THE HEADLINES::
- BJP Central Observer for West Bengal Amit Shah to meet newly elected party MLAs in Kolkata to elect legislative leader today.
- Deadlock continues in Tamil Nadu over government formation as MLAs of VCK, CPI and CPI(M) to meet on lending support.
- President of Vietnam To Lam emphasises India-Vietnam role in global supply chain at Business Forum in Mumbai.
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal reviews initiatives to strengthen India’s position in global agriculture landscape.
- Saudi Arabia suspends US military access to its bases and airspace.
- In IPL Cricket, Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 9 runs using DLS method at Ekana Stadium.
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BJP Central Observer for West Bengal and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will meet newly elected party MLAs in Kolkata to elect legislative leader today.
”After its sweeping victory in Bengal, the BJP is seeking to turn the swearing-in ceremony into a political event of national significance. The first BJP government in West Bengal will take oath on Saturday, the 25th of Boishakh, at the Brigade Parade Ground. Preparations for the stage and security arrangements at Brigade began on Wednesday itself. According to BJP sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, J. P. Nadda, BJP President Nitin Nabin, and several other central leaders may attend the ceremony. Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of various BJP- and NDA-ruled states are also being invited. On Friday, a meeting of the newly elected BJP MLAs will be held at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town, where the leader of the legislative party will be formally elected. Amit Shah will be present as the central observer. Since the oath-taking ceremony is being held on the occasion of Rabindra Jayanti, special emphasis is also being given to cultural performances. The BJP is planning to showcase Bengali culture through Rabindra Sangeet and other cultural presentations. SANDIPON DASGUPTA, AKASHVANI NEWS, KOLKATA”
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In Tamil Nadu, with the formation of the new government getting delayed, talks are being held to reach the magic number of 118 to prove the majority. The DMK and the AIADMK held their legislative party meetings of the newly elected MLAs yesterday. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palanisamy has been elected as the leader of the legislative Party during the meeting at Puducherry. The crucial meeting of the newly elected MLAs of VCK, CPI and CPI(M) is to take place today on the issue of lending support to the single largest party TVK. We have more from Our Correspondent:
”The situation in the State has taken an interesting political outcome with the AIADMK and the DMK legislative Party meeting held yesterday. Both of the parties have commented on the Governor’s decision on proving the majority. DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan has said that it is the duty of the single largest party to prove its majority and added that DMK Chief M.K.Stalin does not want any constitutional crisis. It is to be noted that Puducherry AIADMK secretary A. Anbazhagan who met the media after the legislative party meeting had said that the power to decide has been given to the General Secretary of the Party. He hailed the decision of the Governor on the issue of majority and said that there will be unexpected decisions in the prevailing political uncertainty. He also informed the media that their leader felt sad about Stalin’s loss in this election. JOY, AKASHVANI NEWS, CHENNAI.”
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President of Vietnam To Lam has emphasised that India and Vietnam together have a significant opportunity to play a pivotal role in the global supply chain in today’s changing world order. Addressing the India-Vietnam Business Forum in Mumbai, Mr Lam highlighted that the current global scenario is indeed a challenge but also an opportunity to elevate cooperation between India and Vietnam to a new level.
Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals from the technology and manufacturing sectors in countries like India and Vietnam will shape the future of Asia.
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After concluding his visit to India, the Vietnamese President arrived in Sri Lanka last night on a two-day state visit aimed at deepening bilateral ties and boosting trade and investment cooperation. The visit, undertaken at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, coincides with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and marks the first visit by a Vietnamese President to Sri Lanka in 15 years.
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal chaired a meeting with the Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture, Dr M J Khan. Sharing this information in a social media post, Mr Goyal said they discussed initiatives to further enhance the quality of life of our farmers, strengthen India’s position in the global agriculture landscape, deepen collaboration with the African region, and share India’s expertise in the sector. He added that they also deliberated on new pathways to enhance agricultural cooperation for long-term food security.
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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy in Abu Dhabi yesterday. In a social media post, External Affairs Ministry said that both sides reviewed the full spectrum of the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and identified areas for further cooperation. They also discussed the ongoing regional situation and global issues of mutual interest.
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The government has debunked a digitally altered video of External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, wherein he is seen stating that India lost four Rafale fighter jets during the conflict with Pakistan. In a social media post, the Fact Check Unit of Press Information Bureau clarified that the video is an AI-generated deepfake video and is being circulated by Pakistani propaganda accounts to spread misinformation.
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Akashvani organized a marathon in the national capital today to mark its 90th anniversary. The nearly 3.5-km marathon began from Akashvani Bhavan and passed through Krishi Bhavan, Rail Bhavan, and the RBI Building before concluding at Akashvani Bhawan. Employees of Akashvani, Doordarshan, and Prasar Bharati-along with their family members participated in the Marathon. Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi and Director General of Akashvani Rajeev Kumar Jain were present on the occasion. Akashvani was established in 1936 and continues to be one of the country’s most trusted broadcasting platforms.
