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Rain to Continue Across J&K; Heavy Showers Likely in Jammu Division Next Week: MeT

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Srinagar, Jul 25 (NVI): Rain is likely to continue across Jammu and Kashmir till late Saturday afternoon, with the weather expected to improve thereafter, while heavy showers are forecast in parts of the Jammu division during the coming week, the Meteorological Department said.

According to the MeT Department, intermittent rain is likely over most places in the Kashmir division and many areas of the Jammu division on Saturday before the current spell weakens later in the day.

On July 26 and 27, many places in the Union Territory are expected to witness one or two spells of rain and thundershowers. Brief intense showers are also likely at a few places in the Jammu division, particularly during the afternoon, evening and early morning hours, it said.

The department has forecast light to moderate rain and thundershowers at most places across Jammu and Kashmir between July 28 and 31.

It said a few districts of the Jammu division could experience heavy rain and brief intense showers during late night, early morning and afternoon-evening hours during the period.

The MeT Department also warned of the possibility of flash floods, landslides and mudslides at vulnerable locations over the next five days.

People, including tourists, travellers and transporters, have been advised to follow weather advisories issued by the administration and avoid travel to landslide-prone areas during inclement weather, the department said.(NVI)

Rajnath Singh Arrives in Srinagar Ahead of Kargil Vijay Diwas Commemorations

Srinagar, Jul 25 (NVI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Srinagar on Saturday and later proceeded to Drass by road after inclement weather prevented his scheduled helicopter flight to the Kargil War Memorial, where he is set to participate in the Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations.

Official sources said Singh was received at the Srinagar airport by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and senior civil, military and police officials.

The Defence Minister was initially scheduled to travel to Drass by helicopter, but the flight could not operate due to adverse weather conditions. He subsequently left for Drass by road, the sources said.

Singh is on a two-day visit to attend the Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass.

The commemorative events mark India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil conflict and pay tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty. Senior military officers, veterans, families of martyrs and civil dignitaries are expected to attend the programme.(NVI)

Search operations launched in J&K’s Samba, Kathua over suspected drone sightings

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Representational image

Shivam Bakshi

Jammu, July 25 (NVI): Security forces on Saturday launched extensive search operations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba and Kathua districts after suspected cross-border drones were spotted near the International Border (IB), officials said.

Officials sources that an aerial object, suspected to be a Pakistani drone, was detected by Army troops over the forward village of Tarore in the Vijaypur sector of Samba district late Friday night, following which counter-drone measures were immediately activated.

They said the suspected drone is believed to have retreated across the International Border into Pakistan.

In a separate incident, another suspected drone was briefly seen hovering over Chak Nalua village in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district on Friday evening, officials said.

Following the sightings, security forces launched intensive search operations in both areas to trace any possible payload or other evidence linked to the suspected drone activity.

The searches were underway when the last reports came in, officials said, adding that surveillance along the International Border has been further intensified in view of repeated drone sightings. (NVI)

Kashmir Crime Branch files chargesheet in Cambodia job fraud case

Srinagar, July 25 (NVI): The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch, Jammu and Kashmir, has filed a chargesheet against a man from Pattan in Baramulla district for allegedly cheating a person on the pretext of providing a high-paying job in Cambodia, officials said on Saturday.

The chargesheet has been filed in connection with FIR No. 19/2026 under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) before the Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class against Mohammad Yaseen Rather, a resident of Kripalpora Payeen, Pattan, the officials said.

According to the Crime Branch, the accused allegedly lured the complainant with a promise of employment as a computer operator in Cambodia on a monthly salary of ₹90,000.

Believing the offer to be genuine, the complainant transferred lakhs of rupees to the accused’s bank account and also spent a substantial amount on visa processing, travel and other related expenses, they said.

However, after reaching Cambodia, the victim was allegedly forced to participate in online scamming activities instead of being provided the promised job.

The Crime Branch said its investigation found the allegations to be substantiated, following which the chargesheet was filed before the competent court.

