“Impose 50% Import Duty on Apples, Save J&K’s Fruit Industry”: Mehbooba Mufti Urges PM Modi By: Javid Amin | 20 February 2026 Apple Trade Row Intensifies: Mehbooba Mufti Seeks 50% Import Duty to Shield Kashmir’s Orchard Economy Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to impose a 50% import duty on apples to safeguard the Valley’s fragile horticulture sector. Her appeal comes amid concerns over reduced import duties on American apples under the interim Indo-US trade…
Read MoreDay: February 21, 2026
Kashmir’s Warmest February Threatens Hydropower: Early Snowmelt Raises Energy Security Concerns
Kashmir’s Warmest February in a Decade: Hydropower at Risk as Early Snowmelt Disrupts Energy Flows By: Javid Amin | 20 February 2026 How Rising Winter Temperatures Could Reshape Jammu & Kashmir’s Electricity Security Kashmir’s warmest February in nearly a decade is not just a climate statistic — it is a structural warning for the region’s hydropower-dependent energy system. On February 20, Srinagar recorded 20.1°C — 9.7°C above normal — the highest February temperature since 2016. Across the Valley, maximum temperatures ran 9–11°C above seasonal averages. For a Himalayan region where…
Read MoreTrump Iran Nuclear Deal Deadline: 10–15 Day Ultimatum, Tehran Retaliation Threats & What’s Next
Trump’s 10–15 Day Ultimatum to Iran: Brinkmanship, Backchannels and What Happens Next By: Javid Amin | 20 February 2026 A 10–15 Day Clock in a Region on Edge US President Donald Trump has publicly given Iran 10–15 days to agree to a nuclear framework with Washington, warning of “really bad things” if Tehran fails to comply. The remarks—delivered at a Board of Peace event in Washington—were paired with a pointed reminder that last year’s joint Israeli-US strikes on Iranian targets altered the regional balance and helped pave the way for…
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