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The Iranian military has revealed the findings from the preliminary investigation into the death of former president Ebrahim Raisi. According to the preliminary investigation report, no bullet marks were found on the crashed helicopter, Tasnim news reported. According to the report, the helicopter had remained on its predetermined course all along the way and had not deviated from the flight route. Almost a minute and a half before the crash, the pilot had contacted the other two helicopters of the president's convoy, the report said.

Russian President Putin and Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa agreed to step up trade relations between the two countries on May 23. Putin and King Hamad also promised to work together to resolve the crisis in the Middle East while deepening Russia-Bahrain ties. The King of Bahrain invited Russian President Putin to a Middle East peace conference to be held in the Arab country. Putin and the Bahraini King stressed the need for de-escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during talks in Moscow.

On May 24, China’s second day of drills around Taiwan expanded from blockade practice and battlefield control to include domain occupation. The drills were aimed at testing its ability to "seize power" and control key areas in exercises China said were launched to punish Taiwan's new president. The two days of drills in the Taiwan Strait and around groups of Taiwan-controlled islands near China started three days after Lai Ching-te took office. The Eastern Theatre Command of the PLA* said its forces on May 24 continued with their drills, dubbed "Joint Sword - 2024A." The exercises are to "test the ability to jointly seize power, launch joint attacks and occupy key areas", according to the PLA statement. Analysts said Beijing’s drills suggested it had a blockade strategy, which would be preferable to direct armed conflict, against Taiwan. China considered it would cost Beijing relatively little and cause less damage on the island, according to experts. Experts said low-intensity military actions such as a blockade strategy could also reduce the possibility of intervention by the US. Singapore Deputy PM Gan Kim Yong said Taiwan had become “one of the most dangerous flashpoints” in the region as the US-mainland China rivalry intensified.

The UK election, initially expected in late January, has been surprisingly set for July 4th. Campaigning over Christmas seemed unlikely, so September or October was anticipated. The early date appears strategic, announced just as inflation dropped significantly—a major promise fulfilled by Rishi Sunak. However, this success comes amid economic challenges: stalled growth, high national debt, persistent NHS waiting lists, and ongoing illegal immigration issues. Sunak’s government faces criticism for losing its grip and support. The July election avoids the holiday season's disruption, but underlying dissatisfaction and skepticism about the government's effectiveness may influence the outcome. The true test will be if the voters' verdict aligns with the calculated timing of this early election.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the urgent need for upgraded defense systems to counter Russian guided bomb attacks, which he described as Russia's primary tool in its offensive. Zelensky highlighted progress in electronic warfare, drones, and missile programs but stressed the necessity for improved systems and tactics to protect Ukrainian positions, cities, and communities from these attacks. The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported that its Yug Battlegroup had liberated Andreyevka in Donetsk and inflicted significant damage on Ukraine’s 57th Mechanised Brigade. Additionally, Russia's Battlegroup Sever advanced in the Kharkiv region, repelling two Ukrainian counterattacks. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces in the northern Kharkiv sector regained lost ground and captured Russian prisoners of war, despite ongoing fierce battles in Vovchansk. Russian airstrikes on Kharkiv killed seven people on May 23, adding to the toll in a city under constant bombardment since the war began in February 2022. Close combat and firefights along the Vovcha River resulted in fluctuating territorial control. Ukraine initiated a parole scheme for convicts willing to join the military, with over 3,000 prisoners expressing interest, aiming to bolster its ranks amid ongoing hostilities. The US is providing Ukraine with equipment and training to handle potential nuclear emergencies, as reported by NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby. This includes ensuring the safe operation of nuclear power plants and enhancing Ukraine's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. British Defence Minister Grant Shapps accused China of providing or preparing to provide lethal aid to Russia, citing a significant increase in China-Russia trade. China denied these claims, calling them baseless. A US official expressed concerns about potential Chinese lethal assistance but noted no evidence so far. In response to former UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s comments supporting Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory using British weapons, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned of possible retaliatory strikes on British military targets. Poland is evaluating the legal and technical feasibility of using its air defense systems to intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine, though there are no plans to deploy these systems outside Poland. Germany’s efforts to enhance Ukraine’s air defenses face challenges, despite commitments and calls for international support.

