 "Imamoglu's arrest led to significant protests across Turkey. File image/AP")
It is set to be a busy Friday with several events lined up for the day.
Firstly, the trial of Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is set to begin today. He was arrested on charges of corruption and supporting a terrorist organisation. Meanwhile, PM Modi is set to visit Varanasi to launch various development projects.
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani will visit India from today. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping will host Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. President Donald Trump is set to undergo an annual physical examination.
Here is all that is set to take place today.
Trial of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu begin
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is scheduled to stand trial today facing charges related to alleged threats of corruption and supporting a terrorist organisation. The indictment, accepted by an Istanbul court on February 12 seeks a prison sentence of up to seven years and four months for Imamoglu.
He was arrested and jailed on March 23. This arrest led to significant protests across Turkey , with many viewing the move as politically motivated. The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and various international observers have expressed concerns about the impartiality of the legal proceedings.
PM Modi in Varanasi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi where he will be launching several projects. According to Kashi region Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Patel, this will mark his 50th visit to his constituency.
He will launch 44 development projects worth Rs 3,884.18 crore. PM Modi plans to address a public meeting at Mehdiganj, inaugurate 19 projects valued at Rs 1,629.13 crore, and lay the foundation stone for 25 projects estimated at Rs 2,255.05 crore, Patel added.
With over 1,000 hoardings put up across the district, Patel said preparations are underway to welcome the PM grandly. “Roads, intersections, and the public meeting venue are being decorated with BJP flags and lighting,” he added.
Italian Deputy PM Antonio Tajani to visit India
Italian Deputy PM Antonio Tajani will be on a two-day visit to India from today. He is set to meet External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar. He will also meet Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, according to a media advisory issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). On April 12, he will call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
To foster enhanced collaboration in key sectors like agriculture, defence, space, infrastructure, and transport, India and Italy held discussions in New Delhi earlier in February. The meeting involved Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and his Italian counterparts, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi, along with the Italian Ambassador to India, Antonio Bartoli, focusing on boosting bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation.
Jinping to host Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez today in Beijing. Sanchez is on a diplomatic trip to Asia. This will be his third visit to the country in the last two years. Sanchez is set to meet several other Chinese investors amid US tariffs on European and Chinese goods.
Earlier, he was in Vietnam where he met the country’s top leader, To Lam. Sanchez also went to Ho Chi Minh City, where he met with business leaders to strengthen commercial ties and discuss potential investment opportunities between Spain and Vietnam.
President Donald Trump to undergo annual physical examination
US President Donald Trump is set to undergo his annual physical examination today at the Walter Reed Medical Center.
“I am pleased to report that my long-scheduled Annual Physical Examination will be done at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Friday of this week,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!”
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland serves as the customary location for the President’s annual physical examination, the outcome of which is subsequently made public by the White House physician.
With inputs from agencies