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Danger averted as Queen of Belgium’s plane on emergency landing after cockpit windshield breaks

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A KLM flight carrying the Queen of Belgium had to make an emergency landing after a crack sirfaced in the plane’s cockpit windshield.

The left-sided windshield to the cockpit on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane was damaged (X/@fl360aero)
Queen Mathilde was on an 11-hour flight from Amsterdam to San Jose in Costa Rica for a three-day trip organised by Unicef when the damage to the Boeing 787-9 occurred.

The flight path showing the 11-hour journey made by the queen from Amsterdam to San Jose in Costa Rica.

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As a result, the pilot requested a priority landing at the destination airport, with the plan landing 11 minutes early on Sunday at 5pm local time.

On board was Belgium royal commentator Wim Dehandschutter, who said he was surprised to learn about the issue on landing.

He wrote on X: “The airplane with Belgian Queen Mathilde landed in Costa Rica with a cracked windshield.

“I was on that flight. As passengers, we didn’t notice anything, and we didn’t receive any notification during the flight or upon landing.

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“Our KLM flight did leave Schiphol 20 minutes late. There was turbulence – as on many flights – and the landing was quite hard, but nothing seemed to be alarming. So I was a bit surprised when I read reports in the local media and on X about the “emergency landing.”

A social media post from aviation expert @fl360aero said the aircraft was built in 2016, and showed a picture of the damaged windshield to the plane.

It reported: “A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane (PH-BHD) with a cracked LH side windshield arrived at San José Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) with priority landing on Runway 07 after a 10:43 hours flight, on Sunday (09 February) afternoon.”

KLM confirmed the incident and said the safety of the passengers and crew was never at risk, according to the Mirror. The plane is reportedly in Costa Rica awaiting repairs. The Independent has contacted KLM for comment.

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Queen Mathilde is in Costa Rica to help the government set up childcare facilities in vulnerable neighbourhoods as part of the UNICEF mission.

Pictures have been posted by the royal family on social media, showing her at work with children.

She has visited La Cometa, a public childcare centre in Tirrases, in the province of San José, and Lloverá Foundation, an organisation that supports and guides homeless people in Costa Rica.

Her engagement also saw her go to a coffee plantation that supports the children of seasonal workers. The 52-year-old royal is due to return to Belgium on Wednesday.

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SAD! APC lawmaker dies while asleep

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The lawmaker representing Kaura Namoda South Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Aminu Ibrahim Kasuwar-Daji, has died.

It was gathered that the lawmaker passed on in his sleep during the early hours of Wednesday.

Aminu Ibrahim Kasuwar-Daji’s sudden death came as a shock to many in the state, especially his colleagues and political associates.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara, the party under which he was elected, expressed deep sorrow over his passage.

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Members of the party, including the State Working Committee and other supporters, described his death as a great loss.

They said he was known for his dedication and honesty in serving his people.

His family, community members in Kaura Namoda South, and fellow lawmakers have been thrown into mourning as preparations for his burial began.

According to Islamic rites, he was buried today at 3:00 pm in his hometown of Kasuwar-Daji, located in the Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.

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Many in the state have continued to express grief as they remember the role he played in representing the people and contributing to the work of the state assembly.

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Just in: Sam Olumekun takes over as INEC’s Acting Chairman

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Mr. Sam Olumekun has taken over at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as Acting Chairman.

Olumekun is INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education.

He performed his first duties today, receiving a high-level delegation of the Labour Party (LP) at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja with other National Commissioners in attendance.

The delegation was led by Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, who visited the Commission to discuss key developments within the Labour Party.

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It was gathered that both parties engaged in discussions centered on enhancing collaboration and reinforcing democratic values.

During the visit, Governor Otti formally presented a Certified True Copy of the recent Supreme Court judgment concerning the party’s leadership.

He noted that the meeting was aimed at fostering clarity, mutual understanding, and institutional alignment regarding the Labour Party’s current structure.

Mr. Olumekun, the Acting INEC Chairman, reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.

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Recall that a viral WhatsApp message had indicated that Prof. Mahmood was sacked by President Bola Tinubu and replaced with one Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan.

“INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu has been replaced with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan by President Tinubu,” the message, which had no attribution, read. However, both INEC and the Presidency debunked the widespread report.

Yakubu, who is rounding off his second tenure in office, is expected to exit the system towards the end of this year.

The process of appointing an INEC chairman is the President nominating a candidate and forwarding his particulars to the Department of State Services (DSS) for profiling.

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After such screening, the President, thereafter, takes the name to the National Council of State for its advisory review.

Based on the outcome, the President sends the name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

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Crude oil prices slide further, now selling below $57

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Crude oil prices have dropped below $57, following a previous rate of $59.78.

This decline coincides with the imposition of tariffs on several countries by US President Donald Trump.

A report from West Texas Intermediate attributes this price slump to consistent 6% reductions observed last week.

JPMorgan Chase & Co has warned that these tariffs could likely push both the US and global economies into a recession this year.

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The financial institution explained that the tariffs, set to take effect this week, are expected to have widespread economic repercussions.

Market analysts and the business community have expressed concerns about the negative implications of these measures, predicting a slowdown in economic activities and a subsequent decline in oil demand.

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