federal gazette notifications are made public when a foreign client is given an appealing opportunity, in some cases their full names are redacted due to some secrecy clauses and only a few details such as their initials, date of birth and the nationality are made public.

An analysis of such weekly notifications issued since the beginning of this year shows that Indian nationals have figured among these notices virtually every week, though full names have been redacted in a majority of the cases.

The full names that have been made public in recent weeks in the Swiss government federal gazette include Krishna Bhagwan Ramchand, Potluri Rajamohan Rao, Kalpesh Harshad Kinariwala, Kuldip Singh Dhingra, Bhaskaran Nalini, Lalitaben Chimanbhai Patel, Sanjay Dalmia, Pankaj Kumar Saraogi, Anil Bhardwaj, Tharani Renu Tikamdas, Mahesh Tikamdas Tharani, Savani Vijay Kanaiyalal, Bhaskaran Tharur, Kalpeshbhai Patel Mahendrabhai, Ajoy Kumar and Dinesh Kumar Himatsingka, Ratan Singh Chowdhury and Kathotia Rakesh Kumar.

However, there are many more cases where only initials have been disclosed for Indian nationals and these include NMA, MMA, PAS, RAS, ABKI, APS, ASBK, MLA, ADS, RPN, MCS, JNV, JD, AD, UG, YA, DM, SLS, UL, SS, RN, VL, UL, OPL, PM, PKK, BLS, SKN and JKJ.

Several of these persons and their companies are said to be based in Kolkata, Gujarat, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai.

While a large number of Indians have been issued notices in recent weeks with Switzerland stepping up its process to share details of such individuals, many more such notices are in the offing in coming weeks as India has sought details about a large number of Indian clients of Swiss banks who are suspected to have indulged in illicit financial activities.

These include people whose names figured in the HSBC and Panama lists, as also those being probed by the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate among other agencies.

While Switzerland has always denied being a safe haven for black money, it has begun sharing details in recent years with several countries including India after submission of evidence about financial and tax-related wrongdoings of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/55-businessmen-of-nepal-have-stashed-billions-in-swiss-banks-cij-190961">Swiss bank</a> clients.

Besides, a new global framework of automatic information exchange is now in place, which Switzerland's State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) believes will increase transparency and prevent cross-border tax evasion.

Swiss authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having accounts in Switzerland-based banks, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth.

Swiss authorities are in process of sharing details of at least 50 Indian nationals having accounts in Switzerland-based banks, with regulatory and enforcement agencies in the two countries tightening their noose on individuals suspected to have amassed illicit wealth. These individuals largely include businessmen associated with companies, including the dummy ones, in sectors ranging from real estate, financial services, technology and telecom to paints, home decoration, textiles, engineering goods, gems and jewellery. Officials involved in the process of mutual administrative assistance between the two countries said. Switzerland has been striving hard for the past few years to shed a long-standing perception of it being a safe haven for black money, while the issue has been a politically sensitive one in India as well. When the Modi government first came to power in 2014, it had termed the crackdown on the black money, including those allegedly parked in Swiss banks, as a key focus area. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their framework for the exchange of information in cases of financial wrongdoings, including by signing the global automatic exchange of information framework. The two countries have also strengthened their bilateral pact on this front and the economic considerations for boosting the bilateral economic ties have further helped increase the cooperation when it comes to bringing to book the people with dubious records, especially in amassing illicit wealth. Citing the federal gazette notifications issued by the Swiss government to the concerned individuals, the officials said at least 50 Indian nationals have been issued notices in the past few weeks giving them one final opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details with the Indian authorities. Some of these notices have followed after the preliminary appeals by the concerned clients of Swiss banks have already been rejected due to inadequate supporting facts and documents, leaving a limited chance of their further pleas getting heard, officials said. They said the sharing of details of Indian clients of Swiss banks with dubious records, showing suspected illegalities in amassing of funds deposited there, has been a continuing process in the recent months. While details of more than 100 Indians nationals have been shared in the past one year by the Swiss government with the Indian authorities, there is a high chance that a large majority of the cases currently under scrutiny would result in the administrative assistance being provided in the coming months, officials said. Under the Swiss laws, foreign clients of Swiss banks are given an opportunity to appeal against proposed sharing of their details within 30 days (only 10 days in some cases) after a country with a mutual assistance treaty, or party to the multilateral information exchange framework, seeks the details while giving sufficient proof of suspected financial wrongdoings. While the Swiss government federal gazette notifications are made public when a foreign client is given an appealing opportunity, in some cases their full names are redacted due to some secrecy clauses and only a few details such as their initials, date of birth and the nationality are made public. An analysis of such weekly notifications issued since the beginning of this year shows that Indian nationals have figured among these notices virtually every week, though full names have been redacted in a majority of the cases. The full names that have been made public in recent weeks in the Swiss government federal gazette include Krishna Bhagwan Ramchand, Potluri Rajamohan Rao, Kalpesh Harshad Kinariwala, Kuldip Singh Dhingra, Bhaskaran Nalini, Lalitaben Chimanbhai Patel, Sanjay Dalmia, Pankaj Kumar Saraogi, Anil Bhardwaj, Tharani Renu Tikamdas, Mahesh Tikamdas Tharani, Savani Vijay Kanaiyalal, Bhaskaran Tharur, Kalpeshbhai Patel Mahendrabhai, Ajoy Kumar and Dinesh Kumar Himatsingka, Ratan Singh Chowdhury and Kathotia Rakesh Kumar. However, there are many more cases where only initials have been disclosed for Indian nationals and these include NMA, MMA, PAS, RAS, ABKI, APS, ASBK, MLA, ADS, RPN, MCS, JNV, JD, AD, UG, YA, DM, SLS, UL, SS, RN, VL, UL, OPL, PM, PKK, BLS, SKN and JKJ. Several of these persons and their companies are said to be based in Kolkata, Gujarat, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. While a large number of Indians have been issued notices in recent weeks with Switzerland stepping up its process to share details of such individuals, many more such notices are in the offing in coming weeks as India has sought details about a large number of Indian clients of Swiss banks who are suspected to have indulged in illicit financial activities. These include people whose names figured in the HSBC and Panama lists, as also those being probed by the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate among other agencies. While Switzerland has always denied being a safe haven for black money, it has begun sharing details in recent years with several countries including India after submission of evidence about financial and tax-related wrongdoings of the Swiss bank clients. Besides, a new global framework of automatic information exchange is now in place, which Switzerland's State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) believes will increase transparency and prevent cross-border tax evasion.

