States

ESA notification raises concern among people in hilly regions of Kerala

Farmer leaders say that with 131 villages from the State are now included in the draft notification, and nearly 1,500 sq km of farmlands and human habitations fall in the ecologically sensitive area (ESA) category

How the Ankit Sharma murder case ended in Tahir Hussains conviction | Explained

While describing the killing as exceptionally brutal, the court held that the case did not satisfy the legal threshold for the death penalty under the rarest of rare doctrine.

Karnataka government failed to tackle drought, says H.D. Kumaraswamy; JD(S) to attend all-party meet on Cauverycrisis

He expressed deep concern over the suicide of a farmer couple in Hatna Bevukallu village of Mandya taluk, reportedly driven by mounting debt

PM Modi visit LIVE: Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate ASR International Airport at Bhogapuram today

Andhra Pradesh gets its first greenfield international airport since the 2014 bifurcation, along with projects worth over 17,900 crore that the Prime Minister will dedicate and lay foundation stones for

How breast milk programmes a babys long-term health and why India must improve its breastfeeding numbers

Breast milk, a living, adaptive biological fluid, not only supports an infants nutrition, metabolism, and immunity, it also contributes to long-term health programming by shaping the infant gut microbial composition

HDFC Capital, Primus Senior Living to create homes for elderly worth 2,000 crore

Indias senior population is projected to reach 346 million (over 34 crore) by 2050

Heavy rain floods Shopian, cloudburst batters Kishtwar

Srinagar, Aug 01 : Heavy rainfall triggered flooding in parts of south Kashmirs Shopian district on Saturday, inundating several houses and a school, while a cloudburst in Kishtwar district damaged property and forced the closure of the ChatrooKishtwar stretch of National Highway-244, officials said. An official told the news agencyKashmir News Observer (KNO) that in Shopian, rainwater entered several houses in Pahlipora village, disrupting normal life and prompting an emergency response from the Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the district administration. He said rescue teams rushed to the affected area soon after receiving information and launched evacuation and relief operations. Efforts are underway to drain the accumulated water, shift vulnerable families to safer locations wherever required and assess the extent of the damage, he said. The official said several houses and a school were affected by the flooding. Meanwhile, a cloudburst struck the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district at around 2:30 am following intense rainfall, damaging several structures and washing away a number of vehicles. No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident, officials said, adding that, as a precautionary measure, the ChatrooKishtwar stretch of National Highway-244 has been closed to vehicular traffic. Police, civil administration and other emergency agencies have reached the affected areas and launched assessment and restoration work. In view of the prevailing heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions, the authorities also ordered the closure of all government and private schools in Ramban and Kishtwar districts for the day. The Chief Education Officer (CEO), Ramban, said all schools in the district would remain closed on Saturday on the directions of the district administration. Heads of institutions have been directed to conduct online classes through appropriate digital platforms to ensure that academic activities remain uninterrupted. A similar order was issued by the CEO, Kishtwar, citing heavy rainfall, slippery road conditions and the possibility of shooting stones, which could pose a risk to the safety of students and staff. Schools across the district have also been directed to conduct online classes during the closure.(KNO)

Godavari, Sabari villages face submergence threat; 32 Konaseema islands affected

At least 189 villages have been affected by the Sabari and Godavari floods in the submergence area of the Polavaram irrigation project in Polavaram district

At least one dead after landslip hits Idukki

Due to continued heavy rainfall, the Idukki District Collector has declared a holiday for all educational institutions in the district.

VC JKLCMA reviews progress of Lake Conservation initiatives in J&K

Srinagar, Jul 31: The Vice Chairman (VC), Jammu & Kashmir Lake Conservation and Management Authority (JKLCMA), Khurshid Ahmad Shah on Friday convened a review meeting to take stock of various ongoing activities and works being undertaken by authority for the conservation, protection and management of water bodies in Jammu & Kashmir. All the officers of JK LCMA participated in the meeting. During the meeting, a detailed review of the progress of various ongoing works and field activities was undertaken. The Vice Chairman emphasized the need for time-bound execution, effective monitoring and regular field inspections to ensure that the objectives of lake and waterbody conservation are achieved in a coordinated and sustainable manner. The meeting also reviewed measures being undertaken for the protection of water bodies from encroachments, illegal constructions, dumping of solid waste, and discharge of untreated sewage. The concerned officers were directed to maintain close coordination with the field agencies and take prompt action wherever violations affecting the water bodies are noticed. The progress of demarcation and clearance of encroachments, cleaning and maintenance of water channels, outlets and other associated works was also reviewed. The officers were directed to intensify field-level monitoring and ensure that cleared areas are protected from re-encroachment. Issues relating to the 19 inlet channels coming from hinterlands came up for discussion. The Vice Chairman stressed the importance of ensuring proper functioning and maintenance of the regulatory gates installed on these inlet channels. It was desired that J&K PCC, in light of the directions of the Honble High Court, shall be approached for banning the use of pesticides/chemicals by farmers along the hinterlands and ultimately flowing into these inlet channels thereby deteriorating the water quality of the lake. The functioning and maintenance of aerators, fountains and other lake conservation infrastructure were also reviewed. Directions were issued for early rectification of deficiencies and ensuring that such infrastructure remains operational and is properly maintained. The Vice Chairman further stressed upon the officers to ensure regular submission of progress reports, proper documentation of works and close supervision of projects at the field level. The concerned officers were directed to adhere strictly to the timelines and submit updated status reports on the progress of works. The Vice Chairman reiterated that conservation of the water bodies is a collective responsibility and called for sustained efforts, inter-departmental coordination and strict enforcement of applicable provisions to safeguard the fragile aquatic ecosystems of Jammu & Kashmir for future generations.

SKUAST-K hosts Bandipora DLC, JKCIP clears proposals to boost FPO-Led agri enterprises

Bandipora, Jul 31: The District Level Committee (DLC) under Jammu & Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement in Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP), hosted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Bandipora, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), approved eligible proposals under multiple project components aimed at strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), promoting agri-entrepreneurship and improving farmers' livelihoods in the district. The meeting was chaired by the District Development Commissioner, Bandipora, and attended by the General Manager, District Industries Centre (DIC); Assistant Commissioner Revenue; Assistant Commissioner Panchayat; District Manager, NABARD; Divisional Forest Officer; Chief Agriculture Officer; Chief Horticulture Officer; Chief Animal Husbandry Officer; District Sheep Husbandry Officer; District Sericulture Officer; Assistant Director Fisheries; Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Department; District Lead Bank Manager; Area Marketing Officer; progressive farmers; and Dr. Tariq Sultan, Senior Scientist & Head, KVK Bandipora, who serves as the District Implementing Officer under JKCIP. Welcoming the participants, Dr. Tariq Sultan outlined the objectives of JKCIP and highlighted its role in promoting sustainable agricultural development through stronger Farmer Producer Organisations, improved market access, value addition and enterprise development. He informed the Committee that all applications had been thoroughly scrutinized and verified by the designated Scrutiny Officers and Field Level Officers in accordance with the prescribed project guidelines before being placed before the District Level Committee for approval. During the meeting, the Committee deliberated on proposals submitted under key JKCIP components, including Farm Mechanization and Drudgery Reduction Support, FPO-managed Agri-Service Centre Business Vertical Support, FPO-managed Orchard Management Business Vertical Support, Water Management Business Vertical Support and Aggregation Business Vertical Support. Following detailed discussions and examination, the Committee approved all eligible cases in accordance with the scheme's provisions and guidelines. The approved interventions are expected to strengthen FPO-led service delivery, expand access to modern farm machinery, improve water management, enhance orchard management practices and promote aggregation-based business models, contributing to higher farm productivity, better market linkages and increased rural incomes. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks. The members reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the transparent and effective implementation of JKCIP through close coordination among stakeholder departments. They also emphasized the importance of strengthening FPOs, encouraging rural entrepreneurship and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for farming communities across Bandipora.

Labour Commr. reviews progress of PM-SYM Scheme, Labour Codes implementation at Gbal

Ganderbal, Jul 31: A comprehensive review meeting on the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Scheme and the Labour Codes was held today at the Conference Hall, Mini Secretariat, Ganderbal, under the chairmanship of Charandeep Singh, Labour Commissioner, Jammu & Kashmir. The meeting was co-chaired by Fahim Bihaqqi, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal. The meeting was convened to review the progress achieved under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Scheme, assess the preparedness of various departments for the implementation of the Labour Codes, and strengthen inter-departmental coordination for extending social security benefits to workers engaged across different sectors. While addressing the participants, Labour Commissioner Charandeep Singh highlighted the transformative nature of the Labour Codes, describing them as a significant reform aimed at simplifying labour laws, promoting ease of compliance, ensuring better industrial relations, strengthening occupational safety, and expanding social security coverage for workers. He elaborated on the key provisions of the Codes and stressed the importance of their effective implementation through coordinated efforts of all stakeholder departments. The Labour Commissioner emphasized that every department executing developmental works or engaging contractual, casual, outsourced, or unorganised workers has a vital responsibility in ensuring that eligible workers are identified, sensitized, and facilitated for enrolment under the PM-SYM Scheme and other labour welfare initiatives. He urged all Heads of Departments and field functionaries to work in close coordination with the Labour Department to maximize registration of eligible beneficiaries and ensure that the intended benefits of social security schemes reach the grassroots level. He further observed that departments sengage a substantial workforce directly or indirectly and, therefore, have a critical role in promoting compliance with labour laws and facilitating social security coverage for unorganised workers. ADC, Ganderbal, Fahim Bihaqqi, while addressing the gathering, underscored the need for a coordinated district-level approach for effective implementation of the Labour Codes and the PM-SYM Scheme. He emphasized that active participation of all stakeholder departments is essential for ensuring compliance with labour legislations and extending the benefits of social security schemes to every eligible worker. During the interactive session, officers from various departments discussed the challenges faced in identifying and registering eligible workers and deliberated upon measures to improve convergence among departments. The Labour Commissioner directed all departments to nominate nodal officers, maintain close coordination with the Labour Department, and undertake sustained awareness campaigns for effective implementation of the Labour Codes and labour welfare schemes. The meeting witnessed the participation of senior officers from various line departments, including District Programme Officer, Poshan/ICDS; General Manager, District Industries Centre (DIC); ACD; Executive Engineers of R&B, JPDCL, Jal Shakti (PHE), PMGSY, Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) and Rural Engineering Wing (REW); Chief Education Officer; Officer Commanding, Beacon; Chief Agriculture Officer; Chief Horticulture Officer; Assistant Director, Fisheries; Assistant Director, FCS&CA; ALC, Ganderbal; Block Development Officers; CEO, Municipal Council Ganderbal; Assistant Director, Handlooms/Handicrafts; Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO); In-charge Estates, Central University of Kashmir; General Manager, APCO, Sonamarg Tunnel Project; General Manager, Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), Zojila Tunnel Project; and General Manager, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Ring Road Project, besides other officers and officials.

