How Valentine’s Day came to be celebrated

By

-

February 8, 2019

Valentine’s Day is an international festival that celebrates the feeling of love — Love between lovers (man and his woman) may be the most celebrated kind. However, love of all kind is beautiful and thus, needs to be celebrated. Valentine’s Day is celebrated to pay a tribute to Saint Valentine who gave his life for the cause of love. Valentine’s Day stands for love. So, on this Valentine’s Day, if you do not have a girlfriend or a boyfriend, do not start to feel sad. Instead, search out your life and find people who truly loved, in any form and in any way, and say thank you to them for being there with you when you needed them.

Though the festival commemorates the martyrdom of a Christian saint called St. Valentine, the festival as it is celebrated today has very little religious significance. In present times, Valentine’s Day has assumed a secular and global flavour and is celebrated by people of all castes and communities. Another noticeable factor in the Valentine’s Day celebration is that the festival celebrates love in all its forms and is not just restricted to romantic love. People, therefore, exchange Valentine’s Day greetings with their parents, teachers, siblings, friends, sweethearts or anyone very special or close to them. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be an occasion to display love, affection, and care for our families, friends and romantic partners. But today, it does not seem that way anymore, for families and friends are mostly wiped off the list, leaving only the partner in it. Valentine’s Day is a day to be happy and to spend it with the people you love and care.

I always wonder whether this is the only day we can show affection for the people we love? Do we have to be in the mood to love our loved ones? Or, celebrating Valentine’s Day is just following the trend because nearly every other couple in the world keeps celebrating it? What I mean is that everyone runs around on this occasion frothing, proclaiming their love and pledging their eternal allegiance to their loved ones. If someone truly cared about you, shouldn’t the feelings of ‘I love you’ be made known to each other more often? It’s certainly not necessary to present each other with a heart-shaped cardboard box filled with delicious chocolates or a bouquet of red and yellow roses that cost an exorbitant sum. Sometimes I think that this is surpassingly done to cover up all wrongdoings and faults in the relationship, leaving the giver free from all the sins he/she had committed within the last year. Love, flowers, presents, dinner, romantic dates and parties! These positive words we could think of only when we think about Valentine’s Day. But has anyone thought about bankruptcy and arguments before? Valentine’s Day, as I’ve said before, is a day of love and romance. Lovers across the world buy roses for their sweethearts. Marriage ceremonies are popular and roses are a pricey gift on Valentine’s Day because of St. Valentine’s life and death.

The cause of Valentine’s Day started with a priest named Valentine who lived in Rome during the third century A.D. At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius II. Valentine did not like the emperor as he wanted to have a big army and expected men to join it. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families behind. Hence, not many men signed up. This made the emperor furious which led him to a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. Emperor Claudius then decided not to allow any more marriages to take place in the country. Young people thought his new law was cruel and preposterous. Being a priest, his (Valentine’s) job was to marry young couples. Even after Emperor Claudius II passed his law, Valentine kept on performing marriage ceremonies secretly. He would lead the couples into a small candlelit room. They would then whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the footsteps of soldiers who would arrive any moment and arrest them. Valentine’s time was over when he was caught one day. He was thrown into prison and told that his punishment would be death.

Consequently, many young people came to the jail to visit this priest. They threw flowers and notes up to his window. History says the men and women wanted Valentine to know that they too believed in love. One young woman who visited him was the daughter of the prison guard. She helped Valentine to keep his spirits up. She agreed that Valentine did the right thing by ignoring the emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. One day, he left his female friend a note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. Valentine signed it as “Love from your Valentine”. This is how Valentine’s Day came to be celebrated.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Tamil Nadu to tap technology to improve fiscal management: Deputy CM

By

Web Team

-

February 8, 2019

The Tamil Nadu government will tap technology and switch over to an integrated financial system to help improve the state’s fiscal management, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said on Friday.

The Integrated Financial and Human Resources Management System (IFHRMS), a first of its kind in the country, ensures digitisation of the treasury system, seamlessly integrating it with human resource and budget management, Panneerselvam, who holds the Finance portfolio, said while presenting the budget for the year 2019-20.

