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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate to run for lieutenant governor
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate will run for lieutenant governor next year against current Secretary of State Wes Allen. Pate, a Republican, was elected agriculture commissioner in 2018 and reelected in 2022. 'I've spent my life working the land, running a business, and serving my neighbors,' Pate said in a statement announcing his campaign this week. He also stressed his support for President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the former Auburn University football coach who is running for governor. 'As lieutenant governor, I'll bring that same hands-on leadership to supporting President Trump and Coach Tuberville in advancing the America First Agenda — so Alabama stays a place where families thrive, agriculture prospers, and conservative values lead the way.' The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, breaks ties in the chamber, steps in for the governor if that office becomes vacant and also makes a range of appointments, including for committees that dictate legislative priorities. The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, breaks ties in the chamber, steps in for the governor if that office becomes vacant and also makes a range of appointments, including for committees that dictate legislative priorities. The position used to have more power in the the legislative process, but those duties were given to the Senate's president pro tempore in 1999 after a partisan power struggle. Allen, who is also a Republican, previously announced that he would seek the position. Current Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, who has served two terms, can not run again because of term limits. Party primaries are May 19, 2026, followed by the general election on Nov. 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Month on, little hope for tourism revival in Valley
Over a month after the Pahalgam terror attack, there is little hope of revival of tourism across Kashmir as footfall continues to be negligible at various destinations. From thousands of tourists, it has come down to only a few hundred daily. Most hotels and guest houses are empty, and tourist destinations deserted. Stakeholders say the tourists trickling into the Valley prefer to stay in Srinagar. 'Last month's attack was death knell for our industry. On April 21, all 40 rooms of my hotel were booked and had advance bookings for the next four months. Within five days of the attack, every tourist left and now, the rooms are empty. There is no advance booking,' said Mohammad Shoiab, who runs a guest house at Shivpora. 'I don't have any hope for revival, at least this year,' he added. Sheikh Ashiq, former president of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said the tourism sector has been drastically affected by the attack. 'Its impact is on every aspect of our economy. It will take six months to one year for tourism to revive again,' he said. He also owns a hotel in Srinagar. He said that even in Srinagar, the markets look empty and there are barely any customers. The famous Dal Lake and the historical Mughal gardens, which were earlier crowded with tourists, are empty and shikaras are anchored, waiting for an occasional tourist. 'We used to earn ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 every day in April by ferrying tourists on the Dal Lake. Now, we earn ₹100 as there are very few tourists. We are hopeful that with the start of Amarnath Yatra, tourism activity will again pick up in Kashmir,' said Farooq Ahmad Budoo, as he sits in his anchored shikara on the shores of Dal Lake. Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Owners Association president Gowhar Maqbool said situation hasn't improved yet. 'We are hopeful after successful Amarnath Yatra and efforts of UT and Centre, we can revive our tourism sector,' he said. Officials and tour operators say that when the Pahalgam attack took place, around 2 lakh tourists were in J&K. 'This time, we won't have more than a few thousand tourists and most of them prefer to stay in Srinagar,' said Mushtaq Ahmad, who has a fleet of cabs. 'If the situation does not improve, I will be forced to sell a couple of vehicles due to financial liabilities,' he said. Hotel Association Pahalgam president Mushtaq Pahalgami said all the local sight-seeing places and parks are closed. 'A small number of tourists have started visiting, but they return to Srinagar by nightfall. We are working hard to revive tourism by using our contacts and hope it will be back on track,' he said, adding that chief minister Omar Abdullah holding a cabinet meeting in Pahalgam and posing for pictures near Lider river will send a positive image around the country.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tourists from city now shun Turkiye, Azerbaijan
Bhopal: Public anger against Turkiye for its continued support to Pakistan during Indian Armed Forces 'Operation Sindoor' has spilled over to the travel and tourism industry, besides the trade between the two nations. After temporary cessation of hostilities, Bhopal's travel industry has also gone nationalistic and witnessed a steady decline in Turkiye-bound travellers. Families who had previously planned to visit Turkish cities such as Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya are now seeking different holiday destinations. Travel operators across Bhopal reported numerous cancellations of pre-arranged holiday packages, including travel and accommodation bookings. This shift has impacted scheduled group excursions and educational visits."Tour organisations have begun promoting alternative holiday spots including Greece, Egypt, and the UAE to meet clients' changing requirements," said a representative of Vasundhara Travels. Tourism sector professionals note that the impact extends beyond holiday travel, affecting scheduled business meetings and corporate gatherings in Turkiye. