It is the middle of the week and elections fervour is still on in India with re-polling to be held in a few seats in Arunachal Pradesh while preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Madhya Pradesh are in full swing.
China will see an important visitor as the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Beijing to seek an audience with Xi Jinping.
Here is a rundown of what is expected today:
Re-polling in Arunachal
The Election Commission of India has announced that repolling has been ordered in eight polling stations across Arunachal Pradesh. This decision comes in response to reported incidents of EVM damage and violence during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls held on 19 April .
According to Liken Koyu, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, the Commission issued an order on Sunday declaring the polling conducted in these eight stations as void. Fresh polling has been scheduled for 24 April, with voting to take place from 6 am to 2 pm.
The polling stations identified for repolling include Sario in the Bameng assembly constituency in East Kameng district, Longte Loth in the Nyapin assembly seat in Kurung Kumey district, as well as Dingser, Bogiya Siyum, Jimbari, and Lengi polling booths under the Nacho constituency in Upper Subansiri district.
Modi’s roadshow in Bhopal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to conduct a roadshow in the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency this evening as part of his campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Bhopal is considered a stronghold of the BJP.
This roadshow will mark PM Modi’s second such event in Madhya Pradesh and his fifth visit to the state in the past 18 days. His campaign in Madhya Pradesh commenced on 7 April with a roadshow in the Jabalpur constituency, which has been a BJP stronghold since 1996.
China to receive Blinken
Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, is set to land in China today, as both Washington and Beijing endeavor to maintain a balanced relationship despite significant disparities on various issues. These include the Middle East peace process and concerns regarding the supply of synthetic opioids, which have raised apprehensions about global stability.
The two nations find themselves at odds on multiple fronts, encompassing Russia’s actions in Ukraine, the status of Taiwan and the South China Sea, matters concerning North Korea, developments in Hong Kong, human rights issues, and the detention of American citizens. Additionally, trade and commerce disputes persist, with US President Joe Biden recently announcing fresh tariffs on imports of Chinese steel.
According to the State Department’s announcement on Saturday, Blinken will embark on his second trip to China within a year. His itinerary includes visits to Shanghai and Beijing, commencing on Wednesday and spanning three days, during which he will engage in discussions with senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi. While talks between Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping are anticipated, neither side will confirm the occurrence of such a meeting until shortly before its commencement.
Bengaluru residents will see a ‘zero shadow’ day today
Residents of Bengaluru are in for a spectacular celestial event as they anticipate the occurrence of a rare phenomenon known as ‘Zero Shadow Day’ today. Scheduled between 12:17 pm and 12:23 pm, this event marks a moment when the sun’s position aligns precisely with the zenith, resulting in the disappearance of all shadows. This phenomenon is not exclusive to Bengaluru but is also expected to be observed in other locations such as Kanyakumari, Bhopal, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
Zero Shadow Day occurs when the sun is directly overhead, causing objects to cast no shadows at noon. Typically observed in regions near the equator, where the sun’s angle is nearly perpendicular to the Earth’s surface, this occurrence renders objects seemingly devoid of shadows.
The Earth’s orbit around the sun leads to variations in its position in the sky, resulting in the sun reaching its zenith at different latitudes and times of the year. This phenomenon contributes to the changing seasons and the sun’s migration from 23.5 degrees south of the equator to 23.5 degrees north, and back again, on an annual basis.
Today in History – 24 April
On this day in 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery embarked on a historic mission, deploying the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit, revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos and unlocking new frontiers in space exploration.
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FirstUp: Blinken in China, re-polling in Arunachal Pradesh and more… Big headlines today