Black money chase: Noose tightens on Swiss accounts; 50 Indians get notices

Warangal-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr P Sudhir Kumar was left stunned when a woman patient, who had come for a checkup, accused him of misbehaviour and created a scene at a hospital here earlier this week.

"A female patient came with the complaint of backache and body pains. I heard the patient's complaint, asked her to turn around and was about to examine her back when she pushed my hand away and started shouting. I was surprised by her reaction," said Dr Kumar while narrating his ordeal.

Alleging a conspiracy to defame the hospital, he said, "Even before I could react, one male patient who was in the room and two other from outside came and started shouting and abusing me.

&nbsp;After some time, her husband along with others came and abused me. I told them I was only about to examine her and did not do anything wrong."

It took the doctor to call the police to tackle the staged incident, as he calls it. He later went to the police station and "lodged a complaint against them for defaming and insulting."

"I took out the CCTV footage which clearly shows what I had done. As a senior practitioner working for 16 years in Warangal, if I am facing this kind of harassment how would others tackle situations like these? I have been made scapegoat and defamed in this incident as lots of videos and posts went viral on social media," he said.

The woman identified as Sandhya also lodged a complaint against the doctor for misbehaving with her. The police are verifying the claims of both parties.

Matwada police station Circle Inspector Jeevan Reddy said, "We have recovered the CCTV footage from the hospital and it looks like a false complaint was given against the doctor. We are collecting technical evidence in the case. If the complaint is proved to be false, the case will be against the doctor will be dissolved."

This comes at a time when doctors from various institutions across the country have been demanding security following the incident where two doctors were attacked over alleged <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-medical-association-declares-all-india-protest-for-the-state-branches-227125">negligence at a hospital in Kolkata.</a>

Warangal-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr P Sudhir Kumar was left stunned when a woman patient, who had come for a checkup, accused him of misbehaviour and created a scene at a hospital here earlier this week.

Warangal-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr P Sudhir Kumar was left stunned when a woman patient, who had come for a checkup, accused him of misbehaviour and created a scene at a hospital here earlier this week. "A female patient came with the complaint of backache and body pains. I heard the patient's complaint, asked her to turn around and was about to examine her back when she pushed my hand away and started shouting. I was surprised by her reaction," said Dr Kumar while narrating his ordeal. Alleging a conspiracy to defame the hospital, he said, "Even before I could react, one male patient who was in the room and two other from outside came and started shouting and abusing me. After some time, her husband along with others came and abused me. I told them I was only about to examine her and did not do anything wrong." It took the doctor to call the police to tackle the staged incident, as he calls it. He later went to the police station and "lodged a complaint against them for defaming and insulting." "I took out the CCTV footage which clearly shows what I had done. As a senior practitioner working for 16 years in Warangal, if I am facing this kind of harassment how would others tackle situations like these? I have been made scapegoat and defamed in this incident as lots of videos and posts went viral on social media," he said. The woman identified as Sandhya also lodged a complaint against the doctor for misbehaving with her. The police are verifying the claims of both parties. Matwada police station Circle Inspector Jeevan Reddy said, "We have recovered the CCTV footage from the hospital and it looks like a false complaint was given against the doctor. We are collecting technical evidence in the case. If the complaint is proved to be false, the case will be against the doctor will be dissolved." This comes at a time when doctors from various institutions across the country have been demanding security following the incident where two doctors were attacked over alleged negligence at a hospital in Kolkata.

