KashmirLife

SRINAGAR: Saudi Arabias Civil Defence reported on Saturday that debris from two intercepted ballistic missiles had fallen in parts of Mecca, Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh, following a launch by Yemens Houthi rebels towards Mecca and Medina. No casualties were reported, the Civil Defence spokesperson said in a statement. The debris fell in Wadi Al-Maghammas in []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has placed 10 Masters and teachers as lecturers in Philosophy on an officiating basis and ordered their transfers to different higher and higher secondary schools across the Union Territory. The placements were approved under Government Order No. 457-JK (Edu) of 2026, dated October 23, issued by the School Education []

SRINAGAR: The Shaheen Syndicate Social Trust distributed school bags, stationery and food items among students of Government Primary School Gadahanjipora in Mukdamyari zone of Hajin on Saturday. The initiative aimed to support students facing a shortage of essential educational supplies, including school bags, textbooks and stationery. The programme was attended by school staff, trust chairman []

SRINAGAR: The Regional Passport Office (RPO), Srinagar, under the Ministry of External Affairs, will deploy a Mobile Passport Van at three locations in Ladakh between October 26 and November 4 to improve access to passport services for residents of remote areas. The mobile facility will be stationed at Dak Banglow in Padam, Zanskar, on October []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday urged National Conference colleagues to stop seeking ministerial positions, saying the selection for the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle and expansion had already been completed in consultation with party president Farooq Abdullah. Omar made the remarks after meeting Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar, where he sought []

SRINAGAR: A 52-year-old man died after falling from his bike in the Pahloo area of Shangus in Anantnag district this evening. The deceased has been identified as Mohd Ashraf Lone, son of Master Abdul Majeed Lone, a resident of Kotheir Lone Mohalla. Officials said that, according to preliminary information, Lone, who worked as a domestic []

by Tamir Sorek Palestinian citizens face a dilemma ahead of Israels October 27 election: voting could strengthen their representation and security, while abstention could protest exclusion and the limits of citizenship. Elections are typically framed as a choice for voters. For Palestinian citizens of Israel, however, the countrys national ballots pose more of a dilemma. []

SRINAGAR: A youth was injured after being attacked by a wild bear at an apple orchard in the Sallar area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district on Saturday. An official said that the youth was attacked by a wild bear at an orchard in Sallar. He was shifted to Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag for treatment []

SRINAGAR: B.Sc. Nursing and allied health science students in Jammu and Kashmir have set November 10 as the deadline for the government to issue the pending internship stipend order, warning of a day-and-night protest from November 11 if their demand is not met. In a representation submitted to the Commissioner Secretary of the Health and []

SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has announced scheduled power shutdowns across several areas of Kashmir between October 27 and November 5, 2026, to facilitate maintenance work on multiple 33 kV power lines. According to the Chief Engineer, Distribution, KPDCL, the outages will generally be observed from 9 am to 3 pm on []

SRINAGAR: India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the second T20 International at Hagley Oval in Christchurch to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing a target of 181, India reached 181 for six in 19.5 overs to seal the victory after New Zealand posted 180 for five in their allotted 20 []

SRINAGAR: A youth was critically injured after his two wheeler was hit by an unidentified vehicle at Pombay in south Kashmirs Kulgam district on Saturday, reports said. The injured has been identified as Rizwan Nazir Bhat, a resident of Lakripora in Kulgam. According to reports, Bhat sustained multiple injuries in the collision while riding his []

SRINAGAR: Sinthan Top, the mountain pass linking Kishtwar with Anantnag, witnessed fresh light snowfall early on Saturday, with temperatures falling in nearby areas, including Daksum and Kokernag, reports said. Officials said the road was under surveillance and traffic continued to move smoothly, with no disruption reported so far. The higher reaches of south Kashmir have []

A 2025 study finds a weak link between export performance and employment; shawls and papier-mch drive growth as carpet exports decline SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmirs handicraft exports fell by nearly 37 per cent in 2024-25 after touching a peak of Rs 1,162.29 crore a year earlier, even as the number of registered artisans continued to []

SRINAGAR: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in New Delhi has ordered the commencement of trial proceedings in a Rs 8.9 crore money laundering case involving Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik and six others, according to a report by The News Mill. The accused include Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Shabir Ahmad []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday expressed concern over at least 34 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir stranded in Saudi Arabia following flight suspensions, saying the government was coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to facilitate their safe and early return. Chief Minister has expressed concern over Umrah pilgrims from Jammu & []

