hello, i'm helena humphrey. glad you could join us. a major search operation is taking place in the mountains of north—west iran, where a helicopter carrying its president and foreign minister has gone missing. here are the two men believed to have been on board. president ebrahim raisi on the left, and the country's foreign minister, hossein amir—abdollahian on the right. they'd both been on a trip to iran's border with azerbaijan, inaugurating a new dam project shown here. this is the image of president raisi on the ground at the site of the dam before he boarded the helicopter. a convoy of three helicopters were believed to have then travelled across iranian territory. two returned safely, but the one carrying the president and foreign minister dissappeared after what authorities described as a �*hard landing' in mountainous territory under heavy fog. there has been no contact with

the aircraft since. and one line of breaking news for you — iranian state tv are reporting that a turkish drone has identified a source of heat suspected to be the wreckage and turkey has shared the coordinates with iran. the bbc�*s caroline hawley has more on what we know so far. you can see how bad conditions were in the area, as the rescue operation was under way. a fleet of ambulances on standby. the army is reported to have ordered all resources needed to be thrown at the search. members of iran's red crescent scoured the rugged landscape on foot for any sign of the missing helicopter, but poor visibility made it difficult for the rescue teams to reach the scene of the crash — even to locate it. translation: there are i currently three drone teams

in the area but due to the thick fog and low visibility, the drones were not able to successfully operate. there are also three teams with rescue dogs in the area. we are searching and we hope we'll be able to reach positive results very soon. the first indication that something had gone wrong came on state—run television. translation: there are unconfirmed reports - of an incident involving the helicopter carrying the president. initial reports cite a hard landing for the helicopter carrying the president. president raisi, seen here earlier with his counterpart from azerbaijan, is a hardliner. number two to the supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei, who is the ultimate authority in iran. also missing is iran's foreign minister, a familiarfigure on the international stage. he'd been involved in many negotiations, including over the country's nuclear programme. regime supporters came out to pray for the president. these images broadcast

on state—run tv. though not everyone in iran is praying for his survival. the regime is not popular with many iranians, who would like to see an end to the islamic republic. but from its most senior leader, a message of calm, of continuity. translation: hope that god will return the president - and fellow travellers to the people. the iranian nation must not he worried and rest assured, there will be no disruption to the running of the country. late at night, there's no news of the fate of the president and his foreign minister. several arab countries have offered assistance. turkey has sent a mountain rescue team and the eu will help with the satellite mapping service at the request of tehran. the world is watching closely to what happens next in iran. we've had some reaction from global leaders. a white house spokesperson told reporters that

presidentjoe biden had been briefed on the situation but did not elaborate further. iraq's prime minister has instructed its interior ministry, as well as the red crescent and other relevant authorities to make resources available for iran. the president of azerbaijan, ilham aliyev, who was with hia iranian counterpart before the accident, sends his country's prayers to president raisi. and russia — one of iran's biggest allies — has also deployed a rescue team and said it was ready to help investigate the cause of the crash. joining me to discuss the developments is our persian correspondnet khash—ayarjoneidi. thank you so much for being with us. what is the latest we are hearing from authorities in tehran? one user came out a few moments ago is that turkey's

director, a drone dispatched has identified a source of heat which they say may be related to the crash site. it has been a long day and night for rescue workers in iran. this is treacherous terrain, mountainous area with thick forest, it has been raining with thick fog through the day. sub zero temperatures tonight there and it is difficult and messy. there have been contradictory reports coming out of the area regarding finding the possible crash site so the latest news that we have is that the turkish drone has identified a location which they see as a heat source and it may be where the plane has crashed. . , ., it may be where the plane has crashed. ., , ., , crashed. can you give us some context here? _ how do iranians feel about their president? if how do iranians feel about their president?— how do iranians feel about their president? if you want iranian tv _ their president? if you want iranian tv tonight _

