Asia

Post Article 370 abrogation, violence has reduced in Kashmir: Kashmiri activist
22Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Post Article 370 abrogation, violence has reduced in Kashmir: Kashmiri activist

Violence in Kashmir has considerably reduced in the Valley ever since the Indian government scrapped Article 370 which had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir, said Kashmiri activist Javaid Trali.Trali was speaking at a webinar organized under the University Dialogues series hosted by Democracy News Live with a panel of international experts on Asian security."We look forward to some positive movement to the situation here," he said, adding that the Indian government must now start the political process.Satoru Nagao, Fellow Hudson Institute, said restoring peace in Kashmir (like India's Northeast) is an important issue because it is only then the infrastructure can improve and “a country like Japan can help”.The webinar was held to mark the situation emerging in the past one year fol
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Engineering testing lab ensures quality machinery for farmers in J&K
22Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Engineering testing lab ensures quality machinery for farmers in J&K

In order to boost agricultural production in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the Indian Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has set up an agriculture engineering testing lab for the testing of agriculture machinery at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at Shalimar in Kashmir.“The Ministry of Agriculture inaugurated the centre last year. Here we check whatever machinery and equipment in the state or are being used in the neighbouring states, to see if they comply with specifications. We certify the machines regarding these norms,” said Prof. Nazir Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST.“Earlier, whatever machines used to come, they used to be provided to the farmers and its durability used to be less. With this testing centre, we are testing the q
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Whatever you’re following, follow it by heart: Kashmiri youth who cracked UPSC 2019
22Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Whatever you’re following, follow it by heart: Kashmiri youth who cracked UPSC 2019

One of the 16 candidates from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) who qualified for India’s most prestigious civil services has encouraged the youth in Kashmir to follow their heart to attain success in whichever field they choose.Aftab Rasool, who cracked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Exam 2019 with 412-rank, is a former policeman's son who hails from Trehgam in Kupwara."My parents supported me throughout. For me, it is all about my parents, who were praying for my success day in and out. Their prayers have yielded results today. For me, cracking civil services was a dream come true. My message to Kashmiri youth is whatever you are following, follow it by heart. Work hard and be dedicated," Rasool said.Rasool also urged the "talented" youth in the Valley to explore their talent."I wo
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‘Political absurdity’: India slams Imran Khan over new ‘political map’
21Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

‘Political absurdity’: India slams Imran Khan over new ‘political map’

Reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s new “political map of Pakistan” that counts Jammu and Kashmir and Junagadh in Gujarat as its territories, India has called out Pakistan PM’s obsession and termed the act as an “exercise in political absurdity.”“We have seen a so-called “political map” of Pakistan that has been released by PM Imran Khan. This is an exercise in political absurdity, laying untenable claims to territories in the Indian state of Gujarat and our union territories of Jammu Kashmir and of Ladakh,” the Government of India said in a statement.India’s foreign ministry also slammed Pakistan for their malafide intentions and said it confirms the reality of “Pakistan’s obsession with territorial aggrandizement supported by cross-border terrorism.”“These ridiculous asserti
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16 people from Jammu and Kashmir crack UPSC civil services exam 2019
21Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

16 people from Jammu and Kashmir crack UPSC civil services exam 2019

The year 2019 witnessed many positive changes in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and one of them is the result of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) civil service exam-2019 which includes 16 people from the valley.Abhiskhek Augustsya of Jammu, who is ranked at 38, is at the top of the list of the successful candidates from Jammu and Kashmir. According to the UPSC’s list, there are 829 successful candidates. IRS officer Pradeep Singh topped the list.Abhiskhek Augustsya is followed by two other Jammu residents - Sunny Gupta (148), Dev Ahuti (177).Other successful candidates include Parth Gupta (240), Asrar Ahmad Kitchloo (248), Asif Yousuf Tantray (328), Namgyal Angmo (323), and Nadia Beigh (350) from Kupwara.Aftab Rasool (412) from Trehgam Kupwara, Sabzar Ahmad Ganie (628) hailing from
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Farooq Abdullah, Mir demand probe into Kashmiri Pandit exodus
21Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia, Opinion

