Helicopter carrying Iranian president crashes
The helicopter carrying Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi crashed in a remote area of the country yesterday, state media reported. The helicopter, which also carried Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, has not been found.
This is the latest.
It’s unclear what caused the crash. A massive operation involving at least 20 search and rescue teams is underway, but bad weather has hampered the operation, according to national news reports.
A convoy of three helicopters accompanied him, according to a state media briefing, which added that two other helicopters had arrived at their destination.
context: The crash comes at a delicate moment in international relations – just days after senior U.S. and Iranian officials held talks through intermediaries to try to contain the threat of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
President: He is the second most powerful figure in Iran’s political structure after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Many analysts believe he is being groomed to become the next top leader.
Next step: Iranian law stipulates that if the president dies, power transfers to the first vice president and an election must be held within six months. The first vice president was Mohamed Mokhbel, a conservative politician.
Russia moves closer to Kharkov
Russian troops have closed in on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and the city will soon be within artillery range, potentially allowing Moscow to raid residential areas and target power stations there.
Experts say Russia may also try to create a buffer zone to prevent Ukrainians from targeting Russian towns with artillery. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that this was the target of the offensive and that Russian troops had no plans to capture the city. Military experts also said that Russia lacks the power to conduct such operations.
But as Russia intensifies its push into the Kharkov region, Ukraine no longer has enough reserves to deploy because its troops are overwhelmed and have to defend more than 600 miles of frontline. On Saturday, a mobilization law came into effect that includes incentives for volunteers and new penalties for those who try to evade the draft. Now Ukraine will also allow some prisoners to serve their sentences.
Morale boost: Ukrainians have rallied around boxer Alexander Usyk, who yesterday became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Top Israeli official challenges Netanyahu
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant and centrist former military chief Benny Gantz have asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to develop a decisive strategy for Gaza. Gantz issued an ultimatum on Saturday and said his party would quit the government by June 8 if Netanyahu did not have a plan.
Nominated for the 2024 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, “The Captain” has been praised by Western critics for its realistic look at African immigrants to Europe. In Senegal, many people have lost family members during the difficult journey, and this film touches people’s hearts.
“What do we have here?” said an 18-year-old young man. “We all have the idea of immigrating.”
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The rise of new populism
America feels deeply polarized. But my colleague David Leonhardt writes that in a country where the federal government is supposed to be gridlocked, the past four years have been arguably the most productive period of bipartisanship in Washington in decades.
These collaborations—on COVID-19 policy, semiconductor chips, TikTok, and more—represent a new form of centrism, what David calls “new populism,” based on a rejection of the neoliberal free-market ethos. distrust. Officials are raising tariffs and supporting government efforts to address market shortcomings.