Cooperatives Dept Ladakh organizes buyerseller meet to promote Ladakh Pashmina in Srinagar

Srinagar, Jul 31: The Cooperatives Department, Union Territory of Ladakh, in collaboration with the All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Society Ltd. and J&K Bank, organized a BuyerSeller Meet on Friday at DIPR Auditorium, Srinagar. The programme aimed to establish direct interaction between Ladakh Pashmina herders and leading buyers, exporters, traders and business organizations, ensuring better price realization for the actual Pashmina herders, eliminating unnecessary intermediaries, and strengthening sustainable market linkages through the cooperative movement. The programme was graced by Nitish Rajora, Deputy Commissioner, Changthang, as the Chief Guest. He highlighted the unique geographical landscape of Changthang, which is home to nearly 1.84 lakh Changra goats. Among those present were Thinles, Secretary, All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Society Ltd.; representatives of J&K Bank, the Cooperatives Department, the District Administration, Changthang; besides members of cooperative societies, artisans, weavers, and media representatives. The event witnessed the participation of more than 100 buyers, exporters, traders, entrepreneurs, and representatives of leading business organizations from Jammu & Kashmir and other parts of the country. The meet provided a valuable platform for direct business interaction between Pashmina growers and prospective buyers, enabling discussions on quality, pricing, long-term procurement, and market requirements. Prominent participants included A.P. Vicky Shaw, Chairman, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PHDCCI), Kashmir; Iqram Ali Shafiee, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), J&K; Javed Ahmad Tenga, President, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI); Mubashir Ahmad, President, Kashmir Pashmina Welfare Trust; Mohd. Rafiq Sofi, President, Tahafuz Society; and Muzaffar, Zonal Head, Srinagar, J&K Bank, who interacted with the cooperative members and explored avenues for long-term collaboration. Addressing the gathering, Nitish Rajora highlighted the global recognition of Ladakh Pashmina for its exceptional quality and emphasized that cooperative societies play a vital role in empowering nomadic herders by improving market access, ensuring fair remuneration, and preserving the authenticity of Ladakh Pashmina. During the programme, members of the All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Society Ltd. showcased authentic Ladakh Pashmina and value-added products before buyers, exporters, and traders. The interaction enabled buyers to directly understand the production process, quality standards, and the unique characteristics of Ladakh Pashmina, while allowing herders to understand market expectations. It was informed during the meet that a dedicated digital platform/mobile application for Pashmina growers, artisans, and cooperative members will be developed in the coming days. The proposed platform is expected to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem by facilitating digital payments, improving access to government schemes, providing market information, and creating direct linkages between producers and buyers. An interactive open session followed, during which buyers, exporters, industry representatives, and cooperative members exchanged views on quality assurance, branding, GI certification, value addition, digital marketing, and expanding domestic as well as international market opportunities for Ladakh Pashmina. The programme concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Deputy Registrar Cooperatives, Sachin Bali, who thanked all the participants and stakeholders for making the event a grand success.

CUK congratulates Prof. Anurag Misra on his appointment as Dir NIT Sgr

Ganderbal, Jul 31: Central University of Kashmir (CUKashmir) has extended heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Anurag Misra (Chairman of the Ad-hoc Board of Studies) of the newly established Deptt of Civil Engineering, CUKashmir, on his appointment as the Director of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar. On behalf of the University fraternity, Vice Chancellor, Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, conveyed his congratulations to Prof. Misra and wished him success in his new leadership role. He expressed confidence that Prof. Misra's vast academic experience, visionary leadership, and commitment to excellence would further strengthen NIT Srinagar as a premier institution of higher learning. Dean Academic Affairs, Prof. Shahid Rasool, Registrar, Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mir, and Head, Deptt of Civil Engineering, Dr. Asif H. Shah, also congratulated Prof. Misra on this achievement and wished him a distinguished tenure marked by academic innovation, institutional growth, and impactful leadership. Prof. Anurag Misra has been associated with the varsitys Deptt of Civil Engineering. Through his guidance, mentorship, and valuable academic inputs, he has played a significant role in strengthening the academic framework and curriculum of the Department. His continuous support has been instrumental in nurturing the growth of one of the University's youngest academic departments.

First Kashmir Theatre Conference postponed, rescheduled for Sep 11-13

Srinagar, Jul 31: The first-of-its-kind Kashmir Theatre Conference, which was scheduled to be held at Tagore Hall in Srinagar from August 1 to 3, has been postponed and will now be held on September 11 to 13, 2026, organisers announced on Friday. The two-day conference will be organised by non-governmental organisation ACT FOR A BETTER TOMORROW with support from the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL). Speaking to Rising Kashmir, ACT Chairman Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan said the event had been deferred due to unavoidable circumstances. The conference has been postponed due to some technical and unavoidable circumstances. We have now finalised September 11 to 13, 2026, as the new dates for the event, Khan said. He said the conference would be the first event of its scale dedicated exclusively to theatre in Kashmir. This conference is unique in many ways. It will provide a platform for young minds to learn, perform and celebrate the art of theatre while also facilitating meaningful dialogue among theatre practitioners, scholars and enthusiasts, he said. Khan said the conference will feature panel discussions, debates and lectures tracing the evolution of Kashmiri theatre from 1947 to the present, examining its artistic journey, achievements and contemporary challenges. The conference will bring together theatre practitioners, lovers and scholars from Kashmir and other parts of the country who have contributed significantly to the growth of theatre. Together, they will deliberate on ways to strengthen the theatre movement in Kashmir, improve the quality of productions and encourage greater youth participation so that the legacy of theatre continues, he said. Among the prominent speakers expected to address the conference are M K Raina, Ayash Arif, Mohammad Amin Bhat, K K Raina, Nisar Naseem, Ravi Khemu, Bashir Bhawani, Kamal Razdan, Manzoor Mir, Reshi Rasheed and Muzamil Bhawani, besides several other noted theatre personalities. Participants and guests are expected to travel from Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Chandigarh and Aligarh, making the conference a national gathering of theatre professionals. The organisers have invited schools, colleges, universities, theatre groups and aspiring young artists from across Kashmir to participate in the event. Educational institutions and theatre groups with stage productions will also be given an opportunity to perform during the conference.

CS launches 162 new online citizen services on eUNNAT

Srinagar, Jul 31: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, on Friday held a meeting of all the concerned Administrative Secretaries to assess Jammu and Kashmir's performance on National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) and reviewed the progress made by the Information Technology Department towards expanding the digital governance ecosystem across the Union Territory. During the meeting, the CS launched 162 district-level online citizen services, developed by the Information Technology Department, which have now been integrated with the eUNNAT Portal, taking the total number of online Government-to-Citizen (G2C) services available on the platform from 1,548 to 1,710. The newly added services, developed for 18 districts of the UT, encompass a wide range of regulatory permissions and public services, including permissions for fairs and exhibitions, cultural programmes, political and religious gatherings, processions, drone operations and several other district-level services. These services are now available through a completely digital, paperless and workflow-based platform, enabling citizens to apply online, monitor the status of their applications and receive digitally signed approvals without visiting Government offices. Emphasising continuous improvement, the Chief Secretary directed all Administrative Departments to ensure timely compliance with all mandatory NeSDA parameters and work in close coordination with the Information Technology Department for digitisation of additional public services. Dulloo directed the Information Technology Department to work in close coordination with the Law Department to undertake a comprehensive review of all online citizen services with a view to identifying those that have become redundant or obsolete in view of subsequent policy and legislative reforms. He observed that, under the Government's Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and Reducing Compliance Burden (RCB) initiatives, several certificates, permissions and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) had already been abolished. Such services, he said, should no longer remain active on digital platforms, as their continued availability may lead to avoidable inconvenience for citizens. Dulloo further maintained that the objective of digital governance is not merely to place services online but also to simplify governance by eliminating outdated and unnecessary compliances. He remarked that citizens, in no way, should be compelled to apply for certificates or permissions that are no longer required under the prevailing policy framework. He advised that such services be appropriately categorised as 'No Longer Required' on the eUNNAT Portal after due legal validation. He expressed that our objective is not merely to improve rankings but to build an ecosystem where digital governance must translate into better governance at the grassroots level. Emphasising greater accessibility and inclusive service delivery, the Chief Secretary further instructed the IT Department to identify at least 100 high-volume citizen services for integration with WhatsApp and the Single Sign-On (SSO) platform. He said that priority should be accorded to services frequently availed by farmers, tribal communities, women, children and other vulnerable sections to make Government services more accessible through widely used digital channels. He further called for the integration of emerging digital public assets, including AgriStack-enabled digital land records and SVAMITVA Property Cards, as and when these are operationalised by the concerned departments, observing that the eUNNAT platform should continuously evolve into a comprehensive, future-ready digital service delivery ecosystem. Speaking during the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar, stressed that the success of digital governance should be measured by the tangible value it creates for citizens rather than by the number of services hosted on a portal. The emphasis should be on meaningful, high-impact and frequently used services. Addition of services, by itself, does not constitute progress unless those services genuinely address citizens' needs and improve their experience of public service delivery, he observed. On this occasion the Commissioner Secretary, IT, Saurabh Bhagat revealed that under the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) the latest expansion of digital services has enabled Jammu and Kashmir to attain the 3rd position nationally, reflecting the sustained progress made in digital governance. The Commissioner Secretary also apprised that 159 services developed by BISAG across various departments, including JK e-SEHAT, JK Samadhan, JKCIP, HADP and the Public Works Department. These services have already been integrated with the eUNNAT platform, further expanding the scope of online public service delivery, he added. Moreover, it was highlighted that nine additional services have successfully been developed and are presently undergoing User Acceptance Testing, while five additional services relating to the Revenue Department, Housing & Urban Development Department and Gulmarg Development Authority are under development and are expected to be operational shortly. Their integration will increase the total number of online services on the eUNNAT Portal to 1,724. The roadmap to leverage emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, multilingual interfaces, WhatsApp-based service delivery, Single Sign-On, Face Authentication, Aadhaar-enabled authentication and e-Sign solutions, to further simplify access to Government services and improve the overall citizen experience also cameup for deliberations. The meeting concluded with a review of the NeSDA-2026, with directions to all concerned departments to expedite digitisation of high-volume citizen services, strengthen compliance with national assessment parameters and sustain Jammu and Kashmir's leadership in digital governance.

Commercial LPG prices cut by 209 per cylinder

With this revision, a 19 kg commercial cylinder will cost 2,872.50 in Kolkata starting from Saturday (August 1, 2026); there is no change in the prices of domestic LPG cylinders

Morning Digest: PM Modi says he wants to forgive those who abused him; migrant worker killed, another injured in terror attack in J&Ks Kulgam, and more

Here is a select list of stories to start the day

Someone should change their name to Taylor; we could be champions again: Claire Taylor

The 50-year-old was one of the protagonists of an era of English womens cricket when they talked world domination and realised the ambition. She talks with modesty and humour about her history-making career, explaining why she left a lucrative job for a sport that had little money in it, how she developed into a big-match player and whom she looked to for batting inspiration

Abhinandh flicks mental switch, lights up Ultimate Table Tennis

The 18-year-olds fearless aggression and tactical awareness brought him success in Season 7 of the league. The performance, coming as it did as he begins the transition to the senior ranks, showed he has the technical ability and temperament to succeed at the highest level

PM Modi Forgives Children Who Abused Him and His Late Mother

New Delhi, August 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked for compassion and understanding toward the children who allegedly used abusive language against him and [] The post PM Modi Forgives Children Who Abused Him and His Late Mother appeared first on The Voice Of Sikkim .

Russian attacks on Kyiv kill 4, wound more than a dozen

More than 10 explosions were heard in a row, the journalists reported, adding that the intensity of the blasts triggered car alarms on the streets.

