• An Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38.
• An oxygen tank exploded before the crash, Kazakhstan's transport minister said.
• The plane was likely hit by Russian air defense before the crash, BI reported Thursday.

An oxygen tank on the Azerbaijan Airlines flight exploded before the plane crash, Kazakhstan's transport minister said.

It adds a little more detail to the series of events leading to the fiery crash landing of the Embraer 190 on Christmas Day that killed 38.

The minister, Marat Karabayev, did not say definitively that the oxygen-tank explosion was a direct cause of the crash.

He also did not say why it exploded. Analysts have blamed Russia, saying it likely fired an air-defense missile at the plane by mistake.

The plane was bound for Russia from Azerbaijan — but veered off course after sustaining some kind of damage, crossing the Caspian Sea to crash-land at the airport in Aktau, Kazakhstan.

At a press briefing Thursday, Karabayev said Kazakh authorities heard of the disaster from a Russian air-traffic controller. They said an oxygen cylinder had exploded in the passenger cabin of the aircraft, and that some passengers were losing consciousness.

Karabayev said this triggered an emergency response in Aktau. Rescuers were quickly on the scene and managed to rescue 29 of the 67 passengers.

The plane departed from Baku, Azerbaijan, early Wednesday, heading for Grozny, Russia.

Business Insider reported Thursday, citing reports from Euronews and The New York Times, that Azerbaijani investigators believed Russia shot the plane down.

Those sources pointed to a Russian Pantsir-S air-defense system.

Russia has said the plane diverted after a bird strike, and denied playing a role — an explanation analysts were swift to dismiss.

Osprey Flight Solutions, an aviation security firm, said in an alert sent to its clients and shared with BI that the flight was "likely shot down by a Russian military air-defense system of unspecified type/variant over the North Caucasus Federal District."

Kazakhstan's transport ministry didn't immediately respond to a request for comments.

• Movie studios have new competition — from Madison Ave.
• A slew of brands got behind films and TV shows in 2024 as they try to combat ad fatigue.
• Here's what marketers from Walmart to H&R Block say about their approach to the format.

People are increasingly tired of seeing ads, so big brands, from Walmart to Chick-fil-A, have been getting behind filmed entertainment as a way to grab their attention.

Brands' dollars and ability to promote projects have been welcomed by Hollywood, which is still hungry for programming but has less money to buy it.

"Brands, platforms, and partners, they're all open for business more than I've ever seen," said Paul Furia, head of content and creative packaging at ad agency Media by Mother. "Everyone's having conversations."

2024 brought many new iterations of the branded content trend to life.

Mattel's success with 2023's "Barbie" notwithstanding, brands' comfort zones have largely been unscripted formats like documentaries. But 2024 saw some branch out to new formats like reality TV and game shows, which are cheap to make, crowd favorites, and lend themselves to product integration. Brands have also been getting into shoppable shows, a trend that's likely to continue as brands figure out how to get people to buy things straight from their TVs.

Read: Why Brands like Ally and H&R Block are making reality TV-style shows

New players are trying to capitalize. Many Hollywood production companies are actively pitching their talents to brands, from Michael Sugar's Sugar23 to Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment (which produced "The Day Sports Stood Still" alongside Nike) and Anonymous Content. New ones like Sonic Gods Studios are going a step further, using brands to fully finance TV shows from the start.

Top talent are no longer turning up their noses at brand films (or their money). Saint Laurent, for example, paired with Pedro Almodóvar and David Cronenberg to make films.

Read: 13 production companies helping Chase, Pepsi, and more brands make Hollywood movies and TV for streamers like Netflix

Streamers are willing partners in brand films. As streamers increasingly look to ad dollars to become profitable, they're rolling out the red carpet for brands. And brands want the distribution because it legitimizes their projects and helps ensure they get seen (and in some cases, even make a profit). They're also becoming more systematic about tracking measurement and results.

Read: Netflix and Amazon are duking it out over brand partnerships as streaming ads enter a new phase

Read more about how brands and partners are jumping on filmed entertainment:

• Amazon's newest branded entertainment show wants to tie its boxes to 'spreading joy'
• Walmart is betting this holiday movie can get you to spend more

• An unticketed passenger was caught on board a Delta Air Lines plane, officials from the airline said.
• The incident reportedly occurred on Christmas Eve at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
• It comes weeks after another person tried to fly from New York to Paris without a boarding pass.

A Delta Air Lines passenger was caught trying to fly to Hawaii without a boarding pass on Christmas Eve, several media outlets reported.

An unticketed passenger was discovered as Delta flight 487 was taxiing to the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Delta said in a statement to CBS News.

The Port of Seattle told CNN the plane then returned to the terminal, where the suspect departed. Police located them in an airport restroom using video surveillance, it added.

