Farmers devastated as violent storms destroy crops across major growing region: 'Wreaked havoc ... across the valley'
Have you ever considered the environmental factors that are necessary to allow you to enjoy a piece of fruit? A severe hailstorm, which caused extensive damage to apple orchards in Kashmir, India, highlights the climate challenges associated with farming.
On April 18, hail and heavy rain began to fall in the Northern Indian region, affecting the districts of Shopian and Kulgam in Kashmir, as the Hindustan Times reported.
Following the storm, Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) said on X, formerly known as Twitter, "Yesterday's hailstorm wreaked havoc on fruit orchards across the valley leaving farmers devastated."
With "chickpea-sized hailstones" inflicting damage on the apples, according to Greater Kashmir, the fruit has lost most of its value. Farmers are now frantic, fearing devastating financial loss.
While the Shopian district is known in the subcontinent as the "Apple Town," that name feels momentarily fraudulent, with up to 70% of the area's crops destroyed.
Mufti mentioned in the X post, "Horticulture is the backbone of our economy & has consistently supported the region even in the most difficult times."
Hailstorms are just one example of climate issues affecting food sources. Droughts, floods, and poor air quality are common problems that impact food production and livestock. These issues are exacerbated by rising global temperatures due to pollution from toxic, planet-warming gases.
Earlier this year, Icelandic potato farmers faced crop shortages due to a harsh winter, and mango farmers in India experienced a major decline in their crops, with fumes from a nearby factory the likely culprit.
Political leaders have spoken out about this issue in Kashmir and are urging the government to intervene. Advocating for agricultural insurance to protect against unexpected circumstances is at the top of these proposals.
"Urge the government to immediately deploy assessment teams to evaluate the extent of the damage & provide all possible assistance to the affected farmers," JKPDP President Mufti said.
What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home?
Not enough time
Not enough space
It seems too hard
I have a garden already
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Local communities in the villages that these farmers support are distraught after this extreme weather incident, and government intervention is crucial.
Luckily, Additional Deputy Commissioner Tanveer Ahmed said, "All reports are being compiled, and we are actively addressing the issues. Relief is being provided as a priority," as quoted in the Hindustan Times.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
MAGA Supporters Counter Anti-ICE Protests: 'Go Back to Mexico'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Several Donald Trump supporters in Tampa, Florida, have started counter-protests to anti-ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, demonstrations. Video footage posted on X, formerly Twitter, shows a man holding a red "MAGA country" flag chanting "we want ICE" and telling a woman holding a Mexican flag: "If you love Mexico, go back to Mexico." In another clip, a group of men can be seen holding a Trump-Vance banner, before move for a truck coming through. Hundreds gathered outside Tampa's City Hall to protest on Monday, after a weekend of violent clashes between anti-ICE demonstrators and law enforcement. Police intervened during some heated moments between anti-ICE protesters and counter-protesters but there was no violence, according to Tampa broadcaster FOX13. This is a developing story - more to follow.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alex Jones Agrees MAGA Is A Cult. So We Asked Cult Experts How To Deal With Trump-Loving Relatives.
In an era where misinformation spreads faster than the truth, and political extremism often feels more like a full belief system than a policy stance, many of us have found ourselves in painfully surreal situations having challenging conversations with loved ones who are devoted to President Donald Trump. Unsurprisingly, the word 'cult' has been thrown around over the years to describe MAGA die-hards who believe Trump can do no wrong. Most recently, far-right pundit Alex Jones responded on X, formerly Twitter, with 'I am not in your cult' while responding to Trump fans who were angry he was among voices calling for more clarity on the claims Elon Musk made about his alleged connection to the Epstein files. So it seems the assessment has caught on. Interactions with folks who fall into the cult-y category aren't just absurd or frustrating. Often, they're just heartbreaking. How do you keep a relationship alive when someone you care about seems captured by a worldview that's not only disconnected from reality, but openly hostile? This guide was born from that question. We spoke with experts in cult recovery and high-control groups, including those familiar with the tactics, language and emotional binds of movements like MAGA to bring you practical tools for navigating these encounters. These aren't scripts to win an argument or 'deprogram' someone in one conversation. Instead, they are strategies to help you make it through these (often exhausting) interactions and respond as best you can to those you love. First and foremost, you have to remember who it is that you're speaking to, explained Steven Hassan, Ph.D., founder and director of Freedom of Mind Resource Center, and author of 'The Cult of Trump.' 'If you're speaking with someone who is a relative or a childhood friend, you can go back in your mind to remember who they were before, and keep telling yourself they're still there,' said Hassan. 'They've been hacked. They're going to come out. So how can I help them just realize for themselves that they're not happy there?' From there, he said to remember those good memories and focus on cultivating a warm and curious rapport that is centered around simple, effective and concise questions that you already know the answers to. The questions can be along the lines of 'Tell me more about why you believe this to be true?' or 'Where did you get this information from?' 'And then be patient and quiet while the person thinks and responds,' said Hassan. 'And I often recommend to my clients to mirror back by saying, 'So did I understand you correctly?' 