Greater Kashmir

New Delhi, Aug 6: Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a Bill to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 that authorises the government to permit banks and other service providers to levy charges on payments through unified payments interface (UPI) and other notified electronic payment modes. The amendment passed by the House without discussion amid din seeks to remove the existing legal provision that prevents banks and payment service providers from charging Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on

New Delhi, Aug 6: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday chaired a meeting of a parliamentary committee, with discussions focusing on the Territorial Army and its members offering suggestions to further enhance its overall effectiveness. Singh said the Territorial Army creates surge capacity for the defence forces by building a reserve of trained soldiers who can be deployed immediately whenever the need arises. The Union minister chaired the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committ

Jammu, Aug 06: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday visited flood-affected areas of Rajouri district to assess the damage caused by last month's rain fury, and review relief and rehabilitation measures. The chief minister's visit came a day after he toured flash flood and landslide-hit areas of neighbouring Poonch district, where 16 people were killed and six others remain missing following the devastating rains. Continuing my visit to flood-affected areas, I will visit Raj

Jammu, Aug 3: An Army personnel lost his life after his service rifle accidentally discharged while he was on duty at a post in Akhnoor sector of Jammu, officials said on Monday. The incident occurred during operational duty at forward Jogwan area of Khour on Sunday, the officials said. They said preliminary information suggests that the weapon of the soldier went off accidentally, causing critical injuries to him. He was immediately provided medical assistance but succumbed to injuries, the of

New Delhi, Aug 3: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the stand of the NIA on appeals by hardline separatist Aasiya Andrabi and her two associates challenging their conviction for conspiring to wage war against India and being members of a terrorist organisation under stringent anti-terror law UAPA. Andrabi (62), the founder of the all-women separatist group Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) in 1987, and her close aides -- Nahida Nasreen (58), and Sofi Fehmeeda (48)-- were convicted by the special NIA

Emotions ran high at the residence of Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi after he was named in India's Test squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, with his father describing the selection as the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream. Calling it a moment beyond words, Auqib Nabi's father while speaking to Greater Kashmir said the family's years of hard work, patience and prayers had finally borne fruit with the Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler earning his maiden call-up to the Indian Test t

Mendhar/Jammu, Aug 3: Two rusted mortar shells were recovered from two forward villages in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Monday and safely destroyed by the Army's Bomb Disposal Squad, officials said. In the first case, villagers spotted an unexploded mortar shell in an open field near Chajjla bridge in Mankote area and immediately alerted the police and security forces, who rushed to the spot and secured the area, the officials said. They said the Army Bomb Disposal Squad was subsequent

Sopore, Aug 3: The search for a 13-year-old boy who drowned in Nallah Pohru at Wadoora in Sopore entered its second day on Monday, with rescue teams intensifying efforts to trace his body. The victim has been identified as Fuqan Rafeeq Hajam, son of Mohammad Rafeeq Hajam, a resident of Wadoora Payeen. According to officials, the teenager accidentally slipped into the nallah on Sunday evening while near its bank and was swept away by the strong current. A joint rescue operation involving the Civi

BANIHAL, Aug 3: A fresh batch of 1,056 Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Baltal base camp in the early hours of Monday under tight security arrangements. According to the Joint Police Control Room, the 26th batch departed at 2:49 am and comprised 832 male pilgrims, 205 women, two children, 15 sadhus and two sadhvis. No convoy was dispatched for the Pahalgam axis. The pilgrims travelled in a convoy of 46 vehicles, including 24 buses, seven medium mo

A 13-year-old boy accidentally slipped into the Puhroo stream in the Wadoora area of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Sunday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by police, SDRF personnel and local volunteers. The missing boy has been identified as Furqan Rafeeq Hajam, son of Rafeeq Ahmad Hajam, a resident of Hajam Mohalla, Wadoora Payeen, Sopore. According to officials, the incident occurred when the boy accidentally fell into the river under circumstances that are being asc

Residents of Drang in Khag tehsil of Budgam district have appealed Deputy Commissioner Budgam to direct Tehsildar Khag to remove a sheep shed from where animal excreta pours into potable water canal at Ganie Mohalla of Drang area. 'Despite constant reminders and numerous appeals, the local administration in Khag tehsil has failed to save this potable water canal from being polluted due to pouring the excreta from sheep shed into the kul which is main source of drinking water for many mohallas,