Mirwaiz demands probe into PoK killings, calls for engagement

Deeplyconcerned over the continuing unrest and tragic loss of lives across the Line of Control, particularly in Rawalakot, says Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Punjab Congress kicks off mass mobilisation programme ahead of Assembly polls

Congresss general secretary in charge for Punjab, Bhupesh Bhagel said the ruling AAP was on the way out; the Congress was the only option for the State, even as he predicted a five-cornered contest in Punjab this time

West Asia war LIVE: White House signals Trump is weighing new strikes on Iran

There were no U.S. strikes on Iran overnight, but Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said on Friday (July 31, 2026) it had struck another two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and Kuwait said it intercepted drones

Mayawati welcomes U.P. govt. decision to restore Sant Ravidas Nagar district name, hits out at Samajwadi Party

Government has re-established Sant Ravidas Nagar district, which was created by the BSP government by giving headquarters status to Bhadohi and which was changed by the Samajwadi Party government due to its narrow casteist mindset, for which the party is grateful to the State government, says Mayawati

Delhi's Green Drive: Officers Now Accountable For Survival Of 1 Lakh Saplings

The nodal officers appointed at the individual locations will be held accountable for the survival of the plantations under their supervision, according to the agency.

Infantino abandons plans to sell World Cup profits to private equity following massive pushback

Gianni Infantino's decision came after his senior adviser who sat on a White House panel resigned and Asia's soccer body joined Europe and North America in opposing it

From Tral To Tech: How Murtaza Rafiq Is Transforming Kashmirs Delivery Economy

At an age when most 15-year-olds are occupied with school, exams and deciding what they want to become, Murtaza Rafiq had already discovered his passion. Armed with a camera, basic editing software and an internet connection from his home in Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, he began creating videos with little more than curiosity and determination. Nearly a decade later, that teenage experiment has grown into two successfulcareers,one as a digital creator followed by hundreds of thousands online, and the other as the founder of one of Kashmirs fastest-growing quick-commerce startups. Known online as Emminerr, the 24-year-old YouTuber and entrepreneur has built a career that bridges content creation and technology-driven business, demonstrating how the creator economy can flourish even in a region more often associated with conflict than innovation. His latest venture, SpeedyKart, is attempting to reshape how people across Kashmir shop, order food and receive everyday essentials. I never wanted to stop at making videos, Murtaza says. I always wanted to build something that could create jobs and solve a real problem. A Camera, A Dream And A Small Room Murtazas journey began long before quick-commerce became Indias latest startup buzzword. He was just 15 years old when he started experimenting with content creation from a modest setup at his home in Tral. Like many young creators, he began with dubbed music videos, hip-hop recordings and simple edits, teaching himself production skills through trial and error. For Murtaza, content creation was never simply about entertainment. Acting fascinated him, travelling inspired him, and social media became the platform where he could combine both passions. Growing up in Tral, a town with limited opportunities and exposure, Murtaza dreamed far beyond the Valley. As a teenager, he began travelling solo, visiting countries including China, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, South Korea and more. Each journey broadened his perspective and enriched his storytelling, helping him connect with audiences through experiences that were uncommon for a young creator from Kashmir. As his confidence grew, so did his ambitions. He gradually shifted towards lifestyle and travel vlogging, documenting journeys across eight to nine countries while introducing audiences to destinations and luxury experiences through the lens of a young Kashmiri creator. His videos became more ambitious, both in scale and production quality. Inspired by international creators, particularly MrBeast, he ventured into large-scale challenge videos and giveaways. From distributing bicycles to children to giving away iPhones, his content began attracting millions of impressions and significantly expanded his audience. A defining milestone came in 2025 when he met global YouTube sensation MrBeast during a shoot in Riyadh. For many creators, such a meeting would have been the culmination of years of work. For Murtaza, it became a source of inspiration. It showed me that content can become much bigger than entertainment, he says. It can build businesses, communities and opportunities. Today, his online presence spans more than 330,000 YouTube subscribers, 135,000 Facebook followers and 100,000 Instagram followers, making him one of Kashmirs most recognised digital creators. Beyond Views And Subscribers Despite his growing popularity online, Murtaza believed content creation alone wasnt enough. While Indias metropolitan cities witnessed the rapid rise of quick-commerce platforms, Kashmir continued to depend largely on conventional retail and slower delivery systems. Rather than waiting for established companies to enter the Valley, he decided to create a local solution. Development on SpeedyKart began in 2022. For nearly two years, Murtaza and his team worked on building the technology, delivery network and operational infrastructure required for a service that had little precedent in Kashmir. The app officially launched on August 5, 2024. Unlike conventional delivery platforms, SpeedyKart operates through two verticals. Its express-delivery service, Hotbox, focuses on delivering food, groceries and daily essentials within an average of 30 minutes across a 10-kilometre radius. Its second arm, SpeedyMart, caters to fashion, electronics and other e-commerce products with delivery extending beyond Kashmir to customers across India. The model has been designed around Kashmirs unique geography, where weather conditions, dispersed populations and logistical challenges often complicate supply chains. Building Jobs Alongside Business For Murtaza, launching the platform wasnt only about introducing faster deliveries. It was equally about creating employment. Today, SpeedyKart employs around 100 people across Tral, Awantipora, Anantnag, Verinag, Srinagar and Hazratbal. Since quick-commerce was still relatively unfamiliar in Kashmir, he personally trained nearly 70 per cent of the workforce. We werent just hiring delivery executives, he says. We were introducing an entirely new way of working. The company has since expanded beyond logistics, operating multiple retail outlets while also establishing a 2,000-square-foot fine-dining concept in Rajbagh, signalling ambitions beyond app-based deliveries. The Numbers Behind The Vision SpeedyKarts growth reflects increasing consumer confidence in locally built technology. Within its first year, the startup recorded an annual revenue of aroundRs 1.5 crore. By its second year, that figure had increased to nearlyRs 2.5 crore. Over the past two years, the platform has completed more than 2.5 lakh deliveries, maintaining an average delivery time of approximately 30 minutes. For Murtaza, however, these figures represent more than business success. They represent trust, he says. Every order means someone chose to believe in a homegrown Kashmiri company. A New Generation Of Entrepreneurs For decades, Kashmir has been known for its artisans, apple growers, tourism and handicrafts. Today, another identity is quietly emerging: that of digital creators, startup founders and technology entrepreneurs building businesses from within the Valley. Murtaza Rafiq belongs to this new generation. His journey illustrates how a camera can become a catalyst for entrepreneurship, how social media can evolve into sustainable enterprise, and how local innovation can solve local challenges. From filming videos in a small room in Tral at the age of 15 to building a company that now serves thousands of customers across Kashmir, his story reflects the aspirations of a generation that is equally comfortable creating content, building technology and generating employment. For Murtaza Rafiq, success was never just about going viral. It was about creating something that lasts.

Heavy rain halts Yatra on Baltal route

Srinagar, Jul 31: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra remained suspended from the Baltal route on Friday after heavy rainfall damaged sections of the track, forcing authorities to halt the movement of pilgrims as a precautionary measure. Official sources said the decision was taken in view of inclement weather and the need to undertake urgent restoration work on vulnerable stretches of the Baltal track. The suspensionwas aimed at ensuringthe safety of thousands of pilgrims undertaking the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine. Continuous rainfalltriggered damage toportions of the trekking route, making it unsafe for pilgrims. Soon after the weather deteriorated, authorities reviewed the situation and decided to suspend the yatra from Baltal until the track is restored. Engineering teams, disaster response personnel and other concerned agencies were immediately pressed into service to repair the damaged stretches and clear debris from the route. Restoration work is underway on a war footing, officials said, adding that every effort is being made to reopen the track as soon as conditions permit. No pilgrim was allowed to proceed from the Baltal base camp on Friday. Officials said fresh movement towards the holy cave shrine will remain suspended until engineers certify the route as safe and weather conditions improve. Meanwhile, the pilgrimage from the traditional Pahalgam route alsocontinued to remain suspended due to adverse weather and ongoing restoration works.With both routes temporarily closed, authorities are continuously monitoring the situation and reviewing weather forecasts beforetaking any decisionon resuming the yatra. The administrationhasadvised all pilgrims to remain at their designated base camps and refrain from attempting to move towards the shrine without official permission. Public address systems and officials at the camps are regularly updating pilgrims about the prevailing situation. Officials said adequate arrangements, including accommodation, food, drinking water, medical assistance and security, have been put in place at the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps to ensure that stranded pilgrims do not face inconvenience during the temporary suspension. Authoritieshaveappealed to devotees to cooperate with the administration and exercise patience. They reiterated that the safety and well-being of pilgrims remain the highest priority and that the yatra will resume only after the tracks are fully restored and declared safe for travel.

Monsoon showers sweep away pollution, clear Kashmirs air

Srinagar, Jul 31: After enduring prolonged dry spells, dust-laden winds and declining air quality earlier this year, Kashmir is breathing easier again as widespread monsoon showers cleanse the atmosphere, dramatically improving visibility and restoring the Valley's famed crystal-clear horizons. From Srinagar to the foothills of the Pir Panjal, the transformation has been remarkable. The Zabarwan range overlooking Dal Lake appears unusually sharp, the distant Pir Panjal mountains stand out against deep blue skies, and even far-off Himalayan peaks have become visible after remaining veiled behind atmospheric haze for weeks. For many residents, the return of these spectacular vistas serves as a reminder of the pristine environment that has long defined Kashmir. Every spell of monsoon rainis doing far more than replenishing rivers, lakes and forestsit is actingas nature's own air purification system. Environmental scientists explain that rainfall washes away suspended dust, smoke, pollen, soot and microscopic pollutants, temporarily restoring the Valley's atmosphere to a state rarely witnessed during prolonged dry weather. The refreshing transformation is not only visible but can also be felt. The air becomes noticeably lighter, breathing feels easier, and the Valley is enveloped in the distinctive earthy fragrance that follows rainfall. According to studies conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and international atmospheric research organisations, moderate to heavy rainfall can reduce particulate matter concentrations by 30 to 70 per cent, depending on rainfall intensity, duration, wind conditions and atmospheric stability. The improvement becomes visible within hours. The haze that usually blankets Srinagar during dry spells disappears, sunlight becomes brighter, colours appear more vibrant and distant mountain ranges emerge with remarkable clarity. Senior environmentalist and geographer Dr Tanveer Ahmed Khan said rainfall naturally purifies the atmosphere through several interconnected physical and chemical processes. As raindrops fall through the atmosphere, they capture dust particles, smoke, soot, pollen and fine particulate matter suspended in the air. At the same time, microscopic aerosols serve as cloud condensation nuclei around which water vapour condenses before falling as rain, naturally removing these pollutants from the atmosphere, he explained. Dr Khan said rainfall also absorbs several water-soluble gases, including sulphur dioxide (SO Environmental experts note that although Srinagar generally enjoys better air quality than many Indian metropolitan cities, pollution levels rise significantly during prolonged dry spells because of road dust, increasing vehicular emissions, construction activities, biomass burning, brick kiln emissions and seasonal temperature inversions that trap pollutants close to the ground. Rainfall provides immediate relief by washing these pollutants from the atmosphere, often resulting in a sharp improvement in visibility and overall air quality. Once rainfall ceases and roads begin to dry, dust particles become airborne again because of traffic movement, construction activity, wind erosion and other human disturbances. Nature periodically cleans the atmosphere, but sustainable air quality can only be achieved by preventing pollutants from entering the atmosphere in the first place, Dr Khan said. Scientists say preserving that picture throughout the year will depend not on the generosity of the monsoon, but on society's willingness to embrace cleaner transport, sustainable development, responsible construction practices and stronger environmental safeguards. Only then, they say, can Kashmir's celebrated crystal-clear horizons remain a permanent feature rather than a fleeting gift of the rain.

