Morning Digest: India, China hold 31st border affairs meeting to resolve standoff at LAC; alleged audio clips of calls from R.G. Kar hospital to victim’s parents out, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on August 30, 2024.

India and China had a “frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views” on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to “narrow down the differences” and find an “early resolution” of the outstanding issues, at the 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing on Thursday (August 29, 2024), according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Audio recordings of phone calls, allegedly made by authorities of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata to the parents of the doctor who was raped and murdered surfaced on social media on Thursday (August 29, 2024) sparking allegations that the hospital authorities had not only peddled disinformation but were insensitive to the bereaved patients.

Actors of Malayalam film industry who were booked for outraging the modesty of women and rape will be tried by invoking Indian Penal Code (IPC), though the proceedings in the cases would be governed by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The evidence in the cases will be appreciated under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023, the piece of legislation, which replaced the Indian Evidence Act.

Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday (August 29, 2024) “my values have not changed,” as she was questioned along with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in their first major television interview of their presidential campaign. The interview with CNN’s Dana Bash gives Ms. Harris a chance to quell criticism that she has eschewed uncontrolled environments, while also giving her a fresh platform to define her campaign and test her political mettle ahead of an upcoming debate with former President Donald Trump set for September 10. But it also carries risk as her team tries to build on momentum from the ticket shakeup following Joe Biden’s exit and last week’s Democratic National Convention.

India’s aviation safety regulator placed SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance on a day when the cash-strapped airline’s passengers were once again barred from checking-in for their flights at Dubai airport over delayed payments.

The Supreme Court on Thursday accused Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of making “irresponsible” comments amounting to “casting aspersions” on the court for granting bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case.

Pakistan on Thursday (August 29, 2024) invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of Government meeting to be held in Islamabad in October. Pakistan holds the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) and in that capacity, will be hosting the two-day in-person SCO Heads of Governments Meeting in October.