Notice to Yasin Malik forced resistance camp to make a U-Turn on talks scheduled on Nov 4

The Kashmiri separatists had made up their mind to give another try to an engagement with New Delhi and also to bring Pakistan on board as latest as November 4, but a notice to JKLF chief Yasin Malik the very same day made them do a U-turn and reject the talks offer in almost absolute terms. “They felt the space to operate for the Hurriyat Conference was being completely squeezed. Since there was no back channel at work, they thought it was time to tell Delhi that separatists cannot be…

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Kashmir Valley may soon enjoy season’s first snowfall due to western disturbances

It seems that winter is all set to make onset over the hilly states of North India. All thanks to the fresh Western Disturbance which is approaching the Western Himalayas around November 13. Weather across Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand has been almost dry for last many days. Though on and off Western Disturbances were travelling across Western Himalayas but they were feeble in nature and thus, failed to give any weather activity over the region. First spell of winter rains in Punjab, Delhi, Hary… Dense fog to…

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Explore the culture of the Shina-speaking Dards, Gurez and Tulail (Talial) Valleys, where the Dards Live

Explore the culture of the Shina-speaking Dards, one of Kashmir’s oldest tribes The flight from Delhi is on time and I’m soon speeding to the Tourist Reception Centre in Srinagar to collect the precious permit which will grant me access to Kashmir’s legendary Gurez Valley. Here, the likes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Franklin D Roosevelt went riding and trekking, before the troubles closed the valley off to us mere mortals. But no longer, with tourists increasingly making their way across the Razdan Pass to remote Gurez. Dr…

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Long dry spells across Kashmir an ‘Emerging Trend’ as well serious concern

Director meteorological department Srinagar Sonam Lotus on Friday said that an analysis of the weather data of the past decade shows a trend of prolonged dry spells emerging in Kashmir. This year, there has been no rainfall since September 10. “We have a dry spell for the past 61 days. As per our records, it was not the case in Kashmir. We have made analysis that a trend of prolonged dry spell is emerging in Kashmir during the past few years. Last time it rained, it was only 4mm of…

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NGT to decide Odd-Even fate today, raps govt on move

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) rapped the Delhi government on Friday for going ahead with odd-even traffic restrictions at a time the air quality appeared to be improving, and said it could ‘stay’ the scheme during a special hearing on Saturday if the government failed to prove that the restrictions were effective. Questioned the rationale behind the Delhi government’s move, the NGT pointed to data from the central and Delhi pollution control boards which showed that both PM 10 and PM 2.5 levels were higher after odd-even was implemented in…

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Kashmir Interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma’s visit fails to generate political heat

The interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma’s three-day stay in Kashmir during his maiden five-day visit to the State did not generate much political heat and enthusiasm among the political circles. The mainstream politicians, former interlocutor and political analyst blamed non clarity on Sharma’s mandate, no Kashmir-specific Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and conflicting statements on his appointment by central ministers for the lukewarm response. Opposition National Conference chief spokesperson and MLA Budgam, Aga Ruhullah told New Indian Express that lukewarm response to Sharma was due to confusion created by central government about the…

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Twin militant attacks in south Kashmir, Police officer wounded as MLA’s house stoned

Suspected militants fired upon police party near general bus stand in main town Anantnag on Friday evening. According to locals, a loud bang was also heard as the firing was on. There was however no report of any injuries, they said. “Firing by militants was repulsed by police near bus stand Anantnag. No loss of life and property was reported. Area is under cordon,” said deputy inspector general of (DIG) South Kashmir range, S P Pani. Earlier, militants had fired upon a police vehicle in Bonigham area of Qazigund on…

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Kashmir militancy continues unabated as note ban makes no impact

At the height of demonetisation in 2016, there were interminable queues, a widespread cash crunch, tiny-scale debt mechanisms, and more than a hundred deaths. Amid all that drama, an academic sent me a message from Kerala, asking whether I thought the move would end terrorism in Kashmir. The government had cited terror funding as a major reason behind implementing demonetisation, and she said she wanted to know what I thought. I did not reply at the time. Despite my cynicism, I decided to wait, just in case the government had…

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Dineshwar Sharma terms J&K visit ‘Very Fruitful’, meet Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu

Says all Indian citizens stakeholders, promises to come to the state again Kashmiri Pandits meet Dineshwar Sharma in Jammu Wrapping up his meetings with stakeholders in the state, Centre’s interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma today said his visit was “very fruitful” and he would come to the state again and again. “It is just a beginning. As I have already said all Indian citizens are stakeholders. I will be visiting J&K again and again,” Sharma said while replying to a volley of questions of media persons at the…

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Post 132 days rollout, GST cut on over 210 items, 180 of them in top 28% slab

Making the biggest change in the four-month-old goods and services tax regime, the GST Council on Friday moved 80 per cent of items in the top 28 per cent tax bracket to lower rates. Starting November 15, eating out could cost up to 13 per cent less than before (GST rate cut from 18 per cent to 5 per cent) and a whole host of consumer products like shampoo, deodorant, chocolates, fans, furniture and sanitary fittings should get cheaper by up to 10 per cent or more. Only 50 products,…

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