Good morning, on May 18, 1974, India’s Pokhran-I nuclear test, dubbed Smiling Buddha, woke the world without an alarm. The test put India in the league of six nations with the daddy of all bombs, with the seventh, Israel, still not publicly acknowledging that it had birthday nukes. More about the bomb later, first the news menu of India Today.
Start the lazy Sunday with Shah’s Sindoor Sizzler
Amit Shah hails Operation Sindoor, asserting Pakistan is quaking since Modi’s rise, with every attack met by fierce retaliation, and this will be the new normal. Shah leads Ahmedabad’s Tiranga Yatra Sunday, launching the day with dollops of bravado and Indian swag.
Set your alarm to ISRO’s Spy Sat Launch
India Today follows ISRO’s surveillance satellite launch from Sriharikota at 5:59 AM IST, sharpening India’s eyes amid Indo-Pak tensions. Only early risers will catch this tech snack, crisp with a strategic edge.
Coffee: DGMO Truce Talks
India Today details India-Pakistan DGMO talks on Sunday to decide on a ceasefire extension, with both countries in the mood to take their feet off the aggro pedal. Sindoor is still hot, but all eyes are on the hotline.
American Pie: Trump Truce Outrage
Congress’ Jairam Ramesh and AIMIM’s Owaisi slam the Centre over Trump’s ceasefire claim. Jairam calls the multi-party delegation, about to sail across the world to assert India’s stand, “damage control.” Owaisi targets Trump’s India-Pak hyphenation. As they say, too many cooks spoil the truce. This dish is messy with fury and distrust.
Bengali Sondesh: Kolkata’s Rally Clash
India Today reports Bengal’s political fire as BJP’s Tiranga rally in Kolkata battles TMC’s second-day solidarity march for armed forces. Rally will be taken out in various blocks between 3 to 5 pm.
Who’s in a Soup? Haryana Spy Bust
India Today covers the arrest of travel blogger Jyoti Malhotra, aka “Travel with Jo,” for spying, the third Haryana arrest tied to a Pak network. She visited Pakistan twice in 2023. This one is hot with betrayal, simmering with intrigue.
Bitter Bite: AAP’s Delhi Collapse
India Today notes 15 AAP councillors quitting over internal feuds, forming Indraprastha Vikas Party under Mukesh Goel. More exits loom. This bite’s steeped in chaos. Something’s cooking in Kejriwal’s crew.
Biryani: Kishor’s Bihar Recipe
India Today covers Prashant Kishor’s Sunday signature campaign against Nitish Kumar, launched from Nitish’s village. This recipe is warm with ambition, but the test of a samosa is in the aloo, and Bihar’s opposition is still about sons and daughters of Laloo.
Urgent Snack: Military Procurement Surge
India Today reports the government granting emergency procurement powers to the military, fuelling arms buys post-Sindoor.
Vada Pav: Action in Maharashtra
India Today details Maharashtra’s NCP chief Sunil Tatkare addressing faction merger rumours at an 11 AM presser. Sangli’s all-party protest at 10 AM against Karnataka’s Almatti dam height hike.
Dinner: IPL’s KKR-RCB washout ends Kolkata’s dream. Sunday’s Rajasthan-Punjab and Delhi-Gujarat matches to decide who is exiting next.
Extra Popcorn: Missing the boom of BrahMos and the roar of Rafale? When war leaves the scene, enjoy it on the screen. Follow our Sunday Special review of one of India’s epic war films, Chetan Anand’s Haqeeqat. If reels are your thing, watch the video of a massive 20-foot King Cobra rescued from Odisha school after a 30-minute tussle.
Sunday Gyan: India had promised the world it will not conduct a nuclear test in the air, water or on the ground. On May 18, 1974, when it tested its nuke, India resorted to sleight of hand, rather geography. New Delhi exploded the monster around 100 metres underground in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert. Wonder why the world still went into a sulk!
Anyway, have a blast.
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