“The government recognises the importance of an efficient tax administration to improve resource mobilisation. I am glad to state that Tamil Nadu is undertaking major e-governance initiatives aimed at improving fiscal management,” he said.

He further adde that the initiative was formally rolled out by Chief Minister K Palaniswami last month, adding the entire state would fully migrate to IFHRMS by April. With the implementation of the system, the state would be able to narrow down the revenue deficit in future.

SC orders Tejashwi to vacate govt bungalow for Deputy CM

By

Web Team

-

February 8, 2019

(BIHAR, FEATURE)

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav’s plea, challenging a Patna High Court order asking him to vacate the government bungalow meant for the deputy chief minister, and ordered him to shift to an accommodation for the leader of the opposition.

The apex court imposed a fine of Rs 50, 000 on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader for pursuing a litigation up to the top court even after two benches of the high court dismissed his plea. “What is this luxury of litigation? Precious judicial time has been wasted,” a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said.

Yadav, who is currently leader of the opposition (LoP) in the state assembly, filed an appeal against the Patna High Court judgement turning down his petition challenging the Bihar government order to vacate his bungalow to make way for Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

On January 7, a division bench of the high court rejected the RJD leader’s appeal challenging a single judge order on October 6, 2018 turning down his petition against the state government’s direction.

“The petitioner has been allotted a bungalow, matching his status as a minister in the government, at 1, Polo Road, Patna. He cannot raise complaint on the decision so taken, simply because the present bungalow is more suited to him,” the single-judge order stated.

Yadav occupies the 5, Desh Ratna Marg bungalow, a stone’s throw from the Raj Bhavan and the chief minister’s official residence. It was allotted to Yadav in 2015 when he was appointed deputy chief minister of the then ‘Grand Alliance’ government headed by Nitish Kumar.

“We find that this squabble over the allotment of a bungalow should not have been made a cause of dispute, as if it was a division of some private property. The rights which are being agitated upon are not such rights so as to place them on the pedestal of legally enforceable, indefeasible rights,” the high court had remarked.

The RJD lost power in the state and Kumar now heads a NDA government. The Nitish Kumar government had asked Yadav to swap residences with Modi.

Media report on Rafale deal is ‘flogging a dead horse’: Sitharaman

By

Web Team

-

February 8, 2019

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday dismissed the media report on the Rafale jet deal as “flogging a dead horse” and accused the opposition of playing into the hands of multinational companies and vested interests. Sitharaman’s suo motu statement came in Lok Sabha in the wake of protests by Congress and other opposition over the report which claimed that the Defence Ministry had protested to the PMO the mechanism being adopted for the Rafale deal.

“They are flogging a dead horse. Periodical enquiries by the PMO cannot be construed as interference,” the minister said during the Zero Hour. The Defence Minister charged the opposition with playing into the hands of multinational companies and vested interests and not working in the interests of the Indian Air Force.

Referring to the report, which claimed that the then Defence Secretary had objected to the PMO allegedly conducting price negotiations with the French company, Sitharaman said that the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had replied to the letter asking the official to remain calm as everything was alright.

Sitharaman also alleged that the then Chairperson of the National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi used to run the PMO regularly during the UPA regime. Was that not interference?

PM is guilty, PMO directly involved in Rafale deal: Rahul Gandhi

By

Web Team

-

February 8, 2019

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was directly involved in conducting negotiations with the French side on the Rafale deal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “guilty” in the scam.

It is an open and shut case, Gandhi said, mounting a fresh attack on the government on the fighter jet deal following a media report.

The government can use the law against everyone, including his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and former Union Finance minister P Chidambaram, but must answer questions on the Rafale deal, the Congress chief said.

He was responding to a question on the Enforcement Directorate interrogating his brother-in-law Robert Vadra in a money laundering case and the government’s sanction to prosecute former finance Minister P Chidambaram in the INX MEDIA case.

