Chinese Diplomat, Seen As Potential Foreign Minister, Being Probed: Report
Liu was taken away after returning to Beijing in late July from a work trip overseas, WSJ reported, citing the people familiar with the matter.
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The Hindu
6 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Modi inaugurates long-delayed Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro, flags off Vande Bharat to Belagavi
Bengaluru's long wait for the Yellow Line of Namma Metro finally ended on Sunday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 19.15-km corridor linking R.V. Road to Bommasandra. The Prime Minister also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Belagavi, along with two other Vande Bharat services launched virtually. The Yellow Line, a key metro link connecting the city's IT hub in Electronics City and expected to significantly ease traffic congestion at bottlenecks like the Silk Board junction, has been plagued by delays since construction began in 2017. Originally envisioned in the 2011 Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the project was initially scheduled for completion by December 2021. However, setbacks including protracted land acquisition, disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and delays in rolling stock supply from Chinese manufacturer CRRC Nanjing pushed the timeline by nearly four years. A packed schedule for the Prime Minister Mr. Modi arrived in Bengaluru on Sunday morning at HAL Airport and then travelled by helicopter to the Indian Air Force Training Command in the city, where he was received by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. His first stop was the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway Station in Majestic, where he flagged off three Vande Bharat Express trains, the KSR Bengaluru–Belagavi service, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Amritsar service, and the Nagpur (Ajni)–Pune service, the latter two launched virtually. Following the event, the Prime Minister proceeded to Ragigudda Metro Station to inaugurate the Yellow Line. There, he flagged off the inaugural service, tried out the QR code-enabled ticket vending machines, and boarded the metro to Electronic City. Speaking to The Hindu, a Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) official said the train was piloted by a woman loco pilot. 'Schoolchildren, metro officials, and some members of the public were also onboard, and Mr. Modi interacted with them during the journey,' the official said, adding the commercial operation to be starting from Monday. At the end of his metro ride to Infosys Foundation Konappana Agrahara Metro Station, the Prime Minister moved to the IIIT Auditorium in Electronics City Phase 1. There, he laid the foundation stone for Namma Metro's Phase 3, also known as the Orange Line, and addressed a gathering. Phase 3 to expand network to 222 km Phase 3 will be fully elevated and is planned to serve underserved areas along Magadi Road and the western portion of the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Once completed in 2029, it is projected to accommodate 7.85 lakh daily commuters and will extend Bengaluru's metro network to 222.2 km, according to BMRCL officials. The project has cleared all mandatory hurdles, receiving Union Cabinet approval in August 2024. Political slugfest ahead of the launch The inauguration also became a stage for political one-upmanship. At Ragigudda Metro Station, Congress supporters raised slogans in favour of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Hours before the inauguration, Mr. Shivakumar accused the BJP-led Central government of contributing only 20% towards the cost of the Yellow Line, claiming the State government bore the remaining 80%. In certain cases, he said, the Centre's contribution was as low as 11%. Speaking to reporters, he urged the Prime Minister to sanction at least ₹1 lakh crore for Bengaluru's development, stating that the State government had funded the entire land acquisition despite the Centre being expected to share 50% of the cost. 'Even though Bengaluru is the country's second-highest tax-paying city, the grants we receive are minimal,' he said, adding that Ahmedabad receives a 20% share of tax allocations compared to Bengaluru's 10%. 'We should be treated like other major cities and considered alongside the national capital.' Mr. Shivakumar also criticised BJP MPs from Karnataka, alleging they had failed to secure meaningful grants for the State. 