New Delhi, Mar 7: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not be briefed on Israel's strikes against Iran during his recent visit to the country as the decision on the military action was made after he had concluded the trip.
Modi undertook a two-day visit to Israel, which concluded on February 26. Two days later, Israel and the US launched a joint military offensive against Iran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Sa'ar, participating virtually in the Raisina Dialogue, said Israel has "great relations" with Modi and India that have deepened over the years.
"But we could not brief Prime Minister Modi on this because the decision was taken only on Saturday early morning," he said.
The decision to launch the attack was taken as the negotiations between the US and Iran collapsed, he indicated.
Israel's military action against Iran is aimed at removing "existential threats" emanating from Iran, he said.
Sa'ar said Iran is continuing its nuclear programme, developing ballistic missiles and backing Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.
"Probably we will have to see a change in the regime in Iran," he said. (PTI)
Suhail Khan Baramulla, Jan 6: A young aerospace engineer from Sopore in north Kashmirās Baramulla district is proving that dedication and ambition can propel one to global heights. Munaf-ul-Raquib who holds a B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering, has gained international recognition for his research on black holes and cosmology. Munaf-ul-Raquib revealed that his paper on the thermodynamics of black holes was recently published in the International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). āAbout a year ago, I conducted research on the gravity of black holes and cosmology, which has now been published in IJSR,ā he said. He said that since his research was published in the international journal, he has been receiving opportunities from various countries to participate in research dialogues. Raquib added that in the coming months he is scheduled to participate in international conferences in Paris on April 16 and later in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Sopore aerospace engineer noted that he is also participating in various conferences across different countries. Speaking about his research, Munaf-ul-Raquib addressed a fundamental paradox in astrophysics: how black holes can appear to violate thermodynamic laws, particularly concerning entropy.āIf we observe a black hole, it seems to contradict thermodynamic principles,ā he said. Using the frameworks of Anti-de Sitter space (AdS) and Conformal Field Theory (CFT), Raqeebās research proposes a theoretical model that reconciles black hole mechanics with thermodynamics. āIn this paper, I have explained how a black hole can function without violating thermodynamic laws,ā he said. He described the achievement as both personal and symbolic. āIt is a proud moment for me to represent my state, especially Sopore, on an international platform,ā he said. Raqeeb shared that Astrophysics was his childhood dream, and his grandfather encouraged me immensely. "After my grandfather passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic, my parents continued to champion my aspirations. My parents left no stone unturned in helping me pursue my dreams,ā he said. He said that his academic path included taking the JEE and later the AME CET entrance exams, through which he secured a seat in aerospace engineering at the Nasik Research Centre. āMy parents not only supported me morally but also created an environment where I could pursue my dreams freely,ā he said. He emphasized the role of family in nurturing talent. āJust as my parents supported me, it is the responsibility of all parents to help their children follow their dreams.ā āYoung people should avoid wrong practices. They must dream of a beautiful tomorrow but work hard today to make their parents proud,ā he further added.
Srinagar, Jan 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) will declare the result of class 10th and 12th examination on January 14 of, 2026 (Wednesday), minister for education Sakina Itoo said on Monday. Minister for education Sakina Itoo said the government has decided to declare the result of both the classes-10th and 12th on the same day. "We understand that students have been waiting for the results. So we decided that result of both the classes will be declared on Wednesday (January 16 of 2926)," Sakina Itoo said. She said the meeting of the Result Declaration Committee (RDC) will be convened by the Secretary JKBOE along with the members-Director School Education (DSE) Kashmir and Jammu division besides the joint secretaries as well. "We will give the administrative approval to the result instead of getting approved by the chairman," she said. The announcement comes amid the delay in appointment of chairman JKBOSE as the position is lying vacant for the last one year. "After declaration of the results, we will also appoint the permanent chairman for JKBOSE as well," education minister said. An official from JKBOSE said the class 1oth result will be declared on Wednesday morning followed by the declaration of result of class 12th students in late afternoon on the same day. As per the official figures, 94783 students- 68804 from Kashmir and 25,224 students from winter zone areas of Jammu division besides 660 students from Kargil and 95 from Leh district registered for the class 10th JKBOSE examination this year. Also, the examination for class 11th and 12th students was scheduled from November 19 and November 8 of 2025 respectively. Approximately, 81622 students ā 64001 from Jammu and 17621 from winter zone areas of Jammu have registered for class 11th examination while 70117 studentsā56423 from Kashmir and 13694 from winter zone areas of Jammu have registered for class 12th examination.
