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FirstUp: PM Modi to hold bilateral talks with Brazil's Lula and other headlines of the day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to Brazil's capital, Brasilia today (July 8), where he will hold bilateral talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron will begin the tour of the United Kingdom with his wife, Brigitte Macron.
The ongoing European parliament plenary session taking place in France will debate with Members of Parliament (MEPs) sharing their expectations for the upcoming Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU. In India, the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to elect a new chief for its Odisha state wing. Lastly, Fluminense FC from Brazil will lock horns with England's Chelsea FC today at the semi-finals of the Fifa World Cup 2025.
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Here is all that is set to take place throughout the day.
PM Modi to visit Brasilia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Brazil to attend the Brics Summit 2025 being held in Rio de Janeiro, will be visiting the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, today. He will hold bilateral talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
PM Modi is visiting Brazil as part of his five-nation tour of the Global South. During the bilateral talks, the two leaders are expected to focus on broadening the India–Brazil Strategic Partnership. The talks are expected to touch on a variety of topics including defence, counter-terrorism, energy, space cooperation, agriculture, health, technology and people‑to‑people ties among others.
Earlier, PM Modi was in Rio de Janeiro to participate in the 17th Brics Summit. He was received warmly by the Indian community at Rio's Galeão International Airport upon his arrival.
Macron in UK for state visit
French President Emmanuel Macron will be on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom with his wife Brigette Macron today. This visit, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, is a significant diplomatic event aimed at strengthening Anglo-French relations.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron at the European leader's summit in London. File image/AP
On the first day of the visit President Macron and his wife will be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales upon their arrival at RAF Northolt. Following this, they will travel to Windsor, where they will receive a formal ceremonial welcome from King Charles and Queen Camilla. This will include a royal salute and a carriage procession through the streets of Windsor to the historic Windsor Castle, where the French presidential couple will be staying.
Later he is scheduled to visit the Palace of Westminster where he will address parliamentarians in the Royal Gallery and is also expected to meet with opposition leaders at Lancaster House.
European parliament plenary session in France
The second day of the European Parliament's plenary session will take place in France's Strasbourg. The session began on July 7 and will continue till July 10.
The agenda for the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg is set to include a significant debate where Members of Parliament (MEPs) will share their expectations for the upcoming Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, is expected to present their priorities, which will likely cover crucial areas such as defence, Ukraine, EU enlargement, climate policy and the Union's economy, trade and long-term budget.
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Additionally, MEPs are scheduled to vote on an amended Gas Storage Regulation, following a provisional agreement reached between Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) negotiators and the Council. This aims to make filling targets more flexible and obligate Member States to track the amount of gas originating from Russia.
New Odisha BJP chief to be elected
The Odisha unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will elect a new president today. BJP State Election Officer and MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi announced that the list of eligible voters will be published on Sunday. Prospective candidates are invited to file their nominations on Monday. Should more than one candidate remain in contention, the election will take place on July 8.
Odisha is among a handful of states that are still awaiting the election of their state BJP presidents. Representational image
Senior BJP members Golakh Chandra Mohapatra, Jatin Mohanty and former state unit president Samir Mohanty are among the possible contenders. While the BJP had previously set a July 1 deadline for completing its state president election in Odisha, the process remains unfinished. Odisha is among a handful of states, alongside Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Haryana, and Delhi, that are still awaiting the election of their state BJP presidents.
Fifa club world cup semi finals
The semi-final match for between Fluminense FC from Brazil and Chelsea FC from England will take place today in New Jersey. The match will be held at the iconic MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the second semi-final, featuring an all-European heavyweight battle between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Real Madrid CF will take place on Wednesday (July 9).
With inputs from agencies
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