Author: DW

William Lai Ching-te, of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was sworn in as president of the self-governing democratic island on Monday. In his inauguration speech, Lai vowed to defend the island’s democracy, and called on China to end its military intimidation. “In face of the many threats and attempts of infiltration from China, we must demonstrate our resolution to defend our nation and we must also raise our defense awareness and strengthen our legal framework for national security,” the new president said. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory. And under China’s leader Xi Jinping’s rule over the past decade, it has…

The inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, is more about handing over the baton than any dramatic change in policy for the island which is overshadowed by its large and powerful neighbour, China.It’s expected Lai Ching-te (also called by his English name, William Lai) will stay the course set by his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen. But his first speech as the new president was closely watched in Asia for any clues about how Taiwan will handle its difficult relationship with China.In a careful and considered address, Mr Lai urged China to “stop threatening Taiwan” and called for “peace and stability”…

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made a “hard landing” on Sunday, said Ahmad Vahidi, Iran’s interior minister. “The esteemed president and company were on their way back aboard some helicopters and one of the helicopters was forced to make a hard landing due to the bad weather and fog,” the minister said in comments aired on state TV. The Iranian Cabinet convened for an emergency meeting chaired by Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president, on Sunday, state news agency IRNA reported.  He initiated further measures for the rescue operation. According to protocol, Mockber would become president in the event of Raisi’s death.…

Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, took office on Monday amid escalating tensions with China and a divided parliament. Lai and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim were sworn in at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei. The event was attended by international delegations, including from the United States, Japan and Canada. In his inauguration address, Lai was expected to express goodwill toward China and call for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to pursue peace. China views Lai, 64, as a “dangerous separatist” who will bring “war and decline” to the region. Lai and his vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim were sworn in at the Presidential…

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has died after the helicopter he was travelling in crashed in a mountainous area of northwest Iran.Rescuers found the burned remains of the aircraft on Monday morning after he had been missing for more than 12 hours.”President Raisi, the foreign minister and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters.Live updates – Iranian president killed in crashIran’s Mehr news agency reported “all passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred”.State TV said it had smashed into a mountain – there has been…

Britain will spend at least 4.7 billion pounds ($6 billion, €5.5 billion) on implementing a new approach to import goods after exiting the EU customs market in 2020, the UK government’s public spending watchdog said on Monday. The UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016 but remained in the bloc’s single market and customs union until 2021. In 2021, the UK withdrew from the EU customs union and a new EU-UK Trade Cooperation Agreement (TCA) went into effect. The European Parliament said in a report that the trading of goods between the parties had become “burdensome” since Brexit and trade volumes had…

The Dominican Republic’s incumbent president, Luis Abinader, has a commanding lead in the country’s presidential elections, according to preliminary results Monday.  With around 38% of votes counted, Abinader held 59.24% of the vote, followed by three-time former President Leonel Fernandez with 26.97%, according to preliminary data from the nation’s central electoral board. If Abinader exceeds 50% of the vote, he will win another term without the need for a runoff vote.  In a post on the social media platform X. Fernandez said he called Abinader to concede the election. Voters cast ballots  Voters in the Dominican Republic went to the polls Sunday to choose the next president…

A helicopter carrying Iran’s president crashed during bad weather on Sunday.But who is Ebrahim Raisi – a leader who faces sanctions from the US and other nations over his involvement in the mass execution of prisoners in 1988. The president, 63, who was travelling alongside the foreign minister and two other key Iranian figures when their helicopter crashed, had been travelling across the far northwest of Iran following a visit to Azerbaijan.Follow live: Rescuers search for president after helicopter crashMr Raisi is a hardliner and former head of the judiciary who some have suggested could one day replace Supreme Leader…

As Iran’s Cabinet convenes for an emergency meeting after a helicopter accident involving President Ebrahim Raisi, speculation over the consequences of the helicopter’s “hard landing” is rife across the Middle East. Search and rescue teams continue to scour a fog-covered mountainous area after the helicopter with Raisi on board went missing in what state media is calling an accident. Fears grow for the 63-year-old ultraconservative after contact was lost with the aircraft carrying him as well as Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and others in East Azerbaijan province. But exactly who is Raisi, who came to power in 2021, replacing the moderate outgoing leader Hassan Rouhani, and what might happen…

Ebrahim Raisi has been one of Iran’s hardest of hardliners, a fanatical and absolute believer in the Iranian revolution and its mission.If he has died on a mountainside in the north of the country, as looks increasingly likely, it will be a major moment for the country and the region. It will remove from the Middle East one of its toughest most uncompromising players.Follow live: Rescuers search for president after helicopter crashA man who launched the first direct attack on Israel in his country’s history and a hardliner on whose watch hundreds of Iranians have been killed in the brutal…