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Survivors of Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash report hearing bangs, explosions during flight

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(KAZAKHSTAN) — Survivors of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan reported hearing thuds and explosions from outside the aircraft during the flight, as the cause of the deadly catastrophe remains under investigation.

The Azerbaijan Airlines passenger aircraft crashed near Kazakhstan’s Aktau Airport on Wednesday morning, killing 38 of the 67 people on board, Kazakh officials said.

An Azeri crew member who survived the crash told ABC News in a phone call from his hospital room on Friday that he heard three thuds as they were flying over Grozny, Russia. He said he believes the noises came from outside the plane.

The crew member, who did not provide his name as crew members have not been authorized to speak with the media, said he sustained injuries to his left arm in the crash. He was hospitalized in Aktau but has since been transferred to a hospital in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The aircraft was flying from Baku to Grozny but couldn’t land due to heavy fog, according to the crew member. The flight was rerouted to Aktau in Kazakhstan when it crashed while trying to land.

A passenger told Reuters from his hospital bed that he heard a bang, saw oxygen masks falling down and that the fuselage was damaged. He said he initially thought the plane was going to fall apart and started praying.

“It was obvious that the plane had been damaged in some way,” the passenger, Subhonkul Rakhimov, told Reuters. “It was as if it was drunk — not the same plane anymore.”

Rakhimov said he was “thrown back and forth” while strapped in and then it was quiet, at which point he realized that they had landed.

Another passenger told Reuters she felt “two explosions” about 20 or 30 minutes after takeoff. A flight attendant told Reuters there were injuries on the flight “from the impact of the external blows,” and that he hurt his arm.

Azerbaijan’s transport minister said Friday that passengers and flight attendants on the plane heard explosions “from outside, and then something touched the plane” over Grozny, per local media.

Both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan authorities are investigating the crash. The cause is still being determined, but multiple sources point to potential Russian involvement.

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told reporters Friday that there are “early indications” that the plane could have been brought down by Russian air defense systems, but he added that the investigation is ongoing.

A high-level Azeri government source told ABC News on Thursday that there is new evidence emerging that the plane may have been shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile.

The plane was flying over an area where Moscow’s air defense has battled Ukrainian drones recently.

Videos and photos of the plane after the crash show bullet holes in parts of the plane.

“Preliminary expert opinions indicate the presence of outside interference,” Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s minister of digital development and transport, said Friday. “This is evidenced by the appearance of the plane’s wreckage on the ground and eyewitness testimonies.”

Azerbaijan Airlines also said Friday the preliminary results of the investigation show the crash was due to “physical and technical external interference.”

The Kremlin declined to comment on the matter until the investigation into the crash is completed.

“The investigation into the air accident is ongoing. And we do not think we have a right to give any assessments and will not do so until conclusions are drawn based on the results of the investigation,” Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday. “We have our own aviation authorities that can do it, and this information may come only from them.”

The head of Russia’s federal air transport agency, Dmitry Yadrov, shifted possible blame onto Ukraine for the crash.

“The situation in the Grozny Airport area was rather complicated on that day and at those hours. Ukrainian drones were conducting terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure in Grozny and Vladikavkaz,” Yadrov said Friday, according to state media.

Azerbaijan Airlines has temporarily suspended flights from Baku to 10 Russian cities “due to physical and technical external interference and considers potential risks to flight safety,” the airline said on Friday.

“The suspension will remain in effect until the completion of the final investigation,” it added.

Several other airlines, including El Al, Flydubai and Qazaq Air, have also suspended flights to various Russian cities in the wake of the crash.

ABC News’ Tomek Rolski, Michelle Stoddart and Lauren Peller contributed to this report.

Systane eye drops recalled due to fungal contamination: FDA

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — One lot of eye drops is being voluntarily recalled due to potential fungal contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced earlier this week.

The eye drops, Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, are single vial drops available in a 25-count box and manufactured by Alcon Laboratories, based in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Alcon evaluated a consumer complaint of foreign material observed inside a sealed single-use vial and determined the material to be fungal in nature,” the FDA wrote in its release.

It is unclear what type of fungus the eye drops are contaminated with.

Fungal contaminations of eye products can lead to eye infections, which can result in partial blindness or total blindness. In rare cases, such eye infections can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients, according to the FDA.

As of Dec. 23, Alcon Laboratories has not received any reports of adverse events related to the eye drop recall.

Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF is meant to temporarily relieve burning and irritation in people experiencing dry eye symptoms, according to the FDA.

The FDA recommends any consumers who have the recalled eye drops stop using them immediately and return them to the place of purchase to receive either a replacement or a refund. Distributors or retailers are also advised to discard any boxes in stock with the lot number 10101.

