Azerbaijan Airlines has attributed the deadly crash of its Embraer jet in Kazakhstan on December 25 to “physical and technical external interference,” according to preliminary investigations. The crash claimed 38 lives and left 29 survivors when the plane went down just 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) short of the runway at Aktau airport, engulfed in flames.

The ill-fated flight initially attempted to land at Grozny airport in southern Russia but was diverted across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan due to adverse conditions. Witnesses near Grozny reported an explosion before the plane’s diversion.

Russia’s civil aviation agency chief, Dmitry Yadrov, stated on Friday that Grozny was under a “very complicated” situation. He cited ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Grozny and Vladikavkaz, prompting the implementation of a closed-skies protocol, known as the “Carpet plan.” The region also experienced dense fog, complicating aviation operations further.

Azerbaijan Airlines has refrained from explicitly accusing Russia of involvement, likely to avoid diplomatic tensions. However, aviation experts and Azerbaijani media suggest the crash may have been caused by shrapnel from a Russian air-defense missile explosion.

“Missile fragments could have damaged the plane’s hydraulic system, which is critical for control,” explained Tahir Agaguliev, a veteran Azerbaijani pilot, in a local media interview.

Survivors of the crash have supported claims of external interference. Flight attendant Zulfuqar Asadov described the moments of impact, recalling, “The plane was hit by some kind of external strike, causing panic among passengers. While we were trying to calm them, another strike occurred, injuring my arm.”

Guatemalan police have successfully resisted an attempted recapture of 160 children rescued from the controversial Lev Tahor sect, known for its extremist practices and alleged abuse.

The children were placed in protective care after a police raid on Friday at the sect’s farm in Oratorio, southeast of Guatemala City. Authorities conducted the operation following allegations of abuse, including forced pregnancies, child mistreatment, and rape. Interior Minister Francisco Jimenez confirmed that the children were reportedly being harmed by a member of the sect.

On Sunday, tensions escalated when approximately 100 sect members, including relatives of the children, gathered outside the care center demanding their return. Some forced their way into the facility, leading to clashes with law enforcement. Authorities swiftly intervened, relocating the children to safety in a secure vehicle.

Lev Tahor, notorious for imposing harsh conditions on its followers, advocates child marriage, enforces strict dress codes for women and girls as young as three, and punishes minor transgressions severely. The sect has faced investigations for serious sexual offenses across multiple countries.

The Jewish Community of Guatemala has distanced itself from Lev Tahor, emphasizing its lack of affiliation with the group. In a statement, the community expressed support for the authorities’ efforts to protect vulnerable children and others at risk.

Prosecutors revealed that prior attempts to check on the children’s wellbeing were obstructed by sect members, heightening concerns for their safety. Officials estimate the sect comprises about 50 families living in Guatemala, the US, Canada, and elsewhere.

This incident follows a 2022 operation in Mexico’s Chiapas state, where Lev Tahor members were arrested but later released due to insufficient evidence.

A woman tragically lost her life on Sunday in Brooklyn after being set on fire aboard a stationary subway train. A man has been arrested in connection with the horrifying attack, described by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being.”

The incident occurred at around 07:30 local time (12:30 GMT) on an F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. Police say the woman, whose identity has not yet been released, was seated in a subway car when a man used a lighter to ignite her clothing, which quickly became engulfed in flames.

Although officers extinguished the fire, the victim succumbed to her injuries at the scene.

Detectives are working to determine a motive for the attack. NYPD official Joseph Gulotta stated that there appeared to be no prior interaction between the victim and the suspect and that the two did not know each other. The victim was reportedly motionless at the time of the attack, but it remains unclear whether she was asleep.

Officers were alerted to the fire by smoke and flames emanating from the train. Responding officers discovered the suspect had remained at the station, seated on a bench near the scene of the attack.

Detailed imagery from officers’ body-worn cameras enabled police to disseminate a clear picture of the suspect. Later in the day, three high school students recognized the man on another subway train and called 911.

Officers located and arrested the suspect at Herald Square station in Manhattan, near the Empire State Building. He was found carrying a lighter in his pocket.

The suspect, who emigrated from Guatemala to the United States in 2018, has not yet been publicly identified. No charges have been filed at this time.