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Iranian President Raisi’s memorial muted amid public discontent

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Thousands of Iranians turned out to mourn President Ebrahim Raisi in the city of Tabriz on Tuesday after he was killed in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border at the weekend along with his foreign minister and seven others.

State TV broadcast live images of mourners, many of them dressed in black, beating their chests while a truck covered in white flowers carrying the caskets wrapped in the national flag was driven slowly through the crowd.
“Everyone has come to bid farewell to the martyred president and his companions regardless of their faction, ethnicity, or language,” said Tabriz lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian.
However, although state TV said a large crowd appeared in Tabriz, some insiders see a stark contrast in public grief compared with past commemorations for the deaths of other senior figures in the Islamic Republic’s 45-year history.
While Iran proclaimed five days of mourning for Raisi, there was little of the emotional rhetoric that accompanied the death of Qasem Soleimani, a senior commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards killed by a U.S. missile in 2020 in Iraq, whose funeral drew huge crowds of mourners, weeping with sorrow and rage.
Raisi’s body was flown from Tabriz, the closest major city to the remote crash site, to Tehran airport before heading to the holy Shi’ite Muslim city of Qom.
From there, it will return to the capital to lie at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla Mosque before being transferred to his hometown of Mashahd, in eastern Iran, for burial on Thursday.
Mourners carried posters bearing images of Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Friday prayer leader of Tabriz city, and other officials who were also killed in the crash.
The death of the president came at a time of deepening crisis between the clerical leadership and society at large over issues from tightening social and political controls to economic hardship.
To restore damaged legitimacy following a historic low turnout of around 41% in March’s parliamentary election, Iran’s rulers must stir up public enthusiasm to secure high participation in the early presidential election that will be held on June 28.
But Iranians still have painful memories of the handling of nationwide unrest sparked by the death in custody of a young Iranian-Kurdish woman in 2022, which was quelled by a violent state crackdown involving mass detentions and even executions.
Widespread public anger at worsening living standards and pervasive graft may also keep many Iranians at home.
Some analysts say that millions have lost hope that Iran’s ruling clerics can resolve an economic crisis generated by a combination of U.S. sanctions, mismanagement, and corruption.
Raisi enacted the hardline policies of his mentor, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, aimed at entrenching clerical power, cracking down on opponents, and adopting a tough line on foreign policy issues such as the nuclear talks with Washington to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear pact.
Any candidate entering the race must first be vetted by the Guardian Council, a hardline watchdog that has often disqualified even prominent conservative and moderate officials, meaning the broad direction of policy is unlikely to change.
While widely seen as a leading candidate to take over from the 85-year-old supreme leader when he dies, two sources said Raisi’s name had been taken off a list of potential successors some six months ago because of his sagging popularity.
Raisi’s death has introduced “great uncertainty” in the succession, analysts said, stirring rivalries in the hardliners’ camp over who will succeed Khamenei as the country’s ultimate authority. (Reuters/NAN)
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Not Joke, I Will Seek For 3rd Term – Trump

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US President Donald Trump has asserted that he is not jesting about his ambitions for a third presidential term, despite the constitutional restrictions in place.

While the U.S. Constitution prohibits any individual from serving more than two four-year terms, Trump indicated that it is premature to delve into such considerations.

Having assumed office for his second, non-consecutive term on January 20, Trump has hinted at his desire for a third term, addressing the matter more directly in a telephone conversation with NBC News.
“No, I’m not joking. I’m not joking,” Trump reiterated, though he acknowledged, “it is far too early to think about it.”

He hinted at potential avenues to pursue this goal without providing specific details.

According to the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. presidents are limited to two terms, whether consecutive or not. To amend this constitutional provision would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress, followed by ratification from three-fourths of the 50 state legislatures.

Some of Trump’s allies have suggested the feasibility of extending his stay in the White House beyond 2028. Trump himself has alluded to this notion on multiple occasions, often in a manner that challenges his political adversaries. Should he pursue another term after the November 2028 election, he would be 82 years old, having previously made history as the oldest president at the time of his inauguration.

