At least 41 people have died after a Sukhoi Superjet 100 en route from Moscow to Murmansk crash-landed shortly after takeoff, authorities confirmed.

Seventy three passengers and five crew members were on board the plane when it made the emergency landing on Sunday afternoon at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, Russian Investigative Committee spokeswoman Elena Markovskaya told the journalist, saying that “41 people” have died.

At least six of the 37 people rescued were rushed to a hospital. Three are now in intensive care after suffering burns and smoke inhalation injuries, health minister Veronika Skvortsova said, in a brief press statement.

The Aeroflot flight SU 1492, en route from Moscow to the Russian northern city of Murmansk, had to turn back to Sheremetyevo after reporting an emergency on board less than half an hour after takeoff.

Leaked CCTV footage appears to show the Sukhoi Superjet-100 aircraft attempting to land. The plane is seen bouncing off the runway and hitting it with full force, as the engines burst into flames.

The fire engulfed the aircraft’s tail within moments. 78 people were on board the aircraft, including 73 passengers and five crew members. Now the investigators say an “updated” toll shows only 37 of those on board have survived.

Earlier, the Russian Investigative Committee confirmed the deaths of 13 people, including two children. The Russian health ministry also said that seven people suffered injuries in the crash. Three of them were hospitalized.

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As investigators tackle the questions about the Sukhoi Superjet 100 that crash-landed in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport with the loss of 41 lives, two aviation experts told RT that certain possibilities can’t be ruled out.

Aeroflot Flight SU1492 left Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport on Sunday, bound for Murmansk. The plane returned to the airport and crash-landed in a flaming wreck in which 41 lives were lost.

Aeroflot and Russia’s Investigative Committee have each launched probes into the incident, and a number of theories have begun to circulate, among them that the plane was struck by lightning.

“It’s plausible but unlikely,” aviation safety assessor Jacques Astre told RT. Although thunderstorms had been reported in the area earlier on Sunday, “Airplanes are designed to withstand lightning strikes,” he explained. “Sometimes there is damage, but it’s very minor and not to the extent that it could cause the loss of the aircraft.”

Astre reckons it’s “very likely” that the fire began with an electrical fault. That view is shared by Sultan Hali, a former senior officer with the Pakistani Air Force and a veteran aviator.

“The usual culprit is electronic cables short-circuiting, so this could very well be an electronic fire caused by that,” he told RT. Hali added that an electrical fire is one of “the most horrifying” things that a pilot can experience, as it can bring down communications capability.

“If you have lost total communication then you are on your own,” he added.

Before declaring a mayday emergency, the Sukhoi’s crew had declared a radio failure, before circling Moscow and landing hard back at Sheremetyevo.

As seen in shocking video footage, the plane touched down hard and skidded along the runway, trailing a massive fireball and spewing out plumes of black smoke. The plane’s undercarriage collapsed as it ground to a halt on the tarmac.

Astre suggested that the enormous fireball could have been a result of the hard landing, as it was reported the plane hit the ground three times before staying down. “Viewing the video, it appears to me from the flames and the smoke, that maybe the plane landed hard, compromising the fuel tanks.”

Leaked CCTV footage seems to back-up Astre’s claim, and shows the plane repeatedly smacking the runway before bursting into a massive fireball.

Hali added that a jet’s undercarriage would not normally collapse had it not been already weakened by “severe” fire. The retired aviator added that, with little yet known about the incident, “the possibility, however faint it may be, of criminal activity cannot be ruled out.”

Both experts, who were speaking before the full extent of the tragedy was announced, gave kudos to the fire crews and emergency personnel who attended the scene. They also paid tribute to the Aeroflot crew who managed to keep their cool and evacuate many of the plane’s 78 passengers. “This was a very serious emergency and everybody’s training kicked in at the right time,” Astre said.

Shortly after the experts spoke with RT, investigators reported that, of the plane’s 78 passengers, only 37 had survived.

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At least five people including a pastor have reportedly been killed during a gun attack on a church in Burkina Faso by suspected militants who fled the scene on motorbikes.

The attack happened during Sunday service at approximately midday in the northern town of Silgadji, close to the border with Mali, according to reports. Celebrant Pierre Ouedraogo, his sons and other worshippers were shot dead in the attack.

“Unidentified armed individuals have attacked the Protestant church in Silgadji killing four members of the congregation and the pastor. At least two other people are missing,” a security source told AFP.

The attack comes amid an uptick in alleged jihadist violence in the country. A Catholic priest was kidnapped a month ago and there has been no update on his whereabouts since, while on Friday, some five teachers were shot dead in the east of the country.

Heavily armed, Al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali have carried out a number of high-profile attacks in central Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in recent months, including an assault on a Malian military base in which 11 soldiers were killed.

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A year after President Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal, its European signatories, who still honor the agreement, have expressed concern over the US decision not to extend waivers on oil trade with Tehran.

“We … take note with regret and concern of the decision by the United States not to extend waivers with regards to trade in oil with Iran,” France, Germany, the UK and EU’s representative said in a statement.

The trio said they remain “committed to working on the preservation and maintenance of financial channels and exports for Iran.”