The EOW also advised the public to remain cautious of fraudulent overseas job offers and urged victims of economic fraud to report such cases to the Economic Offences Wing or lodge complaints through its official channels.(NVI)

Supreme Court to hear petitions related to police action on Jantar Mantar protesters

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Supreme Court of India

New Delhi, July 24 (NVI) The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on Monday two petitions alleging excessive use of police force against students participating in protests across the country over repeated examination paper leaks and alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including NEET-UG.

The matter was mentioned today before the three-judge Bench, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and including Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana, by Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan.

He informed the top Court that both writ petitions had been duly instituted, assigned diary numbers by the Registry and that all concerned States had been impleaded as parties.

Seeking urgent intervention, Sankaranarayanan submitted that incidents of alleged police excesses against student protesters were continuing across the country and warranted immediate judicial scrutiny.

Taking note of the submissions, the Bench directed that the petitions be listed for hearing on Monday.

The listing assumes significance as earlier in the day the CJI had clarified in open court that no writ petition concerning the July 20 police action had been filed before the Supreme Court until that stage.

Referring to media reports suggesting that the Court had refused to entertain such a plea, the CJI said the Registry had verified its records and found that no petition had been instituted.

He clarified that what had earlier been placed before the Court was only a representation and not a properly filed writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution.

One of the petitions, filed through Advocate-on-Record Chand Qureshi by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, seeks enforcement of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b), 19(1)(d), 16 and 21 of the Constitution.

The respondents include the Union of India, the Government of NCT of Delhi, the Commissioner of Delhi Police and all States and Union Territories.

The petition challenged the police action during the July 20 “Chalo Sansad” march organised as part of the nationwide agitation over examination paper leaks.

It alleged that students and other demonstrators attempting to march towards Parliament were met with excessive police force, including barricading, lathi-charge, use of tear gas, arbitrary detention and physical assault.

It further alleged gender-based misconduct against female protesters and claims that unidentified or plainclothes personnel participated in crowd-control operations.

According to the petition, at least 60 protesters sustained injuries during the police action, necessitating an independent investigation.

The plea sought the constitution of an independent Judicial Commission or a Special Investigation Team headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to inquire into the alleged police excesses, arbitrary detentions and allegations of gender-based violence during the July 20 protests.

It further sought directions for registration of FIRs against police personnel allegedly involved in assaults and misconduct, along with their identification, suspension and prosecution in accordance with law.

The petition further seeks comprehensive guidelines regulating police action during peaceful public demonstrations.

It prays for a prohibition on deploying plainclothes or unidentified personnel for crowd-control duties or arrests, relying on the Supreme Court’s decisions in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal and Somnath v. State of Maharashtra, which mandate that police officers carrying out arrests must display clear identification.

It also sought the formulation of a Standard Operating Procedure governing the exercise of powers under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which replaced Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The petitioner contended that repeated and prolonged invocation of prohibitory orders has effectively converted the constitutional right to peaceful assembly into a permission-based regime and that blanket or recurring restrictions imposed without any proximate threat to public order fail the constitutional tests of legality, necessity and proportionality.

The petition additionally raised a constitutional challenge to the application of Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which criminalises acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.

It argued that the provision was vague, overbroad and capable of being invoked against peaceful political dissent and academic criticism, thereby producing a chilling effect on the exercise of free speech and peaceful protest.

The petition also alleged that restrictions imposed during the protests, including closure of Metro stations and suspension of mobile internet services, disrupted access to banking, telemedicine, remote work, education, emergency services and daily commuting, thereby affecting the rights of a much wider section of the public.

Meanwhile, a litigation is also being heard by the Delhi High Court, where petitions challenging the alleged police crackdown and the suspension of mobile internet services around Jantar Mantar are already pending.

