Srinagar, May 29 : Security forces recovered ten kgs of RDX today, in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir which they claim was intended to trigger blasts during the forthcoming Amarnath yatra.

Srinagar, May 28 : An All India Confederation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes revived its agitation and staged a rally in Jammu today seeking removal of provisions curtailing reservation in recruitment and promotion in a Jammu and Kashmir government.

The confederation had submitted a memorandum demanding amendment of the Statutory Regulatory Ordinance-294 on January 25, 2005 to Janak Raj Gupta, Advisor to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The SRO-294 replaces the eight percent quotas for SCs in recruitment and promotions stipulated in SRO-126 with four percent and ten percent reservation for STs with five percent.

Srinagar, May 27 : President Pratibha Patil paid a visit to the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi in the Trikuta hills during the last leg of her five-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

Accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (retired) S K Sinha, she flew to the Sanjichat helipad in the Katra belt from Jammu and offered prayers at the shrine.

Srinagar, May 26 : President Pratibha Patil today said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have demonstrated their determination to move ahead on the true and constructive path of peace and progress.

Addressing a function to mark the opening of the Institute of Kashmir Studies here, President Patil said it is important to create a secure environment and defeat divisive designs of terrorism and violence.

"I am aware of the difficulties that the people of this State have undergone due to violence and terrorism," she said.

Srinagar, May 24 : Violent protest marred normal life in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday. The protesters, shouting slogans, voiced their demand of a free Kashmir.

Shops and business establishments remained closed today following a shutdown call given by hardline faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). The APHC is protesting against President Pratibha Patil’s five-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar, May 24: Shops and business establishments remained closed today following a shutdown call given by hardline faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). The APHC is protesting against President Pratibha Patil’s five-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

According to media reports, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the Chairman of the APHC, had termed President Patil's visit “a deep rooted conspiracy to mislead the international community.”