Top events today: BJP meet, Modi biopic, strike over climate change & more

Before you start your day, take a look at the major events in the country that are likely to make headlines today. From final result of Lok Sabha elections to Modi biopic release, here are some of the most important news events scheduled for today.

1. BJP parliamentary board to meet today

With the BJP set to return to power, its parliamentary board is expected to meet Friday evening at the party headquarters where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make a speech.

Top party leaders, including BJP president Amit Shah and some senior Union ministers besides Modi, are members of the parliamentary board, its highest decision making body.
 

The board is likely to pass a resolution to thank voters for their support and also hailing Modi's leadership.

The prime minister is also expected to address party workers. Read on...

2. Final tally of Lok Sabha elections result today

The final results of the Lok Sabha polls will be revealed today. The National Democaritc Alliance (NDA) is ahead in 345 of the 542 seats for which elections were held, while the BJP itself is about to cross the 300 mark. The party got 282 seats and the NDA had won 336 in the 2014 elections. Read on...

3. PM Modi biopic to release today

Vivek Oberoi starrer biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi is finally set to release today, a day after the counting of votes of the Lok Sabha polls.

The film, 'PM Narendra Modi', which was initially scheduled to hit theatres on April 11, was stalled by the Election Commission of India a day before its worldwide release, stating that a biopic like this will affect the level playing field in the elections.

"After a lot of discussions and keeping the curiosity and excitement about the film in mind we have decided to release the film immediately after the Lok Sabha election results. We are now releasing our film on 24th May 2019," said producer Sandip Singh. Read on...

4. Nirav Modi hearing via videolink today in UK court

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi was remanded into custody till May 24 by a UK court hearing his extradition case in the $1-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case. "Mr Modi, you will be back for another short hearing via videolink on May 24, with a full hearing in the case planned for May 30 when you will be produced in person," Judge Arbuthnot told the diamantaire. Read on...

5. UN Headquarters will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers today

UN Headquarters will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Friday, May 24, 2019. Secretary-General António Guterres will lay a wreath to honour all UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and will preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to 119 military, police and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives in 2018 and early 2019.

6. Greta Thunberg-inspired school climate strike called for this Friday

After the success of the first Global Student Climate Strike in the week of March 15, 2019, environmental movement FridaysForFuture will return for a second globally synchronized student strike scheduled for May 24. Previously, the protest event saw at least 1.6 million students in more than 125 countries, including India, participate. This month the numbers are slated to be even bigger–with 133 strikes across India alone–in cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Srinagar and more.

Swedish student activist Greta Thunberg started FridaysForFuture after observing major political inaction on the current global climate crisis. She began the initiative in August 2018 by sitting in front of the Swedish parliament every school day for three weeks to protest the alarming lack of action.

7. CM Kumaraswamy to call Cabinet Ministers' meeting today in Karnataka

In the wake up of BJP's mammoth victory in 2019 General elections, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy has called on a Cabinet Ministers' meeting on Friday at 12 pm.

A JD(S) legislature party meeting has also been called at 4 pm on Friday in Bengaluru.

The meeting has been called to discuss and strategise the party's political development after the landslide victory of BJP. Read on...