Russian plane crashes near Chinese border. All 50 on board assumed dead.
An Antonov An-24 passenger plane carrying 50 people, including five children, crashed near Amur region of Russia on Thursday. The aircraft was built in 1976 and operated by Siberia-based Angara Airlines. It lost contact with air traffic controllers while it was on its way from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, following which a search was initiated and wreckage was found.
Thailand launches airstrikes on Cambodian military targets
A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed a ‘military target’ in Cambodia on Thursday, as weeks of tension over a border dispute escalated into clashes that have killed at least 11 civilians and one soldier.
Of the six F-16 jets that Thailand readied to deploy along the disputed border, one of the aircraft fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target, the Thai army said. Both countries have accused each other of starting the war on Thursday.
US-South Korea trade talks postponed as tariff deadlines loom
Talks between top South Korean and US government officials to negotiate President Trump’s tariffs have been postponed due to a scheduling conflict for US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, South Korea’s Finance Ministry said.
The sudden announcement by the ministry an hour before Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol’s departure for Washington cast doubt on whether Seoul would be able to secure an agreement to avert Trump’s punishing 25 per cent tariffs, which could impact major South Korean exporting firms.
EU-China summit amid tense relations
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged top European Union officials on Thursday to ‘properly handle differences and frictions’, criticising the 27-nation-bloc’s decision to impose sanctions on two Chinese banks, at a tense summit dominated by concerns over trade and the war in Ukraine.
In recent years, there have been trade frictions between EU and China over issues including electric vehicles, wind turbines, pork and dairy products, Taiwan, and accusations of Beijing flooding global markets.
Floods triggered by tropical storm Wipha kill at least 3 in Vietnam
Heavy rains triggered by tropical storm Wipha have caused severe flooding in the central Vietnamese province of Nghe An, killing at least three people and leaving one missing. With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that often cause deadly floods and mudslides. Wipha is the first major storm to hit the country this year.
Columbia University to pay $200 million dollars to Trump administration
Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million to the administration of President Donald Trump over accusations that it failed to protect its Jewish students. The settlement, which will be paid to the federal government over three years, was announced in a statement by the university and confirmed by the president on social media.
In exchange, the government has agreed to return part of the $400 million in federal grants it froze or terminated in March.
Hyundai Motors hit from US tariffs after Q2 profit fall
Hyundai Motors posted a decline in second-quarter operating profit on Thursday as US tariffs on vehicles and parts began to weigh on its bottom line, and warned of a bigger impact in the current quarter. Hyundai’s results illustrate the stakes for South Korean officials, who are under pressure to strike a trade deal with the US.
US State Dept approves $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine
The State Department said Wednesday that it has approved $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine to enhance its air defence capabilities and provide armoured combat vehicles, coming as the country works to fend off escalating Russian attacks. The potential sales, which the department said were notified to Congress, include $150 million for supply, maintenance, repair and overhaul of US armoured vehicles, and $172 million for surface-to-air missile systems.
Russia, Ukraine discuss more POW swaps, no deal on ceasefire or leaders’ meeting
Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps on Wednesday at a brief session of peace talks in Istanbul, but the sides remained far apart on ceasefire terms and a possible meeting of the leaders. Soon after the talks, both countries launched airstrikes at each other’s Black Sea Coasts. Moscow hit the port city of Odesa, whereas Ukraine struck military targets and energy infrastructure along the coast on the Russian side.
French President Macron sues podcaster over claims of his wife being born male
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte filed a defamation lawsuit in the US on Wednesday against right-wing influencer and podcaster Candace Owens after he claimed France’s first lady was born male. In a complaint filed in Delaware Superior Court, the Macrons alleged that Owens has waged a ‘lie-filled campaign of global humiliation’ to promote her podcast and expand her ‘frenzied’ fan base.
Kasturi Walimbe is an alum of ThePrint School of Journalism, currently interning with ThePrint
(Edited by Shashank Kishan)
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