People should be wary of ‘mahamilavat’: Modi on Oppn alliance

By

Web Team

-

February 8, 2019

Taking potshots at the attempts to cobble up a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) against the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asked people to guard against the ‘mahamilavat’ (highly adulterated) regime if his party wasnt voted back.

In his maiden public rally after BJP lost power in the state last year, Modi said that the top Congress leaders were embroiled in legal tangles.

“Most members of the (Gandhi) family are either out on bail or have obtained anticipatory bail. I have come amidst you to get a new mandate for a new India. Voters have to be on guard against the mahamilavat,” the Prime Minister said, during the rally at Kodatarai in Raigarh district.

India’s poverty has started to decline due to efforts of the BJP-led government. By opting out of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Congress government in Chhattisgarh has deprived poor of healthcare, Modi said.

Something is grossly wrong with our friendly neighbour — Part II

By

Web Team

-

February 8, 2019

Ever since BJP came to power through a landslide victory, it has been actively imposed a ban on cow slaughter throughout the country. Even in 2014, BJP leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh had clearly tried to exert influence over Bangladesh in forcing the Muslims from slaughter and consumption of cows. Anyway, this initiative of the Indian government has already worked as blessings to Bangladesh as the country has witnessed tremendous growth in its domestic dairy industry thus attaining self-sufficiency. Earlier, almost 70 per cent of cows had to be brought into Bangladesh from India, mostly through illegal channels.

An unknown number of Muslims in India have already been murdered by radical Hindus for the “crime” of consuming beef.

Notoriety named ‘Ghar Wapsi’:

Almost immediately after BJP came into power, its parent organisation RSS had begun the notoriety of forceful conversion of non-Hindus, mostly Christians and Muslims into Hinduism, under a program called ‘Ghar Wapsi’ (Return to Home). This particular project of RSS was never interrupted or stopped by the government. Instead, there had either been indirect patronisation from the BJP bigwigs, or flat denial of any such programs implemented by RSS and or those radical Hindu supporters of RSS-BJP nexus.

Anatomy of Narendra Modi’s tenure:

In 2014, Narendra Modi and his party received numerous forms of support from a number of large corporate houses such as Adani Group, which had helped greatly helped in the landslide victory. For this reason, although Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government had always pronounced of combating corruption, it had to in reality compromise a lot because of its ‘gratitude’ to those corporate houses and as a result, the entire intention of combating corruption actually had fallen flat.

Narendra Modi has already made tremendous efforts in attracting foreign investments, which once again could not see much success. While Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has successfully emerged into one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the pace of India’s economic progress is not very much encouraging.

Failed diplomacy of BJP government:

During the past five years, mostly because of Bharatiya Janata Party’s bankrupt foreign policy, India already has lost Nepal, a Hindu nation, which had always been its key ally in South Asia. The Nepalese government is now implementing pro-China policy and had already made learning the Mandarin language compulsory in its schools. Within the next 5-10 years, Nepal will witness huge investments from China, thus finally connecting this Himalayan nation possibly into another ‘Hong Kong’ in near future.

Moreover, anti-India separatist groups such as the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) would conveniently build its hidden bases within the mountainous areas in Nepal. It should be mentioned here that, international terror outfits like Al Qaeda has been using Nepalese land for its training camps since past 16-17 years.

The Modi government also has greatly deprived Bangladesh in multiple ways. For the past five years, it has mostly given false promises to a country, which has greatly contributed to resolving India’s security threats within the northeastern states. But, Narendra Modi did not even bother in at least giving Bangladesh the due share of water from the common rivers. In this particular case, Modi and Mamata had jointly played the game of deception with Bangladesh.

Realising such cruel selfishness of Narendra Modi’s India, Bangladesh has already shifted its foreign policy and currently, it has started deepening relations with China in multiple ways. Bangladesh already has joined in the program, which will connect Bangladesh with China, Asian nations, Europe and beyond, both through land and sea routes within next few years. This particular shift in Dhaka’s foreign policy clearly is the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lack of intellect in understanding the consequence of playing foul with a friendly neighbour.