12 of 15 Srinagar traffic signals defunct: MVD

Srinagar, July 30: The Motor Vehicles Depart-ment (MVD), J&K, has flagged serious short comingsinthefunction-ing of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) in Sri-nagar, revealing that 12 out of 15 inspected traffic signal junctions are non-functional, severely impactingtraf-fic management and enforcement across the city. An official status report prepared by the Technical Team-UT Enforcement, following a field inspection of traffic signalinstalla-tions, found that sev-eral key junctions, including Fire & Emergency service Junction Batamaloo, PCR junc-tion jehangir Chowk, Near Hotel Lala rukh Lal Chowk, Regal chowk, MA road, Polo view junction, Badyari chowk Dalgate, Oberoi junction Dal Lake, Chashma Shahi/ Botanical garden Junc-tion, Kral Sangri, Brein Nishat, Habak Crossing, Sheeraz Chowk Khanyar and Khayam Chowk, have non-func-tional traffic signals. Only TRC Junction, Zind Shah Masjid (Rain-awari) and Mumta Chowk were found operational. Speaking to Rising Kashmir, an official from the Motor Vehicles Department said the inspection was carried out to assess the present status of traffic signal infrastructure and identify gaps in the operationalisation of the ITMS. The official said the department has submitted the report to the competent authorities with recom-mendations for imme-diate corrective measures to ensure the system functions as intended. The report recom-mends the immediate restoration of all non-functional traffic signals, a comprehensive technical audit of all ITMS junctions, and inspection of ANPR, RLVD, CCTV/PTZ cam-eras, communication systems and other as-sociated equipment. It also calls for the full integration of ITMS with the VAHAN data-base to enable real-time verification of vehicle registration, fitness certificates, permits, insurance, vehicle tax, Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates, own-ership details, repeat traffic violation his-tory and e-Challan services. The department has further recommended the development of an automated mechanism to identify vehicles operating with expired or invalid statutory documents, besides establishing a live dash-board to monitor the operational status of traffic junctions across Srinagar

Forces must be ready for asymmetric warfare: LG Sinha

Srinagar, Jul 31: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said the transformation in Jammu Kashmir over the past six years is the result of a sustained commitment to rebuilding trust, enabling citizens to lead lives of their own choosing and restoring the dignity that had long been overshadowed by instability. The LG made these remarksduringinteraction with officers attending the Higher Command Course - 55 at Army War College, Mhow. Addressing the officers and faculty members at Lok Bhavan, Sinha highlighted the pressing geo-political and geo-strategic challenges of the present era, along with a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy anchored in a whole of government approach aimed at dismantling terror networks. The Lieutenant Governor said that effective administration must reach out to every household in the most remote village and serve the most marginalised citizen with unwavering dedication and responsibility. I have consistently emphasised that governance cannot be managed from a distance. Effective administration must reach out to every household in the most remote village and serve the most marginalisedcitizen,with unwavering dedication and responsibility, he said. Sinha added, Our forces must be ready to tackle the challenges of asymmetric warfare. The strategic value of data analysis and algorithmic precision is as important as conventional kinetic operations today. The Lieutenant Governor said that strong action has been taken with surgical firmness against the terror ecosystem and the conflict entrepreneurs who were working to keep terrorism alive in Jammu Kashmir. Strong action has been taken with surgical firmness against the terror ecosystem and the conflict entrepreneurs who were working to keep terrorism alive in Jammu Kashmir. The systematic infiltration of terrorist sympathisers into government machinery over the past 30 years was decisively dismantled, delivering an unambiguous message of zero tolerance to terror and public money will no longer sustain those quietly subverting the nation from within, he said. Lt Gen Ajay Chandpuria, Commandant, Army War College, faculty members and senior officers of the Security Forces were present during the interaction.

Waqf registrations rise by 35,000 in West Bengal after UMEED portal launch

Waqf authorities say the increase islargely dueto increased registrations and not a sudden increase in the number of existing properties

Alok Kumar felicitates personnel with Gal-lantry, Meritorious Service Medals

Srinagar, Jul 30: Direc-tor, Fire & Emergency Services, J&K, Alok Ku-mar (ADGP) on Thursday felicitated seven serving and retired personnel of the Department by presenting them with Gal-lantry Medals (GM), Meritorious Service Medals (MMS) and appreciation certificates in recognition of their exceptional bravery, distinguished service and unwavering dedica-tion to duty. The awardees honoured during the ceremony include: Firdous Ahmad Khan (LFM-1449) - Medal for Gallantry (GM), Bashir Ahmad Ahanger (FM-1996) Medal for Gallantry (GM), Puran Singh (LFM) - Medal for Meritorious Services (MMS), Satpal Khujuri ya (LFM) Medal for Meritorious Services (MMS), Ab Rashid Ganie, Sub Officer (Retired) Medal for Meritorious Services (MMS), Gh Mo-hi-ud-Din Dar (SGFM) - Medal for Meritorious Services (MMS) and late S.K. Raina (Deceased) Medal for Gallantry (GM), awarded posthumously. Speaking on the occa-sion, Director Fire and Emergency Services ADGP Alok Kumar -IPS congratulated the awardees and appreciated their outstanding contribution towards protect-ing lives and property under challenging circumstances. He urged all personnel of the department to con-tinue serving with dedi-cation, discipline and compassion, while up-holding the highest stan-dards of professionalism in safeguarding the peo-ple of Jammu and Kash-mir. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of medals and certificates to the awardees amidst applause from the officials ofdepartment.

21st century belongs to those who integrate knowledge: LG Sinha

Jammu, Jul 31: The future belongs to those who recognise possibilities, not boundaries, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Friday, as he inaugurated a series of groundbreaking academic programmes at Cluster University, Jammu, calling the Design Your Degree initiative a revolutionary step towards student-centric learning. In his address, the Lieutenant Governor declared that the 21st century will welcome not specialists in just one subject, but those who possess the ability to integrate knowledge from multiple fields and discover new solutions. The frontiers of knowledge are continuously expanding. Problems are multidimensional, and their solutions are possible only through multi-disciplinary approaches. I believe that the 21st century will welcome those young people who are not specialists in just one subject but possess the ability to integrate knowledge from multiple fields and discover new solutions. This initiative empowers students to shape their own academic journeys, combining subjects according to their interests, talents, and aspirations, he said. The inauguration also marked the launch of integrated programmes in Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Mathematics, and Geography. The Lieutenant Governor underscored that science thrives on interconnectedness, and these courses will nurture students as holistic researchers capable of addressing complex challenges. The LG added, The study of climate change is not limited only to environmental science. Chemistry, physics, mathematics, geography and others play an equally important role. If we provide our students with a broader perspective from the very beginning, they will not become specialists in just one subject, but will emerge as researchers and thinkers capable of understanding complex problems in their entirety and finding solutions. By encouraging cross-disciplinary study, Cluster University, Jammu is preparing students not only to master theoriesbutto generate new ideas and innovations. Cluster University, Jammu has also introduced a one-year PG Diploma in Sanatan Dharma and Indian Knowledge Systems, along with the establishment of the Department of Vedic Studies. The Lieutenant Governor said true education must balance science with values. He stressed that India's intellectual heritage, from Panini's grammar to Aryabhata's astronomy, from Ayurveda to linguistics, represents a treasure of systematic thought and scientific vision. As modern knowledge is essential, it is equally essential that we understand who we are, what our intellectual tradition has been and what our civilisation has contributed to the world. Giving expression to this very sentiment, the establishment of the Department of Vedic Studies and the launch of the one-year PG Diploma programme in Sanatan Dharma and Indian Knowledge Systems today is a significant step, Sinha said. Hesaid thestudents will get the opportunity to understand that the Indian Knowledge System is not limited only to ancient beliefs or religious rituals but that Indian philosophy, the Upanishads, the Vedas, ancient mathematics, medical science, astronomy and linguistics constitute an invaluable heritage of profound intellectual research, science and logical thinking that our ancestors gave to the world. This programme, he said, will allow students to engage deeply with India's civilisational wisdom while pursuing modernknowledge, he said. LG Sinha also inaugurated the Semiconductor Skilling Programme in collaboration with IIT Madras, describing it as a vital step in India's technological mission. He observed that semiconductors are the backbone of modern innovation, powering everything from mobile phones to space missions. Under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has resolved to become a leader in technology development and manufacturing. This skilling initiative will equip students with cutting-edge expertise, aligning them with the needs of future industries and strengthening India's position in the global deep-tech landscape, he said. The Lieutenant Governor called upon students to focus on skill development and innovation. He said every skill acquired and every innovation pursued will contribute to India's journey towards self-reliance and global leadership. He expressed confidence that these programmes will not only enrich individual academic journeys but also give new direction to Jammu and Kashmir's progress. The new programmes at Cluster University, Jammuisthe beginning of a new philosophy of education. Rooted in India's cultural identity and oriented towards global aspirations, these initiatives promise to empower students to dream, innovate and lead, the Lieutenant Governor said. The occasion also witnessed the launch of Post-Graduate Programme in Environmental Sciences with Minor Specialisation in Renewable Energy; One year Post-Graduate diploma in Dogri Translation; release of Nasha Mukt Bharat activity report, and renaming of Vice-Chancellors office-cum-secretariat complex as Suryaputri Tawi Bhawan and old IIM Campus as Chandrabhaga Campus. Prof. K.S. Chandrasekar, Vice-Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu; Shri Ankur Mahajan, Registrar, HoDs and office bearers of the Cluster University of Jammu; heads of several Constituent colleges of the University, faculty, and students attended the inaugural ceremony.

Commonwealth Games: Neeraj Chopra bags silver for javelin throw, Yashvir wins bronze

The 28-year-old Tokyo Olympics champion produced a season-best throw of 85.83m in his second attempt, which was good enough for a second-place finish

BJP condemns rights violations in PoJK

Jammu, July 31: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday alleged human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), accusing Pakistan of targeting civilians and urging the international community and political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to raise their voice against the reported incidents. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Jammu, party spokesperson Dr Tahir Chowdhary and BJP leader Dr Abhijeet Singh Jasrotia expressed concern over the situation in PoJK and claimed that people there were looking towards India with hope. Dr Tahir Chowdhary alleged that Pakistans security forces were responsible for attacks on civilians, including women and children, and claimed that videos from the region showed residents seeking international attention over alleged violations. He questioned the silence of global organisations and political voices that had earlier raised issues related to Jammu and Kashmir at international forums. Referring to the prevailing situation in PoJK, Chowdhary claimed that people in the region were increasingly identifying with India due to development and governance on this side of Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that Pakistan was attempting to suppress such sentiments by creating hardships for residents, including restrictions related to essential supplies. The BJP leader also questioned the silence of regional parties, including the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and Congress, alleging that they had not spoken against the reported developments in PoJK. The BJP has always maintained that PoJK is an integral part of India and remains committed to the reunification of the region with India, Chowdhary said. He also referred to statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on PoJK, saying the party would continue to highlight issues concerning the region. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Abhijeet Singh Jasrotia recalled historical events associated with Mirpur during the 1947 conflict and alleged that the people of the region had suffered immensely during that period. Jasrotia also criticised political leaders of the National Conference and PDP, including Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, alleging that they had remained silent on issues concerning PoJK. He further criticised Pakistans leadership and accused Islamabad of suppressing civilian voices in the region. The BJP leaders reiterated their demand for international attention to alleged rights violations in PoJK and said the party would continue to raise the concerns of people living there.

