LONGFORM View all
Madhosh Balhami: ‘A Chronicler of Collective Pain’
From his folk-singing days to a poetic prison period, a quintessential bard from Balhom Srinagar cemented his place as Kashmir’s unconventional couplet-maker over the years. But after losing his treasure-trove to a firefight in 2018, the poet turned platonic and began writing eulogies.
TOP STORIES View all
Kashmir Stares At Another Lockdown As 11 Die in 24 Hours
Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday recorded eleven more Covid-19 related deaths, the highest single day spike in fatalities so far. The deaths—nine from Valley and two from Jammu, took fatality count due to the deadly virus in J&K to 171. Also, 102 people have died in little over three weeks in J&K as the death toll stood at 69 on June 18..
Reimposing Lockdown: ‘Decision in Next 24 Hours’
Amid spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in Srinagar, a high-level meeting was chaired by the district administration on Saturday wherein the surge in the Coronavirus cases was discussed.
Aru and Its Enchanting Cosmic Energy
Four years after my first visit, there is little that has changed about the hamlet. Nestled among the hills, it looks straight from those story books, read years ago at school
Twenty20: The Unforgettable Y-Ear — When Care Became Curse
A Kashmiri Aesthete on Twitter Lite
Truth Versus Ideology
After Ladakh Stand-Off
The only way that the current destabilizing situation can be effectively tackled is for the regional powers including India and Pakistan to cooperate and find a comprehensive solution to the issues dividing them
Bring The Tourists Back
Back From The Brink
Mounting Virus Challenge
Why Risk It? Wear A Face Mask When Stepping Outside
When we don't take care of one another, and we let our community down, that attitude spreads like a mental virus
Calm Parents Have A Positive Effect On Kids
When A Vibrant Kashmir Is Painted In Radical Colours
Galwan, Galwan Valley and the Great Game
IN FOCUS
TOP STORIES View all
KO ePAPER
SPECIAL REPORT View all
Dispatch from Punjab: Kashmiri Students Decrying Campus Hostility
Kashmiri students of Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC), Mohali have alleged that they’re asked to pay the hostel fees for the semester which has not been even commenced yet!.
LOCAL View all
Strict Lockdown Curbs Reimposed After Spike In Covid-19 Cases In Rajouri
Strict lockdown restrictions were reimposed on Saturday in parts of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district following a spike in coronavirus cases, officials said.
BJP Demands Security For Workers
Ram Madhav To Visit Bandipora On Sunday
Met Dept Forecasts Temp As High As 35 Degrees in Coming Days
CITY View all
Ambulance Driver Awarded For His Exemplary Services
Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education presented a certificate of appreciation along with a Shawl to Ambulance Driver of Health Department, Jameel Ahmad Digoo for rendering exemplary services.
Recovered Patients Can Save Lives,Says SKIMS Doc Who Had Tested Positive
Searches At Abi Guzar Bund
Who Will Be Srinagar Mayor? Mattu, Imran to Battle it Out on July 14
REGIONAL View all
Ladakh Row Figures In Rajnath Singh’s Telephonic Talks With US Def Secy
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held a telephonic conversation with his US counterpart Mark T Esper during which India's border row with China in eastern Ladakh.
Ex-AMU Student Leader Arrested Over Campus Protest Against CAA: Police
Delhi:Cigarettes Worth Rs 1.56 Cr Seized From Covid Special Train
Pakistani Man Files $20 Bn Damages Suit against US for ‘Covid Outbreak’
WORLD View all
‘Butcher Of Srebrenica’ Still On Trial 25 Years After Genocide
Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic, the chief architect of the Srebrenica genocide, was still without a final verdict even 25 years after the massacre.
‘No Guarantee Trump Will Back India Against China If Tensions Escalate’
Millions Of Australians Back In Lockdown Amid Melbourne Virus Outbreak
Trump Working On New, ‘Very Big’ Merit-Based US Immigration System
LIFE & TIMES
Herbal Beauty Tips for Summer
Summer skin care is more than just using a sunscreen while going out in the sun. The skin needs special attention as sun rays have harsh effects on all skin types. The sun can become rough and dull during this weather.
