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Iran’s President And Foreign Minister Die In Helicopter Crash At Moment Of High Tensions In Mideast

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Iran’s president and foreign minister | AP News image

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’s president and foreign minister

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

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.

Tehran resident Mahrooz Mohammadi Zadeh, 53, said, “I don’t think he was as successful as he should have been, but he tried to carry out his duties well.”

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

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)

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Suddenly, After Several Seasons, Gary Oldman’s TV Series ‘Slow Horses’ Gets Some Emmy Love

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NEW YORK — Jackson Lamb is an Englishman who solves mysteries, but he is not your normal sophisticated, attractive character. One clue is that he frequently and noisily passes petrol.

Lamb, played by Gary Oldman, is the beating heart of Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses,” a critical darling that seemed to have acquired popularity in the United States just recently, now in its fourth season. After being ignored at the Emmys for two seasons, it now has nine nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.

“I think it’s been a slow burn,” adds Oldman, who received an Emmy nomination for Lamb. “More people are now approaching me and saying, ‘I like the show.'” I’ve become that guy on television, which I truly enjoy.”

Lamb is the comically rude head of a gang of despondent British spies known as the “Slow Horses” because they work at the humble Slough House, far from the sparkling center of power in London. They’ve jeopardized their careers in a variety of ways, including botching surveillance missions, developing gambling addictions, and leaving a top-secret file on a train.

Suddenly, After Several Seasons, Gary Oldman’s TV Series ‘Slow Horses’ Gets Some Emmy Love

Lamb’s hair is messy and oily. He wears a shabby, muddy raincoat, and his stocking feet are always up on his desk. He smokes excessively, drinks scotch on the job, is violently un-politically correct, and is frank to the point of rudeness. His voicemail reads: “This is Lamb.” If I did not respond, it is because I do not wish to speak with you.

He’s also extremely loyal to his squad and possesses the sharpest — but dirty — knife in the drawer. He can tell someone’s wage just by looking at their footprint and is at least three steps ahead of everyone else. He refuses to follow the rules, displaying a petulant middle finger to the establishment.

“If there’s a sign that says ‘No smoking,’ Lamb will smoke,” stated Oldman. “He’s only a bloody pig. We just enjoy watching. Perhaps we’d want to be so direct.”

Will Smith, the showrunner and executive producer, says we’re meeting Lamb late in his career after he’s run afoul of the hierarchy and been fired by others.

“He is a puzzle. He is an enigma because he is unlike anything you’ve seen. “I believe the character is intriguing on that level,” adds Smith. “You’re meeting him at the end of his arc — he’s burned out — and then you’re kind of unpacking what made him this way and given little glimpses of the man he was and can be when he when he has to be.”

Many of the series’ most delectable scenes occur when Lamb encounters his antagonist, the flawlessly coiffed Diana Taverner, played by Kristin Scott-Thomas, who is in many ways Lamb’s polar opposite: courteous, diplomatic, and aspiring to the top of MI5.

The series also features Jack Lowden, Jonathan Pryce, Christopher Chung, Rosalind Eleazar, Aimee Ffion Edwards, Kadiff Kirwan, and Saskia Reeves. Mick Jagger, who co-wrote the theme song, is one of the novels’ most prominent fans.

“Slow Horses” is about underdogs, and the series should emerge from the cold to be recognized at the Emmys.

“It’s a good thing when the reviews come in and people appreciate it and, and it and it gets a nod,” Oldman asserts.” He’s excited to catch up with his co-stars on Sunday over a table “and have a laugh.”

“Slow Horses” is based on Mick Herron’s Slough House novels, and Oldman gives Herron enormous credit for inventing such a fun Lamb. “I just immediately responded to it,” the actor admits.

Critics have fallen under its spell, with the Los Angeles Times questioning the attention and accolades: “What took so bloody long?” According to Empire magazine, Oldman steals “every scene he’s in, either with acidic sardonics or acid indigestion.”

“Lamb is about as far away from the tuxedo-wearing, Savile Row-tailored James Bond as you can get and yet, he’s the best spy we’ve had on screen for years,” according to New Musical Express.

Suddenly, After Several Seasons, Gary Oldman’s TV Series ‘Slow Horses’ Gets Some Emmy Love

Smith is feeling the love, which is a lovely tailwind as the show’s actors wrap out season five.