Ladakh gets legal protection for 23 heritage sites

Leh, July 31: The Ladakh Administration has declared 23 historic sites across the Union Territory as Protected Monuments, marking a significant step towards preserving the region's rich cultural, archaeological and spiritual heritage. The decision brings several historically important sites under statutory protection, paving the way for their scientific conservation, restoration and long-term preservation. The protected sites include ancient petroglyphs, prehistoric rock carvings, centuries-old forts, caves and iconic Gompas that have long been exposed to natural deterioration and human-induced damage. Officials said the notification provides a legal framework to safeguard these heritage assets and ensure their protection for future generations. Lieutenant Governor Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena said the move is aimed at conserving Ladakh's invaluable cultural treasures while strengthening institutional mechanisms for their maintenance and preservation. He said the statutory protection would help prevent encroachments, regulate activities around the notified monuments and facilitate systematic conservation and restoration of the sites. The LG said the initiative reflects the administration's commitment to preserving Ladakh's unique civilisational heritage alongside its developmental aspirations. He added that the effort is guided by Prime Minister 's vision of Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi, which seeks to promote development while safeguarding the country's historical and cultural legacy. Officials believe the notification will strengthen heritage management in Ladakh, encourage responsible tourism and create greater awareness about the Union Territory's rich historical and spiritual traditions, while ensuring that its invaluable monuments are preserved for generations to come.

Commonwealth Games: Tejaswin becomes first Indian to win decathlon medal with bronze

Paris Olympics bronze winner Lindon Victor of Grenada took the gold with 8096 points

PDP warns of road protest over fruit truck halt

Qazigund (Anantnag), July 31: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Friday issued a 24-hour deadline to highway authorities to reopen the Qazigund stretch of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, warning of protests if fruit-laden trucks continue to remain stranded. Addressing reporters at the site, Mufti said apple growers were facing heavy losses due to the highway restrictions and alleged that the delay was affecting Kashmirs fruit industry during the peak season. She claimed that growers had informed her that the price of an apple box had fallen from around Rs 2,000 a week ago to Rs 600 on Friday. A corporate houses apples get sold while Kashmiri apples dont? We will not let that happen, she said, alleging that the interests of local growers were being compromised. Mufti criticised the government over its response to the issue, saying an elected administration with a strong mandate should have intervened to address the concerns of fruit growers. Does statehood prevent the Chief Minister from coming here and standing with our fruit growers? she asked, adding that people who supported the government were now disappointed. She said highway maintenance work should be completed within a short period and questioned the timing of the repairs during the crucial apple transportation season. Responding to the governments statement that the highway does not fall under its jurisdiction, Mufti said the administration could still intervene by visiting the affected area, engaging with growers and coordinating with concerned authorities. She also criticised the Chief Ministers priorities, alleging that issues affecting common people were being overlooked. Mufti said a similar situation had occurred last year when, according to her, fruit remained stranded on the highway for weeks due to maintenance-related restrictions. She announced that growers and traders would hold a protest at Qazigund from the day after tomorrow if the highway stretch was not reopened by Saturday.

Govt plans GI tag for Kashmir willow bats

SRINAGAR, JULY 31: Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, on Friday directed the concerned departments to launch a coordinated drive to revive willow cultivation across Kashmir and expand plantations to ensure a sustainable supply of quality timber for the cricket bat industry. The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting convened to deliberate upon the challenges confronting the willow sector and to formulate a long-term roadmap for its revival and growth. The meeting was attended by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, J&K, Sarvesh Rai; Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, Irfan Rasool Wani besides senior officers of the Forest Department and other concerned departments. Addressing the meeting, the Minister observed that Kashmir occupies a unique position as the country's only source of the specialised willow wood used for manufacturing cricket bats, making the region the national hub of the cricket bat industry. He said that hundreds of manufacturing units, predominantly located in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, provide direct and indirect employment to thousands of people engaged in willow cultivation, timber trade and bat manufacturing. Rana expressed concern over the declining availability of quality willow timber, describing it as one of the biggest challenges confronting the cricket bat industry. He attributed the shortage to the indiscriminate felling of mature willow trees without adequate replantation, resulting in uncertainty in raw material supply and increased production costs for local manufacturers. The declining availability of willow timber is a matter of serious concern. Expansion of plantations, introduction of improved willow clones and systematic replantation must become a priority so that the industry continues to flourish without facing any shortages of raw material, Rana asserted. The Minister also noted that the area under willow plantations has witnessed a steady decline, particularly on private lands, owing to changing land-use patterns. He stressed that unless timely corrective measures are taken, the long-term sustainability of the industry could be adversely affected. He called upon the Forest Department to identify suitable low-lying and marshy areas across the Valley for expanding willow plantations, in coordination with the Deputy Commissioners. It was decided that the State Forest Research Institute (SFRI) will introduce improved willow species and clones and ensure the availability of quality planting material to enhance productivity and sustainability. Our objective is to build a self-sustaining willow cultivation ecosystem through scientific management, quality planting material, identification of new plantation areas and greater farmer participation. This will secure livelihoods while preserving Kashmir's unique position as the country's cricket bat manufacturing hub, asserted the Minister. The Agriculture Department was directed to identify the departmental farms and research blocks for raising quality willow planting material to support large-scale plantation drives. The meeting also deliberated upon scientific management and expansion of government willow plantations, timely disposal of mature and over-mature trees to augment raw material availability, streamlining of the permission system for felling and transportation of willow timber, branding and Geographical Indication (GI) tagging for Kashmir willow bats. Emphasis was also laid on stronger coordination among the Forest, Agriculture, Industries & Commerce, MSME and allied departments to prepare a long-term roadmap for the sector.

Kochi metro records operational profit, lowers net loss

Centre releases Rs 4,055 crore for Poshan 2.0 in J&K

Srinagar, July 31: Jammu and Kashmir has received Rs 4,055.87 crore under the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme between 2014-15 and 2024-25, according to official data tabled by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The official year-wise figures show that the Union Territory received Rs 260.31 crore in 2014-15, Rs 273.63 crore in 2015-16, Rs 267.32 crore in 2016-17, Rs 193.28 crore in 2017-18 and Rs 374.07 crore in 2018-19. The Centre released Rs 320.00 crore in 2019-20, Rs 289.02 crore in 2020-21, Rs 405.74 crore in 2021-22, Rs 478.82 crore in 2022-23, Rs 530.88 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 662.79 crore in 2024-25, marking the highest annual allocation during the period. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development said that year-wise and state-wise details of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and projects under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, including those in Jammu and Kashmir, are available on the Poshan Tracker public dashboard. The minister said Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with implementation carried out by the respective State Governments and Union Territory administrations. The matter regarding infrastructure is regularly taken up with the States and UT administrations through sustained engagements and video conferences so as to ensure uninterrupted delivery of services to the beneficiaries, the minister said.

KU marks milestone with first FYUGP completion

Srinagar: The University of Kashmir has achieved a major milestone by completing the first cycle of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP) introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The university has declared the results of the 8th Semester of the FYUGP 2022 batch, marking the successful completion of the first four-year undergraduate programme under the new education system. The achievement is being seen as an important step in the implementation of NEP 2020, which aims to bring flexibility, multidisciplinary learning and research opportunities into higher education. University officials said the successful completion of the programme reflects the collective efforts of teachers, students and administrative staff. This is a proud moment for the University of Kashmir. The completion of the first FYUGP cycle shows our commitment towards academic reforms and providing better learning opportunities to students, an official said. The official added that the university had worked continuously to implement the new curriculum and credit-based system as per the guidelines of NEP 2020. The successful declaration of the 8th Semester results is an important achievement. It will help students move ahead with new opportunities in higher education, research and career development, the official said. With this achievement, the University of Kashmir has strengthened its position among institutions leading the transition towards the new education framework in the country.

Ladakhs cancer cases surge four-fold in five years

Srinagar, July 31: The Union Territory of Ladakh has witnessed a sharp increase in cancer cases over the past five years, with the number of diagnosed patients rising from 50 in 2021-22 to 214 in 2025-26, as per data of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Official data tabled recently in Parliament by the Health Ministry revealed a sharp and consistent rise in cancer cases in the Union Territory of Ladakh over the past five years. The number of diagnosed cases increased from 50 in 2021-22 to 87 in 2022-23, before nearly doubling to 173 in 2023-24. The upward trend continued with 208 cases reported in 2024-25, reaching 214 cases in 2025-26, indicating a significant increase in the cancer burden in the mountainous region. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), stomach, lung and oesophageal cancers are the most commonly diagnosed cancers among men in Ladakh. Among women, breast, stomach and oesophageal cancers are the leading types of cancer reported in the region. The union health ministry has said that while lifestyle, dietary, environmental and occupational factors can influence cancer risk, there is no conclusive scientific evidence directly linking Ladakhs high-altitude or cold climatic conditions to the rise in cancer cases. The government, however, acknowledged that research in this area is continuing. The Ministry also said that cancer screening services are being provided in Ladakh under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). Screening for oral, breast and cervical cancers is available through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and other public health facilities to promote early detection and timely treatment. To strengthen cancer care in the region, the government said diagnostic and treatment services are being expanded through district hospitals and referral health institutions. It added that public awareness campaigns, community-based screening and capacity building of healthcare workers are also being undertaken to improve early diagnosis and cancer management. Health experts believe that the rising numbers may also reflect better diagnosis, increased screening and improved reporting, in addition to changing lifestyles and other risk factors. They have stressed the need for sustained awareness campaigns, regular screening of high-risk populations and timely referral to specialised treatment centres. Local health experts in Kargil said cancer and cancer-related deaths in Ladakh are alarmingly on the rise because the majority of the risk factors are prevalent in this region. Due to lack of hospital-based cancer registry or any other previous cancer-related study, no data of magnitude of this dreaded disease was available before recent studies. The experts said it is disheartening to see people die of cancers as young as 30 years, in Ladakh as lack of awareness among the people about the disease is a cause of concern.

Hoteliers urge Shrine Board to avoid Yatra suspensions

Katra, July 30: A joint delegation of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, Katra (HRAK) and the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Jammu Region, on Thursday urged the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) to minimise complete suspension of the Vaishno Devi Yatra during adverse weather and instead use alternative routes wherever safety permits. The delegation, led by HRAK President and PHDCCI Chairman Rakesh Wazir, called on SMVDSB Chief Executive Officer Sachin Kumar Vaishya and submitted a memorandum seeking measures to improve pilgrim facilities, boost Yatra footfall, increase visitors' stay in Jammu and Kashmir and strengthen the local economy. The delegation appreciated the Shrine Board's commitment to pilgrim safety and said the suspension of the Yatra following the recent flash flood tragedy was justified. However, it maintained that complete suspension of the pilgrimage should remain an exceptional measure. Rakesh Wazir said frequent interruptions could adversely affect the long-term growth of the pilgrimage and impact tourism-dependent businesses in Katra. He suggested that during heavy rainfall or weather alerts, pilgrims should be diverted through safer alternative routes instead of halting the Yatra altogether. He said the existing old track and the Tarakote route could be utilised, wherever considered safe, to ensure the pilgrimage continues without compromising safety. The memorandum warned that repeated suspensions could discourage pilgrims at a time when major religious destinations across the country are competing to attract devotees. HRAK Chairman Shyam Lal Kesar described pilgrimage tourism as the backbone of Katra's economy and sought financial relief for Shrine Board licensees who suffered losses during periods when the Yatra remained suspended following the Pahalgam terror attack, the India-Pakistan conflict, the flash flood tragedy and subsequent weather-related restrictions. The delegation requested waiver or refund of licence fees for the affected period or an extension of licence tenure, similar to the relief granted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senior Vice President HRAK and PHDCCI Katra Head Virender Kesar called for increasing manpower at RFID registration counters, particularly at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station, to reduce waiting time during peak arrivals. Other members of the delegation also sought preparation of a comprehensive master plan for Katra's integrated development, including improvements in civic infrastructure, underground cabling, uninterrupted power and water supply, sanitation and other public amenities. CEO SMVDSB Sachin Kumar Vaishya assured the delegation that all issues raised in the memorandum would be examined sympathetically.

