February 2025 | Page 4 of 10

Class 10 Textbook Blunder: JK Board Under Fire for Copy-Paste Mistakes

February 17, 2025 Editor

The text of the book ‘Disaster Management and Road Safety Education’ has been blindly replaced with ‘UT’ wherever the word ‘state’ existed. Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education has been at the receiving end for an apparent copy-paste job in one of the versions of text book for class 10 as a video of the issue became viral on social media. The text of the book ‘Disaster Management and Road Safety Education’ has been blindly replaced with ‘UT’ wherever ‘state’ existed even in passages with scientific and health related…

NC MLA Faces Backlash Over Remarks on Liquor Sales in Muslim-Majority Kashmir

February 17, 2025 Editor

Mehbooba Mufti praised her party MLA for introducing a bill to ban alcohol in J&K, calling it a positive step and urging religious leaders to lead the way. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq came under fierce criticism from Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq for his statement that the impact on the region’s tourism industry must be considered if liquor is banned. Mirwaiz said that Jammu and Kashmir, being a Muslim-majority state, should not promote liquor sales, opposing the government’s emphasis on revenue generation from alcohol instead…

Facade of Normalcy in J&K Criticized by Mehbooba Mufti Amid Draconian Laws

February 17, 2025 Editor

Facade of normalcy created in J&K by imposition of draconian laws: Mehbooba Mufti Mehbooba Mufti urges Chief Minister Omar Abdullah “to refrain from endorsing the August 5, 2019 decision (abrogation of Article 370) in the formulation of business rules for the assembly” Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday (February 16, 2025) asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “to come down from its high horse and acknowledge that the situation in J&K is not as normal as it appears”. “The façade…

Unpredictable Weather and Dry Spell Ignite Forest Fires in Kashmir

February 17, 2025 Editor

Prolonged Dry Spell: Forest fire breaks out at multiple places in Kashmir The massive forest fire erupted at multiple places across the Valley on Sunday while as the experts here have attributed the rise in forest fire incidents to both climatic factors and human negligence. An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a massive fire broke out in Tral forests. He said that a forest fire broke out in Pinglish area of Tral area and has spread to other areas as well. Another official told KNO that forest…

Beware of Online Scams: Woman Loses Rs 1.2 Crore in Investment Fraud

February 16, 2025February 16, 2025 Editor

Online Investment Scam: A Cautionary Tale for Digital Investors By: Javid Amin In an era of increasing online fraud, a 61-year-old government official from Shahdara fell victim to a sophisticated investment scam, losing a staggering Rs 1.2 crore to fraudsters. The scammers, posing as representatives of a fake UK-based online shopping platform, lured her with the promise of high returns. Over 78 days, she was manipulated into investing her life savings, only to realize too late that it was a trap. The Anatomy of the Scam: How It Unfolded The…

Anticipated Kashmir Rail Service Launch Pushed Back to Late February

February 16, 2025 Editor

Proposed launch of Kashmir rail service postponed; Scheduled for February 17, the launch has been pushed back to either February 21 or 22, according to sources in the Northern Railways. Banihal, Feb 16: The much-anticipated launch of the Vande Bharat Express train service between Katra and Srinagar has been postponed, sources told . Scheduled for February 17, the launch has been pushed back to either February 21 or 22, according to sources in the Northern Railways. Although no official order had been issued for the commencement of the rail service…

Travel Associations in Kashmir Advocate for Alcohol Ban: A Stand for Tradition

February 16, 2025 Editor

Kashmir’s Travel and Tourism Associations Advocate for Alcohol Ban Srinagar, 15 Feb : The joint travel and tourism bodies of Kashmir reaffirm their full support for the proposed complete ban on alcohol in the region. This measure aligns with Kashmir’s cultural, social, and religious values and will help create a healthier and more respectful environment for both residents and visitors. As Kashmir is promoted as a family-oriented tourism destination, we believe there should be a complete ban on alcohol in the region, similar to the alcohol ban in Gujarat. While…

PDP Vs NC: Clash Ensues After J&K Employees Sacked for Terror Links

February 15, 2025 Editor

The termination of services of three employees is the second such termination since chief minister Omar Abdullah took over in October last year. It raises questions about Abdullah’s authority. After Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday dismissed three government employees, including a jailed policeman, for terror links, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hit out at the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference-Congress government in the UT, accusing it of toeing the BJP-led Union government’s line. Sinha invoked Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution to terminate the services…

Kashmir’s Daughters in Peril: Navigating Exploitation, Immoral Activities, and the Fight to Protect Innocence

February 15, 2025February 15, 2025 Editor

Our Daughters, Our Pride – A Cultural Legacy Under Siege By: Javid Amin Kashmir, a land where daughters are celebrated as “Rani” (queen) in every household, now faces a harrowing paradox. While the valley’s poets sing of its rivers and roses, its girls and boys are ensnared in a web of exploitation orchestrated by outsiders and fueled by systemic neglect. This article uncovers the untold stories of survival, the data behind the crisis, and the resilient efforts to reclaim Kashmir’s soul. Why This Matters Cultural Symbolism: Kashmiri daughters traditionally lead rituals like “Mehndiraat” (pre-wedding…

Is Democracy in Danger? S Jaishankar’s Inked Finger Speaks Volumes

February 15, 2025 Editor

S Jaishankar defended India’s democracy at the Munich Security Conference, contrasting it with the Western view of global democratic decline. External affairs minister S Jaishankar differed from the Western view that democracy is in trouble globally at the Munich Security Conference 2025 and highlighted India’s democracy. Jaishankar presented his view while taking part in a panel discussion on the topic ‘Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience’ alongside Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, US Senator Elissa Slotkin and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowsk on Friday. On a question about…