Jammu,15 Feb: Massive clashes erupted in Gujjar Nagar area of Jammu amid protesters torching vehicles on the roads forcing authorities to impose curfew.
Reports said that the protesters marched towards Gujjar Nagar and torched vehicles on the road. “Several vehicles have been vandalised and eight vehicles set ablaze,” eyewitnesses said.
Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has called for a shutdown in Jammu against the Lethpora attack on CRPF in Pulwama district that left 49 CRPF personnel dead and several injured.
Reports said that a heavy contingent of forces has been deployed in Gujjar Nagar to control the situation.
Pulwama attack: Clashes rock Gujjar Nagar in Jammu, curfew imposed.
Every such conspiracy will be rebutted by 130-crore people of India, says PM Modi.
New Delhi: Paying homage to the CRPF troopers killed in Pulwama’s attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that every such conspiracy of the neighbouring country will be rebutted by 130 crore people of India.
‘Our neighbouring country, which is undergoing through bad phase of economy, thinks that it can create havoc by such terror activities. Such ambitions of theirs will never be fulfilled,’ Mr Modi said on the occasion of flagging off country’s first semi-high speed trainset Train 18, titled the Vande Bharat Express, from New Delhi Railway station.
Every such conspiracy will be rebutted by 130-crore people of India, he said, adding that the powers and the people behind this terror attack will definitely be punished.
‘I want to tell the terror organisations that they have committed a mistake. I assure the country that powers and people responsible for this terror attack will definitely be punished,’ he said.
After the Pulwama attack, the situation and the atmosphere — both are full of grief and indignation, the country will fight back such dastardly acts of terror, he stressed.
‘Our neighbouring country has been alienated all over the world. If it thinks that the way it is carrying out such misdeeds, it will be successful in creating instability in India, then it is making a big mistake,’ Mr Modi said.
The message should go to the world that the country is ‘one’ (united) in fighting against such attacks, he emphasised.
Reiterating his confidence in the bravery of forces of the country, Mr Modi said ‘Our security forces have been given full independence.’
More than 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were martyred in a fidayeen attack by Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit at Awantipora in south Kashmir district of Pulwama on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday.
A number of neighbouring countries and the UN have condemned the terror attack and underlined the need for closer cooperation in fight against the ‘common enemy’.
Governor directs Divisional and Deputy Commissioners to ensure availability of essential supplies
Jammu, February 13: Governor Satya Pal Malik has issued directions to the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh and all the Deputy Commissioners for expeditiously addressing the hardships being faced by people, caused due to heavy snowfall and rains in the past few days.
Governor has asked the Deputy Commissioners to personally review and ensure prompt and efficient delivery of various public services to the people and to submit Action Taken Reports to the Governor’s Secretariat by today evening regarding availability of dry ration, LPG, Petrol & Diesel, medicines, availability of electricity, drinking water supply and other essential commodities in the market. He has issued strict directions that immediate legal action be taken against those persons who are indulging in unethical practices such as black marketing or hoarding of essential commodities.
Governor has also directed Deputy Commissioners to carry out inspection of hospitals in their jurisdiction and to take stock of facilities like heating system, maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene, availability of medicines, doctors, paramedical staff.
Governor has sought regular reports regarding clearance of snow and road blockages wherever it is obstructing the movement of men and material so as to immediately ensure smooth flow of traffic.
‘With unprecedented military, predatory economics, China poses most significant threat to US’
While deposing in front of a Senate Panel, top American senators and commanders said that China with its “unprecedented military build up and predatory economics” poses the most significant, long-term strategic threat to the United States.
They made the deposition Tuesday while seeking a mechanism to address the challenge from the east Asian nation.
According to a report by the Press Trust of India, China represents the greatest long-term strategic threat to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and to the United States, said US Indo-Pacific Command chief Adm Philips Davidson, while testifying before the Senate’s Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing.
Through fear and economic pressure, Beijing is working to expand its form of Communist-Socialist ideology in order to bend, break, and replace the existing rules-based international order, he alleged.
In its place, Beijing seeks to create a new international order led by China and with Chinese characteristics — an outcome that displaces the stability and peace of the Indo-Pacific that has endured for over 70 years, he told the Senators.
In remarks that they made over Davidson’s deposition, the Senators too appeared to be on the same page and asked the US Government to take a strong stand on these issues.