The Europeans reminded Washington that the Iran nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) remains a “crucial element” of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and therefore is “essential” to European security. Iran, they said, continues to be in full compliance with the agreement’s terms which limits the country’s nuclear research, noting that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) attested to that fact in 14 of their reports.

After Washington re-imposed sanctions on Tehran in November last year, the US government granted eight countries six-months waivers to keep buying Iranian crude. Those waivers expired on May 1 and now those buying Iranian oil are under threat of US sanctions.

This week, the US also began tightening screws on foreign participation in Tehran’s civil nuclear projects, introducing sanctions on foreign assistance to expand Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, one of three civil research facilities in the country. While it is still possible to receive reduced waivers (90 days instead of 180 days), the European trio also slammed that development.

“The lifting of nuclear-related sanctions is an essential part of the JCPoA – it aims at having a positive impact not only on trade and economic relations with Iran, but most importantly on the lives of the Iranian people,” they stressed in their statement.

Despite a set of hostile US actions, which also included formally branding Iran’s revolutionary guard as a “terrorist organization,” the Europeans continue to “encourage all countries” to make their “best efforts” to conduct legitimate trade that JCPoA “allows for, through concrete steps.”

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Tehran will continue its uranium enrichment despite US pressure, the Iranian parliament’s speaker has said, as Washington imposed new sanctions related to the country’s nuclear program.

“Under the [existing nuclear accord] Iran can produce heavy water and this is not in violation of the agreement. Therefore, we will carry on with enrichment activity,” Ali Larijani, Iran’s parliament speaker said on Saturday, as quoted by local news agencies. The official added that Washington’s claim is only meant to serve as psychological warfare against Tehran.

On Friday the US State Department prohibited Iranian exports of heavy water and banned the country from “all proliferation-sensitive activities,” including uranium enrichment. The restrictions were made as part of the “unprecedented maximum pressure campaign to address the full range of Iran’s destructive activities,” the statement read.

The 2015 Iran nuclear deal signed by Iran, the US, China and three European nuclear states allowed limited uranium enrichment and some sale of heavy water. Iran was also set to maintain several civilian nuclear facilities with the assistance of foreign specialists.

Meanwhile, the fresh US sanctions also ban any assistance to expand a nuclear plant in Bushehr – a site which is overseen and modernized by Russian engineers.

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Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue targeting Gaza with airstrikes, following overnight fighting with Hamas. The Israeli prime minister also instructed the IDF to increase its armored and artillery forces in the south.

Netanyahu, who held an emergency cabinet meeting on Sunday, said the military mobilization was necessary to help protect Israel from further rocket attacks.

The Israeli leader promised to keep up “massive strikes” in response to hundreds of rockets fired at Israel from inside Gaza, AFP reported.

“I call on citizens to strictly adhere to the security regulations. We are working to restore peace and security to the residents of the south,” Netanyahu said.

On orders from Netanyahu, troops from the IDF’s 7th armored brigade have been moved south. The Israeli military said the forces “would be ready to act as an offensive force within the Gaza Division.”

His directives come hours after it was announced that bomb shelters in the municipality of Rishon LeTsiyon, a city just seven miles south of Tel Aviv, were opened to the public on Sunday as a precaution.

The flurry of developments strongly suggests that Israel is gearing up for a long-term escalation with Hamas, some analysts noted.

“Various indications that #Israel is at least planning for the latest #Gaza escalation to continue, including 1) sending an armored division to the south, 2) cancelation of school in the south, 3) opening public bomb shelters in more distant areas like Rishon LeTsion,” wrote security analyst Mirian Goldman Eps.

More than 400 rockets have so far been launched at Israel, with the IDF retaliating by striking targets in Gaza. Although the Israeli military insists that its airstrikes are aimed at Hamas, at least six Palestinian civilians have been killed in the latest flare-up, including a pregnant mother and her infant daughter. The IDF has denied any involvement in their deaths, claiming instead that the mother and daughter were killed by a rocket fired by Hamas, which exploded prematurely.

One Israeli has been killed by the rocket barrage, and several others were injured.

While no further attacks have been reported, the IDF announced on Sunday morning that air-raid sirens were sounding in southern Israel.

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The Venezuelan opposition had underestimated its support in the military, Juan Guaido has admitted after the failed coup attempt, adding that he’d welcome US-backed military intervention if Washington decides to pursue that path.

Guaido and his supporters suffered an embarrassing defeat on Tuesday after the US-backed politician called on the military and the opposition to rise up and oust President Nicolas Maduro from power. Despite the defection of a few dozen servicemen, the armed forces stayed loyal to the elected president and refused to capitulate to Guaido’s calls. Following clashes in and around the capital, Maduro announced “defeat” of the coup plotters, forcing the opposition to retreat.

The so-called ‘self-proclaimed president’ admitted that he had miscalculated the degree of loyalty the soldiers have for Maduro.

“I think the variables [of the failed coup attempt] are obvious at this point,” the 35-year-old politician told The Washington Post on Saturday. The opposition failed “maybe because we still need more soldiers, and maybe we need more officials of the regime to be willing to support it,” he said.