The High Court has directed the authorities to preserve CCTV footage, videography and other records relating to the police action and has sought responses from the Union Government and the Delhi Police. (NVI)

Amarnath Yatra likely to resume Tomorrow after six-day suspension

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Srinagar, Jul 24 (NVI): The annual Amarnath Yatra is likely to resume from tomorrow after remaining suspended for six days due to adverse weather conditions, officials said on Friday.

The pilgrimage was halted after continuous rainfall made the twin routes to the holy cave shrine unsafe for pilgrims.

Officials said weather conditions have improved and restoration work on the affected tracks has largely been completed, paving the way for the resumption of the yatra.

A final decision is expected after authorities conduct a fresh assessment of the weather and track conditions, they said.

Pilgrims have been advised to follow instructions issued by the administration and security agencies and undertake the pilgrimage only as per the scheduled arrangements.(NVI)

Indonesia plans to extend digital payment system to India

New Delhi, July 24 (NVI) The central bank of Indonesia plans to extend its digital payment system to India, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia as part of its endeavour to further promote it after covering 10 countries of the region, including China, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.

Indonesia has been leading the Southeast Asian countries in the adoption of payments using QR (Quick-Response) code.

“We are continuing discussions with India for cross-border (QRIS payment). We have also started in-depth discussions with Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong,” Bank Indonesia deputy governor Filianingsih Hendarta said at a press briefing.

“Hopefully this can be implemented soon because for its implementation we have to pay attention to the readiness of each country, considering their regulations, (payment) infrastructure, industry (participation) and also coordination with authorities,” Hendarta said.

Such connected payment ecosystems aim to ease transactions for international travelers, who only have to use their local payment apps to make purchases abroad.

Since 2019, Bank Indonesia has required digital payment services to use standardized QR codes known as QRIS — pronounced as Kris — to ensure all banks and electronic wallets are interoperable, giving way to a seamless payment system that is now almost ubiquitous in most major cities in the country, boasting nearly 62 million users.

Under its arrangement with China, for example, Indonesian travelers can use QRIS-enabled e-wallets and banking apps to make payments by scanning QR codes registered under Alipay and Union Pay across China, which number more than 80 million.

Meanwhile, Chinese visitors using the Alipay or UnionPay apps can make payments at more than 44 million QRIS merchants across Indonesia, most of which are micro, small-and-medium enterprises (MSMEs) that make up about 99 percent of businesses nationwide.

“This cross-border QRIS simplifies payment transactions between countries, and is also used by residents of other countries who are visiting Indonesia,” Hendarta said, adding “(It) also boosts real economic growth through tourism and small and medium business sectors.” (NVI)

J&K CM Omar Interacts with Public Representatives

Srinagar, Jul 24 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday met public representatives and various delegations at the public outreach programme ‘Raabita’ here and heard issues related to development, public welfare and governance, officials said.

MLA Budgam Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi met the chief minister and raised issues concerning his constituency.

MLAs Vijay Kumar (Hiranagar) and Rajeev Kumar (Bishnah) also called on Abdullah and discussed developmental works and public welfare matters in their respective constituencies.

Former Inderwal MLA Qazi Jalal-u-Din met the chief minister and highlighted issues of public importance concerning the area.

Vice Chancellor of Cluster University Srinagar, Prof Mohammad Mobin, also met Abdullah and discussed matters related to the university.

Senior journalist Abdul Mehjoor, along with several other individuals, also called on the chief minister during the public interaction programme.

Officials said Abdullah gave a patient hearing to the delegations and individuals and assured them that their genuine grievances and demands would be examined and addressed in a time-bound manner.(NVI)

West Asia fighting continues to rage on 13th day

New Delhi, July 24 (NVI) West Asia remains engulfed in intense fighting on the 13th day today as the US carried out attacks on Iran, which retaliated by targeting American bases in Bahrain and Jordan.

Iranian military today said it attacked US military facilities at Jordan’s Al-Azraq base and Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa air base.

Earlier last night, the US struck base of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)  in the northern province of Gilan.

