Afternoon briefing: Revanth Reddy doubts Balakot airstrikes; Pak leader praises Kejriwal's bail, and more

Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy on Friday questioned the authenticity of the Balakot airstrikes, becoming the latest leader from the Congress party and the larger opposition, to doubt the February 2019 action on Pakistan's soil by the Indian Air Force (IAF). “Nobody knows for sure if the airstrike, as was claimed, took place. If the responsibility of ensuring the country's internal security was with us (Congress), we wouldn't have left it in anyone's hands,' Reddy said at a press meet. The Congress leader accused Prime Minister Modi and the BJP of trying to reap “political benefits” from the Pulwama attack and the retaliatory strikes by the IAF. Dig deeper

Ex-Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry, who has been frequently commenting on the Lok Sabha elections in India, on Friday reacted to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's release from Tihar jail. After Kejriwal walked out of jail following the Supreme Court's interim bail, Chaudhary said Prime Minister Narendra Modi lost another battle. The Pakistan leader further lamented the rule of law situation in the Islamic nation saying that the civil society, bar associations, media organisations, and human rights organisations have completely sat down. "As a result of the historic stand of the judges of Islamabad, the judiciary has stood up, the problem is civil society, bar associations, media organizations, human rights organizations have completely sat down. The future of the Rule of Law is at stake," he said in another X post. Dig deeper

The Latest News

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India News

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Global Matters

Kim Jong Un supervises test firing of a multiple rocket launcher in North Korea Dig deeper

Elon Musk's nightmare continues as almost 800 protesters rally against Tesla Gigafactory expansion in Germany Dig deeper

Sports Goings

In a thrilling encounter on Friday, Ireland pulled off a stunning victory over Pakistan by five wickets in their first T20I in Dublin. This remarkable win marked Ireland's first T20 triumph over Pakistan; the victory has set the stage for an exciting showdown just a month ahead, with their meeting scheduled at the T20 World Cup, too. Facing a formidable target of 183, Ireland showcased a brilliant batting display as they chased down Pakistan's total with a ball to spare. Opener Andy Balbirnie led the charge with a commanding 77 off 55 balls, laying a solid foundation for Ireland's pursuit of victory. Supported by Harry Tector's gritty 36, Balbirnie steered Ireland past the 100-run mark with ease. Dig deeper

Entertainment Focus

Srikanth box office collection day 1: The film, directed by Tushar Hiranandani, had a decent performance at the domestic box office. As per Sacnilk.com, Srikanth earned over ₹2 crore in India on the first day of its release. It hit the theatres on May 10. According to the report, the film earned ₹2.25 crore net in India on its first day, as per early estimates. Srikanth had an overall 12.14% Hindi Occupancy on Friday. Dig deeper

Lifestyle and Health

Kriti Sanon's sartorial choices always succeed in getting a thumbs up from fans who ardently follow her style journey. Whether on the red carpet or editorial shoots, Kriti manages to serve stunning looks with her steal-worthy outfits. Recently, she draped herself in a raw silk green saree embroidered in gold foil embroidery, sequin work and intricate thread designs. Dig deeper

What's trending?

Contractors curious about an extension cord on the roof of a Michigan grocery store made a startling discovery: A 34-year-old woman was living inside the business sign, with enough space for a computer, printer and coffee maker, police said.“She was homeless,” Officer Brennon Warren of the Midland Police Department said Thursday. “It's a story that makes you scratch your head, just somebody living up in a sign.” Dig deeper

That’s all we have at this hour in our afternoon briefing. Catch you in the evening.