Warangal surgeon recounts ordeal of 'harrasment', as doctors demand security accross the nation

With just a day left for the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/union-budget-2019-bjps-vijay-goel-urges-opposition-not-to-stall-bills-during-budget-session-194036"> Budget Session of Parliament</a> to begin, Congress party has yet to appoint its Leader in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier there were talks that Rahul Gandhi, who is <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/with-rahul-gandhi-firm-on-quitting-as-party-chief-congress-working-committee-to-meet-again-this-week-222138">reluctant to continue as Congress president </a>after the party's drubbing the polls, will be taking charge of the grand old party's attack on the government in the lower House.

&nbsp;With the party ruling out his discontinuation from his post, the speculations have died down creating further suspense on who would be the new leader.

With the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections of senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge's, who led Congress in the 16th Lok Sabha, the party is looking for a leader with excellent command over Hindi and English language, besides being loyal to the Gandhi family.

Sources in the party said former Union Ministers Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary and Kerala unit working president K Suresh are among the front runners for the job.

Chances run high for Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram MP), K Suresh (Mavelikkara) and Manish Tewari (Anandpur Sahib) since the Congress has secured most of the seats in Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, the states this leader hail from.

While Tharoor's impeccable English and a mild command over Hindi goes in his favour, his name in the Sunanda Pushkar case creates a hurdle in his path.

&nbsp;K Suresh, another figure from Kerala, is a Dalit and a long-time party loyal but his inability to speak Hindi and poor English speaking skill is somewhere he lacks behind.

Manish Tewari is leading the race with his equal authority over Hindi and English and his image as an excellent spokesperson. "Tewari" title tagged to his name may also help him get the job. Tewari, a product of student politics, was made Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology during the second term of UPA rule.

Congress' top leadership was reportedly unhappy for some time after he refused to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections but he made a comeback as a spokesman. Meanwhile, Chaudhary and K Suresh have been instructed to attend the all-party meet on Sunday.

India's oldest party has to appoint leader and deputy leader of the party, main whip along with two other whips in the Lok Sabha in a period of 24 hours.

Congress has so far maintained that it will appoint the leader with time. The party faces an uphill task of balancing north-south mathematics in these appointments.

With just a day left for the Budget Session of Parliament to begin, Congress party has yet to appoint its Leader in the Lok Sabha. Earlier there were talks that Rahul Gandhi, who is reluctant to continue as Congress president after the party's drubbing the polls, will be taking charge of the grand old party's attack on the government in the lower House.

With just a day left for the Budget Session of Parliament to begin, Congress party has yet to appoint its Leader in the Lok Sabha. Earlier there were talks that Rahul Gandhi, who is reluctant to continue as Congress president after the party's drubbing the polls, will be taking charge of the grand old party's attack on the government in the lower House. With the party ruling out his discontinuation from his post, the speculations have died down creating further suspense on who would be the new leader. With the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections of senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge's, who led Congress in the 16th Lok Sabha, the party is looking for a leader with excellent command over Hindi and English language, besides being loyal to the Gandhi family. Sources in the party said former Union Ministers Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary and Kerala unit working president K Suresh are among the front runners for the job. Chances run high for Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram MP), K Suresh (Mavelikkara) and Manish Tewari (Anandpur Sahib) since the Congress has secured most of the seats in Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, the states this leader hail from. While Tharoor's impeccable English and a mild command over Hindi goes in his favour, his name in the Sunanda Pushkar case creates a hurdle in his path. K Suresh, another figure from Kerala, is a Dalit and a long-time party loyal but his inability to speak Hindi and poor English speaking skill is somewhere he lacks behind. Manish Tewari is leading the race with his equal authority over Hindi and English and his image as an excellent spokesperson. "Tewari" title tagged to his name may also help him get the job. Tewari, a product of student politics, was made Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology during the second term of UPA rule. Congress' top leadership was reportedly unhappy for some time after he refused to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections but he made a comeback as a spokesman. Meanwhile, Chaudhary and K Suresh have been instructed to attend the all-party meet on Sunday. India's oldest party has to appoint leader and deputy leader of the party, main whip along with two other whips in the Lok Sabha in a period of 24 hours. Congress has so far maintained that it will appoint the leader with time. The party faces an uphill task of balancing north-south mathematics in these appointments.

