Author: Kashmir Newsline

By Dr. Santosh Bakaya It is 3 A.M., and for nyctophiles like me, the perfect time for doing so many things: allowing my mind to go on flights of fancy, indulging in a little bit of self-introspection, or listening to the sounds of silence. But what does one do when even the sounds of silence appear very loquacious- to the point of being ear-callousing? Or maybe try to read meaning in the hoots of the two amiable owls which have always been a part of the nightscape? But, today, they are in the midst of some sort of nocturnal adventure, misadventure…

There are more chances of an investor losing all or most of the money invested.   By Sajjad bazaz Gullible investors, youngsters in particular, are fast falling prey to online scamsters and are mostly duped through purportedly lucrative investment opportunities in cryptocurrencies. In cryptocurrency segment, it’s the meme coins that have grabbed the attention of the young for the sterling returns offered by these virtual coins. Above all, the endorsement by prominent celebrities of these meme coins as an exciting investment opportunity lured the investors, especially the rookies, to park their hard earned money in them. However, after getting…

Most people involved in businesses and commerce in Kashmir are sure that consumers are increasingly losing the power and will to spend money. There is a growing consensus that the purchasing power is long gone and most of the spending is strictly need-based. This is a classic example of an economic recession and Kashmir appears to be at the brink of an economic crisis. In the absence of a strong bailout, repeatedly sought by Kashmir’s business community and ignored by the government, the economy is now slithering into an abyss. Kashmir’s long economic winter began in September 2014 when…

 New Delhi shouldn’t shy away from talks. By Shome Basu Since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A – the laws which gave autonomy and special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir – on 5th of August 2019, Kashmir valley, unexpectedly, hasn’t seen any major public uproar. The valley was locked down for nearly 18 months which also included the COVID lockdown. For a major part of the lockdown, mobile phones, internet and landline communication services, schools, offices and all economic activities, barring some emergency services, were suspended while people stayed mostly indoors amid unprecedented crackdown on civilian…

The directive to shut down the schools came on 14 June 2022. Mir Aiyaz Zameer Ahmad is worried that the two-storey Islamia Model School in Diver, a faraway village in the picturesque Lolab valley of north Kashmir, stands desolate and locked since last month. The fate of once-vibrant school, which provided education to rural children – many of them downtrodden – is now sealed as the state administration ordered a closure of nearly a dozen schools associated with Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT). The trust was set-up by Jamaat-e-Islami in 1972. The closure has left many teachers like Ahmad, who taught…

This year’s plentiful produce has given a fresh lease of life to orchardists. Saqib Mugloo Abdul Rahman Dar neatly places the cherry harvest inside boxes as the June sun swelters overhead at his orchard in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. It has been an abundant produce and market conditions appear positive as waves of COVID19 infections have gradually eased after causing widespread economic and supply disruptions during the last two years. “This year we have a bumper crop and I am hopeful we will do better business than previous years,” Dar, 56, said as he finished his lunch and quickly went…

One wrong step led to some trials and travails but, at the end of the day, it was more than worth it. Shahnawaz Khanday I was embarking on the trek to Alpine lakes located high up in the foothills of Bramsakli for the third time in as many years. I, along with some friends, left at the crack of dawn, immediately after the morning prayers. The eight of us, including some professionals and experienced alpinists, drove straight to Halan hamlet in Kulgam which is the starting point to what are now widely known as trekking routes of Chiranbal meadow, Bramsar…

How a lively group of women in Dubai revels in esprit de corps. Sana Altaf It is 6 pm and the scorching summer heat of Dubai has started to subside. There is haze in the air as the humidity soars. Roads are busy with office-goers returning home. Cafés and restaurants are getting packed with customers. It is amid these end-of-the-day activities that Dubai’s parks start coming alive. Children of different age groups arrive at their neighborhood parks with water bottles, footballs, and cricket kits. Some children ride bicycles, others come on scooters. It is common for their mothers to accompany…

The continued fall of the value of the rupee is bad news for commoners, as they will be further burdened by the woes already brought upon them by high inflation. By Sajjad Bazaz Indian Rupee (INR) continues to dominate media headlines for all the wrong reasons. Its value against the US dollar continues to fall. On July 5, the exchange rate crossed the Rs. 79 barrier and hit a fresh low of 77.38 and then closing at all-time low of 79.37 against USD. Notably, globally well known financial services company, Nomura, in its latest report said the rupee could sink…

Can England replicate its recent success for a considerable length of time and under more testing conditions and against more formidable oppositions? Bilal Ahsan Dar England is currently no.2 in ICC’s ODI and T20I rankings both. It’s a side that’s considered favorite for any international tournament hosted by the International Cricket Committee (ICC) as far as the shorter formats are concerned. But, until last 5 or 6 years, English team was an underachiever in both the formats.. They had a disastrous outing in the 2015 World Cup. They lost with big margins and the most humiliating defeat was the one…