Gulmarg gondola to remain closed on Eid-ul-Fitr
Visitors are advised to plan in advance and secure their bookings early to avoid any inconvenience
Gulmarg gondola to remain closed on Eid-ul-Fitr
Gulf energy sites hit as Iran retaliates after South Pars strike
New Delhi, Mar 19: A widening arc of attacks across the Gulf has raised fears of a broader regional conflict after Iran struck key energy installations in multiple neighbouring countries, in retaliation for an Israeli strike on its vital South Pars gas field, according to international media reports including the BBC.
On the 20th day of the war, officials in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates reported missile and drone incidents targeting strategic oil and gas infrastructure, underlining the vulnerability of global energy supplies to the escalating confrontation.
Qatar said Iranian missiles hit the Ras Laffan Industrial City, home to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing complex, causing a fire and “extensive damage.” In an immediate action and diplomatic response, Doha ordered Iranian security and military attaches to leave the country, signalling a rapid deterioration in ties.
Saudi Arabia struck an equally severe tone, with officials declaring that “the little trust that remained in Iran has been completely shattered,” as a drone crash at the Samref refinery in Yanbu added to regional concerns.
In Kuwait, authorities confirmed drone strikes on both the Mina al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries, triggering fires but causing no casualties. The UAE, meanwhile, reported incidents at the Habshan gas facility and the Bab oilfield, where debris from intercepted missiles fell near critical infrastructure, forcing temporary shutdowns.
The coordinated nature of the attacks suggests a calibrated Iranian response aimed at raising the cost of the earlier strike on South Pars, part of the world’s largest natural gas reserve shared with Qatar. Iranian media outlets linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have reportedly identified potential targets across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
US signals conditional de-escalation
Amid the spiralling tensions, US President Donald Trump indicated a possible pause in attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, provided Tehran refrains from further escalation. In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump said Israel would halt further strikes on the South Pars gas field unless Iran carried out additional attacks on regional states, particularly Qatar.
“NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL… unless Iran unwisely decides to attack… Qatar,” he wrote, adding that the United States had “no prior knowledge” of the Israeli strike and that Qatar was “in no way… involved with it.”
Trump criticised Iran’s retaliatory strike on Ras Laffan as “unjustifiable and unfair,” warning of severe consequences if such actions continue. He went as far as to threaten that the US could “massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field” if Iran targets Qatar again, though he also stressed reluctance to escalate. “I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications,” he said.
Earlier, Trump had signalled opposition to continued strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, suggesting Washington believes its deterrent message has been delivered.
Iran warns of wider consequences
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that the conflict could spiral beyond control. Quoted by the BBC, he cautioned that attacks on energy infrastructure could trigger consequences that might “engulf the entire world.”
The warning reflects growing alarm among Gulf states, which now find themselves directly exposed to the fallout of the Iran-Israel confrontation. Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the strike on South Pars as “reckless and irresponsible,” warning that it threatens regional stability and global energy security.
Strategic significance of South Pars
At the centre of the crisis lies the South Pars/North Dome field, a large shared gas reserve straddling Iranian and Qatari waters. While Iran controls South Pars, Qatar operates the North Dome (also known as the North Field), making the site a cornerstone of global LNG supply.
Geologically a single structure, the field was first discovered in Qatari waters in 1971, with Iran confirming its extension decades later. Its vast reserves, embedded deep beneath the seabed in ancient reservoir rocks, account for a significant portion of both countries’ gas output.
Analysts cited by international media suggest that Washington’s position, linking Israeli restraint to reciprocal restraint by Iran, may represent the first tentative channel of indirect communication between the adversaries since the conflict began. If sustained, this conditional pause could open the door to limited de-escalation. However, with active strikes now spreading across multiple Gulf states and trust rapidly eroding, the region remains on edge, with the risk of further escalation still high.
India to host 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar
New Delhi, Mar 19: India will host the World Indoor Athletics Championships for the first time in 2028 in Bhubaneswar as the international body on Thursday awarded the hosting rights of the prestigious event to the country at its council meeting in Torun, Poland.
The decision was taken at the World Athletics Council meeting a day before the start of World Indoor Athletics Championships (March 20-22) in the Polish city.
“India has been awarded the World Indoor Athletics Championships for the year 2028,” World Athletics vice president Adille Sumariwalla told PTI from Poland.
