Awantipora, Sep 07: An unidentified body was recovered from the Jhelum River at Lethpora Barsoo area of Awantipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday, officials said.
An official said that the body was spotted in the river, following which police were informed.
A police team reached the spot and initiated legal formalities in connection with the recovery. The identity of the deceased and further details were awaited, he added.—(KNO)
Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a growing obesity burden, with more than one in three women aged 15–49 now classified as overweight or obese, while obesity is also being reported among children and adolescents.
According to the sixth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), released by the Union Health Ministry in May this year, 36.7 percent of women and 27.1 percent of men aged 15–49 in J&K are overweight or obese. At the national level, the corresponding figures are 30.7 percent for women and 27.3 percent for men.
The survey also found that 3.5 percent of girls and 2.6 percent of boys aged 5–17 in J&K are obese, pointing to an emerging health concern that extends beyond adulthood.
The findings were discussed at the recent JK Obesity Summit, held as part of MMFDIACON-2026 in Srinagar, where experts warned that obesity can no longer be viewed solely as a matter of individual lifestyle choices.
Prof SM Saleem Khan, former Head of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, said the growing prevalence of obesity was being driven by an “obesogenic environment” in which unhealthy food choices have become increasingly accessible and affordable, while opportunities for physical activity have declined.
He said the availability, affordability and aggressive marketing of ultra-processed and calorie-dense foods, combined with sedentary lifestyles, increased screen time, dependence on transport and changing urban environments, were influencing both food consumption and physical activity.
“The food choices have no longer remained confined to individual willpower or lifestyle choices,” Khan said, pointing to the influence of food availability, affordability, marketing, urban design and screen time on consumption patterns.
He said socioeconomic conditions were also contributing to the risk of overweight and obesity. In J&K, changing food habits are intersecting with rapid urbanisation and increasingly sedentary routines, creating an environment where people are encouraged to choose food that is readily available and requires little effort to consume, while spending more time sitting and using screens.
Khan said obesity could not be addressed through clinical treatment alone.
“Obesity is a problem that clinics alone can’t fix,” he said, arguing that no healthcare system could “treat its way out” of an epidemic continuously reinforced by everyday environments.
He said food systems in which energy-dense, ultra-processed foods are cheaper and more heavily marketed than fresh produce were creating a significant health hazard.
Khan proposed a “Preventive Health Clinic” model based in primary care to identify obesity risks at an early stage through body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and basic metabolic screening.
Such clinics, he said, could prescribe individualised interventions covering diet, physical activity, sleep and behavioural change, while also involving families and ensuring regular follow-up.
A single consultation could not address a problem that had grown to a scale capable of affecting the wider healthcare delivery system, he said.
Khan called for a policy roadmap that explicitly recognises obesity as a public-health priority. He said obesity screening should be incorporated into monitoring under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
He also called for preventive health clinics at primary health centres and medical colleges, routine BMI and waist measurements as part of health check-ups across the life course, and the integration of obesity prevention into school health programmes.
Urban planning also needs to become part of the response, he said, calling for greater investment in walkable infrastructure and stronger regulation of the availability and marketing of unhealthy foods.
New Delhi, Sep 07: The death toll in the building collapse in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan area climbed to six, with rescue and search operations for survivors entering the second day on Monday.
So far, 11 people have been rescued from the debris of the decades-old multi-storey building.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) issued a statement saying that 11 patients were received at the JPN Apex Trauma Centre (AIIMS) following the Satya Niketan building collapse.
“Out of the 11 patients, five were brought dead, while one patient who was in critical condition later succumbed to his injuries; three patients have been admitted and are being treated. One patient underwent limb surgery. One patient had sustained a minor injury and was discharged after observation,” the statement read.
The building, which housed a boys’ paying guest accommodation near Delhi University’s South Campus, collapsed around 1.30 pm on Sunday while repair work was underway.
