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    The South Kashmir administration has imposed a two-month ban on trekking, hiking, camping and similar outdoor activities in several high-altitude mountain passes of the Pir Panjal range, citing public safety and security concerns. The prohibition applies to Margan Top, Chuharnag and Sinthan Top, all of which are popular trekking destinations in the region. The decision comes shortly after a similar restriction was enforced in North Kashmir, where trekking was banned in the Danwass forests of Tangmarg near the Gulmarg tourist resort. While official orders mention general security concerns, sources said the South Kashmir ban is linked to a large-scale anti-militancy operation currently underway in the Pir Panjal mountains. According to security officials, the Army h...

    A team of scientists at Rutgers University has developed a new type of plastic that remains strong during use but can be designed to break down naturally after a set period, potentially offering a powerful solution to the global plastic pollution crisis. The research, inspired by the way DNA and proteins degrade in nature, could change how plastics are made, used and discarded. The idea was sparked during a hike. Yuwei Gu, a chemist at Rutgers University, was walking through Bear Mountain State Park in New York when he noticed plastic bottles scattered along the trail and floating in a nearby lake. The sight of synthetic waste persisting in a natural environment prompted him to reflect on a long-standing scientific puzzle: why natural polymers like DNA and proteins b...

    Delhi is set to continue its familiar winter pattern from Monday, January 5, with foggy mornings, chilly nights and only limited daytime warmth expected across the week. Weather officials say there is no major change in atmospheric conditions on the horizon, indicating that the capital will remain locked in stable winter weather for several days. According to forecasts, most days will begin with clear skies, but dense fog is likely to form during the early morning hours, significantly reducing visibility across Delhi and the National Capital Region. Commuters travelling on highways, arterial roads and outer ring routes may experience slower traffic, prompting authorities to advise caution and early departures for office-goers and students. Daytime temperatures are...

    Scientists have discovered a previously unknown animal species living in the Great Salt Lake, expanding scientific understanding of how life survives in one of North America’s most extreme environments. Researchers from the University of Utah have identified a tiny roundworm, or nematode, that represents a species new to science and may be unique to the lake. The newly identified species has been named Diplolaimelloides woaabi becoming the first nematode ever confirmed to inhabit the hypersaline waters of the Great Salt Lake. The discovery was detailed in a recent study that also suggests the possible presence of a second, yet-to-be-confirmed new species. The research highlights the lake’s hidden biodiversity and raises important questions about its fragile ecosystem...

    Earth is set to be impacted by a powerful burst of solar material as a coronal mass ejection (CME) released from the Sun is expected to arrive late on January 2, potentially triggering a moderate geomagnetic storm through January 3, according to forecasts issued by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA’s space weather prediction models indicate that the CME a vast cloud of magnetised plasma hurled into space during a solar eruption is moving in Earth’s direction and may interact strongly with the planet’s magnetic field. Scientists classify the expected disturbance as a G2-level geomagnetic storm, which falls under the “moderate” category on NOAA five-tier storm scale. A geomagnetic storm of this strength can cause voltage ...

    Long before the modern borders of India and Pakistan were drawn, cities across the subcontinent were designed to reflect direction, power and imperial geography rather than political boundaries. The presence of the Lahori Gate at Delhi’s Red Fort and the Delhi Gate in Lahore stands as a living reminder of that shared, pre-Partition past, shaped by Mughal rule and long-distance trade routes. The names of Delhi’s historic gates Lahori Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Ajmeri Gate and others were never ornamental. They were functional markers pointing towards major cities, trade corridors and political centres of the Mughal Empire. In an era when movement across regions was fluid, gates were designed to open towards important destinations, not nations. At the heart of this system...

    The Commission for Air Quality Management has lifted Stage-III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan across the National Capital Region after a significant improvement was recorded in Delhi’s air quality on January 2. According to an official statement, Delhi’s Air Quality Index, which stood at a severe level of 380 a day earlier, dropped sharply to 236 by 4 pm on Friday. Observing a sustained downward trend in pollution levels, the CAQM sub-committee on GRAP decided to revoke Stage-III curbs with immediate effect across the NCR. The Commission, however, clarified that preventive and regulatory measures prescribed under GRAP Stages I and II will continue to remain in force. These measures are aimed at preventing a fresh spike in pollution levels, espe...

    Mount Etna has erupted forcefully at the start of 2026, sending fresh lava flows and ash emissions into the sky and continuing the intense volcanic activity that made 2025 one of its most dramatic years in recent history. Scientists say the renewed eruption could be the beginning of another unstable phase for Europe’s most active volcano. According to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), effusive lava began flowing on January 1, 2026, from a newly formed fracture inside the Valle del Bove on Etna’s eastern flank. At the same time, explosive activity from summit craters such as Bocca Nuova has been producing intermittent ash plumes. While volcanic tremor levels remain high, officials say they are currently stable. Authorities are closely...

India lost as many as 166 tigers in 2025, according to the latest data released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), triggering renewed concern over the growing pressures faced by the country’s expanding big cat population. The figure marks a sharp increase from 126 tiger deaths reported in 2024 and comes despite India continuing to hold nearly three-fourths of the world’s wild tiger population. Data compiled by the NTCA shows that Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of tiger deaths at 55, followed by Maharashtra with 38 fatalities. Kerala recorded 13 tiger deaths, while Assam reported 12. Of the total deaths nationwide, 31 were tiger cubs, underlining the vulnerability of younger animals in increasingly crowded forest landscapes. Wildlife experts point to terr...

    Delhi woke up to a relatively cleaner morning on Saturday as the city Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to the ‘poor’ category, bringing some relief after days of ‘very poor’ pollution levels. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall AQI stood at 235 at 8 am, aided by stronger winds and a drop in fog intensity. The improvement marked a steady decline in pollution levels over the past 24 hours. On Friday morning, the AQI was recorded at 311, which reduced further to 236 by late afternoon, compared to 380 at the same time a day earlier. Weather officials said average wind speeds of around 12 kmph overnight helped disperse pollutants and lift dense fog across the region. Data from key monitoring stations showed mixed but improving trends...