Hundreds of people, including members of the Muslim community gathered in Khanoo, Babagund village of Langate to pay their last respects to 90-year-old Kashmiri Pandit Mohan Lal who passed away at his ancestral home after a brief illness. Mohan Lal was among the few Kashmiri Pandits who has been living in his native village in Langate after displacement of many Pandit families in 1990. Mohan Lal was known for his simplicity, humility, and warm relations with people across communities. His final

Every year, the first week of August is observed as World Breastfeeding Week. This is an occasion that renews the global commitment to ensuring every child receives the best possible nutritional start in life. However, National Family Health Survey shows a dropping percentage of infants are exclusively breastfed for first six months of life. Although breastfeeding is a natural and widely accepted practice, in real world, many mothers continue to face social, institutional and workplace barriers

The National Cadet Corps (NCC) on Sunday organised Cyclothon 2026 in New Delhi to commemorate 79 years of India's Independence, promoting fitness, environmental responsibility and patriotism among the youth. The event was flagged off by Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the presence of Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, boxing legend M C Mary Kom, tennis star Leander Paes and Director General NCC Lieutenant General Virendra

Two firefighting helicopters crashed while battling wildfires west of Athens on Sunday, triggering a major search and rescue operation as Greece continued to battle multiple blazes fuelled by extreme heat and strong winds, the international media and BBC reported. According to the Greek Fire Service, the collision occurred in the wider Psatha area of Attica, west of Athens. The two Bell helicopters, leased by the fire department, had taken off from the Elefsina military airport and each was carr

India's 10 most-valued listed companies witnessed a sharp increase in investor wealth last week, with the combined market capitalisation of nine firms rising by Rs 2.51 lakh crore, driven by a strong rally in domestic equities. Bajaj Finance emerged as the biggest gainer following its robust June quarter earnings. The surge in valuations came as benchmark indices posted their strongest weekly gains in months. The BSE Sensex climbed 2,034.87 points, or 2.67 per cent, during the week, while the NS

Jammu Railway Division of the Northern Railway, with the objective of providing relief to the general public from inflation and ensuring affordable supply of essential commodities, has rationalised the freight rates for rail transportation of essential food items such as wheat, rice and flour. Under this rationalisation, according to Raghvender Singh, Public Relations Inspector, Jammu Railway Division, the freight rates have now been fixed on the basis of distance in a descending scale. Accordin

The sharp correction in South Korea's stock market in July has reignited concerns over one of the biggest risks in equity investingexcessive leverage. While the immediate trigger for the sell-off was profit booking and weakening sentiment in technology stocks, analysts say the severity of the decline was amplified by record borrowing by retail investors through Margin Trading Facility (MTF). For India, where margin funding has expanded rapidly alongside the retail investing boom, the Korean expe

LLB Students of Aryans College of Law, Rajpura, near Chandigarh, brought laurels to the institution by securing outstanding results in the examinations conducted by Punjabi University, Patiala. In the LL.B. First Semester examinations, Richa Agarwal and Taranjit Singh jointly secured the first position with a CGPA of 8.40. Sheetal Mahajan secured the second position with a CGPA of 8.20, while Gurjot Kaur and Haq Nawaz Chaudhary jointly secured the third position with a CGPA of 8.00. Congratulati

The Jammu & Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) has strongly urged the Government of Jammu & Kashmir to immediately appoint Technical Managing Directors in all Power Sector Corporations, stating that the continued absence of technical leadership at the highest executive level is adversely impacting the efficiency, decision-making, and overall performance of the power sector. JKEEGA emphasised that the recommendation for appointing Technical Managing Directors is not mer

The Group of Concerned Citizens, J&K (GCC) has asked the public at large to extend fullest support to Census staff in connection with Census 2027. Noting that, as per reports, house-listing part is over with 100% digital data collection and Population Enumeration scheduled for September 2026 in areas that remain snow- bound or otherwise inaccessible in winter , the Group has asked for disaggregated data of progress in different phases of Census 2027 being placed in the public domain. That would

