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MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.In a historic victory in the just concluded , celebrated actor-turned-politician, John Dumelo has emerged as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ayawaso West constituency. Representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dumelo defeated the incumbent candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mrs Lydia Alhassan, in a keenly contested race that has captured national attention. The final results saw Dumelo secure 47,560 votes, significantly outpacing Mrs Alhassan, who garnered 39,214 votes. This decisive margin reflects a growing endorsement of Dumelo’s vision for transformative leadership in the constituency. Dumelo’s victory is particularly significant as it marks a comeback after his narrow loss in the 2020 elections to the same opponent. His 2024 campaign focused on pressing local issues, including infrastructure development, youth and women empowerment, education reforms, and job creation. These resonated strongly with voters, particularly young people, who were drawn to his promise of social change and community empowerment. In his victory speech, Dumelo expressed profound gratitude to the electorate, saying: “This victory is not just for me, but for the people of Ayawaso West. Together, we will build a stronger, more prosperous community. “I am committed to fulfilling every promise I made during this campaign.” The result is seen as a seismic shift in Ayawaso West, a constituency long considered an NPP stronghold. Dumelo’s achievement testifies to the growing appeal of individuals who bring relatable, issue-based campaigns to the political arena. His campaign leveraged grassroots engagement and focused on inclusivity, drawing support from diverse demographics within the constituency. This victory also signifies the rising influence of the NDC in traditionally competitive regions, signalling broader implications for the party’s momentum in the national political landscape.
Medical Equipment Maintenance Market to Grow by USD 51.21 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Focus on Preventive Maintenance, AI Redefining Market Landscape - TechnavioIntech Investment Management LLC Makes New Investment in Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:WOOF)The Detroit Lions have arguably been the best team in the NFL this season, as Dan Campbell's squad is 11-1 and atop the NFC North through 13 weeks. The Lions have won ten consecutive games after a 1-1 start and tallied a scrappy 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day in Week 13. One of the primary reasons for the Lions' success in 2024 has been the impressive play of the defense, especially the interior defensive line. Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike have been one of the better defensive tackle duos in the league this season, as the tandem admirably anchors the middle of Detroit's injury-riddled defensive line. The Lions signed McNeill to a four-year, $97 million contract extension on Oct.16 , but Onwuzurike is set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. If general manager Brad Holmes fails to retain the 2021 second-round pick this offseason, Bleacher Report's Matt Holder believes New York Jets defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw could sign with Detroit. Detroit wisely signed Alim McNeill to a contract extension, but Levi Onwuzurike and John Cominsky are impending free agents. So the team will still need to add some depth on the interior defensive line this offseason. Kinlaw isn't a game-changer by any means. However, he has been a solid player throughout his career. In other words, the 27-year-old could contribute off the bench and should be affordable in free agency. Though Kinlaw isn't an elite player, the 2020 No.14 overall pick would be an adequate replacement for Onwuzurike if the star defensive tackle departs Detroit this offseason. Kinlaw spent the first four seasons of his career with the San Francisco 49ers before signing with the Jets in the 2024 offseason. The former South Carolina standout saw limited playing time in San Francisco till his final year with the team in 2023, when he posted 3.5 sacks and 31 quarterback pressures in six starts. Thus far in 2024, Kinlaw has started every game for the Jets and has tallied 2.5 sacks and 21 quarterback pressures . The 27-year-old has been inconsistent this season but is set to have his most productive campaign yet and should be relatively cheap to acquire. Overall, signing Kinlaw to a low-risk, high-reward deal would be a savvy move from Brad Holmes if Onwuzurike walks in free agency. MORE DETROIT LIONS NEWS Lions injury updates: Carlton Davis, D.J. Reader, Taylor Decker, more Multiple Detroit Lions players among leaders in Pro Bowl voting Dan Campbell has blunt stance on Jahmyr Gibbs leaking sensitive Lions info
