NEW DELHI: BJP MP Sambit Patra on Saturday tore into the Congress after its leader and former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi questioned the authenticity of India’s surgical strikes in 2019. Branding the Congress Working Committee (CWC) as the “Pakistan Working Committee,” Patra accused the opposition party of echoing enemy lines and undermining national security just days after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
“From the outside, they are the Congress Working Committee (CWC), but from the inside, they are PWC (Pakistan Working Committee),” Patra said at a press conference.
He accused the opposition party of orchestrating a deliberate attempt to cast doubts on India’s military actions in response to the 2019 Pulwama attack. “CWC meeting was held yesterday, and some proposals were passed. Hathi ke daant dikhane ke aur, khane ke aur (a wolf in sheep’s clothing). Right after that, a press conference was held, and former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi said that the surgical strike had never been conducted after the Pulwama terrorist attack,” Patra said.
The controversy erupted on Friday when Channi, now a Congress MP, said he had “never seen” where the strike happened, demanding proof of the operation.
“To date, I could not find where the (surgical) strike took place, where men were killed at that time, and where this happened in Pakistan. Will we not find out if a bomb is dropped in our country? They say that they did a surgical strike in Pakistan. Nothing had happened. Nowhere was a surgical strike seen. Nobody came to know… I have always demanded (proof),” Channi said at a press conference.
Patra accused the Congress of repeatedly weakening the nation’s position. “This is a planned vision of Congress, where, on the one hand, Kharge will say something about the resolution, and on the other hand, Channi will hold a parallel conference and doubt the surgical strikes. Congress does not leave any opportunity to provide oxygen to the Pakistani terrorists and the Pakistani Army,” he said.
Scaling up his allegations, Patra also cited remarks made by Assam chief minister and party colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma, claiming that Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi had stayed in Islamabad for 15 days.
“In an interview recently, I heard Himanta Biswa Sarma say that a senior leader of the Congress party crossed the Attari border and stayed in Pakistan for 15 days. He did not take a flight to protect himself from getting caught and crossed from the Attari border. He stayed in Islamabad for 15 days, and Himanta Biswa Sarma also said that his children are also not residents of India,” Patra alleged.
The BJP has condemned Channi’s comments as an insult to the armed forces, accusing the Congress of playing politics over national security and giving a platform to narratives that align with Pakistan’s interests.

Just days after joking that he’d love to become the next Pope, US president Donald Trump doubled down on the gag by posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed head to toe in papal robes.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump had quipped, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice,” before name-dropping Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as another contender, adding, “We’ll see what happens.”
Then on Saturday, he took the joke further, posting the AI image on Truth Social showing himself in white vestments, a mitre and ornate cross.

The post quickly went viral, sparking laughter, outrage and no small amount of confusion online.

Trump attended Pope Francis’s funeral last week, marking his first foreign trip since returning to power. Around 20% of Americans are Catholic, and most voted for Trump in November. Pope Francis was a vocal critic, once saying Trump’s border wall plan showed he was “not a Christian,” favoring division over unity.
“Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian,” Francis had said.
The Catholic Church is currently preparing for a conclave set to begin on May 7, following the death of Pope Francis earlier this month. The College of Cardinals will convene in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new leader for the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide

Who are the contenders to succeed Pope Francis?

As the Catholic Church approaches the upcoming conclave, several cardinals are considered potential successors to Pope Francis. These individuals, known as papabile, are recognized for their theological acumen, leadership qualities, and alignment with the Church’s direction.