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Udhampur-Reasi (UR) range, Shiv Kumar Sharma on Sunday visited Samroli near Dewal bridge, Udhampur to inspect the ongoing debris clearance and restoration work on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway following the recent landslide. During the visit, the DIG reviewed the restoration efforts being undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) with the help of heavy earth-moving machinery. He emphasised the need for expeditious clearance of t

In a major step towards decentralising decision-making, The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, has decentralised the land-use approval process to eliminate procedural bottlenecks and accelerate development across areas outside municipal limits. Because Ladakh currently lacks notified Master Plans and Zonal Development Plans, all land-use approvals previously required direct sanction from the Lieutenant Governor, causing significant administrative delays for both local residents a

Kashmir Avengers FC delivered a commanding performance to register a resounding 81 victory over IFC Kashmir in the Srinagar Premier League 2026, played at TRC Turf, Srinagar, under the aegis of the District Football Association Srinagar. From the opening whistle, Kashmir Avengers FC, as per a statement, imposed their authority on the game with quick passing, relentless attacking football, and disciplined defending. Their dominance was evident throughout the contest as they consistently created s

The opening day of the prestigious J&K Open 2026 Pro-Am, organised under the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) at Royal Springs Golf Course, Srinagar, witnessed an exciting display of golfing excellence as professionals and amateur golfers came together for a memorable day of competition against the breathtaking backdrop of the Zabarwan Hills. The event, as per a statement, is part of the J&K Open, being held from August 47, 2026, with the support of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and J

India's top-ranked golfer Saptak Talwar has hailed the return of the J&K Open after several years, saying the tournament has the potential to become a major driver of golf tourism while inspiring youngsters in J&K to take up the sport. Speaking to Greater Kashmir during the DP World PGTI's visit to Royal Springs Golf Course, Talwar thanked the J&K Government and Tourism Department for reviving the event and expressed hope that it would become a permanent fixture on India's professional golf cale

Among the many diseases that affect vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, pancreas, heart, intestines, and cornea, transplantation of the affected organ(s) remains the only definitive treatment in the terminal stages. The best examples are irreversible chronic kidney disease and chronic liver disease, for which kidney or liver transplantation is the best available option in a medically fit patient. Since God has bestowed us with two kidneys and a liver that has remarkable regenerative capacit

South Korea offers a compelling model of how culture, governance and economic vision can converge to create a highly functional and inclusive society. During my recent visit, four aspects stood out distinctly, each carrying important lessons for countries like India, especially in the context of development policy and social transformation. 1. Culture as the Foundation of Governance One of the most striking features of South Korean society is the quiet discipline and humility of its people. Desp

There is a point during the morning rush when the conductor stops asking people to move inside because there is simply nowhere left to move. Yet the bus stops again. Another five people climb in. Then another three. Someone standing near the door twists sideways to create space that does not exist. A college student ends up half-standing on the footboard; an elderly passenger struggles to keep their balance, and everyone else silently adjustsnot because there is room, but because there is no oth

In recent months, Russias oil infrastructure has been repeatedly set ablaze. Refineries, storage facilities, and export terminals have turned into targets, with fires breaking out again and again. The reported Ukrainian strike near Taman port, close to Novorossiysk, is only the latest example of a strategy that appears increasingly deliberate. These are not random attacks. They are aimed at the very system that keeps Russias war effort alive. Oil has always been central to Russias power. It fund

The roads in Jammu and Kashmir summer capital Srinagar get flooded every time there is intense rainfall for a few hours! What raises questions is that inundation of roads is more visible in those areas where new drainage systems and footpaths were constructed under the Srinagar Smart City Project in the last few years. The water-logging problem has become chronic in Srinagars Downtown areas which had earlier never witnessed such inundation of roads after rains. It is clear that either the draina

Every August, as the first apples come off the trees in Sopore, Shopian and Baramulla, Kashmir enters the most consequential fortnight of its economic calendar. Nearly five lakh families, roughly twenty-five lakh people, depend on horticulture for their livelihood. Apple alone occupies about 40 percent of the area under fruit cultivation and accounts for a staggering 90 percent of total fruit production in the state. When the apple season goes well, it lifts households across the Valley. When it

