&w=3840&q=100)
FirstUp: PM Modi to hold bilateral talks with Brazil's Lula and other headlines of the day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to Brazil's capital, Brasilia today (July 8), where he will hold bilateral talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron will begin the tour of the United Kingdom with his wife, Brigitte Macron.
The ongoing European parliament plenary session taking place in France will debate with Members of Parliament (MEPs) sharing their expectations for the upcoming Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU. In India, the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to elect a new chief for its Odisha state wing. Lastly, Fluminense FC from Brazil will lock horns with England's Chelsea FC today at the semi-finals of the Fifa World Cup 2025.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Here is all that is set to take place throughout the day.
PM Modi to visit Brasilia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Brazil to attend the Brics Summit 2025 being held in Rio de Janeiro, will be visiting the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, today. He will hold bilateral talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
PM Modi is visiting Brazil as part of his five-nation tour of the Global South. During the bilateral talks, the two leaders are expected to focus on broadening the India–Brazil Strategic Partnership. The talks are expected to touch on a variety of topics including defence, counter-terrorism, energy, space cooperation, agriculture, health, technology and people‑to‑people ties among others.
Earlier, PM Modi was in Rio de Janeiro to participate in the 17th Brics Summit. He was received warmly by the Indian community at Rio's Galeão International Airport upon his arrival.
Macron in UK for state visit
French President Emmanuel Macron will be on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom with his wife Brigette Macron today. This visit, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, is a significant diplomatic event aimed at strengthening Anglo-French relations.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron at the European leader's summit in London. File image/AP
On the first day of the visit President Macron and his wife will be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales upon their arrival at RAF Northolt. Following this, they will travel to Windsor, where they will receive a formal ceremonial welcome from King Charles and Queen Camilla. This will include a royal salute and a carriage procession through the streets of Windsor to the historic Windsor Castle, where the French presidential couple will be staying.
Later he is scheduled to visit the Palace of Westminster where he will address parliamentarians in the Royal Gallery and is also expected to meet with opposition leaders at Lancaster House.
European parliament plenary session in France
The second day of the European Parliament's plenary session will take place in France's Strasbourg. The session began on July 7 and will continue till July 10.
The agenda for the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg is set to include a significant debate where Members of Parliament (MEPs) will share their expectations for the upcoming Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, is expected to present their priorities, which will likely cover crucial areas such as defence, Ukraine, EU enlargement, climate policy and the Union's economy, trade and long-term budget.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Additionally, MEPs are scheduled to vote on an amended Gas Storage Regulation, following a provisional agreement reached between Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) negotiators and the Council. This aims to make filling targets more flexible and obligate Member States to track the amount of gas originating from Russia.
New Odisha BJP chief to be elected
The Odisha unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will elect a new president today. BJP State Election Officer and MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi announced that the list of eligible voters will be published on Sunday. Prospective candidates are invited to file their nominations on Monday. Should more than one candidate remain in contention, the election will take place on July 8.
Odisha is among a handful of states that are still awaiting the election of their state BJP presidents. Representational image
Senior BJP members Golakh Chandra Mohapatra, Jatin Mohanty and former state unit president Samir Mohanty are among the possible contenders. While the BJP had previously set a July 1 deadline for completing its state president election in Odisha, the process remains unfinished. Odisha is among a handful of states, alongside Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Haryana, and Delhi, that are still awaiting the election of their state BJP presidents.
Fifa club world cup semi finals
The semi-final match for between Fluminense FC from Brazil and Chelsea FC from England will take place today in New Jersey. The match will be held at the iconic MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the second semi-final, featuring an all-European heavyweight battle between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Real Madrid CF will take place on Wednesday (July 9).
With inputs from agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
13 minutes ago
- India Gazette
145 % rise in taxpayers since GST rollout in Gujarat; number of taxpayers crosses 12.66 lakh in 8 years
Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 8 (ANI): Since the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, Gujarat has witnessed a steady annual increase in the number of new taxpayers. Eight years ago, when GST was introduced, the state had over 5.15 lakh registered taxpayers. As of FY 2024-25, this number has surged by 145 per cent, surpassing 12.46 lakh, more than double the original count. According to an official release, in terms of registered taxpayers, Gujarat now ranks third in the country, reflecting its growing economic activity and exemplary tax compliance. In FY 2024-25, Gujarat recorded a taxpayer growth rate of 6.38 per cent, significantly higher than the national average of 3.86 per cent and ahead of many other states. There was a time when Gujarat, like the rest of India, operated under a complex tax structure comprising VAT, CST, Octroi, Entry Tax, Service Tax, and Central Excise Duty. This fragmented system posed significant challenges for traders, making tax compliance cumbersome and time-consuming. The lack of uniformity in tax rates and regulations across states, coupled with the cascading effect of 'tax on tax', led to inflated costs of goods and created barriers to seamless trade. For a business-driven and export-oriented state like Gujarat, these complications were particularly burdensome. To address these challenges and provide a new direction for the country's economy, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was implemented in India on July 1, 2017, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With this reform, the country adopted a single tax--GST--for the supply of goods and services, while doing away with multiple other taxes. Guided by the principle of 'One Nation, One Tax,' GST has simplified the tax system, reduced tax evasion, and paved the way for ease of doing business. With the implementation of GST, the process of tax calculation and payment has become significantly simpler for both traders and consumers. Alongside the steady rise in the number of taxpayers, Gujarat has witnessed a substantial increase in its GST revenue. