The Indian and Chinese armies are set to hold their first Corps Commander-level meeting in the eastern sector on Sunday at the Wacha-Damai border meeting point in Arunachal Pradesh, with the talks aimed at addressing ongoing issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The September 6 meeting comes amid continued efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to manage border-related tensions through military and diplomatic channels. The talks follow recent high-level discussions between Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. 

First Corps-level meeting in eastern sector

The meeting at Wacha is significant because Corps Commander-level discussions between India and China have traditionally been associated with the Ladakh sector, particularly after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.

The new engagement in Arunachal Pradesh is intended to provide a direct military channel for discussing issues arising along the LAC in the eastern sector. Sources cited in reports said the meeting would focus on addressing the ongoing issues in the area. 

The talks are scheduled to take place on the Indian side at the Wacha border meeting point.

Lt Gen Girish Kalia to lead Indian side

India's delegation will be represented by Lieutenant General Girish Kalia, Commander of the Indian Army's 3 Corps, also known as the Spear Corps.

The Indian Army has two Corps formations responsible for the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh — the 3 Corps based at Rangapahar and the 4 Corps based at Tezpur. 

The eastern sector has remained strategically important because India and China have different perceptions of the alignment of the LAC, which can lead to disagreements and incidents on the ground.

Talks follow recent diplomatic engagement

The military-level meeting comes shortly after discussions between NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The two sides have been working to strengthen communication mechanisms and maintain peace and stability along the disputed boundary. The latest Corps Commander engagement represents another channel through which local military issues can be addressed without allowing them to escalate.

Recent diplomatic engagement has also been accompanied by discussions on improving military communication between the two sides.

Galwan changed military dialogue

Before the latest initiative in Arunachal Pradesh, Corps Commander-level meetings between India and China were primarily held at the Chusul-Moldo border meeting point in Ladakh.

The mechanism became particularly important following the 2020 military confrontation in eastern Ladakh, when soldiers from both countries suffered casualties during the Galwan Valley clash. Since then, multiple rounds of military dialogue have been conducted to address unresolved issues and prevent further escalation. 

The decision to conduct a Corps Commander-level meeting in the eastern sector therefore marks an expansion of the military dialogue mechanism to another sensitive part of the India-China border.

Arunachal Pradesh remains strategically sensitive

Arunachal Pradesh forms part of India's eastern frontier with China and remains a major area of disagreement between the two countries.

Differences over the LAC have periodically resulted in friction between troops operating in the region. Recent reports have also highlighted tensions around the Taksing area of Upper Subansiri district, adding to the importance of direct military communication in the sector. 

For India, maintaining a strong military posture while keeping communication channels open remains central to preventing local incidents from developing into wider confrontations.

Focus on maintaining border stability

The immediate objective of Sunday's meeting is to address issues along the LAC and maintain peace and tranquillity in the eastern sector.

The talks do not by themselves indicate that a broader boundary settlement has been reached. Instead, they represent a mechanism for the two militaries to communicate directly on operational and local concerns.

The outcome of the Wacha meeting will be closely watched for indications of whether the new Corps-level channel can contribute to reducing friction and strengthening stability along the India-China border.

A shocking case of babies being switched at birth has come to light in China's Hubei province, after a DNA test uncovered the truth 37 years later. Two baby girls born at the same hospital were mistakenly handed over to the wrong families and grew up believing they were the biological daughters of those families.

The revelation came decades later when one of the women decided to undergo a DNA test after developing doubts about her family background. The results eventually exposed the mix-up and led to the discovery that her biological mother had been living only around four kilometres away.

Two Babies, One Hospital

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the two girls were born at the same hospital at around the same time. Due to an error by hospital staff, their identities were mixed up and each baby was handed over to the other family.

Neither family realised what had happened at the time. Both girls were raised as their respective daughters, went to school, built careers and later got married.

For nearly four decades, the families had no reason to suspect that the children they had raised were not biologically related to them.

DNA Test Reveals the Truth

The mystery began when one of the women started questioning her family background. She decided to undergo a DNA test in an attempt to find answers.

The results showed that the parents who had raised her were not her biological parents. Further testing and investigation eventually led to the identification of another woman who had been born at the same hospital around the same time.

When the two cases were connected, investigators discovered the extraordinary truth: the women had been switched at birth 37 years earlier.

Hospital Mix-Up Changed Two Lives

The investigation established that an error at the hospital had resulted in the newborns being given to the wrong families.

One family had unknowingly raised a child who was biologically related to another couple, while the second family had experienced the same situation.

What makes the case even more remarkable is the geographical coincidence. The biological mothers of the two women had reportedly been living only about four kilometres apart.

For 37 years, the families lived relatively close to each other without knowing that their biological daughters were growing up in another household.

Emotional Family Reunion

The DNA results eventually brought the two families together.