AFI had revealed its bid for the 2028 World Indoor Championships earlier this year.
A two-member team from World Athletics had visited the state-of-the-art indoor facility at the Kalinga Stadium Complex in Bhubaneswar in January.
Along with Sumariwalla, also a World Athletics Council member and a former Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president, officials of the Odisha government had travelled to the Polish city.
AFI president Bahadur Singh Sagoo said the development was an indication of the growing stature of Indian athletics in the international stage.
“The World Athletics 2028 Indoor Athletics Championships allotted to India mark the growing stature of Indian athletics. Indian track and field has been in sharp focus since ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won back-to-back Olympic and World medals,” he said.
New Zealand had also earlier expressed interest to host the 2028 World Indoor Championships, a biennial showpiece for indoor events.
“Since India was in the fray, we were not allowed inside when the decision to choose the host city was taken. Later World Athletics announced that India has been awarded the Championships,” technical committee chairman and former AFI secretary Ravinder Chaudhry said from Poland.
World Indoor Championships typically has 26 events — 13 each for men and women — to be competed across three days. The 4x400m mixed relay will be held for the first time in this edition in Poland.
The 13 events are 60m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 60m hurdles, 4x400m relay, high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, heptathlon (pentathlon for women).
India has also made a bid to host the 2028 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships at the state-of-the-art indoor facility at the Kalinga Stadium complex in Bhubaneswar which was inaugurated in 2024.
A two-member delegation of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) had made an inspection visit last month.
The Indoor facility at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is also hosting the inaugural edition of the National Indoor Athletics Championships from March 24 to 25.
The indoor athletics centre has a 200m synthetic track, an 80m plus 20m running track, and designated areas for long jump, triple jump, pole vault, and shot put, each meticulously designed to meet specific athletic requirements.
The facility features 60 twin-sharing rooms for those undergoing full-time coaching.
India has made bids for a slew of big-ticket global athletics events in line with the country’s desire to host the 2036 Olympics.
The country is bidding for the 2028 World U20 Athletics Championships as well as the 2031 World (Senior) Athletics Championships — both in Ahmedabad. The Gujarat capital is hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
Normal life disrupted in Pir Panjal region
Rajouri, Mar 19: Heavy rainfall and snowfall continued to disrupt normal life across Rajouri and Poonch districts of Pir Panjal region on Thursday, with weather conditions showing no immediate signs of improvement.
Reports said that low-lying areas experienced moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the day, while upper reaches witnessed light to moderate snowfall.
The persistent precipitation has led to a noticeable drop in temperature, further intensifying the cold conditions across the region.
Meanwhile, the Mughal Road, a key arterial link connecting the twin districts with Kashmir, remained closed for vehicular movement.
The road was shut in the late evening hours on Wednesday following adverse weather conditions and continued to remain closed on Thursday as well.
Authorities advised commuters to avoid unnecessary travel and stay updated with official advisories, as weather conditions remain unpredictable.
SSP Traffic, Jammu Rural, Farooq Qaiser told Greater Kashmir that Mughal Road continues to remain closed for vehicular movement in view of hostile weather.
Commuters travelling on the road should not be allowed beyond Chandimarh.
The Border Roads Organisation has also rescued few vehicles that were stuck on the road due to heavy snowfall.
Eid on Saturday
Srinagar, Mar 19: The crescent moon marking the beginning of Shawwal was not sighted anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday evening, prompting religious authorities to announce that Eid-ul-Fitr would be celebrated on Saturday.
Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, who heads the central moon sighting process, said that no credible testimony of moon sighting was received from any part of J&K despite coordinated efforts by designated committees.
“We did not receive any confirmed witness regarding the sighting of the Shawwal crescent. Given the circumstances, Friday will be observed as the 30th day of Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday,” he said.
Earlier, under the guidance of the Grand Mufti, a full-fledged Ruet-e-Hilal mechanism comprising scholars had been established across districts, with designated members and contact points to verify sightings.
He had also urged people to rely only on official announcements and authenticated reports regarding the crescent.
With Thursday’s development, Friday will mark the final fast of Ramadan, completing the 30-day holy month, while Saturday will be observed as the first day of Shawwal and Eid-ul-Fitr.
A similar pattern was observed in other parts of the country, where religious authorities associated with Jama Masjid in New Delhi, led by Naib Shahi Imam Syed Shaban Bukhari, confirmed that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday after completion of 30 days of Ramadan.