J&Ks Road Carnage Demands More Than Concern

The numbers are grim, and they should unsettle every conscience in Jammu and Kashmir. In five years, 4,287 lives have been lost in road accidents across the Union Territory. Of these, 1,255 deaths occurred on National Highways alone a stark reminder that the regions fastest roads are also among its deadliest. When nearly a third of all fatalities are concentrated on highway stretches, the debate can no longer be reduced to routine statements about road safety and human error. This is not merely a statistics problem. It is a public safety failure. Roads are meant to connect people, markets and opportunities; in J&K, far too often, they are turning into corridors of tragedy. The toll is especially painful because it is concentrated among the young and the vulnerable. The fact that the 18 to 25 age group recorded the highest number of highway deaths between 2022 and 2025 should shock policymakers into action. These are not abstract numbers; they are sons, daughters, students, workers and breadwinners whose futures were cut short on roads that should have protected them. Even more disturbing is the heavy burden borne by pedestrians. With 1,011 deaths over five years, pedestrians account for nearly a fourth of the total fatalities. That means a dangerous road environment is harming not only drivers and passengers but also ordinary men and women walking to school, work, home, or a bus stop. The sharp rise in pedestrian deaths in 2025, whether due partly to improved eDAR reporting or not, still points to an unacceptably lethal road culture. The government is right to say that accidents arise from a mix of human, vehicular and infrastructural factors. But the emphasis must now shift from explanation to execution. Education, enforcement, engineering and emergency care are useful pillars, but they cannot remain a slogan. Road safety audits must identify black spots and dangerous design flaws in a time-bound manner. Highway authorities must ensure better signage, lane discipline, pedestrian crossings, lighting, crash barriers and speed management. Over speeding and reckless driving must invite consistent punishment, not occasional outrage. The law must be visible on the road, not just on paper. Equally important is the medical response. A road accident is often a race against time. If emergency care is delayed, a survivable injury can become fatal. The PM RAHAT scheme and the claims already initiated in J&K are welcome, but access to cashless treatment, trauma care and ambulance response must be widened and streamlined. A state that can count its dead so precisely must also build systems that save them with equal precision. The tragedy of J&Ks road deaths is that many are preventable. Every fatal crash should be treated not as an isolated event, but as evidence of a system that needs urgent repair. Until roads are made safer for pedestrians, stricter for violators and faster in emergency response, the death toll will continue to rise and with it, the publics sense that this loss is becoming routine.

J&K among lowest-paying UTs for Anganwadi incentives

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmirs Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) are among the lowest paid in the country when it comes to additional incentives provided by the Union Territories and States, according to data presented by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Lok Sabha. The Jammu and Kashmir Government provides a monthly top-up of Rs 600 to Anganwadi Workers and Rs 300 to Helpers, in addition to the Centres honorarium of Rs 4,500 and Rs 2,250 respectively. AWWs and AWHs also receive performance-linked incentives of Rs 500 and Rs 250 per month. With the UT contribution included, an Anganwadi Worker in Jammu and Kashmir receives Rs 5,600 per month, while a Helper gets Rs 2,550, excluding performance-based incentives. The data revealed that Jammu and Kashmirs additional payment of Rs 600 for AWWs is the second-lowest among States and UTs providing such incentives. For Helpers, the Rs 300 top-up also remains among the lowest in the country. In comparison, several states provide substantially higher incentives. Kerala offers an additional Rs 8,300 to AWWs and Rs 6,800 to AWHs, while Tamil Nadu provides Rs 9,780 and Rs 6,270 respectively. Haryana gives Rs 10,250 to AWWs and Rs 5,650 to AWHs. Goa reported the highest additional incentive range, with AWWs receiving Rs 15,000 to Rs 23,000. The Ministry informed Parliament that the central honorarium for Anganwadi Workers was last revised in October 2018, when payments were increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,500 for AWWs and from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,250 for AWHs. The Centre stated that States and UTs are free to provide additional financial incentives from their own resources, resulting in significant variations across regions. The Ministry said Anganwadi Workers and Helpers are honorary workers engaged from local communities and provide services related to child care, nutrition and development under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. The government also highlighted welfare measures for workers, including annual leave, maternity benefits, insurance coverage, healthcare benefits under Ayushman Bharat and expanded promotion opportunities. Under the scheme, 50 per cent of Anganwadi Worker posts can be filled through eligible Helpers, while 50 per cent of Supervisor posts can be filled through promotion of eligible Workers. The Centre has also encouraged States and UTs to enrol Anganwadi Workers and Helpers under pension and insurance schemes, besides providing smartphones and the Poshan Tracker application to improve monitoring and digitisation of Anganwadi services.

Kulgam Attack Reopens the Wound of Terror

The killing of a non-local labourer and the injury of another in Kulgams Kellam area is yet another grim reminder that terrorism remains committed not only to violence, but to fear. When armed men target workers who come to Kashmir to earn a living, they are striking at the most basic idea of normalcy, that ordinary men can move, labour and survive without becoming statistics in a cycle of bloodshed. This attack is not merely another incident to be condemned in routine language. It is an act meant to unsettle society, frighten vulnerable workers, and create the impression that no space in Kashmir is safe from terror. The outrage expressed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is both necessary and expected. His direct engagement with the top security leadership and the instruction to intensify operations against the terrorists underline the seriousness of the moment. But condemnation, however strong, can only be meaningful if it is matched by speed, precision and results on the ground. The perpetrators must be tracked down and brought to justice without delay. Anything less will only embolden those who believe that murder can be used as a political message. What makes such attacks especially sinister is their target. Labourers are not combatants, not participants in conflict, not voices in the political contest over Kashmirs future. They are workers seeking livelihood, and their presence in the Valley is part of the economic and human bridge that has slowly been rebuilt despite years of uncertainty. To fire upon them is to attack that bridge itself. It is to remind people that terror survives by disrupting trust trust between communities, trust in public order, trust in the possibility of shared daily life. Kashmir has witnessed many such attempts to push it back into fear. Each time, the response must be stronger than the attempt. Security forces have already cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, but the larger challenge lies beyond one operation. It lies in ensuring that those who plan, shelter and execute such attacks understand that there will be no impunity. The fight against terror cannot afford to be reactive alone; it must be preventive, sustained and uncompromising. At the same time, the administration must send an unmistakable message to non-local workers and all vulnerable civilians that their safety is not negotiable. Swift medical care for the injured, support for the bereaved family, and visible reassurance on the ground are essential. So too is the broader political and social consensus that terror attacks on unarmed labourers will not be allowed to define Kashmir. This attack should awaken a deeper urgency. Terrorists may seek to project strength through cowardice, but the state must answer with resolve, intelligence and accountability. The only fitting reply to such cruelty is not rhetoric, but action that restores confidence, protects lives and denies the killers the space they seek.

Science, Soul, and the Limits of Cloning

The announcement of another scientific breakthrough in cloning, or even the mere possibility of it, is often met with two kinds of excitement: one rooted in wonder, the other in unease. Science, after all, has always carried this double burden. It can heal and it can harm; it can enlighten and it can unsettle. Cloning is no exception. It is one of those rare subjects that forces humanity to look not only at what it can do, but at what it should do. And in that distinction lies the whole moral struggle. In the simplest terms, cloning refers to the creation of a genetically identical copy of a living organism. In the laboratory, this can mean cells, tissues, or animals. In the broader public imagination, however, cloning immediately invokes the possibility of human beings being copied as though they were documents from a photocopier. That fear is not entirely irrational. It touches a raw nerve in human conscience because it challenges the uniqueness of life, the individuality of personhood, and the dignity that we attach to each human being. Supporters of cloning often argue that the technique holds immense promise. It can be useful in medical research, regenerative therapy, and the treatment of inherited diseases. It may help in producing organs, repairing damaged tissues, and understanding complex genetic disorders. These are not small benefits. In a world where millions suffer from organ failure, degenerative diseases, and genetic conditions, the scientific possibilities are understandably attractive. To dismiss cloning outright would be to ignore the genuine hope that biotechnology can bring to human suffering. But the ethical question does not disappear simply because the technology is useful. In fact, utility often makes ethical scrutiny more urgent. History is full of examples where scientific progress moved ahead faster than moral reflection, and the consequences were not always noble. The great danger with cloning lies in the temptation to reduce life to a technical achievement. Once human beings begin to view creation as something that can be engineered at will, the door opens to all kinds of moral distortions. The issue is no longer merely scientific. It becomes philosophical, religious, cultural, and deeply human. The first ethical concern is that cloning threatens the uniqueness of the human person. Every human being enters the world with a distinct genetic identity, but personhood is not merely a matter of genes. It is also shaped by experience, memory, relationships, suffering, and freedom. Yet the idea of cloning tends to blur this delicate distinction. If a person can be replicated, even genetically, it encourages the troubling notion that human beings are objects to be reproduced rather than mysteries to be respected. That is a dangerous shift in moral imagination. Then comes the issue of identity. A clone is not a duplicate soul, nor a repetition of a life. It would still grow in a different environment, under different pressures, with different choices. But socially and psychologically, the burden of being seen as a copy could be immense. Imagine a child growing up under the shadow of comparison, expected to resemble another person in talent, character, or destiny. The emotional cost of such expectations could be heavy. Human beings need the freedom to become themselves, not the pressure to imitate a genetic original. There is also the ethical question of consent. A cloned individual cannot consent to being created in the first place, yet the decision to bring such a being into existence may already carry embedded expectations and purposes. Was the clone created for companionship, for replacement, for experimentation, or for organ harvesting? Each of these possibilities raises profound moral discomfort. The very act of creating life with a predetermined function can violate the principle that life should never be treated merely as a means to an end. This is where the ethics of cloning intersects with older moral traditions. Most civilizations, whether religious or secular, have held that human life has intrinsic worth. It is not something to be manufactured like a machine part or customized like a consumer product. Once this principle is weakened, the logic of the marketplace begins to invade the sanctity of life. People start asking not whether something is morally right, but whether it is feasible, profitable, or desirable. That is a loss not just for ethics, but for civilization itself. Religious objections to cloning are especially strong, and for good reason. Many faith traditions see life as a sacred trust, not a human invention. To intervene in the process of creation in such an extreme way may be seen as overstepping the limits placed upon human beings. The phrase playing God is often used, sometimes carelessly, but in this context it carries genuine moral weight. It does not mean that science is forbidden to explore life. It means that science must remain humble before life. There is a difference between healing what is broken and arrogating the power to remake existence according to human desire. However, even those who do not approach the issue from a religious standpoint can see the dangers. Secular ethics also has strong reasons for caution. Human rights depend on the recognition that every person has equal dignity and worth. Cloning could complicate that principle if society begins to assign value based on genetic origin, intended purpose, or perceived similarity to another individual. It could also deepen inequality if cloning technologies are available only to the wealthy, turning reproduction itself into another arena of privilege. In such a world, the rich could quite literally buy biological advantage while the poor remain excluded. A particularly alarming possibility is the commercialization of reproduction. If cloning becomes accepted without strict moral limits, it may be absorbed into a market logic that already governs so much of modern life. One can then imagine a future in which people seek to clone children for appearance, intelligence, athletic ability, or to preserve certain family traits. This would not be parenthood in the noble sense. It would be selection, control, and design. The child would no longer arrive as a gift, but as a product. That shift alone should trouble anyone with a conscience. Opponents of cloning are often accused of fearing progress. But caution is not the enemy of progress. Sometimes caution is what keeps progress humane. A society that rushes toward every technological possibility without asking ethical questions may become powerful, but it will not necessarily become wiser. The real measure of advancement is not how much we can do, but how responsibly we can do it. Science without ethics is like a vehicle without brakes: impressive in speed, disastrous in direction. The debate also reveals something deeper about modern civilization. We live in an age that often celebrates mastery over nature, as though every boundary exists only to be crossed. Yet human greatness does not lie in domination alone. It lies in restraint, reverence, and moral discipline. There are some frontiers that should not be crossed lightly, because crossing them changes not only our capabilities but our character. Cloning is one such frontier. Once we normalize the replication of life, we may also normalize the idea that life itself is a manipulable object. This does not mean all scientific work related to cloning should be rejected. Research that helps cure disease or understand biology may still be morally defensible when conducted within strict boundaries. The problem arises when scientific inquiry slips into human reproduction, identity engineering, or the commodification of life. There is a crucial difference between using cloning-related techniques to heal and using them to manufacture human beings. Ethics must draw that line clearly, even if technology prefers to erase it. The law, too, has a role to play. Ethical reflection without legal safeguards often remains too abstract. Governments and international bodies must ensure that cloning is regulated with seriousness, transparency, and public accountability. Clear limits should be placed on any attempt to clone humans, while biomedical research must remain under strict moral review. The absence of regulation would not create freedom; it would create vulnerability. The powerful would experiment, while the weak would bear the consequences. Ultimately, the cloning debate is not only about science. It is about what kind of people we want to become. Do we wish to live in a world where life is respected in its natural dignity, or in one where life is increasingly engineered, selected, and controlled? Do we want human beings to be treated as ends in themselves, or as raw material for ambition and advantage? These are not technical questions. They are civilizational questions. The greatest danger of cloning is not simply that it may produce copies. It is that it may slowly teach us to think of ourselves and others as copyable things. That mental shift, once normalized, could corrode the moral foundation on which human society stands. The body may be replicated, but the soul of ethics cannot be. For that, humanity must choose wisdom over arrogance, restraint over vanity, and dignity over design. Science can illuminate life, but it must never be allowed to diminish it. Cloning may expand human power, but ethics must decide whether that power serves justice, compassion, and truth. Without that moral compass, we may end up with greater control over life, but far less respect for it. And that would be a price too high for any civilization to pay. ( The author is PhD scholar and columnist)

