Morning Digest: Putin and Zelenskyy set for Russia-Ukraine peace summit after Trump talks; Jaishankar tells Wang to push LAC de-escalation forward, and more

Here is a select list of stories to start the day

Zelenskyy, Trump express hope for trilateral talks with Putin to bring end to Russia-Ukraine war

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump expressed hope that Monday’s (August 18, 2025) critical talks with Ukrainian and European leaders at the White House could lead to trilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

De-escalation process at LAC must move forward: Jaishankar tells Wang

The process of withdrawing troops from the Line of Actual Control needs to “move forward”, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as the two sides began discussions to improve bilateral and trade relations in Delhi on Monday (August 18, 2025).

Rain wreaks havoc in Maharashtra, brings Mumbai to a standstill

At least seven people lost their lives, five have been reported missing, over 800 villages were affected, and four lakh hectares of cropland were destroyed due to heavy rainfall in Maharashtra. The downpour brought Mumbai to a standstill after 177 mm of rain was reported within six hours on Monday (August 18, 2025). 

Opposition meet to pick V-P candidate remains inconclusive

Former Director of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Mylswamy Annadurai and social activist Tushar Gandhi were among the names that were discussed at a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders on Monday at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence to decide the Opposition candidate for the vice-presidential polls.

Rajnath gets YSRCP to back NDA’s V-P candidate

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday (August 18, 2025) gathered support for the National Democratic Alliance’s Vice-Presidential candidate, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, reaching out to non-NDA parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). 

Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan: Hamas official

Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza without requesting amendments, a source from the group told AFP Monday (August 18, 2025), after a fresh diplomatic push to end more than 22 months of war. Mediators Egypt and Qatar, backed by the United States, have struggled to secure a lasting truce in the conflict, which has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Bihar SIR: Any person missing from draft rolls may file a claim with copy of Aadhaar, says Election Commission

On a day that the Opposition INDIA bloc again questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its proceedings, the Bihar Chief Electoral Officer on Monday (August 18, 2025) issued an “important public notice” stating “the electors whose names are not included in the draft roll and are dissatisfied may file a claim along with a copy of their Aadhaar card”.

In surprise move, U.S. Air Force chief says he will retire

The United States Air Force chief of staff announced on Monday (August 18, 2025) that he planned to retire in the coming months, but did not provide a reason. The announcement by General David Allvin was a surprise, as he will have served just two years out of the typical four-year assignment by the time he retires.

Indian broadcasters staring at crores in unpaid license fees from Nepal, Bangladesh

TV broadcasters in India are due hundreds of crores in overdue license fee payments from distributors in Nepal and Bangladesh, a problem that has been getting worse over the last year, two executives with knowledge of the payment issues told The Hindu. The problem has been particularly acute in Bangladesh, where after the ouster of former President Sheikh Hasina, TV distributors have stopped paying Indian broadcasters the fees they are due for transmitting their channels.

Taiwan ‘issue’ is an internal matter, China says in response to Trump

Taiwan is an internal matter for China, Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Monday, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump saying Chinese President Xi Jinping told him he will not invade the island while Trump is in office. Mr. Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox News, ahead of talks in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s war with Ukraine.