Reaping peace dividends: Homestay facilities boost rural economy in Kashmir’s border villages



International Desk
photo: collected

photo: collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

With tourism activities picking up pace in remote villages along Line of Control, homestay facilities have increased to host visitors in absence of hotels.

“150 homestay facilities are offering their services to tourists in border areas like Teethwal and Keran,” an official said.

In February 2021, renewed ceasefire agreement between the armies of India and Pakistan has transformed remote and out of bound villages and mountains into tourism destinations.

A senior officer in Kupwara said that 70 homestay facilities have been registered with the authorities and they offer food and accommodation to tourists.

“All their details and tourist arrival figures are available with the authorities. They also maintain the arrival details of tourists,” the official said.

The official said that homestays are pivotal in the promotion of tourism activities in the district. “There is no infrastructure other than what locals have already constructed. Major hotels and restaurants aren’t there in any part of the remote areas,” the official stated.

The official also said that tourism-related activities have begun just a couple of years ago only.

“No big night accommodation is available there. Tourism has just begun and almost all of these places were out of bonds for the general public other than locals. Homestays are proving to be a game changer in attracting more tourists,” the official said while assuring more facilities will be enhanced with time.

Another senior official said that although 70 homestays are registered with the concerned authorities, their number has increased. “As per our reports, about 150 homestay facilities as of now are offering their services to tourists across the Kupwara district.”

The officials said these facilities are in Keran, Karnah (Teethwal), Machil and the rest of the tourist destinations in the district.

The official said that people are now able to eke out their livelihood from the tourism activities.

Locals are happy that tourism activities are picking up saying it has helped them earn their livelihood.

Azhar Peer, a local associated with tourism activities said two years ago it was not possible to even think of suggesting a tourist to visit border areas. “But now, last year people in the border areas have opened their homes for homestays which make the job much easier. We are now inviting tourists to visit the border areas of Kupwara,” he said.

He said that he always follows the prescribed guidelines and proper permission of visitors so they don’t have to face any problem at any level.

Azhar also said that in September this year, about 25 couples from outside Jammu and Kashmir will be visiting these border villages.

“We have already started our preparations. We have made room bookings and arrangements for food for them. About 30 homestay rooms will come under use,” he said.

He said the homestay initiative is helping a huge number of families and individuals to earn a good amount for their livelihood. “Border villages are gradually turning into tourist destinations,” he added.

Amid this, locals pray the peace along borders stays forever—(KNO)

   

Hamas says 'yes' to Gaza ceasefire



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

Hamas has accepted a ceasefire proposal brokered by Qatar and Egypt. But so far nothing has been reported from Israel in this regard. They are looking into the matter.

On Monday (May 6), Qatar-based media Al Jazeera reported this information.

According to a statement by Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, the head of Hamas' political wing, Ismail Haniya, called Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and informed him that Hamas had approved the proposal for a ceasefire agreement. Ismail Hania also said the same thing to the Minister of Intelligence of Egypt, Abbas Kamal.

Meanwhile, the residents of Gaza expressed joy at the news of Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire.

It should be noted that at least 34 thousand 737 people have been killed and 78 thousand 108 people have been injured in the Israeli attack on Gaza since October 7. And the number of dead in Israel is 1 thousand 139 people.

;

Campuses can be battlegrounds around graduation ceremonies in the United States



International Desk, Barta24.com,Dhaka
photo: Collected

photo: Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

Protests against the Israeli attack on Gaza have erupted in several US universities. The student protests there have entered their second week. Last Saturday (May 4), police arrested at least 25 more pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Virginia.

Al-Jazeera reported that more than two and a half thousand students have been arrested from campuses across the United States. In the meantime, graduation ceremony in universities is approaching.

It is feared that various university campuses in the United States may turn into battlefields around graduation ceremonies in the coming days.

At 47 US universities, students are protesting against Israeli aggression and genocide in Gaza. This protest has been going on since April 17. Since the beginning, the police have used excessive force to suppress this peaceful protest.

In this way, the rights activists protested the suppression of the protest and the arrest of the protesting students. They demanded to ensure the freedom of expression of the students.

Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for the end of this week at four universities hit by protests. The event is scheduled to take place this month or next June at several other universities, including New York's Columbia University, the epicenter of the protests.

The university authorities fear that the protesting students may disrupt the graduation ceremony. For this reason, the authorities are taking initiatives to strengthen the security system.

