Major U.S. news channel CNN has apologized for a report about the Islamic State terrorist group aired Thursday in which a photograph of Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared above the caption "Jihadi John Identified," Ekho Moskvy radio station reported Friday.
"Due to a failure of a video server during today's breaking news broadcast, a photo of Vladimir Putin, prepared for our next report, was accidentally shown. We apologize for that mistake," a channel spokesman was quoted by Russia's state news agency Sputnik as saying.
The report, which was about the identity of an Islamic State member with a British accent who has been shown in recordings beheading foreign hostages, was aired on the same day that CNN's application for a new license to broadcast in Russia was approved by the country's media watchdog.
The approval means CNN — which in November said it would cease broadcasts here in January, citing changes in the media regulatory environment — should return to Russian cable channels in the near future.
Earlier this month, CNN apologized for a caption that described Ukrainian forces as "pro-U.S. troops." A week later, the channel showed a map that appeared to mark Ukrainian territory as part of Russia.