A day left to Budget session, Congress inconclusive of its Lok Sabha leader

Shiv Sena chief <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/amit-shah-to-hold-dinner-for-nda-allies-today-uddhav-thackeray-nitish-kumar-paswan-to-attend-220404">Uddhav Thackeray</a> and his son Aditya Thackeray arrived here on Sunday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla shrine.

Eighteen Shiv Sena MPs had reached the city yesterday evening.

The father-son duo was welcomed by Union Minister Arvind Sawant and party spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

The Sena chief will hold a press conference later. He had visited Ayodhya in November last year and asked the central government to announce a date for the construction of Ram temple.

He had said that his party will extend support if an ordinance is brought for the purpose.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackeray arrived here on Sunday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla shrine. Eighteen Shiv Sena MPs had reached the city yesterday evening.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackeray arrived here on Sunday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla shrine. Eighteen Shiv Sena MPs had reached the city yesterday evening. The father-son duo was welcomed by Union Minister Arvind Sawant and party spokesperson Sanjay Raut. The Sena chief will hold a press conference later. He had visited Ayodhya in November last year and asked the central government to announce a date for the construction of Ram temple. He had said that his party will extend support if an ordinance is brought for the purpose.

Uddhav Thackeray offers prayers to Ram Lalla in Ayodhya along with party MPs

The acclimatisation process of 20 Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers, who have been sent to retrieve the bodies of eight mountaineers, including an Indian, who went missing while they were on an expedition to a Nanda Devi East peak on May 26, is underway.

The ITBP mountaineers are currently positioned at the Nanda Devi base camp, their movement is hampered due to bad weather.

A joint operation was conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), ITBP and other local agencies on June 14.

Pithoragarh District Information Officer had earlier said, "On June 15, an additional team of ITBP will be leaving Nanda Devi East. Additional equipment and necessary material will be made available to them at the Nanda Devi East base camp."

Four porters plus pieces of equipment will be sent to the team as soon as the weather condition improves.

The bad weather not only hampered the movement of the mountaineering team but also of the IAF choppers today.

The attempt to rescue the trapped mountaineers from Nanda Devi East has been named Operation Daredevil.

Standing at a height of 7,816 metres, Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India and 23rd highest overall. 
&nbsp;

The acclimatisation process of 20 Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers, who have been sent to retrieve the bodies of eight mountaineers, including an Indian, who went missing while they were on an expedition to a Nanda Devi East peak on May 26, is underway.

The acclimatisation process of 20 Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers, who have been sent to retrieve the bodies of eight mountaineers, including an Indian, who went missing while they were on an expedition to a Nanda Devi East peak on May 26, is underway. The ITBP mountaineers are currently positioned at the Nanda Devi base camp, their movement is hampered due to bad weather. A joint operation was conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), ITBP and other local agencies on June 14. Pithoragarh District Information Officer had earlier said, "On June 15, an additional team of ITBP will be leaving Nanda Devi East. Additional equipment and necessary material will be made available to them at the Nanda Devi East base camp." Four porters plus pieces of equipment will be sent to the team as soon as the weather condition improves. The bad weather not only hampered the movement of the mountaineering team but also of the IAF choppers today. The attempt to rescue the trapped mountaineers from Nanda Devi East has been named Operation Daredevil. Standing at a height of 7,816 metres, Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India and 23rd highest overall.

Uttarakhand: Bad weather hampers operation to retrieve bodies of missing mountaineers

The government has decided to demolish 400 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhis-residence-at-delhis-tughlaq-lane-declared-vacant-put-on-mps-allocation-list-226134">old flats</a> and construct new ones in their place in Lutyens' Delhi for Members of Parliament using construction waste.

The flats which will be coming up in North Avenue and South Avenue, located on either side of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, will replace the old ones built nearly 60 years ago, officials of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) said.

"All old MP flats, which were built in North and South Avenues after Independence, will be demolished," CPWD's Director General Prabhakar Singh told PTI.

"We will use construction and demolition (C&amp;D) waste in building the new flats for MPs in North and South Avenues, an area which has many old flats," he added.

The waste from the demolition site of the old flats is likely to be used for the construction of the new ones after being processed at a facility.

CPWD, the prime construction agency of the central government, recently constructed 36 duplex flats, at a cost of Rs 80 crore, which are ready to be allotted for the newly-elected parliamentarians.