'Results likely to get delayed in absence of Chairman' Jammu, Jan 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Wednesday said the result of the class 10th examinations will be declared soon after the appointment of the Chairman of the Board. The statement comes amid the uncertainty about the declaration of the results by JKBOSE. In an official handout issued here, JKBOSE has advised students not to pay heed to fake links and websites announcing declaration of class 10 results. "Result of class 10th will be declared within few days soon after the appointment of new Chairman," the statement reads. The JKBOSE has stated that the results of annual examination of class 10 of Kashmir valley and winter zone areas of Jammu Division are almost ready. "But its approval by Result Declaration Committee headed by BOSE Chairman is a pre- requisite before its declaration. In absence of the Chairman the results are likely to get a little delayed," it reads. The JKBOSE officials have advised the students to wait for the formal declaration on the official website of the Board- www.jkbose.nic.in. "Students should not get misled by scamesters and fake narratives circulated by some mischievous elements, whose sole aim is to create confusion in the innocent student community," the statement reads.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. āHundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,ā said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the facultyās demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. āWe are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,ā he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. āThe irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,ā he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for āequal work, equal payā gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. āPromises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,ā he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. āThis issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,ā he said.
Jammu, Jan 18: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Youth Services & Sports, Information Technology, ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma Sunday said that the remarkable achievements of Jammu and Kashmirās youth are a powerful testament to what can be accomplished through fair opportunities, modern infrastructure and unwavering government support. Addressing the gathering during the SRIJAN initiative conference, the Minister stated that the success of young athletes clearly demonstrates that with the right ecosystem in place, the UT youth are capable of overcoming every challenge and competing confidently at national and international platforms. Highlighting the core focus areas of the SRIJAN programme,Ā Satish Sharma said "the initiative is playing a transformative role in strengthening the sports landscape of the Union Territory by expanding grassroots sports infrastructure across Jammu, Kashmir and other regions. This is being done by ensuring transparent, merit-based selections free from any bias; integrating sports with education and skill development; promoting greater participation of girls and enhancing inclusivity and establishing sports as a dignified and sustainable career option with viable livelihood opportunities, he said0. He reaffirmed the governmentās firm commitment and said that sustained efforts were underway to create international-standard sports facilities, including modern cricket stadiums in Jammu and Srinagar. He also highlighted the strengthening of Khelo India Centres, promotion of traditional sports such as Dangal and enhanced collaboration with the Union Ministry to transform Jammu & Kashmir into a national sports hub. āAs Sports Minister, I assure our athletes that the government stands firmly with them. Our focus is not only on infrastructure creation but also on nurturing talent, discipline and confidence among the youth,ā he said. The Minister lauded the determination, resilience and dedication of young sportspersons, describing them as the living legacy of the SRIJAN mission. He urged them to continue training with passion, remain disciplined and dream fearlessly, assuring them of full institutional support at every step of their journey. Satish Sharma expressed hope that the conference would serve as the foundation of a new era where every talented child, from the mountains of Kashmir to the plains of Jammu, is provided an equal opportunity to shine on the global stage. He concluded by reiterating the governmentās resolve to make sports a powerful vehicle for youth empowerment, social inclusion and regional pride in Jammu and Kashmir. Director General, Youth Services and Sports, Anuradha Gupta and prominent persons from different fields and statesĀ along with senior officers of the Youth Services and Sports Department, were also present on the occasion.
