TOP STORIES

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

China’s mega dam threatens to devastate Bangladesh’s water security, economy: Report

Dhaka, Aug 9 (IANS) For Bangladesh, a nation where over 160 million people depend on the Brahmaputra - known locally as the Jamuna - the consequences of China building a colossal $170 billion hydropower dam in Tibet could be catastrophic, a report cited on Saturday."It represents more than just an engineering marvel — it stands as a stark indictment of Bangladesh’s misplaced diplomatic priorities and naive trust in Beijing. As this mega-dam threatens to devastate Bangladesh’s water security, economy, and environment, Dhaka’s leadership must confront an uncomfortable truth: their extensive courting of China has blinded them to the very real dangers of hydro-hegemony," a Northeast News report detailed.It mentioned that the most damaging is the Chinese dam's impact on sediment flow as the ...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Bengal: Son of Trinamool Congress leader killed in shootout

INDIA, TOP STORIES

Kolkata, Aug 9 (IANS) The son of a Trinamool Congress leader and head of a village panchayat has been killed in a shootout in broad daylight. The incident happened in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal on Saturday.The deceased youth has been identified as Amar Roy, son of the head of the local Dawaguri village panchayat, Kuntala Roy. The deceased youth himself was an active member of the youth wing of Trinamool Congress in the area.According to statements given by eyewitnesses to the police, the deceased youth, along with one of his associates, came to a weekly market in the area. There, the two quarreled with another group of youth who arrived at the market riding motorcycles.“Suddenly, one of those youths who came in motorcycles brought out a firearm and shot at the deceased youth from ...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

India and Japan forging ‘unprecedented’ high-technology military collaboration: Report

TOP STORIES, WORLD

Tokyo, Aug 9 (IANS) Japan and India are breaking through decades of constraints and traditional defence partnerships to forge an "unprecedented high-technology military collaboration", Tokyo-based Japan Forward Association emphasised this week in a detailed report."The Indo-Pacific region is at a critical juncture where technological superiority increasingly determines strategic outcomes. Against this backdrop, Japan and India are breaking through decades of constraints and traditional defence partnerships to forge an unprecedented high-technology military collaboration," wrote Pema Gyalpo, a visiting professor at the Takushoku University Centre for Indo-Pacific Strategic Studies."This evolving relationship transcends conventional arms trade. It represents a fundamental reimagining of ...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Sri Lanka’s economic engagement with China cannot be sustained through shortcuts, opacity: Report

TOP STORIES, WORLD

Colombo, Aug 9 (IANS) Economic engagement with China cannot be sustained through shortcuts or opacity, a report in Sri Lanka's leading newspaper highlighted citing the crisis surrounding the "bold venture" with BYD to bring electric vehicles into the island nation."When Sri Lanka announced a partnership with China's BYD to bring electric vehicles into the country, it was heralded as a double victory: a leap toward green mobility and a symbol of deepening economic ties with Beijing. Today, that bold venture has curdled into a crisis. Nearly 1,000 BYD cars sit detained in Colombo Port, hiding a potential Rs 22 billion worth of liabilities arising from alleged under-declaration of motor capacities," Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror reported this week."Customs officials allege that BYD vehicles we...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

From war zones to Indian streets: Armed cartels behind Myanmar’s Rs 1.5 lakh crore meth trade

INDIA, TOP STORIES

New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) A situation of alarming proportions is arising in Myanmar, which is adversely affecting India’s national security.Drugs in huge quantities are being smuggled from Myanmar into Nepal, Bangladesh and Mizoram, both the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Intelligence Bureau have said. If one looks at the data, nearly 90 per cent of the synthetic drugs that come into India are from Myanmar.One of the prime reasons for this increased demand is due to a drug called Yana. The Yaba table is in such high demand that the smugglers procure it at Rs 10 in Myanmar and sell it in the Indian market for anything between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200. While the Yaba tablet has the highest demand, there is also a growing demand for methamphetamine and fentanyl.Drug smugglers ...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Bangladesh: Massive protest rocks Dhaka University

