News
Global leaders mourn Iranian President Raisi’s death
Conspiracy theories have sprung to life
Iran declares five days of mourning
Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber named successor
Iranian State media yesterday confirmed the death of the country’s President, Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of north-western Iran, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
They were killed after the helicopter they were travelling in came down on Sunday.
BBC said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had announced five days of mourning following the death of Raisi. Ayatollah Khamenei said he offered his condolences “to the dear people of Iran”.
Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber has been appointed to assume interim duties after the death of the President.
Mokhber will work with the heads of Iran’s legislature and judiciary to prepare for a presidential election within 50 days – a period of time set out in Iran’s Constitution for replacing a President who dies in office.
Iran’s cabinet has also appointed deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani as acting Foreign Minister.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph said that it did not take long for the first accusations of foul play to appear on Iranian state television following the announcement that Raisi had died in a helicopter crash.
Most reports, for now, focus on the poor, foggy conditions the craft was flying near the border between Iran and Azerbaijan, as well as the ageing nature of Iran’s fleet.
There have not been formal claims that the helicopter was tampered with on the ground or during its flight.
But it is, at the least, an unfortunate time for an Iranian leader to fall victim to an accident: the Islamic Republic is engaged in an increasingly open war with Israel, inviting Western pressure with its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, but also facing ongoing resistance on its own streets.
Sky News Australia said: Macquarie University Research Fellow Kylie Moore-Gilbert says she thinks there will be a “huge number” of conspiracy theories flooding the internet if it is confirmed Iran’s President has died following a helicopter crash. Ms Moore-Gilbert said within moments of reports emerging of the crash, the conspiracy theories “already started swirling”. “All the conspiracy theories have already started swirling – it’s Mossad, it’s the Americans, it could be disgruntled people within Iran. “Iran they love their conspiracy theories, as do any people in an authoritarian regime where you can’t trust state media and propaganda abounds. “I think we’ll see a huge number of those conspiracy theories flooding the internet if it is confirmed he has died.”
BBC said it had been initially reported that the helicopter carrying the men and their entourage had made a hard landing in foggy conditions.
The area where the aircraft came down is close to the border with Azerbaijan, where Raisi had been meeting President Ilham Aliyev. He was there to open the Qiz Qalasi and Khodaafarin dams.
On Monday, the Iranian Red Crescent confirmed that the bodies of the president and others who died in the crash had been recovered and search operations had ended.
“We are in the process of transferring the bodies of the martyrs to Tabriz [in Iran’s north-west],” the organisation’s chief said on state TV.
Iranian news outlet Tasnim, which is affiliated to the country’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, reported that President Ebrahim Raisi’s funeral will be held on Tuesday in Tabriz.
The Economic Times of India
said that Social media was abuzz with conspiracy theories about the death Raisi in a helicopter crash.
Occurring amid the Israel-Hamas war in which Iran-backed militant groups Hezbollah and the Houthis are also attacking Israel, Raisi’s accidental death will make Israel a suspect, especially after Israel’s alleged strike on April 1 on Iranian consulate in Damascus, the capital of Syria, killing seven officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two senior commanders, which provoked Iran to launch a missile-and-drone attack on Israel, the first direct conflict in an old shadow war between the two countries.
A report published by WION said that Israel on Monday (May 20) denied any involvement in the death of Raisi. Speaking to the news agency Reuters, an Israeli official, who chose to remain anonymous, said, “It wasn’t us.”
Raisi, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and other Iranian officials were killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border. Raisi, a hardliner seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was 63 years old at the time of his death.
The Israeli government has officially not commented on Raisi’s death yet.
Global leaders on Monday expressed their condolences over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