The protesting students have threatened that if their demands are not met, they are thinking of alternative programs including boycotting these events and walking out of the venue. In such circumstances, some universities have canceled these programs. Some are procrastinating.

The peaceful protests at the University of Virginia continued until Saturday morning. At that time a video spread among the students. In the video, police are seen detaining some protesting students from the campus lawn.

Apart from this, the police are using chemical sprays to quell the protests. After that the protest turned into a riot.

In a statement, University President Jim Ryan said that the protesters were detained when campus security informed the police that they would be protesting in tents last Friday night. However, it is not clear how many university students are among those detained.

Pro-Palestinians protest in front of the stage at the graduation ceremony at the University of Michigan. But this protest was peaceful. Campus police quickly surrounded the protesters and escorted them to the back of the stadium. But dozens of students dressed in flags, kaffiahs and graduation caps staged a university graduation ceremony.

A day later, Northeastern University and Ohio State University were supposed to hold the closing ceremony on Sunday, but the commencement ceremony was disrupted.

Meanwhile, apart from the United States, this protest has now spread to new countries. Students from France, UK, Italy, Australia, Canada, Japan, India, Lebanon, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland and Mexico have come to protest for the Palestinians.

;

Israel launched a ground attack in Rafah amid ceasefire talks



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

Israel launched a ground attack in Rafah in the midst of Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks in Gaza.

A delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas is in the Egyptian capital for ceasefire and prisoner-release talks. Sources said Ceasefire talks have progressed.

International media Al Jazeera reported in a report that despite the negotiations, Israel continued its ground attack on Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday to meet with mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States to negotiate a 40-day ceasefire, according to reports published by the United Kingdom.

The talks are at a critical stage, sources told Al Jazeera, as a Qatari technical team is working out the details of a potential deal with the Egyptians.

As technical teams indicate, we are moving into the operational side of a deal. They are monitoring the issues in detail in this agreement.

A senior Hamas spokesman, Osama Hamdan, told Al Jazeera, "It is clear that we are moving forward. There are some good points.

"So far we are still talking about the main issue, which is a complete ceasefire and a complete withdrawal from Gaza," he said. We hope to find some good and positive answers today.

Israel said it will continue to attack Rafah despite talk of a possible deal with Hamas. UN agencies and aid groups have long warned that the ground operation would spell disaster for the 15 lakh people taking refuge there.

Hamdan said, "Unfortunately, Netanyahu has made a clear statement that no matter what happens, if there is a ceasefire or not, he will continue to attack." That means there will be no ceasefire, and that means that the offensive will continue.

Al Jazeera's Ahlbara said the talks were focused on convincing Hamas that it should refrain from demanding a permanent ceasefire from Israel during the first phase of the deal because it is unlikely to happen.

On October 7, Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel, killing more than 1,100 people. During this time, more than 240 people were captured by Hamas.

Later, more than 34,600 Palestinians have died in Israel's attack on Gaza. More than 70 percent of Palestinian territory has been reduced to rubble, pushing the region toward famine.

;

Attacks on environmental journalists are on the rise worldwide: UN



News Desk, Barta24.com
Pic: Collected

Pic: Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

According to a recently published report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO, 44 environmental journalists from 15 countries around the world lost their lives in violent attacks from 2009 to 2023; And 24 people managed to return alive.

This information was reported in the report of the news agency Reuters on Friday (May 3).

According to the report, attacks on environmental journalists are increasing around the world. UNESCO representatives interviewed 905 environmental journalists from 129 countries to prepare the report.

In the interview, 749 out of 905 journalists (more than 70 percent) said that they had to face physical attacks or intimidation, threats, and pressure at some point in their lives to perform their professional duties. Many have also had to deal with the legal problems of detention and defamation cases.

Analyzing the cases of assault-harassment, it has been found that the cases of physical assault have occurred more among male journalists. On the other hand, women journalists are more victims of harassment.

Journalists have been attacked and harassed while reporting on various environmental issues. These issues include various mining irregularities, land tenure conflicts, deforestation, extreme weather related disasters, pollution and environmental damage, fossil fuel sector and its trade etc.

All of these attacks and harassment have come from individuals and groups associated with the power structure of the state. In this context, the UNESCO report said, 'Police, army, government officials and employees, people of local government authorities are responsible for these attacks and harassment. 

;