their president? if you want iranian tv tonight what - their president? if you want iranian tv tonight what you | iranian tv tonight what you will have seen our scenes of people gathering in main squares in cities and towns like tehran and praying for raisi. on the contrary when you go to social media you see hundreds and hundreds of people making jokes and posting pictures and making fun of what has happened. iran is highly polarised society and the government has its own base of support which has been shrinking because of economic problems, because of corruption, because of the recent brutal crackdown of anti—government protests. however, on the opposite side you have people who are not happy with the situation and i have to mention that history will notjudge president raisi is one the most popular presidents of the republic. he was not popular before becoming president. his name is somehow

associated with the death committee is responsible for the execution of thousands of leftist prisoners in the 1980s in iran this and i would say that it in iran this and i would say thatitis in iran this and i would say that it is a mixed feeling but mostly the opposition are showing their happiness and there have been pictures and videos coming out of different houses in iran where people have been setting firecrackers. and if, stressing if here because we do not have a full tour of the situation but if the president does not make it how is power transferred in iran? first of all the title as president but you have to take consider this, that the president is not the highest office in iran. it is the supreme leader who has the final arbiter. supreme leader who has the finalarbiter. he supreme leader who has the final arbiter. he is the person

with the final say in local politics, in local decisions and also foreign policy. he is the commander—in—chief. the president is simply the chief executive branch and oversees the operations of the government. the constitution is clear here. in case a president is deceased or missing or unable to function it is his first deputy president who will take over the responsibility and together with the heads of parliament and the judiciary system are supposed to hold an election within 15 days to choose the next president. the persian correspondent there in washington tonight. thank you so much. borzou daragahi is a senior fellow at the atlantic council and an iranian journalist. he explains who ebraham raisi is and how he came to power. raisi was a mid— ranking cleric

who is in the inner circle of the supreme leader and one of his close allies and, you know, he became president after all of the reformist and moderate candidates were pretty much disqualified in an election that was considered illegitimate and many voters stayed away from. joining me live is barbara starr, usc annenberg centre senior fellow and veteran pentagon correspondent. and karim sadjadpour, senior fellow, middle east programme at the carnegie endowment for international peace and former chief iran analyst at the international crisis group. very good to have your expertise with us tonight. karim if we could start with you, some reports that sanctions, for example may have made it difficult for iran to get various parts needed for helicopters and that some of the equipment is very old. what more do we know about the kinds of aircraft that prominent

officials flying in?- officials flying in? that is nonsense _ officials flying in? that is nonsense analysis. - officials flying in? that is nonsense analysis. this i officials flying in? that is | nonsense analysis. this is officials flying in? that is i nonsense analysis. this is a country, a regime that is spent truly over hundreds of billions of dollars on an indigenous nuclear programme and indigenous rocket missile and drone programmes and to say that they cannot afford to buy other helicopters because of economic sanctions is nonsense. they could have gotten this from their friends in they could have gotten this from theirfriends in russia all their friends from theirfriends in russia all theirfriends in from theirfriends in russia all their friends in china. this is really about priority. it is a regime whose ideology and identity is based on death to america, death to israel. and it has never prioritised the well—being of its citizens and it is an irony that one of its common now to have its senior officials have died because of the negligence that

