08/06/2025

WORLD 7 ON SUNDAY JUNE 8, 2025 Modi opens strategic Kashmir railway SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first visit to Kashmir on Friday since a conflict with Pakistan, opening a strategic railway line. “Friends, today’s event is a grand festival of India’s unity and firm resolve,” Modi said after striding across the soaring bridge to formally launch it for rail traffic. “This is a symbol and celebration of rising India,” he said of the Chenab Bridge which connects two mountains. New Delhi calls the Chenab span the “world’s highest railway arch bridge”, sitting 359m above a river. While several road and pipeline bridges are higher, Guinness World Records confirmed that Chenab trumps the previous highest railway bridge, the Najiehe in China. Modi said the railway was “an extraordinary feat of architecture” that “will improve connectivity” by providing the first rail link from the Indian plains up to mountainous Kashmir. With 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, the new railway runs for 272km and connects Udhampur, Srinagar and Baramulla. It is expected to halve the travel time between the town of Katra in Jammu and Srinagar, the main city in Kashmir, to around three hours. The new route will ease the movement of people and goods, as well as troops, that was previously possible only via treacherous mountain roads and by air. Modi also announced further government financial support for families whose relatives were killed, or whose homes were damaged, during the brief conflict with Pakistan recently. – AFP UN labour resolution upsets Myanmar BANGKOK: Myanmar yesterday hit back at a UN resolution aimed at curbing labour violations in the war-torn nation, calling it “politically motivated”. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Thursday invoked Article 33 of its constitution which could see sanctions imposed against the military government. The UN labour agency said countries should ensure their relations with Myanmar “in no way enable, facilitate or prolong the violations of workers’ rights in respect of freedom of association and forced labour”. It called on international bodies to “report any activities ... directly or indirectly enabling or abetting” labour violations under Myanmar’s military government. Myanmar’s Labour Ministry yesterday released a statement saying the resolution had been adopted “without due partiality and fairness” and was based on “politically motivated approaches”. A UN investigation into Myanmar in October 2023 urged the country’s military rulers to end forced labour in the army and to halt all violence against trade unionists. It found far-reaching violations of international forced labour and freedom of association conventions. The resolution adopted on Thursday at the ILO’s 113th International Labour Conference in Geneva said Myanmar’s military authorities had not indicated “any sign of meaningful acknowledgement” of the 2023 report’s recommendations. Myanmar said it had been “actively implementing” the recommendations and had made “continuous progress” and accused the ILO of “turning a blind eye” to its efforts. The International Trade Union Confederation-Asia Pacific said it was the third time in the ILO’s century-long history that Article 33 has been invoked. – AFP

Thailand, Cambodia reinforce border units

11th-century Hindu temple, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011. Governments in both countries, however, have enjoyed warm ties. Former leaders Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand and Cambodia’s Hun Sen have had a close relationship, and Thaksin’s daughter and Hun Sen’s son are now the incumbent prime ministers of their countries. Still, nationalist sentiment has risen in Thailand and the Thai military said on Friday that it is ready to launch a “high-level operation” to counter any violation of its sovereignty. Cambodia said this week it would refer disputes over four parts of the border to the International Court of Justice and asked Thailand to cooperate. Phumtham reiterated in his statement yesterday that Thailand does not recognise the jurisdiction of the court and proposed that all boundary-related issues be resolved through bilateral negotiations. – Reuters

Asean, China move to ease tensions

“Consequently, the Royal Thai Government has deemed it necessary to implement additional measures and to reinforce our military posture accordingly.” He did not provide details on the extent of reinforcements by either side. In a separate statement yesterday, the Thai army said Cambodian soldiers and civilians had repeatedly made incursions into Thailand’s territory. “These provocations, and the build up of military forces, indicate a clear intent to use force,” the Thai army said, adding that it would take control of all Thai checkpoints along the border with Cambodia. A spokesperson for Cambodia’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. The military reinforcements come despite efforts by Asean and China to reduce tensions. Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817km land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony. Tension escalated in 2008 over an

BANGKOK: Thailand has reinforced its military presence along a disputed border with Cambodia, following an increase in troops on the other side, Thailand’s defence minister said yesterday, as tensions simmer following a deadly clash. For days, the two Southeast Asian governments have exchanged carefully worded statements committing to dialogue after a brief skirmish in an undemarcated border area on May 28 in which a Cambodian soldier was killed. But Phumtham Wechayachai, who also serves as Thailand’s deputy prime minister, said that during bilateral talks on Thursday, Cambodia had rejected proposals that could have led to a de-escalation. “Furthermore, there has been a reinforcement of military presence, which has exacerbated tensions along the border,” Phumtham said in a statement. Nationwide, 13.35 million students have registered for the gaokao series this year, according to the Education Ministry, down from last year’s record 13.42 million test takers. Outside the Beijing secondary school, a proud parent who gave her name as Chen said “12 years of hard work have finally led to this moment” – as she waved a fan in front of her daughter while the student reviewed her notes one last time. “We know our kids have endured so much hardship,” Chen said, adding that she was not nervous. “I’m excited. I think my child is excellent, and I’m sure she will get the best score,” she said. China’s gaokao requires students to use all their knowledge acquired to this point, testing them on subjects including Chinese, English, mathematics, science and humanities. The exam results are critical for gaining admission to university – and determining whether they will attend a prestigious or more modest institution. While teachers and staff offered students their support, holding up signs of encouragement, some test takers, dressed in school uniforms, appeared panicked, including a girl with tears in her eyes. “There’s no need for us parents to add pressure. The children are already under a lot of it,” said a woman named Wang, whose son had just entered the exam hall.

Millions sit for high-stakes entrance exam BEIJING: Hopeful parents accompanied their teenage children to the gates of a busy Beijing test centre yesterday, among millions of high school students across China sitting their first day of the highly competitive university entrance exam.

School staff welcome students as they enter a hall for the examination in Beijing. – AFPPIC

economic boom pushed up living standards – as well as parents’ expectations for their children’s careers. But the job market for young graduates remains daunting. As of April, 15.8% of people aged 16 to 24 living in urban areas were unemployed, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. – AFP

Like many mothers, she wore a traditional Chinese cheongsam in hopes of bringing good luck. “I hope my son achieves immediate success and gets his name on the (list of high-scoring candidates),” Wang said with a smile. Higher education has expanded rapidly in China in recent decades as an