- Mamata Banerjee refuses to resign, calling herself a “free bird”; accuses the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Election Commission of stealing votes.
- Raghav Chadha meets President MurmuClaiming that he is the “next target” of defections from the AAP-led Punjab government.
- The US sank 6 Iranian ships, opening up the Strait of Hormuz, and the UAE attacked and injured 3 Indians.
- Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of “murdering democracy” after the party won West Bengal and Assam.
- 409 gold coins buried for centuries were found under a Russian home, and their owners are still a mystery.
Here are the top 5 stories of the day
‘I am a free bird now’: Mamata Banerjee refuses to resign, accuses conspiracy
Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ruled out resigning, claiming her party lost the election not because of a public mandate but because of conspiracy, and accused the BJP and the Election Commission of “looting votes and stealing seats”.She said she was now a “free bird” without a chair and would strengthen the Indian alliance, adding that opposition leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal had expressed solidarity with her. Follow live updates.
‘I am their next target’: Raghav Chadha accuses AAP-led Punjab government of ‘vendetta politics’, meets President Murmu
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who recently quit AAP and joined the BJP, met President Droupadi Murmu and claimed that he is the “next target” of the vendetta politics of the AAP-led Punjab government. Chadha claimed he was being targeted for defecting and urged the president to intervene. Read the full article.
US tries to force open Strait of Hormuz as UAE comes under attack in testing Iran truce
The U.S. military said it opened fire on Iranian forces on Monday as it reopened the Strait of Hormuz, sinking six small boats targeting civilian vessels. The United Arab Emirates said it was under attack from Iran for the first time since a fragile ceasefire came into effect in early April. The UAE Defense Ministry said its air defense systems hit 15 missiles and four drones launched by Iran. Authorities in Fujairah said a drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, injuring three Indian nationals. Follow live updates.
Arvind Kejriwal accuses BJP of ‘murdering democracy’ after WB, Assam wins, says ‘impending action across the country’
Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of “hijacking and murdering democracy” after its decisive electoral performance in West Bengal and Assam. Kejriwal, while addressing AAP MLAs in Punjab, alleged that the BJP resorted to tactics like deleting voters to weaken political opponents. Follow live updates.
Buried for a hundred years: 409 gold coins were found under a Russian house, and their owners are still a mystery
In an extraordinary discovery, 409 gold coins that had been buried under a house in Russia for more than a century were found. The coins, believed to have been hidden for more than 100 years, were unearthed during excavations or renovations at the property. However, despite the significant discovery, the identity of the original owner remains unknown. Authorities are currently investigating the origins and historical significance of the hoard, while experts are examining the coins to determine their minting period and possible value. Read the full article.