Morning Digest: Searches continue amid fading hope in Wayanad; Kamala Harris secures Democratic presidential nomination in U.S., and more

The Hindu’s Morning Digest on August 3, 2024, gives a select list of stories to start the day

It was a historic day for India at the Paris 2024 Olympics on August 2. After some unexpected exits day, the Indian contingent bounced back successfully on Day 7.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to repatriate Nitin Agarwal, Director-General (DG) of Border Security Force (BSF), and Y.B Khurania, Special DG of the border guarding force, to their parent cadres of Kerala and Odisha respectively.

Joint teams of the Army, State police, National Disaster Response Force, Coast Guard, and volunteers scoured the landslide-devastated Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and Attamala localities of Wayanad for survivors, as search and rescue operations continued for the fourth day on Augsut 2. 

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris effectively secured the Democratic party’s presidential nomination on August 2, confirming her remarkable rise to party standard bearer in November’s showdown against Republican Donald Trump.

Citing The Hindu’s fact-check on Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech in the Parliament on Wayanad landslides, the Congress has moved a privilege motion in Rajya Sabha against Mr. Shah for misleading the House.

India on August 2 issued an updated advisory for Indians living in Israel, asking them to avoid “unnecessary travel” and to stay vigilant in light of the “prevailing security situation”. The advisory follows the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday, where he had attended the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The death toll rose to six in separate incidents of cloudbursts and flash floods, triggered by incessant rains in different parts of Himachal Pradesh during the past 48 hours, even as the rescue and search operations continued on a war footing on Friday.