In Kargil-Ladakh, the Hilal Committee of Jamiat-ul-Ulama Isna Asharia Kargil-Ladakh also reported no sighting of the crescent due to cloudy weather conditions and absence of verified reports from neighbouring regions, announcing Eid on Saturday.
In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee also announced non-sighting of the moon, declaring Saturday as Eid, while similar announcements were made in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, markets across Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir have witnessed heightened activity over the past several days, with shoppers thronging major commercial hubs for Eid purchases.
From garments and footwear to bakery items and essentials, markets remained abuzz as people made last-minute preparations after a month of fasting.
Authorities have also stepped up arrangements for the festival.
Officials from the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board have convened multiple meetings to take stock of preparations for Eid congregational prayers at various Eidgahs and mosques across Kashmir.
Necessary arrangements, including sanitation, water supply, and crowd management measures, have been put in place to facilitate smooth conduct of Eid prayers.
With one more day of fasting remaining, the festive spirit continues to build across the Valley as people prepare to conclude Ramadan and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Saturday with religious devotion and traditional fervour.
Nearly 18,000 people in 18-45 age group died due to heart attacks in Haryana in 6 years
Chandigarh, Mar 19: Nearly 18,000 people in the age group of 18-45 died due to heart attacks or heart failures in Haryana between January 2020 and January 2026, the Assembly was informed on Wednesday.
The government shared this information in the House in a written reply to a question from a Congress MLA, who had sought to know the “year-wise and district wise number of youths in the 18-45 years of age group who have died due to heart attack/heart failure in Haryana from the year 2020 till date, and whether the government has conducted any study or survey to ascertain whether these deaths have any co-relation with COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 vaccinations; if so, the findings of such study/survey together with the action taken by the government in this regard”. The House was informed that no such survey was conducted.
Kashmir Bakers Confectioners Association distributes over 560 Eid kits across Valley
Srinagar, Mar 19: In a humanitarian outreach ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the Kashmir Bakers Confectioners Association (KBCA) has distributed more than 560 bakery kits among underprivileged families across the Valley during the holy month of Ramadan.
The initiative, carried out in three phases, underscores the Association’s continued engagement in social welfare and community support during significant religious occasions. The distribution aimed at ensuring that economically weaker sections are able to partake in Eid celebrations.
Addressing the media, KBCA President Shahid Hussain Mir said the Association has consistently remained involved in charitable activities and community service. He noted that its constitution encourages members to extend assistance to the needy during difficult times, natural calamities and important occasions like Eid.
Giving a breakdown of the distribution, Mir said the initiative recorded an increase of around 15 percent compared to last year. “Over 560 bakery kits were distributed in three phases, including 255 in the first phase, 155 in the second and 150 in the third phase,” he said.
He added that while the Association generally prefers to keep such efforts low-profile, the decision to highlight the drive this year was aimed at encouraging other sections of society to contribute towards welfare initiatives.
“Kashmiris have always been at the forefront of charitable work, whether in healthcare, education or during times of crisis. It is important that we continue this tradition and collectively support those in need,” Mir said.
On the occasion, the Association also advised bakery owners to maintain quality standards, ensure fair dealings with customers and adhere strictly to regulatory guidelines. Consumers were urged to report grievances, if any, through the contact details provided with official rate lists.
Senior members of the Association, including advisors Umar Mukhtar and Atta Mohammad, General Secretary Bilal Ahmad Khan, Senior Vice President Javaid Ahmad Khan, Vice President Humayun Yousuf Jan, Additional General Secretary Ashiq Hussain Bhat, Treasurer Syed Ayoub Sofi and Organiser Ejaz Ahmad Sofi, were also present.
The Association reaffirmed its commitment to continuing such outreach programmes in the future to support vulnerable sections of society.
Advisory issued to avoid travel on Mahore roads amid works, weather risks
Rajouri, Mar 19: Authorities in Mahore subdivision of Reasi district have issued an advisory urging people to avoid travel on key roads during rainy weather due to safety risks posed by ongoing construction works and the possibility of landslides and shooting stones, officials said.
According to the advisory, earth cutting work is currently underway at multiple locations on the
Budhal-Mahore-Gool (BMG) GREF Road and the Reasi-Arnas-Mahore (RAM) GREF Road, along with various PMGSY and PWD roads.
