Putin apologises over Azerbaijan plane crash reportedly shot down - Newstrends
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Putin apologises over Azerbaijan plane crash reportedly shot down

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Putin apologises over Azerbaijan plane crash reportedly shot down

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan over 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 repelling Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine’s President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must “stop spreading disinformation” about the strike.

The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence as it tried to land in the Russian region of Chechnya – forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea.

The Azerbaijan Airlines jet then crash-landed near Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 on board.

Most of the passengers on the flight were from Azerbaijan, with others from Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

It is believed most of those who survived were seated in the plane’s rear.

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Flight J2-8243 had been en route from the Azerbaijan capital of Baku to the Chechen capital of Grozny on 25 December when it came under fire and was forced to divert.

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

“(President) Vladimir Putin apologised that the tragic incident 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,” it said.

In the rare publicised apology, Putin also acknowledged the plane had repeatedly tried to land at Grozny airport in Chechnya.

At the time, the cities of Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were “being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks”, he said.

The Kremlin read-out made no direct admission that the plane had been struck by Russian missiles.

In a statement released a shortly after the Kremlin’s, Ukrainian President Zelensky said the damage to the aircraft’s fuselage was “very reminiscent of an air defence missile strike”, adding that Russia “must provide clear explanations”.

“The key priority now is a thorough investigation that will answer all questions about what really happened.”

Prior to Saturday, the Kremlin had refused to say whether it was involved in the crash with authorities saying they were awaiting investigation results.

But Russian aviation authorities had earlier in the week said the situation in the region was “very complicated” due to Ukrainian drone strikes.

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 was 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.

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

The Kremlin said that Azeri, Kazakh and Russian agencies were “working closely at the site of the disaster in Aktau region”.

Even before Putin’s message on Saturday was released, several airlines from Azerbaijan had already begun suspending flights to most Russian cities.

The suspension will remain in place until the investigation into the crash is complete, one airline said.

 

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Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

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Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside
Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

A man who reportedly visited the headquarters of luxury car manufacturer Bugatti in search of employment allegedly drove away in the company chief executive’s £2 million sports car after discovering that its keys had been left inside.

The incident involved Mate Rimac, the Croatian businessman and chief executive of Bugatti, whose personal Bugatti Chiron was stolen from the company’s production and technology campus near Zagreb, Croatia.

The suspect, a Croatian man in his mid-30s, reportedly entered the facility looking for a job before spotting the high-performance vehicle with its keys inside and driving away.

Rimac disclosed the incident in a series of posts on Instagram, explaining that he had routinely left the keys inside his vehicles because he considered Croatia a safe place.

He admitted that the habit had continued for years without any incident until the Chiron disappeared.

The theft was discovered after an employee alerted colleagues that an unfamiliar person had driven away in the expensive vehicle.

Rimac immediately contacted the police and used the car’s built-in tracking and telemetry system to monitor its movements.

The tracking technology provided information about the vehicle’s location, speed and fuel level, allowing the Bugatti team to follow its journey and share updates with law enforcement officers.

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After discovering that the stolen vehicle was heading towards Slovenia, Rimac jumped into a Porsche 911 and pursued it.

The pursuit continued across borders, with the Chiron eventually reaching Austria. Rimac and his team maintained communication with the police through a group chat, providing updates that helped Austrian officers locate and intercept the vehicle.

The suspect was subsequently arrested in Austria, where Rimac later met him at a police station.

According to the Bugatti boss, the man explained that he had initially visited the company’s premises to seek employment but decided to take the car after noticing that its keys were inside.

Rimac said he was not planning to press charges against the suspect. However, he acknowledged that the man could still face prosecution because of the high value of the stolen vehicle.

The CEO also revealed that he had considered giving the suspect a lift home to his family but police officers did not allow him to do so.

The recovered Chiron sustained some damage during the incident, although Rimac said it could be repaired.

The businessman thanked the Austrian police for their intervention, saying he was relieved that nobody was injured during the incident.

He also admitted that the experience had taught him an expensive lesson, promising never again to leave the keys inside his vehicles.

The Bugatti Chiron, unveiled in 2016, is one of the world’s most powerful luxury hypercars. The model has a starting price of about €2.4 million, equivalent to approximately £2 million, and a manufacturer-limited top speed of 420 kilometres per hour.

Bugatti operates under Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture in which Rimac Group holds a majority stake.

The unusual theft has attracted international attention because of the vehicle’s value, the suspect’s reported reason for visiting the facility and the extraordinary cross-border pursuit involving the Bugatti chief executive.

Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

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Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

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Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form the country’s next government, dealing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a major political setback after a closely contested general election.