This Town Brings World To Its People As Virus Stops Travel
With virus travel restrictions preventing summer holidays abroad, Lithuania's capital is offering a low-cost alternative by mimicking the look and feel of different countries at weekends.
How Kashmiris Are Coping With Lockdown Stress
Keep that funny bone tickling. You cannot always afford to be damn serious. Sometimes dose of humour is necessary to relieve the burden from your shoulders. Enjoy little joys of life with the warmth of your heart.Know the difference between humour and rumour, amuse and abuse.
Children Will Miss The Power Of Touch
Humans, of course, do far more holding and touching of our young and we do so over a much longer time. We invest years in holding, hugging, kissing, bathing, and dressing our offspring.
21st Century & Gaming
Diminishing empathy, pleasure in the pain of others, well-practiced criminal behaviour, decreased capacity for mature decision making, bad physical health, bad mental health, less sleep and bad academic scores are some of the effects of exposure to violent games.
Dal Lake’s ‘Wonder Women’ Playing Crisis-Managers in Lockdown
At a time when Srinagar Administration is asking people to maintain kitchen gardens, many Kashmiri women are toiling hard in lockdown to maintain traditional vegetable supplies in the city. Braving the vagaries of the weather and harsh life, these women during pandemic have literally become Salvador of Srinagar.
Covid & Polygamy: Pick a Wife’s Name Out of a Hat
While the general public is busy taking precautions against the coronavirus and abiding by the requirements of the curfew, there is a segment of polygamist men who have fallen into the clutches of another emerging dilemma – sleeping arrangement for their co-wives.
Ramazan In The Time Of Pandemic
We used to put on different faces just to fake around but now things have become so strange and suspicious that even our hypocrisies are concealed by the masks which has become a new norm and necessity. With each heavy breath we take underneath, let’s awake our conscience and sanitise our thoughts. Let’s subdue the scandalous Kurdugulo in us through restrain and fear for Allah..
What is Dirilis Ertugrul and Why Everyone is Watching it
The driving force behind Dirilis' popularity may be the the sense of hope and revival against all odds that this story provides. Mired in difficult times like these, Dirilis seems to provides an inspirational balm to a collectively damaged Muslim psyche.
Ramazan in the Midst of a Pandemic
While we must practice social and physical distancing, it does not have to lead to social isolation. We must stay connected. Practice physical distancing and avoid gathering in places associated with Ramazan activities. Physical distancing should be following while distributing ‘Zakat’ during Ramazan.
Social Distancing Works In Absence of Vaccine
Social distancing measures are steps you can take to minimise social contact between individuals. Indeed, even in less challenging occasions, many of us attempt to stay away from close contact with somebody who is sneezing or coughing to avoid from becoming ill ourselves.
In Pursuit of Perfection
We have this pipe dream about everything…. Perfect life, perfect relationships, perfect career, and perfect amount of money that we need to earn, no matter what. Do you really feel these things make us perfect? .
Over Parenting, Under Parenting- How We Make Children Suffer
Life of people who lived earlier was much simpler and easier than our lives are today. As our lifestyles changed, our needs, desires, modes of expression changed as well and so did the issues between parents and children
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Virtual Meetups Replace Coffee Shop Meetings For Matrimonial Prospects
"Mujhe rishta pasand hai" (I agree with this alliance) is more likely to be heard over virtual meetings and online dates than in coffee shops and restaurants.
BUSINESS View all
RBI Governor Warns Of Higher Bad Loans, Uncertain Economic Outlook
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Saturday warned of higher bad loans as a direct fallout of the pandemic, and said the medium-term outlook for the economy remains uncertain.
Mukesh Ambani, At $68 Billion, Now Richer Than Warren Buffett
Govt Extends Expenditure Bar for Second Quarter
Lavender Oil Extraction Plant Opened at Lal Mandi
SPORT View all
Test Cricket Returns As Rain Affects England V West Indies
Int'l cricket returned Wednesday after a four-month absence with England and the West Indies managing just 82 minutes of play in a rain-hit opening day of the first test.