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo Bhopal's smaller travel agencies are adjusting their service offerings and promotional approaches to address this unexpected shift in customer preferences. Meanwhile the boycott's influence has spread beyond tourism, affecting broader Turkish trade relations in Bhopal. Shops carrying Turkish goods have reported reduced sales, necessitating stock adjustments and revised purchasing plans. Bhopal's business leaders and trade associations are evaluating the boycott's effects on local trade and international connections. Trade organisations are investigating partnerships with different nations to ensure business operations continue smoothly. A boycott initiative targets Turkiye and Azerbaijan for their support of Pakistan and arming the nation with drones and weapons to be used against India. "Bhopal has now started a boycott of the countries that openly support Pakistan. A campaign is also being run on social media regarding this. And Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries has appealed for a complete ban on Turkiye," said Tejkulpal Singh Pali, president, Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Encroachment on JSR's Sakchi mkt roads hits traders
1 2 Jamshedpur: Nearly 100% of the roads in the Sakchi market have been encroached upon by illegal hawkers, leading to chaos and sharp decrease in footfall at permanent shops. The traders, who pay high rent and taxes, are feeling the pinch as hawkers capture the road leading to their shops. President of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI) Vijay Moonka said, "Earlier hawkers used to put up their stalls only on Tuesdays (scheduled closure of markets in Jamshedpur), which was called 'Mangla haat'. But encroachment of roads by hawkers started on a daily basis after Covid restrictions were removed. This has turned into a menace as the roads within the market, which has around 400 legal shops, have been captured by illegal hawkers." "Big shopkeepers have lost nearly 60-70% of their regular customers due to this mushrooming and thriving illegal business on the roads, who are not paying any tax or rent. These hawkers do business in several crores daily, " he added. The SCCI president added, "This has not only dented the business prospects of bonafide shopkeepers but creates a lot of problems for many residents who have houses within the market area. In case of emergency, ambulances or fire engines lack smooth and easy entry." Moonka said, "Sakchi market has witnessed several fire incidents but local administration turns a blind eye to the this serious issue." Ramesh Khemka, who owns a shop in Sakchi market, said, "Our shop is below our residential house, right in the middle of the market. Due to illegal hawking, the ambulance which was called to take my aging mother to hospital faced lot of difficulty last week." "The fire hydrants which were set up after a major fire in Sakchi market have now become stalls for hawkers. They are using these equipment to display and sell their products, directly compromising with the safety of shopkeepers and residents here," he added. Teacher Kakoli Mukherjee lamented, "I have stopped visiting Sakchi market as encroachers crowd the road and it is not safe to go there as pickpockets and mobile snatchers take advantage of the crowd to carry out their illegal activities. Recently, my friend's mobile was snatched at Sakchi market." Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee had carried out raids to remove the hawkers but failed to clear the space as the encroachers returned within 24 hours. "Anti-encroachment drive to clear pavements and roads of Sakchi market was taken up by then deputy commissioner Vijaya Jadhav but that too fizzed out within a short time," say shop owners. JNAC head Krishna Kumar on several occasions has assured to remove all encroachments at Sakchi market.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
FJCCI pushes for enhanced agri-export infrastructure in state
Ranchi: To enhance interstate and international trade of agricultural produce from Jharkhand, the 'ahari sub-committee' of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries ( FJCCI ) has appealed to the state govt to immediately establish a robust infrastructure and a supportive ecosystem for agri-export. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The chamber has called for the construction of integrated pack houses in Ranchi, Medininagar, Giridih and Godda as part of the effort. Additionally, they demanded a dry port in Jamshedpur, pesticide residue and NABL-accredited labs and the upgrading of the Birsa Munda airport to international standards to facilitate direct air cargo exports of local produce. FJCCI also emphasised the need for establishing a food processing and food industry directorate and constructing a cargo terminal at the airport. Officials of the chamber also stressed that the state's farmers, who grow ample vegetables, fruits, paddy, pulses and minor forest produce, suffer from the absence of proper market linkages and often sell their produce at low prices. FJJCI president Paresh Gattani said, "The business community will provide full support to boost farmers' income and work alongside the govt in developing export-ready infrastructure." These crucial decisions were taken during a workshop hosted by the 'ahari sub-committee' at the Chamber Bhawan, focusing on agricultural trade expansion. The experts present on the occasion discussed cargo logistics , dry port services, and schemes for Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), emphasising that the state's small and marginal farmers are required to be empowered through collective marketing strategies.