Herzog announced his decision on Saturday, November 7, 2026, following consultations with political parties elected to the 26th Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, emerged with the highest number of recommendations from lawmakers, receiving the backing of representatives from factions controlling 67 seats, compared with 46 seats for Netanyahu. Representatives of another faction controlling seven seats did not recommend either candidate.

The decision followed the October 27 general election, which left neither Netanyahu’s governing bloc nor the opposition grouping with the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition secured 53 seats, while the four-party opposition alliance led by Eisenkot won 48. The two Arab-led parties made significant gains, securing a combined 19 seats, placing them in a potentially decisive position in negotiations over the next government.

Eisenkot is expected to receive the formal mandate from Herzog at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, November 8.

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Under the Israeli government-formation process, he will have 28 days to negotiate a coalition, with the possibility of a further 14-day extension.

The former military chief will face difficult negotiations because his opposition alliance does not have enough seats to govern independently. Although the Arab-led parties have endorsed him, Eisenkot has previously expressed reservations about forming a coalition with them.

One possible route is to establish a minority government with support from Arab-led lawmakers on confidence votes and key legislation. Another option would involve reaching an agreement with ultra-Orthodox parties that have traditionally aligned with Netanyahu.

However, both options could create tensions within Eisenkot’s own political alliance, particularly among members who oppose relying on Arab parties or making concessions to religious parties.

A broader national unity government involving Netanyahu’s Likud party is another possibility, although the two leaders have significant disagreements over key political and security issues.

Eisenkot has previously ruled out serving in a government alongside Netanyahu, while criticising the prime minister’s handling of the war in Gaza and his reliance on far-right political partners.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, had sought to prevent an opposition-led government from emerging with the support of Arab-led parties.

Shortly before Herzog announced his decision, Netanyahu called for a national unity government and warned against the formation of an administration dependent on what he described as supporters of terrorism, referring to the Arab-led parties.

His comments drew criticism from Eisenkot’s political camp, which accused the prime minister of using divisive language to undermine the opposition’s efforts to form a government.

The Arab-led parties, which represent a significant section of Israel’s Palestinian citizens, have indicated their willingness to support efforts to end Netanyahu’s long tenure in office.

Their combined 19 seats could provide Eisenkot with the parliamentary backing needed to overcome the deadlock, although securing a workable arrangement remains uncertain.

Eisenkot, 66, served as chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2015 to 2019 before entering politics in 2022. He later served as an observer in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

He subsequently became one of Netanyahu’s most prominent critics, particularly over the conduct of the war in Gaza, the government’s security decisions and the influence of far-right politicians.

If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the stipulated period, Herzog may give another candidate the opportunity to try. If the process remains unsuccessful, Israel could be forced into another general election.

Netanyahu will remain prime minister in a caretaker capacity until a new government is sworn in.

Herzog’s decision therefore represents an important development in Israel’s political transition, but the final outcome will depend on whether Eisenkot can overcome divisions among opposition parties and secure sufficient parliamentary support.

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

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White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

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White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders
U.S. President Donald Trump
White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

The White House has reaffirmed the United States government’s policy recognising only two sexes, male and female, under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The administration restated its position in a message published on its official X account on Friday, November 6, 2026, declaring that the United States government officially recognises only two genders.

“It is the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male & female,” the White House stated.

The latest declaration reinforces Trump’s position on gender identity and his administration’s efforts to make biological sex the basis for federal government policies, official documents and administrative procedures.

Trump formally established the policy on January 20, 2025, through an executive order titled Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.

Under Section Two of the executive order, the President declared that it was the policy of the United States to recognise two sexes, male and female.

The directive defined sex as an individual’s unchangeable biological classification as either male or female, distinguishing it from gender identity.

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It also instructed federal agencies to adopt the definitions when interpreting and implementing federal laws, regulations and government policies.

Among other measures, the executive order directed government agencies to review and remove official statements, policies, regulations and communications considered inconsistent with the administration’s position.

It further required federal agencies to ensure that official forms requesting information about an individual’s sex provided only male and female options.

The policy marked a significant departure from measures introduced under former President Joe Biden, whose administration expanded federal recognition of gender identity in several areas of government operations.

In 2022, the Biden administration introduced an X gender marker option on US passports, allowing applicants who did not identify as male or female to select the alternative designation.

Trump’s executive order sought to reverse such measures and restore biological sex as the basis for federal government recognition.

The administration has maintained that the policy is intended to protect sex-based rights and ensure consistency in the interpretation of federal laws.

However, the policy has generated considerable debate over transgender rights, gender identity, discrimination and the legal recognition of transgender and non-binary people in the United States.

The White House’s latest declaration did not announce a new executive order or additional regulatory measures but reaffirmed the administration’s existing position on an issue that continues to attract political, legal and social debate.

 

White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

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