Budgam, Jul 01: At least twenty-five people, including the driver, on board a passenger bus travelling from Beerwah to Budgam were injured on Wednesday after the vehicle met with an accident at Kawnar in the Nasrullahpora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
“The circumstances leading to the mishap were not immediately known,” official sources said.
Before emergency responders reached the scene, local residents of Nasrullahpora rushed to the spot and launched rescue efforts, helping evacuate the injured passengers from the damaged vehicle.
The injured were shifted to Sub-District Hospital (SDH), Budgam, where they are undergoing treatment.
Police have taken cognizance of the incident and initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Jammu, Jul 01: The Directorate of School Education Jammu (DSEJ) on Wednesday announced summer vacation for all Government and recognized Private Schools up to Higher Secondary level in the winter zone of Jammu division.
According to Order No. 226-DSEJ of 2026 issued on July 1, 2026, the vacation will be observed from July 6, 2026 to July 19, 2026.
The directive applies to all schools in the winter zone across Jammu division.
Regular classwork will resume after the vacation period ends.
Doda, Jul 01: Heavy rainfall coupled with cloudbursts on Wednesday caused flash floods, bringing down large amounts of debris and cutting off connectivity to multiple villages in the Bhalessa belt of the Kalalgisar area in Doda district, media reports said.
“The flash floods brought down large amounts of debris, cutting off connectivity to multiple villages in the Bhalessa belt.” officials said as per media reports.
“Restoration work will begin once weather conditions improve.” they added
Meanwhile, the administration has advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas and strictly follow official advisories until road connectivity is restored.
Pulwama, Jul 01: Until a little over a decade ago, Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Payar village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, rarely had to buy eggs or chicken from the market.
Besides cultivating paddy and rearing cattle, Mohammad maintained a flock of backyard chickens that provided his family with both food and a steady source of income.
Every morning, the hens laid fresh eggs, which were either consumed at home or sold in the local market. During festivals, weddings and other occasions, fully grown birds fetched good prices, supplementing the family’s earnings. The birds required little investment as they largely survived on kitchen scraps and grains produced on the farm.
“It was a way of life,” Mohammad recalled. “Almost every household in the village kept chickens. We earned from selling eggs and birds while also meeting our family’s nutritional needs.”
His story mirrors that of hundreds of families across Pulwama, where backyard poultry was once an integral part of the rural economy. Villages were largely self-reliant in meeting their demand for eggs and chicken, with surplus produce finding its way to local markets.
Over the years, however, that picture has changed dramatically.
Experts attribute the decline largely to the rapid expansion of horticulture, particularly apple cultivation, which has transformed the district’s agricultural landscape. In pursuit of higher returns, farmers gradually replaced paddy fields with apple orchards, while urbanisation and rapid construction reduced the land available for traditional agriculture and livestock rearing.
Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Pulwama, Dr. Mohd Amin Thakroo, said urbanisation has been the primary driver behind the decline of backyard poultry farming, once a common feature of rural households.
“With rising education levels, more people have entered government service and no longer practise backyard poultry farming. What was once an important source of household income has now largely become an aesthetic or hobby activity,” he said.
Thakroo said the economics of backyard poultry have also changed significantly.
“Earlier, input costs were minimal because birds were fed on agricultural waste, kitchen leftovers and farm by-products. Today, feed costs are much higher, while returns have declined,” he said, adding that the shift from agriculture to horticulture has further reduced the availability of low-cost feed.
Backyard poultry, once a rural staple, is making a comeback in Pulwama—Photograph: (Photo Credit: Gulzar Bhat)
He said another factor contributing to the decline is the growing preference for commercial broiler farming. While indigenous (desi) chickens take nearly 18 weeks before they begin laying eggs, broiler chickens attain a market weight of 1 to 1.3 kilograms within just 28 to 30 days, making them far more profitable for commercial producers.
Industry experts also point to another structural challenge. Kashmir does not have its own poultry feed mills, forcing farmers to source both poultry feed and raw materials from outside the region. This dependence on imports has increased production costs and further eroded the viability of small-scale backyard poultry farming.
As a result, a practice that once made villages largely self-sufficient in eggs and chicken has steadily faded, leaving rural households increasingly dependent on commercially produced poultry.
However, officials say efforts are now underway to revive backyard poultry through government-backed interventions.
Thakroo said backyard poultry has re-emerged as an important livelihood activity under various departmental initiatives, particularly the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).
“Under HADP, around 20,000 birds have been introduced through Free Range Poultry Units, benefiting rural households and encouraging backyard poultry rearing across the district,” he said.
According to the department, nearly 18,000 backyard poultry chicks were reared up to 28 days of age at government poultry farms before being distributed to beneficiaries for the establishment of backyard poultry units. In addition, around 40,000 birds were reared in Egger Nurseries up to 28 days of age and supplied to farmers to promote backyard poultry.