TOP STORIES, WORLD

Dhaka, Aug 9 (IANS) Several students from Dhaka University (DU) in Bangladesh took out a protest rally on Saturday, demanding the expulsion of eight students following their appointment to the hall committee of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the local media reported.The protesting students marched through various roads of the campus, raising slogans including 'One two three four/Hall Politics No More', 'Hall politics Cholbe Na Cholbe Na (No Hall politics)'. Some students broke open the locks of the hall gates to join the demonstration. Later, they staged a sit-in outside the Vice-Chancellor's (VC) residence.Hours later, the VC announced a ban on student politics in its dormitories, amid the mounting protest.“Student politics ha...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

China must avoid demands that strain economies of regional allies: Report

TOP STORIES, WORLD

Dhaka, Aug 9 (IANS) Flagship Chinese projects in Sri Lanka — such as the Colombo Port City and Sinopec's $3.7 billion Hambantota oil refinery — are now entangled in complications the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is struggling to resolve, a report highlighted on Saturday.While both sides had lined up multiple ventures, recent issues, including regulatory concerns, have cast doubt on the long-term sustainability of Chinese investments, the report in Daily Sun, a leading newspaper in Bangladesh, detailed."In late July 2025, Sri Lanka Customs detained nearly China's 1,000 BYD electric vehicles — mainly the ATTO 3 model—across six consignments. The seizure was due to discrepancies in the declared motor capacity, which directly impacted excise duty calculations," wrote...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Himachal minister opens Buddhist community hall in Kinnaur

INDIA, TOP STORIES

Rekong Peo (Himachal Pradesh), Aug 9 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Revenue and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh on Saturday inaugurated a Buddhist community hall constructed at a cost of Rs 1.16 crore in Sumra, the last village of Kinnaur district. On this occasion, Lahaul and Spiti legislator Anuradha Rana were also present. The minister said the state government is opening boarding schools in the district, which has been started from Kanam, where currently 30 students are studying. A provision of Rs 6 crore has been made in the budget for opening boarding schools in Pooh, Rarang and Nichar villages. He announced to give Rs 6 lakh for the construction of a welcome gate in Sumra, Rs 2 lakh for utensils of a Buddhist temple, Rs 1 lakh each to Mahila Mandals of Shalkhar and Khotang for furn...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Kerala: Cong accuses BJP of voter list manipulation in Thrissur; targets Union MoS Suresh Gopi

INDIA, TOP STORIES

Thrissur, Aug 9 (IANS) Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Joseph Taget has leveled serious allegations against the BJP, accusing the party of manipulating the voter list in Thrissur just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.Speaking to the media, Taget alleged that 11 votes were added under the name “Bharath Heritage” at the Nettissery residence where the current BJP MP and Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi previously stayed.These votes allegedly included those of Suresh Gopi, his wife, children, and other relatives, despite none of them residing there at the time.“The property is now owned by a Mumbai-based individual, and no one from Suresh Gopi’s family lives there. They came only during elections to include their names in the voter list and cast votes,” said the Co...

Aug92025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Death toll in mountain torrents in North Western China’s Gansu rises to 13

TOP STORIES, WORLD

Lanzhou, Aug 9 (IANS) Mountain torrents in Yuzhong County, northwest China's Gansu Province, had left 13 dead and 30 missing as of noon on Saturday, provincial emergency authorities said. Torrential rains, which led to the mountain torrents, began pounding Yuzhong, which is under the jurisdiction of the provincial capital of Lanzhou, as well as other areas of Lanzhou on Thursday evening, with precipitation reaching 220.2 millimetres by noon on Friday.Search and rescue efforts and infrastructure repairs are underway. As of 6 pm Saturday, all roads leading to the affected villages in Yuzhong had been cleared, said the provincial transport department.So far, a total of 9,828 people in Yuzhong have been relocated to safe areas, Xinhua news agency reported."After receiving the rainfall alert at...