 "FirstUp: PM Modi to attend Brics Summit in Brazil, Netanyahu likely to meet Trump… Top news today")
It’s a busy Monday.
The Brics summit enters its second day in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending the summit and is likely to hold meetings with other leaders on the sidelines.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House.
A rare portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the few he agreed to pose for while sitting, is set to be auctioned in London from today.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami will begin his statewide tour of Tamil Nadu to connect with people ahead of the polls next year.
Let’s take a look at these events:
PM Modi in Brazil: Day 2 of Brics Summit
The second day of the Brics Summit is underway in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending the event and is scheduled to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines.
Notably, Brics, originally made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has now grown to ten members after five new countries joined the grouping.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not attending in person. Russia is being represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while Premier Li Qiang is attending on behalf of China.
India is likely to use the opportunity to seek backing from the bloc on its stance against cross-border terrorism, especially after last month’s tensions with Pakistan, according to reports.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsNetanyahu to meet Trump in US
US President Donald Trump is expected to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House today.
Ahead of a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said the visit would also include talks with key officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, West Asian envoy Steve Witkoff, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
This will be Netanyahu’s third trip to the White House since Trump returned to office in January.
The visit follows US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, as Washington stepped into the conflict between Israel and Iran.
After helping negotiate a ceasefire, Trump is now focusing on efforts to end the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Mahatma Gandhi portrait auction
A rare portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the few he posed for while seated, is set to be auctioned in London starting today.
The oil painting, made in 1931, will be on sale at Bonhams from today to July 15. It is expected to fetch between £50,000 and £70,000 (around Rs 58 lakh to Rs 81 lakh), as per reports.
A label on the back shows the painting was restored in 1974 by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory.
It was last shown publicly in London in November 1931.
The only other known public display was in 1978, during an exhibition of Clare Leighton’s work at the Boston Public Library.
Palaniswami to begin tour of Tamil Nadu
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami will begin his state tour of Tamil Nadu from Coimbatore today, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The party has also planned a protest today in Kumbakonam, alleging poor governance by the municipal corporation.
The campaign, named ‘Makkalai Kappom; Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ (Let us protect the people and reclaim Tamil Nadu), will cover all 234 Assembly constituencies.
Palaniswami has been sharply criticising the ruling government, especially on issues related to law and order.
Meanwhile, DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin has been visiting several districts to launch new projects and conduct roadshows. TVK President and actor Vijay is also preparing to start his own state tour in August.
With inputs from agencies
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