Trump thanks Singapore PM for hosting Kim summit
Singapore, June 11 : US President Donald Trump on Monday met Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and thanked him for hosting his upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying he appreciated the hospitality, professionalism and friendship.
"We have a very interesting meeting in particular tomorrow (Tuesday), and I think things can work out very nicely," The Straits Times quoted Trump as saying.
"But we appreciate your hospitality and professionalism and your friendship. Thank you very much," the President added.
The two leaders shared a warm handshake at the Istana or presidential palace before they began their working lunch. During the meeting, the officials also celebrated Trump's birthday. He will turn 72 on June 14.
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan posted a photo on social media of Trump posing with the birthday cake. "Celebrating birthday, a bit early," he wrote.
Trump is also scheduled to have a meet-and-greet session with US embassy staff and American military officers at the Shangri-la Hotel later on Monday, The Straits Times reported.
Trump and his delegation including National Security Adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders landed in Singapore's Paya Lebar Air Base on Sunday night, after attending the G7 Summit in Canada.
Also on Sunday, Kim arrived in Singapore aboard an Air China plane. This is his first-known trip outside Northeast Asia since taking power in 2011.
Trump and Kim's summit, the first ever between two sitting leaders of the countries, will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the exclusive Capella Hotel in Sentosa Island.
Meanwhile on Monday, senior North Korean and US diplomats held last-minute talks in Singapore to come up with a draft agreement to be presented to the leaders of the two countries during their summit, reports Yonhap News Agency.
Ambassador Sung Kim, the US State Department's top Korea expert, met Choe Son-hui, the North's Vice Foreign Minister, at the Ritz Carlton hotel.
Choe and Kim have already held several rounds of discussions at Panmunjom on the inter-Korean border that were reportedly focused on summit agenda items, including denuclearisation and security assurance measures.
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Ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh's medical registration cancelled
Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) on Thursday cancelled the registration of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh, an official said.
Ghosh, who is in CBI custody, has been removed from the list of registered medical practitioners maintained by the WBMC, he said.
His licence was cancelled under various provisions of the Bengal Medical Act of 1914, the official said.
He is an orthopaedic surgeon and without the licence, he cannot practice.
Ghosh was arrested by the CBI on September 2 for his alleged involvement in the financial irregularities at the hospital amid the protests over the rape and murder of the on-duty trainee doctor. He was later accused of evidence tampering in the rape-murder case.
Aniket Mahato, one of the leading faces of the junior doctors who have been agitating over the death of their colleague, described it as a "victory".
"This is a victory for our deceased sister. The cancellation of Ghosh's medical registration should have been done the very next day of his arrest. We are happy that the West Bengal Medical Council has finally taken this step," he said.
The West Bengal Doctors' Forum (WBDF), however, described the decision to cancel Ghosh's medical licence as an "eyewash" and an "attempt to save him".
"Registration of Sandip Ghosh has been cancelled as per rules 25 a (2) of the Bengal Medical Act 1914. As per these rules, two-thirds of the council members must vote in favour of the decision to cancel the registration of any medical practitioner. In the case of Ghosh, no such meeting was conducted. Also, at present, a quorum is not possible due to the resignation of a few members and the death of one member. So this order is legally not tenable and just an eye wash," Dr Rajiv Pandey of the WBDF told PTI.
Claiming that the registrar of the council cancelled the licence on verbal communication of WBMC president Sudipta Roy, Pandey said it "was not acceptable".
Ghosh was appointed the principal of the RG Kar Medical College in February 2021. Amid the protests, he resigned from the post.
The notice regarding the cancellation of Ghosh's registration was sent to his Beliaghata and New Town residences.