The recall is limited to packages that have the lot number 10101 and are set to expire in September 2025. The FDA said packages were sold nationwide, both in stores and online.

Any consumers who used the recalled product and are experiencing any problems should contact their health care provider immediately, the FDA said.

“Alcon is conducting a voluntary recall of one (1) lot of Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count (Lot 10101) distributed only in the United States following the discovery of foreign material inside a single, unused, plastic unit dose vial returned with a customer-reported complaint,” a company spokesperson told ABC News in a statement.

“Investigation of this event is still ongoing; however, the presence of foreign material appears to be isolated to the single unit returned by a customer,” the statement continued. “To date, there are no adverse events related to this recall. However, out of an abundance of caution, Alcon has initiated a voluntary recall and notified the FDA. Our priority is ensuring the safety of our products while maintaining compliance with all regulatory bodies.”

Last year, contaminated eye drops were linked to at least four deaths and 14 cases of vision loss. At the time, patients reported using at least 10 different brands of artificial tears.

At least one set of eye drops was contaminated with an antibiotic-resistant form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an aggressive bacterium, according to the CDC.

In November, the FDA announced 27 eye drops products were being recalled due to potential safety concerns “after FDA investigators found insanitary conditions.”

US citizen sentenced to 15 years by Moscow court on espionage charges, Russian media says

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(MOSCOW) — An American citizen, Evgeny “Eugene” Spector, was sentenced to 15 years in a high-security prison by the Moscow City Court on espionage charges on Dec. 24, reported Interfax, a Russian news agency.

The Russian Security Service, or FSB, said Spector collected information from Russia “in the interests of the Pentagon to create a system for genetic screening of the Russian population,” Interfax reported on Friday.

“We are aware of reports of the sentencing of a U.S. citizen in Russia. We are monitoring the situation but have no further comment at this time,” a State Department official told ABC News. “The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of our U.S. citizens overseas. We will continue to press for fair and transparent treatment for all U.S. citizen detainees in Russia and around the world.”

The Pentagon declined to comment, instead directing all inquiries to the State Department.

“The American, acting in the interests of the Pentagon and a commercial organization affiliated with it, collected and transferred to a foreign party various information on biotechnological and biomedical topics, including information constituting a state secret, for the subsequent creation by the United States of a high-speed genetic screening system for the Russian population,” the FSB said Friday, according to Interfax.

The sentence has not entered into force and can be appealed, Interfax reported. The court did not report how Spector pleaded to the charges. It was a closed-door trial “due to the secrecy of the case materials,” Russian state media said.

Before espionage charges were brought against Spector in August 2023, he was arrested in a case involving bribes to the former assistant to Arkady Dvorkovich, the former deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation, according to Interfax.

Spector was sentenced 3 1/2 years in a maximum-security penal colony for acting as an intermediary in giving a bribe to Dvorkovich’s aide.

The sentence of espionage charges was handed down in conjunction with the previous sentence Spector had already received for the bribery charges, Russian state media said. Spector was handed a 13-year sentence for espionage charges, which added to his existing bribery sentence, converting the overall sentence into a new 15-year sentence, Russian state media reported.

The presiding judge had decided Spector should now serve an overall 15-year sentence in a maximum-security penal colony as punishment for both cases on Tuesday, reported TASS, a Russian state news agency.

Prior to his arrest, Spector was the chairman of the board of directors of the Medpolymerprom Group, a company specializing in cancer-curing drugs. Spector was born in Russia and then moved to the US.

On Friday, the U.S. State Department confirmed to ABC News another American serving a prison sentence in Russia was determined to be “wrongfully detained” by Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this year.

Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was arrested in Russia on drug charges in 2021, is currently serving a 14-year sentence.

A State Department spokesperson said the U.S. has been trying to secure Fogel’s release and tried to include him in the large Aug. 1 prisoner exchange that freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, among others.

Blinken determined Fogel as being wrongfully detained in October, the spokesperson said, adding that there was a variety of reasons why the department may not have made the designation public.

ABC News’ Nathan Luna contributed to this report.

NPS urges caution amid Kilauea’s volcanic activity after ‘shocking scene’

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(HAWAII ISLAND, Hawaii) — The National Park Service is cautioning people to heed warnings and safety precautions while watching volcanic activity since the latest eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, one of the most active in the world.

Kilauea began erupting on Monday, marking its third eruption of 2024 and its eighth since 2020, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Since then, there was another distinctive eruptive episode on Wednesday, and the eruption resumed Thursday evening, the agency said.

The volcanic activity has drawn visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island to watch the lava glow, with one “shocking scene” prompting the National Park Service to issue a safety advisory.

