Thailand F-16 jet bombs Cambodian targets as border clash escalates

A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed targets in Cambodia on Thursday, both sides said, as weeks of tension over a border dispute escalated into clashes that have killed at least two civilians, Reuters reported.

Of the six F-16 fighter 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 accused each other of starting the clash early on Thursday.

"We have used air power against military targets as planned," Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. Thailand also closed its border with Cambodia, according to Reuters.

Cambodia's defence ministry said the jets dropped two bombs on a road, and that it "strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia".

Russian plane with nearly 50 aboard goes missing in country's east

Russian air traffic control has lost contact with an An-24 passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people in the Amur region, according to Reuters. The aircraft, operated by Angara Airlines, vanished from radar while approaching the town of Tynda near the Chinese border.

Vasily Orlov, the Russian governor of the Amur region, said 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members were believed to be on board, though emergency officials later gave a slightly lower estimate. A search operation is currently underway, Reuters reported.

Supreme Court backs Trump on CPSC firings

The US Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the removal of three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), siding with the Trump administration.

The justices overturned a lower court ruling that had reinstated the Biden-appointed officials, agreeing with the administration’s argument that the president can dismiss commissioners without cause, according to Al Jazeera.

The decision highlights growing legal tensions over presidential control of federal agencies. The Court’s three liberal justices dissented, while critics warned the move could weaken the CPSC’s independence.

 

Zelensky promises new bill amid anti-corruption law backlash

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pledged new legislation following protests and international criticism over a law placing Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies under the control of the prosecutor general, a presidential appointee.

Critics warn the move threatens institutional independence and risks undermining Ukraine’s EU hopes. Zelensky defended the law as a response to alleged Russian influence but said a new bill would safeguard anti-corruption agencies’ autonomy and uphold the rule of law, according to Al Jazeera.

The pledge comes after rare public protests in Kyiv and other cities despite wartime restrictions.