IBTimes

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is set to replace manual counting of devotees' cash offerings with cash recycler machines at the shrine in Katra. Two machines have already been installed, with six more being added, and manual counting is expected to end within 15 days to improve transparency, security and efficiency.

Ladakh is planning to build the world's highest-altitude cricket stadium at Ranbirpur near Thiksey in Leh at an elevation of around 11,800 feet. The proposed Rs 100-crore project is expected to boost sports tourism, provide better facilities for local athletes and take cricket to a record altitude, surpassing Dharamshala's HPCA Stadium.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said issues concerning the Union Territory must be resolved by New Delhi and not Washington during his meeting with US Ambassador Sergio Gor. Meanwhile, former CM Mehbooba Mufti urged Gor to review and withdraw the US travel advisory for Kashmir, saying it was hurting tourism and the livelihoods of thousands of families.

The NIA Special Court in Jammu rejected the 20-day interim bail plea of former DySP Davinder Singh, accused in a high-profile terror-linked case, but granted him five days of custody parole on humanitarian grounds to attend his late father's religious rituals in Srinagar. The court held that with his regular bail already rejected and an appeal pending in the High Court, there was no ground for interim bail.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the first International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) would herald a new era in the Union Territory's partnership with the film industry and help restore Kashmir's historic status as a preferred filmmaking destination. Speaking at the curtain-raiser event, he outlined the government's vision to create a filmmaker-friendly ecosystem, promote local talent, and position IFFJK as a globally recognised annual film festival.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured the family of martyred Jammu and Kashmir Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi of the government's full support after speaking to his son over the phone. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the bereaved family in Budgam, paid tributes to the fallen policeman, promised continued assistance, and reaffirmed the administration's commitment to dismantling the terror ecosystem and eliminating terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir.

A political controversy erupted in J&K after security forces demolished the houses of two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists following the targeted killing of Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi in Anantnag. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti criticised the action as unconstitutional and counterproductive, while security agencies intensified anti-terror operations and detained thousands of suspects across the Kashmir Valley.

At Hyatt Centric Sector 17, a hidden speakeasy, destination-led dining and immersive heritage walks make a compelling case for Chandigarh as more than a stopover

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti joined protesting students at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, backing their demands while reviving the debate over the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A. Calling the August 5, 2019 decision unconstitutional, she accused the Centre of undermining democracy, demanded the resignation of the minister concerned, and said India's youth would play a decisive role in safeguarding the Constitution.

India's celebrated ultra-marathon runner Sufiya Sufi has reached Kashmir during her 5,000-km 'Run for Dreams' from Kanyakumari to Karakoram, dedicated to the Indian Armed Forces. The endurance challenge aims to earn her a sixth Guinness World Record while promoting fitness, women's empowerment, patriotism, and national unity.

Heavy rainfall and cloudbursts forced authorities to temporarily suspend the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, Mata Vaishno Devi and Shri Shiv Khori pilgrimages in Jammu and Kashmir as a precautionary measure. Fourteen people stranded in swollen rivers across Jammu and Rajouri districts were rescued, while officials urged devotees to follow weather advisories until conditions improve.