A toddler wandered off from his family Wednesday night into a closed area at Kilauea Overlook and “in a split second, ran straight toward the 400-foot cliff edge,” the National Park Service said in a news release on Thursday.

“His mother, screaming, managed to grab him in the nick of time just a foot or so away from a fatal fall,” the agency said. “Disaster was averted, and the shaken family departed.”

Park officials are now reminding visitors to remain on trails, stay out of closed areas and keep their children close, especially those watching Kilauea along the Crater Rim Trail.

“The hazards that coincide with an eruption are dangerous, and we have safety measures in place including closed areas, barriers, closure signs, and traffic management,” Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh said in a statement. “Your safety is our utmost concern, but we rely on everyone to recreate responsibility. National parks showcase nature’s splendor but they are not playgrounds.”

Kilauea’s eruptive activity could continue to pause and resume in the coming days or weeks, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

“The eruption could restart at any time, and toxic gas emissions are still high,” the National Park Service said.

Visitors to the park are advised to check the air quality before and during their trip.

Sinkhole on New Jersey interstate was caused by collapse of abandoned mineshaft

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WHARTON, N.J.) — A sinkhole on a northern New Jersey interstate that’s closed eastbound traffic for over 24 hours was caused by a collapse of abandoned mineshaft, officials said.

Interstate 80 eastbound in Wharton is closed and will stay closed until further notice as sinkhole repairs continue, the New Jersey Department of Transportation said on Friday.

Crews responded to the 40-foot by 40-foot sinkhole on Thursday morning.

The area has been stabilized and excavation work started Thursday night, according to the Department of Transportation.

Officials aren’t saying when the interstate will reopen because of the weather and the “extensive nature of the repairs,” the department said.

Mega Millions jackpot surges to $1.22 billion ahead of Friday night’s drawing

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Mega Millions jackpot surges to .22 billion ahead of Friday night’s drawing

Mega Millions jackpot surges to $1.22 billion ahead of Friday night’s drawing — Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — The Mega Millions jackpot has surged to $1.22 billion — and a winner could take home the fifth-largest prize in Mega Millions history.

The next drawing will take place on Friday at 11 p.m. ET, with the cash value of the jackpot estimated to be $549.7 million.

No one has won the grand prize in the last 30 drawings, as the jackpot has ballooned. The last time the jackpot was won was at $810 million in Texas on Sept. 10.

No ticket matched the numbers drawn on Christmas Eve; the numbers drawn were 11, 14, 38, 45, 46 and gold Mega Ball 3.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, according to Mega Millions.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $2 for one play.

Endangered pygmy hippo born at Virginia zoo

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(RICHMOND, Va.) — The Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia is welcoming a newborn pygmy hippo just before the holidays, the zoo announced in a press release on Dec 24.

The newborn arrived on Dec 9. after a seven-month gestation, the press release said. The pygmy hippo parents, Iris and Corwin, gave birth to a third little girl in the past 4.5 years.

“This is Iris and Corwin’s 3rd calf in 4.5 years (all females), and their 2nd calf to arrive right before the holidays,” the zoo said. “Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years.”

This is the first time Iris gave birth in the water, the press release stated. Common hippos usually give birth underwater, while pygmy hippo calves can be born on land or in water.

The baby hippo arrived around 4:50 p.m., while Iris was laboring in the indoor pool, the press release said. The baby’s natural instincts kicked in and she started moving around in the water immediately.

Iris and the baby were later moved to a “cozy, hay-bedded enclosure exhibit,” the release stated.

“This gives mom and baby privacy while they bond. Within time, they will move back to the indoor pool area so guests can see the baby,” the press release said. “Iris is an experienced mother and very protective of her calf. The calf is nursing and growing quickly. The baby has yet to be named.”

At 5 days old, the newborn had a neonatal exam and she weighed 15 pounds. Fully grown pygmy hippos can weigh up to 600 pounds, the zoo said.

According to the zoo, the pygmy hippo is an endangered species native to the swamps and rivers of West Africa. Less than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild. Unlike common hippos, pygmy hippos do not live in groups and are usually solitary or in pairs.

“For this reason, once Iris’ two previous calves grew up, they were moved to other zoological facilities to live with future mates and continue contributing to the conservation of their species,” the zoo said.

The Metro Richmond Zoo is the only place in Virginia where people can see hippos, the press release said.

Norovirus cases on the rise in the US. What you need to know

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Cases of norovirus appear to be on the rise in various parts of the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 90 norovirus outbreaks were reported during the week of Dec. 5, the most recent week for which data is available, according to the CDC.

