Bangkok, Thailand
CNN
 — 

One individual has died and at the very least 71 others have been injured on board a Singapore Airways aircraft that encountered extreme turbulence on a flight from London to Singapore.

The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft diverted to Bangkok, based on a publish on the Singapore Airways Fb web page. It mentioned 211 passengers and 18 crew have been on board.

The corporate mentioned initially in a publish that 30 passengers had been harm within the mid-air disruption and have been being handled in hospitals, whereas different vacationers have been receiving outpatient care on the airport.

The one one that died was a 73-year-old British man, recognized as Geoff Kitchen.

“Preliminary investigations point out that the deceased suffered from a coronary heart situation,” the Basic Supervisor of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Worldwide Airport Kittipong Kittikachorn mentioned Tuesday, including that the post-mortem course of was nonetheless ongoing.

Kitchen’s demise was confirmed by the Thornbury Musical Theatre Group (TMTG), an institution the place he labored for over 35 years, in a Fb publish that described him as “all the time a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity” and who “all the time did what was proper for the group.”

The British International Workplace informed CNN it was supporting the household of a British passenger who died on a Singapore Airways flight.

The flight landed within the Thai capital at 3:45 p.m. native time (4:45 a.m. ET) Tuesday.

Kittikachorn, who inspected the plane, informed CNN he was knowledgeable of the emergency touchdown 10 minutes earlier than it touched down. He additionally mentioned that a number of passengers had sustained damaged arms however that almost all of accidents have been cuts and bruises.

Some injured passengers have been despatched to the close by Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, Kittikachorn mentioned, including that nearly 200 vacationers have been ready to take onward flights to their locations. A Singapore Airways aircraft carrying 131 of the 211 passengers later departed Bangkok for Singapore, he mentioned.

The hospital mentioned in an replace that at the very least 71 folks had been injured, together with residents from Malaysia, the UK, New Zealand, Spain, america and Eire. It additionally mentioned six persons are severely injured. Earlier, Kittikachorn had mentioned seven folks have been critically injured.

The aviation monitoring web site FlightRadar24 says, primarily based on its information, that the turbulence on Singapore Airways flight SQ321 occurred over Myanmar at roughly 7:49 a.m. UTC (3:49 a.m. ET).

This traces up with a press release from the airline stating that the aircraft, “encountered sudden excessive turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin [a river in Myanmar] at 37,000 ft, about 10 hours after departure.”

FlightRadar24 mentioned in a weblog publish that, based on its information, at the moment, ”the flight encountered a fast change in vertical price, per a sudden turbulence occasion.”

The info present the flight altering course about 14 minutes later. The airline says, “The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the plane to Bangkok.”

The FlightRadar24 information present the flight, which was cruising at 37,000 ft, all of a sudden dipping then quickly climbing a number of hundred ft earlier than dipping and climbing once more after which lastly settling again at its cruising altitude. Your entire disruption took about 90 seconds, based on the info, however resulted in dozens of accidents, together with a fatality.

The flight doubtless encountered quickly growing thunderstorms over southern Myanmar on Tuesday in the course of the time that excessive turbulence was reported, based on CNN Climate evaluation.

The evaluation of satellite tv for pc information exhibits an space of growing thunderstorms over the Irrawaddy Delta between 7 a.m. and eight:30 a.m. GMT (early afternoon native time). This corresponds to the identical time and placement reported by the airline and impartial information evaluation of the flight observe from FlightRadar24.

Tropical thunderstorms like these are typical for this time of 12 months with moisture growing within the area because the southwest monsoon season is starting in South Asia. They will type rapidly within the early afternoon because the land heats up, particularly close to the shoreline.

Budding thunderstorms like Tuesday’s could not seem on radar of their earliest levels, though the short rising movement inside them can nonetheless produce turbulence. The storm cells doubtless grew from 20,000-30,000 ft to nicely over 50,000 ft in lower than an hour.

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam issued a press release on his social media accounts, expressing “condolences to the household and family members of the deceased.”

“We do not need the small print of these affected, however know that the federal government ministries and businesses, in addition to SIA, are doing their utmost to help all these affected and dealing with the authorities in Bangkok, the place the aircraft had been diverted to,” Shanmugaratnam mentioned.

Singapore’s Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat mentioned he was “deeply saddened to study concerning the incident,” in a press release posted to his social media.

“Ministry of Transport, Singapore, Singapore Ministry of International Affairs, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport officers in addition to SIA [Singapore Airlines] employees are offering help to the affected passengers and their households,” he mentioned.

