Tag: map

Kupwara’s Keran shows up on tourism map as violence wanes along LoC

[ad_1]
Keran, May 09: With the authorities in Kashmir working for the promotion of offbeat tourism destinations, the ever-increasing tourist footfall to Keran along Line of Control is opening ample opportunities for people.
Keran located on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district is emerging as a new tourism destination.
The remote sector was a no go zone and used to witness intense gunfire and shelling leading to casualties and miseries for locals. The situation had even forced many of them to migrate to safer places given the scare of untimely ceasefire violations from across the border.
Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), locals appreciating the efforts of authorities and the Army said that the situation has gradually started to limp to normalcy. “People can undertake normal activities. Construction work has begun already. Students attend regular classes. Agricultural activities are also happening without any fear,” they said.
The situation in the sector has shown improvement after the February 2021 ceasefire pact between the armies of India and Pakistan. People are visibly happy with the improved atmosphere that used to remain under the constant shadow of guns.
Naseem Ahmad, a local, said that the situation has shown a significant improvement in the last two years. “People are able to engage in outdoor activities that weren’t a norm two years back.”
“The opening of the keran sector for the tourism boom has opened a huge number of opportunities for locals here. Locals have started to open their houses for home stay facilities. Small Dhaba owners have started to prepare rooms for night stay of tourists,” he said.
Naseem also said that not only men, even women are happy with the arrival of tourists.

Hesitant to talk, a few women KNO talked to said that they are happy to serve the tourists with the local delicacies. “We are enjoying the process as of now. Everyone we served here has been very supportive and encouraging. Even our men have been very cordial and supportive. We are very new to it but are adapting to everything required,” they said.
Asif Bhat, a local Dhaba owner said that the couple of shops there used to serve tea and very few other things to locals only. “But for the last two years, tourists have started to come here. Rooms are being prepared for night stays well. We have also hired chefs to offer different varieties to visitors,” he said.
Firdous, a resident of villgam said that he is happy to quit working in Srinagar and return to work in Keran. “I am getting a sound salary. Tourists are arriving in huge numbers,” he said.
Zaheer Ahmad Joo, a local, said that he has converted his piece of land into a tent space. “We offer tents for night stays. We also allow people to pitch their tents and charge them a very meagre amount. Even food is offered here and every visitor loves the experience,” he said—(KNO)
[ad_2]
#Kupwaras #Keran #shows #tourism #map #violence #wanes #LoC
( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

May 9, 2023
‘Inaccurate map’: Pakistan skips SCO meeting after India’s objection

[ad_1]
Pakistan did not attend a meeting of military medical professionals organised by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday because the Indian side objected to the use of maps that wrongly depicted the country’s borders, particularly in Kashmir.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the Indian side, including the foreign affairs ministry, highlighted the issue when Pakistani officials used identical maps at a previous SCO conference. India is holding a series of official and ministerial meetings in preparation for the SCO Summit in July.
The Pakistani side was reportedly using maps that depicted Kashmir as part of the neighbouring nation, an issue that has plagued SCO meetings in recent years.
Pakistan was to join the think tank conference with the topic “SCO Armed Forces Contribution in Military Medical, Healthcare, and Pandemics” on an official level. The report cited a source stating the Pakistani side did not participate when the Indian side objected.
The symposium was held at a hotel in New Delhi by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA).
The seminar’s goal was to share best practises in military medical, healthcare, and pandemic preparedness. The topic was chosen based on the efforts made by various armed services in combating Covid-19 over the last two and a half years by supplying isolation units, emergency healthcare equipment, and aiding in vaccination programmes in isolated places.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Inaccurate #map #Pakistan #skips #SCO #meeting #Indias #objection
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 21, 2023
2024’s sprawling Senate map comes down to these 3 Dems