Srinagar, Aug 2:Security forces have intensified anti-terror operations and significantly strengthened security measures in Kulgam and other south Kashmir areas following the killing of two migrant labourers in a terrorist attack on Friday. At Hablishi village, around 2 km from Kilam where the attack took place on Friday evening, movement remains heavily restricted as joint teams of the Army, J&K Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) continue an extensive cordon-and-search operation. Ar

Srinagar, Aug 2:Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said youth must emerge like a cloud of energy and spread across the horizon of development. Attending the launch of the 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan' at a J&K-level function organised by Department of Youth Affairs and Sports and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), LG Sinha while addressing the J&K youth said, The Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan see

Srinagar, Aug 01: Chairman of the All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) and senior political leader Jagmohan Singh Raina today strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack in Kulgam that claimed the lives of two non-local labourers. Speaking to reports, Raina described the attack as a cowardly and inhuman act that must be condemned by all sections of society. He expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for strength for them during this difficult time. Raina

Srinagar, Aug 01: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting today. The meeting was attended by Atal Dullo, Chief Secretary; Nalin Prabhat, DGP; Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary Home Department; S.J.M.Gillani, Special DG Coordination PHQ; Nitish Kumar, ADGP, CID; M Raju, Commissioner/Secretary, GAD; IGPs; Divisional Commissioners; SSPs, Deputy Commissioners and other senior officials. The Lieutenant Governor directed all the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs t

Srinagar, Aug 01: Jammu Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) today expressed serious concern over the present state of politics in Jammu & Kashmir which according to its Chairman, Abdul Qayoom Wani seems deeply disappointing. In a statement issued, Wani said that instead of standing united at a time when the people of Kashmir continue to face disempowerment and uncertainty, political leaders across party lines are busy levelling allegations against one another, exposing not only each other's fail

Pune, Aug 01: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has played a great role in strengthening India's foreign policy and has had a 'role and advice' in the background of every decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for national security. Addressing a programme after presenting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to NSA Doval here, Shah said India has embarked on the path of cultural nationalism envisioned by Tilak, and asserted that t

Srinagar, Aug 01: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday handed over a compassionate appointment letter to Inshah Nazir, wife of J&K Police Inspector Masroor Ali Wani, at a ceremony held in Srinagar. The appointment was made on compassionate grounds as part of the administration's support to the family of the slain police officer. During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor paid tribute to Inspector Masroor Ali Wani's supreme sacrifice in the line of duty and assured his family of the admin

Jammu, Aug 01: Police on Saturday arrested an alleged criminal in Jammu and Kashmirs Samba district and recovered an illegal revolver from his possession, an official said. Munna Singh, a resident of Sohal village in Akhnoor who is currently living in Samba, was heading towards Kikri Morh from Data Talab when a police patrolling party spotted him moving under suspicious circumstances near JDA Colony in the Bari Brahmana area, a police spokesperson said. On noticing the police team, Singh alleged

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday handed over an appointment letter to Absar Ashiq Qureshi, son of Jammu and Kashmir Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi who was killed in Anantnag terrorist attack. Family members of the slain police officer were present during the appointment ceremony. The Lieutenant Governor paid tributes to Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, who laid down his life in the line of duty during the July 22, 2026 terror attack in Anantnag. He lauded the martyr'

Bengaluru, Aug 01: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday condemned the terrorist attack in his state's Kulgam district and said the compensation amount cannot repair the damage caused to those who came to earn an honest livelihood in the state. According to officials, Deepak Ratray and Bopinder, both in their 20s, were killed in a terrorist attack at a brick kiln in the Kelam area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district late on Friday evening in a terror attack. Speaking to repor

Srinagar, July 29: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday questioned the Centre's silence over the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying New Delhi should publicly raise concerns about reported hardships there if it considers the region part of India. Responding to questions from reporters, Abdullah said he had repeatedly urged international bodies to assess the situation in PoK. I have appealed to the United Nations human rights bodies to go there and see th

In todays world, mobile phones have become an inseparable part of daily life. From morning to night, most people, especially young people and students, remain glued to their screens. One of the most common habits is endlessly scrolling through social media. A person opens the phone for a short break, but without realizing it, minutes turn into hours. This habit, known as infinite scrolling, may seem harmless, but it is slowly becoming a serious health concern. Infinite scrolling is designed with