World Youth Skill Day

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World Youth Skill Day
Youth is the season of hope.  In this hope the real garment is provided by meaningful skills. Today’s world demands much more skills for youth to succeed. In Kashmir too to resolve unemployment youth would have to shift to skill development.
In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as a World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. The day provides a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, firms, employers, policymakers, etc. The Skill India Mission was also launched on this day, that is on July 15.
15 July is declared as World Youth Skills Day by adopting a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2014. The main aim of the day is to achieve better socio-economic conditions for today’s youth in terms of challenges  of unemployment and underemployment.
The day also highlights the important role of skilled youth in addressing current and future global challenges. It is known that Skill India is an initiative of the central government which was launched to empower the youth skill and make them more employable and more productive in their work environment.
Last year, The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2023 is ‘Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future’. It highlights the essential role that teachers, trainers and other educators play in providing skills for youth to transition to the labour market and to actively engage in their communities and societies.
Youth unemployment is increasing which is the most significant problem facing today’s economies and societies in the world for developed and developing countries alike. According to the latest Global Trends for Youth 2020: technology and the future of jobs, since 2017, there has been an upward trend in the number of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
One hopes our youth in Kashmir gain stronger skills.

Heatwaves in Kashmir

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Heatwaves in Kashmir
The global warming and climate change has been knocking do8ors in Kashmir too.
Heat Waves are a period of unusually high temperatures as compared to what is normally expected over a region. Therefore, the temperatures at which Heat waves are declared differ from place to place based on the temperature climatology (historical temperatures) of that region.
Heatwave conditions persisted in Kashmir on several days and on  Thursday , 4 July with Srinagar recording a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius, six notches above normal and the highest in July in 25 years, officials said.
The city had recorded a high of 37 degrees Celsius in July 1999.
Srinagar was hotter than Delhi (31.7 degrees Celsius), Kolkata (31 degrees Celsius), Mumbai (32 degrees Celsius) and Bengaluru (28 degrees Celsius).
As a matter of fact, Valley of Kashmir has been experiencing rising temperatures and scorching heat over the past few weeks, leading to water shortage in many areas.
On their part, health department has issued advisories to deal with the heatwave conditions. The school education department has already announced a 10-day summer vacation for all schools in the Valley from July 8.
A report published few time
back by Moody’s, titled ‘India: Temperatures Beyond the Heatwave?’, documents that the mercury in reality exceeded the normal heatwave limit. The report suggests that mitigation of heat is the only viable solution.
It further points out that global temperatures are soaring to unprecedented levels as heatwaves are being declared in various countries.
During May alone, more than 200 people had died and some 20,000 had been hospitalised with heat stroke in India. On 1 June, 33 election officials died of heatstroke in the state of Uttar Pradesh,” the report underlines.
The need of the hour is that we in Kashmir take series of steps especially planting more trees to safeguard ourselves from the heatwave .

Importance of Statistics, 1 July,2024 Editorial

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Importance of Statistics
Statistics is an important field because it helps us understand the general trends and patterns in a given data set. Statistics can be used for analysing data and drawing conclusions from it. It can also be used for making predictions about future events and behaviors.
People who do statistics are referred to as statisticians. They’re particularly concerned with determining how to draw reliable conclusions about large groups and general events from the behavior and other observable characteristics of small samples. These small samples represent a portion of the large group or a limited number of instances of a general phenomenon.
Recently, we marked national Statistics Day.
National Statistics Day is celebrated on June 29 every year to recognize the contributions of PC Mahanalobis. It is not be confused with World Statistics Day, which is a UN-designated day and is celebrated on October 20 every five years .
The significance of Statistics Day is to create public awareness in the young generation about the role and importance of statistics in strategizing, economic planning and policy formulation. The occasion is celebrated as a reminder to learn from the achievements of Professor Mahalanobis in the field of Statistics.
Statistics are not just numbers and facts. You know, things like 4 out of 5 dentists prefer a specific toothpaste. Instead, it’s an array of knowledge and procedures that allow you to learn from data reliably. Statistics allow you to evaluate claims based on quantitative evidence and help you differentiate between reasonable and dubious conclusions.
The need of the hour is that students in Jammu and Kashmir too give due importance to the field of Statistics and keenly study same.