Considering the above facts, the most vital question of the time is – whether Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party can finally succeed in winning a straight second consecutive term during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Although BJP leadership are nervously optimistic, there is actually a strong possibility of Indian National Congress returning to power possibly by winning a formidable majority. In that case, for the first time in the history of democracy in India, neither RSS nor BJP would feel inclined in accepting such unfavourable election result. They may not go for political chaos, but of course, they will turn the situation chaotic by resuming the old game of Hindutva and religious extremism.

(The author of the article is the Editor of Blitz.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)

Worried over Priyanka’s entry, BJP replays ‘Vadra Card’?

By

Jayashree Ingle

-

February 7, 2019

Political scenario of today’s India, as one can witness, is heating up day by day with rival parties positioning themselves in the combat mode at the outset of crucial 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In a desperate attempt to hide its failures in the last four-year regime, the BJP government is trying to conceal its policies turned fiasco — be it the demonetisation, GST, Kashmir issue, corruption, petrol prices, or its pet issue Ram Mandir. In 2014 general elections, the saffron brigade campaigned against its rival party Congress, raking up core issues such as fuel prices, jobs, infrastructure, growth, development, and corruption. The exuberant claims of PM Modi to investigate in 2G scams, coal scams, and bringing back money from Swiss accounts turned futile over the years while Congress got a consolation and rejuvenation after its victories in five states elections. While the plethora of scams has bugged this country in recent years with resurfacing Rafale issue, now the winds are changing adversely against Modi’s NDA.

The Rafale deal has triggered a political controversy and has tainted NDA government’s image; it seems that the ruling party bypassed a number of relevant institutional mechanisms to divert from these important questions around the issue.

While BJP is trying to position Vadra as the Black Sheep of the Congress family, other relative parties are jumping to support the Congress and its black sheep. While BJP is trying to encash Priyanka Gandhi’s political entry as the dynasty ruling in her favour, Gandhi could be fatal to the Modi brigade and may lead to the political nemesis of NDA govt.

Congress MLA Satej Patil stated, “Congress has won in the last three states elections with full majority and somewhere the poll result has created a fear among Modi brigade and that led to the allegations against Vadra. The whole nation has witnessed how PM Modi is misusing the CBI and their strategy won’t affect Congress and we will face the issue with full confidence.”

While Modi government hyped about zero tolerance against corruption before and after the 2014 elections, all his rhetorical promises turned futile as many corrupt leaders from various other parties found their heaven with the NDA government. In 2017, Narada sting case accused Mukul Roy (TMC) joined BJP with flying colours, former union minister in UPA government Sukhram’s son Anil Sharma too joined BJP who is facing charges of involvement in a Telecom scam. Guwahati Water scam accused Himanta Biswa Sarma from Assam too joined BJP in 2015. Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu who is facing charges of corruption and criminal conspiracies has joined BJP, and former Maharashtra CM Narayan Rane, who is allegedly involved in money laundering cases, too has joined BJP.

Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetty asked whether the government was sleeping so far and further asserted, “Both the CBI and ED are being misused and with the investigation against Robert Vadra, the central government is trying to blackmail Congress before the general elections.”

Congress has gained ground on Rafael scam and is consistently trying to now entangle BJP by harping about how the Modi government has compromised national interests and national security in this deal.

Welfare Party of India Maharashtra President Saleem M Shaikh told the paper, “The sudden process of interrogating Robert Vadra is a revengeful act by the BJP; we have also seen how the central government misused independent agencies like CBI recently in Kolkata. The BJP is concerned about losing votes in the Lok Sabha elections as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is now active in politics.”

While BJP is wary of Priyanka Gandhi’s recent entry in the Congress which can change the winds of Indian politics in the next five years, the BJP in return has created controversy surrounding the alleged land dealings of Robert Vadra, which freshly resurfaced last week with a series of investigative reports. Vadra has consistently been in the news right from 2013 when Delhi CM Kejriwal accused him of land deals in Haryana. BJP has been targeting him before and after 2014 elections, accusing him to have connections with Dubai based NRI businessman CC Thampi who was questioned by ED under land fraud case (FEMA). The ED has recently informed the court that it has received information about ownership of 1.9 million pounds of undisclosed assets abroad allegedly belonging to Vadra. Since the last couple of days, Vadra is facing ED enquiry.