The US Secretary of State said Washington is ready to discuss with Kyiv the possibility of using US weapons to attack targets deep inside Russia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed it is up to Ukraine to decide whether to carry out strikes deep into Russian territory. Meanwhile, There is a vigorous debate inside the White House over relaxing the ban to allow the Ukrainians to use US weapons to hit targets inside Russia. The Politico cited a letter by lawmakers from both parties in the House of Representatives demanding Biden to allow Kyiv to strike Russia using US weapons. Russia’s Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov warned Washington against authorising the use of long-range weapons against Russian territory. Antonov alleged Kyiv seeks “to provoke” the US and other NATO* countries, into “rash actions and achieve a head-on collision” between Russia and NATO.

French President Emmanuel Macron visited riot-hit New Caledonia and said troops sent to battle the deadly unrest there “will stay as long as necessary”. Macron's visit came after six people were killed in riots that began last week and left a trail of looted shops, torched cars and businesses. Macron held talks with the pro-independence President of the Government of New Caledonia Louis Mapou and the President of Congress Roch Wamytan. Macron called the riots "totally unprecedented movement of insurrection," adding that "no one saw it coming with this level of organisation and violence." Experts say Macron visiting the riot-hit region for talks just weeks before key European elections shows the stakes are high.

Iran's late president Ebrahim Raisi was buried in the holy city of Mashhad on May 23 after he was killed in a helicopter crash. Raisi's coffin was flown to Mashhad in northeast Iran after a funeral procession was held for him in the eastern city of Birjand. A guard of honour stood in attention as the plane carrying Raisi's coffin arrived in Mashhad, where he was laid to rest at the gold-domed Imam Reza shrine. Imam Reza shrine is the holiest Islamic site in Iran and is revered by Shi'ite Muslims as the resting place of the 9th-century Imam Ali al-Reza. 63-year-old Raisi was widely seen as a candidate to succeed 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate power in Iran

The Russian authorities have arrested Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin, the Deputy Chief of General Staff for allegedly taking bribes. His home was searched on May 22 and he was then taken for questioning to the General Military Investigative Department, Kommersant reported. He is the fourth high-ranking Russian military official to be arrested in a month since April 23. The 235th Garrison Military Court sent Shamarin to a 2-month custody, news agency TASS reported. Experts say that the Shamarin’s detention is "a serious development that undermines the position of Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov.” Watch the video to know more.

The Kremlin expressed disbelief at comments by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken following Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s death. The top US diplomat on May 20 claimed the Iranian people are “better off” without Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash near Azerbaijan. Such a remark would be “insulting to the entire people” of Iran, the Kremlin spokesperson added. The Biden administration’s Iran policy came under intense scrutiny on May 21, as Republican senators grilled Blinken over a message of condolences after Raisi’s death. Republican lawmakers accused the Biden administration of going soft on the Iranian hardliner, who was elected president in 2021.

China launched two-day "punishment" drills around Taiwan on May 23 in response to "separatist acts." The drills are a “strong punishment for the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces and a stern warning against external provocation," China said. China said it sent heavily armed warplanes while staging mock attacks just three days after Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing labels a "separatist," took office. China said that those supporting independence for Taiwan would be left with "heads broken and blood flowing." Meanwhile, fighter jets took off from a Taiwan airbase as the self-ruled island dispatched aerial and naval forces in response to China's launch of military drills.

A failed coup attempt on the presidential palace in Congo over the weekend has resulted in the deaths of six people including the alleged orchestrator Christian Malanga. Dozens of people were arrested for the failed May 19 coup attempt including three Americans. The Daily Mail reported that three arrested Americans are believed to be CIA operatives but the US govt has denied official involvement. There have been speculations on social media as well of them being CIA operatives. Watch the video to know more about Christian Malanga and several condpiracy theories about him.

