A Board of Audit and Inspection report released Wednesday has identified an "unusual desire for keepsakes" as the root cause of a 2021 collision between two South Korean F-15K fighter jets. The investigation found that a wingman pilot abruptly climbed and inverted his jet to get a better photo of his colleague, leading to a crash that cost 880 million won in repairs. The pilot, now a commercial aviator, has been ordered to pay a portion of the damages.
In a major blow to Nepal's month-old anti-corruption government, Home Minister Sudan Gurung resigned Wednesday. A key leader of the 2025 Gen-Z protests, Gurung stepped down following public outcry over his asset disclosures—including over 1kg of gold—and alleged founder-level shares in firms linked to money-laundering suspect Deepak Bhatta. Prime Minister Balendra Shah has assumed temporary oversight of the ministry as calls for a parliamentary inquiry grow.
In a significant shift for domestic energy policy, China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has announced the first reduction in gasoline and diesel prices since the outbreak of the war in Iran. Following the 10-day adjustment cycle, the price cut aims to lower the burden on the transportation sector and private drivers, providing a rare reprieve from the high energy costs that have dominated 2026.
In a move that has sent ripples through global maritime markets, Indonesia has floated the idea of charging commercial vessels for passage through the Strait of Malacca. Inspired by recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa argued that Indonesia’s dominant geographic share of the route warrants a "three-way revenue split" with its neighbors. However, Singapore and Malaysia have immediately pushed back, declaring the strait must remain a free, open waterway under UNCLOS guarantees.
In a dramatic reversal of his "lots of bombs" warning, President Donald Trump has indefinitely extended the U.S.-Iran ceasefire following direct requests from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir. While the immediate threat of airstrikes has receded, the U.S. Navy continues its strict blockade of Iranian ports, a move Tehran describes as an act of war that threatens to collapse the fragile peace.