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, the state registered GST collections of Rs 1,36,748 crore in FY 2024-25, marking a year-on-year increase of Rs 11,579 crore. Gujarat now ranks third among Indian states in terms of GST revenue contribution, accounting for 8.2 per cent of the country's domestic GST collections. The release emphasised that Gujarat has not only consistently maintained a leading position in GST collections but has also registered a notable increase in revenue from SGST and IGST. In FY 2024-25, the state garnered Rs 73,200 crore through SGST and IGST, marking a rise of Rs 8,752 crore compared to the previous fiscal year. While the national average growth rate for SGST and IGST revenue stood at 10.31 per cent, Gujarat surpassed it with an impressive 13.6 per cent growth. The state also leads the country in the timely filing of GST returns. Gujarat achieved 88.9 per cent compliance in GSTR-3B filing and 85.5 per cent in GSTR-1 filing within the prescribed timelines, underscoring its disciplined and robust tax administration, the release stated. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
30 minutes ago
- First Post
PM Modi receives grand ceremonial welcome at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, warmly greeted by President Lula
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on a State Visit to Brazil following the Brics Summit, was warmly welcomed with a ceremonial reception at Brazil's Alvorada Palace on Tuesday read more PM Modi accorded ceremonial welcome at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia. ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on a State Visit to Brazil following the Brics Summit, was warmly welcomed with a ceremonial reception at Brazil's Alvorada Palace on Tuesday. #WATCH | Brasilia, Brazil: PM Narendra Modi receives a ceremonial welcome as he arrives at Alvorada Palace. He has been received by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. (Video Source: ANI/DD News) — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PM Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva shared a hug as the President received the PM at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil. #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva share a hug, as the President receives the PM at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil. (Video Source: ANI/DD News) — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2025 PM Modi also received a unique 114-horse welcome at the ceremonial welcome at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia. #WATCH | Brazil: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a unique 114-horse welcome at the ceremonial welcome, at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia. (Video Source: ANI/DD News) — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier, PM Modi was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival at Brasilia airport with the Batala Mundo band performing traditional Afro-Brazilian compositions. 'At Brasilia airport, the Batala Mundo band played some wonderful compositions. Theirs is a global effort to promote Afro-Brazilian percussion, in particular the Samba-Reggae from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil,' he said in a post on X. At Brasilia airport, the Batala Mundo band played some wonderful compositions. Theirs is a global effort to promote Afro-Brazilian percussion, in particular the Samba-Reggae from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 7, 2025 The Indian community in Brazil was also present at the airport to greet the Prime Minister. 'Landed in Brasilia a short while ago. The Indian community accorded a memorable welcome, once again highlighting how passionate our diaspora is and how connected they remain with their roots,' PM Modi said in another post. Landed in Brasilia a short while ago. The Indian community accorded a memorable welcome, once again highlighting how passionate our diaspora is and how connected they remain with their roots. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 7, 2025 After arriving at his hotel in Brasilia, PM Modi interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, including children who had gathered with the Tricolour to welcome him. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Prime Minister also witnessed a cultural performance. He appreciated the artists and interacted with them after their performance. PM Modi will hold bilateral discussions with the Brazilian President on broadening the Strategic Partnership between the two countries in areas of mutual interest, including trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture, health, and people-to-people linkages. With inputs from agencies
Indian Express
43 minutes ago
- Indian Express
France's heatwave politics: Far-right leader Le Pen proposes massive AC plan ahead of 2027 election
As Europe swelters under yet another record-breaking heatwave, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen seized the moment to pitch a populist promise ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, a nationwide 'grand plan for air conditioning.' Speaking in Parliament, Le Pen, MP for Pas-de-Calais, declared that 'air conditioning saves lives,' and criticised France's public infrastructure for being ill-equipped to handle extreme heat. Alongside ally Éric Ciotti, she introduced a bill this week proposing mandatory air conditioning in essential public spaces. The proposal comes as France grapples with scorching summer temperatures and a long-standing reluctance to adopt widespread air conditioning, a cultural preference and sense of pride shared across much of Europe, where cooling systems are often viewed as environmentally unfriendly. According to France's national environment agency Ademe, only 25 per cent of French homes had air conditioning in 2020 which was 14 per cent up from 2016. But Le Pen has faced strong political criticism for her proposal. Ecological transition minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher dismissed air conditioning as an inadequate adaptation to climate change, warning that such systems heat the streets and contribute to urban heat islands. 'You're cooling one room but heating another,' she said, adding that France should prioritise building insulation and green urban planning over widespread AC installation. Green party leader Marine Tondelier echoed the criticism, accusing Le Pen of reducing environmental policy to buying air conditioning units, and calling for structural reforms like planting trees and upgrading buildings. A study from 2020 on Paris air conditioning warned that massive use of AC often vents hot air onto the streets and could intensify heatwaves by several degrees Celsius. Nonetheless, support for cooling systems is quietly growing among French households as heatwaves become more common with more people opting for ACs but they come with a set of rules. Planning Approval Noise Limits Certified Installation Environmental Rules (RE2020) Mandatory maintenance For units with >2kg refrigerant or >12kW: EU Compliance Must display: Cost Total (incl. installation): €700–€6,000 (Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh)