The Pentagon accused Russia of deploying a “space weapon” in the same orbit as a US government satellite. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder added that Washington would continue to monitor the situation and was ready to protect its interest. The US Space Command pointed to the launch of a Soyuz rocket from Russia's Plesetsk launch site on May 16. Watch the video to find out Space war between the US and Russia.

Gholamhossein Esmaili said in an interview with state TV that weather conditions in Iran’s Varzaqan region, where President Raisi’s copter crashed, were perfect at the start and during most of the flight that took place a day earlier. Esmaili was in one of the three helicopters that were returning from a dam inauguration ceremony on Iran’s border with the Republic of Azerbaijan. He said the helicopters had taken off at around 1:00 p.m. local time on May 19 while weather conditions in the area were normal. After 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot of President Raeisi’s helicopter who was in charge of the convoy, ordered other helicopters to increase altitude to avoid a nearby cloud. However, the president’s helicopter, which was flying between the two others, suddenly disappeared.

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris emphasizes the historic significance of Ireland, Norway and Spain recognizing Palestine, expressing confidence that more countries will follow suit. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store sees the recognition as support for moderate forces in the midst of conflict and calls for others to join in recognizing Palestine, advocating for a two-state solution for lasting peace. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez criticizes Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's approach, accusing him of hindering the two-state solution with actions causing pain and destruction in Palestine. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir vehemently opposes the recognition, condemning it as a reward for Hamas and advocating for aggressive measures against the organization, including cutting off fuel and controlling certain areas.

Slovakia’s PM Robert Fico is recovering in the hospital after being hit by four bullets on May 15. As Fico remains in a stable but critical condition there is speculation in the Slovak media about a potential Ukrainian connection to the alleged assassin. Slovakian media outlets are speculating whether the country with the most reason to be angry at Fico might be involved. Fico was elected on a promise to end his country’s aid to Ukraine, a campaign promise he fulfilled once he was elected.

Iran is reportedly downplaying the role played by a Turkish drone in finding the crash site of late President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter. The Iranian military said the wreckage of the helicopter was detected by Iranian drones equipped with synthetic-aperture radars (SAR) Iran’s claims appear to counter Turkish media reports saying the Bayraktar Akinci UAV had identified "a source of heat suspected to be wreckage.” In a statement released on May 22, the Iranian Army’s General Staff gave details of the search operation to locate the missing helicopter. It said advanced Iranian drones equipped with SARs were not immediately deployed as they were further away from the crash zone. The Iranian military said that given the circumstances, Iran agreed to take help from the neighbouring and friendly country of Turkey for the search operation. The statement noted that although the Turkish drone was equipped with night-vision and thermal optical devices, it failed to detect the crash site.

Dzafran Azmir was among many passengers on a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight hit by heavy turbulence which left dozens injured and one dead, who finally reached Singapore on Wednesday morning. The scheduled flight on a Boeing BA.N 777-300ER plane diverted to Bangkok after the plane was buffeted by turbulence that flung passengers and crew around the cabin, slamming some hard into the ceiling. A 73-year-old British passenger died of a suspected heart attack and at least 30 people were injured. Photographs from the interior of the plane showed gashes in the overhead cabin panels, oxygen masks and panels hanging from the ceiling and luggage strewn around. A passenger said some people's heads had slammed into the lights above the seats and punctured the panels. "Suddenly the aircraft started tilting up and there was shaking so I started bracing for what was happening, and very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing a seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling," Azmir, a 28-year-old student on board the flight told Reuters. Singapore Airlines took those who could continue on a flight from Bangkok that reached Singapore just before 5 a.m. (21:00 GMT). Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) is looking into the incident, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is also sending representatives for support. The sequence of events is still unclear, as the plane declared a medical emergency - but Reuters has not been able to confirm whether that happened before the turbulence erupted and the plane's altitude dropped from 37,000 feet to about 31,000 feet in a short period of time. The sudden turbulence occurred over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar about 10 hours into the flight, the airline said. Turbulence has many causes, most obviously the unstable weather patterns that trigger storms, but this flight could have been affected by clear air turbulence, which is very difficult to detect. Turbulence-related airline accidents are the most common type of accident, according to a 2021 NTSB study. While the airline said 30 people were injured, Samitivej Hospital in Thailand said it was treating 71 passengers. There were 211 passengers and 18 crew on board. From 2009 through 2018, the U.S. agency found that turbulence accounted for more than a third of reported airline accidents and most resulted in one or more serious injuries, but no aircraft damage. Singapore Airlines, which is widely recognized as one of the world's leading airlines and is a benchmark for much of the industry, has not had any major incidents in recent years. Its last accident resulting in casualties was a flight from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei, where it crashed on Oct. 31, 2000, at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, killing 83 of the 179 people on board.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Europe must develop its own version of Israel-style Iron Dome missile defence system. Tusk said he and other European leaders would present plans for an Israel-style ‘iron dome’ defence network to the European Council and Commission "in a few days." Tusk made the remarks at a press conference with European Investment Bank (EIB) President Nadia Calvino in Warsaw. The EIB announced that it would give Poland €300 million ($326 million) towards the creation of a satellite system.The satellite system is expected to be integrated into an EU-wide missile defence network eventually. Tusk added that “the idea of pan-European air defence will become less and less a dream and more and more a real, practical plan.”

