Daily briefing: Xi, Modi discuss LAC at BRICS summit; how Pragg left his mark in chess final; and more | Live News

The two leaders “agreed” to “direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation” of troops on the ground. Read Shubhajit Roy’s report for more.

The spotlight is now on the exact contours of plans being drawn up by military commanders on the ground to pull back troops. 

The extent of disengagement — and where on the LAC it will take place — is not immediately clear. Sources said while clear orders are awaited, various modalities have been prepared for possible limited disengagement in phases. We explain

Meanwhile, the BRICS has decided to expand the grouping and admit six new members. Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia and Argentina will become part of BRICS with effect from January 1, 2024. We unpack why this is significant and what this means for India. 

⚡ Only in Express

In the latest Express Adda, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel spoke about the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, ED’s searches at the residences of his advisors, and why he is not afraid of going to jail.

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♟️ R Praggnanandhaa’s dream run at the FIDE World Cup in Baku ended on Thursday, as World No. 1, Magnus Carlsen, defeated him 1.5-0.5 in the tiebreaker to lift the chess title. Aged 18, Pragg is the youngest finalist ever at the World Cup, and also holds the distinction of being the lowest seed to make it to the final.

???? A day after the historic lunar landing by Chandrayaan-3, instruments on board the spacecraft began working and the rover took a “walk” on the Moon, ISRO said on Thursday. According to sources, communication links between the lander and the rover have been established and the first images of the rover have been captured. Find out more here

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Just hours before his deadly fall from the hostel balcony on August 9, the Jadavpur University first-year student had answered his family’s call with just “yes” and “no”. “Ami bhalo nei (I am not well),” he had mentioned, says his mother as she recalls the last conversation with her son.

A few days ago, 32-year-old Smriti Sarkar of Malda district’s Sattari area had a family. On Wednesday her husband, son, father and brother were all killed after an under-construction railway bridge collapsed in Aizawl in Mizoram. All four, like many others from the district, had gone to Mizoram to work as labourers in the railway project. “Never lost so many in a mishap,” say kin of the victims as Malda villages count their dead. 

In Opinion section today, Ejaz Ghani writes on how infrastructure investments may be slowing job creation: “For a young country like India, high growth and unemployment is not a paradox, but lopsided development policies that have resulted in fewer jobs being created for millions who join the labour force every year”

⌛ And Finally

After the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft’s lander module safely hit the moon’s surface, ISRO scientists provided multiple accounts of the amount of effort that was put into the mission to ensure that the mistakes in the Chandrayaan-2 mission are not repeated. These included ‘breathing’ and ‘sleeping’ Chandrayaan while also overcoming moments of criticism and ridicule.

Delhi Confidential: At the hearing on Article 370 on Thursday, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta referred to an instance from V P Menon’s book — The Story of the Integration of the Indian States — on M A Jinnah inviting Nehru, post accession of J&K to India, to Lahore to discuss the Kashmir issue. “How this was averted (was) diplomacy at its best,” said Mehta.

In the latest episode of our 3 Things podcast, we talk about India’s ageing workforce, a murder case in Chhattisgarh that was solved after five years, and India’s suspension from participating in the world wrestling championship

Until next time,

Arushi Bhaskar and Anamni Gupta