Singapore’s Ministry of Transport mentioned in a assertion that it was investigating the state of affairs involving SQ321 and its Transport Security Investigation Bureau was in contact with their Thai counterparts.

Turbulence happens when a aircraft flies by way of clashing our bodies of air shifting at extensively totally different speeds.

With gentle and reasonable turbulence passengers would possibly really feel a pressure in opposition to their seatbelt, and unsecured gadgets may transfer across the cabin.

However in extreme circumstances turbulence can throw passengers across the cabin, inflicting extreme accidents and sometimes demise.

In March 2023, violent actions on a non-public jet resulted within the demise of a former White Home official, although an investigation later discovered that climate was not concerned in that incident. That incident got here simply days after seven folks have been transported to hospitals after a separate business flight hit important turbulence.

In July 2023, seven folks have been injured on a Hawaiian Airways flight to Sydney, Australia, when the aircraft was buffeted by extreme turbulence, and 36 folks have been injured on a Hawaiian Airways flight from Arizona to Honolulu in December 2022, with 20 folks taken to emergency rooms.

A September 2022 examine predicts that clear-air turbulence will improve considerably across the globe by the interval 2050-2080, particularly alongside the busiest flight routes, and the strongest sort of turbulence will improve essentially the most.

Singapore Airways is commonly thought-about one of many world’s most secure carriers.

Its solely earlier deadly accident was in October 2000 when flight SQ006 crashed when the Boeing 747-400 took off from a closed runway in Taiwan amid heavy rain, killing 83 on board.

Singapore Airways mentioned later Tuesday {that a} devoted crew had arrived in Bangkok “to help our colleagues and the native authorities on the bottom” in an replace on its Fb web page.

The flight operator expressed its “deepest condolences to the household of the deceased. We deeply apologize for the traumatic expertise that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight.”

Boeing has mentioned it’s in contact with the Singaporean provider and is “able to help them.” The producer is deferring additional inquiries to the airline and native authorities.

This story and headline have been up to date with extra developments.

CORRECTION: An earlier model of this story incorrectly described a March 2023 incident involving a non-public jet. The Nationwide Transportation Security Board later dominated climate had not been concerned within the violent actions of that aircraft.

Earlier this week, Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough sued to dam a foreclosures sale of Graceland, CNN has reported. In line with Keough’s go well with, paperwork that purport to point out the Memphis residence was collateral for a mortgage taken out by Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’s sole inheritor and Keough’s mom, are fraudulent: “Lisa Marie Presley by no means borrowed cash from Naussany Investments and by no means gave a deed of belief encumbering Graceland as safety.” The foreclosures sale, which has been briefly halted, was scheduled for later this week and seems to be a case of deed theft, with an LLC named Naussany Investments & Non-public Lending making an attempt to benefit from Lisa Marie’s dying early final yr.

Older owners are sometimes the targets of deed theft however usually not movie star owners with attorneys on retainer. The swindle steadily entails somebody promising to repay the mortgage in trade for the proprietor signing over the home at a fire-sale value. (The folks behind such a fraud are inclined to go after older owners of shade, typically in quickly gentrifying neighborhoods, who could also be home wealthy however money poor.) As quickly as paperwork are signed and the deed is filed with town, the “purchaser” disappears and the proprietor is left with their debt however no home. Some scammers take a extra direct route, submitting cast paperwork immediately with town and banking on the truth that nobody will discover till it’s too late.

As CNN reported, final yr an LLC (Naussany Investments & Non-public Lending) introduced paperwork “purporting to point out that Lisa Marie Presley had borrowed $3.8 million from Naussany Investments” utilizing Graceland as safety. However Keough’s attorneys declare the paperwork are fraudulent, that Lisa Marie by no means borrowed the cash or put the well-known residence up as collateral. There’s much more at stake than $3.8 million: Graceland is the second-most-visited residence within the U.S. after the White Home and makes up an enormous chunk of Elvis’s property, which is claimed to be value a whole lot of thousands and thousands. Lisa Marie’s 2022 divorce filings present she earned seven figures from it yearly.

A Florida notary whose identify is on the mortgage paperwork stated she “by no means met Lisa Marie Presley nor notarized any doc for her,” in response to courtroom paperwork cited by the information web site, which was not in a position to contact the corporate. An electronic mail message to the LLC acquired an auto-reply that nobody could be within the workplace for the following week, the cellphone quantity was out of service, and the state of Missouri, the place Nassany is allegedly situated, has no report of such a enterprise. Keough’s attorneys declare the corporate doesn’t exist.

Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages the Presley property, additionally known as the foreclosures a con. “Elvis Presley Enterprises can verify that these claims are fraudulent,” the corporate stated in a press release to CNN. “There isn’t any foreclosures sale. Merely put, the counter lawsuit that has been filed is to cease the fraud.”

Deed theft is reportedly on the rise, with its practitioners, typically LLCs which can be troublesome to prosecute, rising more and more brazen. A couple of years in the past, The New York Occasions reported on a landlord who had constructed a real-estate empire by allegedly stealing not less than 17 properties, in response to prosecutors and owners (he even collected lease cash from metropolis businesses at a number of of them, by means of housing-subsidy packages). Extra just lately, a grifter managed to briefly take possession of the New Yorker Lodge in midtown. After staying an evening within the lodge, he used an obscure housing legislation and a courtroom judgment in his favor to persuade town’s finance division to switch the deed to his identify. However the try to seize Graceland often is the ballsiest, highest-profile try thus far. If solely everybody had the Elvis property’s attorneys on their aspect.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland Mansion, a preferred vacationer attraction and the singer’s last resting place, is on the middle of a court docket struggle because it seems to be headed for a foreclosures public sale later this week. However Elvis’ granddaughter, actor Riley Keough, is preventing again with a lawsuit that alleges fraud.

Based on an obvious foreclosures discover, the property — which was in-built 1939 — is ready to be auctioned off on the Shelby County courthouse in Memphis, Tennessee, on Thursday.

The foreclosures is allegedly occurring as a result of Elvis’ daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, used Graceland as collateral to safe a $3.8 million mortgage from an organization known as Naussany Investments and Non-public Lending in 2018, however she did not pay it off earlier than she died final 12 months. 

Keough, who starred in final 12 months’s hit present “Daisy Jones and the Six,” is the inheritor to the property.

In a lawsuit, Keough claims Naussany Investments “seems to be a false entity created for the aim” of defrauding her household. The lawsuit additionally says Keough’s mom “by no means borrowed cash” from the corporate, or gave them a deed of belief to Graceland, and additional alleges that paperwork claiming in any other case “are forgeries.”

The lawsuit features a sworn affidavit from the notary public whose identify seems on the deed of belief, saying partially, “I didn’t notarize this doc.”

A decide will think about these allegations in a listening to Wednesday, after an legal professional for Keough says a brief restraining order was granted Monday, in response to CBS affiliate in Memphis WREG. 

“You wish to preserve the established order and ensure nothing adjustments — be certain no person is harmed,” stated Jessica Levinson, a CBS Information authorized contributor. “And the most important hurt would come from an illegitimate sale of Graceland.”

CBS Information reached out to 2 individuals who seemed to be affiliated with the funding and lending firm, they usually stated they might ship our inquiries to their attorneys.

Elvis Presley Enterprises manages Graceland and stated in an announcement that the foreclosures claims are “fraudulent.” In a social media put up, Presley’s ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, uploaded a photograph of Graceland that was captioned, “It is a rip-off!”

In 1957, on the age of twenty-two, Elvis purchased Graceland for $102,500. On the time he bought it, the mansion was 10,266 sq. toes, and Elvis purchased 13.8 acres of the farm round the home.  At the moment, the Graceland mansion is 17,552 sq. toes.

Graceland, the place Elvis died in 1977, was named to the American Nationwide Register of Historic Locations in 1991. Over 600,000 folks go to Graceland — named after Grace, an aunt of one of many authentic house owners — every year.

The primary time a child walks as much as NCAA Division I all-time scoring chief Caitlin Clark with one in all her signature Wilson basketballs asking for a signature, count on it to be a second the present Indiana Fever participant received’t overlook.

“I feel it’ll take me a second,” Clark tells me after follow from Indianapolis. “You simply soak it in. In what I’ve been attempting to do over the past yr there have been numerous first and particular moments. That can be one. It is going to be extra particular for me than for the than the younger fan.”

Clark, after ending her collegiate profession on the College of Iowa, was chosen first within the WNBA draft by the Fever. She made her regular-season debut Might 14, that means Clark and her group have been busy on the enterprise facet of basketball. These brand-new offers embody two signature merchandise: a signature shoe from Nike
Nike
and a signature basketball from Wilson, her newest sponsor.

“I feel the most important factor with Wilson is it’s a model I’ve at all times had in my life,” she says. “I grew up with this black and yellow basketball that I dribbled within the driveway on a regular basis. I wore it out continually dribbling on concrete on the hoop in entrance of our home.”