A West Vancouver non-profit is raising funds to help provide opportunities for urban Indigenous people to succeed. On Giving Tuesday, which is Dec. 3, the Urban Spirit Foundation is hosting a fundraiser event where people can enjoy chili and bannock along with sales of baked goods, raffle prizes and a 50/50 draw. “Without fundraisers like this, it would be less money in the pot to be able to do the good work that we’re doing,” said Lynn White, executive director of the Urban Spirit Foundation. White says urban Indigenous people are those who reside in cities, but also those who may not have status or are not connected to their First Nation. The Urban Spirit Foundation is a charitable organization that provide opportunities for Indigenous people living in the city through education and employment training, secondary and post-secondary scholarships and relief of poverty. The fundraiser began shortly after the foundation launched in 2007. Once the team heard about Giving Tuesday, White said they were inspired to use it as a charity fundraising event. The Urban Spirit Foundation works in partnership with the Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society (ACCESS), where White is also the CEO. Some of the raffle prizes include Vancouver Canucks tickets and gift cards for Hype Chocolate and Indigenous owned cosmetic brand Cheekbone Beauty. The money collected helps go back into the programs the foundation and ACCESS offer, White said. Since its creation, the foundation has been able to provide scholarships to Indigenous people within the Vancouver and Surrey school districts, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and more. I really take pride in being able to give out some scholarships and support our people who are going back to school and trying to struggle their way out of poverty and into a career,” White said. The two organizations also help provide employment opportunities, including the BladeRunners program, that helps give at-risk young people between ages 19 and 30 work experience, certified health and safety training and social skills development. As the hours lead up to the fundraiser, the team is preparing the chili and bannock. “We welcome anybody who would like to come by and support us and have some chili,” White said. Urban Spirit Foundation fundraiser Where: ACCESS head office, 108-100 Park Royal South, West Vancouver When: Dec. 3, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission: $18 Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.India batter KL Rahul's contentious caught behind dismissal in the opening Test against Australia kicked up a controversy with former players from both the countries questioning the third umpire's decision to overturn the on-field official's not out call. After on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled in Rahul's favour following Australia's appeal, the home team used DRS to challenge the decision. Third umpire Richard Illingworth overturned the call despite not having the benefit of a split-screen view which would have given him a clearer picture of whether the Mitchell Starc delivery actually grazed the bat or the snicko responded to a hit on the pads. All this unfolded 10 minutes before lunch and India ended the session at 51 for 4. Rahul, who made 26 off 74 balls, indicated that his bat hit the pad at the same time when the ball went past the edge. "I've got a spike when the ball passed his outside edge," Illingworth was heard saying while deciding on the DRS appeal. Rahul shook his head in frustration while walking off the pitch. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was commentating for Fox Cricket, said there was not enough evidence for the third umpire to overturn the on-field official's not out decision. "My initial reaction was, was there enough evidence there for the third umpire to overrule what was given. It was not out on the field of play. Did I see enough there for me to be convinced? I didn't see enough, to be honest," he said. Former Australia batter Michael Hussey admitted on air that the third umpire's decision was a controversial one. "That's controversial - there was a spike on the Snicko, but was the spike coming from the ball hitting the bat, or was it the bat hitting his pad?" Hussey asked while commentating for the same channel. "You can see the bat just clipping the pad, so you've just got to get the timing right...there's got to be some doubt there in my mind." According to Hussey, Rahul had every right to question the decision, saying: "I don't think you can be 100 per cent sure that the decision is correct." "The disappointing thing is the technology's there to make sure you get the correct," he said. Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden also felt that the spike in the snicko was not because of the ball taking an edge from Rahul's bat. "His (Rahul's) pad and bat are not together at that point in time as the ball passes. It (bat hitting pad) is after, in fact, the ball passes the edge," Hayden said on air. Advertisement (function(v,d,o,ai){ai=d.createElement('script');ai.defer=true;ai.async=true;ai.src=v.location.protocol+o;d.head.appendChild(ai);})(window, document, '//a.vdo.ai/core/v-ndtv-v1/vdo.ai.js'); "Does Snicko pick up the sound of the bat hitting the pad? We're assuming (Snicko) may be the outside edge of the bat but that may not be the case." Australia batting legend Mark Waugh added: "That's a very brave decision given the evidence that we've seen there; unfortunately KL Rahul's got to cop it sweet ... (he) won't be happy with the way it's ended." Former India players Wasim Jaffer and Irfan Pathan also felt the third umpire erred in his decision. "Third umpire asked for another angle which wasn't provided. I'd assume he'd only ask for another angle if he wasn't sure. Then if he wasn't sure, why did he overturn the on field not out call? "Poor use of technology and proper protocol not followed. KL hard done by," Jaffer tweeted. "If it's not clear don't give it out!" Pathan wrote on 'X'. Former ICC elite umpire Simon Taufel also felt that Rahul wa per haps unlucky. "We saw with that side on shot there was a spike on RTS with the bat away from the pad, in other words the bottom of the bat hadn't reached the pad," he was quoted as saying by '7Cricket'. "Therefore rolling that through in its natural course, you may have seen that second spike (on Snicko, to indicate bat hitting pad) come through, had it been rolled all the way through." PTI PDS PM PDS PM PM (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Words That Leave a Ragged Edge
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None"You don't have to be afraid" when you spot this north suburban Chicago listing on Zillow. Social media sleuths noticed that the house next door to the iconic "Home Alone" house in Winnetka, Illinois is now up for sale. In the 1990 holiday movie, Old Man Marley, the seemingly creepy next-door neighbor of movie star Kevin McCallister, owns the house near the McCallister family, at 681 Lincoln Avenue. Despite it's unsettling framing in the film, the six-bedroom, seven-bath house is listed for nearly $3.8 million (after reportedly listing at $4.8 million earlier this year). It features a large outdoor pool, a putting green, and a half-basketball court. If you are considering buying the house, just remember the words of Marley, "You're never too old to be afraid." Meanwhile, the iconic "Home Alone" house may have also found a new owner. Zillow has a sale "pending" on the Home Alone house, located at 671 Lincoln Ave. in Winnetka. The over 9,000-square-foot home was listed for $5.2 million. The iconic brick home features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and an indoor sports court. The last time the "McAllister house" was on the market was back in 2012, it sold for $1.585 million – down from an asking price of $2.4 million. According to Vanity Fair, the red brick Georgian dates back to 1920. It first gained notoriety beyond the North Shore in 1974 – 16 years before it became the "Home Alone" house – when its newly-redone kitchen made the September issue of "Better Homes & Gardens" magazine, Vanity Fair reported. John and Cynthia Abendshien moved into the house in 1988, and were living there when "Home Alone" was filmed. As CBS News Chicago reported back in May, the Abendshiens sold the house in 2012.Lake District: Mountain rescuers help campers stranded in bad weatherArkansas visits skidding Miami in battle of veteran coaches
NoneThe women’s wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday staged a protest near Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener chief Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, accusing him of “cheating the women of Delhi” with the proposed Mahila Samman Yojana, a scheme which offers ₹ 2,100 per month to the Capital’s women. The AAP hit back, claiming that the BJP’s opposition reflects their lack of commitment to women’s empowerment. The Delhi government, in its 2024-25 budget, announced the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana for a monthly payment of ₹ 1,000 for all women voters in the Capital. Though the scheme is yet to take off, Kejriwal on December 12 said that the amount would be raised to ₹ 2,100 if the AAP retains power in Delhi, and the party has been running a registration drive for the scheme over the last four days. However, the state women and child development (WCD) department on December 25 issued a public notice, warning against the AAP holding registration drive for the scheme, and said that the project is “non-existent” and is yet to be notified by the Delhi government. On Thursday, BJP workers marched from Ashoka Road to 5, Feroze Shah Road — Kejriwal’s current residence — to protest against the scheme, but were stopped en route by police. BJP women’s wing president Richa Pandey said the AAP gathering personal information is part of a larger “scam”. “Under the guise of the Mahila Samman scheme, the AAP is organising camps to collect Aadhaar numbers, voter IDs and phone numbers, which is part of a larger scam,” she alleged. Meanwhile, BJP