The soft-ball article also has Guaido discussing possibly a negative effect that his mentor Leopoldo Lopez had when he joined the protesters. He insisted that he was not arrested when calling for a coup in Caracas, because Maduro is “scared.”

As far as the future options for the opposition, Guaido said he would welcome US military support as long as they stand alongside Venezuelan forces, who are just refusing to turn coats. If Washington does extend its military hand to dissidents, Guaido promised to take that option to the opposition-run National Assembly for approval.

Despite an apparent defeat of Venezuela’s opposition, the US Secretary of State on Saturday once again called on Maduro to cede power, blaming Russia and Cuban support for the alleged “suffering” of Venezuelans, who, despite all the pressure, continue to remain loyal to Bolivarian ideals.

Both Russia and Cuba denied any involvement in Venezuelan affairs, while Caracas continues to pin the blame for the dire socio-economic conditions on American policies.

The economy of the South American nation has been in steady decline since the sharp drop in oil prices in 2014. At the same time, Caracas has been under constant pressure from US sanctions, aimed at President Maduro and his government. The decline of the economy led to the devaluation of the national currency and to shortages of food, medicine and other basic goods. The worsening socio-economic conditions triggered a substantial outflow of Venezuelans to neighboring countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.

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A Venezuelan military helicopter has crashed, killing all seven people on board. The deceased include three captains, two majors and two lieutenant-colonels.

The Cougar Siglas helicopter was flying from Caracas to San Carlos, in the state of Cojedes. The helicopter crashed shortly after leaving the Venezuelan capital in a wooded area of the Caracas municipality of El Hatillo.

Nicolás Maduro has expressed his condolences to the relatives and friends of the “worthy officers of the country” who have lost their lives in the incident.

On Saturday Maduro was overseeing training exercises in El Pao, Cojedes state. He accused Washington and supporters of opposition leader Juan Guaido of conspiracy “to weaken, divide and destroy the Bolivarian Armed Forces from within” with lots of money. He urged the soldiers to say no to traitors.

Guaido called for the ouster of Maduro last Tuesday, claiming that the military was on his side, but that attempt failed after two days of protests as the army remained predominantly faithful to the elected president.

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The Venezuelan foreign minister is heading to Moscow for a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. The top diplomats are set to discuss recent developments after a failed coup attempt in Caracas.

The talks between Jorge Arreaza and Sergey Lavrov are expected to begin on Sunday after the Venezuelan minister arrives in Moscow. During the rare face-to-face discussion, they will seek a solution to the bitter political crisis that is crippling the Latin American nation, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Arreaza and Lavrov will also discuss “options for international mediation efforts to facilitate dialogue between the government and the opposition.” Finally, their meeting will touch upon trade, investment and military cooperation.

The meeting comes at a troubled time for Venezuela, which recently saw a massive effort by US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido to remove President Nicolas Maduro from power. During violent clashes in and around Caracas, Guaido called for an uprising against the government, but the army and security forces remained loyal to President Maduro.

The talks will also be held just one day before Lavrov meets with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Finland. Moscow and Washington are at odds over Venezuela, but the Russian Foreign Ministry said the timing of two meetings does not contain any message.

Pompeo himself had commented on the Venezuelan unrest, reiterating that “military action is possible.” President Maduro has urged the army to remain vigilant and ready should the US launch an offensive on Venezuela.

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At the height of the Israeli-Gazan cross-border flare-up, the IDF tweeted pictures of children playing with toy guns who, it claimed, attended a Hamas-run pre-school. The blunt propaganda wasn’t well received on social media.

“Hamas is robbing the children of Gaza of their future, and attempts to rob the children of Israel of theirs. We won’t let them. No country would,” the IDF said, releasing images of young Palestinians in green bandanas receiving what appears to be military training.

“While children in Israel ran for shelter from incoming rocket fire from Gaza, these children in Gaza graduated from kindergarten,” the tweet added.

The message, sent out as tensions spilled into Sunday after a weekend of heavy cross-border fire, immediately sparked controversy online, with many twitterattis reminding the IDF that Israel is just as guilty of indoctrinating its youth. “Maybe they wouldn’t need to do this if you stopped launching rockets at them,” one user said, while others began posting pictures of young Israelis being briefed on how to use guns.

Nurturing patriotism from a very early age seems important to both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, against the background of the unrelenting mutual animosity that has dragged on for the last seven decades.

Palestinians, who believe they are being oppressed by ‘Israeli occupation,’ believe it is necessary to train their youth to claim their right to the land which they believe they lost when the state of Israel was created in 1948. Hamas, which since 2007 has been the ruler in the Gaza Strip, regularly organized summer camps where teens undergo training in military drills.

Israel, which has mandatory military service, believes that training its youth in combat skills is essential to tackle Palestinian extremism and other possible forms of hostilities towards the Jewish State. While primary school children receive firearms training during summer camps, their elder peers are used to the attention of Israeli police and the army, which organize sporadic training courses, especially in settlers’ communities, to familiarize teens with the use of weapons and other combat means.

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