"The new MP flats will be constructed in a phased manner in North Avenue and South Avenue so that there is no chaos after the demolition of the old ones," he said.

The swanky low-rise buildings will have solar power panels and designated car parking spots, among a host of other facilities, the official said.

The new Lok Sabha has around 300 first-time members, including cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir, Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani, Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans and Bengali actresses Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan Ruhi.

The government has made temporary arrangements to accommodate 350 MPs till the time they are allotted full-time official residences in Lutyens' Delhi, an area in the national capital named after British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building of the high-security zone prior to Independence.

In the past, newly-elected MPs used to stay in five-star hotels, but the practice has been dropped following the Lok Sabha Secretariat's cost-cutting measures.&nbsp;

The BJP-led NDA government started its second term as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the other ministers of his council took the oath of office on May 30.&nbsp;

The government has decided to demolish 400 old flats and construct new ones in their place in Lutyens' Delhi for Members of Parliament using construction waste. The flats which will be coming up in North Avenue and South Avenue, located on either side of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, will replace the old ones built nearly 60 years ago, officials of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) said.

The government has decided to demolish 400 old flats and construct new ones in their place in Lutyens' Delhi for Members of Parliament using construction waste. The flats which will be coming up in North Avenue and South Avenue, located on either side of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, will replace the old ones built nearly 60 years ago, officials of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) said. "All old MP flats, which were built in North and South Avenues after Independence, will be demolished," CPWD's Director General Prabhakar Singh told PTI. "We will use construction and demolition (C&D) waste in building the new flats for MPs in North and South Avenues, an area which has many old flats," he added. The waste from the demolition site of the old flats is likely to be used for the construction of the new ones after being processed at a facility. CPWD, the prime construction agency of the central government, recently constructed 36 duplex flats, at a cost of Rs 80 crore, which are ready to be allotted for the newly-elected parliamentarians. "The new MP flats will be constructed in a phased manner in North Avenue and South Avenue so that there is no chaos after the demolition of the old ones," he said. The swanky low-rise buildings will have solar power panels and designated car parking spots, among a host of other facilities, the official said. The new Lok Sabha has around 300 first-time members, including cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir, Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani, Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans and Bengali actresses Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan Ruhi. The government has made temporary arrangements to accommodate 350 MPs till the time they are allotted full-time official residences in Lutyens' Delhi, an area in the national capital named after British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building of the high-security zone prior to Independence. In the past, newly-elected MPs used to stay in five-star hotels, but the practice has been dropped following the Lok Sabha Secretariat's cost-cutting measures. The BJP-led NDA government started its second term as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the other ministers of his council took the oath of office on May 30.

400 new flats to be built for MPs in Lutyens' Delhi using construction waste

The death toll of children due to suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar on Sunday has reached 100.&nbsp;

Earlier on Saturday, the death toll was at 84 and in the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur.&nbsp;

Doctors claim that the deaths, due to AES, are being caused due to excessive heat and humidity. Scorching heat on Saturday claimed the lives of least 25 people from various districts of the state on Saturday.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan arrived in the state capital today to review public health measures for containment and management of the AES.

Vardhan had previously said that the Centre was constantly monitoring the situation and supporting state health authorities to manage the encephalitis cases.

The minister was greeted here with black flags displayed by workers of the Jan Adhikar Party Loktantrik (LJP) who shouted slogans against him.

Meanwhile, on Sunday attendants of patients admitted to the SKMCH alleged that there were no doctors on call during the night.

"My daughter is in the ICU room of SKMCH. The death toll is increasing day by day. There were no doctors after 12 in the night and only nurses are here. There are four bodies inside ICU," Mohammad Aftab told ANI.

Another attendant, Sunil Ram said, "My four-year-old daughter was admitted to hospital on Saturday. She was declared dead today. There is no facility in SKMCH."

In the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar&nbsp;gave directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the disease.

Earlier, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said the state government is doing its best to save children.

"We are trying everything and anything that can save children's lives. Everything is being made available from medicines to doctors. We have even called doctors and nurses from AIIMS in Patna," he said.

"There is a protocol regarding what kind of medicines and facilities should be given and we are doing the same. We are monitoring things regularly and trying to save our children," Pandey said.

Recalling the situation that prevailed five years ago, Pandey said a team that was formed to ascertain the cause of this disease concluded that sleeping empty stomach at night, dehydration due to humidity and eating lychee on empty stomach were some of the causes of Encephalitis.

"Our government has tried to spread awareness which will be beneficial as well. Advertisement in newspapers, radio jingles, pamphlets and mic announcements are going to spread awareness regarding the disease. Health ministry is also working on it," he said.

