FirstUp: Telangana CM’s swearing-in, Washington Post strike: What to expect today

If year-in-review stories are suddenly reminding you of 2023 coming to an end, you are not alone. But, don’t fret, December has just started and there’s plenty that is yet to unfold in the last month of the year.

Thursday (7 December) is going to be a busy day. Telangana is set to get its new chief minister.

Russian president Vladimir Putin is slated to meet his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi in Moscow.

Here’s a simple overview of what is expected to develop throughout the day.

Telangana to get new CM

Telangana Congress chief Anumula Revanth Reddy is set to take oath as the state’s chief minister today. He will be the southern state’s second CM after his predecessor Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, popularly called KCR, served for two consecutive terms since the formation of Telangana in 2014.

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Reddy’s swearing-in ceremony will take place at the LB stadium in Hyderabad.

Of the five states that went to the polls last month, the Congress was only triumphant in Telangana. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won all three states in the Hindi heartland – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, while the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) got a clear majority in Mizoram.

Putin’s meeting with Iran’s president

Vladimir Putin will host Iranian president Raisi in Moscow today. The two leaders are expected to discuss bolstering economic and military ties in the wake of Western sanctions.

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The visit comes amid Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. The West has accused Iran of backing Moscow’s invasion by supplying it with large quantities of drones and other weapons.

A day back, Putin made a rare trip to West Asia, meeting UAE president Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.

The Russian president had last visited West Asia in July 2022 when he met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov travelled to Tehran this October for discussions with regional counterparts.

Chennai schools shut

Schools and colleges will remain shut in Chennai as the city continues to face the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung. This is the fourth day in a row that schools and colleges will not open.

This comes as schools have reportedly been used as shelters and relief centres due to the cyclone leaving many parts of Chennai flooded, forcing people to seek shelter elsewhere.

Over a dozen people have died in rain-related incidents in Chennai and its neighbouring districts.

The Washington Post staff’s strike

Hundreds of unionised journalists at The Washington Post will be staging a 24-hour strike, accusing the company of failing to negotiate a contract “in good faith.” The employees are also protesting staff cuts.

The planned walkout comes 18 months after failed discussions to strike a new deal over pay, remote work, and other conditions, as well as after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper warned of more layoffs.

The Washington Post Guild said in a letter to readers announcing the strike, “Taking this historic action is not a decision we came to lightly”.

It said the management “refused to bargain in good faith and repeatedly – and illegally – shut down negotiations over key issues”.

“The Post cannot stay competitive, retain the best talent or produce the kind of elite journalism you rely on without giving its staff a fair deal.”

EU-China Summit

Top European Union (EU) officials will be in Beijing for a key summit. During their one-day visit, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Council president Charles Michel and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

The talks are expected to focus on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, trade issues and Taiwan.

US officials in Pakistan

Special US Representative on Afghanistan Tom West is set to visit Pakistan for a three-day visit starting today. He will hold discussions on several issues, including the situation in Afghanistan.

The visit comes in the backdrop of Pakistan’s deportation of undocumented Afghan nationals. Pakistan has also been blaming Kabul for rise in terrorist attacks in its country.

After West, US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Pakistan Elizabeth Horst will visit the Asian country from 9-12 December.

With inputs from agencies