Eid Zeal

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Eid Zeal
Eid zeal, festivity and colours are everywhere. The
Eid-ul-Adha, the greater Eid, which follows the completion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, at the time of Qurbani (sacrifice).
It is latter of the two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God’s command. Before Ibrahim could sacrifice his son, however, Allah provided a lamb to sacrifice instead.
This command from Allah SWT was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness and commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without question. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.
Depending on the country, the celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha can last anywhere between two and four days. The act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is carried out following the Eid Salaah (Eid Prayers), which are performed in congregation at the nearest Mosque on the morning of Eid. We are celebrating Eid on 17 June, 2024.
The command from Allah SWT was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness and commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without question. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.
Depending on the country, the celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha can last anywhere between two and four days. The act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is carried out following the Eid Salaah (Eid Prayers), which are performed in congregation at the nearest Mosque on the morning of Eid.
The act of Qurbani consists of slaughtering an animal as a sacrifice to mark this occasion in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice for Allah SWT. This is also known as Udhiya. The days of animal sacrifice total three days, from the 10th to the 12th of Dhu-al-Hijjah.
The sacrificial animal must be a sheep, lamb, goat, cow, bull or a camel; the sheep, lamb or goat consist of one Qurbani share, whereas a bull, cow or camel consist of seven shares per animal. The animal must be in good health and over a certain age in order to be slaughtered, in a “halal” friendly, Islamic way.
As a matter of fact, Qurbani meat can then divided into three equal portions per share; one-third is for you and your family, one-third is for friends, and the final third is to be donated to those in need.
There is lot of renewed zeal and zest on eve of Eid- ul-Adha in Kashmir.

World Blood Donor Day

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World Blood Donor Day
Blood Donation is key to save human lives .
Every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.
The expert pulse helps people in need, and it helps people in your community. When you give, others live. Donors, especially those who donate regularly, keep our nation’s blood supply stable. Although many people donate blood after disasters, blood is needed every day of the year.

A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system. The global theme of World Blood Donor Day changes each year in recognition of the selfless individuals who donate their blood for people unknown to them.
As a matter of fact, On World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on 14 June 2024, WHO, its partners and communities across the world will unite behind the theme: 20 years of celebrating giving: thank you blood donors!

The 20th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day is an excellent and timely opportunity to thank blood donors across the world for their life-saving donations over the years and honour the profound impact on both patients and donors. It is also a timely moment to address continued challenges, and accelerate progress towards a future where safe blood transfusion is universally accessible.
In Kashmir too, many heroes are emerging to save the world by being regular blood donors. All the healthy individuals should take pledge to donate blood as it is key to save humanity.

World Environment Day

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World Environment Day
The environment is very pivotal as it
plays an important role in healthy living and the existence of life on planet earth. Earth is a home for different living species and we all are dependent on the environment for food, air, water, and other needs. Therefore, it is important for every individual to save and protect our environment.
The environment of Kashmir is pristine but facing many threats.
World Environment Day  is one of the biggest events celebrated every year in the world. World Environment Day is being celebrated since 1973. It is also called “People’s Day” to take care of the earth and the environment. It is really important to know the ways to protect the environment.
For a healthy life, the environment plays an important role. It provides us with air, food, etc. Someone rightly said that the difference between animals and humans is that animals change themselves for the environment, but humans change the environment for themselves. The environment is like our neighbourhood, its surrounding conditions affect us and also modify development.
The day reminds us of the environmental challenges we face, such as pollution, deforestation, climate change, and biodiversity loss. It aims to educate people about the impact of their actions on the environment.
Land restoration is a key pillar of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, which is critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
This is why World Environment Day 2024 focuses on land restoration, halting desertification and building drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”
World Environment Day also in Kashmir should draw us towards attention towards saving natural resources and land forms.

World Bee Day

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World Bee Day
We all eat honey and it comes from honeybees.
Bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, are increasingly under threat from human activities.
Pollination is, however, a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems. Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land.
Not only do pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity.
To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day.
The goal is to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries.
We all depend on pollinators and it is, therefore, crucial to monitor their decline and halt the loss of biodiversity.
Importantly, recognition of the pivotal role that youth can play in addressing challenges bees and other pollinators are facing, World Bee Day 2024 focuses on the theme “Bee engaged with Youth.” This theme highlights the importance of involving young people in beekeeping and pollinator conservation efforts, recognizing them as the future stewards of our environment.
This day has a very rich history behind it.World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20. On this day Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping, was born in 1734. For a strong ecosystem we need to take pledge to save the Bees and promote strong ecosystems for Bee Flourishing.

