The Morning Filter

Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today

Akhilesh to file nomination for Kannauj seat on Thursday

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Kannauj, the party announced on Wednesday, two days after it had declared another candidate for the Uttar Pradesh seat. The party said Akhilesh Yadav will now file his papers on Thursday, when nominations begin.

Dangerous to say private property can’t be taken over to subserve common good: SC

The observations were made by a nine-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, examining whether privately-owned resources can be considered “material resources of the community”, when the counsel for parties including the Property Owners Association (POA) of Mumbai made vehement submissions that the private properties cannot be taken over by state authorities under the garb of constitutional schemes of Articles 39 (b) and 31 C of the Constitution. The arguments remained inconclusive and would resume on Thursday.

Blinken begins key China visit as tensions rise over new U.S. foreign aid bill

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks with U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns with U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai Scott Walker, while attending a basketball game between the Shanghai Sharks and the Zhejiang Golden Bulls at Shanghai Indoor Stadium, in Shanghai, China, April 24, 2024. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS | Photo Credit: Mark Schiefelbein

Blinken arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday just hours after the Senate vote on the long-stalled legislation and shortly before President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law to demonstrate U.S. resolve in defending its allies and partners. Even before Blinken landed in Shanghai — where he will have meetings on Thursday before traveling to Beijing — China’s Taiwan Affairs Office slammed the assistance to Taipei, saying it “seriously violates” U.S. commitments to China, “sends a wrong signal to the Taiwan independence separatist forces” and pushes the self-governing island republic into a “dangerous situation.” 

China to send three astronauts to Tiangong space station, part of its ambitious programme

China’s space agency is making final preparations to send the Shenzhou-18 crew into low-Earth orbit on Thursday as part of its ambitious space program that aims to put people on the moon by 2030.

Arjan Singh memorial hockey tournament to begin on Thursday

The 5th edition of Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial Hockey tournament will be held from April 25 to 30 at 3 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the IAF in Chandigarh.

Rampant Sunrisers Hyderabad eye another run-fest against bottom-placed RCB

Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to unleash their brute batting power on struggling Royal Challengers Bengaluru when the two teams face off in their return-leg fixture of the IPL in Hyderabad on Thursday.