“There are a lot of evangelical fans out there who have done an excellent job of attracting an audience. “It seems to have reached a critical mass,” he says.

Oldman has created several notable characters, including Sid Vicious, Lee Harvey Oswald, Count Dracula, and Winston Churchill. “In terms of characters that I’ve played, he’s up there,” adds the actor.

This is not Oldman’s first spy role; he previously played John Le Carré’s far more refined George Smiley. “Some wit said I’d gone from George Smiley to George Smelly, which I which I wish I’d thought of,” according to him.

SOURCE | AP

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Justin Timberlake Admits Guilt to Impaired Driving and Pays a $500 Fine.

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Justin Timberlake

(VOR News) – Justin Timberlake’s guilty plea to driving under the influence on Friday concluded the criminal case that originated from his detention in the Hamptons of New York in June.

The actor and former member of the boy band appeared in Sag Harbour Village Court to register a new plea.

Timberlake was also required to issue a public safety announcement by the judge, in addition to a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge and 25 hours of community service at the nonprofit of his choosing.

Timberlake issued an apology for his conduct and maintained his composure throughout the event. He maintained that his childhood in a small community had enabled him to comprehend the influence of his arrest on Sag Harbour. He asserted that he had ample time to contemplate his actions.

“I failed to meet the expectations I set for myself,” said the individual.

Timberlake expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to participate and stated that he aspires to leverage his influence to help others make “better decisions.” He confessed to the magistrate, “I should have exercised more foresight.” “I recognise how serious this is.”

A judge enquired about the plea agreement.

Judge Carl Irace expressed his dissatisfaction with the plea agreement that the prosecution had proposed. He questioned the appropriateness of Justin Timberlake’s forthcoming public statement, which was scheduled to be released shortly following judicial proceedings.

He alleged that he was incorporating community service requirements into the sentence to compensate for the shortage of time he had to reflect on his actions.

The pop artist initially entered a not guilty plea to a misdemeanour allegation of driving while intoxicated during a hearing last month, which resulted in the suspension of his driving licence.

The prosecution, which is being led by Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, and Justin Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke, declined to provide any commentary prior to the hearing.

Timberlake was apprehended in Sag Harbour, New York, shortly after midnight on June 18. According to reports, he is accused of violating a stop sign in the village centre, exiting his BMW with an alcoholic odour, and driving out of his lane.

Police characterised the 43-year-old Tennessee native’s eyes as “bloodshot and glassy” in court documents. They also noted that he had “slowed speech,” was shaky on his feet, and performed poorly on all sobriety tests. Justin Timberlake informed the officer that he was returning home with some friends after consuming a single martini, according to the police.

Sag Harbour, a former whaling village that is mentioned in Herman Melville’s renowned novel “Moby-Dick,” is situated in the Hamptons, a region of beachfront municipalities situated approximately 100 miles (160 km) east of New York City.

Justin Timberlake’s legal consequences beyond New York

A legal expert stated on Monday that Justin Timberlake’s licence suspension in New York likely affects his ability to drive in other states.

Kenneth Gober, the managing partner of Lee, Gober & Reyna, a law firm in Austin, Texas, is of the opinion that the automatic suspension of one’s license under New York state law is the consequence of denying a Breathalyser test, as Justin Timberlake did during his detention. Subsequently, this moratorium should be implemented in additional states.

“The majority of states participate in the interstate Driver’s License Compact, an agreement to share information about license suspensions and traffic violations,” he said in an electronic communication. “A licence should be suspended in all states if it is suspended in one.”

Gober observed that it may take some time for these enhancements to be replicated across state lines. He further stated, “The pop star doesn’t need a car to drive to do his job; he has the resources to easily arrange for a driver.”

This week, emails soliciting responses from Justin Timberlake’s agent and other agents were unsuccessful.

Despite the fact that the ten-time Grammy winner has refrained from publicly discussing the incident, she appeared to address it during a Chicago performance a few days later.

During the United Centre performance on June 21, he addressed the audience and stated, “This week has been extremely challenging.” Nevertheless, both of us are present in this location. Nothing can change the present state of affairs.

Timberlake has been touring in support of his most recent album for months. He will be performing in Brooklyn and Newark, New Jersey in the coming weeks during his return to the New York City regional area.

