Iran’s president and others have been killed in a helicopter crash
What Ebrahim Raisi’s Last Stopped Helicopter Decay Revealed When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Was Caught in the Act of War
Good morning. You’re reading the newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Even as President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash, his office was the lowest-turnout election in the country’s history and he presided over sweeping purges of the populace, questions remain about whether he drew the same crowd. Prosecutors already have warned people over showing any public signs of celebrating his death and a heavy security force presence has been seen on the streets of Tehran since the crash.
Iran is in transition while Israel’s leadership is in turmoil. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing accusations from his own war cabinet that he doesn’t have a strategy for replacing Hamas as the ruler of Gaza. Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s three-man war cabinet, said he would quit the government in three weeks if it didn’t adopt a new plan for the war.
The Fourth Day of Michael Cohen’s Cross-examination Wraps Up: A Portrait of a Michigan Center for Postpartum Care
Today is the fourth day of testimony by Michael Cohen, the star witness in the trial of former President Donald Trump. It’s the last appearance he’s expected to make. Once Trump’s defense lawyers finish their cross-examination, prosecutors will be able to redirect with another round of questioning. NPR’s Trump Trials podcasts team breaks down the timelines of events, what Cohen says has been shown so far, and explains why the verdict may come down to sex and privacy.
Motherhood brings joy but also challenges, like mental health struggles and pelvic floor recovery. The fourth trimester, known as the “fourth quarter” in the US, can be isolating for new mothers. Support services are fragmented and costly. Up to 18 weeks of support for mothers and their babies is what the Fourth Tri Sanctuary in Michigan aims to change with their community that offers healing, education and bonding.
A Detroit-based photographer spoke with mothers at a care center about why they needed this support. See photos of what the future of postpartum care can look like and read their stories.
Source: Iran’s president dies in helicopter crash; Michael Cohen’s cross-examination wraps up
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Execution of a U.S. High-Sensitivity General Relativistic Drone in DUBAI
America is behind on sunscreen technology. Chemicals are sometimes included in sunscreens in countries like Japan, South Korea and France. They do a better job at protecting against the harmful rays from the sun than those in the US. A 1938 law is behind why Americans can’t get their hands on these products.
The UVB rays which cause sunburns only account for one of the SPF’s factors on a sunscreen bottle. Although U.S. sunscreens labeled “broad spectrum” should, in theory, block cancer-causing UVA light, some studies have shown they fail to meet the EU’s higher standards.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Mourners in black began gathering Tuesday for days of funerals and processions for Iran’s late president, foreign minister and others killed in a helicopter crash, a government-led series of ceremonies aimed at both honoring the dead and projecting strength in an unsettled Middle East.
Mass demonstrations have been vital for Iran’s theocracy since millions thronged the streets of Tehran to receive Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during the Islamic Revolution. An estimated 1 million turned out in 2020 for processions for the late Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was slain in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad.
Iran’s supreme leader, the 85-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been mentioned as a potential replacement for Raisi. His death now throws that selection into question, particularly as there is no heir-apparent cleric for the presidency ahead of planned June 28 elections.
A procession Tuesday morning led by a semitruck carrying the caskets of the dead slowly moved through the narrow streets of downtown Tabriz, the closest major city near the site of the crash Sunday. Thousands in black slowly walked beside the coffins, some throwing flowers up to them as an emcee wept through a loudspeaker for men he described as martyrs.
The bodies will travel on to Qom before traveling to Tehran later Tuesday. On Wednesday, a funeral presided over by Khamenei will then turn into a procession as well. Raisi will be buried in his hometown of Birjand on Thursday, followed by a procession that will lead to the burial of the Shiites’ holiest figure, the Imam Reza shrine in the holy city of Mashhad.
That shrine has long been a center for pilgrims and sees millions visit each year. Over the centuries, its grounds have served as the final burial site for heroes in Persian history. It is a very high honor in the faith. President Mohammad-Ali Rajai was buried in Tehran, the only president to die in office.
The people were encouraged to attend the public mourning sessions after the five days of mourning were declared. Typically, government employees and schoolchildren attend such events en masse, while others take part out of patriotism, curiosity or to witness historic events.
Across Iran, its rural population often more closely embraces the Shiite faith and the government. Mass protests in Tehran have been different to Tehran’s view of Raisi and his government’s policies.
The Tehran Assembly of Experts (PACES) opens its session after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, the most recent martyred woman
The most recent involved the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a woman detained over her allegedly loose headscarf, or hijab. The security operation that followed the demonstrations killed more than 500 people. Iran was found to be responsible for “physical violence” that led to Amini’s death.
In the night on Sunday, some gave anti-government chants in response to the news of the helicopter crash. There were fireworks in the capital on Sunday, as well as a remembrance for the apostle of Islam, Imam Reza, which could be seen from some areas. Critical messages and dark jokes over the crash also circulated online.
Iran’s top prosecutor issued an order ordering cases to be filed against those who libeled and insulted Raisi and others who died in the crash.
The first session of Iran’s new Assembly of Experts opened on Tuesday, with the panel that decided the new assembly consisting of Raisi and the Tabriz Friday leader. Flowers sat on the seats they would have occupied at the meeting of the 88-member panel, which is tasked with selecting the country’s next supreme leader.