The passenger went through the usual security screenings but bypassed ID verification and boarding status stations, the Transportation Security Administration told CBS News.

The Port of Seattle Police told the outlet that investigators determined the unticketed passenger had passed through a security checkpoint the day before.

They were arrested for criminal trespass, the Port of Seattle said, per CBS News.

The Airbus A321neo departed more than two hours later than scheduled, according to data from Flightradar24. CBS reported that the TSA carried out additional security checks and rescreened customers while the aircraft was swept by K9 dogs.

"As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended," Delta said in a statement shared with multiple outlets. "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience and cooperation."

Delta, TSA, and the Port of Seattle did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, which were sent outside regular working hours.

After a similar incident last month, 57-year-old Svetlana Dali was charged with being a stowaway on an aircraft after sneaking onto a Delta Air Lines service to Paris. If found guilty, she faces up to five years in prison.

The complaint against Dali, which BI has seen, says she boarded a Delta flight from New York to Paris without a boarding pass or a passport.

It added that she was able to pass through security by entering a special lane for airline staff. Dali is also said to have admitted in an interview with authorities that she intentionally evaded TSA and Delta staff to board the flight.

The incident is said to have occurred in late November, during another busy holiday period when Thanksgiving travel set records.

The TSA said it expected to screen nearly 40 million people at airports from December 19 to January 2, up 6.2% from 2023.

It said the busiest days would be December 20, 27, and 30.

• A safari vacation is filled with hidden costs.
• Before leaving, travelers pay for vaccines, visas, and necessary supplies for the trip.
• Once on a safari, costs like tipping and road transfers add up.

Whether you're staying in a five-star canvas tent at the edge of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park or heading on a budget safari in South Africa's Kruger National Park, a safari vacation is dotted with hidden costs.

These fees start before you even arrive at your destination. On a two-week trip across Tanzania, I encountered eight hidden costs that added thousands of dollars to the total of my trip. Take a look.

Before embarking on a safari, travelers are hit with hidden costs. One major one is vaccines and medication.

Vaccines and medications might be required for travel, depending on the destination. Uganda and Kenya, for instance, require a yellow fever vaccine before entering.

I was overwhelmed when I pulled up the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website to figure out what vaccines I needed for Tanzania. Over a dozen vaccines were listed. While some were routine, others were diseases I had never heard of.

To be safe, I met with a travel nurse who researched where I was going and advised me on what I did and didn't need. Altogether, I spent $250 on malaria medication, a Typhoid fever vaccine, and the consultation. That, along with over-the-counter medication, sunscreen, and bug spray, put this unexpected cost closer to $300.

Visas also aren't cheap. Tanzania's tourist visa, for example, costs $100.

While plenty of destinations require a visa, the cost can vary.

In Tanzania, travelers apply for a yearlong tourist visa, which costs $100. If they're heading to Tanzania's Zanzibar Island, visitors are required to pay another $40 for mandatory travel insurance.

Altogether, I spent $140 just to be able to start my safari vacation.

Safari-goers are encouraged to wear certain clothes and colors, which might require some shopping.

Whether it's a travel agent or a TikTok video you're referencing for packing advice, the source is bound to mention bringing neutral colors for your trip.

Visitors are encouraged to wear olive, tan, brown, and khaki colors for safaris. They should avoid blues and blacks because they can attract tsetse flies, which can carry a sleeping sickness disease. Meanwhile, bold colors can scare off animals.

While you might have some athletic clothes in this color palette, chances are you'll need to do some shopping for the trip.

For example, I didn't have a neutral-colored sweater or pair of pants for the trip. By the end of my shopping spree, I had spent nearly $150 on clothes — a number I didn't factor into my original budget.

The season you travel in will also have a major impact on the cost of your trip.

Lodges across the Serengeti typically price their accommodations based on the season. Some lodges have two categories: high season and low season. Others divide prices by peak, mid, and low season.

In the Serengeti, the high season includes June through October and the end of December. During this time, guests can expect to pay more for accommodations.

Depending on the lodge, peak prices cost travelers hundreds of dollars more than low-season prices.

Once you're in the country you're traveling to, hidden costs continue. Quick bush flights and road transfers can add up.

Tanzania is home to a myriad of ecosystems and habitats. The Serengeti is a main draw for tourists, but nearby areas like the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar Island are also popular stops on a Tanzania itinerary.

While many of these areas are short drives or flights away, the costs of road transfers and bush flights can add up if you're visiting multiple areas on vacation.

For example, a flight between Arusha and Zanzibar cost me $75, and a road transfer between two Zanzibar properties was $100. Within the Serengeti, a 30-minute bush flight between two lodges costs $300.