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Police have arrested absconding accused Nida Khan from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in connection with an alleged forced religious conversion case linked to a TCS company employee in Nashik. A joint operation was carried out last evening by a Nashik Police team with the help of the Crime Branch in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. A case had earlier been registered against Nida Khan at Deolali Camp Police Station in Nashik for allegedly trying to force the religious conversion of a girl working in the TCS company. After the case was filed, she had gone absconding. Even after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected, police were unable to trace her for nearly a month.
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IndiGo airline has announced that it will begin commercial flight services from Noida International Airport in Jewar from 15th of June. With this, IndiGo is set to become the airport’s first launch carrier. IndiGo will gradually connect Noida International Airport with more than 16 cities across the country through direct flights. These include major metro cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad, along with important destinations such as Amritsar, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Jaipur, Lucknow, Navi Mumbai, Pantnagar and Srinagar. This will provide passengers with better travel options and faster connectivity.
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The Uttar Pradesh government has issued orders to operate all smart meters installed across the state in postpaid mode. Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma stated that all smart meters installed under the RDSS scheme are being converted to the postpaid system with immediate effect. Under this arrangement, consumers will receive bills after electricity consumption. The bill for electricity consumed in May 2026 will be issued in June 2026 under the postpaid system. The Energy Minister said that prioritizing the convenience of electricity consumers, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to discontinue the smart prepaid meter system.
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Saudi Arabia suspended US military access to its bases and airspace, forcing President Donald Trump to abruptly abandon his plan to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, two US officials have confirmed. The move marks a significant setback for Washington’s Gulf strategy, with a key regional ally effectively blocking the operation known as Project Freedom before it could gain traction. Mr Trump has shifted focus to diplomacy, describing recent talks with Iran as very good and saying a permanent deal is very possible.
“Iran is now reviewing a 14-point US proposal to end the war, with Tehran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi calling for dialogue and diplomacy. The proposed framework would pause hostilities and open a 30-day window of final negotiations, even though core issues including Iran’s nuclear programme would be left for later talks. Washington says it expects an Iranian response imminently.The diplomatic picture remains fluid as Iran has not publicly confirmed acceptance of any terms, and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has dismissed some media reports as fake. Vinod Kumar for Akashvani News from Dubai.”
While diplomacy advances, fighting across West Asia shows no sign of stopping. Israel bombed Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday in the first strike on the Lebanese capital since a US-brokered ceasefire nominally took effect on 17th of April. The Israeli military says its operations target Hezbollah infrastructure and fighters, and has reported more than 220 Hezbollah members killed since the ceasefire began. In Gaza, Israeli strikes have continued, with Hamas condemning the attacks as a continuation of what it calls Israel’s war of extermination.
Meanwhile, the US military has carried out strikes on Iranian military facilities after responding to attacks on navy ships. Washington said that it does not want the conflict to grow but is ready to defend its forces. Earlier, US claimed that Iran attacked three US Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, but American forces intercepted the attacks and no ships were damaged.
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In IPL Cricket, Lucknow Super Giants defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 9 runs using DLS method in a rain hit match at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow last night. Chasing 213 runs for victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru made 203 for 6 in 19 overs. Earlier, put into bat, Lucknow Super Giants scored 209 for 3 in 19 overs. Multiple rain interruptions reduced the match to a 19-over a side affair, setting Bengaluru a DLS target of 213. Mitchell Marsh scored dazzling 111 off 56 for Lucknow while Rajat Patidar contributed 61 off 31 for Bengaluru. Mitchell Marsh was adjudged player of the match.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- BJP preparing to assume office in Kolkata after its stunning victory in West Bengal finds prominent mention in most of the dailies. “Governor dissolves West Bengal Assembly” leads The Pioneer. “Amit Shah to meet Bengal MLAs today on choice of new Chief Minister”, says The Asian Age.
- “Bengal’s re-industrialisation roadmaps being chalked out”, informs The Statesman.
- “India urges Bangladesh to speed up verification of ‘illegal migrants’ “, reports Hindustan Times.
- In another story, Hindustan Times headlines, “Governor keeps Vijay waiting as Tamil Nadu deadlock deepens”.
- The Tribune in its editorial piece says, “Hungmandate let Tamil Nadu Assembly floor decide”. The paper writes that “Tamil Nadu’s unfolding post-election uncertainty has once again brought the constitutional role of the Governor under scrutiny. With Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam falling short of the halfway mark, the question before Raj Bhavan is politically explosive yet constitutionally settled: who should be invited to form the government? The Constitution does not automatically grant the single largest party the right to govern. The Governor is expected to determine which formation is most likely to command the confidence of the Assembly.”
- And finally, Financial Express citing Niti Aayog’s National Education Report released yesterday says that, “Indian school kids weakest in mathematics, higher reasoning”.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- BJP Central Observer for West Bengal Amit Shah to meet newly elected party MLAs in Kolkata to elect legislative leader today.
- Deadlock continues in Tamil Nadu over government formation as MLAs of VCK, CPI and CPI(M) to meet on lending support.
- President of Vietnam To Lam emphasises India-Vietnam role in global supply chain at Business Forum in Mumbai.
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal reviews initiatives to strengthen India’s position in global agriculture landscape.
- Saudi Arabia suspends US military access to its bases and airspace.
- In IPL Cricket, Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 9 runs using DLS method at Ekana Stadium.
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