National Conference President and former J&K Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that wars only lead to destruction and urged neighbouring countries to understand that lasting peace is the only way forward. Speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the renovated War Memorial at the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) regiment at Rangreth here, Dr Farooq, recalled his childhood memories following early conflicts in the region. “When I was a child, after the attack, the militia was formed. The militia commander was Brigadier Balamoria. I remember that time,” he said. Dr Farooq said the militia later transformed into…
Author: KO Web Desk
Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, today said that the government is prioritising employment generation, having referred nearly 30,000 posts and facilitated recruitment of around 15,000 through various agencies over the past year in Jammu and Kashmir. The Deputy Chief Minister informed this while addressing a large public gathering at Kunzar in the Gulmarg constituency. He was accompanied by Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Gulmarg Peerzada Farooq Ahmad Shah and senior officers. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment towards creating sustainable employment opportunities for the youth. He emphasized that thousands of vacancies have…
At least 250 people, among them Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, are missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea while en route to Malaysia, according to the United Nations’ refugee and migration agencies. Details remain unclear, but Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Com. Sabbir Alam Suzan told the Associated Press on Wednesday that nine individuals, three Rohingya and six Bangladeshis, were rescued on April 9. Suzan noted that the Bangladesh-flagged vessel M.T. Meghna Pride found the nine people adrift following the capsize and brought them to safety. As of Wednesday, it was uncertain whether any search operation was…
US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that the conflict with Iran is “close to over,” despite a lack of progress in negotiations with Tehran aimed at fully resolving hostilities in West Asia. During an interview with Fox News, Trump voiced optimism about the situation, even as reports emerge about a potential second round of talks following the impasse in the initial discussions held in Islamabad. “I think it’s close to over. I mean, I view it as very close to over,” Trump told Fox News. He also claimed that the U.S. holds a strong strategic advantage, adding, “If I…
China on Tuesday said its approach toward improving relations with India remains unchanged, even as it justified its decision to assign new names to several locations in Arunachal Pradesh, an issue that has triggered a sharp response from New Delhi. The remarks from Beijing came days after India rejected China’s latest attempt to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, describing it as an effort to push “baseless narratives” that cannot alter the reality on the ground. The development also comes at a time when China has announced the creation of a new administrative county in Aksai Chin, an area India regards…
News18 JKLH, a television news channel covering Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh, has reportedly shut down its broadcast operations in Jammu and Kashmir, bringing an end to a channel that once held a significant presence in the Valley. The shutdown follows sustained operational and financial challenges, with sources indicating that the channel struggled to maintain viewership and revenue, particularly in the Kashmir Valley. According to sources familiar with the development, the channel will no longer be available on television platforms and is being shifted entirely to digital platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, as part of a restructuring strategy. A…
Italy has halted the automatic renewal of its defense agreement with Israel, which includes cooperation on military equipment exchanges and technology research, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and diplomatic sources announced on Tuesday. Speaking on the sidelines of an event in Verona, Meloni confirmed the decision, explaining that the government had chosen to suspend the deal’s renewal “in view of the current situation,” according to Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI. An Italian diplomatic source was quoted as saying by news agency AFP that continuing the agreement would have been “politically difficult.” The agreement, originally approved by Israel in 2006, is…
Blaming erstwhile Manmohan Singh led regime backed by Mamata Banerjee’s party for failing to act firmly against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the dispensation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded decisively by launching “Operation Sindoor” after the Pahalgam terror attack and hit Pakistan “where it hurt the most.’ Speaking at a rally in Paschim Bardhaman, HM Shah, said, “Previous governments showed leniency in dealing with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The Manmohan Singh government, supported by Mamata Banerjee’s party, never took firm action against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and instead treated them with biryani.” Pertinently, on April 22,…
The US military has declared it will block all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports effective 10am ET (14:00 GMT) today, a dramatic escalation in tensions across the Persian Gulf. In an immediate response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that any military vessel approaching the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil supply, would be considered in violation of the existing ceasefire and “will be dealt with severely.” The standoff comes as diplomatic efforts appear to have collapsed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks with the United States held in Pakistan…
Ladakh has now been officially recognized as a separate Union Territory in Aadhaar records, with the administration of Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena replacing the former “Jammu and Kashmir” label with “Ladakh.” This change comes approximately seven years after Ladakh was first carved out as a distinct Union Territory. The move is widely viewed as a symbolic step to appease the region, whose core demands, including the granting of special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, remain unresolved. According to a spokesperson for the Ladakh Lok Bhavan, the correction followed the newly appointed LG’s intervention and addressed a long-standing…