Melania Trump hospitalised after kidney surgery
Washington, May 15: US First Lady Melania Trump has undergone a "successful" kidney surgery and is currently recuperating at a naval hospital in Maryland, her office said.
She underwent the surgery at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Bethesda on Monday, New York Post reported.
"Melania Trump underwent an embolisation procedure to treat a benign kidney issue. She will likely remain there for the duration of the week," her office said in a statement.
"The First Lady looks forward to a full recovery so she can continue her work on behalf of children everywhere," it said.
An embolisation is a minimally invasive treatment that blocks one or more blood vessels or abnormal vascular channels.
A spokeswoman for the First Lady declined to offer more details on her condition, but said the 48-year-old is recovering.
"She's doing great. She's in good spirits," Stephanie Grisham told the Post.
President Donald Trump stayed behind in the White House, officials said, since his travel to the hospital could have meant a press pool would have camped out during the private medical procedure.
But once the East Wing announced her hospital stay, the President boarded Marine One two hours later to visit his wife.
"Heading over to Walter Reed Medical Center to see our great First Lady, Melania," Trump tweeted. "Successful procedure, she is in good spirits. Thank you to all of the well-wishers!"
Earlier on Monday, Trump kept a light schedule with no public events and was planning to visit his wife.
The East Wing keeping her medical condition private until after the procedure was nothing unusual, the Post said.
She largely stayed away from the campaign trail during her husband's 2016 historic run for the White House and has only of late taken on a more public role.
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Bharat Bandh today: Nationwide strike disrupts services as over 25 cr workers protest govt policies
New Delhi: A nationwide strike or Bharat Bandh called by ten central trade unions is underway today, with over 25 crore workers from both organised and unorganised sectors participating. The strike, which is also supported by several rural and agricultural labour organisations, is a protest against the central government’s economic and labour policies, which unions claim favour corporates at the cost of workers, farmers, and the poor.
Key demands of protesters:
► Withdrawal of the new labour codes,
► Increase in minimum wages,
► Creation of more government jobs,
► Hike in MGNREGA wages and workdays,
► A similar urban employment guarantee scheme,
► End to hiring retired officials over younger professionals in government departments.
A 17-point charter of demands has been submitted to the Union Labour Ministry, but union leaders allege no meaningful engagement has been initiated by the government so far.
Disruptions reported:
While banks, stock markets, and government offices are functioning as usual, disruptions are being reported in public transport across several states:
West Bengal: Protesters blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur railway station despite police deployment. Bus services continued amid high security, with some drivers seen wearing helmets as a safety measure.
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and parts of Delhi and Maharashtra reported sporadic disruptions in bus and train services.
Schools and colleges remain open in most places, though some institutions announced last-minute closures depending on local conditions.
Unions leading the strike:
The strike is being spearheaded by major trade unions including: INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, SEWA, AIUTUC, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC, and TUCC.
The new labour laws, a major flashpoint, have drawn flak for allegedly weakening worker protections. Union leaders say the changes:
► Extend working hours,
► Restrict the right to strike,
► Undermine collective bargaining.
The unions have also criticised the trend of hiring retired officials instead of young jobseekers. With 65% of India's population under the age of 35, they argue that ignoring youth employment in sectors like Railways, steel, and education is both unjust and economically damaging.
This is not the first large-scale strike organised by the trade unions. Similar nationwide protests were held on:
November 26, 2020,
March 28–29, 2022,
February 16, 2024.
All of them focused on issues like the privatisation of PSUs, job insecurity, and the casualisation of the workforce.