BJP MP Ashok Nete emphasised, “The allegation that ED questioning Vadra is a BJP strategy to corner Congress after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry into active politics is groundless. Investigative agencies are probing allegations against Vadra and the recent interrogations are a part of it. Robert Vadra has been involved in many fraudulent activities and Congress accusing Modi and the central government of tricking ‘innocent Vadra’ into the cases is unreasonable.”

Vadra has repeatedly denied charges against him and now Priyanka Gandhi too has stood strong to support her husband amidst these fresh happenings.

The Congress has consistently been accusing the BJP government of misusing agencies such as ED and CBI to launch a political vendetta against its party leaders. The Congress sees the Rafale controversy as an opportunity to defeat the plans of BJP juggernauts whereas the relentless attacks by the Congress seem to have upset the BJP’s plans.

Another BJP ally RPI’s National General Secretary Avinash Mahatekar said, “The ongoing investigations against Robert Vadra are not because of the approaching general elections. Oppositions are falsely alleging it as the election propaganda of the central government to put Congress under pressure. Congress always attacks PM Modi saying that he is in a revenge-spree; however, all his decisions are for the welfare of the country. Investigations further will prove if Vadra is innocent or not but nobody can stop the investigation”.

Despite the dwindling economy and lesser jobs, the government is back on its communal agenda to gain political mileage and the Congress too has rewritten its ideological agenda and has opened entry gates from the broad spectrum of secular politics to the soft Hinduism to counter the BJP surge in the country.

However, the irony is that all these political parties, rather than concentrating on basic issues like population-control, poverty alleviation, eradication of illiteracy, generation of jobs, the growth of the industry, agriculture etc, are focusing on insignificant issues to gain political benefits.

Robert Vadra is BJP’s gizmo against Priyanka Gandhi

By

Vaidehi Taman

-

February 7, 2019

Robert Vadra faced ED for five long hours after five years of the BJP rule, what the illusive species spotted? Has the DLF land issue suddenly become so important for the CBI when there are zillions of other more important cases to be resolved? A case untouched for five long years and unexpectedly on the table before elections – is it because of Priyanka’s entry into active politics that has everything to do with Robert Vadra’s future of freedom? The day when Priyanka Gandhi decided to be in active politics, Robert Vadra became the subject of attack.

Now, the Delhi court extended his interim protection from the arrest granted to Manoj Arora in a money laundering case in which his employer Robert Vadra joined the probe before the Enforcement Directorate. The relief to Arora was granted as the probe agency informed the court that Vadra has also been granted interim bail till February 16 after he filed an anticipatory bail application and sought time to respond. The case is linked to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London based property — 12, Bryanston Square — worth 1.9 million pounds. Vadra allegedly owns the property. The ED had opposed Vadra’s anticipatory bail and claimed that he had also got kickbacks in a petroleum deal in 2009. Vadra had moved the anticipatory bail plea from London where he had gone for the treatment of his mother. In his anticipatory bail plea, Vadra said that he was being subjected to “unwarranted, unjustified and malicious criminal prosecution which on the face of it is completely politically motivated and is being carried out for reasons other than those prescribed under the law”. His wife and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi strongly came out in support of her husband, whom she dropped off at the ED’s office. The court will next hear the matter on February 16, when Vadra’s interim bail is scheduled to expire. The court had also granted relief to Vadra on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of like amount while asking him not to leave the country without its prior permission.