In view of these developments, authorities have warned of potential hazards such as shooting stones, landslides and road blockages.
Officials said that to prevent any untoward incidents, the general public has been strongly advised to refrain from using these routes during inclement weather conditions.
Additionally, commuters have been urged to check weather forecasts before planning any travel on these roads.
Officials emphasised that adherence to the advisory is crucial to ensure public safety until the ongoing works are completed and weather conditions improve.
In Pulwama’s Achagoze, taps run muddy as villagers raise health concerns
Pulwama, Mar 19: Residents of Achagoze village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district are grappling with unsafe drinking water, with muddy and untreated supply from local sources raising fears of disease outbreaks.
Households in the village, home to around 400 families, say water supplied through taps is often contaminated, particularly during rainy spells, making it unfit even for basic use.
“We are supplied water directly from Nullah Romshi. It is in no way fit for drinking,” said Farooq Ahmad, Sarpanch of the village.
Residents said the problem intensifies during rainfall, when muddy water flows through taps. “During the rains, the water becomes even dirtier. Sometimes it is so muddy that we cannot even use it for washing utensils, let alone drinking,” Ahmad said.
Villagers said they are forced to rely on makeshift methods such as filtering water through cloth or allowing it to settle before use. However, these measures have proven insufficient to ensure safety.
The village has witnessed multiple instances of water-borne diseases, including jaundice, over the years. Residents fear that continued consumption of contaminated water could trigger fresh outbreaks, particularly among children and the elderly.
“We have approached officials umpteen times, but nothing has changed. We are still forced to consume contaminated water,” said another resident.
Locals allege that the supply lacks proper filtration and treatment infrastructure, despite repeated representations to authorities.
They have urged the administration to install a proper filtration system and ensure access to safe drinking water, warning that continued inaction could have serious public health implications.
Residents said access to clean drinking water remains a basic necessity they have long been deprived of, and expressed hope that authorities will intervene to address the issue.
India should have backed Iran but PM did not even issue protest statement: MNS chief
Mumbai, Mar 19: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray on Thursday said India should have backed Iran when it was attacked by the US and Israel but there was no protest from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this, which “will definitely hurt us in future”.
Addressing his party’s annual Gudi Padwa rally, Thackeray said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claims he wants to make Maharashtra’s economy a USD 3 trillion one but the state has debt of Rs 11 lakh crore.
When Prithviraj Chavan was chief minister (from 2010 to 2014), the state’s loan was Rs 2 lakh crore, which has now increased to Rs 11 lakh crore, Thackeray claimed.
The MNS president also launched a website for people to give their suggestions to take Maharashtra forward.
Tangible ideas will be forwarded to experts and after vetting will be shared with the government, he said.
Thackeray expressed hope that his party, which completes 20 years, will come to power and regain the glory of Maharashtra.
On the ongoing shortage of cooking gas amid the West Asia crisis, Thackeray said Iran had been backing India for so many years.
“We should have backed Iran. Iran gave oil to India in rupee currency. (But) Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) did not issue any statement after (Ayatollah) Khamenei’s killing. There was no statement of protest or attack,” Thackeray said.
He said Iran backed India even on the issue of Jammu Kashmir at the global level but New Delhi did not back Tehran when it was in trouble.
“This will definitely hurt us in future,” the MNS president claimed.
Thackeray said people are stuck watching IPL, movies, television and scrolling Instagram.
World over, governments want people to get hooked to these so that they don’t ask questions, he asserted.
Cities have crumbled, Thackeray said while informing that he had Chief Minister Fadnavis and the Deputy CM and raised the issue of traffic congestion.
“We are losing everything. Buildings are being constructed by giving abrupt permissions,” Thackeray alleged.
He said Maharashtra has announced farm loan waiver thrice but the state records the highest number of farmer suicides.
The ‘Marathi manoos’ praises the Coastal Road but it is has been made to welcome outsiders and throw ‘Marathi manoos’ out, Thackeray claimed.
Cities are losing land, he said, adding industrialists like Adani are taking it and the government is assisting them.
“We are losing our identity as Maharashtra, language. We will not get it back once we lose it,” he added.
Thackeray said drugs is being sold across Maharashtra, and youth are getting addicted in schools, colleges etc. He also spoke about the issue of children missing in the state.