Multiple agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force and Delhi Disaster Management Authority, have been carrying out rescue operations through the night.
“One more person was rescued during the night but was brought dead, taking the toll to six,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel said.
He said that efforts are continuing to trace the persons allegedly connected with the incident.
Police have registered a case against the building owner and others, while a magisterial inquiry has also been ordered.
Miami, Sep 07: At least five people are dead after an Amazon cargo plane barrelled off a Miami airport runway and smashed into cars, a sheriff said Sunday.
New Delhi, Sep 6: India has emerged as a crucial source of diesel for Europe, supplying about 60 per cent of the fuel transiting the Bab-el-Mandeb to the region in August, as Russian exports remain severely constrained and US shipments begin to weaken, according to data from Vortexa – real-time data and advanced analytics for energy and freight.
About 2,00,000 barrels per day of diesel (gasoil) transited the Bab-el-Mandeb in August on vessels bound for Europe, close to year-earlier levels after flows through the key shipping route nearly stalled in March and April. India supplied roughly 60 per cent of that volume, making Indian refineries an increasingly important source of Europe’s eastern diesel supply, Vortexa said in a report.
India is the world’s fourth-largest refiner, with an installed capacity of 258.1 million tonnes per annum, which exceeds domestic fuel demand by a margin.
In 2025-26 (April 2025 to March 2026 fiscal year), India exported 61.5 million tonnes of petroleum products, making it one of the largest exporters of refined products globally. These fuels are now finding a market in Europe and Russia.
The concern is whether that flow can be maintained. Crude and condensate shipments into India fell for a second consecutive month to about 3.8 million barrels per day in August, compared to 4.8 million barrels per day a year earlier, Vortexa data showed.
Russian diesel exports, once a major source of European supply, have remained largely absent. Russia’s seaborne diesel and gasoil exports averaged only about 1,50,000 barrels per day in the first 25 days of August, down about 6,10,000 barrels per day from a year earlier and 81 per cent below the five-year seasonal average, according to Vortexa.
Even a lifting or partial relaxation of Russia’s diesel export ban from September 1 may not produce a rapid recovery. Ukrainian drone strikes have continued to disrupt Russian refining and export infrastructure, with 32 attacks on refineries recorded across July and August. An attack on the 2,60,000-barrel-per-day Perm refinery left only about 28 per cent of its crude distillation capacity operational, according to data cited by Vortexa.
The impact extends to export terminals. The Black Sea accounted for about 44 per cent, or 380,000 barrels per day, of Russia’s diesel and gasoil exports last year, but port and refinery disruptions have reduced available volumes. No diesel cargoes have been exported from Tuapse since a May strike, according to Vortexa.
The port handled about 90,000 barrels per day, or roughly 10 per cent of Russia’s total diesel exports, in 2025.
Russia is also increasingly turning to imports to compensate for domestic refining disruptions. Its seaborne gasoline imports surged to a record roughly 1,25,000 barrels per day in August, equivalent to about 4,70,000 tonnes for the month. Around 55 per cent of those imports arrived on sanctioned tonnage, while India, Turkey and Morocco were among the suppliers.
Indian gasoline (petrol) cargoes to Russia in August were carried on sanctioned fleets and involved ship-to-ship transfers in the Mediterranean, highlighting how flows of refined products in and out of the region are being reshaped by sanctions, refinery outages and disruptions to conventional trade routes.
For Europe, however, India’s role is most important on the diesel side. The country is filling part of the gap left by Russia at a time when the US, Europe’s other major source of incremental supply, is also showing signs of retreat.
The US supplied about half of Europe’s seaborne diesel imports from outside the region in August, or around 5,20,000 barrels per day, compared to about a quarter a year earlier. But shipments to Europe peaked at almost 5,40,000 barrels per day in the first half of August before falling to about 3,50,000 barrels per day in the second half, a decline of roughly 35 per cent.
That leaves Europe increasingly dependent on Indian refiners to maintain eastern supply routes just as crude availability in India is tightening.
