Author: Agencies

JAMMU: Union Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a higher vote share than the ruling National Conference (NC) and other parties in last year’s Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections but could not form the government due to the “number game.” Speaking to reporters after distributing laptops to meritorious girl students of Class 10th from his Parliamentary constituency, Dr. Singh said, “As democracy is a number game, our party could not form the government though our vote share was much higher than that of the ruling NC and others.…

KATRA: In a remarkable display of medical excellence and teamwork, a premature baby born at just 30 weeks of gestation and weighing barely 1 kilogram has been successfully treated and discharged from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital (SMVDNSH), Katra, after nearly two months of intensive neonatal care. The emergency Cesarean section was performed by Dr. Nidhi Raina, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynecology, following the detection of decreased fetal movements during monitoring. Immediately after birth, the infant was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) under the supervision of Dr. Sanjeet Singh Chandail, Associate Consultant, Department of…

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday exuded hope that the National Conference (NC) would emerge victorious in all four seats in the Rajya Sabha elections, slated to be held on October 24. He also urged the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma, to stop issuing baseless statements. On the sidelines of the joint strategy meeting, the Chief Minister, told media persons that ahead of every Assembly session, a Legislature Party Meeting is conducted, and today, NC and other independents held a meeting to devise a strategy. “This session is different from others as elections for…

JAMMU: Automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) have been installed at five major railway stations in the Jammu division to enhance passenger convenience during the festive season, officials said on Wednesday. The machines have been set up at Pathankot Cantonment, Pathankot City, Jammu, Shahid Captain Tushar Mahajan (Udhampur), and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra stations, they said. These ATVMs allow passengers to purchase tickets easily without standing in long queues. The machines feature a user-friendly touchscreen interface that enables quick booking of tickets at passengers’ convenience, the railway officials said. Digital payment options, including UPI and other cashless methods, are supported…

JAMMU: An IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Srinagar made a precautionary landing at Varanasi Airport on Wednesday evening after a technical alert was reported mid-air, officials said. Sources said a sensor malfunction triggered a false alarm of fuel leakage, prompting the pilot to divert and land safely at Varanasi as a precautionary measure. “IndiGo flight 6E 6961, operating from Kolkata to Srinagar, made a precautionary landing at Varanasi airport due to a suspected technical issue. As a safety measure, the aircraft has been grounded for necessary checks, and an alternate aircraft has been arranged to continue the journey,” the airline…

JAMMU: The young scion of the Dogra royal family, Rajkumar Martand Singh, is set to lead a new program — the Amar Singh Sports & Youth Initiative — under the aegis of the Hari Tara Charitable Trust. The initiative was announced following approval from Dr. Karan Singh, Executor Trustee of the Trust, as per a press release issued today. Dedicated to promoting sports, nurturing youth talent, and fostering skill development across Jammu & Kashmir, the initiative aims to provide young people with opportunities to excel and represent the Union Territory at national and international platforms. It is named in honour…

LONDON: The inaugural British Museum Pink Ball in London, staged against the backdrop of the Ancient India: Living Traditions exhibition, stood out as a remarkable celebration of cultural dialogue and artistic exchange. As co-chair, alongside Director of The British Museum, Nicholas Cullinan, Isha Ambani highlighted India’s rich heritage and creative excellence, showcasing its living traditions in a global, contemporary context and reinforcing her role as a cultural leader bridging Indian artistry and culture to a global stage. The event was attended by a host of creative luminaries and celebrities, including Mick Jagger, Janet Jackson, Naomi Campbell, Sir Norman Foster, Lady Kitty…

JAMMU: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today felicitated school girl toppers from his Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha constituency by presenting a Laptop each to the toppers in the Board examination of Class 10 from each of the five districts.   Quite a few of the topper school girls, who were invited to the Minister’s Trikuta Nagar residence this morning for breakfast and sweets distribution, hailed from far flung areas like Chhatroo and Padar in district Kishtwar, and Pogal in district Ramban. This , Dr Jitendra Singh said, could serve as a real Diwali gift for these promoting little girls for whom over the last one decade ,…

NEW DELHI: India has climbed to the ninth spot globally in total forest area and retained its third rank in annual forest area gain, according to a new report released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The Environment Ministry said this reflects the success of India’s large-scale afforestation and community-led forest protection efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said India’s rise from the 10th to the ninth position marks a “major achievement” in sustainable forest management and ecological conservation. The minister said that growing public participation in tree plantation campaigns, particularly under…

JAMMU: The autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, beginning tomorrow, is expected to be stormy, with opposition parties preparing to corner the ruling National Conference (NC)-led government over a host of issues — from unfulfilled election promises to governance lapses, reservation policy, and the demand for restoration of statehood. Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would hold the government accountable for what he termed a “betrayal of electoral promises.” “The government has failed to deliver on its commitments — be it 200 free units of electricity, 12 LPG cylinders per household, or job…