MORE: Wilson’s Extremely Engineered Airless Basketball Releasing At Retail

The cope with Wilson contains special-edition basketballs celebrating Clark, but additionally an upcoming line of signature basketball types. Clark will turn out to be the one participant aside from Michael Jordan to be given the signature remedy by Wilson. “I really feel lucky and fortunate,” she says. “Michael is the most effective of all time. To see younger children ultimately dribbling with my signature [ball], how fortunate am I to be a part of one thing like this, to have the ability to be the primary to do that since [Jordan]? I feel it places into perspective how extremely considered Wilson is and what they’re doing and the basketballs they’re creating.”

Greater than something, although, Clarks says she’s wanting ahead to connecting with the youthful era. When Clarks begins on her signature designs, she’ll deal with issues she’s enthusiastic about and that may join with a wide range of individuals.

“I need to create one thing that captures the enjoyment of basketball and simply how a lot enjoyable it’s to play,” she says. “These have been two constants for me, and it’s one thing I hope I can share with everybody.”

Regardless of how the method goes, Clark is aware of she’s in cost. Her signature is on the ball, in spite of everything. “The good half,” she says, “is I get to have last say on issues.”

Together with the signature basketball, Wilson says Clark will advise and supply suggestions on a variety of Wilson basketball merchandise. The model plans to launch collections in various worth factors celebrating Clark all through the remainder of 2024, alongside working together with her to creatively direct the signature line that’s deliberate for a launch later this yr. The primary assortment incorporates a Wilson traditional white and gold WNBA ball with customized laser engravings celebrating iconic Clark moments.

As a part of the deal between the model and participant, Wilson will assist the Caitlin Clark Basis and its mission of bettering the lives of youth via training, diet and sport. “I feel it exhibits that it is a true partnership,” Clark says. “I need to give again to the individuals and communities which have supported me alongside the best way, and I’m grateful to Wilson for being a part of that influence.”

MORE: Wilson Creates ‘Sharper’ Blade Racket With V9 Launch

“Caitlin Clark isn’t just a record-setting athlete, however a cultural icon who has had a profound influence on the sport,” says Amanda Lamb, Wilson’s world head of name. “We couldn’t be prouder to affix forces together with her to proceed innovating basketball each on and off the court docket.”

The push into enterprise isn’t something new for Clark, who already had profitable NIL offers whereas at Iowa and majored in advertising whereas on the Iowa Metropolis-based faculty. “I’m a enterprise main. I do know what I’m doing,” she says in regards to the inflow of sponsorship alternatives. “I get real-world expertise each single day, greater than something I may do in class. I’ve been studying on the fly.”

Clark credit her group round her for serving to her navigate all of the intricacies of the selections and the offers, permitting her to deal with enjoying basketball. A part of that concentrate on basketball will quickly embody designing an precise Wilson basketball.

Multiyear deal will embody Clark’s first-ever signature basketball line and innovation of future basketball product

CHICAGO , Could 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wilson Sporting Items Co. proclaims right now a multiyear partnership with Indiana Fever guard, Caitlin Clark, as a part of its athlete roster. Wilson will roll-out signature basketball collections celebrating Clark’s continued legacy, in addition to work together with her to innovate product throughout the WNBA, NBA and basketball at massive– additional cementing her impression on the world of sport.

“Wilson is made to have fun essentially the most iconic moments in sport, and we have now at all times aligned ourselves with trailblazers who break boundaries and write their very own story,” says Amanda Lamb, Head of World Model at Wilson. “Caitlin Clark isn’t just a record-setting athlete, however a cultural icon who has had a profound impression on the sport. We could not be prouder to hitch forces together with her to proceed innovating basketball each on and off the courtroom.”

As a part of Clark’s function, she is going to take a look at, advise and supply suggestions on a variety of Wilson basketball merchandise; additional advancing how Wilson continues to enhance the sport from youth to professional. Wilson will drop collections that remember Clark all through the remainder of 2024, in addition to work together with her to creatively direct her first-ever signature basketball line that may debut later this 12 months.

“Wilson has been with me throughout among the most pivotal moments in my profession up to now, and I could not be extra excited to proceed driving basketball ahead alongside them,” says Caitlin Clark, NCAA Division I all-time main scorer and WNBA rookie. “It feels surreal to have my very own basketball assortment, and to have an effect on what meaning for future generations of athletes.”

The primary drop within the assortment will go reside right now, that includes Wilson’s traditional white and gold WNBA basketball with customized laser engravings celebrating iconic Clark moments. Shoppers can select one among three designs to personalize their basketball. This drop might be obtainable completely at Wilson.com.