The Lessons No Girl Should Have to Learn

Speaking from personal experience, I do not exactly remember when I first heard these words Be careful but I am sure every girl once did. I remember taking countless local bus journeys from school and tuition centers. I must have been in my teens and my mothers instructions kept ringing in my head every time I boarded the bus. She would often tell me, Sit close to women. Keep your bag in front. Do not let anyone stand too close. If someone makes you uncomfortable, move away. If the bus empties, get off and wait for another one. As a teenager, all these instructions did not sound unusual then. They were spoken with the tenderness only a mother possesses. But years later, I realized something unsettling. While boys of my age were learning routes and destinations, girls were learning survival. And as I grew older, these lessons multiplied. Do not board an auto-rickshaw without looking carefully at the driver. Memorize the registration number. Share your live location with someone at home. Avoid deserted roads, even if they are shorter. Do not wear earphones while walking. Pretend to be on a phone call if you feel someone is following you. Return home before it gets dark. Sadly, every woman I know carries almost a similar list unconsciously in their heads. These habits are not born out of imagination but passed on to daughters by their mothers and then from sisters to younger sisters, friends to friends. It is an inheritance no one wishes to receive, yet every girl does. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, fear becomes a part of the routine. The tragedy is not only that sexual abuse exists but the horrifying fact that girls begin preparing for such situations way before they even encounter them. Girls learn caution before they learn confidence. We label these precautions as common sense but I believe there is nothing common about asking a child to carry the burden of protecting herself from the failures of society. What breaks my heart the most is that these conversations begin so early for us. We have to tell girls not to trust strangers, not to smile too freely or wander alone. We rarely pause to question why these warnings have become an unquestioned part of growing up. Somewhere, we as a society have accepted that changing girls is easier than changing society. Sexual abuse is often mentioned only after headlines appear on the frontpages. Yet its shadow stretches far beyond the crime itself. It lives in the woman who instinctively changes seats on a bus. It lives in the student who clutches her bag a little tighter. It lives in the daughter who lies to her parents that she has reached safely because she does not want them to worry. It lives in every mother who cannot sleep until she hears the latch on the front door click shut. Violence does not merely injure the body. It rearranges the geography of a girls life. Perhaps the greatest cruelty is not only what happens to the survivors but also the silence that follows. Moreoften than not, families fear gossip more than injustice. Communities protect reputations more fiercely than their own children. Questions are raised on survivors but culprits are rarely questioned. And in that everlasting silence, another generation learns to hide that truth as speaking it can make one lonelier than enduring pain. Oftentimes, I wonder what it would feel like to board a bus without having to scan every face and judge. To walk home after dusk without calculating every mishap. To enter a cab without memorising its number. These remain distant luxuries for countless women. Perhaps this is the reason every incident of abuse hurts us all. It reminds us of the collective failure of society where we are still teaching young girls to navigate fear instead of eliminating it from society. The day a mother no longer needs to whisper, Be careful before her daughter steps outside, we will know that we have not merely made our roads safer. We have made our society kinder. Until then, every such warning remains a quiet reminder that the childhood of too many girls is interrupted not by age, but by fear. (The author is a poet, columnist, and doctoral researcher. Feedback at: writerbali007@gmail.com)

Stage play, art exhibition mark mental health awareness event in Chennai

India Tightens the Noose on Paper Leaks

Tens of thousands of students sit for government exams, each year, across India. The majority of them come from diverse backgrounds. These students work hard for months, sometimes years to qualify, they carry along the hope for a better future. Then comes paper leaks and a racket changing the outcome of the results. Everything falls apart. Students start feeling dejected about the democratic process, the trust deficit grows and everything stops mattering, especially their own hard work. The issue of paper leaks has persisted in India for long, and have been happening again and again, state after state. Denying the qualified and eligible students a fair chance and hampering the social mobility of underprivileged. Two years back, Parliament tried to fix this with the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act. In 2014, it was India's first strong law against paper leaks and organised exam fraud. Though it was a good start. But a good start is not the same as a solution, and the leaks persisted. Following the four week-long student protests, the government has reciprocated and brought a new Bill, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, to close the gaps. As per the new bill the three clear mandates are: punish the culprits harder, investigate faster, and deliver justice on a deadline. Strict Punishment The old law's punishments were deemed to be lenient to stop the organised rackets across the country. As per the formal provision, an individual caught cheating or involvement in fraud was punished for 3 to 5 years in jail and additional fine of up to INR 10 lakh. Now the punishment has gone harsher, i.e. the punishment is up to 5 to 10 years, and an additional INR 50 lakh fine. Earlier, any service provider who ran or enabled the fraud could get a INR 1 crore fine and a 4-year ban, but as per the new bill up to INR 5 crore fine and an 8-year ban will be imposed on the service provider. Directors and senior managers who look away while their company cheats students now face up to INR 5 crore in fines. And for organised exam-fraud syndicates, the fine floor has jumped from INR 1 crore to INR 10 crore, with jail terms starting at 7 years instead of 5. The increase in the punishment matters in a way that earlier soft fines were not acting as a deterrent for people involved in cheating. The government is becoming tougher for other illegal operations especially in drug trafficking and terror-related cases. Authorities demand the cost of cheating and fraud in public examinations should be higher than the profit. About Investigation The 2024 law allowed police (in some cases a central agency), investigate exam fraud. The process was vague in a way that it had no clear deadline. Often these cases could get dragged on for months with no end in sight. However, the mandate of the 2026 Bill is to fix these gaps. Firstly, the new bill will allow the Government to set up a dedicated Special Task Force just for these cases, so one team owns the investigation instead of the file getting passed around. Secondly, it will put a hard two-month limit on finishing the investigation, no matter what. These two provisions of the time-bound will allow state and union territory to set up a Special Fast Track Court, just for exam fraud cases. These courts have to hear matters day after day, without long gaps, and finish the trial within three months of the chargesheet being filed. Even old cases already pending elsewhere will be moved here and the verdict finalized within three months of the transfer. Each state will also appoint a Special Public Prosecutor whose only job is arguing these cases. If the accused faces other related charges too, everything is tried together in the same court, so the case does not get split up and delayed across different benches. A Fair, Fast Appeal For the first time, the law also spells out how appeals work. Any decision from a Special Fast Track Court, including bail orders, can be appealed to the High Court, heard by two judges, who must try to finish it within three months. Appeals must normally be filed within 30 days, with an outer limit of 90 days even with a good excuse. No other court can be approached, which keeps the process quick and final. None of this brings back a lost exam attempt or a wasted year. But it changes what happens next. A racket that once got away with a fine and a slap on the wrist now faces real prison time and crushing penalties. A case that once dragged for years now has to move through investigation and trial within months. For the student who studies honestly, this Bill is a promise: cheat the system, and the system will find and penalize you, fast. (Courtesy: PIB Srinagar)

Country asking him to apologise but he has forgiven country: Congress' dig at PM over new video

Mr. Modi described the students as misguided children and said punishing them or making them go through court proceedings will not solve the problem

Building a Safer Jammu & Kashmir: Six Months That Changed the Course of Resuscitation Education