they showed their population over the years.— over the years. barbara, we wait to find _ over the years. barbara, we wait to find out _ over the years. barbara, we wait to find out exactly - over the years. barbara, we| wait to find out exactly what has happened but another the less washington, one would presume, watches this moment very carefully. i presume, watches this moment very carefully-— very carefully. i think there. they want — very carefully. i think there. they want to _ very carefully. i think there. they want to know - very carefully. i think there. they want to know what - very carefully. i think there. they want to know what did | they want to know what did happen _ they want to know what did happen. clearly they have been looking — happen. clearly they have been looking and talking to counterparts in the region, trying _ counterparts in the region, trying to— counterparts in the region, trying to see what people are saying. — trying to see what people are saying, looking at their own satellite _ saying, looking at their own satellite feed and looking to see if— satellite feed and looking to see if they see any indication on their— see if they see any indication on their own of any kind of heat — on their own of any kind of heat signature, any electronic signals— heat signature, any electronic signals that may be omitted before — signals that may be omitted before the aircraft went down because — before the aircraft went down because they want to know. all day long — because they want to know. all day long now here in washington the vibe, — day long now here in washington the vibe, if you will, has been that— the vibe, if you will, has been that the — the vibe, if you will, has been that the us has nothing to do with— that the us has nothing to do with this _ that the us has nothing to do with this. they are watching but have _ with this. they are watching but have no comment and are staying — but have no comment and are staying away from it as much as they— staying away from it as much as they can — staying away from it as much as they can. the key reasons may be because now they are also watching _ be because now they are also watching to see what comes next — watching to see what comes next if. _ watching to see what comes next. if, in fact there is

going _ next. if, in fact there is going to _ next. if, in fact there is going to be a new election, if there — going to be a new election, if there will— going to be a new election, if there will be a new leadership ithink— there will be a new leadership i think regardless of the fact that— i think regardless of the fact that in— i think regardless of the fact that in iran the president is essentially, you know, the chief— essentially, you know, the chief operating officer, they will want to see what any change _ will want to see what any change at the top means for the stability— change at the top means for the stability of the regime, the priorities of the regime and what — priorities of the regime and what may come next in tehran. and they— what may come next in tehran. and they will be studying various options not least of course when it comes to international relations at a delicate moment. karim this comes days after a senior american and it damien authorities through intermediaries held talks about reducing the threat of a wider conflict in the middle east. what do you think this could mean for a warfor the what do you think this could mean for a war for the wider region? it mean for a war for the wider reuion? ., , ., ., . region? it does not mean much for any of _ region? it does not mean much for any of lahri's _ region? it does not mean much for any of lahri's external- for any of lahri's external conduct from 1979 to present

iran has had three ideological priorities. evict america from the middle east, replace israel with palestine and try to defeat the u.s.—led world order and iran... they will continue to push against israel and push against us interests. nor does this change the internal stability of iran. the significance of the likely death of raisi is for succession in iran because he was thought of as one of the two most prominent potential successors to the current supreme leader. that is the main four of this. it will not really have any impact on us relations. really have any impact on us relations— relations. your thoughts on that, barbara? _ relations. your thoughts on that, barbara? bearing - relations. your thoughts on that, barbara? bearing in l relations. your thoughts on - that, barbara? bearing in mind that, barbara? bearing in mind that we know iran supplies weapons to the likes of thomas and hezbollah. what you make of

that? , ., and hezbollah. what you make of that? _, and hezbollah. what you make of that? , that? they also supply weapons and technology _ that? they also supply weapons and technology to _ that? they also supply weapons and technology to some - that? they also supply weapons and technology to some of- that? they also supply weapons and technology to some of the i and technology to some of the militia that operate in syria and iraq as well as in yemen. they are widely believed to be responsible for a number of attacks— responsible for a number of attacks against us troops. that is something that the us will be watching carefully. just to make — be watching carefully. just to make sure that there is no change _ make sure that there is no change. they never know when iran, _ change. they never know when iran, iranians backed militia will— iran, iranians backed militia will launch an attack against us troops in the region but they— us troops in the region but they do— us troops in the region but they do want to make sure that they do want to make sure that the lrasic— they do want to make sure that the basic understanding of what the basic understanding of what the state — the basic understanding of what the state of play here in the regioh— the state of play here in the region is— the state of play here in the region is that it does not change _ region is that it does not change to the point they have to deal— change to the point they have to deal with something new. again — to deal with something new. again i — to deal with something new. again i think what the us will be looking for is, as pointed out, _ be looking for is, as pointed out, is — be looking for is, as pointed out, is a _ be looking for is, as pointed out, is a change in leadership and _ out, is a change in leadership and what _ out, is a change in leadership and what that will mean. it will— and what that will mean. it will not _ and what that will mean. it will not be better relations