CDC data from previous years for the same December week show a maximum of 65 outbreaks reported.

National CDC data reflects what has been reported in state and counties across the country.

In Minnesota, more than 40 outbreaks were reported in December, almost twice the usual number, according to the state Department of Health.

Earlier this month, an event celebrating the top restaurants in Los Angeles left at least 80 people sickened with norovirus, which was linked to raw oysters, the county’s Department of Public Health confirmed to ABC News.

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation of the inside lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

Although it’s often referred to as the “stomach bug” or “stomach flu,” norovirus illness is not related to influenza.

Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., causing 58% of foodborne illnesses each year, according to the CDC.

The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. Patients, however, can also experience fever, headaches and body aches.

According to the federal health agency, every year the virus causes between 19 and 21 million illnesses, 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths.

A person can become infected by having direct contact with someone who is infected and sharing food or utensils with them; touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then touching their face or mouth; or consuming contaminated foods or liquids.

Typically, an infected person will develop symptoms between 12 to 48 hours after being infected. However, norovirus typically resolves quickly and, in most healthy adults, lasts one to three days, according to the CDC.

There is no specific medication or antiviral for norovirus, meaning the only treatment available is managing symptoms.

The CDC recommends staying hydrated and drinking liquids that replenish electrolytes, which can be depleted through diarrhea and vomiting.

Although symptoms will resolve in a few days for most people, certain groups are at high risk for severe dehydration including those under age 1, the elderly and the immunocompromised.

Health experts say the best way to prevent getting norovirus is to wash hands with warm soap and water for 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus.

The CDC says people should wash their hands after using the toilet or changing diapers as well as when eating, preparing or handling food.

To prevent contamination from food, make sure fruits and vegetables are washed, and that shellfish is cooked to at least an internal temperature of 145 F.

Man accused of fatally burning woman on subway is indicted in ‘malicious’ case: DA

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The man accused of setting a woman on fire and killing her as she slept on a New York City subway car has been indicted on one count of murder in the first degree, three counts of murder in the second degree and arson in the first degree, the Brooklyn district attorney said on Friday.

Sebastian Zapeta, 33, waived his Friday appearance but must return to court on Jan. 7, when the indictment will be unsealed at his arraignment, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez told reporters he’s confident in the first-degree murder case against Zapeta and said he will do everything in his power to hold him responsible for his “malicious deed” against a “vulnerable woman.”

Gonzalez also thanked the grand jury for watching the graphic surveillance video of the woman’s death over the holidays.

“Some progress” has been made in identifying the victim, who was believed to be homeless, Gonzalez said.

“Advanced fingerprinting efforts is being made, as well as advanced DNA evidence,” he said.

Zapeta was arrested on Monday in connection with the Sunday morning subway attack. He made his first court appearance on Tuesday and was held without bail.

Around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, the victim was asleep on a stationary F train in Brooklyn when a man approached her and lit her clothes on fire with a lighter, police said.

Authorities do not believe the two knew each other and did not have a previous interaction, police said.

The suspect left the subway car after the incident, but images of him were captured on officers’ body cameras because the suspect stayed at the scene, sitting on a nearby bench, according to police. Those images were released as police requested the public’s assistance in identifying the man.

Three high school students recognized him and contacted police, authorities said.

Zapeta was taken into custody in a subway car at Manhattan’s Herald Square on Sunday evening. Police said he was found with a lighter in his pocket.

Zapeta is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, according to a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He told authorities he does not know what happened, but he identified himself in the surveillance images.

Man accused of fatally burning woman on subway waives appearance, will return to court Jan. 7

December 27, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The Brooklyn district attorney said he’s confident in the first-degree murder case against a man accused of setting a woman on fire and killing her as she slept on a New York City subway car.

Sebastian Zapeta, 33, waived his appearance in court Friday and will return to court on Jan. 7, when the indictment will be unsealed at his arraignment, prosecutors said.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez told reporters on Friday that he will do everything in his power to hold Zapeta responsible for his “malicious deed.” Gonzalez also thanked the grand jury for watching the disturbing images ahead of the holidays.

Zapeta was arrested on Monday in connection with the Sunday morning subway attack and was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and first-degree arson.

He made his first court appearance on Tuesday and was held without bail. He has not entered a plea.

Around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, the unidentified victim was asleep on a stationary F train in Brooklyn when a man approached her and lit her clothes on fire with a lighter, police said.

Authorities do not believe the two knew each other and did not have a previous interaction, police said.

Three high school students recognized him and contacted police, authorities said.

Zapeta was taken into custody in a subway car at Manhattan’s Herald Square on Sunday evening. Police said he was found with a lighter in his pocket.

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