 "FirstUp: PM Modi in Austria, NATO Summit… Top news today")
It’s a power-packed Wednesday.
After a two-day visit to Russia, PM Narendra Modi arrived in Austria, marking the first visit by an Indian leader to the country in 41 years. Day 2 of the NATO Summit in Washington will see Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s address and the North Atlantic Council meeting the heads of state and government.
In India, key political players are bracing for Assembly bypolls in 13 seats across seven states, including West Bengal.
Here are some big headlines today.
PM Modi in Austria
After a two-day visit to Russia, PM Modi arrived in Austria, marking the first visit by an Indian leader to the country in 41 years.
Modi will call on the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and hold restricted, delegation-level talks, as a high-level business engagement there.
He is also likely to speak with Chancellor of Austria Karl Nehammer.
Day 2 – NATO Summit
It’s day two of NATO Summit, where the leaders of 32 member countries are meeting in Washington for a summit of the transatlantic security alliance, with further military and financial support for Ukraine high on the agenda.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will address the public forum, the North Atlantic Council will meet the heads of state and government, and US President Joe Biden will host social dinner for heads of state and government, foreign affairs ministers and ministers of defence.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSunita Williams’s address from space
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams will discuss the crew’s mission in a live address from the International Space Station on July 10 at 8.30 pm.
Earlier, American space agency NASA had said that she is safe and continues helping with research and maintenance of the International Space Station.
The development comes after her return to Earth was delayed, sparking fears about the safety of the crew that flew on board the Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the space station on June 5.
Bypolls in 13 seats
A month after Lok Sabha election 2024 results, the main political players are bracing for Assembly bypolls in 13 seats across seven states.
While the results will not destabilise the state governments, adverse outcomes will raise questions on leaderships in Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh.
The bypolls are scheduled today, and the counting will take place on July 13.
Bombay HC hearing on Maratha quota
The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) to appear for the next hearing on July 10.
This comes amid ongoing hearings of petitions challenging the State’s decision to grant 10 per cent reservation to Marathas in education and jobs.
NVVNL and the Haryana govt to sign MoU for green coal plants
Haryana will soon get waste-to-charcoal plants, also known as green coal plants.
An MoU for this plant will be signed between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVVNL) and the Haryana Government today.
After setting up the plants in Gurugram-Manesar and Faridabad, this initiative will be expanded to other cities in Haryana. NVVNL officers will soon visit a few sites for establishing green coal plants.
UAE verdict after mass trial of 84 Emiratis
The United Arab Emirates is likely to issued verdict on a mass trial of 84 inmates previously reported by dissidents.
In December, the trial was first reported by the Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center, a group run by an Emirati — also called Hamad al-Shamsi — who lives in exile in Istanbul after being named on a terrorism list by the UAE himself. That group said 87 defendants faced trial. The different numbers of defendants reported by the UAE and the group could not be immediately reconciled.
Among those likely charged in the case is Ahmed Mansoor, the recipient of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2015. Mansoor repeatedly drew the ire of authorities in the UAE by calling for a free press and democratic freedoms in this federation of seven sheikhdoms.
A day to remember
Birth anniversary of Sunil Gavaskar (1949)
Birth anniversary of Rajnath Singh (1951)
Birth anniversary of French author Marcel Proust
The Vellore mutiny, or Vellore Revolution, occurred on 10 July 1806 and was the first instance of a large-scale and violent mutiny by Indian sepoys against the East India Company
Amarnath Yatra Attack - In 2017, the first Monday of the month of Shraavana, 8 Hindu civilian pilgrims on the way from Amarnath Temple in Kashmir valley
Lady Jane Grey took the throne of England in 1553
American Revolution: Louis XVI of France declared war on the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1778
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was recommended as the first Governor-General of Pakistan in 1947
New Zealand adopted decimal currency in 1967
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
