India is set to dispatch the fourth ‘battery’ of the land-based version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines on Tuesday amidst escalating tensions arising from Chinese assertions in the South China Sea. Three 'batteries' of BrahMos missiles have already been delivered to the island nation, with a fourth en route to Manila as part of the USD 375 million deal sealed by the two allies in 2022. Each battery consists of four launchers equipped with three 290 km range missiles, with each launcher mounted on a mobile platform to enhance the survivability of the conventional deterrent. Due to its supersonic speed, the missile poses a significant challenge to interception by land or ship-based Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) systems. Dig deeper
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that although Delhi is not anticipated to face a heatwave, temperatures in the capital are expected to rise to around 40 degrees Celsius soon. Additionally, the IMD has predicted a significant uptick in Delhi's temperature over the next three days. The local weather department in Delhi mentioned that while western disturbances are approaching the country's northwestern regions, they are unlikely to have much impact on the national capital. Despite the absence of heatwave conditions in Delhi this week, meteorological agencies have forecasted clear skies with no rainfall expected on Tuesday. In 2023, the highest maximum temperature recorded in Delhi was 40.6 degrees Celsius on April 14, whereas in 2022, it reached 43.5 degrees Celsius. Dig deeper
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More news | High temperatures in Bengaluru likely to continue for another week: Report
Task force to review heatwave impact during Lok Sabha polls: Election Commission
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Trending
An Indian-origin comedian is facing criticism online after reportedly requesting a woman accompanied by her baby to leave his show in Melbourne, Australia, last week. Allegations suggest that the woman was asked to depart because she was breastfeeding while seated in the audience. Arjan Barker, who goes by the name Arj Barker, clarified that he did not request her departure due to breastfeeding but rather because of “audio disruption” during his performance. "For the record, I support public breastfeeding, as it's completely natural," stated the 49-year-old in a statement posted on Instagram on Monday. Dig deeper
Global Matters
Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) which is in a formal understanding with the ruling Liberal Party of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, will seek “official recognition” of the ‘1984 Sikh genocide’ in the country’s parliament. In a campaign launched by the NDP, it stated, “On the 40-year-anniversary, (party leader) Jagmeet Singh and the NDP will seek official recognition of the 1984 Sikh Genocide in Canadian Parliament.” The issue was also addressed by Singh while speaking at the Vaisakhi parade in Surrey, British Columbia, on Saturday, as he said, “40th anniversary of Sikh genocide falls in this year. On this occasion, Sikh genocide should be recognised at the Federal level.” Dig deeper
Entertainment Focus
Taylor Swift has opened up on the idea behind her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, and some of its tracks, including Fortnight, Clara Bow, and Florida!!! In her commentary on Amazon Music, Taylor said that the origin of her album was in the thought that society loves to watch artists “in pain.” “What do we do to our writers, and our artists, and our creatives? We put them through hell. We watch what they create, then we judge it. We love to watch artists in pain, often to the point where I think sometimes as a society we provoke that pain and we just watch what happens,” said Taylor. Taylor said the track Who's Afraid of Little Old Me is the most reflective of the above idea. She wrote the tune “alone, sitting at the piano in one of those moments when I felt bitter about just all the things we do to our artists as a society and as a culture.” Dig deeper
Lifestyle and Health
Alia Bhatt is known for her openness about mental health issues and doesn't hesitate to engage in discussions about them. She frequently uses social media platforms to address topics like anxiety and therapy, encouraging her followers to do the same. In a 2023 interview with Vogue India, shortly after the birth of her and Ranbir Kapoor's daughter, Raha, Alia candidly shared her experiences of motherhood and the pressures of societal expectations placed on new mothers. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing her mental well-being since Raha's arrival in November 2022, highlighting her commitment to therapy sessions where she can freely express her concerns. Dig deeper
Sports Goings
Captains, coaches and, occasionally, selection panel heads sometimes speak of a ‘happy headache’. Happy or not, a headache is still a headache, right? ‘Happy headache’ in cricketing parlance translates to being put in a position when one is left wondering who to leave out rather than who to pick. It signifies the presence of multiple options for every position, a far better space to be in than scrambling to figure out whom to select from a sea of ordinariness. India’s think-tank finds itself burdened precisely with that currently – a ‘happy headache’. Yashasvi Jaiswal added to its pleasurable discomfiture on Monday evening with what could well be a breakout innings in IPL 2024. Before Rajasthan Royals’ clash against five-time champions Mumbai Indians, the left-handed opener had made a meagre 121 runs in seven innings; his class, quality, hunger and pedigree weren’t in question, but where were the runs? Dig deeper
That’s all we have at this hour in our Afternoon briefing. Catch you in the evening.
News / India News / Afternoon briefing: India to send 4th BrahMos missile battery to Philippines; Delhi's temp to soon cross 40°C, and more
