Srinagar, India - Sajjad Lone, a prominent leader of the separatist movement in India-administered Kashmir, announced Saturday that he would be contesting the coming general elections. Lone, who heads the People Conference, one of the many separatist political organizations in Kashmir, announced he would be contesting from Baramulla constituency.

"This is the best way I could represent Kashmiri aspirations ... This is a change in strategy, not in ideology," Lone said at a press briefing in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir state capital.

Leh (Jammu and Kashmir), Apr 11 : Many self-help groups in Choshut village of Leh are working on various social issues to help women become self-sufficient.

Shashi Self-Help Group, one of the oldest self-help groups in the region, had started with only six members and now at present, there are more than 15 women members working in the group.

Shashi self-help group is actively promoting local handicrafts. The group is also conducting workshops and giving training to women of different villages. The group is also promoting local handicrafts at the district level and at the state level.

Srinagar, Apr 8 : Seven-day long tulip festival being held here has given a boost to tourism in Kashmir.

One of the largest tulip flower garden in Srinagar, ''Siraj Bagh'' was opened for the tourists to enjoy the festival.

The tourism authorities in the state said they are using the festival to promote the state as a preferred destination.

Srinagar, Apr 8 : A major tragedy was averted last night, when the police recovered a powerful EID (Improvised Explosive Device) planted by militants in an open field near the railway track in Jammu and Kashmir''s Anantnag District.

Local police officials informed on Wednesday that the explosive device, weighing 25 kgs, was planted by militants at Bijbehara, 45 kilometres from Srinagar.

The police promptly defused the device before it could cause any harm.

The elections in Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency are to be held on April 30.

Srinagar, Apr 6 : The Jammu and Kashmir Education Department has decided to introduce lessons on the history of the three regions-- Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh --in the curriculum of schools till the secondary level.

Though, the final syllabus has not been approved, the Government plans to have a separate section on the State in the history books. A committee will be constituted to finalise the syllabi.

"The board of school education has been assigned the job to ensure that the history of Jammu and Kashmir be included in the curriculum. We teach our students Indian history, British history and world history, but they do not know much about their own history and culture, " said Shagufta Parveen, the director of education board of the state.

In a significant move, an application was filed in the court by the Bar Association Baramulla on Saturday for the immediate shifting of leading J & K separatist leader, Shabir Shah to SKIIMS hospital, Soura.  

In its application the Bar said that the health of Shah was dropping fast with each passing day and the continuous medical laxity may bear out serious for his life. The Bar said, “Shah is a pro-freedom leader of international repute and his arrest was done under a well planned conspiracy to malign his image.”