Encephalitis is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks.

(With inputs from ANI)

The death toll of children due to suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar on Sunday has reached 100. Earlier on Saturday, the death toll was at 84 and in the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur.

The death toll of children due to suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar on Sunday has reached 100. Earlier on Saturday, the death toll was at 84 and in the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to AES in Muzaffarpur. Doctors claim that the deaths, due to AES, are being caused due to excessive heat and humidity. Scorching heat on Saturday claimed the lives of least 25 people from various districts of the state on Saturday. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan arrived in the state capital today to review public health measures for containment and management of the AES. Vardhan had previously said that the Centre was constantly monitoring the situation and supporting state health authorities to manage the encephalitis cases. The minister was greeted here with black flags displayed by workers of the Jan Adhikar Party Loktantrik (LJP) who shouted slogans against him. Meanwhile, on Sunday attendants of patients admitted to the SKMCH alleged that there were no doctors on call during the night. "My daughter is in the ICU room of SKMCH. The death toll is increasing day by day. There were no doctors after 12 in the night and only nurses are here. There are four bodies inside ICU," Mohammad Aftab told ANI. Another attendant, Sunil Ram said, "My four-year-old daughter was admitted to hospital on Saturday. She was declared dead today. There is no facility in SKMCH." In the wake of the fatalities, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gave directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the disease. Earlier, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said the state government is doing its best to save children. "We are trying everything and anything that can save children's lives. Everything is being made available from medicines to doctors. We have even called doctors and nurses from AIIMS in Patna," he said. "There is a protocol regarding what kind of medicines and facilities should be given and we are doing the same. We are monitoring things regularly and trying to save our children," Pandey said. Recalling the situation that prevailed five years ago, Pandey said a team that was formed to ascertain the cause of this disease concluded that sleeping empty stomach at night, dehydration due to humidity and eating lychee on empty stomach were some of the causes of Encephalitis. "Our government has tried to spread awareness which will be beneficial as well. Advertisement in newspapers, radio jingles, pamphlets and mic announcements are going to spread awareness regarding the disease. Health ministry is also working on it," he said. Encephalitis is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks. (With inputs from ANI)

Bihar: Death toll due to suspected acute encephalitis mounts to 100 in Muzaffarpur

Three civilians were injured as the Pakistani army violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Sunday, news agency IANS reported citing local police.

The three injured included&nbsp;two girls who were resident of&nbsp;Qasba and Bandi Chechian areas of Poonch.

According to the report, Pakistan initiated&nbsp;shelling with mortars and firing of small arms along the Line of Control (LoC) in the late evening.

Indian Army is retaliating effectively.

Further details are awaited.

 
&nbsp;

Three civilians were injured as the Pakistani army violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Sunday, news agency IANS reported citing local police.

Three civilians were injured as the Pakistani army violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Sunday, news agency IANS reported citing local police. The three injured included two girls who were resident of Qasba and Bandi Chechian areas of Poonch. According to the report, Pakistan initiated shelling with mortars and firing of small arms along the Line of Control (LoC) in the late evening. Indian Army is retaliating effectively. Further details are awaited.

J&K: Three civilians injured as Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch district

Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Arshad Ahmed Khan, who suffered injuries in Wednesday's terrorist attack in Anantnag, died at the premier AIIMS here on Sunday, officials said.

With his death, the toll in the terrorist attack rose to six, including five CRPF personnel.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed condolences and said Khan's demise was " a big loss" to the police department. "We are all grateful to such bravehearts who are sacrificing their lives for the security of the nation," he added.

Khan, 37, was flown to Delhi this afternoon in an air ambulance for specialised treatment.

Soon after he was admitted to the hospital, his condition started deteriorating further. The doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) made every effort to revive him but failed, the officials said.

Earlier, he was being treated at the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar.

Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said the Jammu and Kashmir Police has lost one of its brilliant officers.&nbsp;

"We made every effort to see that the officer survives, but unfortunately we lost him. It is a sad day for J-K Police family which lost yet another son to the wanton violence being perpetrated from across the border," Singh said.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani expressed his condolences and said "he was a true braveheart and a people-friendly Station House Officer. His expertise in counter-insurgency operations was unmatchable".

"I was hopeful that he will win the battle for his life but unfortunately we lost him today," Pani said.

Khan is survived by a wife and two sons, aged four and one.

Five CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack, in which alone Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist targeted a patrol team of the paramilitary force.

Khan, the SHO of Saddar Police station in Anantnag, reached the site soon after.

The moment he stepped out of his official bulletproof vehicle, along with his service rifle, a barrage of bullets were fired by the terrorist. One ricocheted from the butt of his service rifle and hit his liver and duodenum, the officials said.