[ad_1]
Brown, Manchin and Tester all survived their party’s difficult 2018 cycle after then-President Donald Trump pushed their states further rightward. Before that, they won reelection in 2012 while sharing the ballot with then-President Barack Obama. Now, the trio of Democrats is staring down their toughest political challenge yet: pulling a Susan Collins.
The moderate GOP Mainer successfully persuaded her state’s voters to split their tickets in a presidential year; Collins won reelection by 8 points in 2020 even as Biden defeated Trump by 9 points in her state. For Democrats to hang onto their 51-seat majority, they need Collins-style performances from at least two of their three red-state incumbents in an era of declining split-ticket voters.
While Brown and Tester are all in, Manchin hasn’t decided whether to run again, and Biden hasn’t made it official yet either. That makes Tester’s reelection decision all the more critical to the party — he’s probably the only Montana Democrat with a shot. At the moment, Democrats’ hopes of holding the Senate largely ride on Tester and Brown defying their states’ political leanings.
A decade ago, ticket-splitting was a far more common political phenomenon: Democrats won Senate races everywhere from Missouri to Indiana to North Dakota in 2012, even as Obama lost those states. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the party’s campaign chair, acknowledged that in the current environment “it’s a little bit harder to differentiate yourself” but if anyone can do it, it’s his incumbents.
“Just look at how these folks got elected. Jon Tester ran well above the presidential race. Manchin has done that,” Peters said in an interview. “The candidates who are running have already demonstrated that they have a unique plan, a very individualized brand. And that brand will prevail in the end.”
Peters’ GOP counterpart on 2024 campaigns, Montana Sen. Steve Daines, predicted voters would see something simpler from red-state Democrats running alongside Biden: “They run scared. And they run away.” In 2020, Daines trounced a strong Democratic nominee, Steve Bullock, even as the former governor significantly overperformed Biden in Montana.

“In West Virginia, you know, it doesn’t make a difference,” Sen. Joe Manchin says. “Joe Biden’s going to get beat so bad no matter what in my state. It’s just me. I’m not going to be campaigning for or against anybody else.”
|
Francis Chung/POLITICO
Among the three red-state Democrats, Manchin is most akin to Collins in terms of keeping their distance from their parties’ presidential nominees. Manchin didn’t support Obama in 2012, nearly pulled his backing from Hillary Clinton in 2016, and though he supported Biden in 2020 he seems unlikely to be vocal either way in 2024.
“In West Virginia, you know, it doesn’t make a difference,” Manchin said. “Joe Biden’s going to get beat so bad no matter what in my state. It’s just me. I’m not going to be campaigning for or against anybody else.”

Divided government will test Manchin’s sway. He’s championing an energy permitting overhaul that fell short last year and pushing the Biden administration on rolling out the energy, tax and health care bill he helped write last year. But each of the party’s three red-state senators has a prominent perch to generate more accomplishments before they’d face voters: Brown chairs the Banking Committee, Manchin chairs the Energy Committee and Tester chairs the Veterans Affairs Committee.
Meanwhile, Republicans will look to limit the three senators’ successes and drive a wedge between Biden and Senate Democrats. The chamber’s Republicans are plotting disapproval votes on federal regulations regarding sustainable investments, trucking emissions, water regulations and Pentagon environmental performance.
Biden will certainly veto those GOP efforts if they prevail, but their political intention is clear: Squeeze Democrats. Simultaneously, those votes offer an opportunity for Senate Democrats to separate themselves from the president.
“There are obviously [Democratic incumbents] who are paying attention to politics back home,” said Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.).
As challenging as 2024’s map is for Senate Democrats, it’s not as rough as 2018, when they had to defend 10 seats Trump had just won. Biden’s presidential win shored up Democrats’ brand in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, and if they can win those states at the presidential level again, it’s good news for their Senate hopefuls.
That puts a more intense focus on Ohio, West Virginia and Montana as the states that will decide the majority. And Republicans are looking at the basic math: In 2020, Trump won West Virginia by 39 points, Montana by 16 points and Ohio by 8 points.
The rest of next year’s battleground Senate races are in states Biden won, albeit in some cases quite narrowly: Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Arizona. Democrats in those states are far more likely to run with Biden than as a check on him — though the Copper State could see a three-way race if independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema seeks a second term.
Summing up her reelection theme in an interview, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) cited Biden’s recent State of the Union: “Between the House, the Senate and this president, there has been exceptional accomplishment. But we haven’t finished the job.”
Even in Ohio, Brown said he’d “assume” he’ll campaign with Biden even if the president is unlikely to consider his state a must-win.
“I run my own race, and my own brand. So, I’m not going to run from Biden,” Brown said. “He’s also delivered more than any president in recent history.”
Even Manchin sounds much like Brown or Baldwin when discussing what Democrats accomplished during the previous Congress. But because Biden is unpopular in West Virginia, it’s up to him to convince voters what they got out of it.
“There’s more coming for the state of West Virginia because of what we’ve done. Now, they’re not going to give that credit to a Democratic president,” Manchin said.
Manchin endorsed Collins in 2020, when the Mainer did not support Trump and largely ran on her lengthy record. Her reelection race initially flared with liberal outrage over her vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and culminated in one of the most expensive Senate races in the country.
Through it all, Collins trailed in the polls as then-Minority Leader Chuck Schumer mounted an aggressive bid to flip her seat. Yet in the end, Democrats fell short trying to nationalize the race in a state with few transient voters.
Offering some advice from that experience to Manchin, Brown and Tester — all of them similarly well-known back home, just like her — Collins put it this way: “People know me personally. And when Chuck Schumer was running vicious ads, people just didn’t believe it.”
[ad_2]
#2024s #sprawling #Senate #map #Dems
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

