Cold wave swept most parts of north India on Saturday, as mercury dipped to zero degree Celsius in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir's Leh district shivered at minus 19 degrees even as extreme cold conditions claimed two more lives in Uttar Pradesh.
Flight operations in New Delhi were disrupted for second consecutive day on Tuesday due to heavy fog with about 18 flights, including six international, being delayed and nine being cancelled. The general visibility at the Indira Gandhi International airport fell below 50 metres and runway visibility range (RVR) dipped to less than 100 metres, bringing a halt to flight operations, sources said.
Two Border Security Force jawans were among four persons injured when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire for the third time in less than 48 hours by firing with small arms, automatic weapons and mortar shells on 10 border out posts and civilian areas along the International Border in Jammu district.
Close on the heels of over a dozen incursions since the face-off in Ladakh in April from across the Line of Actual Control, Chinese troops made a fresh attempt to violate the International Border at Chumar area in north-east of Leh on July 20, but were forced back by Indian troops.
The work on a link-road in Demchok in South-eastern Ladakh region has been stopped after objections were raised by the Chinese Army, barely months after repeated incursions by it in that area.
'The fatal mistake for the USSR was the invasion of Afghanistan.' 'Quite possibly the fatal mistake for the Chinese empire is the assault on Ladakh,' observes Rajeev Srinivasan.
As part of moves to speedily build communication infrastructure on the Chinese frontier, the Indian Air Force has finalised plans to set up an another airstrip in Ladakh.
Presenting NaMo's various avatars. Vote and tell us which one is your favourite!
Gurez constituency in the once terrorist-infested Bandipora district recorded the highest voting -- 74 per cent -- followed by Mendhar and Poonch (73), Surankote (68), Nobra (66) Leh, Kargil and Zanskar (all 60 per cent), Bandipora(57) and Sonawari (46)
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said that election material and poll officials have been dispatched to the far-flung polling stations in the ten assembly constituencies, campaigning for which ended today evening.Briefing newsmen, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khuda said that despite the heavy snowfall, polling staff, paramilitary forces and material including electronic voting machines have been dispatched to the 1,038 polling stations.
Delhi is likely to record its second-coldest December since 1901 as temperatures are predicted to drop further.
Three public sector companies are planning to set up 60-80 megawatt solar plants with an investment of Rs 1,000-1,200 crore (Rs 10-12 billion). The projects will come up in Rajasthan, Punjab and the Leh region of Jammu and Kashmir.
'If a 'two-front war' develops, Iron Brother may only turn out to be a drag on the PLA, since Pakistan is in no position to wage a war with India,' argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The President's rule imposed in undivided Jammu and Kashmir was revoked on Thursday following the state's bifurcation into Union Territories, but the central rule will continue for an indefinite period through the Lieutenant Governor (LG) in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
The total number of states in the country will be now 28 while the total UTs will go up to seven.
'China is concerned about its impact within Tibet.'
Central security forces have taken positions well in advance in and around 1038 booths in Bandipora, Poonch, Leh and Kargil districts to instill confidence among the voters and foil the 'evil designs' of terrorists to disrupt the electoral process, officials said. Of the 1038 polling stations, more than half of them have been described as 'hyper sensitive' while the rest have been placed under 'sensitive' category.
Only nine of the airline's 370 daily flights were making profits.
'China was a relationship from which Mr Modi had expected the most it seems.' 'It showed in a string of summits, and somewhat breathless celebration of Xi Jinping.' 'It was hasty and simplistic,' observes Shekhar Gupta.
'Rafales can play an important role in doing DEAD (Destruction of Enemy Air Defence) on the Surface-to-Air Missiles that the Chinese have put on Tibet'
'It is a miracle how a soldier handles the lack of oxygen, stands his post and also confronts the Chinese at 14,000 feet where survival itself is a challenge.'
'No aeroplane in the world has been designed to switch off its engines above 14,500 feet.' 'Thanks to a lot of practice, we were able to execute a flawless landing at DBO at 0900 hours on 31st May, creating history.'
Though the director and his team deserve the highest accolades for achieving a film of this level of beauty in severely extreme conditions, it is unlikely that this film will find a mass audience. Connoisseurs of high art however will probably find much to appreciate in this sparse and beautiful black and white world.
'We are facing the most critical military situation with China in the last 50 years.'
Cold wave conditions continued unabated in Kashmir Valley owing to the dry weather even as the weatherman predicted some respite next week with the possibility of isolated rains or snowfall.
'I am grateful to God that I am alive and he has made me differently-abled for a greater cause,' says Wing Commander Shantanu.
The Army has appointed Lt Gen NPS Hira as Deputy Chief of Army Staff with effect from March 14.
Commissioning the FM and satellite uplink station, Azad called for further improvement to cover the shadow areas in the region where television and radio signals were not received due to geographical constraints. He said that radio was an effective medium of communication and the inauguration of FM station was a boon for the young generation as it was a craze with the youth all over the country.
'It could have moved from the use of small arms to artillery fire.' 'Anything could have happened like what happens on the LoC.'
Lal was serving as the 3 Infantry Division General Officer Commanding in Leh last year when the woman officer Capt Neha Rawat made a written complaint against the two-star General alleging sexual misconduct under the pretext of conducting meditation classes at his residence.
'I have only one life and that is enough.'
Rajeev Srinivasan on how the Congress lost Tibet.
Major General Sujan Singh Uban, a legendary veteran of the Second World War, was a natural choice to raise, train and command the Special Frontier Force and mould them into a well oiled fighting machine, recalls his son Inspector General Gurdip Singh Uban (retd), who led SFF troops during the Kargil War.
Militants on Wednesday morning ambushed an army convoy, killing one trooper and wounding 10 others on the Srinagar Leh national highway.
Stars go for the loveliest holidays -- exotic locations with a lot of adventure thrown in. We bring you their travels in a special series.
The intention is to counter propaganda from Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
The new legislation on J&K puts a cloud over the state's constitution, through which the state became `an integral part' of India, says David Devadas.
The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon in Demchok sector, located 250 km east of Leh, where the work for linking a village with 'hot spring' was being undertaken under the MNREGA.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius.
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