Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
The helicopter in which he was travelling crashed amid heavy fog and rain in Iran's East Azerbaijan province.
His death has shocked Iran and the wider world, with some asking why the helicopter was allowed to be flown in such poor weather.
Mr Raisi is not the first head of state to have been killed in an aircraft crash.
Here is a list of previous incidents.
Pakistan President Muhammad Zia-ul Haq, 1988
Pakistan President Muhammad Zia-ul Haq was killed in a plane crash, alongside the US ambassador and several top Pakistani military officials, in August 1988.
The C-130 plane exploded minutes after it took off from an airbase in the Pakistani city of Bahawalpur.
Pakistani and US authorities called the crash an accident, despite speculation.
Rwanda President Juvenal Habyarimana, 1994
Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down in 1994, in an event widely considered to be the start of the genocide in the country.
Habyarimana – of the Hutu majority – had signed a peace deal with the Tutsi rebels and was flying to the Rwandan capital when a missile hit his plane.
An investigation was launched four years later at the request of the relatives of the French crew members on board.
The investigation was a major point of contention between France and Rwanda.
In December 2016, French judges dropped the long-running investigation. Then in 2020, the appeals court in Paris rejected a request to reopen the inquiry.
President of North Macedonia Boris Trajkovski, 2004
A plane crash, attributed to pilot errors and technical failures, killed North Macedonia’s President Boris Trajkovski and eight others in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The crash occurred in Stolac in February 2004. According to local media, an investigation released by Bosnian experts blamed the crash on technical problems and errors in procedure by the pilots.
Poland President Lech Kaczynski, 2010
Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others were killed when their plane crashed on April 10, 2010, as it approached the airport in the Russian town of Smolensk. T
The crash was attributed at the time to thick fog, according to local media.
The Polish Foreign Ministry said that the plane caught fire after the crash. Kaczynski’s wife, the head of the Polish army and the governor of the central bank were also on the plane.
In April 2022, a Polish government special commission released a report alleging that the crash was the result of a Russian assassination plan.
The plane crash was the result of “an act of unlawful interference by the Russian side,” the head of the commission, Antoni Macierewicz, said at the time.
The report followed years of allegations made by government officials and was just two months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Two separate Russian and Polish investigations that had been previously conducted found no evidence of an deliberate assassination attempt.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, 2024
Chile’s former president Sebastian Pinera died from drowning after his helicopter crashed into a lake in the south of the country in February.
Pinera, 74, was flying the helicopter that crashed into Lake Ranco, about 900km from the capital Santiago, according to AP.
Four other people were on board, three of whom survived the crash, according to the Chilean Interior Ministry.
Bad weather was reported in the area.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Frida%20
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Lady Parma, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Tabernas, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash.
2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m
Winner: Night Castle, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Mutawakked, Szczepan Mazur, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Tafaakhor, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Cranesbill, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.
Honeymoonish
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MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