February 23, 2023
Akshay’s walk on India’s map raises the hackles of Netizens

[ad_1]
Mumbai: Ahead of his North America tour, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar is facing the heat over a promotional video in which he is shown walking over the map of India.
The actor had uploaded the now-controversial video on his social media handles on Sunday. Akshay’s post, however, did not cut ice with Netizens who promptly labelled it as disrespect to the India map.
The video also features actresses Disha Patani, Mouni Roy, Nora Fatehi, and Sonam Bajwa. Fortunately for them, they were not walking on the India map and so they escaped Akshay’s fate.
The video was made to promote the North America Tour of the stars in March this year. Sharing the video, Akshay had tweeted, “The entertainers are all set to bring 100 per cent shuddh desi entertainment to North America. Fasten your seat belts, we’re coming in March!”
The backlash to the video was quite savage as some Netizens raised questions about Akshay’s loyalties by pointing to his Canadian citizenship.
The actor has earlier stated that he has decided to relinquish his Canadian citizenship and applied for an Indian passport.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Akshays #walk #Indias #map #raises #hackles #Netizens
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 7, 2023
Saudi Arabia: Will football become a major factor in making an impact on the world map?

[ad_1]
Dubai: Till now, the economic and social impact of football was largely visible only in Latin American countries, but after the successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup by Qatar, the way Arab countries have realised the power of this game and started working in that direction is commendable and also going to become an example of foresight.
Football is an important part of Saudi Arabian culture and has been played for many years. With the recent signing of football superstars like Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia’s Al Nasr Club has signed a deal worth Rs 170 billion, indicating that Saudi Arabia wants to use football to promote tourism and culture in the country.
The manner in which Cristiano Ronaldo has been given a luxurious 5-star suite of 17 rooms to live in, as well as exemption from the law which prohibits unmarried cohabitation, it is clear that the purpose of this agreement and its effect is not going to be limited to playfield.
Two of Saudi Arabia’s biggest clubs, Al Nassr and Al Hilal, are investing heavily in their teams to make them globally competitive. This has increased interest in the sport among both locals and tourists alike.
Al-Nassr’s rival Al Hilal is reportedly making a whopping offer of 24 billion rupees per season for Argentine striker Lionel Messi, according to a report in Barca Universal. Al Hilal is said to be Al Nassr’s biggest rival.
Messi’s contract with his French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is set to expire in June, and the Saudi club is keen to sign him as soon as possible. Al Hilal is currently not allowed to add any players until the next transfer window, according to regulations, but they are open to signing the Argentine star now and allowing him to join the club in the summer.
Speaking to IANS, former Gulf News editor Bobby Naqvi said, “Football is also being used as a tool for social change in Saudi Arabia. It has been able to bring together people from different backgrounds and cultures. It is helping, as well as providing an outlet for young people who previously did not have access to entertainment or other forms of entertainment.”
“Football’s popularity is growing in Saudi Arabia year by year and now it has become an important part of the culture. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar have played at Al Nassr, Al Hilal, and Al Wehda.