Messi Unwilling To Renew Barca Contract: Report
Shashank Manohar Steps Down As ICC Chairman
Meet Zahid Manzoor, A Special Kid With Special Talent
HEALTH View all
Pressure Mounts On Johnson & Johnson To Halt Sales Of Baby Powder
More than 170 nonprofit groups have called for Johnson & Johnson to stop selling its talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder world-wide, citing concerns that it contains cancer-causing asbestos.
Lancet Study Casts Doubt On Covid-19 Herd Immunity Feasibility
Cell ‘Membrane On a Chip’ May Speed Up Screening of Covid-19 Drugs
Common Causes Of Scarring Alopecia And Its Treatment
ENVIRONMENT View all
Positives of Pandemic: Clean Air, Clear Sight, Crystal Water in Kashmir
With mornings welcomed by bird tweets, mountain ranges visible, the air clean and the murky blue sky showing its original colors, the lockdown might’ve proved to be a bane for human beings but it has turned out to be a boon for the environment.
‘Without Historical Precedent’: Climate Change Turns Lakes Green In US
The Arctic Is On Fire: Siberian Heat Wave Alarms Scientists
Over 1,000 Doves Starve To Death At Afghan Mosque Shut Due To Lockdown
TRAVEL
US Bans Pakistan International Airlines Flights Over Pilot Concerns
The US Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States.
Covid-19: Indian Dozes Off At Dubai Airport, Misses Repatriation Flight
A 53-year-old Indian worker in the UAE has missed a special repatriation flight after he dozed off at the Dubai International Airport, a media report said.
Scheduled International Flights Suspended Till July 31: DGCA
The aviation regulator DGCA said on Friday it was extending the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country till July 31.
PIA Halts Operation To Europe After EU’s Ban On Its Flights For 6 Months
Pakistan’s scandal-hit national carrier on Tuesday announced to discontinue its operation to Europe after the EU’s aviation safety agency banned its flights for six months over safety concerns.
International Commercial Flights To Remain Suspended Till July 15: Govt
The aviation regulator DGCA said on Friday it is extending the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country till July 15.
Dubai To Allow International Travellers From July 7
Dubai on Monday announced that it would allow international tourists from July 7. The emirate also announced that foreigners with residency visas will be allowed to visit from July 22.
Saudi Faces Perilous Haj Call As Virus Spikes
Saudi Arabia is expected to scale back or call off this year's Haj pilgrimage for the first time in its modern history, observers say, a perilous decision as coronavirus cases spike.
High Court Permits Airlines To Allow Passengers On Middle Seats
The Bombay High Court on Monday permitted all flight operators to allow passengers to occupy middle seats in flights.
SC Asks Centre To Discuss Ticket Price Refund Issue With Airlines
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the airline companies to discuss modalities for full refund of tickets for domestic and international flights.
Airlines To Lose $84 Billion This Year Due To Pandemic: Aviation Body
Airlines are set to lose $84 billion as the coronavirus pandemic reduces revenue by half to mark the worst year in the sector's history.
‘Many Factors To Be Addressed Before International Flights Begin’
Several factors like the lockdown in metro cities and the ban imposed by various countries on the entry of foreigners need to be addressed before resuming international passenger flights in India.
DGCA Asks Airlines To Keep Middle Seats Vacant
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday asked airlines to allot seats in flights in such a manner that middle seats are kept vacant to the extent possible.
As Flying Returns, Airlines Seek To Quell Fears Over Cabin Air
Jet manufacturers and airlines are launching an urgent initiative to convince nervous travellers that the air they breathe on planes is safe.
Covid-19: ‘Most Viruses, Other Germs Do Not Spread Easily On Flights’
Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has said in its COVID-19 guidelines.
INTERVIEW View all
Interview: ‘COVID’s Environmental Impact Shows All Is Not Lost’
Coronavirus might’ve proved to be bad in many ways, but it has created a positive environmental impact. Much of this can be attributed to social distancing.
Interview: ‘Following CPEC, China Desiring A Greater Role in Kashmir’
Interview: ‘Remote Working Can Lead To Productivity Gains’
REVIEW View all
5 Popular Documentaries That Picture Life in Kashmir
Amid barrage of daily videos depicting various aspects of the valley, Kashmir Observer has curated a list of five documentaries for you to understand different hues of life in the region.