Even in this condition, the officer kept firing bullets at the terrorist before he collapsed, they said.

He received praise from senior officials for his prompt and courageous response after the terrorist attack.

Known for his professional brilliance, Khan's popularity could be gauged from the fact that around 70 locals from his area of posting gathered there to inquire about his health.&nbsp;

People at Chadoora in Central Kashmir, where he was earlier posted as Station House Officer, offered prayers and sacrificed goats for his well-being.

Khan, who was posted in the volatile south Kashmir for some years now, "was a brilliant operational officer", recalled one of his senior officers.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Arshad Ahmed Khan, who suffered injuries in Wednesday's terrorist attack in Anantnag, died at the premier AIIMS here on Sunday, officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Arshad Ahmed Khan, who suffered injuries in Wednesday's terrorist attack in Anantnag, died at the premier AIIMS here on Sunday, officials said. With his death, the toll in the terrorist attack rose to six, including five CRPF personnel. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed condolences and said Khan's demise was " a big loss" to the police department. "We are all grateful to such bravehearts who are sacrificing their lives for the security of the nation," he added. Khan, 37, was flown to Delhi this afternoon in an air ambulance for specialised treatment. Soon after he was admitted to the hospital, his condition started deteriorating further. The doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) made every effort to revive him but failed, the officials said. Earlier, he was being treated at the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar. Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said the Jammu and Kashmir Police has lost one of its brilliant officers. "We made every effort to see that the officer survives, but unfortunately we lost him. It is a sad day for J-K Police family which lost yet another son to the wanton violence being perpetrated from across the border," Singh said. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani expressed his condolences and said "he was a true braveheart and a people-friendly Station House Officer. His expertise in counter-insurgency operations was unmatchable". "I was hopeful that he will win the battle for his life but unfortunately we lost him today," Pani said. Khan is survived by a wife and two sons, aged four and one. Five CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack, in which alone Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist targeted a patrol team of the paramilitary force. Khan, the SHO of Saddar Police station in Anantnag, reached the site soon after. The moment he stepped out of his official bulletproof vehicle, along with his service rifle, a barrage of bullets were fired by the terrorist. One ricocheted from the butt of his service rifle and hit his liver and duodenum, the officials said. Even in this condition, the officer kept firing bullets at the terrorist before he collapsed, they said. He received praise from senior officials for his prompt and courageous response after the terrorist attack. Known for his professional brilliance, Khan's popularity could be gauged from the fact that around 70 locals from his area of posting gathered there to inquire about his health. People at Chadoora in Central Kashmir, where he was earlier posted as Station House Officer, offered prayers and sacrificed goats for his well-being. Khan, who was posted in the volatile south Kashmir for some years now, "was a brilliant operational officer", recalled one of his senior officers.

J&K: Police officer Arshad Ahmed Khan injured in Anantnag terror attack dies at AIIMS

The death toll of children due to suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar reached 107 on Sunday out of which 93 deaths were reported from Muzaffarpur district.

In Bihar's Vaishali district, eleven children were reported to have died due to the viral disease while in Motihari district, two deaths were reported. In Begusarai one child has died due to AES.

In the wake of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bihar-death-toll-due-to-suspected-acute-encephalitis-mounts-to-100-in-muzaffarpur-227503">mounting death toll</a>, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan visited the families of the children suffering from suspected AES in Muzaffarpur and assured them of all possible help from the Centre.

Vardhan, his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur.

"I assure the people of the area, especially the affected families, that the government will extend all possible help and measures to the state government," Vardhan told reporters here.

The central ministers, however, faced public outrage as black flags were shown to their convoy by demonstrators who alleged <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/doctors-say-better-health-infrastructure-could-have-contained-encephalitis-227570">inadequate services by the hospital</a> and negligence by politicians to be the cause of the spread of AES.

Attributing heat and humidity as a possible reason behind the disease, the minister said the Ministry of Earth Sciences would help formulate an action plan with the state government to deal with the situation.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to the disease.&nbsp;

He has also given directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the menace.

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Saturday said that the state government is doing its best to save children.&nbsp;

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks.

(With inputs from agencies)

The death toll of children due to suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar reached 107 on Sunday out of which 93 deaths were reported from Muzaffarpur district.