New Delhi, Mar 7: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not be briefed on Israel's strikes against Iran during his recent visit to the country as the decision on the military action was made after he had concluded the trip. Modi undertook a two-day visit to Israel, which concluded on February 26. Two days later, Israel and the US launched a joint military offensive against Iran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Sa'ar, participating virtually in the Raisina Dialogue, said Israel has "great relations" with Modi and India that have deepened over the years. "But we could not brief Prime Minister Modi on this because the decision was taken only on Saturday early morning," he said. The decision to launch the attack was taken as the negotiations between the US and Iran collapsed, he indicated. Israel's military action against Iran is aimed at removing "existential threats" emanating from Iran, he said. Sa'ar said Iran is continuing its nuclear programme, developing ballistic missiles and backing Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. "Probably we will have to see a change in the regime in Iran," he said. (PTI)
New Delhi, Jan 27: Emissions from the global plastics system --greenhouse gases, air-polluting particles, and toxic chemicals released particularly from plastics production processes -- could double health risks by 2040, if no meaningful action is taken to change current practices, according to a study on Tuesday.Ā The research, published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, identified health harms at every stage of the life-cycle of the plastics: from the extraction of fossil fuels, the feedstocks for more than 90 per cent of plastics, and material production to their eventual disposal or release to the environment. The modelling-based study compared the global human health impacts of several different future scenarios for plastics consumption and waste management between 2016 and 2040. Under a ābusiness as usualā scenario, by 2040, the negative health impacts from plastics could double, with greenhouse gas emissions and associated rising global temperatures accounting for 40 per cent of the health harms. Air pollution -- predominantly from plastics production processes -- would account for 32 per cent, and the impact of toxic chemicals released to the environment across plastics' life cycles would account for 27 per cent. The remaining health harms (less than 1 per cent) relate to reduced availability of water, impacts on the ozone layer, and increased ionising radiation, the researchers said. "We found that emissions throughout plastics lifecycles contributed to human health burdens of global warming, air pollution, toxicity-related cancers, and non-communicable diseases, with the greatest harms from primary plastics production and open burning," Megan Deeney, from the London School. The model found that if the plastics system continues with no change to policy, economics, infrastructure, materials, or consumer behaviours, annual health impacts could more than double from 2.1 million healthy years of life lost in 2016 to 4.5 million healthy years of life lost in 2040. Overall, the study estimates that the global plastics system could be responsible for cutting 83 million years of healthy population life between 2016 and 2040. The study also predicted little impact from improving plastic waste collection and recycling alone. But, together with improvements to waste collection and recycling, substituting or reusing materials, health impacts linked to plastic emissions showed a reduction. "To effectively reduce plastic emissions and their impact on health, policymakers must better regulate and significantly reduce the production of new plastics for non-essential uses," the team said. (IANS)
Madrid, Jan 19: At least 21 people were confirmed dead and more than 70 others injured after two high-speed trains collided near the city of Cordoba in southern Spain, authorities said.Ā Thirty of the injured were in serious condition and hospitalised, Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente said on Monday. Earlier media reports put the number at 25. The accident occurred at around 19:45 local time (1845 GMT) when a train carrying 317 passengers on the Malaga-Madrid route derailed for reasons still unknown near Amaduz, about 20 km from Cordoba, Spanish authorities said. The derailed train struck another high-speed train travelling on an adjacent track from Madrid to Huelva, causing the latter to derail. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday voiced deep condolences over the tragedy. "Today is a night of deep pain for our country owing to the tragic rail accident in Adamuz," he wrote on X. Spain's royal family also extended condolences to the families of the victims, reports Xinhua news agency. Puente said the collision was "terrible," saying the last two wagons of the Malaga-Madrid train derailed and struck the first two carriages of the oncoming train, sending them off the tracks. Emergency services from the Andalusia region were deployed to the scene, and residents helped transfer passengers with minor injuries to a nearby sports centre for first aid. Spain's Military Emergency Unit was also mobilised to assist in rescue work. Rescue operations continued into Sunday night as officials warned that the death toll could rise. Rail services on the affected lines will be suspended until at least Tuesday, authorities said. Rail infrastructure operator Adif announced the opening of an area at Atocha Station in Madrid, Malaga and Huelva to provide information for relatives of affected passengers. A dedicated phone line has also been set up. Spain's deadliest train accident occurred in July 2013, when 79 people were killed after a high-speed train derailed while entering the city of Santiago de Compostela at excessive speed. (IANS)