Western officials say they are braced for a period of volatility with Iran as the country prepares to choose a successor to President Ebrahim Raisi. However, Iran is likely to stay on its current trajectory as far as its foreign and regional policy is concerned, US and European officials told The Wall Street Journal. Iran has in recent years deepened ties with China and Russia as Raisi championed Iran’s turn to the east. Analysts say they don’t expect Tehran to make major foreign-policy shifts as ultimate authority in Iran lies with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The upcoming Presidential election could generate momentum in Iran for a more assertive posture in the region, the officials added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly believes his generals are hiding the truth from him and has taken to shouting at them. An anonymous Ukrainian official told the Economist that the president has been clashing with the country’s generals. This was after allegedly sensing that he was not getting the whole truth about the frontline situation. Ukrainian commander, Denis Yaroslavsky, told The Economist that Zelensky “is being kept in a warm bath” that is, he is being told comforting lies by his aides. Yaroslavsky is a local commander who made headlines for complaining that fortifications that were supposed to prevent Russian advances did not really exist. Watch the video to find out more.

A video shared from Donald Trump’s social media account has landed the former US President in hot water. Trump’s team shared a video on May 20 referencing a “unified reich” in a post about how the country will change if he gets reelected. In the video, a narrator described “What happens after Donald Trump wins.” The screen twice flashed to a headline showing the words “Industrial strength significantly increased … driven by the creation of a unified reich.”’ According to the AP, the text appeared to be lifted verbatim off a Wikipedia entry for World War I. Watch the video to find out more

US officials initially feared the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi on May 19 could trigger a new world war, Politico reported. There were concerns Tehran might blame Washington and Israel for the incident, a source told Politico. A helicopter carrying Raisi and his entourage went down on May 19 in the country’s northwestern East Azerbaijan province. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was also traveling with Raisi. The president was returning from a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, after they inaugurated a major dam project on the border.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed that they had shot down another American MQ-9 drone on May 21. The Houthis did not say when the downing took place but alleged the drone “was carrying out hostile missions” over the southern province of Bayda. Yahya Saree also boasted of the growing Houthi capabilities against Western weapons. According to the spokesperson, this was be the second MQ-9 Reaper drone downed by the Houthis over the past week. Watch the video to find out more.

Ukraine's Western allies should lift restrictions on delivered weapons, allowing Kyiv more freedom to hit targets in Russia, the Lithuanian foreign minister said. In an interview on May 20, Gabrielius Landsbergis backed French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal that military trainers be sent to Ukraine. Landsbergis said that the Western military trainers present in Ukraine before Russia's 2022 invasion should return to speed up the training of new forces. Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky also urged the West to shun fears of escalation and allow Ukrainian strikes inside Russia.