The US government on Thursday asked a federal judge to transfer Indian national Badar Khan Suri’s deportation case from Virginia to Texas, where he is currently being held on charges of “spreading Hamas propaganda.”
At the hearing, US District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles expressed doubt about the government’s petition, which would require her to dismiss the Virginia case, the Associated Press reported.
She emphasised that dismissal would invalidate her March directive to keep Badar Khan Suri within the US during his First Amendment proceedings.
Justice Department attorney David Byerley indicated he would consult with US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement regarding the judge’s concerns. He expressed confidence that ICE would respect her deportation stay order whilst the case transfers to Texas federal court.
“OK,” the judge responded. “I’m not going to rely on that. But thank you,” she added.
In a court filing ahead of the hearing, US attorneys argued that Badar Khan Suri’s lawsuit should have been filed in Texas, not Virginia, since he was already moved out of the state. They called the transfer a “straightforward” legal matter.
The Trump administration said it relocated Khan Suri from a detention center in Farmville, Virginia, to Louisiana and then Texas due to overcrowding.
However, the judge Giles appeared doubtful about that explanation. She asked the government to provide specific data on how many beds were available in Farmville at the time of Suri’s arrest and how many detainees have actually been transferred for overcrowding.
Khan Suri’s attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union told the judge that he initially slept on the floor in an overcrowded Texas facility for several weeks, though he now occupies an individual cell.
His legal representatives suggested the transfer to Texas aimed to secure a more conservative judicial hearing. Attorney Vishal Agraharkar accused the government of engaging in “forum shopping.”
The federal courts in Texas and western Louisiana feature predominantly Republican-appointed judges, unlike Alexandria, Virginia’s US District Court.
Appeals proceed to the conservative-leaning 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals. The 5th Circuit, one of 13 federal appellate courts nationwide, comprises 17 full-time judges. Twelve received appointments from Republican presidents, including six during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Outside the Alexandria courthouse on Thursday, Hassan Ahmad, another lawyer representing Khan Suri, reinforced Agraharkar’s courtroom statements. “There is a reason why the detention facilities exist there,” Ahmad said, further noting that, “This kind of rigged game has to stop,” he said.
His legal team said that his arrest and imprisonment were unconstitutional, stemming from his wife’s Gaza connections. They assert that Khan Suri and his spouse, Mapheze Saleh, faced targeting because Saleh’s father worked with Gaza’s Hamas-supported administration before the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Badar Khan Suri, an Indian citizen, came to the US in 2022 on a J-1 visa and works at Georgetown University as a visiting scholar and postdoctoral fellow.
He and his wife Saleh have three children—a 9-year-old son and 5-year-old twins. Suri, who holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi.
Khan Suri filed the lawsuit soon after masked, plainclothes agents arrested him on March 17 outside his apartment complex in Arlington, Virginia.
He is currently a fellow at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.

Ajay Devgn’s gripping new crime drama, ‘Raid 2’, has made a solid impression at the box office. Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, the film is the much-awaited sequel to the 2018 hit ‘Raid’. Within just two days of release, ‘Raid 2’ has collected over Rs. 30 crore in India, even though it saw a drop in earnings on the second day.
Raid 2 Movie Review
‘Raid 2’ hit cinemas on Thursday and saw a thunderous opening, earning Rs. 19.25 crore as reported by Sacnilk. The partial holiday on the release day helped boost numbers, along with the strong fan base of the original film.
‘Raid 2’ Box Office Collection Day 2
On Friday, the film earned an estimated Rs. 11.50 crore, bringing the total collection to Rs. 30.75 crore in India after two days. To maintain this success and cross the Rs. 50 crore mark by the end of the weekend, the film will need to keep up this pace over Saturday and Sunday.

Audience Turnout Shows Promise
According to Sacnilk.com, the film’s Hindi occupancy on Day 2 stood at 19.23% overall. Morning shows began slow at 7.13%, but interest picked up in the afternoon with 16.08% occupancy. Evening shows saw 17.99%, and night shows witnessed the biggest jump with 35.70% occupancy. This pattern suggests that while the film dipped slightly after the first-day hype, audiences are still showing strong interest during prime-time hours.

Trade Experts Praise the Performance
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh was quick to share his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “‘RAID 2’ OPENS BIGGER THAN ‘SHAITAAN’, ‘DRISHYAM 2’, ‘TANHAJI’… #Raid2 takes a thunderous start on its opening day, aided by the partial holiday… Besides the holiday factor, the franchise power also played a key role in attracting footfalls. #Raid2 has opened better than three major #AjayDevgn releases #Shaitaan [Rs. 15.21 cr; #MahaShivratri] #Drishyam2 [Rs. 15.38 cr] #Tanhaji [Rs. 15.10 cr]”
He further added, “That’s not all – #Raid, the first installment [released in 2018], had collected Rs. 10.04 cr on Day 1… #Raid2 has registered a remarkable 96.31% growth over its first part, which is truly phenomenal. All eyes are now on Friday [Day 2], a regular working day… Typically, a dip is expected post-holiday… Let’s see how #Raid2 holds up. #Raid2 [Week 1] Thu Rs. 19.71 cr. #India biz | Nett BOC | #Boxoffice”

Ajay Devgn Is Back As Amay Patnaik
‘Raid 2’ sees Ajay Devgn return as the fearless IRS officer Amay Patnaik, known for his bold attitude and strong morals. This time, the story follows Amay as he takes on a powerful and corrupt politician, played by Riteish Deshmukh. Vaani Kapoor joins the cast as Amay’s wife, replacing Ileana D’Cruz from the first film.

