4 killed after bus catches fire in Katra

Four people were killed and 22 others sustained burn injuries after a bus with some pilgrims to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine caught fire at Katra in Jammu’s Reasi district on Friday. Katra is the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the shrine. Reasi district commissioner Babila Rakwal said, “Four passengers died and 22 others were injured in the mishap… It was a local bus from Katra to Jammu but we are seeking details.” Additional director general of police Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh said forensic science laboratory teams have been deputed to the spot to ascertain the reason for the fire.

The onset of monsoon over Kerala is likely to begin on May 27, five days ahead of its expected onset, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday. It left a model error of ±4 days in the forecast. Monsoon normally makes onset over Kerala on June 1. Initial monsoon rains are experienced over the south Andaman Sea and the monsoon winds then advance north-westwards across the Bay of Bengal. “...the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala is likely to be earlier than normal date of onset,” IMD said. Private weather company, Skymet Weather, has said that monsoon is likely to arrive over Kerala May 26.

United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan died on Friday aged 73, the government said in a statement. Sheikh Khalifa was also ruler of Abu Dhabi, and his brother, crown prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is likely to become the UAE’S president and ruler of Abu Dhabi. The UAE announced a 40-day mourning period and a three-day suspension of work in the government and private sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Sheikh Khalifa’s death, and India has announced one day of state mourning on Saturday, with the national flag to be flown at half-mast.