The death toll of children due to suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar reached 107 on Sunday out of which 93 deaths were reported from Muzaffarpur district. In Bihar's Vaishali district, eleven children were reported to have died due to the viral disease while in Motihari district, two deaths were reported. In Begusarai one child has died due to AES. In the wake of the mounting death toll, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan visited the families of the children suffering from suspected AES in Muzaffarpur and assured them of all possible help from the Centre. Vardhan, his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur. "I assure the people of the area, especially the affected families, that the government will extend all possible help and measures to the state government," Vardhan told reporters here. The central ministers, however, faced public outrage as black flags were shown to their convoy by demonstrators who alleged inadequate services by the hospital and negligence by politicians to be the cause of the spread of AES. Attributing heat and humidity as a possible reason behind the disease, the minister said the Ministry of Earth Sciences would help formulate an action plan with the state government to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the children who died due to the disease. He has also given directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to fight the menace. Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Saturday said that the state government is doing its best to save children. Acute Encephalitis Syndrome is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks. (With inputs from agencies)

Bihar: Death toll due to suspected acute encephalitis rises to 107; Harsh Vardhan assures all help from centre

Jammu and Kashmir has been put on high alert after Pakistan reportedly shared with India Intel inputs on a possible terror attack in Awantipora, Pulwama district. The Intel warnings have also been shared with the United States. Following the Intel waning, all the security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have been put on a high alert.

J&K on high alert after Pakistan shares inputs of possible IED in valley

The resident doctors of Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) issued a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday to accept the demands of the agitating junior doctors failing which they will be forced to go on an indefinite strike.

AIIMS doctors issue 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee govt to accept demands, warn of indefinite strike

Indian Medical Association will stage a 24-hour-long nationwide protest on Monday

This comes at a time when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/warangal-surgeon-recounts-ordeal-of-harrasment-as-doctors-demand-security-accross-the-nation-227513">doctors from various institutions across the country have been demanding security</a> following the incident where two doctors were attacked over alleged negligence at a hospital in Kolkata.&nbsp;

According to the report, all non-essential services including Outpatient Departments (OPDs) will be closed starting from 6 am tomorrow.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-medical-association-declares-all-india-protest-for-the-state-branches-227125">IMA will also stage a sit-in</a> at its headquarters in Delhi starting 10 am.

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Indian Medical Association (IMA) to hold a 24-hour-long nationwide protest tomorrow; all Non-Essential Services including OPDs will be closed starting from 6 am. IMA will also stage a 'dharna' at IMA headquarters in Delhi starting 10 am tomorrow.
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The impasse at the state-run medical colleges and hospitals in West Bengal entered the sixth day on Sunday, even as the agitating doctors asserted that they were open to talks with the government.

Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visit the city's NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation.

After an internal meeting late on Saturday, the doctors, who had turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat, mellowed down and stated that they were ready to hold a dialogue in any form, but the venue of the meeting would be decided later.

During a press conference at the state secretariat on Saturday, Banerjee urged the agitators to resume work and said her government had accepted all of their demands.

She also stressed that a group of doctors had met her and expressed their willingness to join duty, a claim vehemently refuted by the striking doctors.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory, seeking a report on the ongoing stir and stating that it had received a number of representations from the medical fraternity from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the strike in West Bengal.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Medical Association will stage a 24-hour-long nationwide protest on Monday This comes at a time when doctors from various institutions across the country have been demanding security following the incident where two doctors were attacked over alleged negligence at a hospital in Kolkata.

Indian Medical Association will stage a 24-hour-long nationwide protest on Monday This comes at a time when doctors from various institutions across the country have been demanding security following the incident where two doctors were attacked over alleged negligence at a hospital in Kolkata. According to the report, all non-essential services including Outpatient Departments (OPDs) will be closed starting from 6 am tomorrow. IMA will also stage a sit-in at its headquarters in Delhi starting 10 am. Indian Medical Association (IMA) to hold a 24-hour-long nationwide protest tomorrow; all Non-Essential Services including OPDs will be closed starting from 6 am. IMA will also stage a 'dharna' at IMA headquarters in Delhi starting 10 am tomorrow. — ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2019 × The impasse at the state-run medical colleges and hospitals in West Bengal entered the sixth day on Sunday, even as the agitating doctors asserted that they were open to talks with the government. Earlier, the agitators had insisted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visit the city's NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation. After an internal meeting late on Saturday, the doctors, who had turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat, mellowed down and stated that they were ready to hold a dialogue in any form, but the venue of the meeting would be decided later. During a press conference at the state secretariat on Saturday, Banerjee urged the agitators to resume work and said her government had accepted all of their demands. She also stressed that a group of doctors had met her and expressed their willingness to join duty, a claim vehemently refuted by the striking doctors. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory, seeking a report on the ongoing stir and stating that it had received a number of representations from the medical fraternity from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the strike in West Bengal. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian Medical Association to hold nationwide protest; all non-essential services will be closed

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