'You believe this and this and this?', and the person gets to say 'yes' and know that you were really listening to them, and then you ask a follow-up question and a follow-up question.' From there, the person you're speaking with will understand that you're truly listening and trying to understand, which can help to build a respectful relationship that can allow for further dialogue. 'Remember that a lot of people are genuinely ensnared by manipulative systems of belief,' Daniella Mestyanek Young, cult survivor and author of 'Uncultured,' said. 'They didn't choose misinformation so much as fall into it, often due to loneliness, fear or a need for significance.' She suggested some ways you can respond: 'I've looked into this, and it's actually been widely debunked. Would you be open to reading a source I trust?' 'I know this feels true, but it's coming from a site known for disinformation. Can I share why I'm concerned?' 'It's really hard to talk about this stuff with all the false information out there. Maybe we can focus on something else?' 'You're not likely to change their mind in a single message,' said Young. 'But you can plant a seed of doubt — especially if you do it with kindness, not condescension.' The last thing you want to do is get entangled in an argument where everyone leaves the conversation more angry and isolated than they were before. 'One of the critical things is self-awareness,' Hassan said. 'It's important to understand triggers and how to neutralize triggers. This is going to take time, but identify the key points in them that's going to help them exit, as opposed to what's important to me, for me to have them in my life again.' He adds that these people have been brainwashed, and attacking or coming at them with hostility is only going to make them retreat further into their own belief system. People do not like to be isolated from family and friends. Unsurprisingly, they generally respond to love and respect and kindness and praise. 'And the good news is that it's not a permanent condition,' said Hassan. 'Human beings can change and grow.' Of course, there might be instances where keeping that door open to communication might just be too much or too hard, and that's where you have every right to back away. Young recommends saying phrases like: 'I love you too much to argue with you about this.' 'I've learned that these conversations don't feel good or helpful to me. I'm setting a boundary.' 'I want to focus on connecting with you, not debating you.' 'Let's keep this space politics-free.' And if they keep pushing, remember: Boundaries aren't about changing their behavior — they're about protecting your peace. 'You can step away,' Young said. 'You're not obligated to stay in conversations that harm you, especially when they're built on misinformation or power games.' Connection doesn't always mean agreement. It means curiosity, boundaries and a willingness to stay grounded in your own values — even when the people you love most are swept up in something you no longer recognize. 'We're living through a time of spiritual intoxication, where misinformation is more than a problem — it's a path to belonging for some people,' Young said. 'And so the most radical thing you can do might be the quiet, grounded choice: not to argue, but to refuse to play the game. Remember: The goal isn't always to win the argument. Sometimes the goal is just to stay whole in the face of it.' Even if it feels impossible to have meaningful conversations, keeping a light tether to the relationship can be incredibly important. This is because one of the most hidden — and cruel — exit costs for people leaving cults, extremist groups, or even online rabbit holes is that they have to admit they were wrong. 'That's a brutal kind of shame,' said Young. 'Sometimes the thing that keeps people stuck in a harmful ideology is not the belief itself — it's the fear of what it will cost them to walk away.' They have to go back to the people they cut off or belittled and say, 'You were right, and I got conned.' 'So, even if all you can manage is sending a birthday text or commenting on a photo of their dog, that thread of connection might one day be the thing they use to climb back out,' she continued. 'A life raft doesn't have to be big — it just has to float.' Here's What Therapists Would Tell People Considering Severing Ties With Family Over Politics Trump's Post About Taylor Swift Is So Immature, We Needed Child Psychologists To Explain One J6 Rioter Says Trumpers Are In A Cult. She's Right ― Here's How I Know.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump Says He Would Support Newsom's Arrest
Trump Says He Would Support Newsom's Arrest originally appeared on L.A. Mag. President Trump suggested that Tom Homan, his border czar, should arrest California Gov. Gavin Newsom amid National Guard mobilization in Los responded to Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy at the White House on Monday when questioned about the ongoing clash between Newsom and asked whether Homan should arrest Newsom, the president responded, 'I would do it if I were Tom.' Trump added, 'I think it's great. Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing.'Newsom responded to Trump's answer on X, formerly Twitter. 'This is a day I hoped I would never see in America,' said Newsom. 'I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.'Trump's comment comes after Homan threatened Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass with potential arrests if they interfered with ICE operations in L.A. Newsom commented on Homan's threat in an interview with MSNBC, saying, 'He's a tough guy, why doesn't he do that? He knows where to find me.'Homan criticized Newsom's response to the mass protests and confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement agencies that began June 6, calling him 'an embarrassment for the state.''If he cared about public safety in the state of California, he would not have a sanctuary for criminals, where criminals get released to the street in this state every day because of his policy,' Homan said of response to Trump's deployment of the National Guard, the state of California sued the Trump Administration on Monday. The lawsuit criticizes the administration and accuses it of overstepping Newsom's authority as the commander-in-chief of the California National Secretary Pete Heseth said on X that if the violence continued, 'Active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert.' This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