Constructing upon Wilson’s imaginative and prescient to create a greater world by means of sport, a key element of this collaboration might be to allow entry to play for youth throughout the nation. Merchandise throughout the assortment might be obtainable for shoppers at quite a lot of value factors and throughout Wilson’s direct-to-consumer channels and key retailers. As well as, Wilson will assist the Caitlin Clark Basis and support in its mission of uplifting and enhancing the lives of youth and their communities by means of training, vitamin and sport– three pillars Caitlin believes have been foundational in her success. For extra info, please go to Wilson.com and comply with @WilsonBasketball and @Wilson on social.

About Wilson

Chicago, USA-based Wilson Sporting Items Co. is the world’s main producer of high-performance sports activities tools, attire, footwear and equipment. The Firm brings greater than a century of innovation and heritage to the world of sport – celebrating the long-lasting moments made potential by Wilson throughout Racquet Sports activities, Baseball, Softball, American Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and Golf. Wilson is a part of Amer Sports activities Group, a publicly traded firm on the New York Inventory Alternate.

In Basketball, Wilson is the provider of Official Recreation Basketballs for the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation® (NBA), the Ladies’s Nationwide Basketball Affiliation® (WNBA), Nationwide Collegiate Athletic Affiliation® (NCAA) for March Insanity and the Closing 4, Basketball Champions League (BCL), Basketball Africa League (BAL), FIBA 3×3 and roughly 39 Excessive College State Associations.

SOURCE Wilson Sporting Items Co.

MORELIA, Mexico (AP) — Mexico’s typically violent disputes between avenue performers reached a brand new degree this week when a gaggle of guitar-toting mariachis attacked a flame-swallower.

What occurred subsequent was, maybe, predictable.

In accordance with safety digital camera footage obtained by The Related Press, the mariachis of their white jackets at first appeared to be profitable, punching the flame-swallower to the bottom and kicking him on the sidewalk in entrance of a taco restaurant named Hell.

The video then reveals the mariachis — some with clothes in flames — operating away. The flame-swallower had doused them with flammable liquid from a small can and set them alight. The mariachis rapidly shed their garments or extinguished the flames. None returned to the battle.

As a result of competitors for ideas in Mexico is so fierce, performers and windshield washers typically stake out and defend profitable avenue corners. Avenue vendor teams in Mexico Metropolis typically sq. off with cudgels and generally weapons over territory.

It’s not clear how Sunday’s dispute started within the metropolis of Morelia west of the capital. Police mentioned in a press release that no person was arrested and solely the flame-swallower needed to be handled at a hospital.

Police mentioned he instructed them he had argued with the mariachis, who then attacked him.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the nation’s international minister and different officers have been declared lifeless from a helicopter crash, Iranian state media mentioned on Monday.

The Iranian authorities held an emergency assembly following the announcement of Raisi’s loss of life and afterward Iran’s supreme chief, Ali Khamenei, named First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as performing president. Khamenei additionally introduced 5 days of mourning would happen within the nation.

The crash left Iran with out two of its most pivotal diplomatic figures as regional tensions stay excessive from the continued Israel-Hamas warfare.

Iranian state-run media introduced Raisi’s loss of life in a put up on Monday, together with the deaths of Overseas Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and different authorities officers who have been aboard the helicopter.

No rapid trigger for the crash was supplied, however state media launched photos on-line exhibiting what it referred to as was the wreckage from the helicopter the group was touring in. The helicopter crashed in foggy circumstances in a mountainous space in northern Iran as they returned from an occasion alongside Iran’s border with Azerbaijan.

Fast worldwide response got here from Iran’s neighbors. Pakistan’s authorities introduced it might observe a day of mourning over the information. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin despatched his condolences to Khamenei, Russian state media reported.

Rescue groups searched intensely for the helicopter

Earlier, IRNA reported that the president of the Iranian Pink Crescent Society confirmed that rescue and search groups had recognized Raisi’s helicopter.

On Sunday, Iran’s Inside Minister, Ahmad Vahidi, mentioned a “onerous touchdown” of the president’s helicopter and mentioned the search-and-rescue operation have been underway, according to IRNA.

IRNA reported that two passengers on the flight had communicated with rescue employees. Twenty rescue groups, together with drones and canine, had been despatched to the scene, and the Iranian navy had additionally deployed troops to help within the rescue effort, IRNA added.

The Fars Information Company posted what it mentioned was video footage of rescue groups that had been dispatched to the world. Earlier within the day, the Iranian authorities’s X account posted an image of Raisi seated subsequent to Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, on the opening of a dam alongside the border between the 2 international locations.