Transfers ended up being a major part of my safari budget, and I hadn't realized they would be so costly when I started planning the trip.

The rates for lodges often don't include conservation and park fees.

When researching the cost of a lodge or safari accommodation, travelers often see a sticker price for a night at the lodge.

While this price might include game drives, meals, and laundry services, it often doesn't include government levies, taxes, park fees, or conservation fees.

Those fees can add up. For example, I paid $283 in park and camping fees for a two-night stay within the Serengeti. At another lodge, the national park and concession fees were $271 for two nights.

Depending on the length of the trip, an extra $130 a night can quickly add up.

Some activities, like guided walks and community visits, might not be included in the stay.

As safari owners and travel agents have previously told Business Insider, these additional activities are worth it.

A guided walk in the bush, for instance, will give travelers a whole new perspective on the ecosystem. They'll see insects, birds, and plants that can't be spotted from a safari vehicle.

Similarly, community visits to learn about the history and culture of the Indigenous populations living in Tanzania offer new perspectives and global connections the average traveler doesn't get every day.

These activities were some of the highlights of my two-week Tanzania trip. While they had payoffs, they also cost extra. For example, I paid $100 for a community visit one day and $60 the next for a guided walk.

Tipping is another major cost to factor into your budget.

Tipping is customary across most of Africa; who you tip and how much you tip can quickly add up.

Meg van Niekerk, a safari planner for Go2Africa, explained that these tips support lodge staff, who often have spouses, parents, and children back home to support as well.

"It's like a blessing," van Niekerk said.

Fortunately, these costs are standardized, so it's something you can budget for ahead of time.

For example, Go2Africa recommends tipping $20 a day for your safari guide, $20 for general hotel staff, $15 for a butler, and $15 for your safari tracker.

There's also bound to be a few more people you didn't factor in — like the driver for a road transfer or a guide for a community visit. I found $100 to be a fair amount to budget per day for tips during my safari.

Van Niekerk added that this is "just a guideline," and travelers can tip more or less depending on their budget and the service they receive.

Research and talking to a travel agent before a trip can help you plan for hidden costs.

Sure, I knew a few bush flights and tips would impact the overall cost of my first safari, but I didn't know by how much.

Thankfully, conversations with travel agents helped me better understand just how much I could expect to pay for a safari vacation.

While the unexpected costs of a safari felt overwhelming at times, the experience was all worth it.

Van Niekerk put it best when she told me, "It starts with it being a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but you will come back."

Regardless of hidden fees, I don't doubt van Niekerk, and I'm sure I'll be back.

Grimes claimed she was the one who walked away from her failed relationship with Elon Musk.

The singer (real name Claire Elise Boucher) made the comments in response to a Tweet directed at her by Azealia Banks posted via X on Thursday, December 26.

Referencing a feud between the pair that made headlines in 2018 and resharing a meme that depicted Banks and Grimes as enemy characters in the movie Wicked, Banks hit out at Grimes.

Banks accused Grimes, 36, of not letting go of their alleged feud and “still trying to paint me like the villian and act like ur above me.”

Look Back at Elon Musk and Grimes' Relationship Timeline

“Girl the way u are still trying to hold out on some weird a– innocent bullsh–t years later after u got dumped, cheated on,” Banks, 33, wrote.

Banks went on to describe Grimes as having “PEAK white female delusion,” and added, “Get over urself.”

“U can really quit mentioning me. I know you wish you could be my bestie but b–tch….. it’s f—ing boring as hell. Let it go,” she continued.

Grimes defended herself in response, writing, “It’s just a funny joke bro. not trying to paint u as a villain.”

The musician also refuted the comment that she was “dumped” by Musk, 53, claiming it was the other way around.

“I didn’t ‘get dumped’. I bounced. My amazing baby is asleep in my bed beside me, I’m in love.  no regrets. Life is as beautiful as u want it to be,” Grimes wrote.

She continued: “Ur insanely talented. Even after all this, I want u to win. God bless Mlady.”

Grimes and Musk were together for four years before their 2022 split and have since endured a messy custody battle over their three kids, son X Æ A-Xii, 4, daughter Exa Dark Sideræl, 3, and son Techno Mechanicus, 2.

Grimes Allegedly Didn't See 1 Kid for Months Amid Elon Musk Custody Battle

Grimes confirmed she had split with Musk via a post on X that referenced a Vanity Fair article about their relationship that had been recently published at the time.

“Me and E have broken up *again* since the writing of this article haha, but he’s my best friend and the love of my life, and my life and art are forever dedicated to The Mission now,” she wrote via X in March 2022. “I think Devin wrote that part of the story rly well. Sique – peace out.”

In addition to the kids he shares with Grimes, Musk is also the father to six other children from other relationships.