FirstUp: Azerbaijani elections, protests in India: The big news today

Love is in the air since it’s the beginning of the seven-day long celebration of Valentine’s week. But on a serious note, it is equally important to keep track of the latest developments in the world. Today, millions of Azerbaijanis will cast votes to choose the country’s next president. Meanwhile, in India, the Karnataka Congress will be staging a protest against the Centre in New Delhi and the AAP will ‘gherao’ Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s residence over the unemployment issue. Here’s a glimpse of how the day will unfold. Azerbaijani presidential election A year ahead of schedule, on Wednesday, more than 6.5 million Azerbaijanis are expected to cast votes to choose their country’s next president. President İlham Aliyev, nominated by the New Azerbaijan Party, will compete against six other candidates. According to political analysts, Aliyev will probably secure his fifth term with a significant margin as he has done in previous years. Karnataka Congress protest in New Delhi Stepping up the attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, the ruling Congress in Karnataka, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, will stage a protest in New Delhi on Wednesday, alleging ‘injustice’ to the State in tax devolution and grants-in-aid over the past few years. [caption id=“attachment_13225542” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Stepping up the attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, the ruling Congress in Karnataka led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will stage a protest in New Delhi on Wednesday, alleging ‘injustice’ to the State in tax devolution and grants-in-aid over the past few years. File Photo[/caption] The protest by all Congress legislators and MPs from the state, including Ministers that comes ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha polls will begin at 11 am today at Jantar Mantar in the National Capital. The protesters would demand the Centre set right the losses allegedly incurred by Karnataka to the tune of Rs 1.87 lakh crore during five years under the 15th finance commission, AAP to ‘gherao’ Haryana CM’s residence The Aam Aadmi Party is targeting the BJP-JJP coalition in Haryana over the unemployment issue and is ready to “gherao” Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s residence in Karnal for allegedly “failing” to give jobs to the state youth. [caption id=“attachment_12966092” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] AAP MP Sushil Gupta. ANI[/caption] Earlier, while addressing the media, AAP’s state unit president Sushil Gupta claimed that more than two lakh jobs were lying vacant in various government departments and accused the Khattar government of not filling these posts. Jats’ protest in Rajasthan The Jat community, which has been demanding reservation, has threatened to block the Mumbai-Delhi railway track in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district on February 7 in case there is no invitation from the Centre to hold talks. Speaking to IANS, Nem Singh Fauzdar, community leader said, “It is the 20th day of the Mahapadav of Jat community. We have now decided to jam the Delhi-Mumbai railway track on 7th February at 12 noon. Till now the Jat community sitting in Jaicholi has not received any call for talks from the Centre. DefSat conference begins in the National Capital The second edition of DefSAT 2024, a conference on defence and space, is being held from 7 to 9 February in New Delhi. Being organised by SIA-India, the three-day conference is dedicated for charting a roadmap for a modern and future-ready sector. DefSat 2024 will attract nearly 500 dignitaries including visionaries, thought leaders and stakeholders, fostering a convergence of expertise from government agencies, armed forces, tech innovators, diplomats and more. Delhi court hearing on Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea Delhi’s Karkardooma Court will be hearing Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea for arguments afresh in a sedition case against him. Imam sought bail on the grounds of the period undergone in the sedition case. He has been in custody since January 2020. He is also accused in the larger conspiracy of the Delhi riots case. Delhi HC hearing on AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan’s plea The Delhi High Court will be hearing a petition by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan against a money laundering probe and the summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate. [caption id=“attachment_13226102” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan. PTI file[/caption] The money laundering probe against Khan is linked to alleged irregularities in recruitment by the Delhi Waqf Board. It is alleged that Khan, while working as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, had illegally recruited 32 people in violation of norms and government guidelines. World Sustainable Development Summit begins The 23rd edition of the annual flagship event of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)—the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)—will be held from 7 to 9 February in the National Capital. The Summit deliberations will focus on the umbrella theme: Leadership for Sustainable Development and Climate Justice. The start of Valentine’s Week Meanwhile, on the fun side, 7 February also marks the beginning of Valentine’s Week. Today, it is Rose Day, wherein people present bouquets or roses to show their affection. Anniversaries today

• Birth anniversary of author Charles Dickens
• Birth anniversary BR Ambedkar’s wife Ramabai Bhimrao Ambedkar
• Birth anniversary of swimmer Kristin Otto
• The classic board game Monopoly was invented in 1935
• INS Shakti, India’s first indigeneously built submarine launched in 1992
• Pluto moved inside Neptune’s orbit for the first time since either was discovered in 1979