SOURCE: NPR

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Boeing Machinists Strike after Rejecting 25% Salary Increases over a 4-Year Period.

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Boeing Machinists Strike after Rejecting 25% Salary Increases over a 4-Year Period.

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(VOR News) – Boeing machinists decided to strike Thursday, another setback for the huge aviation business, whose reputation and finances have suffered and now risk halting production of its best-selling commercial planes.

Per the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, 94.6% of voters rejected the plan to boost salaries 25% over four years, and 96% supported the strike, exceeding a two-thirds majority.

33,000 machinists struck Friday at 1:59 a.m.

The vote was announced by IAM District 751 President Jon Holden: About respect, the history, and battling for our future.

Boeing said, “I’m ready to go back to the table and make a new deal.”

Members rejected our IAM leadership tentative agreement. The corporation will re-establish employee-union relations. Boeing experienced multiple mishaps this year, from a panel blowing out and causing a hole in a passenger jet in January to NASA dumping two men in orbit instead of taking them home on a problematic Boeing spacecraft.

Boeing will lose crucial airline plane delivery revenue during the strike. Kelly Ortberg, the new CEO of a corporation that lost $25 billion in six years and fell behind Airbus six weeks ago, faces another challenge.

Ortberg defended a contract union negotiators unanimously supported. Wednesday he told machinists that ‘no one wins’ in a strike and that it would hurt Boeing’s recovery and exacerbate airline consumer anxieties.

He stated Boeing’s business is struggling owing to past missteps. I believe we can recover, but a strike would damage customer trust and constrain our decisions.

Workers didn’t hear.

Holden said machinists are unhappy with stagnant earnings and pension and health care cutbacks since 2008 to keep the firm from relocating employment.

“It’s hard to make up 16 years,” he stated.

The ruling also rebuked Holden and union negotiators for endorsing the contract. Holden predicted a strike and said the union would poll members to decide what to discuss when negotiations resume.

Social media union members requested higher wages every week. Several hundred marched to a union hall near Boeing’s 737 Max facility in Renton, Washington, on Thursday, blowing whistles, banging drums, and waving strike banners.

“As you can see, solidarity is here,” said quality-assurance worker Chase Sparkman. I expect my union brothers and sisters to stand together and tell our company we deserve more.”

In four years, Boeing expects machinists to earn $106,350.

It failed to meet the union’s 40% three-year salary increase request. Boeing increased 401(k) contributions without restoring pensions cut a decade ago.

Adam Vogel of Boeing termed the 25% rise “crap.” The latest rise was 16 years ago. Another quality-assurance worker, 16-year employee Broderick Conway, said Boeing can afford more.

We disappointed many members with our first offer. He hoped the second offer was right. “If not, we’ll strike and defend.” Boeing’s commercial-airplane head Stephanie Pope tried to deter blue-collar workers from striking for a better deal this week.

“We bargained in absolute good faith with the IAM team that represents you and your interests,” she stated. Let me clarify: We did not wait for a second vote.”

Union halls in Washington, Portland, and others held elections.

Boeing proposed to manufacture its next jet in Puget Sound if workers signed the contract, believing it would benefit the union. The 2030s jet would replace the 737 Max. Boeing’s Dreamliner production transfer from Seattle to South Carolina was blocked by unions.

The strike will stop Boeing’s best-selling airliner, the 737 Max, 777, and 767 cargo plane production in Renton and Everett, Washington, near Seattle. Nonunion South Carolina 787 Dreamliner workers may be unaffected.

Due to 1995 and 2008 strikes, workers’ $150 weekly strike fund contributions may seem minimal before the holidays, according to TD Cowen aerospace analyst Cai von Rumohr. Von Rumohr stated a long strike would cost $3.5 billion in cash flow because receives 60% of jet sales.

Since the union won all negotiations, Holden advised members to approve the accord “because we can’t guarantee we can achieve more in a strike.” Many workers remembered pension, health care, and wage cuts. They’re mad. Their desires are many. According to aerospace researcher Von Rumohr, Boeing recognises it and aims to appease many. Will they suffice?

Since the 2018 and 2019 737 Max crashes that killed 346, Boeing’s reputation has deteriorated. In January, a Max panel blew out during a flight, raising safety concerns.

In plane orders and delivery, strikes might push it behind Airbus.

SOURCE: AP

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