January 2024 | Page 4 of 8

Gone with the White Wind: Melting Mountains Paint a Grim Picture for Spring Runoff

January 13, 2024 Editor

Gone with the White Wind: Melting Mountains Paint a Grim Picture for Spring Runoff Dry, snowless peaks have cast a shadow on tourism in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh but the impact of the underlying causes on the next few months is far more worrying — for they could portend a warmer spring. The absence of active western disturbances and shortage of rain and snow will have implications for the Rabi (winter) crop and are suggestive of high temperatures early in spring, experts said. In December, the rain deficiency was 79%…

Possibility of Light Snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir Due to Western Disturbances

January 13, 2024January 13, 2024 Editor

As prolonged dry spell in Kashmir continues, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid on Friday organised a prayer for its end. A large number of people across the Kashmir valley participated in the prayers The Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, overseeing the grand mosque of Kashmir in Srinagar, said the prayers were conducted in various mosques, dargahs and shrines as dry weather has impacted lives of people. A feeble western disturbance is likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir with a possibility of light snowfall over isolated places in the higher reaches, according to…

Political Groups, Individuals Renew Fight for Autonomy: Review Petitions Filed on Article 370

January 11, 2024January 11, 2024 Editor

A month after a five-judge Constitution Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud upheld the Centre’s decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, several petitioners filed petitions in the Supreme Court seeking review of the December 11, 2023 historic verdict. In a unanimous verdict, a five-judge Constitution Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud had ruled that Article 370 of the Constitution was a temporary provision and the President had the power to abrogate the provision which…

Giriraj Singh Calls Congress ‘Seasonal Hindus’ Over Temple Absenteeism

January 11, 2024 Editor

The Congress in a statement said that Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not attend the ceremony Union minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday slammed Congress for declining invitation to attend the Ram temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22. “These people are seasonal Hindus, when they feel they have to get votes, they try to become soft Hindus. No one in the Congress has gone to Ayodhya since Jawaharlal Nehru. It was the Congress party itself that had done the work…

‘Irony of All Ironies’: Omar Abdullah on Absence of J&K Elections

January 11, 2024 Editor

J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018 when the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party regime fell as the latter withdrew support from the alliance National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said while India is mother of democracy, “it was not reflecting in J&K”, hinting towards the “delay” in assembly and local body polls. Almost all the political parties in J&K have been strongly demanding assembly polls in the UT. J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018 when the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party…

MMU Issues Directive After Reports of Divisive Sermons in Kashmiri Mosques

January 11, 2024January 11, 2024 Editor

Srinagar: Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq sternly warned elements trying to harm communal amity and unity in Jammu and Kashmir by stoking sectarian tensions here. MMU has emphasised that the urgent need of the hour is to focus on the fundamental teachings and principles of Islam during their sermons and discourses for the sake of greater unity among the Muslims. MMU makes a fervent appeal to the scholars, preachers, khateebs and imams of different schools of thought that while they follow their own school…

Umar Farooq’s Surprise Delhi Trip Triggers Curiosity in Kashmir and Capital

January 11, 2024January 11, 2024 Editor

A Whisper of Diplomacy: Kashmir Leader’s Delhi Visit Stirs Hope Amid Lingering Uncertainty Srinagar: In the winter chill of Kashmir, an unexpected thaw has sent a ripple of speculation through the valley and the corridors of power in Delhi. The surprise visit of Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), after three years of travel restrictions, has ignited a flicker of hope in the long-simmering conflict. Farooq’s enigmatic trip, shrouded in secrecy but marked by meetings with unnamed officials, has left observers scrambling…

Kashmir’s Last Elected Local Officials Depart, Leaving Power Vacuum

January 10, 2024January 10, 2024 Editor

In the absence of an elected government in the erstwhile state for more than five years, Panchayats-elected local bodies were the only democratic institutions functional in the region. The curtain falls on the last vestige of elected representatives in Jammu and Kashmir as the term of over 28,000 panchayat members ended today with no fresh elections in sight. In the absence of an elected government in the erstwhile state for more than five years, Panchayats-elected local bodies were the only democratic institutions functional in the region. The administration of the…

A Silent Alarm Bell: Climate Change Causes Dryspell In Kashmir, Gulmarg’s Snowless Season Highlights Vulnerability of Himalayan Ecoregion

January 10, 2024 Editor

Kashmir’s Silent Winter: A Climate Change Symphony of Loss and Hope By: Javid Amin In the breathtaking tapestry of the Himalayas, where emerald valleys dance with snow-capped peaks, winter usually paints Kashmir in a pristine tapestry of white. Yet, this year, a disquieting silence hangs heavy in the air, broken only by the wind whistling through barren branches. Gulmarg, the glittering crown jewel of winter tourism, lies stark and snowless, its ski slopes yearning for the embrace of fallen flakes. This unprecedented dry spell, a jarring departure from Kashmir’s historical…

The Delusion of Likes: Exposing the Peril of Sophisticated Social Media Job Scams

January 9, 2024 Editor

Navigating the Minefield: Professional Job Seekers and the Peril of Social Media Scams By: Javid Amin The landscape of online recruitment, once a beacon of opportunity, now harbors a growing menace: sophisticated social media job scams. These scams, meticulously crafted and employing polished digital facades, pose a significant threat to professionals seeking career advancement. Their allure and devastating consequences demand a professional response, both individually and collectively. Beyond Phishing: The Rise of Professional-Grade Deception: Gone are the days of rudimentary phishing attempts. Today’s social media job scams leverage sophisticated tactics,…