For the biological mothers, meeting their daughters after 37 years was an emotional experience. They had lost the opportunity to watch their children grow up, while the women had spent their entire lives with the families who unknowingly raised them.

The reunion also created a complicated emotional situation for the two women. They suddenly found themselves connected to two sets of parents — their biological parents and the parents who had cared for them since birth.

A Difficult Choice

Despite learning the truth about their biological identities, the women reportedly did not want to abandon the parents who had raised them.

For them, DNA could establish their biological connection, but it could not erase decades of shared memories, affection and family relationships.

Their biological parents became an important part of their lives after the discovery, but the emotional bond with the families who raised them remained equally significant.

Four Kilometres Apart

The fact that the two families lived just around four kilometres from each other has become one of the most striking aspects of the case.

For decades, they may have crossed paths in markets, on roads or at local events without ever knowing the connection between them.

Had the DNA test not been conducted, the 37-year-old mix-up might never have been discovered.

A Mistake With Lifelong Consequences

The case highlights the potentially devastating consequences of errors in newborn identification and hospital records.

Although both women have now discovered their biological families, the 37 years spent growing up under mistaken identities cannot be recovered.

The families must now navigate a new reality in which biological relationships and the bonds created through decades of parenting have to coexist.

The case is also a reminder of the importance of accurate identification, documentation and verification procedures in hospitals, particularly when handling newborns.

For the two women, however, the discovery is not simply about finding out who their biological parents are. It is about making room for newly discovered relationships without losing the families they have known and loved throughout their lives.

5.2-magnitude quake jolts Guangxi, two dead and thousands evacuated

Earthquake in Liuzhou damages buildings, prompts mass evacuations and ongoing rescue operations

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region early Monday, killing two people, collapsing several buildings and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate, authorities said. Rescue teams continued searches in the hours after the tremor while officials inspected transport links and infrastructure for damage.

Immediate impact
According to provincial emergency management officials, the quake hit in the pre-dawn hours near Liuzhou city. Initial reports said 13 buildings collapsed and one person remained missing; four others were hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries. Local news outlets said the two fatalities were confirmed late morning after search teams recovered victims from damaged structures.

Evacuations and shelter
More than 7,000 people were evacuated from the most affected neighbourhoods of Liuzhou, the city government said. Municipal authorities set up temporary shelters in community centres and schools, providing basic supplies and medical attention. Social media posts from residents in the area described panicked evacuations in the early hours, with families leaving homes barefoot and children clutching belongings.

Timeline and ground cues
Residents reported feeling strong shaking for several seconds around 3:30am local time, followed by aftershocks that kept people outdoors for hours. “My apartment shook so hard the lights went out,” a local resident told state media. Emergency services said aftershock activity continued through the morning, complicating rescue work and inspections of unstable buildings.

Infrastructure checks
Railway and transport officials dispatched inspection teams to check tracks and bridges on key routes serving Liuzhou. Authorities warned of possible delays as lines were examined, though state reporting added that power, water, gas and major road links were functioning normally in most parts of the city. Telecommunications providers reported largely intact mobile and landline services, helping coordinate relief.

Rescue operations
Search-and-rescue teams from Liuzhou and neighbouring prefectures were mobilised, with heavy machinery brought in to clear rubble where collapses occurred. Local hospitals activated emergency protocols to treat those injured, while volunteer groups delivered blankets and food to shelters. Officials cautioned residents to avoid damaged areas to let responders work and to follow directives from emergency personnel.

Official response and statements
Provincial authorities convened an emergency meeting early on Monday to coordinate relief and damage assessment. “Rescue operations are ongoing,” a provincial emergency management spokesperson said in a brief statement carried by state media. No detailed cause was provided beyond standard geological explanations; seismological agencies said the quake was likely the result of shallow crustal fault movement common to the region.

Background on seismic risk
Guangxi is not among China’s most seismically active provinces, but earthquakes do occur periodically in southern China due to complex interactions between tectonic blocks. Seismologists say shallow, moderate-magnitude quakes can still cause substantial local damage if they strike populated areas with vulnerable buildings. The China Earthquake Networks Center usually issues rapid assessments after such events to guide relief.

Public safety and precautions
Local authorities urged residents to stay calm, avoid entering structurally compromised buildings and follow official evacuation routes. Hospitals posted advisories for non-critical patients to defer visits where possible to keep capacity for trauma care. Schools in the worst-hit districts were closed for inspections, with decisions on reopening to be made after structural checks.

What happens next
Teams are conducting a fuller damage assessment and compiling lists of displaced residents needing longer-term shelter. Railway inspections will determine whether any services must be suspended or speed-restricted for safety. Seismologists will monitor aftershocks and release updates as data comes in.

The quake’s human toll and disruption underline the challenges cities face when moderate seismic events strike built-up areas. For now, relief and search operations remain the priority as authorities work to account for the missing and stabilise damaged sites.