L A T E S T      N E W S

Normal flights at IGI airport today

New Delhi: After three days of dense fog, operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here remained largely normal today.

Though there was shallow fog in the morning, visibilty remained above 1500 metres and flight operations remained normal with departures and arrivals as per schedule, airport sources said.

Some flights were delayed and some cancelled but they were due to operational reasons, they said.

Flight operations were badly hit at the IGI Airport due to dense fog for past three days leading to delay in schedules of hundreds of aircraft.

The visbility at the airport remain above 2000 metres early in the morning, but it dropped between 1300 and 1500 metres around 7.30 AM.

However, the drop in visibility caused no distruption in flight operations. PTI

Dhoni blames loss on middle-order fall

Bangalore: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni feels the failure of middle-order batsmen to capitalise on the good start provided by openers led to the five-wicket loss against Pakistan in the first Twenty20 encounter here.

Dhoni said India loss of wickets at regular intervals, after being in a strong position at 75 without loss in 10 overs, hurt the team badly..

"The batsmen got out trying to play big shots. We could have easily scored 200 if we had applied ourselves," Dhoni complained.

On the umpire not giving a decision in India's favour when Ishant Sharma had got Shoaib Malik (57 not out) caught off a ball which climbed a tad above shoulder level, Dhoni said, "It was a fair decision but I am not sure if you are allowed to refer it (to the third umpire) or not." Asked about R Ashwin's omission from the playing eleven, Dhoni said, "Since we had three seamers we wanted to give Jadeja a go. At the same time we had other resources as well." Pakistan skipper Mohammed Hafeez said the team played according to a plan and targeted India's part-time spinners -- Yuvraj Singh and Ravindra Jadeja -- who are not world-class bowlers. PTI

Delhi gang-rape: TIP for another accused today

New Delhi: Akshay Thakur, one of the six accused in the infamous gang-rape of a 23-year-old paramedical student will undergo a Test Identification Parade (TIP) on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Mukesh, the brother of co-accused Ram Singh, who was allegedly driving the bus during the crime, was identified during a test identification parade (TIP).

Mukesh was remanded in 12 days judicial custody by a Delhi Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Kumar. He was then sent to Tihar Jail till January 6 following the court’s order.

Akshay Thakur, who had been arrested from Aurangabad district in Bihar, is presently in judicial custody and will undergo the TIP in Tihar jail today.

Besides Mukesh, other four arrested in the case are Ram Singh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Akshay Thakur. However, the proceedings relating to the sixth accused are being undertaken separately before the Juvenile Justice Board as he is a minor.