“With news of signings for teams such as Saudi Arabia, it is inevitable that more people from around the world will be attracted to watch sports in Saudi Arabia. This increased interest will contribute to an influx of tourists resulting in increased ticket sales, merchandise May contribute to the economy through growth in sales, hospitality, and business.
“These efforts are part of Saudi Vision 2030, a national transformational roadmap launched in 2016. The roadmap aims to position Saudi Arabia as an economic powerhouse in the world. Saudi Arabia strives to establish itself as an attractive destination for visitors and investors and to provide excellent quality of life to its people. Football has much to offer to Saudi Arabia and can be seen as a step toward cultural progress.”
As part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision 2030, Saudi Arabia prioritised sports in 2016. Since then, the sports industry in Saudi Arabia has been progressing toward three major goals. Increasing community participation in sports to 40 per cent by 2030, improving Saudi athletes’ overseas exposure, and boosting the sports economy.
One of the goals of Vision 2030 was to make the state a hub for top professional sporting events, which would have significant implications for the country, such as job creation.
According to the 2020 Sports Ministry report, the sports sector created more than 14,000 jobs that year. In addition, jobs in sports clubs have increased by 129 per cent over three years due to new sporting offerings. Between 2018 and 2021, administrative jobs grew by 156 per cent, while career opportunities in sports increased by more than 114 per cent.
The economic impact of tourism is another important benefit of hosting sporting events in the Kingdom, as these events contribute to an increase in the number of foreign visitors from around the world who can spend money and boost the Saudi economy.
According to the ministry, sporting events generated 36.9 million Saudi riyals ($9.8 million) in ticket revenue and visitor spending in 2020. In addition, the sports sector contributes to hotel spending and the hospitality industry in general. Both the cities of Jeddah and Riyadh host events such as Formula E, Formula 1 and Race on the Red Sea during the first eight months of 2022.
One of Saudi Arabia’s biggest obstacles in promoting sports was the low participation of women. Top-down reforms have helped address this problem. In 2018, families-not just men-were allowed to enter the stadium. Following this change, the number of participants in athletic events increased by 152 per cent.
To encourage women’s participation in sports, the Ministry of Education issued a decision in 2017 to implement sports classes in girls’ schools, which were not previously available in public schools. All these reforms helped women’s participation in sports skyrocket by 150 percent from 2015 to 2019. Today, the state has over six thousand female athletes and twenty-seven women’s sports teams.
Saudi Arabia has participated in the FIFA World Cup six times and the number of clubs playing professional football in Saudi Arabia is over 100, with 16 clubs playing in the Saudi Professional League, 20 clubs in the First Division, 28 clubs in the Second Division and 32 in the Third Division.
As India has withdrawn the bid to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, Saudi Arabia is left as the sole bidder for it, and it is for Saudi Arabia to claim the FIFA World Cup after successfully hosting the Asian Cup.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing to stake claim to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. If we talk about Arab countries, then this country with a population of about 36 crores has always been enthusiastic about sports. Saudi Arabia has also won many medals in the Summer Olympic and Winter Olympic Games.
Apart from football, equestrian sports, horserace, athletics, formula one, and karate are also very much liked by the people of Saudi Arabia and their participation is visible. As it is clear that Saudi wants to separate its economy from oil, sports and tourism can become its main source of income. In the coming days, we can see a lot of sports-related activities here.
Saudi Arabia, a mostly desert country with summer temperatures touching 50 degrees Celsius, has been chosen to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games and is building one such sports complex in the $500 billion mega-city Neom. which will remain cold and snowy year-round for the winter sports complex.
The Saudi capital Riyadh will host the Asian Games in 2034.
Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal told media that hosting the Olympics was the kingdom’s “ultimate goal”. Saudi money has knocked the world of golf with the LIV tour of golf by investing huge money. Top players have been lured by record-breaking prize money and hefty sign-on fees. Former world number one Dustin Johnson has been one of the major beneficiaries, earning $35 million in total prize money in the inaugural season – having been given $150 million just for agreeing to play. The LIV will expand its 54-hole, part-team format this year to a 14-tournament international event offering a record $405 million in prize money.
In cricket, Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil exporter and one of its richest companies, began sponsoring major events organised by the International Cricket Council, including the men’s and women’s ODI and T20 World Cups. Saudi Arabia has overtaken horse racing with the $20 million Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race. The last two editions have been won by Saudi-owned horses.
Not only Saudi, but other neighbouring countries are continuously investing to build Arab ownership and influence in football.
Qatar wants to invest in the English Premier League (6 billion Pounds), the world’s richest and most watched league, with its Sports Fund (QSI). Recently held investment talks with London-based club Tottenham Hotspur. Qatar has bought a 22 percent stake in Portuguese club SC Braga for 19 million Pounds. QSI is also exploring options in Belgium, Spain, and Brazil.
The English Premier League is closely related to the Gulf countries. The royal family of Abu Dhabi bought Manchester City Club in 2008. The club has won the Premier League 6 times since Abu Dhabi bought Manchester City and Manchester City is also in financial profit. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) bought English Premier League club Newcastle United in 2021 for 300 million Pound. Qatar also owns beIN- the sports broadcaster for Europe and the Middle East. Apart from football, Qatar is now taking interest in Squash, Tennis, and Formula One with its Sports Fund (QSI).
Another important factor behind the promotion of tourism through sports and games is the nomadic nature of the Saudi people. Every year, about $50 billion is spent by Saudis travelling abroad. It is the effort of the Saudi government to give the young generation of working age above 35 years the option to spend within the country.
In Saudi Arabia, 60 per cent of the population is under the age of 35, who are standing with Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the winds of Saudi change. This is a Saudi population that is educated abroad, speaks English, and is ready to be a change agent with technology.
According to statistics, tourists in Saudi Arabia spent 27 billion riyals ($7.19 billion) during the first six months of 2022, making tourism one of the most promising sectors in the kingdom.
The Investment Ministry said that 3.6 million foreign tourists visited the kingdom during the second quarter of the year, which greatly contributed to the plan to diversify sources of income as part of Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia aims to become a top five global destination by 2030, and to this end opens the country to foreign tourism and investment.
Turki Alalsheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, said six million people attended the Riyadh Season 2022 winter festival within a month of its launch on October 21.
Saudi Arabia has opened its borders to international luxury hospitality brands and welcomed foreign visitors for the first time to its ancient heritage sites and pristine coastline while opening up new wonders for the world to see.
With the inclusion of sporting and entertainment events around the world, Saudi Arabia is creating more opportunities for its citizens and foreign tourists to explore. According to Saudi Vision 2030, the country aims to increase the private sector’s contribution to GDP to 65 per cent by 2030. Saudi Arabia has also allowed its citizens to rent Airbnb-style property through a new portal similar to the global rental marketplace.
The recent announcement of Saudi Entertainment Ventures, to invest more than SAR 50 billion to build 21 entertainment destinations that will provide unique and innovative world-class entertainment experiences and global partnerships from within the sector.
SEVEN recently announced the beginning of construction of its entertainment destination in the Al Hamra district of Riyadh as well as the location of the upcoming projects in 14 cities across the Kingdom: Riyadh, Kharj, Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Dammam, Khobar, Al Ahsa, Madinah, Yanbu, Abha, Jazan, Buraidah, and Tabuk.
Saudi Entertainment Ventures has announced the beginning of construction of its entertainment destination in Tabuk.
With a development value of more than SAR 1 billion, SEVEN’s entertainment destination in Tabuk will transform the entertainment landscape in the region with a wide range of attractions and experiences.
[ad_2]
#Saudi #Arabia #football #major #factor #making #impact #world #map
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 29, 2023