Twenty-six-year-old Arjun Sharma, wanted in connection with a cheating case linked to the death of 27-year-old data analyst Nikitha Rao Godishala, was arrested in Agra eight months after fleeing the US, according to authorities. On January 2, Sharma had reported Nikitha missing in Maryland, claiming she had not been seen since New Year’s Eve. The following day, police found Nikitha’s body inside Sharma’s apartment in Ellicott City, Maryland. Sharma had already left the US by then, authorities said. Nikitha’s father later approached Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, seeking Ministry of External Affairs intervention and a Red Corner notice to facilitate Sharma’s arrest in India. Hyderabad police had been searching for Sharma in connection with the cheating case filed by Nikitha’s father. (PC: Sharma. _iamnikkig_/Instagram))

Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra claimed Pakistan was “desperate” to locate India’s S-400 air defence systems during Operation Sindoor, allegedly activating spies and sleeper cells inside India and receiving satellite assistance from other countries. Mishra said the S-400 prevented Pakistani aircraft from approaching within 200 km of the Indian border and described it as Pakistan’s biggest threat during the operation. He claimed an S-400 operator shot down a target at 314 km, calling it the longest surface-to-air kill in history. Mishra also said India’s military was given freedom to conduct the operation while being instructed to avoid civilian casualties. India signed a $5.43-billion deal with Russia for five S-400 systems in 2018. (PC: NDTV)

India will send another Indian Air Force C-130J transport aircraft carrying relief material to Nepal on August 28, Defence officials said. The planned flight follows two earlier deliveries as India steps up humanitarian assistance after devastating floods in Nepal. A C-130J aircraft delivered relief supplies on August 26 evening, while a C-17 heavy-lift aircraft carried additional relief material to Nepal on August 27. The latest deployment comes as Nepal continues rescue and relief operations following deadly flash floods that have caused widespread loss of life, displacement and infrastructure damage. (PC: PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said 32 people from the state remain missing after devastating flash floods in Nepal, while contact has been established with one person. He expressed hope that the missing individuals would return safely. Adhikari said around 150 Indians are feared missing in the disaster and confirmed that the Bengal government is coordinating with the Indian Embassy. A control room has been established at Nabanna, while Bengal and Kolkata Police have opened a helpline for families seeking information. The catastrophic floods, originating in Tibet, have killed 359 people and caused widespread destruction across central Nepal. (PC: PTI)

A visa rejection prevented 61-year-old West Bengal resident Tapati Singha from joining a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage group whose 32 other members are now missing in Nepal after devastating flash floods. Singha was among 33 people from the state who planned to travel through a Kolkata-based agency, but her Chinese visa was rejected without explanation days before departure. She instead travelled to Ladakh and was returning to Kolkata on Thursday. The Nepal-based partner of the travel agency has been unable to contact the missing tourists. Four agency officials have travelled to Nepal and expect further information. The incident comes amid a major search operation for tourists and others missing after the floods. (PC: NDTV)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the Ministry of External Affairs said. Modi will visit Uzbekistan from August 29-30 before travelling to Kyrgyzstan for the SCO summit from August 31 to September 1. The Modi-Putin meeting is expected to cover bilateral trade, economic cooperation and key regional and global issues. Putin recently assured India of continued energy and fertiliser supplies amid disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict. During his Uzbekistan visit, Modi will hold delegation-level talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, focusing on trade, investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, education and people-to-people ties, alongside shared developmental goals. (PC: The Hindu)

Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said Kathmandu will maintain strong relationships with both India and China, comparing the ties to unique family relationships that cannot replace one another. Speaking at NDTV World’s ‘Anviksha’ India-Nepal Dialogue, he said Nepal’s foreign policy is guided by national interest rather than choosing sides. Khanal rejected perceptions that China has “captured” Nepal, noting centuries of ties, while stressing that two-thirds of Nepal’s trade is with India. He said Nepal wants greater Indian economic presence and described the country as “open for business”, particularly in energy, tourism and technology. Khanal also said Nepal has received $0 from BRI projects over the past 10 years and highlighted plans to export 10,000 MW of electricity to India.

As many as 288 Indian nationals remain uncontactable in flood-hit Nepal, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as India intensifies efforts to establish their whereabouts and ensure their safety. The group includes 73 Indians working on the Trishuli-I power project, with the Indian Mission in contact with the project head. The uncontactable also include groups of Tamil Nadu travellers, 32 Indians from West Bengal currently in Timure, 61 Indians near Keung and 33 nationals from Kerala. Separately, around 150 Indian nationals are reported missing on the Chinese side, while approximately 200 Indians are safe but seeking assistance with evacuation amid the continuing flood emergency along the Nepal-Tibet border.

Social media platform X has suspended the account of American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD), the organisers of an upcoming New York event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. The suspension comes a day after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he did not support the RSS or the planned event but added that the city had no authority to cancel it. Bhagwat is set to headline the ‘Universal Oneness Celebration’ at Madison Square Garden on August 29 as part of his three-country outreach tour covering the US, Canada and the UK. (PC: X)

Devastating flash floods in Nepal have killed at least 332 people, while nearly 1,500 people remain missing across Nepal and Tibet. India said 288 of its nationals are still out of contact, including 73 workers at a power project in Trishuli. However, 21 missing Indians from Tamil Nadu have been rescued and are being brought back home. The Ministry of External Affairs said more than 200 Indians have sought evacuation assistance, with many stranded in Tibet. The floods, possibly triggered by an ice avalanche near a Himalayan river, have destroyed settlements and severely damaged roads, bridges and hydropower projects. (PC: India Today)