The Strait of Hormuz is offering limited relief to the clean-products market. Only 37 crossings by MR2-sized, or larger tankers carrying clean products, were recorded during the first 27 days of August, down from 55 in July and 69 in June.
The Shaheed Mukhtar Ahmad Doei T20 U-19 Cricket Tournament and Shaheed Ram Bahadur Martial Arts Tournament, organised by the 14th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), concluded successfully at Shaheed Imtiyaz Thoker Cricket Stadium, Batapora, District Shopian, on Sunday.
The tournaments, as per a statement, were organised with the objective of promoting sportsmanship, physical fitness, discipline, teamwork and positive engagement among the youth. The events provided young participants with a platform to showcase their sporting talent, skills and competitive spirit.
The final cricket match was played between Kashmir Cambridge School and Shah Hamdan School, with the participating teams displaying enthusiasm and sporting spirit.
During the closing ceremony, the winners and participants who delivered outstanding performances were felicitated and suitably rewarded in recognition of their achievements. Sh. M.S. Upadhyay, Commandant, 14 Bn CRPF, along with officers of the battalion, appreciated the participants for their impressive performances and sporting spirit.
Bandipora, Sep 6: The 20th Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Bandipora, SKUAST-Kashmir, was held today under the chairmanship of Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir, with a focus on strengthening farmer-centric extension, promoting agricultural diversification and expanding technology-led interventions in the district.
Indu Kanwal Chib, Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, attended the meeting as Guest of Honour, while Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, Director Extension, SKUAST-Kashmir, participated in the deliberations.
The meeting began with a presentation on the Annual Progress Report 2025–26, highlighting the major activities and achievements of KVK Bandipora during the year. Dr. Tariq Sultan, Programme Coordinator, KVK Bandipora, subsequently presented the Action Plan for the forthcoming period and outlined the KVK’s proposed thrust areas, including crop diversification, aquatic agriculture, horticulture, protected cultivation, value addition, technology demonstrations, farmer training and capacity building.
Dr. Sultan also apprised the Committee of the ongoing initiatives and proposed programmes aimed at addressing the emerging production and livelihood needs of farmers in the district.
In his address, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai appreciated the efforts of KVK Bandipora in implementing farmer-oriented extension programmes and stressed the need for stronger technology dissemination, adoption of innovative and climate-resilient agricultural practices, and interventions focused on enhancing farm income and improving farmers’ livelihoods.
Indu Kanwal Chib appreciated the KVK’s contribution towards agricultural development in Bandipora and called for continued coordination between KVK Bandipora and the district administration to strengthen farmer-oriented initiatives.
Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth emphasised the importance of need-based extension programmes, field demonstrations, capacity building and effective farmer–scientist interaction.
Progressive farmers participating in the meeting shared their field-level experiences, observations and suggestions on agricultural production and emerging challenges in the district.
The SAC members held detailed discussions on the Annual Progress Report and Action Plan and offered suggestions for further strengthening the activities of KVK Bandipora.
The meeting concluded with an emphasis on strengthening farmer-centric extension, promoting innovative agricultural technologies, diversifying farming systems and addressing the priority needs of the farming community in Bandipora.
Bringing forensic science closer to the courtroom, Aryans College of Law, Rajpura, Near Chandigarh, organised an intensive hands-on workshop on “Fingerprint Analysis: Evaluating Friction Ridge Evidence for Legal Purposes.” The workshop gave LL.B., BA LL.B students practical insight into how fingerprints become crucial scientific evidence in criminal investigation and judicial proceedings.
Jaswinder Singh, Assistant Professor, Forensic Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, Amandeep Singh, Ballistics Division FSL, Mohali, Gurkirat Singh were the experts for the session.
Anshu Kataria, Chairman, Aryans Group of Colleges, as per a statement, said that modern legal education must go beyond textbooks and court judgments. “A strong lawyer should also understand the science behind evidence. Workshops like these help students connect law with forensic investigation, develop analytical thinking ” he said.