with — will not be better relations with iran by any stretch but what — with iran by any stretch but what will the new status quo beer? — what will the new status quo beer? what do they have to understand about where iran is headed — understand about where iran is headed and perhaps, most importantly from a security standpoint, what this means for the revolutionary guard corps, the revolutionary guard corps, the most — the revolutionary guard corps, the most militant wing in iran and what _ the most militant wing in iran and what they may be up to if there — and what they may be up to if there is an _ and what they may be up to if there is an election, new leadership and, eventually, new supreme— leadership and, eventually, new supreme leader. you leadership and, eventually, new supreme leader.— supreme leader. you are 'ust sa in: supreme leader. you are 'ust saying that i supreme leader. you are 'ust saying that mi supreme leader. you are 'ust saying that you did i supreme leader. you are 'ust saying that you did not i saying that you did not necessarily think that this would lead to instability. i wonder as we wait to find out exactly what has happened here, do you think iranians will believe the version of events that they are eventually told? iran is highly conspiratorial political culture so i suspect that... would not really seen an official explanation from

the regime over whether this was simply poor weather or whether there was foul play but i suspect maybe iran will believe that there was some other version of what really happened. your correspondent, your bbc correspondent explained it very well. it has been a long time that i've seen iranians express such happiness and there has been a great burst of creativity and after two years of being beaten down i think they are expressing their happiness but i do not see it likely that people are going to take to the streets for another mass protest in the coming days. for another mass protest in the coming days— coming days. and briefly if you do not mind. _ coming days. and briefly if you do not mind, barbara, - coming days. and briefly if you do not mind, barbara, the - do not mind, barbara, the fact we had a president and foreign minister on the same helicopter together. do you think they were trying to show that the

economy is doing better despite the fact that we know it has been facing difficult moments? i think we are there for a meeting _ i think we are there for a meeting and they were talking about— meeting and they were talking about civil works projects so, yes — about civil works projects so, yes~ i— about civil works projects so, yes. i think that was the message of the trip. the message of the trip. the message of the meeting and that they felt— message of the meeting and that they felt comfortable travelling together and making this very— travelling together and making this very public appearance and public— this very public appearance and public statement now we have to see what — public statement now we have to see what really happened. absolutely. thank you both so much for your analysis. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at another story making news. police have confirmed a 14—year—old boy who got into difficulties along with another teenager, in the river tyne has died. the spot at ovvingham in northumberland is notorious known nearby as a dangerous part of the river. andy gill has been

speaking to locals. it isa it is a rite of passage for young ones to go in the water and go swimming. when i was their age i used to do it. it is something we all do up there on a hot day like that the only way to cool down is to go for a swim in the river.— swim in the river. two years a . o swim in the river. two years ago another _ swim in the river. two years ago another 13-year-old - swim in the river. two years| ago another 13-year-old boy ago another 13—year—old boy drowned in this stretch of the river and last you northumberland fire service criticised a group of youths who ignored requests to get out of the water despite being warned about strong currents and hidden dangers such as rocks beneath the surface. local councillor angie scott, who got into difficulty swimming further up the river as a teenager, said the community was "shocked and devastated" at another death. she's been campaigning for better river safety to be taught in schools. you're live with bbc news. us national security advisorjake sullivian met with israeli prime minister benjamin netayahu on sunday. the visit comes as israel's

