Balogun scores and gets sent off as USA beat Bosnia 2-0 to reach last 16

Papua Rebels Claim Killing US Pilot, Torching Plane in Anti-Government Strike

Separatist fighters from the West Papua National Liberation Army claim to have killed an American pilot and set a civilian aircraft on fire in Papua. The group alleged the plane was being used to transport Indonesian military personnel. Rebels described the attack as a deliberate message directed at both the US and Indonesian governments. Indonesian authorities confirmed the plane was found burnt but were unable to immediately verify the rebel claims, including the reported death of the pilot. The incident marks a significant escalation in the region's long-running low-level insurgency.

Air India Express Fully Restores Middle East Flights, Now Covers 13 Destinations

Air India Express has completely resumed its Middle East flight operations, including routes to Kuwait and Salalah. Services from Kozhikode and Bengaluru to Kuwait have been reinstated with higher flight frequencies. The airline's Middle East network now connects 18 Indian cities across 13 destinations. Around 780 weekly flights are being operated as part of the restored regional network. The move represents a major expansion of the carrier's connectivity across the Middle East.

Russia Claims Ukraine Fired Its First Domestically Built Ballistic Missile

Russia has claimed that Ukraine may have launched its first indigenously developed ballistic missile in combat, marking a potential turning point in the conflict. Ukraine has not confirmed or commented on the alleged strike. The reported incident coincides with Ukraine's Fire Point FP-9 missile approaching its flight-testing phase. If verified, the development would represent a significant advancement in Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities. It would also signal a broader escalation in Kyiv's push to build its own advanced missile arsenal capable of reaching deep into Russian territory.

Eye on Russia: Lithuania to scrap nuclear weapons ban as 'geopolitical situation getting worse'