'Posting on X and appearing in photos is not an achievement. BJP MPs should focus on bringing funds instead of playing politics,' he said. A vital corridor Built at a cost of ₹7,610 crore, the Yellow Line adds 16 stations to Namma Metro's network, expanding the operational length to 96 km. The fully elevated line incorporates the city's first driverless train technology, though services will initially be operated by loco pilots. BMRCL officials expect the Yellow Line to carry over 2.5 lakh passengers daily once the full fleet of trains is delivered and operational. The corridor integrates with major metro lines at key junctions: R.V. Road (Green Line), Jayadeva Hospital (Pink Line), and Central Silk Board (Blue Line, Phases 2A & 2B). Another notable feature is its integration with the city's first double-decker flyover between Silk Board Junction and Ragigudda Metro Station, designed to ease one of Bengaluru's most congested stretches. The Yellow Line is expected to bring much-needed relief to thousands of employees working in Electronic City, a major IT cluster hosting several multinational companies. By offering a direct metro connection from the southern residential areas to the IT hub, the line could significantly cut commuting times, reduce dependence on private vehicles, and ease pressure on the city's overburdened road network. Delayed project When construction began in 2017, expectations were high that the Yellow Line would be operational within four years. However, the project encountered several roadblocks. Land acquisition delays slowed initial progress, while the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labour supply, construction schedules, and logistics. A major blow came from delays in receiving rolling stock from CRRC Nanjing, the Chinese manufacturer contracted to supply the train. In 2019, CRRC was awarded a ₹1,578-crore contract to supply 216 metro coaches, with the condition that it establish a manufacturing facility in India, a commitment the company failed to meet. This non-compliance significantly slowed the project, prompting the BMRCL to issue multiple notices to CRRC and even consider invoking a ₹372-crore bank guarantee. To break the deadlock, CRRC entered into a partnership with Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, which allowed train deliveries to resume. At present, the Yellow Line has only three train sets in operation. A fourth set is en route from the Titagarh facility and is expected to be delivered to Bengaluru Metro by mid-August, officials said.
Hans India
36 minutes ago
- Hans India
Incentivising infiltration: The US military's dangerous bet on Pakistan
As the Middle East approaches a new boiling point, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) finds itself at the heart of an escalating geopolitical storm - from defending Israel against Iranian missile barrages to containing the reach of Chinese influence across the Indian Ocean. In this high-stakes arena, operational clarity and strategic trust are non-negotiable. Yet, CENTCOM's recent embrace of Pakistan—underscored by the award of the prestigious Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) to CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla—raises troubling questions about the judgment guiding America's military partnerships. CENTCOM's responsibilities have grown dramatically since Israel's inclusion in its command structure in 2021. No longer a regional player, CENTCOM is now the fulcrum of US military power projection in one of the world's most volatile theatres. When Iran unleashed swarms of missiles and drones on Israel in April and October 2024, it was CENTCOM that coordinated the multinational defence response. American destroyers in the Mediterranean and Red Sea shot down more than 80 drones and multiple ballistic missiles—actions that underscored CENTCOM's frontline role in protecting Israel and maintaining regional balance. Against this backdrop, welcoming Pakistan into CENTCOM's inner circle is not just ill-advised - it's strategically reckless. Needless to say, Pakistan has always played a double game with the West. Pakistan has been found sheltering militant networks and hedging its alliance. It has been cultivating parallel partnerships with US adversaries. It has done so, while publicly pledging cooperation in counterterrorism. That duplicity is more dangerous than ever in the current situation. Pakistan may have been removed from the FATF grey list in 2022, but its financial system remains compromised. It is the US State Department itself which continues to flag significant money laundering and terror financing risks. At the same time, FATF's July 2025 report warned of persistent state-sponsored extremist activity. There is no denying that several UN-designated terrorist groups still operate freely on Pakistani soil, fundraising and training with impunity. Clearly, Pakistan's counterterrorism record remains deeply suspect - precisely the kind of red flag CENTCOM cannot afford to ignore. What also merits attention is Pakistan's growing military-industrial entanglement with China that further complicates the entire picture. Joint development of JF-17 fighter jets, naval systems, and missile technology not only cements Islamabad's dependency on Beijing but potentially opens a backdoor into CENTCOM's security architecture. Sensitive intelligence, operational planning, and defence technologies shared with Pakistan could