Jaswinder Singh led the session as the special guest and resource person. He demonstrated the scientific basis of fingerprint identification, different friction ridge patterns, methods of developing and examining prints, comparison techniques and the evidentiary value of fingerprints. Students actively participated in discussions and practical exercises.
Aryans College of Law has been consistently organizing legal aid camps, expert lectures, forensic workshops, moot activities and practical exposure programmes to prepare students for the evolving demands of the legal profession. The workshop concluded with an interactive question-answer session.
Cairo, Sep 6: Iran said Sunday it struck an unmanned US vessel trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, a claim that the US military dismissed as a “total lie.”
The purported attack came a day after the US military said forces struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to Navy warships being targeted with ballistic missiles. Experts called it a dangerous escalation after Iran’s previous attacks at sea targeted commercial shipping.
The war began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. But since a fragile ceasefire agreement was announced in June, on-and-off fighting has persisted, with both sides trying to inflict military and economic pain as negotiations have collapsed.
Strikes came about a week after fighting resumed
The United States and Iran resumed attacks last week, following a month of relative calm, with the Strait of Hormuz and areas along Iran’s southern coast again being targeted. At least five people were killed earlier in the week during a US bombardment that returned attention to the area where a school was hit in the war’s opening strikes.
The Trump administration appears to have adopted a dual-prong approach to the conflict, responding militarily to attacks on the strait while going after foreign financial institutions that handle Iran’s money.
But Tehran’s hard-line new senior leaders have signalled a willingness to dig in after weathering decades of sanctions. Iran has found ways over the years to circumvent sanctions, and now a US blockade of its ports, and get its oil to buyers to help ease growing economic pressures. That relies in part on a shadow fleet transporting its oil.
US says million barrels of oil a day pass through the strait
Tehran’s new leverage focuses on the Strait of Hormuz that is crucial to global oil and natural gas shipments. It was seen as an international waterway before the war began.
New Delhi, Sep 6: The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jammu could become the first hospital in the country to be guarded by an armed contingent of the CISF given its “sensitive” location close to the India-Pakistan international border, officials said.
The 226.84-acre hospital and medical college is located in the Vijaypur area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district, along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway-44. The campus is located a few kilometres from the India-Pakistan International Border (IB).
The hospital was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2024.
Sources in the security establishment told PTI that given the “sensitive” nature of its location near the IB, the Centre has planned to provide an armed security cover to the facility.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is expected to be deployed at the AIIMS-Jammu campus, making it the first hospital to be brought under the security cover of the central paramilitary force, the sources said.
They added that a security survey and a manpower-estimation exercise are currently underway.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has for long resisted deploying armed personnel at hospitals post the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, when health facilities were targeted by the terrorists.
The officials said there have been demands from many hospitals to get a CISF security cover for their campuses after 2008, but such proposals were turned down after a broad security assessment of the potential threats to these institutions and the limited manpower of the force. There are many hospitals in the government and private domains that experience high footfall.
Incidentally, CISF personnel have been temporarily deployed at the R G Kar Hospital premises in Kolkata following a Supreme Court directive in August 2024 in the backdrop of the rape and murder of a doctor there.
The AIIMS-Jammu deployment is expected to be a permanent duty for the CISF, the officials said.
The force, which guards vital installations in the space, nuclear and power-sector domains, is also expected to be deployed for the security of the Kolkata Metro.
The 58 stations of the Kolkata Metro along 74 km are currently guarded by the Railway Protection Force (RPF). Once sanctioned, it will be the second metro rail network in the country after the Delhi Metro to be brought under a CISF cover, the officials said.
The paramilitary force is also expected to be deployed to guard the only civil airport in Arunachal Pradesh — the Donyi Polo Airport at Hollongi in Papum Pare district.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu recently mentioned about the move in a social media post.