China presents the most significant, long-term strategic threat that this country has faced in many, many years. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has left several countries, notably Sri Lanka and Malaysia, severely indebted to China, said Senator Jack Reed, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Beijing, he alleged, often targets corrupt local governments that personally profit from inflated loans that leave their state treasuries bankrupt and beholden to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s administration.
It is an economic initiative with significant national security implications for the United States. Countering Chinese aggression globally requires to rely on our partners and allies to a greater degree in the decades to come, he said.
Davidson told the Senators that the US is working to help ASEAN in this discussion about code of conduct negotiations with China.
China has essentially delivered a draft that dictates to those ASEAN nations when and where and who they would sail with in the South China Sea,” he said.
“Helping them protect the international freedom of the seas and airspace that have been long established in maritime law that the United States and others have fought for over the centuries is quite important, he added.
Senator Tim Kaine said China may seem friendly up front, they may have assets and resources to offer up front, but the terms are overly debt-burdening and nations like Sri Lanka and others have started to appear strained.
Malaysia has canceled projects and basically has criticised China’s way of dealing with them as sort of a new form of colonialism, he said.
Admiral Davidson said China is challenging and threatening the rules-based international order.
It’s not a regional thing for China. It’s a global approach. Anywhere that they can make inroads on that international order, they will take it. They have been moving quite rapidly, he said.
China maneuvers in the information space in a way that undermines everything US does, factually, informationally, everywhere, he told the Senators.
Taliban say Moscow talks with Afghan politicians ‘very successful’
Two days of unprecedented talks with high-ranking Afghan politicians in Moscow were “very successful”, the Taliban said Wednesday, despite disagreements over women’s rights and demands for an Islamic constitution in the war-torn country.
“It was very successful. We agreed on many points and I am hopeful that in future, we can succeed further, and finally we can reach a solution, we can find a complete peace in Afghanistan,” Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, who headed the Taliban delegation, told reporters in the Russian capital.
2018 fourth hottest year on record: NASA
Srinagar, Feb,07: Earth’s global surface temperatures in 2018 were the fourth warmest since 1880 and the planet will warm further, especially since greenhouse gas emissions are continuing to rise, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have said.
Global temperatures in 2018 were 0.83 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1951 to 1980, according to scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York.
Heavy snow in Kashmir, roads closed, flights cancelled
Srinagar, Feb,07: Fresh snowfall started early in the day in the city here as it recorded 0.5 degrees Celsius. Heavy spells were reported from the hills. Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded minus 0.6 and minus 4 degrees, respectively.
The strategic Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for a second consecutive day due to the fresh snowfall in Bannihal sector and landslides in Ramsoo-Ramban.
The one-way traffic from Srinagar to Jammu that was allowed on Wednesday, was halted.
Prices of essentials like vegetables, mutton and poultry products, have skyrocketed in the landlocked Kashmir Valley due to severing of road links.
Flight operations, too, were suspended at the Srinagar airport due to poor visibility amid heavy snowfall. “All flights to and from Srinagar were cancelled on Wednesday.
“No flight could land or take off from the airport today morning,” an official at the Srinagar International Airport said.
Flight operations will start only after visibility improves, he said, adding that snow clearance on the runway was hampered by the continued snowfall.
Electric supply was interrupted in many parts of the valley, especially north Kashmir areas with the Power Department informing that efforts were on to restore snapped lines.
“Our supply is normal in Srinagar city. There have been problems in Bandipora, Ganderbal and other reas due to hiccups in 33 KV transmission lines, but the problem is being addressed.
“The staff has been at it even in the midst of heavy snowing this time,” Qazi Hashmat, Chief Engineer, maintenance and rural electrification Kashmir told IANS.
He said at present the department is supplying 850 megawatts to consumers against the requirement of 1,200 MW in the valley.
The Met said a western disturbance active over Jammu and Kashmir is likely to weaken after 24 hours on Friday.
“As the western disturbance persists, widespread snowfall and rain is expected today though there should be signs of improvement later in the evening,”
“Significant improvement is forecast from tomorrow onwards,” a Met official said.
In the Ladakh area, Leh recorded minus 3.2, Kargil minus 16.4 and Drass minus 5.8 degrees Celsius
Jammu was at 9.3, Katra 7, Batote minus 1.6, Bannihal 0.2 and Bhaderwah was at minus 0.4 degrees Celsius.