 "New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon will be in India for five days during which he will meet PM Modi as well as inaugurate the Raisina Dialogue. File image/AFP")
It’s a start of a new week and it’s going to be a busy one.
There’s a lot of big events set to take place today (March 17) — from the New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visiting India to the jurisdiction ruling in the case of detained Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil.
The 10th Raisina Dialogue will also begin this evening.
Here’s what we can expect from the world of news today.
New Zealand PM Luxon to meet PM Modi
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Luxon is in India on a five-day visit, which will run until March 20 and has been organised at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Luxon’s visit aims to strengthen the long-standing relationship between India and New Zealand, reaffirming the two nations’ shared commitment to expanding their bilateral ties across various sectors.
Prime Minister Luxon will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior officials, ministers, business leaders, media representatives, and members of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand.
On March 17, he will visit Rajghat to pay his respects at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders are set to engage in discussions covering a wide range of topics, including trade, defence cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. PM Modi will also host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary.
Raisina Dialogue to begin
The tenth edition of Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier geopolitical and geo-economics conference, will be held in New Delhi from today until March 19. Christopher Luxon, the prime minister of New Zealand, is the chief guest at the 2025 summit.
The Raisina Dialogue is held every year and is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs.
It is an annual gathering of international leaders in politics, industry, media, and civil society to discuss global issues and look for ways to work together on a variety of current issues, including international relations, defence, climate change, cyber security, and trade.
US Intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard will also attend the conference as part of her mum-nation Indo-Pacific tour, The New York Times reported.
Ruling in Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation
On March 17, a Manhattan court will give its ruling on the deportation of detained Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil.
Mahmoud Khalil, a US permanent resident and Columbia University graduate, was detained over the weekend and faces deportation for his participation in 2024 protests at the campus over the war in Gaza.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe Department of Homeland Security says Khalil, 29, is subject to deportation under a legal provision that orders the removal of migrants whose presence in the country is deemed by the US Secretary of State to be incompatible with US foreign policy, according to a document seen by the Reuters news agency.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board calls for protest against Waqf bill
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has announced a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on March 17 at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The protest is aimed at invoking the conscience of “secular” political parties, including those part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the centre, the apex body of Muslim clerics said.
The ‘dharna’ was to be held on March 13 but has been postponed in view of holidays on account of Holi, and Parliament may also not meet that day, the board’s spokesperson Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said at a press conference.
Ilyas also said that many MPs have been invited for the protest. He said that after careful consideration, the Board has come to the conclusion that the proposed legislation will pave the way for the “usurping” of Waqf properties and it was a “direct attack” on Muslims.
A day to remember
Today is the birth anniversary of Indian-American astronaut Kalpana Chawla
Today marks the birthday of badminton player Saina Nehwal
The first car with a Porsche badge is shown at International Automobile Show in Geneva in 1949