Raisi was elected in 2021 and is a relative hard-liner

A former cleric and choose, Raisi was elected president in 2021.

When he got here into workplace, Raisi mentioned Iran would proceed to honor its nuclear take care of the U.S., regardless of then-President Donald Trump’s choice to drag out of the settlement in 2018.

Nonetheless, Raisi has been considered as extra of a hard-liner than his predecessor, former Iranian president Hassan Rouhani.

Final month, Raisi celebrated Iran’s assault on Israel following an airstrike in Damascus that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran blamed Israel for the bombing, however Israel by no means claimed accountability. Israel mentioned it and its allies intercepted 99% of the missiles and drones Iran fired throughout its retaliatory strike.

Iran’s president is the pinnacle of its authorities, however the nation is dominated by Khamenei, its supreme chief.

Iran’s supreme chief units nationwide insurance policies and supervises their implementation and in addition controls the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and police power, based on the Council on Overseas Relations.

Iran’s structure dictates that if the president dies whereas in workplace, the primary vice chairman takes over with the approval of the nation’s supreme chief, Reuters reported. A brand new election should then be held inside 50 days.

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi died on Sunday in a helicopter accident in a distant space of northwestern Iran.

Together with him had been Iran’s International Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the consultant of the Supreme Chief in Tabriz, and the governor-general of Japanese Azerbaijan province, the place the crash befell.

Raisi is the second Iranian president to die in workplace because the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The primary was Mohammad Ali Rajaei, who was assassinated by the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq Group, a militant group that broke away from the revolution, in 1981. But, the 2 deaths happen in very totally different contexts.

Below the Iranian system, the Supreme Chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has the ultimate say on all vital issues in Iran. Khamenei is 85 and Raisi, 63, who had been rigorously groomed to larger workplace, seemed to be one of many fundamental contenders to exchange him. Raisi’s demise opens the door to different potential candidates at a time when Iran is dealing with extreme challenges together with financial issues, home alienation, and rising tensions with its regional arch-foe, Israel.

For a few years, Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Khamenei and his shut aide, has been thought of a number one candidate to succeed him. One other risk is Alireza Arafi, a distinguished member of the Meeting of Consultants which nominally chooses the chief.

Raisi’s father-in-law, Ahmad Alam-ol-Hoda, additionally involves thoughts. Alam-ol-Hoda is a robust determine within the jap metropolis of Mashhad and is the Supreme Chief’s consultant in Khorasan Razavi province. Raisi’s widow and Alam-ol-Hoda’s daughter, Jamileh Alam-ol-Hoda, is claimed to have wished to be Iran’s First Girl, and that will have been achieved provided that her husband grew to become the chief. She has been advocating for the title since October 2023, when she introduced the time period of “First Girl” to the political rhetoric of the Islamic Republic. Maybe she would accept “First Daughter.”

One other highly effective determine is Ahmad Khatami, a member of the presidium of the Meeting of Consultants. Like Raisi, Khatami is a hardliner who has been positioned on the European Union’s sanctions listing for “inciting violence towards protesters,” together with “demanding the demise penalty,” for many who took half within the protest motion following the demise in police custody of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Khatami can also be a member of the Guardian Council, the physique that vets candidates for president and different elected workplace. Below Iran’s Structure, new elections for president have to be held inside 50 days.

Raisi’s demise scrambles the choreography for the seating of a brand new Meeting of Consultants, chosen in current elections. The brand new Meeting was speculated to convene this week and select the brand new chief of its presidium, its governing physique. Raisi, who had been the deputy head of the presidium, was the frontrunner for the highest job, which theoretically would have given him the facility to approve or reject the Meeting’s selection for Khamenei’s successor. Now, there must be an election to decide on a alternative for Raisi in South Khorasan province.

Iran may also have to pick a brand new president at a time when voter turnout in current elections has been at historic lows.

Vice President Mohammad Mokhber Dezfouli shall be quickly taking cost of the Govt department, underneath Article 131 of Iran’s Structure.

A council consisting of the Speaker of the Parliament, the Judiciary Chief, and the First Vice President is obliged to rearrange a brand new presidential election inside a most interval of fifty days.

It’s doubtless that Mokhber, who has run vital monetary conglomerations in Iran, will run for the presidency together with a perennial candidate, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the present speaker of parliament.

