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Putin apologises for plane crash, without saying Russia at fault

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(BBC) Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan for the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, in which 38 people were killed – but stopped short of saying Russia was responsible.


In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the “tragic incident” had occurred when Russian air defence systems were actively repelling Ukrainian drones.


It had been reported the plane came under fire from Russian air defence systems as it tried to land in Chechnya – forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea.


It crash-landed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 on board.


The Kremlin released a statement on Saturday noting Putin had spoken to Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev by phone.


“(President) Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured,” the statement said.


Prior to Saturday, the Kremlin had not yet commented on the crash. But Russian aviation authorities had said the situation in the region was “very complicated” due to Ukrainian drone strikes on Chechnya.


Aviation experts and others in Azerbaijan believe the plane’s GPS systems were affected by electronic jamming and it was then damaged by shrapnel from Russian air defence missile blasts.


Survivors had previously reported hearing loud bangs before the plane crashed, suggesting it had been targeted.


Azerbaijan had not officially accused Russia this week, but the country’s transport minister said the plane was subject to “external interference” and damaged inside and out as it tried to land.


US defence officials on Friday had also said they believed Russia was responsible for the downing.


In Saturday’s phone call, Putin acknowledged that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had repeatedly tried to land at Grozny airport in Chechnya on 25 December.


At the time, Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian drones and Russian air defense systems had repelled those attacks, Putin said according to the Kremlin’s statement.


Moscow noted that Russian investigators had launched a criminal investigation. Azerbaijan had already announced it would launch an investigation.

The post Putin apologises for plane crash, without saying Russia at fault appeared first on ZNBC-Just for you.

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Africa: Holders Zamalek Lead Star-Studded TotalEnergies Confederation Cup Quarter-Finals

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The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final line-up has been finalised with defending champions Zamalek leading a formidable array of clubs into the knock-out stages.
Eight teams from six nations will battle for continental glory when the quarter-finals commence on March 30, with the return legs scheduled for April 6.
Zamalek, who topped Group D with an impressive 14 points, are joined by fellow Egyptian side Al-Masry in the knockout stages.
The White Knights sealed their progress with a convincing 3-1 victory over Nigeria’s Enyimba on Sunday on the final matchday.
Tanzania’s Simba SC emerged as Group A winners, with Algeria’s CS Constantine securing second place.
Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane, previous winners of the competition, topped Group B ahead of South African debutants Stellenbosch.
USM Alger’s dominant Group C campaign saw them accumulate 14 points, while ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire dramatically claimed the final quarter-final berth with a convincing victory on the last day.
The quarter-final draw will prevent teams from the same group meeting, meaning Egyptian rivals Zamalek and Al-Masry cannot face each other until at least the semi-finals.
Zamalek will face one of CS Constantine, Stellenbosch, or ASEC Mimosas, while Al-Masry could meet Simba, Berkane, or USM Alger.
The tournament’s knockout phase structure ensures home advantage will be crucial, with group winners hosting the decisive second legs. The semi-finals are scheduled for April 20 and 27, with the two-legged final set for May 17 and 25.
The presence of former champions Zamalek and Berkane, alongside ambitious clubs like Simba and USM Alger, suggests an intriguing battle lies ahead for Africa’s second-tier club crown.
Read the original article on CAF.
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ConCourt dismisses bid to block Petauke by-election

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By Hannock Kasama

The Constitutional Court has dismissed the application for a Conservatory Order to halt the PETAUKE Central Constituency by-election.

The application was recently filed by Governance Activist, ISAAC MWANZA and Zambia Civil Liberties Union.

However, the Constitutional Court has ruled that the application by Mr. MWANZA and the Zambia Civil Liberties Union has not outweighed public interest to hold the PETAUKE Central by-election.

Constitutional Court Judge, MATHEWS CHISUNKA has also ruled that Mr. MWANZA and the Zambia Civil Liberties Union have not demonstrated any prejudice they would suffer on account of the holding of the PETAUKE Central by-election.

Mr. MWANZA and the Zambia Civil Liberties Union had filed a petition in the Constitutional Court challenging the constitutionality of National Assembly Speaker NELLY MUTTI’s declaration of the PETAUKE Central seat vacant.

The post ConCourt dismisses bid to block Petauke by-election appeared first on ZNBC-Just for you.

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Africa: AUC Chairperson Strongly Condemns the Brutal Killings of South Sudanese Civilians in Sudan

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat strongly condemns the brutal killings of South Sudanese nationals in Wad Madani, Al Jazirah State in Sudan.
In this regard, the Chairperson echoes the call made by South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir on 17 January 2024 to the authorities in Sudan for this heinous crime to be fully investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.
The Chairperson conveys his sincere condolences to the families of the victims, the Government and people of South Sudan, while urging for restraint or any acts that could lead to further violence.
The Chairperson reiterates the African Union’s call for all relevant actors to urgently continue to work with the AU towards a peaceful resolution of the intolerable conflict in Sudan.
Read the original article on African Union.
AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 400 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
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