Six months ago, the idea of establishing a sustainable ecosystem of internationally recognised resuscitation education in Jammu & Kashmir appeared ambitious. There were understandable questions: Could such programmes be conducted consistently in the Valley? Would healthcare professionals place their trust in a new initiative? Could internationally standardised instructor development be achieved locally? Today, those questions have been answerednot through promises, but through outcomes. Over the past six months, six consecutive American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) programmes have been successfully conducted in Jammu & Kashmir, training more than 200 doctors in internationally standardised emergency cardiovascular care. More importantly, the region has witnessed a historic milestone. For the first time, Jammu & Kashmir now has its own cohort of locally trained AHA BLS & ACLS Instructors, following the successful completion of the inaugural Instructor Course and monitored teaching pathway. Until recently, the region depended almost entirely on faculty travelling from outside the Union Territory. Today, it possesses the beginnings of its own faculty network capable of educating future generations of healthcare professionals. This is more than an academic achievement. It is the creation of an educational asset for the healthcare system of Jammu & Kashmir. Every trained instructor represents a multiplier. One instructor can help train hundreds of healthcare professionals over the coming years. Those professionals, in turn, may contribute to better emergency preparedness within their hospitals and communities. Capacity building of this kind is an investment whose benefits extend far beyond a single workshop. The journey, however, has not been without challenges. Introducing a new educational pathway required earning the confidence of participants and institutions alike. There were doubts regarding feasibility, concerns about logistics, questions surrounding affordability, and uncertainty about whether such programmes could be sustained in the region. These concerns were legitimate and deserved careful attention. Despite these challenges, the commitment remained unchanged: deliver programmes that meet international standards while making them available within Jammu & Kashmir itself. For participants, this meant access to internationally recognized education without the additional costs and time associated with travelling to metropolitan centres for training. More importantly, it meant that the expertise developed through these programmes would increasingly remain within the region. Throughout this process, one guiding principle remained constant: quality could never be compromised. Internationally standardized life support education depends upon rigorous teaching methodology, structured simulation, continuous instructor development, and adherence to established educational standards. Building such a system requires long-term commitment rather than isolated events. That process has now begun. The establishment of a local instructor pathway marks the transition from conducting workshops to developing an educational ecosystem capable of sustaining itself over time. Looking Beyond Courses The true objective has never been to conduct workshops alone. The objective is to strengthen emergency care across Jammu & Kashmir by investing in people. When hospitals have trained providers, they are better prepared to respond during cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies. When those hospitals also develop local instructors, they gain the ability to continue building skills within their own institutions over time. This creates a virtuous cycle of learning, mentorship, and continuous improvement. The next phase of this initiative therefore extends beyond BLS and ACLS. The vision includes the gradual introduction of additional internationally recognized life support programmes, including Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and other structured emergency care courses, alongside the development of hospital-based emergency response teams and faculty development programmes. The long-term aspiration is straightforward: every major healthcare institution in Jammu & Kashmir should have access to trained providers, active instructors, and structured emergency response education. A Call to Healthcare Institutions This is not the work of one organization alone. It is an opportunity for the entire healthcare community. Medical colleges, district hospitals, private hospitals, charitable institutions, and healthcare administrators all have an important role to play in strengthening emergency preparedness. Departments of Emergency Medicine, Anaesthesia, Critical Care, Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, and allied specialties are encouraged to identify motivated doctors and nominate them for future training programmes. Investing in the skills of healthcare professionals today contributes to stronger emergency response capabilities tomorrow. Similarly, hospital leadership can play a transformative role by supporting regular life support training, encouraging faculty development, and integrating structured resuscitation education into institutional practice. Building a Stronger Chain of Survival Every cardiac arrest patient depends upon a sequence of timely interventions often described as the Chain of Survivalearly recognition, immediate high-quality CPR, rapid defibrillation when indicated, advanced life support, and coordinated post-resuscitation care. Strengthening this chain requires trained individuals, organized teams, and institutions committed to continuous learning. The educational pathways now being established in Jammu & Kashmir are intended to support that broader objective. They represent an investment not merely in courses, but in people. Not merely in certification, but in competence. Not merely in today's participants, but in the generations of healthcare professionals they will go on to teach. The Road Ahead Much remains to be done. The number of trained instructors must continue to grow. More institutions need to become active partners. Additional specialties require structured life support education. Hospital emergency response systems can continue to evolve through simulation, faculty development, and regular training. The journey has only begun. Yet the past six months have demonstrated an important truth: Meaningful progress becomes possible when institutions collaborate, healthcare professionals commit to continuous learning, and communities invest in building their own capabilities. Jammu & Kashmir now possesses the foundations of a locally sustained resuscitation education ecosystem. It is an asset worth strengthening, protecting, and expanding for the benefit of every patient who may one day depend upon a well-trained emergency response team. We extend our sincere gratitude to every participant, faculty member, institutional partner, and supporter who has contributed to this effort. Above all, we thank the Lord Almighty for His guidance and blessings throughout this journey. The vision remains clear. To build a healthcare system where internationally standardised emergency care education is accessible, sustainable, and led by the people of Jammu & Kashmir themselves. (The Author is the Programme Initiator & Coordinator of American Heart Association-accredited Resuscitation ToT in J&K. moinmir0@gmail.com )

Recruitment probe: ACB orders height recheck of 552

Srinagar, Jul 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau, ACB, has directed 552 candidates selected in the Fire and Emergency Services Department during the 2020 recruitment to undergo fresh height measurement as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the selection process. According to official directions, all identified candidates have been asked to report at their designated venues on August 3 at 10 am. The exercise is being conducted in connection with FIR No. 01 of 2025 registered at Police Station ACB Central, Jammu. The ACB has instructed the Director General, Fire and Emergency Services, to ensure that the selected candidates, presently serving in different districts, appear for the verification process. District police authorities have also been asked to inform the candidates through the concerned Police Control Rooms and ensure their presence at the scheduled venues. As per the plan, 130 candidates from Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal will report at DPL Srinagar, while 124 candidates from Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara will appear at DPL Baramulla. Another 93 candidates from Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam have been directed to report at DPL Anantnag. In the Jammu division, 82 candidates from Jammu, Kathua and Samba will report at DPL Jammu. Fifty six candidates from Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban have been assigned DPL Doda, 38 from Rajouri and Poonch will report at DPL Rajouri, while 29 candidates from Udhampur and Reasi have been asked to appear at DPL Udhampur. The ACB has also directed Assistant Directors of the Fire and Emergency Services Department to facilitate the attendance of candidates from their respective jurisdictions. The fresh verification is part of the Bureau's investigation into the 2020 Fire and Emergency Services recruitment, which had resulted in the selection of 690 candidates, including 592 Firemen and 98 Fireman Drivers. The ACB had earlier said it was probing allegations of irregularities in the recruitment process, and the latest height measurement exercise forms a key part of that investigation.

Western Ghats conservation with science and dialogue

The Ecologically Sensitive Area debate highlights the need for balanced, inclusive conservation approaches

Teacher booked for allegedly beating up 8-year-old Dalit boy for drinking water from his bottle in Madhya Pradesh

According to officials,the teacher, Lokesh Sharma, beat up the class 4 student using a cane in front of his fellow students after which the boy narrated the incident to her parents

Force of law: On the Delhi police

Delhi Police are pursuing protesters, but not acting against their own

Intl Film Festival of Kashmir set for Sept 1-2

Srinagar, Jul 30: The sixth edition of the International Film Festival of Kashmir (IFFK) will be held in Srinagar on September 1 and 2, 2026, with organisers announcing a diverse line-up of films from across the world to mark the festivals 20-year journey. The 2026 edition marks a significant milestone for the festival as it celebrates two decades of promoting cinematic excellence, cultural dialogue and creative exchange through the medium of film. Announcing the festival, the organising committee said the upcoming edition has received an overwhelming response from filmmakers worldwide, with more than 200 entries submitted for consideration. Festival Director Yaqut Mushtaq said 24 films have been selected for official screening after an extensive review by the programming team. We are delighted by the remarkable response received from filmmakers around the world. Out of more than 200 submissions reviewed by our programming team, 24 outstanding films have been selected for official screening at this years festival, she said. According to the organisers, this years programme will showcase a distinguished selection of films, including several South Asian and Asian premieres, giving audiences an opportunity to experience compelling works by both emerging and established filmmakers. The official selection reflects a wide range of perspectives, cultures and storytelling traditions, reaffirming the festival's commitment to fostering artistic excellence and meaningful cultural engagement. Over the years, the International Film Festival of Kashmir has evolved into a prominent cultural platform, bringing together filmmakers, artists, academics, industry professionals and cinema enthusiasts from across the region and beyond. Through its carefully curated programmes, the festival has continued to contribute to the growth of film culture and promote intercultural understanding. The organisers said details regarding the screening schedule, special events, guest delegates and industry activities will be announced in the coming weeks.

A healthy tax: On taxing foods high in fat, sugar and salt

The government must act to tax foods high in fat, sugar, and salt

Festive atmosphere prevails across Vizag

Youth, reported abducted, held with suspected MDMA in Kochi

ISRO calls for stronger academia-industry partnership to power future space missions

Case againstNoidawoman for abusing PM moved to Delhi

Shraddha Walkar murder case: HC refuses to set time frame for completion of trial

Allahabad HC asks for two adult sisters to be brought before it in religious conversion and marriage case

The sisters, through their counsel, informed the court that they voluntarily converted from Hinduism to Islam without any pressure, force, or inducement

Delhi HC seeks police response on Umar Khalids third bail plea

Kerala HC directs State to operationalise promised NDPS Courts on time

The court was informed by the District Judiciary that there were a total of 8,422 NDPS cases pending in the State

Delhi L-G leads plantation drive in Ridge; seeks survival monitoring

Delhi BLOs in race against time as only 57.54% SIR forms digitised so far

Karnataka govt. sets up panel for recruitment reforms

Two separate incidents leave eight injured in Ganderbal

Ganderbal, July 31: Eight persons were injured in two separate incidents, including a gas cylinder leakage and a road accident, in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Friday. All the injured were initially treated at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Kangan before being referred to SKIMS Soura for specialized treatment. In the first incident, three persons sustained burn injuries after a gas cylinder reportedly leaked inside a private hut at Surfraw Gund. The injured were identified as Abdul Hameed Wani (37), son of Ghulam Nabi Wani; Manzoor Ahmad Ganie (40), son of Ghulam Nabi; and Shahriyar Majeed (40), son of Abdul Majeed, all residents of Wakura in Ganderbal. According to the attendants of the injured, the burns were caused by a gas cylinder leakage inside the private hut. The injured were immediately shifted to SDH Kangan, where doctors provided first aid and necessary medical treatment. Owing to the nature of their injuries, all three were referred to SKIMS Soura for advanced treatment. Meanwhile, in a separate road accident, five persons were injured after a Xylo vehicle (Registration No. JK10-5974) collided with an electric pole near Hayan Bridge in Kangan. The injured were identified as the driver, Ashgar Ali (27), son of Mohd Hassan Ali, a resident of Kargil, along with Hassan Askri of Leh, Junaid Iqbal of Leh, Liyaqat Ali, son of Ghulam Abbas of Leh, and 10-year-old Mohd Danish, son of Abdul Bari, also a resident of Leh. Soon after the accident, all the injured were rushed to SDH Kangan, where they received initial treatment. Doctors later referred them to SKIMS Soura for further medical care. Police have taken cognizance of both incidents and initiated the necessary proceedings. Authorities are ascertaining the exact circumstances surrounding the gas cylinder leakage and the road accident.

Know your English | Splendid or splendiferous?

T.N. govt orders that English version of Part I of Union-State Relations report be put in public domain

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Director of Medical Education appointed

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10, including crew, injured as govt. bus hits median

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Provident Fund is the best way to save for your retirement: EPFO CEO Ramesh Krishnamurthi

In the latest episode of The Hindu Mind, Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)s Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Krishnamurthi talked about the recent changes in the retirement fund managers platform and the new Rules for the Employees Provident Fund Scheme, Employees Pension Scheme, and the Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, where millions of workers are enrolled. Ruling out a fresh window for opting for higher pension based on actual salary, Mr. Krishnamurthy said the pension is paid from the pool of money contributed by all subscribers and it cannot be used for higher pension for a few subscribers. Excerpts of the interaction, moderated by A. M. Jigeesh