“This morning, an IRGC naval forces headquarters in Zibakenar was targeted by American enemy projectiles, which damaged some of the equipment in the complex,” said Ali Bagheri, deputy governor for the province.

US miiltary’s Central Command said the latest round of attacks were aimed to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters” as the Americans push to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas transited in peacetime.

It said the strikes ended shortly before 5 a.m. local time Friday.

The previous day, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, potentially widening the Iran war as international oil topped $100 a barrel.

Blasts were also reported Thursday on Iran’s Qeshm Island, home to stores of naval assets including drone boats that Iran can use to attack vessels on the Strait of Hormuz, as well as to the northwest near Andimeshk, Omidiyeh and Firuzabad.

Four people were killed and five wounded in a US missile attack on the outskirts of Ahvaz on the Karun River, Iranian state media said.

Houthis threaten to shut second key shipping route

Meanwhile, the Houthis threatened to shut down Bab El-Mandeb Strait, another key trade route with the world economy already reeling from Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Bab El-Mandeb Strait at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a vital shipping chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Around 12 percent of the world’s trade, including a fourth of global container traffic, passes through there, moving between Europe and Asia via Egypt’s Suez Canal.

The Houthi attacks put at risk oil shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port on the Red Sea and present a “double whammy” on top of the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, said maritime data and analysis firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

President Donald Trump has threatened “major military punishment” against the Houthis if their attacks on ships continue.

The escalating fighting is causing economic damage across the world as the price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, spiked more than 6 percent to about $100 a barrel.

That’s the highest level since May, before the two sides reached a preliminary peace agreement last month that has since collapsed.

Both sides dig in over Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz is the biggest cause of contention between the US and Iran.

Iran says it has the right to manage traffic and potentially charge fees in the Strait of Hormuz, which was open to all toll-free before the war.

It has attacked ships using a route through the strait that is overseen by US forces and intended to be outside Tehran’s control.

Trump said on social media Thursday that sanctioned Iranian funds in the possession of the US will cover the expense of fixing boats damaged in the war.

“Please let this statement serve to represent, until further notice, that from this point forth, any and all damages done to Ships, Cargo, or anything related thereto, will be paid for by Iranian Money that the United States has in its possession, and controls,” Trump said.

It was unclear what legal mechanisms Trump would use to access and spend the funds, but he said that doing so would be “the fair and equitable thing to do.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the suggestion, writing on X that “once governments normalize confiscation, no one’s assets are safe. Ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful.” (NVI)

J&K Chief Secretary reviews preparations for 80th Independence Day celebrations

Srinagar, Jul 24 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday reviewed preparations for the 80th Independence Day celebrations across the Union Territory and directed all departments to ensure seamless coordination and completion of arrangements well in advance.

Chairing a high-level meeting of senior civil and police officers, Dulloo reviewed preparations for the main Independence Day functions in Srinagar and Jammu, besides celebrations at district, sub-division, tehsil, block and panchayat levels.

He asked the departments concerned to ensure foolproof security, effective traffic management, uninterrupted power and water supply, sanitation, medical facilities, emergency response and proper seating arrangements, particularly in view of the prevailing weather conditions.

The Chief Secretary also directed the Information Department to test the public address system and other audio-visual equipment before the full-dress rehearsal and maintain adequate backup arrangements.

Emphasising public participation, Dulloo instructed district administrations to invite public representatives, freedom fighters, ex-servicemen, families of martyrs and other distinguished citizens well in advance.

He also directed authorities to illuminate major government buildings, bridges and other prominent public infrastructure to mark the 80th Independence Day celebrations.

Officials informed the meeting that contingents of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Armed Police, CRPF, BSF, IRP, Fire and Emergency Services, NCC, NSS and students from educational institutions would participate in the ceremonial parade and cultural programmes.

The meeting also reviewed arrangements related to healthcare, transport, parking, drinking water and other logistical requirements. Officials said full-dress rehearsals would be conducted before August 15 to ensure smooth conduct of the celebrations.(NVI)

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