military continue operations in rafah. mr sullivian is expected to push the prime minister to avoid a full scale assault but an israeli official told reuters that mr netanyahu and his aids would try to reach an agreement with mr sullivan to push into rafah. israel previously rejected a proposed �*permanent�* ceasfire and realease of hostages calling it unacceptable. the us stated earlier they will stop supplying some weapons if israel launched a major ground offensive. for more on the situation on the ground, i spoke with hamish young a senior emergency co—ordinator for unicef in gaza. i understand that you are there in rafah. bring us up—to—date with the situation on the ground. with the situation on the round. , ., ., ., ground. the situation on the round ground. the situation on the ground here _ ground. the situation on the ground here in _ ground. the situation on the ground here in rafah - ground. the situation on the ground here in rafah and - ground. the situation on the l ground here in rafah and right across the gaza strip is catastrophic. as you know on may six the rafah incursion started and we had tanks and

troops moving from the east. in anticipation of the people have been moving out of rafah for some time in the movement of the idf into rafah rapidly accelerated and i think it is important to remember that the people who are moving out other people who are moving out other people who are moving out other people who have the means to move out and somewhere to go so the people left behind in rafah are acutely vulnerable. are the people unable to move. we think over 800,000 people have now left rafah and also important to remember that they have gone to remember that they have gone to extremely difficult areas, places like khan younis which have already been subject to intense fighting. there is no infrastructure there for no health facilities no freshwater and virtually no food. in addition to that there has been fighting on the north for the last week in and around your barley and around 100,000 or so people have moved out of there. when you put that together it is well over one third, nearly half the population of the gaza strip have been displaced again in the last two weeks. this is

a population that has already been displaced multiple times in the seven months of this war. the impact on children in particular is devastating. the idf has said _ particular is devastating. the idf has said the _ particular is devastating. the idf has said the operation on the ground there in rafah is not a full—scale one, one that you are describing. that has been under way since may six. nonetheless you just described it as catastrophic. were it to be a full—scale operation on the ground there in rafah with so many vulnerable people trying to take some kind of shelter there, what could we see? i shelter there, what could we see? .�* shelter there, what could we see? ., �* ~ ., shelter there, what could we see? ~ ., ., shelter there, what could we see? ., �* ~ ., ., ., see? i don't know how to describe _ see? i don't know how to describe what _ see? i don't know how to describe what would - see? i don't know how to describe what would be l see? i don't know how to l describe what would be so see? i don't know how to - describe what would be so far beyond catastrophic. there is already dire lack of health services because the rafah crossing has been closed and because we cannot ring any food from the north down to the south even the little that is getting in. the south is now running out of food. there are thousands of children already being treated for malnutrition,

there are already high rates of dysentery and diarrhoea. for example, the rate of acute diarrhoea is 20 times higher than you would normally find at this time of year. and i am sure you and your viewers know how easily diarrhoea can kill children. there is a lack of shelter, children and people are extremely vulnerable. if the incursion does come they have no protection and nowhere to go and they have no medical services to treat the inevitable injuries and death that would follow. you inevitable injuries and death that would follow.— that would follow. you were talkin: that would follow. you were talking there _ that would follow. you were talking there about - that would follow. you were | talking there about children, how vulnerable they are with malnutrition and acute diarrhoea and so on and i know younis focuses on the plight of children but i wonder as well, speaking to the parents there who have moved from place to place across the gaza strip, how are they doing psychologically when they are

in the very difficult situation, for any parent of not being able to guarantee their children survival? they are really — their children survival? they are really really _ their children survival? they are really really suffering. . are really really suffering. they are really strange. i make a point every day of going for a point every day of going for a walk around the displaced population around our office where we work and to talk to people. i was talking to one family who are packing up and leaving a couple of days ago and asking where they were going and they said they were going and they said they were going back to their home in khan younis which they knew had been destroyed. they said they would rather put up a shelter in the ruins of their home than stay. but while they were talking the father, the elderly gentleman, he tried to hang on and it started breaking down and it started breaking down and sobbing and then the kids started crying and sobbing and the kids started asking when will it all end, when will it stop? this isjust an example. sometimes that can get lost in

