Morning Digest | Two foreign journalists had post-Pulwama back channel role between India-Pakistan, says book; rescue work resumes at landslip site in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur, and more

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) exchanged messages with top Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officials as part of a unique back channel connection between the two countries that involved two foreign journalists Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark in 2018-2019, including after the Pulwama attack, according to a new book by the journalists that quotes the NSA and other senior intelligence officials.

The search and rescue operation for the Kinnaur landslide victims trapped in a Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus and a Bolero was resumed early on Thursday, a state disaster management official said.

At least 10 persons died after some vehicles, including a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus with at least 28 passengers on board, were badly hit by boulders and mud following a major landslide on National Highway 5 at Nigulsari in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday.

As the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday, Speaker Om Birla expressed pain over the repeated disruptions that allowed only 21 hours of functioning and 22 per cent productivity of the House in the monsoon session.

The contentious General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021 was passed amidst shocking scenes in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday despite the Opposition’s demand to send the legislation to a select committee.

In a voice choked with emotion, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday castigated House members for Tuesday’s events that saw some members protesting, standing from the Secretary General’s and reporters table.

Calling on India Inc to strengthen its partnership with the government to build “brand India”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked industry to increase its risk-taking appetite and step up investments, especially in research and development.

In line with his campaign message on foreign policy, U.S. President Joe Biden will host a ‘Summit for Democracy’, virtually, on December 9-10, around three themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights. The summit will gather together heads of state, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector, the White House announced on Wednesday.

Canada on Wednesday slammed China’s sentencing of businessman Michael Spavor to 11 years in jail on spying charges, calling for his immediate release.

Sri Lanka has filed 23,270 charges against 25 people in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks on churches and hotels that killed 269 people, the president’s office said Wednesday.

The government is eyeing a sale of its residual stakes in erstwhile public sector firms like Paradeep Phosphates, Hindustan Zinc and Balco, which were privatised during the Atal Behari Vajpayee regime, a top finance ministry official said.