A 17-year-old Indian-origin teenager, Arjun Aravind, has been charged with killing his mother and younger brother at their home in Acton, Massachusetts. Police said 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan and 14-year-old Siddarth Aravind were found dead inside the house on Tuesday with signs of trauma. Aravind allegedly fled in his mother’s Honda Accord after the incident, triggering an overnight search. Police later found him inside the car in Wayland and arrested him without incident. Prosecutors said investigators found evidence that he had recently searched online, including through ChatGPT, for theoretical ideas and fantasies about killing his family. The investigation is ongoing. (PC: NDTV)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said India is showing growing interest in the Northern Sea Route, as Russia seeks to expand Arctic shipping and strengthen trade links with Asia. Putin said India and China are among the countries discussing greater cooperation with Moscow on the route, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans along Russia’s Arctic coast. He said Russia is open to international cooperation under maritime law. The route could provide India with another trade link to Russia and improve access to energy and goods. However, extreme weather, sea ice, high costs and limited infrastructure remain major challenges for wider commercial use. (PC: X)

A fact-finding committee of the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) has alleged that Chinese PLA troops are blocking Indian forces from accessing key patrolling points in the Taksing sector of Arunachal Pradesh. The panel said one patrol point, Shera 5, has remained inaccessible to Indian troops since a reported confrontation in 2023. Government sources rejected claims of “slow encroachment”, saying the Army and ITBP are prepared to monitor and counter Chinese activities. China also said the border situation is “generally stable”. The PPA has urged faster road construction, stronger military infrastructure and improved connectivity in the remote border region. (PC: India Today)

The Indian government said Track-2 dialogues with Pakistan involving retired diplomats, military officials and academics are outside its purview. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that participants engage in such talks in their private capacity, and their views do not represent the government’s position. India and Pakistan continue limited official engagements, including DGMO-level talks and exchanges on nuclear installations and prisoners. Singh also said the Indus Waters Treaty remains in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends its support for cross-border terrorism, following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack. (PC: India Today)

Former Pakistan minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has drawn criticism after appearing at a public event alongside two figures identified as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) members and praising the group’s jailed chief Hafiz Saeed. A video shows Rasheed sharing the stage with Khalid Masood Sandhu, described as a senior LeT commander and Pakistan Markazi Muslim League president, and Qari Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, a member of LeT’s central advisory committee. During his address, Rasheed reportedly declared, “I am a slave of Hafiz Saeed,” while expressing support for the banned outfit’s leadership and making threatening remarks against India. The appearance has renewed scrutiny over alleged political associations with Pakistan-based extremist networks and anti-India rhetoric.

China on Wednesday said the situation along its border with India is “generally stable,” citing the August 6 Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting on border affairs. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said both sides agreed to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels and jointly preserve peace and tranquillity along the border. His remarks came amid reports of a military face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh’s Taksing sector and claims of increased Chinese activity along the Line of Actual Control. India’s Ministry of External Affairs, however, described border issues as “most serious” and stressed that maintaining peace and tranquillity remains crucial, warning that border conditions will influence broader bilateral ties. (PC: The Tribune)

A 17-year-old Indian-origin teenager, Arjun Aravind, has been charged with allegedly killing his mother, 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan, and younger brother, 14-year-old Siddharth Aravind, at their family home in Acton, Massachusetts. Arjun, a student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, faces two murder charges, along with counts of assault and battery involving family members and assault and battery. He also faces charges related to unauthorised use and theft of a motor vehicle. Authorities discovered the victims Tuesday evening after a tutor arrived at the family’s Martha Lane home shortly after 6:30 pm for a scheduled appointment but could not enter or contact anyone. Investigators reportedly found concerning online activity, including ChatGPT searches about hypothetical scenarios or fantasies involving killing his family.

China on Wednesday said the border situation with India is “generally stable” amid reports of tensions in Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese spokesperson Guo Jiakun said both countries had agreed to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels to preserve peace along the Line of Actual Control. His remarks came a day after India’s Ministry of External Affairs said border affairs have implications for bilateral ties. People familiar with the situation said face-offs were reported in the Taksing area of Upper Subansiri district since early July. India and China have been rebuilding ties after the 2020 Galwan clash severely strained relations again. (PC: X)

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariqe Rahman is likely to visit New Delhi for a bilateral trip, while he is “almost certain” to skip the upcoming BRICS summit, according to Bangladeshi government sources. The proposed visit comes amid efforts to stabilise strained India-Bangladesh ties following tensions over former PM Sheikh Hasina’s political activities from India. A meeting between India’s High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi and Rahman was viewed as reassuring, with discussions covering Hasina’s extradition, alleged killers linked to Osman Hadi’s assassination, illegal immigration and border security. The bilateral agenda is also expected to include renewal of the 1996 Ganga Waters Treaty, expiring December 31, 2026, and stalled cooperation projects. India said extradition matters remain under established procedures. (PC: Times Now)

Reports have emerged alleging that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is blocking Indian forces from accessing key patrolling points along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh’s Taksing sector. A fact-finding committee of the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) claimed the PLA is steadily expanding control over traditional Indian grazing and hunting grounds. However, government sources rejected the allegations on Wednesday. China, meanwhile, said the border situation was “stable.” The PPA, a regional political party founded in Arunachal Pradesh in 1977, currently has two MLAs in the state’s 30-member Legislative Assembly. The claims have raised fresh concerns over Chinese activity along the sensitive India-China border despite official assurances. (PC: PTI)