the overwhelming numbers but these are real people and they are suffering enormously. this is just one of hundreds of thousands of examples of what people are going through here in gaza. that is why we need a ceasefire and we need it now. you think there are chances of that? we know that us national security adviser to the president, jack sullivan has been speaking with benjamin netanyahu's. your thoughts on neta nyahu's. your thoughts on whether that netanyahu's. your thoughts on whether that will come to pass? here on the ground we do not have any inside information. we watched the news services in the social media like everybody else. all i can say is that what we do see on the ground is an overwhelming and desperate need that really cannot be met by anything other than a ceasefire. humanitarian agencies, the un and unicef, the ngos, we can all make a contribution to easing humanitarian suffering but it is overwhelming particularly for children which is why a ceasefire is the only viable

option. the only thing that will help the children of gaza now. and before we go, a reminder of our top story. a major search operation is continuing in north—west iran, where a helicopter carrying its president and foreign minister has gone missing. ebrahim raisi and foreign minister hossein amir—abdollahian had both been on a trip to iran's border with azerbaijan, before crashing into a remote moutainous region. a source of his suspected to be the wreckage has been identified.— the wreckage has been identified. ., ., . identified. that make a source of heat. stay with us here on bbc news hello there. contrasting conditions as we head through this week. now, it's a dry and a warm start, with temperatures still above the seasonal average for most. lots of sunny spells around, but it will be turning cooler and then wetter and windier as we head through the middle part of the week. with heavy, more persistent outbreaks of rain, temperatures returning back to the seasonal average. now, this is how we're starting off monday morning. a fresher feel to things. there are some patches of mist and fog around. lots of low cloud, particularly towards

these eastern coastal areas. some fret and haar have moved in from the north sea. but the strong may sunshine will get to work on that low cloud and murk. despite the grey start, there'll be some sunny spells coming through — even, perhaps, for eastern areas of scotland, down through northeast england, where it's been cloudy and cool of late. a feed of cooler, drier air. but with the onshore breeze, it's always going to feel a little colder here. a scattering of showers across northern ireland, perhaps for north wales, and a few showers for southern england. but for most of us, it's dry, it's warm and there will be a lot of sunshine around as well. a few more showers, though, overnight on monday into tuesday, just pushing northwards and westwards. again, some more fret and haar towards these north sea —facing coasts. but then in clearer spells

out towards the east, temperatures could possibly drop as low as four degrees celsius. it's frost—free, but it's a cold start to the day for this time of year, for some. and then into tuesday, there will be further showers. they'll be tracking their way northwards and westwards. a few more home—grown showers almost anywhere, too, with heavier downpours of rain possibly moving into the southeast of england. more showers across wales and northern ireland. but it'll still feel warm for the time of year. there'll still be some bright and sunny spells. possibly still 23 degrees celsius in southwest scotland. further south and east, in london, it's the chelsea flower show as we head through much of the rest of the week. do be prepared for some lower temperatures and a bit of wet weather at times as well. this area of low pressure will be moving in from the near continent as we head through wednesday and into thursday, tracking further northwards and westwards. so there will be some heavy downpours of rain, but still a lot of uncertainty, so do keep tuned to the forecast. but turning wetter, windier, cooler. temperatures closer to the seasonal average as we head through wednesday and thursday. possibly turning a bit warmer again for the start of the bank holiday weekend. bye— bye.

time swears in its new president william lai. the fifth phase of the general election gets under way. we will be live in mumbai just ahead.

hello, and welcome to business today. as we start another busy week. i'm steve lai. let's start with taiwan where the new president william lai has been sworn in. he takes over the leadership batten was much of the focus will be on the new president's approach to prostrate relations with china, a key phase for voters in the election was the economy. gdp expand byjust1.3% as export suffered due to a drop in global demand. another issue, youth unemployment. the jobless rate for the young is over 11%. i asked our economist for her perspective on what the new president should prioritise. taiwan's economy has been very resilient over the last few years with growth averaging around 3.1t% between 2019— 2023. that's despite the pandemic and this was driven to a large extent by exports given

taiwan's