councillor Shikha Rai said that the scheme is a sign of “desperation”. “For the last decade, Arvind Kejriwal has only misled women in Delhi for political gains. The sudden announcement of ₹ 2,100 without cabinet sanction, particularly with clear signs of impending electoral defeat, highlights AAP’s desperation, especially when similar promises in Punjab remain unfulfilled even after 2.5 years of governance,” she said. During the demonstration, some protesters climbed atop the police barricades and raised slogans against Kejriwal and the AAP, and were briefly detained by police, but were released later on. Responding to the BJP’s protest, the AAP said that the scheme is a “ground-breaking initiative” which has seen an overwhelming response. “The BJP has consistently resisted measures that uplift our mothers and sisters... The public has faith in Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, trusting that once he is re-elected as chief minister, ₹ 2,100 will be deposited monthly into the accounts of every woman,” Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said. “The BJP has always been against women. They don’t want women to be empowered, to become strong, or to have some money in their hands. The BJP doesn’t want this; that’s why they are opposing it,” he said.Loan Processing and Underwriting Automation: Speeding Up Credit Decisions
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Franklin Resources Inc. lessened its stake in Hafnia Limited ( NYSE:HAFN – Free Report ) by 7.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 201,655 shares of the company’s stock after selling 16,863 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Hafnia were worth $1,455,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of HAFN. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale raised its stake in shares of Hafnia by 10.5% during the third quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 3,056,334 shares of the company’s stock worth $21,350,000 after buying an additional 290,000 shares during the last quarter. Mirabella Financial Services LLP bought a new stake in shares of Hafnia during the 3rd quarter valued at $3,175,000. Marshall Wace LLP bought a new position in shares of Hafnia in the 2nd quarter worth $1,025,000. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new stake in shares of Hafnia during the third quarter worth $3,774,000. Finally, Glenorchy Capital Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Hafnia during the third quarter worth $726,000. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of Hafnia from $8.00 to $6.50 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. Hafnia Stock Down 0.9 % Hafnia stock opened at $5.45 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $5.58 and a 200 day simple moving average of $6.93. The company has a current ratio of 1.70, a quick ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Hafnia Limited has a 1-year low of $4.99 and a 1-year high of $8.99. The company has a market cap of $2.76 billion and a P/E ratio of 3.21. Hafnia Cuts Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 6th were paid a $0.379 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 6th. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 27.82%. Hafnia’s dividend payout ratio is 88.82%. About Hafnia ( Free Report ) Hafnia Limited owns and operates oil product tankers in Bermuda. It operates through Long Range II, Long Range I, Medium Range (MR), Handy size, and Specialized segments. The company transports clean and dirty, refined oil products, vegetable oil, and easy chemicals to national and international oil companies, and chemical companies, as well as trading and utility companies; and owns and operates 200 vessels. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HAFN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hafnia Limited ( NYSE:HAFN – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Hafnia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hafnia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson has been ruled out for the Colts' big game at the New York Giants on Sunday. Richardson missed practice on Thursday and Friday because of back and foot injuries. He was listed as questionable before he was downgraded to out on Saturday. Indianapolis (7-8) has a slim chance of making the playoffs. The Colts need to win out and get some help. Richardson's absence likely means Joe Flacco will start against New York. Flacco, a New Jersey native who turns 40 on Jan. 16, has passed for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns in six games this season, including four starts. He also has thrown five interceptions. The 22-year-old Richardson was selected by Indianapolis with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft. He has passed for 1,814 yards and eight touchdowns with 12 interceptions this year. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl The Associated Press
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!