Farooq Abdullah, Mir demand probe into Kashmiri Pandit exodus

Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits, said former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah demanding a probe by retired Supreme Court judges into the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in early 1990s.Replying to questions during a webinar, Abdullah said he was of the firm belief that Kashmir is incomplete without Pandits and that he would support any mechanism to bring them back honorably.Nearly 60,000 Kashmiri Pandit families are registered as migrants after the onset of militancy in the Kashmir Valley in early 1990s. Abdullah chose to blame the then former Governor Jagmohan for the exodus and said that he “took them away” on the false promise of ensuring their return within three months.Meanwhile, questioning the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and establishment of I
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Article 370 abrogation impact: Four lakh domicile certificates issued in J&K
21Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Article 370 abrogation impact: Four lakh domicile certificates issued in J&K

As a consequence of the abrogation of Article 370 and with it, Article 35A, over 4 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir have been issued domicile certificates, giving them the legal rights of a citizen of getting jobs and availing education.A total of 3, 68,500 domicile certificates were issued in Jammu and 79,300 in Kashmir Valley.Among the 4 lakh people, Bhola Ram (57) in Jammu, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for giving him "justice and dignity".The laws introduced eight months after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 have led to fear in the Valley among residents as they believe that it could trigger floodgates for outsiders to settle in Jammu and Kashmir and alter the Muslim majority character of the region.With domicile certifi...
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Asia Today: China, SKorea, Japan see upticks in virus cases
21Aug By desk teamNo Comments
Asia, World

Asia Today: China, SKorea, Japan see upticks in virus cases

BEIJING - China reported more than 100 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday as the country continues to battle an outbreak in Xinjiang. The 101 new cases was China’s highest daily increase in weeks. The northwestern region of Xinjiang accounted for 89, with another eight in the northeastern province of Liaoning and one in Beijing. Another three cases were brought from outside the country by returning Chinese citizens. Outside of Xinjiang, the virus has been largely contained in mainland China with the death toll from COVID-19 remaining at 4,634 among 84,060 cases registered since the pandemic first emerged from the central city of Wuhan late last year. Hospitals are treating 482 people for the disease, with another 274 in isolation while being monitored for showing signs of infection or f
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South Asia counts losses from devastating monsoon floods
21Aug By desk teamNo Comments
Asia, World

South Asia counts losses from devastating monsoon floods

DHAKA, Bangladesh - When the Dharala River burst its banks in early July, Kamal Hossain left his home with five members of his family to take shelter in a school in northern Bangladesh, carrying their most prized belongings: cattle, a few sacks of rice and clothes. Like him, an estimated 17.5 million people across South Asia are suffering as a result of the devastation of this year’s monsoon floods. Nearly 700 have died. A third of Bangladesh went underwater, including Hossain’s district of Kurigram, after most of its 16 rivers overflowed following torrential rains and violent onrush of waters from upstream India, which was also tormented by the floods as rivers cut their ways from as far as the Himalayan nation of Nepal. Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by 230 rivers, is the last chann
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Kashmiri girl wants to preserve traditional Urdu calligraphy art
19Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Kashmiri girl wants to preserve traditional Urdu calligraphy art

At a time when everyone is busy typing on their smartphones, a young Saima Bhat from Kashmir wants to preserve the age-old traditional Kashmiri art of calligraphy.Originally from Anantnag district and currently residing in Srinagar’s Raj Bagh area, Bhat wanted to pursue the Urdu calligraphy art since childhood.She did her higher education from Kashmir University and then when her parents wanted her to study medicine, she took calligraphy.“My family wanted me to pursue medical studies while I wanted to learn calligraphy. After my higher education from Kashmir University, I took up the Urdu calligraphy course in the Art, Culture and Languages academy, which is a government institute in Srinagar,” said Bhat.“During my training period, I was offered various jobs including teaching opportunity
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