easily end up in Chinese hands—an unacceptable risk when CENTCOM is actively countering Chinese influence across the Indian Ocean and Middle East. Pakistan's enthusiastic embrace of China's Belt and Road Initiative—especially through strategic ports like Gwadar—makes clear where its long-term allegiances lie. In any future confrontation involving Iran, China, or their proxies, Pakistan's loyalties are unlikely to align with American interests. History offers ample warning. This is the same Pakistan that hosted Osama bin Laden within a stone's throw of its military academy while claiming to be a key U.S. ally in the war on terror. The same Pakistan that facilitated Taliban resurgence while cashing American checks. The same Pakistan is now receiving CENTCOM's highest military honours! To trust such a partner with sensitive intelligence—while CENTCOM coordinates missile defence operations in the Gulf, interdicts Iranian proxy arms shipments, and supports Israeli deterrence—defies logic. It invites risk at the very core of the US regional command. A critical US partner in the Indo-Pacific, India has repeatedly exposed Pakistan's duplicity. The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir—traced back to Pakistani-based networks—highlighted the continuing threat posed by militant sanctuaries across the border. CENTCOM's tolerance of such contradictions not only undermines US counterterror efforts but also alienates regional allies who share American strategic concerns. Pakistan's chronic economic dysfunction compounds the danger. Heavily reliant on IMF bailouts and deep in debt to China, Islamabad's foreign policy is increasingly up for sale. Economic leverage from Beijing - or even Tehran - could skew Pakistan's decision-making at critical moments. CENTCOM simply cannot afford operational dependencies on a state so vulnerable to external pressure. CENTCOM's evolving mission—neutralising Iran's nuclear ambitions, stabilising Gaza, deterring Houthi aggression, and defending Israel—demands absolute trust among partners. Pakistan has never earned that trust. Recent developments only confirm Islamabad's status as a strategic liability. Operational integrity cannot coexist with geopolitical hedging. Intelligence sharing with a country enmeshed in parallel alliances, riddled with terror links, and beholden to Chinese debt is a recipe for disaster. General Kurilla's commendation may have been intended as diplomacy. In reality, it broadcasts strategic confusion at a time when clarity and conviction are needed most. The stakes in the Middle East are too high to tolerate divided loyalties. It's time for CENTCOM to draw clear lines—and Pakistan belongs on the outside of them.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Chinese Mother, 90, Learns Law To Defend Her Son In Court
A 90-year-old Chinese mother has gained attention on the internet after she taught herself law to defend her son in a high-profile extortion case. The mother, surnamed He, has been defending her son, Lin, 57, who was arrested in April 2023 for blackmailing a local entrepreneur named Huang to the tune of Rs 141 crore (117 million yuan). The case proceedings are ongoing at the Zhoushan Municipal Intermediate Court in Zhejiang province, where Ms He represents her son. The last hearing took place on July 30. According to a report in the South China Morning Post, Ms He decided to take up law last year as she was missing her son very much. Though the family objected to the decision, owing to her old age, Ms He refused to budge and started her preparations. "But my grandmother is stubborn and she did not listen to the advice of others," Ms He's granddaughter told the media. "She bought books on Criminal Law and the Law of Criminal Procedure before studying law by herself." Apart from studying books and journals, the nonagenarian mother also visits the court every day to study dossiers about related cases. What is the case? Lin was in business with Huang in the gas production business, but the latter often failed to make the payments on time, despite being among the top 100 richest people in China in 2009, with a net worth of eight billion yuan (US$1.1 billion) at the time. The constant delays led to the suspension of production at Lin's factory and severe losses. Between 2014 and 2017, Lin and his accountant forced Huang to cough up a sum of 117 million yuan by threatening to inform the tax agencies about his irregular business practices. Troubled by the threats, Huang finally reported Lin to the police for extortion at the start of 2023. When Ms He first saw her son being taken to the courtroom in handcuffs, she nearly choked and cried on the spot. "Hours later, she became emotional and said she did not feel comfortable. The court asked doctors from an ambulance that had been assigned in advance to do a physical check-up on her," the report stated. While doctors suggested that Ms He go to the hospital, she refused to leave, as she wanted to be by her son's side.
