Morning digest: India sends 15 tonnes of relief material to earthquake-hit Myanmar; CBI says Kolkata doctor’s rape not a gang rape, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on March 29, 2025

Approximately 15 tonnes of relief materials were sent to earthquake-hit Myanmar on late Friday (March 28, 2025) in an IAF C 130-J aircraft from Air Force Station Hindon, India. The relief materials being sent include tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, solar lamps, generator sets and essential medicines, the sources said. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised “all possible assistance” to Myanmar and Thailand after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the two southeast Asian countries on Friday (March 28, 2025).

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has been probing the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, told the Calcutta High Court on Friday (March 28, 2025) that the incident was not a case of gang rape. CBI’s Deputy Solicitor General Rajdeep Majumder told Justice Tirthankar Ghosh on Friday (March 28, 2025) that based on its investigation and the opinion of the board of medical experts, the agency has concluded that the August 9, 2024 incident was not an instance of gang rape.

It is not often the boisterous crowd at the M.A. Chidamabaram Stadium gets drowned out when Chennai Super Kings play. However, on Friday (March 28, 2025), chants of ‘RCB, RCB’ were heard loud through the evening as Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended its 17-year wait for success against CSK at Chepauk with a clinical 50-run win over the five-time champion. Asked to bat first, the visitor posted a strong 196 for seven, riding on skipper Rajat Patidar’s half-century (51, 32b, 4x4, 3x6) while Phil Salt and Devdutt Padikkal scored useful cameos.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s appeal to Muslim community members to wear a black armband when they offer Jumatul Vida (last Friday of Ramzan) prayers was greeted with a huge response. The Board had asked the community members to protest in this peaceful manner against the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, and other cities, Muslim men offered the Friday prayers with a black armband on their kurta. In many mosques, the Friday sermon was used to alert the community to the repercussions if the Bill is passed by the Parliament.

India and the visiting U.S. officials have decided to hold a wrap-up session on Saturday (March 29, 2025) morning to conclude the three-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement, government sources said. They said the discussions are at a “very” early stage. A team of U.S. officials, headed by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, is in New Delhi for negotiations on the proposed agreement. "Early stage of discussions are going on," one of the sources said, adding that nothing has been finalised so far.

Even former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi couldn’t change Pakistan’s “bigoted mindset” in 1971, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday (March 28, 2025), responding to questions in Parliament about the condition of minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Mr. Jaishankar said that it was not possible to “change the mindset” of a neighbouring country, but that India has raised the issue at international forums, and in Bangladesh’s case, directly with the government in Dhaka.

Israel on Friday (March 28, 2025) launched an attack on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for the first time since a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November. The attack was the first strike on Beirut since a ceasefire took hold on Nov. 27, 2024, between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, although Israel has struck targets in southern Lebanon almost daily since then. After the strike, Israel’s Army said it attacked a Hezbollah drone storage facility in the area of Dahiyeh, which it called a key Hezbollah stronghold. Israel said Hezbollah uses civilians as human shields and said it issued advanced warning for people to leave.