Qalibaf, a former mayor of Tehran and head of the Air Power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ran unsuccessfully for the presidency thrice starting in 2005, when he misplaced to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Qalibaf is taken into account a relative reasonable however his probabilities of successful this time are unclear. He’s additionally doubtless to get replaced as speaker of the parliament.

Over the course of Khamenei’s management, Iran’s permitted political spectrum has turn out to be increasingly slim. The upcoming presidential elections are more likely to be uncompetitive and the general public’s morale is at an all-time low. The system could attempt to introduce some reformist figures to make the election extra engaging to Iranians who’ve misplaced their religion within the institution. One risk is Es’haq Jahangiri, vice chairman underneath Hassan Rouhani, who preceded Raisi.

Jahangiri has sought to distance himself from Rouhani, saying that he was stripped of his energy throughout Rouhani’s second time period (2017-2021). This might increase Jahangiri’s likelihood to outlive vetting by the Guardian Council. Nevertheless, Jahangari lacks a powerful fan base amongst unusual Iranians.

Given the brief time out there earlier than elections, the council has little time to vet candidates. Subsequently, we’re more likely to see acquainted names, who’ve gone by means of the vetting course of earlier than.

Will Raisi’s demise and a brand new president change the scenario dramatically for the Iranian folks? The brief reply is not any. The prevailing hardline doctrine in each home and overseas insurance policies is more likely to be continued.

Saeed Azimi is a political journalist primarily based in Tehran. Discover him on X (previously generally known as Twitter) at @saeedazimi1772. 

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday mentioned he was open to supporting rules on contraception and that his marketing campaign would launch a coverage on the difficulty “very shortly,” feedback that he later mentioned had been misinterpreted.

The feedback, made throughout an interview with a Pittsburgh tv station, prompt {that a} future Trump administration would possibly take into account imposing mandates or supporting state restrictions on such extremely private selections as whether or not girls can have entry to contraception. Throughout an interview with KDKA Information, Trump was requested, “Do you assist any restrictions on an individual’s proper to contraception?”

“We’re that and I’m going to have a coverage on that very shortly,” Trump responded, in line with a video of the interview that was briefly posted on-line earlier than it was imagined to air, then taken down.

The doubtless Republican presidential nominee was pressed in a follow-up query if that meant he might wish to assist some restrictions on contraception.

“Issues actually do have rather a lot to do with the states, and a few states are going to have completely different coverage than others,” Trump responded, earlier than repeating that he could be releasing “a really complete coverage” on the difficulty.

Trump beforehand mentioned he would launch a coverage about use of the abortion drugs in a Time journal interview printed three weeks in the past, although he has but to take action. That is the primary time Trump has prompt he would have a coverage on contraception because the U.S. Supreme Court docket overturned a nationwide proper to abortion two years in the past, touching off political battles about facets of reproductive rights, together with contraception and in vitro fertilization.

Responding later to media reviews of his interview, Trump mentioned on his social media platform Fact Social that he “has by no means and can by no means” advocate for proscribing contraception and different contraceptives. Even so, the Biden marketing campaign was fast to grab on the interview.

“Girls throughout the nation are already affected by Donald Trump’s post-Roe nightmare, and if he wins a second time period, it’s clear he desires to go even additional by proscribing entry to contraception and emergency contraceptives,” Biden-Harris spokesperson Sarafina Chitika mentioned in an announcement.

Advocates on either side of the abortion debate have lengthy pressed Trump on the essential query of whether or not he would permit girls to entry the abortion capsule mifepristone through the mail. He has but to clarify his views on the Comstock Act, a nineteenth century regulation that has been revived by anti-abortion teams looking for to dam the mailing of mifepristone and different abortion medicines.

When requested throughout an April 12 interview with Time journal for his views on the Comstock Act and the mailing of abortion drugs, the previous president promised to make an announcement on the difficulty within the subsequent 14 days, saying “I really feel very strongly about it. I truly suppose it’s an important challenge.”

Throughout an April 27 follow-up interview, Trump mentioned he would announce his stance “over the following week or two.” It’s now been three weeks because the interviews had been printed on April 30 and over 5 weeks because the GOP front-runner advised the journal he would launch an announcement.

When requested by The Related Press for an replace on when the announcement could be made, marketing campaign officers reiterated an announcement that reaffirms Trump’s technique of deferring to particular person states on abortion. They didn’t give an up to date timeline for a coverage assertion on remedy abortion.

“President Trump has lengthy been constant in supporting the rights of states to make selections on abortion,” the assertion mentioned.

Biden marketing campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt mentioned Trump’s allies have already “outlined precisely how they plan to get rid of abortion entry nationwide with or with out Congress.”