Path to Past: 10 Books on Kashmir History for Summer Reading
Books Transport Us to New Worlds
LETTERS TO EDITOR View all
Post 5/8, Indo-Pak Ties Are At A New Low
As the relations between the countries have been passing though really hard times, descriptions of this kind by the leader of the neighbouring state are bound to further deteriorate the relationship between the two countries.
Give Us Access To High-Speed Internet
An Auto Ride and Clash with Verna Driver
MEDIA View all
Journalists Protest Against New Media Policy, Demand Its Rollback
A group of journalists under the banner of "J&K Media Guild" staged a protest against media policy and demanded its immediate rollback..
Withdraw ‘New Media Policy’ for Kashmir: RSF to Delhi
Press Council Of India Seeks J&K Govt’s Reply On New Media Policy
OTV
Kashmir- The Locked Garden
It is yet another summertime in Kashmir. Flowers are in full bloom. But Kashmir's iconic gardens are locked and deserted. There are no visitors to delve into nature’s ambience. While gardeners remain busy pruning shrubs and hedges, mowing and cutting grass as if waiting for gates to open..
EID MUBARAK: KPs Came Together to Greet Their Valley Brethren
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, many Kashmiri Pandits from different parts of the world came together to wish their Muslim brethren of the valley a happy festival. Among them are some prominent KP faces, known for their creative craft and contribution.
How To Protect Yourself Against COVID-19
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus introduced to humans for the first time.
Unravel Kashmir | Chapter 1 | Trailer
OTV unravels the development and divergence of the psychology of youth in Kashmir. We bring to you the real stories of the conflict from real people. #StraightOuttaKashmir, featuring Ali Safuddin, Mu'Azzam Bhat and Ovais Ahmad..
Unravel Kashmir | Young Minds in a Conflict Zone
This episode provides an insight into the psychological upbringing of Kashmiri youth living in a conflict zone. The very aim of this documentary in particular, and the whole series in general, is to unravel unheard stories from real people who witness turmoil conflict and its nuances on a daily basis..
Case Reopened: Fake Drug Mafia in Kashmir
Kashmir Observer reopens the case of fake drug market in Kashmir, which kills thousands of people every year. Dr. Nisar-Ul-Hassan in an exclusive interview exposes the widespread spurious drug mafia network in the valley..
Caught in the Crossfire
Our reporters traveled to Uri and Poonch the two areas which have been battlefields in all the three wars two countries fought since their independence..
Kashmir’s Beloved Root Vegetable Has Made A Comeback
2014 Floods ravaged Kashmir and one overlooked consequence was the loss of Nadru. To the delight of Kashmiris Nadru grew again in 2018 thanks to local farmers..
Caught in the crossfre
Fear Has Returned To Kashmir Villages As India-Pakistan Clashes Resume. Tensions between the two nuclear armed neighbours are at a boil.Tens of thousands of Kashmiri villagers along the LoC are in distress once again..
Almond Blossom In Kashmir
The early bloom of flowers on Almond trees in the sprawling garden in Shahr-e-Khaas is a source of attraction for nature lovers and tourists, alike.Historians maintain there is no record to suggest who laid the garden.
CAREERS View all
Foreign Students Weigh Studying In Person Vs Losing Visas
The students from countries as diverse as India, China and Brazil say they are scrambling to devise plans after federal immigration authorities notified colleges this week.
Has Civil Services Exam Become A Herculean Task For Kashmiris?
KHYEN CHYEN View all
Restaurateurs Say Centre’s New SOPs Will Make Business ‘Unviable’
The govt, in a long anticipated move, has given restaurants the nod to open their doors but many owners say the cap on the number of customers will make their operations unviable.
Shades Of ‘Greens’ From Kashmir’s Emerald Spring Palette
TECHNOLOGY View all
PM Modi Quits Chinese Weibo
After govt move of banning 59 Chinese Apps, PM Narendra Modi exits from Chinese social media platform WEIBO also.
‘China Attacks Map, India App’: Netizens React to ‘Digital Strike’
CULTURE View all
Turkey Turns Iconic Istanbul Museum Into Mosque
The world-famous Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul — originally founded as a cathedral — has been turned back into a mosque.
Doctor Couple Plans Kashmir Cultural Centre in New York
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