SRINAGAR: Six years after Ladakhs political and social organisations joined hands to seek constitutional safeguards, protection of land and jobs, and greater democratic powers from the Centre, the movement is facing a new challenge from within. Now the question being openly asked is whether the two bodies that have led the negotiations still command the []

SRINAGAR: A 45-year-old woman died after being hit by a scooter in the Malpora area of Sheeri in north Kashmirs Baramulla district on Saturday. An official said that the woman was injured after being hit by a scooter and was shifted to PHC Sheeri, where doctors declared her brought dead. She was identified as Gulshan []

SRINAGAR: A man was killed and a tractor driver critically injured in a road accident near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Lam area of Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district, officials said. The accident occurred when a tractor bearing registration number JK11H 6311, which was carrying dry grass, met with an accident []

SRINAGAR: Nearly three months after the Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh High Court quashed a government communication denying maternity salary to a group of senior resident doctors, some of them are still awaiting their dues, leaving payments relating to maternity leave and extended residency pending. In its July 10 judgment in Dr Sonakshi Gupta and Others []

SRINAGAR: The State Bank of India (SBI) has informed customers whose data was identified as being involved in a recent cyber incident, assuring them that their account balances and funds remain safe. In a customer safety advisory, the bank said it had individually notified the affected customers through email and/or WhatsApp following its earlier communication []

SRINAGAR: The Saudi-led military coalition said on Friday that its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemens Houthi group towards the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki announced the interception in a statement posted on X, but did not disclose further details about the missiles origin or intended target. []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is scheduled to meet Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhawan in Srinagar at 11 am on Saturday to discuss the proposed expansion of the Jammu and Kashmir Council of Ministers, according to media reports. The Cabinet expansion is likely to take place next week, the reports said. Omar had []

SRINAGAR: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered preparations for a large-scale military operation across the occupied West Bank following a shooting near Hebron on October 23 that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. According to The Guardian, Netanyahu directed security forces to cordon off Hebron and prepare for wider restrictions across the []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has denotified nine buildings which had been declared as subsidiary jails at different points of time. In a notification issued by the Home Department, the Government has withdrawn the designation of subsidiary jail from nine buildings along with their premises. As per details, these buildings are in Budgam, Sopore, []

SRINAGAR: The District Magistrate Pulwama, Kuldeep Krishan Sidha, has prohibited mining and extraction of sand, bajri, boulders and other minerals from the restricted reaches upstream and downstream of all bridges in the district to protect public infrastructure and prevent risks to human life. The order, issued on October 22, 2026, directs the Geology and Mining []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Bank has enhanced the group personal accident insurance cover for permanent Jammu and Kashmir Government employees from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore under a five-year agreement signed with the government. Separately commissioning a new Currency Chest Building at its Regional Business Centre (RBC) in Jammu to strengthen cash distribution []

SRINAGAR: Fresh snowfall was recorded at Peer Ki Gali, Sinthan Top and Ahrabal in south Kashmir on Friday, as temperatures dropped in higher-altitude areas, while the Meteorological Centre forecast generally dry weather for most of the Kashmir region between October 25 and 31. Light snowfall was also reported in the upper reaches of Pir Ki []

SRINAGAR: At least 34 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir who travelled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah have been stranded following the suspension of flights, prompting appeals for urgent government intervention to facilitate their safe and early return home. According to the affected pilgrims, they were scheduled to return to Kashmir on October 13 but were []

SRINAGAR: Five days after a Srinagar-bound bus was pelted with stones near Doraha in Punjabs Ludhiana district, Khanna Police on Friday arrested one accused in connection with the incident, while two others remained absconding. Media reports suggest police identified the arrested accused as Abhishek alias Golu, a native of Tadi Ghat village in Uttar Pradeshs []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday condemned reported attacks by Houthi rebels operating from Yemen on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including King Fahd International Airport, and expressed grief over the loss of lives and injuries. In a statement, Abdullah warned that attacks targeting civilians, airports and energy []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Minister Javed Ahmed Rana on Friday called for faster and transparent implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, stressing that all eligible tribal families and traditional forest dwellers must receive their legal entitlements without procedural delays. Rana, who holds the Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Tribal Affairs portfolios, []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has designated the courts of the 1st Additional District and Sessions Judge in Jammu and Srinagar as Special Fast Track Courts to try offences under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The designation was notified by the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs through Notification []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the transfer and posting of three officers in the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs with immediate effect. According to Government Order No. 97-JK(FCS&CA) of 2026, issued on October 23, Khalil Ahmed, Assistant Director, Poonch, has been assigned the additional charge of Assistant Director, Rajouri, []

