NEWS

New Delhi: Normal life was disrupted especiallytransportation and other services in several parts of New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some other areas of north India after they were hit by massive dust storms followed by rain on Friday evening.

Discom BSES Delhi warned of the possibility of disruptions in some areas of the national capital due to the unexpected weather phenomenon. “On account of the storm/strong winds, there may be disruptions in power supply in some areas. BSES teams are on high-alert and are trying to restore the disruptions in affected areas. The restoration may take longer than usual as safety is of paramount importance,” it tweeted.

New Delhi: The government on Thursday said that no initial bids were received for the proposed stake sale and various options would be explored for the future of the debt-laden national carrier. This was a major setback to the Air India disinvestment process.

The deadline for submission of Expression of Interest (EoI) ended today with not a single bidder evincing interest in the airline, nearly one year after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government gave its nod for the stake sale.

In nearly two decades, this is the second time that Air India stake sale has not taken off. Back in 2001, during the then NDA government, the disinvestment process was scrapped. "As informed by the transaction adviser, no response has been received for the Expression of Interest floated for the strategic disinvestment of Air India," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a tweet.

New Delhi: Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said there was no forensic analysis in 13,000 rape cases every year as the country's laboratories lacked the capacity. "We have found that the weakest part of crime detection is forensic, she said while announcing a plan to strengthen the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) here.

Her ministry and the Home Ministry are starting with the CFSL in Chandigarh on improvement of labs across the country, she said. Money from the Nirbhaya Fund, named after a Delhi rape victim, has been granted for increasing its capacity. I was shocked to learn that the premier forensic laboratory carries out analysis of less than 160 cases a year, she said.

nation trip – Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore -- in Southeast Asia over a period of five days from May 29 to June 2. This will be Modi's third visit to the city-state after his two visits in 2015 and this trip is taking place at the invitation of Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Modi and Lee will attend a business programme on innovation and entrepreneurship at the Marina Sands Bay Convention Centre later on Thursday, according to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).