Twenty more children succumbed to acute encephalitis syndrome in the last 24 hours, taking the toll in Muzaffarpur and other districts of Bihar to 93. «The government will leave no stone unturned to contain it at the earliest. All possible measures are being taken for the purpose,» Union health minister Harsh Vardhan told relatives of affected children.​

Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday congratulated India for its stellar victory against Pakistan in the ICC World Cup and compared the win with the surgical strike conducted against the rival country by the Army in 2016. «Another strike on Pakistan by team India and the result is the same,» tweeted Shah.

A government official said concerns were expressed by several CMs as this was likely to be the sixth year of below normal monsoon rains which could trigger drought in some areas. State governments said the Niti Aayog meeting couldn't have come at a better time and provided a platform to discuss and formalise steps to meet any drought like situation.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday said that it would go ahead with its strike on Monday and withdraw all non-essential health services in hospitals across the country. IMA president Dr Ranjan Sharma said the association would stress for amendments in IPC and CrPC to protect doctors and health professionals.

Making the announcement at the usual meeting of political parties called on the eve of the 17th Lok Sabha convening on Monday, PM Modi said Parliament should begin with «fresh zeal and new thinking». Besides «One Nation, One Election», the meeting would discuss celebration of 75 years of India's Independence in 2022, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said.

Heatwave in Bihar claimed 17 more lives on Sunday, taking the death toll to 61. Sunday's deaths were also reported from the same three districts of the state - Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada - that had witnessed 44 fatalities till Saturday midnight.

An agreement China signed with the Maldives to build an observatory in the Indian Ocean is likely to be scrapped, as India's relations with its maritime neighbour enter a purple patch following the exit of former Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen. Local government sources in Male told TOI that the agreement Yameen signed with China in 2017 is «not on the table». ​

As deaths due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur mounted to 93 on Sunday, people created ruckus at a government-run hospital in Muzaffarpur while Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan was visiting to take stock of the situation. Those holding demonstrations alleged inadequate services by the hospital and negligence by politicians.

The Patidar community leader, who is here to attend a two-day camp of Youth Congress, was talking to reporters after visiting the Saibaba temple. Responding to a query on the Congress' performance in the Lok Sabha elections, he said, «There might have been some shortcomings...It is the defeat of honesty by the dishonest.»

TJUDA chairperson P S Vijayender told PTI if the decision was not revoked they would launch the indefinite boycott of medical services and elective duties (out-patient and elective surgeries) from Monday.

The National Conference (NC) said on Sunday that there was a need for having a dialogue with the «disgruntled» youth of Jammu and Kashmir for achieving long-lasting peace in the state. Demanding the restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said the party is not seeking anything novel or outside the ambit of Constitution of India.

Faced with a crisis of sorts after two-thirds of its 18 MLAs joined the ruling TRS, the Congress in Telangana might suffer a fresh setback with another party legislator hinting he might switch over to BJP.

A day left for Parliament begin, Congress indecisive on its Lok Sabha leader

The Centre has sanctioned the release of Rs 1,496 crore to 30 central universities for implementation of the 10% quota for the economically weaker section in the general category from the 2019-20 academic session. Some universities like Delhi University and Visva Bharati have already received the sanction letters from the ministry of human resource development.

The impasse in West Bengal showed signs of easing as agitating doctors said late Saturday night that they were open for talks with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to end their stir, but they would decide on the venue of the meeting later. On Saturday evening, they had turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Mamata at the state secretariat.

Aurangabad civil surgeon Dr Surendra Prasad said at least 25 people died due to heatwave in the district. Nawada DM Kaushal Kumar confirmed death of three people due to heat stroke. One person has died in Gaya as well. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the deaths and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased

With a promise of «protection», Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday asked «willing» junior doctors to resume work, while appealing to the others to come to the negotiating table at the state secretariat for the sake of «humanity». But she ruled out going to the NRS Medical College and Hospital campus as demanded by the striking junior doctors.

In his opening remarks at the fifth governing council meeting of Niti Aayog, Modi said one of the major aims of the Centre's integrated approach to water-related issues under the jal shakti ministry is to provide piped water to every rural home by 2024. To spread awareness of water conservation, government may deploy «jaldoots» (volunteers), sources said.

India has finalised the plan to acquire 30 weaponised Sea Guardian (or Predator-B) drones in yet another proposed mega defence deal with the US, even as New Delhi remains steadfast about going ahead with its deal inked for the Russian S-400 Triumf missile systems despite mounting pressure from the Trump administration.

The Centre on Saturday issued two separate advisories to West Bengal - first on rising incidents of political violence that have claimed 26 lives so far this year and the second on the ongoing strike by doctors in West Bengal - and sought a report from the state on correctives on both counts.