World Potato Day , Editorial 27 May 2024

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World Potato Day 2024

The International Day of Potatoes falls on 30th May every year. This day is celebrated to highlight the versatility of potatoes and their nutritional and cultural value.
Potatoes were a life-saving food source in early times because the vitamin C prevented scurvy. Another major nutrient in potatoes is potassium, an electrolyte which aids in the workings of our heart, muscles, and nervous system. Potato skin contains fiber, which is important for digestive health.
The United Nations, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), established this day to draw attention to the potato’s benefits, which range from its nutritional value to its economic, environmental, and cultural significance​​​​​​​​.
As a matter of fact, theme for the International Day of Potato 2024 is “Harvesting Diversity, Feeding Hope.” This theme highlights the importance of having a wide variety of potato types. With over 5000 different kinds, including both improved varieties and traditional types grown by farmers, there are many options to meet the needs of different farming methods, cooking styles, and industrial uses.
The celebration of International Day of the Potato underscores the potato’s journey from its origins in the South American Andes to becoming a staple food consumed by billions worldwide.
This day not only celebrates the potato’s nutritional and cultural value but also emphasizes its importance in providing food security and supporting economic development. With over 5,000 varieties, the potato is adaptable to various climates, making it a key crop in efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition.
India is the second largest producer of Potato in world, with China ranking first.
In Kashmir valley,  the picturesque Gurez is known for producing one of the finest potatoes of world, known for their high quality and taste .We should take all measures to Boost production of Potatoes.

World Thalassaemia Day. 6 May 2024 Editorial

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World Thalasesemia Day
Thalassemia is a blood disorder involving lower-than-normal amounts of an oxygen-carrying protein.
Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by less oxygen-carrying protein (hemoglobin) and fewer red blood cells in the body than normal.
Thalassaemia Day is an important day.It is observed on May 8 to spread awareness about thalassaemia being a blood disorder, myths related to the disease, and to help the patients lead a normal life. The day also deals with the social stigma attached to the lives of individuals who are suffering from and living with this disease. The efforts of doctors and medical professionals are also honoured on this day for helping patients and bringing advancements.
The day is observed to encourage those who struggle to live with the disease. This day is a commemoration day in honour of all patients suffering from thalassaemia and their parents who have never lost hope for life, despite the burden of their disease and also to all scientists who are doing hard work with dedication and trying to provide improved quality of life to people with thalassaemia across the globe.
1994, Panos Englezos, President and Founder of the Thalassemia International Federation, established World Thalassaemia Day in memory of his son George and other Thalassaemia patients who displayed great courage in their battle against the disease. Since then, May 8 has been dedicated to commemorating World Thalassaemia Day each year.
It is opined that raising awareness about Thalassaemia on World Thalassaemia Day, we aim to promote understanding, support affected individuals and families, and encourage advancements in treatment and care for this condition.
We also in Kashmir need to take a key outlook of the Thalassaemia disease and its outlook in our region.

Excess of Non-vegetarian Food. Edit 13 May 2023

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Excess of Non-vegetarian food
Non-vegetarian food (in Indian English sometimes shortened to non-veg food contains meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, or the flesh of any other animal), and sometimes, eggs. The term is common in India, but not usual elsewhere. In the generally vegetarian environment of India, restaurants offering meat and fish usually have a “non-vegetarian” section of their menu, and may include the term (typically as “Veg and Non-veg”) in their name-boards and advertising. When describing people, non-vegetarians eat meat and/or eggs, as opposed to vegetarians.But in India, consumption of dairy foods is usual for both groups.
Kashmir is among the highest using non vegetarian food items especially Mutton and Beef. Too much of Non-vegetarian food is determinatal to health
The people of Jammu and Kashmir annually consumes 600 lakh kilograms of mutton and the highest consumption of mutton is recorded in Kashmir valley.
Recently,  we learnt that per capita, the highest mutton consumers in the subcontinent. According to official data, around 2.2 million sheep are slaughtered in Kashmir every year on an average adding up to 21,000 tonnes annual meat consumption in the region.
Even in our marriage functions too much meat is used.
This is among highest in world.
Expert pulse is too much non vegetarian food is not good for health. Meat products are loaded with saturated fats, which increase the risk of heart diseases. Studies have shown that people consuming non-vegetarian diets: Have a shorter lifespan and are more vulnerable to chronic diseases. Tend to develop diabetes, heart diseases, and hypertension.
According to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, people who consume a lot of red meat and processed meat have a higher risk of developing colon cancer.
According to a report, people who eat red meat and processed meat at least three times a week have a higher risk of nine types of diseases.
We should avoid too much Non-vegetarian.