 "Canada is still a part of the British Commonwealth, with King Charles serving as the official head of state. Reuters/File Photo")
King Charles will deliver the “Speech from the Throne” today to open the new session of Parliament in Canada. This will be the first time a British monarch has given the speech since 1977.
What else is planned for today?
Nicusor Dan will formally take over as Romania’s new president during a joint session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate at the Palace of Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reach Gujarat, where he will attend several events in Dahod, Bhuj, Vadodara and Gandhinagar.
India will begin talks for a free trade agreement with Chile, a country rich in minerals, today in New Delhi.
Let’s take a look at the events:
King Charles to deliver ‘Speech from the Throne’
King Charles is set to give a speech today to open the new session of Parliament in Canada, as US President Donald Trump continues to make repeated remarks suggesting the country could become the 51st American state.
This visit would mark the first time since 1977 that a British monarch would deliver the so-called “Speech from the Throne.”
Although Canada’s government is led by Prime Minister Carney, the country is still a part of the British Commonwealth, with King Charles serving as the official head of state.
Ties between the royal family and the Canadian government run deep. Carney’s brother, Sean, is the chief operating officer at Kensington Palace, the official residence of Charles’s son and heir, Prince William.
It is rare for a monarch to deliver this speech in Canada. Queen Elizabeth, Charles’s mother, did so only twice during her 70-year reign, first in 1957 and again in 1977 during her Silver Jubilee, when she opened the third session of the 30th Parliament.
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More ShortsInauguration ceremony of Romania’s new president
Nicusor Dan will officially take office as Romania’s new president today, during a joint session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate at the Palace of Parliament.
Final results from the presidential vote showed Dan, the mayor of Bucharest, winning 53.6% against hard-right contender George Simion, who was seen as the frontrunner in the run-off after gaining momentum in the first round with nationalist messaging.
After taking the oath, Dan will go to the Cotroceni Palace, where he will be welcomed by outgoing president Ilie Bolojan.
A formal handover will be held outside, followed by a private meeting between the two leaders inside the palace.
Sunday’s vote came after months of uncertainty, triggered by the annulment of the previous election, an event that had plunged the country into its worst political crisis in decades.
PM Modi likely to visit Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reach Gujarat on May 26 in his first visit since the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor on May 7.
After arriving at Vadodara airport around 10 am on Monday, he is scheduled to take part in events across Dahod, Bhuj, Vadodara and Gandhinagar, officials said.
In Dahod, the Prime Minister will visit a railway locomotive manufacturing unit and launch India’s first 9,000 horsepower engine made at the facility. The unit has been built with an investment of Rs 20,000 crore, according to a Gujarat government release.
From there, he will head to the Kutch district to speak at a public meeting near Bhuj, on Mirzapar Road.
He will also visit the Mata Ashapura Temple at Mata No Madh in Lakhpat taluka, the statement said.
India, Chile to begin free trade talks
India will begin talks today for a free trade agreement with Chile, a country rich in minerals, in New Delhi.
The two sides reaffirmed their aim to strengthen bilateral ties and are looking forward to productive discussions during the first round of talks from May 26 to 30, the commerce ministry said in a statement on Friday.
While trade in goods between the two countries stood at around $2.7 billion in 2023-24, both expect this to rise sharply, driven by Chile’s reserves of copper, lithium and other key minerals required for India’s industrial and green energy goals.
With inputs from agencies