National

Hurriyat Leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Placed Under House Arrest in Srinagar, J&K

Published

1 year ago

March 14, 2025

The Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, expressed profound disappointment and regret on Friday regarding the reported house arrest of its president, Maulvi Umer Farooq. This action prevented him from delivering the Friday sermon and leading congregational prayers at the historic mosque.

In a statement released by the Mirwaiz-led Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid, it was stated, “This arbitrary and unjust action by the authorities occurs during the sacred month of Ramzan, a time of great spiritual importance for Muslims around the world.”

The statement emphasized the significance of Jamia Masjid as a central place of worship where thousands gather for Friday prayers in search of spiritual guidance, blessings, and a connection with the Almighty. It lamented that restricting the Mirwaiz from performing his religious responsibilities and denying the faithful access to his sermons profoundly affects the religious sentiments of the community.

Mirwaiz Umer Farooq serves as the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference. It is important to note that just two days prior, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) imposed a five-year ban on the Awami Action Committee (AAC) led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, citing the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The AAC was established in 1963 by the late Mirwaiz Maulana Mohammad Farooq during the Holy Relic agitation in Kashmir. Following the assassination of Mirwaiz Maulana Mohammad Farooq by terrorists in 1990, the leadership was taken over by his son, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.

The MHA also banned the Jammu & Kashmir Ittehadul Muslimeen (JKIM), led by Maulvi Masroor Abbas Ansari, for a five-year period under the same legislation. The JKIM was founded by the late Maulvi Abbas Ansari, and following his death, his son, Maulvi Masroor Abbas, took over the leadership.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on social media that these organizations are inciting unrest and threatening the unity and integrity of the nation. He warned that anyone engaging in activities undermining the country’s peace, order, and sovereignty would face severe repercussions from the Modi government.

National

Delhi Techie Found Dead During Honeymoon Trip

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2026

Namma Kudla

National: A 27-year-old IT professional from Delhi was found dead at a homestay in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. The woman, P Radha Gayatri, had gone on a honeymoon trip with her husband.

According to police, the couple checked into a homestay on June 14. Her husband said they had consumed alcohol and went to sleep late at night.

The next morning, he found Gayatri unconscious on the floor. Police said she was lying in a pool of urine, and blood was coming from her nose. She was declared dead at the scene.

The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. Police are investigating the case and waiting for the autopsy report to determine the cause of death.

National

Pakistan Ranked World’s Most Polluted Country in 2025

Published

5 days ago

June 13, 2026

Namma Kudla

Islamabad: Pakistan has been ranked as the most polluted country in the world in 2025, according to a new report released by Swiss air quality monitoring company IQ Air.

The report found that Pakistan’s average PM2.5 pollution level was 13 times higher than the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5 refers to tiny harmful particles in the air that can enter the lungs and cause serious health problems.

IQ Air said that only 13 countries and territories met the WHO air quality guideline of less than 5 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter of air in 2025. This was an improvement from seven countries in 2024.

The report also revealed that 130 out of 143 monitored countries and territories failed to meet the WHO standard.

Bangladesh was ranked as the second most polluted country, while Tajikistan secured the third position. Chad, which was the most polluted country in 2024, ranked fourth in 2025.

Experts said that Chad’s lower ranking may be linked to missing pollution data. In March 2025, the United States ended a global air quality monitoring program due to budget cuts. The program had collected pollution data from US embassies and consulates around the world.

Christi Chester Schroeder, the lead author of the report, said that the loss of data makes it difficult to know the true pollution levels in some countries.

Because of data shortages, Burundi, Turkmenistan and Togo were not included in the 2025 report.

The report also identified Loni in India as the world’s most polluted city. The city recorded an average PM2.5 level of 112.5 micrograms per cubic meter. Hotan in China ranked second with 109.6 micrograms.

According to the report, the 25 most polluted cities in the world were all located in India, Pakistan and China.

Only 14 percent of cities worldwide met the WHO air quality standard in 2025. This was lower than the 17 percent recorded in the previous year.

The report noted that large wildfires in Canada increased air pollution levels across the United States and even affected parts of Europe.

Countries that met the WHO air quality guideline in 2025 included Australia, Iceland, Estonia and Panama.

Meanwhile, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia reported significant improvements in air quality. Experts said wetter and windier La Niña weather conditions helped reduce pollution levels in these countries.

Mongolia also recorded a 31 percent drop in average PM2.5 levels during the year.

Overall, 75 countries reported lower pollution levels in 2025, while 54 countries experienced an increase in air pollution, according to the IQ Air report

National

Indian Air Force AN-32 Transport Aircraft Crashes

Published

5 days ago

June 13, 2026

Namma Kudla

Dispur: An Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft crashed at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam, on Saturday. The aircraft caught fire after the crash.

According to reports, the AN-32 aircraft went down within the premises of the air base. A fire broke out immediately after the accident.

Rescue and firefighting teams rushed to the spot and launched an operation to control the flames. The fire was brought under control after their prompt response.

The exact cause of the crash is not known yet. Authorities are investigating the incident.

So far, there have been no reports of any deaths or injuries. The Indian Air Force has confirmed the accident and said that more details will be shared after a complete assessment of the situation.

Further information is awaited.