Olympic coaches sanctioned in international investigation of abuse in Azerbaijan rhythmic gymnastics

GENEVA (AP) — A four-year investigation into alleged physical, verbal and psychological abuse of rhythmic gymnasts in Azerbaijan led to the former Olympic team head coach, who is now a government minister, getting an eight-year international ban from the sport. Mariana Vasileva’s...

Indonesia is admitted to the BRICS bloc of developing nations

SAO PAULO (AP) — Indonesia has been admitted as a full member of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, the group's presiding country, Brazil, announced Monday. Indonesia’s candidacy was endorsed by BRICS leaders in August 2023, according to the foreign ministry of Brazil, which...

Investigators meet in Brazil to extract data from black box of crashed Azerbaijani airliner

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Several of Brazilian air force investigators are working with colleagues from three other nations to analyze data from the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed in Kazakhstan on Dec. 25, killing 38 people. Azerbaijan claims the jet was unintentionally shot down by Russia. ...

Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for trying to “hush up” the issue for days. "We can say with complete clarity that the plane was shot...

What is known about a plane crash in Kazakhstan that Azerbaijan says was caused by Russia?

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said on Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people, was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television that the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground...

Putin apologizes for 'tragic incident' but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down

MOSCOW (AP) — 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. ...

Russia's President Putin apologizes to Azerbaijani leader for “tragic incident” involving crashed Azerbaijani plane

Azerbaijani and U.S. officials suggest plane that crashed may have been hit by weapons fire

Russian air defense systems may have brought down an Azerbaijani airliner this week, a U.S. official said Friday after an Azerbaijani minister also suggested the plane was hit by a weapon, citing expert analysis and survivor accounts. Friday's assessments by Rashan Nabiyev and White...

Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns

Aviation experts said Thursday that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan's capital of Baku to the Russian...

Azerbaijani airliner crashes in Kazakhstan, killing 38 with 29 survivors, officials say

An Azerbaijani airliner with 67 people onboard crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors, a Kazakh official said. Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev disclosed the figures while meeting with Azerbaijani officials, the Russian...