Officials said backyard poultry had witnessed a steady decline over the years due to changing livelihood patterns, the low productivity of indigenous birds and limited scientific management practices. The new interventions are aimed at reversing this trend by supplying improved birds and encouraging scientific backyard poultry farming.
Pulwama currently has an estimated backyard poultry population of around 1.5 lakh birds.
“Nearly half of these are laying hens. With an average annual production of 100 to 130 eggs per bird, Pulwama is estimated to produce around 55 to 60 lakh eggs every year. The recent expansion of backyard poultry under government programmes is expected to further boost local egg production while strengthening rural livelihoods,” officials said.
Kashmir-based laparoscopic and robotic surgeon Dr. Rafiq Simnani has been conferred the Ratan Tata Visionary Icon Award 2026, the Global Visionary Honour by the Jivran Foundation.
The award has been conferred in recognition of his contributions to advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
According to the citation, the award acknowledges Dr. Simnani’s role in pioneering minimally invasive surgical techniques in Kashmir.
The renowned surgeon has expanded advanced surgical care to remote areas and promoted robotic surgery for better patient outcomes.
The citation also notes his professional achievements, fellowships, and contributions to improving healthcare accessibility.
The award has been presented by the Jivran Foundation, an NGO registered with NITI Aayog and the Ministry of MSME.
Washington, Jul 01: The US Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship, upholding that any person born on American soil is a citizen.
The Supreme Court ruled that the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship to children born in the US, including those whose parents are in the country unlawfully or only temporarily.
Hours after assuming office for the second term in January last year, Trump issued an executive order that aimed to limit birthright citizenship to people who have at least one legally present parent in the US.
Trump had described the birthright citizenship policy as “a disgrace”, while Vice President JD Vance called it “the dumbest immigration policy in the world”.
On April 1, Trump was present in the Supreme Court to hear the oral arguments in the birthright citizenship case, a first such instance for a sitting president.
Ratified in 1868, the 14th Amendment states that all persons born or naturalised in the US, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the US and of the State wherein they reside.
“Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights to freely participate in our political community,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the 5-4 majority ruling.
“Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause,” it said.
It’s the second major Trump second-term policy struck down by the Court, following the tariffs ruling in February.
In a dissenting opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said, “(B)oth the Civil Rights Act and the Citizenship Clause guaranteed citizenship to persons born and domiciled in the United States regardless of their race.”
“Because many potential applications of the President’s Order are consistent with the original public meaning of the Citizenship Clause, I respectfully dissent,” he wrote.
If the Court had upheld Trump’s order, it would have affected the legal status of nearly 250,000 babies born each year in the US, requiring families to prove the citizenship status of their newborns.
Several members of Trump’s close circle, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Second Lady Usha Vance, are children of immigrants who benefited from birthright citizenship.
“Today’s ruling is a profound affirmation of who belongs in America,” said Chintan Patel, Executive Director of civic organisation Indian American Impact.
“Indian and South Asian immigrant families are among those most directly threatened by Trump’s executive order — communities navigating long visa backlogs and uncertain immigration timelines, where children are often born here long before their parents have a clear path to permanence.
“Today, the Supreme Court looked at those families and said: your children are American. They belong here,” he said.
Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a prominent Indian-American community leader, described the judgement as a “monumental victory”.
“The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling protects birthright citizenship for immigrant families who built their lives here. As America prepares for its 250th anniversary, this decision honours our history as a nation strengthened by immigrants,” he said.
According to Khanderao Kand, President and Chief of Policy and Strategy of Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), the apex court’s decision provided much-needed certainty for millions of families who have built their lives in America.
The Indian-American community, now nearly 5.2 million strong, includes more than 1.2 million highly skilled professionals and family members waiting in the employment-based green card backlog for years, he noted.
“We hope this moment also renews the focus on modernising our legal immigration system so that those who play by the rules are treated with fairness, certainty, and dignity,” Kand said.
New Delhi, Jul 01: Commercial LPG cylinder prices have been reduced by Rs 183.50 with effect from July 1, offering relief to hotels, restaurants and other businesses, while domestic consumers will continue to pay the existing rates for household cooking gas.
The monthly revision by oil marketing companies (OMCs) has brought down the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi from Rs 3,113.50 to Rs 2,930.
The reduction marks the first cut in commercial LPG prices this year after several consecutive hikes driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, supply disruptions and elevated international energy prices.
The latest price revision is expected to lower operating costs for businesses that rely heavily on commercial LPG, including restaurants, hotels, bakeries, caterers, roadside eateries and cloud kitchens.
However, there is no relief for domestic consumers, as the price of the standard 14.2-kg household LPG cylinder remains unchanged across the country.
Oil marketing companies review LPG prices on the first day of every month. While commercial cylinder prices largely reflect changes in international fuel markets, domestic LPG prices are also influenced by government policy.
