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Iran’s President And Foreign Minister Die In Helicopter Crash At Moment Of High Tensions In Mideast
United Arab Emirates’ DUBAI — Following their helicopter crash in fog on Monday, the bodies of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister were discovered, depriving the Islamic Republic of two important figures at a time when unprecedented tensions are roiling the Middle East.
The Shiite theocracy’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, swiftly appointed a little-known vice president as caretaker and affirmed that the administration was in charge, but the fatalities were yet another setback for a nation already struggling with domestic and international challenges.
The helicopter crashed in high terrain in a sudden, dense fog, but Iran has not claimed responsibility for the incident or implied that sabotage was the cause.
The capital of Iran, Tehran, saw Monday schoolchildren and open businesses. But security forces, both plainclothes and uniformed, were conspicuously present.
Iran president and foreign minister | AP News Image
Iran’s President And Foreign Minister Die In Helicopter Crash At Moment Of High Tensions In Mideast
Hundreds more mourners poured into downtown Vali-e-Asr square later in the day, waving Palestinian flags and clutching posters of Raisi. A few males were crying clearly and holding prayer beads. Ladies with black chadors stood in a group with pictures of the deceased leader.
The 36-year-old Mohammad Beheshti remarked, “We were shocked that we lost such a character, a character that made Iran proud and humiliated the enemies.”
The disaster occurs while the region is rocked by the Israel-Hamas conflict. The crisis was initiated by an attack spearheaded by Hamas, which Iran sponsors. Hezbollah, which Tehran also backs, has fired missiles at Israel. Iran attacked Israel with its own historic drone and missile attack last month.
Raisi, 63, a hard-liner who once oversaw the nation’s judiciary, was considered Khamenei’s protégé. Under his leadership, Iran’s uranium enrichment program brought it closer to weapons-grade levels, and it provided Russia with drones equipped with bombs to aid in its conflict in Ukraine. As a result, ties with the West continued to worsen.
The situation is made much more delicate by the fact that his government has endured years of large-scale demonstrations for women’s rights and the failing economy.
The state-run IRNA news agency said that all eight occupants of the Bell 212 helicopter, which Iran had purchased in the early 2000s, perished in the crash. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the province governor of East Azerbaijan, a prominent Tabrizian priest, a Revolutionary Guard officer, and three crew members were among the deceased, according to IRNA.
Since the time of the shah, Bell helicopters have been widely used in Iran. However, due to Western sanctions, planes in Iran frequently operate without safety inspections and experience a shortage of parts. In light of this, former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attempted to assign blame for the tragedy to the US.
The United States “embargoed the sale of aircraft and aviation parts to Iran and does not allow the people of Iran to enjoy good aviation facilities,” Zarif told The Associated Press, citing this as one of the main causes of yesterday’s tragedy.
Although U.S. sanctions have prevented Iran from replacing and repairing its fleet for decades, according to Ali Vaez, project director for the International Crisis Group’s Iran program, “one can’t overlook human error and the weather’s role in this particular accident.”
Aerospace researcher and consultant Richard Aboulafia stated that Iran is probably using the black market to obtain parts for maintaining the fleet, but he doubted Iran’s ability to operate older helicopters safely.
“It’s not a good combination to have black-market parts and whatever local maintenance capabilities they have,” he stated.
Iran president and foreign minister | AP News Image
Iran’s President And Foreign Minister Die In Helicopter Crash At Moment Of High Tensions In Mideast
According to aviation data business Cirium, there are now 15 Bell 212 helicopters registered in Iran, with an average age of 35. These helicopters may be in storage or actively used.
State TV did not provide an apparent cause for the crash in the Iranian region of East Azerbaijan. However, IRNA footage displayed the accident location, which was across a precipitous valley among a range of lush mountains.
According to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the country is still investigating the circumstances surrounding the “very unfortunate helicopter crash,” but it is unable to determine what caused it. He stated, “At this point in time, I don’t necessarily see any broader regional security impacts.”
By the constitution, Khamenei has designated Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president, as caretaker for the time being. According to IRNA, a successor would be chosen on June 28. According to Iranian state TV, Raisi’s funeral was scheduled for Thursday in his birthplace of Mashhad, with further funerals scheduled for Tuesday.
According to state television, Iran’s nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, will become the nation’s acting foreign minister.
Soon after Iran confirmed there were no survivors, condolences flowed in from allies and neighbors. In a message on the social media site X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that his nation “stands with Iran in this time of sorrow.” In a statement by the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Raisi “a true friend of Russia.”
Syrian President Bashar Assad, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also extended condolences. Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, expressed his and his government’s “deep shock.” When the tragedy occurred on Sunday, Raisi returned from the border between Iran and Azerbaijan, where he had recently opened a dam with Aliyev.
The tragedy shocked Iranians equally, and Khamenei announced a five-day public mourning period. However, a lot of people have been demoralized by the country’s rial currency collapse and concerns of regional conflicts escalating out of control, particularly with Israel or Pakistan, with which Iran traded gunfire this year.
Although Khamenei insisted that Iran’s government would continue as usual, Raisi’s passing aroused concerns about what would happen when the 85-year-old supreme leader passed away or resigned. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, only two persons have occupied this office, which has the final say on all matters pertaining to the state.
Iran president and foreign minister | AP news Image
Iran’s President And Foreign Minister Die In Helicopter Crash At Moment Of High Tensions In Mideast
Raisi was considered a possible candidate. The sole additional individual proposed has been Mojtaba, Khamenei’s 55-year-old son. However, questions have been raised about appointing a family member to a position, especially since the revolution toppled the Shah’s hereditary Pahlavi monarchy.
Iran’s Cabinet promised in a statement during an emergency meeting that it would follow Raisi’s lead and that “there will be no problem with management of the country, with the help of God and the people.”
Iran’s 2021 presidential election was won by Raisi despite the lowest voter turnout in the country’s history. The U.S. imposed sanctions on him partly due to his role in the 1988 horrific Iran-Iraq war death of thousands of political detainees.
Iran now obstructs foreign inspections and enriches uranium almost to weapons-grade levels under Raisi. Iran has armed Russia in the conflict with Ukraine and attacked Israel with a large-scale drone and missile assault as part of its conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, it has persisted in arming proxies in the Middle East, like as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
For years, the nation has been rocked by widespread protests. The latest concerned Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022; she was a lady held due to her reportedly loose headscarf, or hijab. Following the protests, there was a months-long security crackdown that resulted in over 500 deaths and over 22,000 arrests.
Iran was held accountable by a United Nations investigating panel in March for the “physical violence” that resulted in Amini’s murder.
The second president of Iran to pass away in office was Raisi. President Muhammad Ali Rajai was assassinated by a bomb in 1981 during the tumultuous days following the Islamic Revolution in his nation.
SOURCE – (AP)
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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