Well, this attack might boomerang because how can a private businessman be called corrupt and caught? It is easy for any government to catch a government servant as he or she can always leave some proofs while doing corruption. Any person not in the government service, if indulges in corruption, it is always with the connivance of the government servants. If the malpractices involve big money, naturally the ministry level officers and even some ministers are involved in that. What made BJP or ED wait for five long years in this case? It is nothing but an election Jumla! Before the elections, BJP not only targeted Robert Vadra but a lot of other politicians accusing them to be corrupt. But, it’s almost five years of Modi government and till date, nothing has been proved. BJP’s main strategy of coming to power has worked by labelling accusations and corrupting the minds of voters against Congress. Also, BJP promised that they would disclose the names of black money holders who have kept money abroad. However, till date, nothing has been exposed and all promises have gone flat. Thirdly, BJP supported the Anna Hazare movement of India against Corruption and accused about 16 politicians with files flashed on media addressing them as the corrupt politicians. Also, they accused some politicians and their NGOs involvement in corruption but files were opened to probe those cases. These were all election gimmicks to grab power by fooling the people. Our media and social media have the tendency of going overboard when any of these charges are labelled against anybody. I am not advocating Robert Vadra, but first, we should understand the nature of the charges against him.

All of Robert Vadra’s cases are of land dealings and that too of buying at a low price and reselling on higher price when those lands turned out to be hot properties. All these lands were purchased in Congress-led state governments with the connivance of the state officials. He was told beforehand that some state project or some highway will pass nearby from these lands and he bought those lands and when the project was announced, prices of areas nearby those projects jumped up and he made the killings by selling them on a higher price. You can charge how he was privy to this type of government information but this is it. In India, most of the contracts and information on government projects are passed on to relatives and family members of the ruling party people and government officials. It is a set norm that when any party comes to power in any state, supporters of that party benefit tremendously by these doling outs and dealings. Even when BJP came to power, the land grabbing cases by their ministers surfaced but BJP was clever enough to cover them.

Robert Vadra is not a fool to buy and sell any land without having properly registered papers or “bainama”. He would have covered all his dealings with proper paperwork. Maybe this is the reason that so far no agencies could touch him or BJP could not succeed in putting him behind the bars. Other than land dealings, his name has not cropped up in any government contract or any scam of UPA2. If any contract was given to him and found improper, those officials who awarded him the contract will be caught, not him. Bribery giving charges are nearly impossible to prove in courts, if not caught red-handed. What do you think? Why hasn’t BJP done anything till now? It must have perused and gone through every paper on this case but they did not find anything to catch him. To catch and put Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law behind the bars would have been a very good opportunity for BJP.

BJP has made this issue an election issue but if Vadra is proven innocent, Congress will get a strong chance to revert to power. BJP is very much aware that before elections, Vadra’s cases will not be proved in the courts but electorally they will play with this plot. The whole drama is to entertain the BJP supporters and followers, nothing else. If Vadra is guilty, he would have been behind the bar by now. Why did they wait for so long? Last time this happened in 2014. Next time it might happen in 2024.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

Hailstrom, heavy rainfall lashes Delhi, adjoining areas

By

Web Team

-

February 7, 2019

Heavy rains and hailstrom accompanied by strong winds lashed the city on Thursday and brought the mercury down by four to five notches.

The minimum temperature settled at 15 degrees Celsius, six notches above the season’s average and the maximum temperature was recorded at 19.1 degrees Celsius, four notches below the season’s average.

Delhi recorded 3.2 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm. Humidity level oscillated between 100 and 89 per cent.

Palam recorded 3.2 mm rainfall, Lodhi Road 3.8mm, Ridge 3.4mm, Ayanagar 4mm, Gurgaon 3mm, Jafarpur 9mm, Najafgarh 3mm and Sports Complex 2mm.

Hailstorms hit several parts of Delhi and its adjacent areas. Excited people took to social media to share pictures of roads covered with hail.

Airport officials said 14 domestic flights and four international ones were diverted to nearby cities between 6 pm and 7 pm.

The weatherman has forecast shallow to moderate fog on Friday morning and mainly clear skies.

The maximum and minimum temperatures will hover around 19 and 10 degrees Celsius respectively.

The minimum temperature on Wednesday was 12 degrees Celsius while the maximum settled at 24 degrees Celsius.