Commercial LPG prices had risen sharply in recent months due to higher global LPG prices and increased import costs amid uncertainty in global energy markets. The latest reduction indicates some easing in those pressures, although commercial cylinder prices remain above levels seen before this year’s surge.
East Rutherford, Jul 01: Kylian Mbappé put France ahead with a brilliant crossover step in the 45th minute and then added a second-half goal to break a World Cupknockout round scoring record, and Les Bleus beat Sweden 3-0 Tuesday to set up a round of 16 match against Paraguay.
Bradley Barcola added a 53rd-minute goal for France and Mbappé capped the scoring in the 74th minute for his third two-goal game in four matches. His six goals tied Argentina forward Lionel Messi for the tournament lead and gave him 18 in his World Cup career, one shy of Messi’s record.
Mbappé’s 10 knockout round goals are two more than the previous high by Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo. France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when his star came to the bench after he was substituted in the 85th minute.
France, the World Cup runner-up four years ago and a tournament favorite this time, has outscored opponents 13-2, with Michael Olise assisting on five goals.
On a brutally hot afternoon at MeLife Stadium, site of the World Cup final in July 19, France outshot Sweden 25-7, including 15-3 in the first half.
Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 4 in Philadelphia, and the winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid at the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality. During the first half hydration break, France defender Lucas Digne let himself be doused by a sprinkler.
Mbappé hit a post in the 32nd minute, raising both hands in disgust, and France nearly went ahead four minutes later on Olise’s spectacular bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, which also clanked off a post.
In the first World Cup meeting between the nations, Mbappé scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise’s shot just outside the post.
Olise played a short corner kick to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gyökeres and from just outside the 6-yard box sent a diagonal shot inside the far post.
Mbappé ran up the center of the field to celebrate his 61st international goal, colliding with Dembélé, and jogged to the bench to hug Deschamps, who returned for the match after going to France for his mother’s funeral.
Gustaf Lagerbielke lost the ball ahead of France’s second goal. Aurélien Tchouaméni passed to Olise, who nutmegged Lagerbielke, and Barcola took a centering touch and sent the ball past Zetterström’s outstretched right hand.
Mbappé entertained the crowd with a backheel pass to Barcola in the buildup to France’s third goal. Barcola passed to Olise, who passed to Mbappé as the star sprinted into the penalty area. He steadied the ball with a touch and fired the ball inside the far post.
A majority of fans wore France’s blue, with a pocket in Sweden’s yellow at one end. A crowd of 80,663 raised the record total for the expanded 104-match tournament above 5 million.
Jaipur, Jul 1: A passenger bus rammed into a truck and caught fire on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan’s Dausa district early Wednesday, killing seven people and injuring over 15 others, police said.
The accident took place near Dhanawda under the Kolwa police station area.
Dausa Superintendent of Police Piyush Dixit told PTI that five victims were charred to death in the blaze, while two others succumbed to severe head injuries.
“The bus was travelling from Rishikesh in Uttarakhand to Indore in Madhya Pradesh when it collided with a truck moving ahead of it on the expressway,” he said.
The bus was operated by Hans Travels of Indore, according to the police.
The impact of the collision triggered a massive fire in both vehicles, sparking panic among the passengers.
The injured were rescued and shifted to the Dausa District Hospital for treatment, the SP said.
Police, fire brigade personnel and local administration teams rushed to the spot and carried out rescue operations. The blaze was later brought under control.
The Division of Agricultural Economics and Statistics, Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), celebrated National Statistics Day 2026 here.
The event was organised with a focus on the growing importance of administrative data in governance, research and sustainable development.
The event, held under the guidance of Dean Faculty of Agriculture Wadura, Prof. Shakeel A. Mir, marked the birth anniversary of eminent statistician Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and highlighted his contribution to the field of statistics.
The programme was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Sopore, Shabir Ahmad Raina, as the chief guest, while Commandant CRPF Battalion Wadura, Mr Ravi Mishra, was the guest of honour.
Head of the Division of Agricultural Economics and Statistics, Prof. Showkat Maqbool, who coordinated the programme, welcomed the guests and participants. He underlined the significance of statistics in agricultural planning, evidence-based decision-making and improving public service delivery.
Prof. Mir appreciated the efforts of the division, stating that such programmes help students understand the expanding role of statistics, data science and analytics in agriculture and policy formulation.
Assistant Professor Dr Fehim Jeelani Wani delivered a lecture on “Mahalanobis’ Vision to the Era of Administrative Data,” explaining the evolution of statistical systems from traditional surveys to modern digital data-driven frameworks. Addressing the gathering, ADC Sopore Shabir Ahmad Raina stressed that administrative data has become a vital tool for effective planning, monitoring and evaluation of developmental programmes. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof. Sajad A. Saraf, with participation from faculty members, researchers and students of various divisions.