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has quashed a preventive detention order issued against an Anantnag man under the Public Safety Act (PSA), holding that criminal cases dating back nearly two decades, several of which ended in acquittal, did not establish a sufficient basis for his detention in 2024. Justice Sanjay Parihar, []

SRINAGAR: Indian airline IndiGo has extended the suspension of its flights to and from several Saudi Arabian cities amid security concerns, with services to Riyadh cancelled until October 31 and those to Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah suspended until October 27, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Friday. In a post on X, the embassy []

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has upheld the preventive detention of a Kulgam man booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA), observing that his alleged repeated involvement in 11 cattle theft cases could create fear among local residents and disturb public order. Justice M A Chowdhary dismissed a habeas corpus petition []

SRINAGAR: A balloon bearing the marking of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was recovered near a resort in the Ghou Manhasan area of Jammu on Friday morning, prompting a police search of the surrounding area as a precautionary measure. According to reports, locals spotted the balloon at RR Resort in Mahavir Basti, falling under the jurisdiction []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has quashed a tribunal order imposing a cost of Rs 10,000 on a senior advocate without giving him an opportunity to be heard, holding that the decision violated the principles of natural justice. A Division Bench of Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice MA Chowdhary passed the order []

SRINAGAR: An elderly man was prevented from jumping into the River Jhelum from a footbridge in Srinagar after a man present at the spot intervened and caught hold of him, averting a possible tragedy. Eyewitnesses said that an elderly man was about to jump into the river when the bystander acted swiftly and stopped him []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said his government is making every effort to ensure development across Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that his visit to Beerwah is aimed at advancing development works in the constituency. I am trying my best to bring progress in every area. This was my purpose of coming to Beerwah []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is scheduled to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for developmental projects worth Rs 25 crore during his visit to Budgam on Friday. The Chief Ministers Office announced the programme in a post on X, stating that the projects are intended to strengthen public infrastructure, improve essential services []

by Iftikhar Hakeem Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) is a legitimate and necessary objective. Jammu and Kashmir needs investment, employment, efficient administration and predictable regulatory procedures. But facilitating investment should not require weakening the statutory framework governing land use, building development and environmental protection. The critical question is whether regulatory reform is simplifying approvals or []

by Azhar Yousuf The loss of his beloved father, Abu Ji, in October 2025 brings cherished memories, the shock of bereavement, enduring grief, faith, and the difficult journey towards acceptance. The pain and agony of losing someone close to us, particularly a parent, can be an overwhelming psychological and physical experience, registering in the brain []

SRINAGAR: Two doctors of Kashmiri origin working in the United Kingdom have earned international recognition after their research was selected for an oral presentation at the 2026 Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Munich, Germany. Dr Saalis Maqbool and Dr Abir Aijaz, who work in the Acute Medicine Department at Weston General []

SRINAGAR: The hunger strike by residents of Gurez in north Kashmirs Bandipora district entered its second day on Friday, with protesters demanding improved medical facilities, an inquiry into the deaths of a pregnant woman and her baby, and a reshuffle of the local administration. The protesters are seeking the deployment of four-wheel-drive ambulances in Bagtore, []

SRINAGAR: At least 16 people were killed and 46 others injured after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Baqen County in Nagqu City, in Chinas Xizang region, at 10.33 pm on Thursday, with rescue and relief operations under way in the affected area. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquakes epicentre was about 191 kilometres []

SRINAGAR: Traffic movement on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) remained very slow between Dawal in Udhampur and the Marog-Kishtwari Pather stretch due to single-lane road conditions, an uneven surface, vehicle breakdowns and the movement of nomadic herds, the Traffic Police Headquarters said on Thursday. The advisory, covering the period from 4 pm on October 21 []

SRINAGAR: Sri Lanka defeated England by two wickets in a remarkable run chase in the ODI tri-series in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Thursday, October 22, reaching a target of 430 with one ball remaining. England had set a formidable target after scoring 429 for four in their allotted 50 overs, with captain Harry Brook smashing 202 []

SRINAGAR: A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Tibet on Thursday at a depth of 173 kilometres, according to seismic data. The earthquake occurred as rescue and recovery operations continued following floods caused by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. The disaster swept away homes, roads and bridges, damaged hydropower projects and left []