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Friday witnessed a sharp exchange of words between a bench headed by Justice Abhay S Oka and senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani after the lawyer alleged that Chhattisgarh govt’s plea against former IAS officer Anil Tuteja was not being heard because of adjournments. The bench passed an order asking him to move the CJI for transfer of the case to another bench and reminded him that the govt itself had sought deferment of hearing on a few occasions.
At the outset of hearing, Jethmalani told the bench that the state wanted custodial interrogation and pressed for an early hearing. The court, however, said the main case was still pending and hearing on vacation of interim order could be heard with it as the accused had already been directed to cooperate with the probe. Senior advocates Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Meenakshi Arora also briefed the court that the accused were appearing on every date.
Jethmalani thereafter questioned the court’s jurisdiction in granting interim relief and said “this is not the province of the court”. Not accepting his submission, the bench said the court was not “powerless” to grant relief. “If you are making grievances against the bench, then you can go before the Chief Justice. This is not the way to behave,” the bench said.
Countering Jethmalani’s submission that the accused had sought adjournments, Sankaranarayanan challenged him to spell out the dates when hearing was deferred due to the accused and told the bench that the state itself had taken adjournment three times in the case.
Jethmalani clarified that he was not making any allegation against the bench. “Your lordships are misunderstanding what I said. I did not say anything about the bench. I pointed out the conduct of the parties,” he added.
The court, however, went on to pass an order allowing the state to ask the CJI to transfer the case to another bench. “If we start adopting this approach – which advocate has taken adjournment how many times – it will be impossible for us to function,” the bench told Jethmalani.
A bench headed by Justice Oka had on April 15 granted Tuteja bail in a money laundering case arising out of the Chhattisgarh liquor scam, noting that Tuteja had been in custody for over a year and charges had not been framed against him and more than 30 prosecution witnesses were to be examined in the case.
Based on allegations of ED‘s “high handedness” and “inhuman conduct” in interrogating a person for almost 15 hours which went beyond midnight, SC had in Jan pulled up the agency and expressed concern over its approach in conducting probe.
ED denied the charge and accused Tuteja of influencing witnesses with the help of Chhattisgarh Police and the ex-advocate general under the previous Congress govt. It also produced documents in support of its charge in a sealed envelope, which is said to have led to the transfer of an important judicial officer outside the state.

New Delhi experienced its second-highest single-day rainfall in May since 1901, with 77 mm recorded at Safdarjung between 2:30 am and 8:30 am on Friday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The record remains 119.3 mm on May 20, 2021. The torrential downpour, driven by converging moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, resulted in widespread disruptions, including four deaths in Najafgarh, traffic chaos, and major flight delays.
“Moisture and wind convergence over the region – fed by both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal – along with persistently favourable synoptic conditions in the lower and middle tropospheric levels, triggered the heavy rain,” the IMD said.
The rainfall was accompanied by strong southeasterly winds and storm conditions that peaked at 80 kmph at Safdarjung. Other weather stations in the city also saw high wind speeds: Pragati Maidan recorded 78 kmph, and Palam 74 kmph.
Temperatures across Delhi plummeted sharply following the storm. “At Lodhi Road, the temperature dropped from 28.2°C at 5:15 am to 20.7°C at 5:30 am. Similarly, at Jaffarpur, it fell from 28.4°C to 19°C,” said IMD scientist R.K. Jenamani. The city had seen only 10.2 mm rainfall since January 1, making Friday’s weather an extreme event. The monthly average for May stands at just 30.7 mm.
Rainfall totals from other parts of Delhi included 78 mm at Lodhi Road, 71.5 mm each at Pragati Maidan and Pitampura, and 67.5 mm at Jaffarpur.
The severe weather turned fatal in Najafgarh’s Kharkhari village, where four members of a family — Jyoti and her three children — died after a tree collapsed on a tubewell structure during the storm. Despite rescue efforts, all four were declared dead at Rao Tula Ram Memorial Hospital. The chief minister’s Office announced Rs 25 lakh in ex-gratia relief to the family. “The relief would be given to victim’s family head Ajay,” it said in a post on X.
Over 100 flights were delayed and at least 40 diverted as a result of the storm, while traffic in several parts of Delhi was disrupted due to waterlogging. Affected areas included Dwarka, Khanpur, South Extension, Minto Road, and Lajpat Nagar.
In South Delhi, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road near Tughlaqabad and Sangam Vihar’s Neem Chowk Road were submerged, adding to traffic snarls. Waterlogging at ITO, one of Delhi’s busiest intersections, led to major traffic congestion.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited Majnu ka Tilla to inspect the situation and expressed dissatisfaction with the response. “Things won’t work like this,” she told officials, urging immediate action to address waterlogged spots. PWD Minister Parvesh Verma also visited Minto Bridge to assess the conditions.
According to Skymet Weather’s Mahesh Palawat, the rainstorm was a result of pre-monsoon thundercloud formation triggered by recent high temperatures above 40°C and rising moisture levels. “These phenomena generally occur during the early morning or late evening hours,” he said. Similar weather is expected to continue for about a week, with no heatwave forecast and maximum temperatures likely to stay below 40°C.