“We all know Trump’s playbook as a result of we’ve seen it,” she mentioned in an announcement. “Trump overturned Roe, brags about it continually, and is pleased with the horrific actuality the place girls’s lives are in danger, medical doctors are threatened with jail time, and IVF and contraception entry are below assault.”

Trump has typically relied on the tactic of promising an announcement on a serious coverage stance in “two weeks” however not delivering, together with on points reminiscent of minimal wage, tax coverage and infrastructure.

Abortion rights advocates and anti-abortion teams alike have expressed frustration with the delay.

“I think about the occasions in New York Metropolis have been very distracting, however we’re awaiting an announcement,” mentioned Kristi Hamrick, spokesperson for the anti-abortion group College students for Life, referring to the previous president’s hush cash trial.

Hamrick mentioned the group has been talking with Trump’s staff about what may be carried out to limit abortion at a federal stage.

Mini Timmaraju, president of the abortion rights group Reproductive Freedom for All, pointed to the GOP’s Challenge 2025 playbook — a blueprint for tactics to reshape the federal authorities within the occasion of a Republican presidential win in 2024. The Comstock Act shouldn’t be explicitly talked about within the plan, but it surely requires reversing FDA approval of mifepristone and proscribing “mail order abortions.”

“Trump will say no matter he desires, however what actually issues is what he did — and that’s to facilitate ending the constitutional proper to abortion and set state abortion bans into movement,” she mentioned.

Not less than 22 states require abortion remedy to be delivered in individual both by prohibiting mail supply or requiring remedy to be taken in a health care provider’s workplace, although such legal guidelines have been quickly blocked from going into impact in Kentucky, Montana and Ohio amid authorized battles, in line with the Nationwide Convention of State Legislatures.

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Related Press writers Jill Colvin and Michelle L. Worth in New York contributed to this report.

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The Related Press  receives assist from a number of non-public foundations to reinforce its explanatory protection of elections and democracy. See extra about AP’s democracy initiative right here. The AP is solely chargeable for all content material.

Males’s Singles Qualifying Draw | Girls’s Singles Qualifying Draw

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Paris, France – The perfect tennis gamers on this planet are in Paris, France this week for the taking part in of the second Grand Slam of the season, the French Open. Of those standout gamers, a number of have ties again to school tennis, together with 25 gamers who’re competing within the Males’s and Girls’s Qualifying Singles Attracts as they give the impression of being to affix the over 20 gamers with collegiate ties already within the Singles Major Draw.

That includes each names of recent and outdated within the school tennis group, gamers equivalent to JJ Wolf (Ohio State), Astra Sharma (Vanderbilt), Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky), Yuliia Starodubtseva (Previous Dominion), and Maxime Cressy (UCLA) are just some of the names which have carried over their success on the school degree on to the skilled excursions.

Competing for one in all 16 qualifying spots in each the lads’s and girls’s singles primary attracts, this yr’s qualifying play will span from Monday, Could twentieth via Friday, Could twenty fourth. For individuals who do qualify, they are going to be given a time without work on Saturday earlier than primary draw play begins in Paris on Sunday, Could twenty sixth.

Try the tables under to see the entire checklist of the entire former alum competing within the 2024 French Open Qualifying Attracts.

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Collegians within the Males’s Qualifying Draw

Participant	College	Present Rank
JJ Wolf	Ohio State	107
Valentin Vacherot	Texas A&M	116
Patrick Kypson	Texas A&M	150
Alexis Galarneau	NC State	153
Gabriel Diallo	Kentucky	166
Maxime Cressy	UCLA	176
Alexander Ritschard	Virginia	184
Oliver Crawford	Florida	205
Henri Squire	Wake Forest	211
Ryan Peniston	Memphis	219
Murkel Dellien	Wichita State	222
Tristan Boyer	Stanford	224
Aziz Dougaz	Florida State	227
Clement Chidekh	Washington	280

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Collegians within the Girls’s Qualifying Draw

Participant	College	Present Rank
McCartney Kessler	Florida	122
Lulu Solar	Texas	128
Astra Sharma	Vanderbilt	130
Yuriko Lily Miyazaki	Oklahoma	133
Arianne Hartono	Ole Miss	136
Leolia Jeanjean	Lynn, Baylor, Arkansas	143
Yuliia Starodubtseva (29)	Previous Dominion	144
Martina Capurro Taborda	Oklahoma	162
Gabriela Knutson	Syracuse	189
Justina Mikulskyte	Kentucky	226
Carol Zhao	Stanford	228