The tradition of limiting presidential terms was established by George Washington in 1796. This practice was largely followed for over 140 years until Franklin D. Roosevelt broke the norm by winning a third term in 1940. Roosevelt, who led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II, sadly passed away during his fourth term in 1945, leading to the enactment of the term limits amendment in 1951.

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Steve Bannon, a long-time adviser to Trump, expressed in a March 19 interview with NewsNation his belief that Trump will indeed run again in 2028. Bannon noted that he and others are exploring ways to facilitate this ambition, including reviewing the definition of term limits. “We’re working on it,” he stated, underscoring the ongoing discussions surrounding Trump’s political future.

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Sallah: Nigerian Traders Express Concerns Over Declining Sales

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Traders in Lagos have voiced their concerns regarding the significant decline in food sales, particularly for pepper, attributing the downturn to rising prices and the diminished purchasing power of local residents.

In interviews conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), both traders and consumers shared their experiences regarding patronage as the Sallah celebration approaches.

Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, Chairman of the Tomato Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (Kaduna chapter), linked the situation to the heightened prices of produce and the weakened purchasing capacity of consumers. He stated, “Pepper prices in the north are also steep, with a jumbo 50kg bag reaching as high as N150,000, compared to N60,000 to N70,000 just months ago. This price surge may adversely affect the Sallah festivities, as only a few consumers may afford these products.”

Zuntu further explained, “Currently, we are outside the pepper farming season. Insufficient rainfall has led to a scarcity of this commodity, with only a handful of farmers involved in irrigation. Many will resort to using dried pepper, which is more affordable during this time, although demand remains low. We anticipate an increase in demand as the celebration nears.”

Mrs. Mistura Balogun, a pepper vendor at Lawanson Market in Surulere, echoed these sentiments, noting the unusually low customer turnout. “It’s not just pepper that has become expensive; many other goods have seen price increases as well. Typically, this time of year should see a bustling market, but today is quite different. I have been at my stall since morning, and the number of customers is minimal,” she lamented.

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Similarly, Mrs. Mojisola Gbadegesin, another pepper seller at Idi-Araba market, reported a stark decrease in patronage. “Despite the high prices, we usually see customers buying pepper, but this year is different. The market feels deserted, and business is sluggish,” she remarked.

Mrs. Judith Amen, also a foodstuff vendor, highlighted that the rising prices of pepper and other food items are likely to escalate further as the celebrations peak. “At the start of the week, a small bag of scotch bonnet pepper was priced at N70,000, and I expect prices to soar over the weekend due to Sallah. A good quality bag of rice is selling for N85,000, while lower-quality options range from N60,000 to N75,000. Although patronage is currently low, we anticipate an uptick a day before Sallah, but consumers will only purchase what they can afford,” she explained.

Mr. John Nwabueze, a trader in the Agege area, expressed frustration over the lack of customers as Eid celebrations begin. “Sales have been notably low, with people buying only what their budgets allow. The market has been unusually quiet, affecting all commodities, including rice. A 50kg bag of rice is priced between N76,000 and N78,000, yet sales remain sluggish this Sallah,” he noted.

Mrs. Amina Fakunle, a resident of the Alimosho area, remarked that the high cost of pepper would lead consumers to celebrate in a more subdued manner. “Just six pieces of pepper cost about N500, which is the lowest price available. With these prices, people will likely opt for a low-key celebration,” she stated.

Mr. David Oriafo, a resident of the Dopemu area, also commented on the lack of festive activity in the market. “I managed to purchase a few items for my family to save costs, but it’s evident that the usual festive buzz is missing. People are only buying what they can afford, much like myself,” he shared. (NAN)

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Nigerian Boxer ‘Success’ Olanrewaju Dies After Ring Collapse

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A Nigerian boxer, Segun “Success” Olanrewaju, has died after slumping during a boxing match in Ghana.

The Secretary-General of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Remi Aboderin confirmed the death of the boxer on Sunday.

The 40-year-old boxer, nicknamed “Success”, stumbled to the canvas while fighting Jon Mbanugu, a Ghanian, at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra, on Saturday.

Olanrewaju was not punched or near his opponent when he collapsed violently in round three of the light-heavyweight bout.

The referee called the match immediately, and medical aid was ushered into the ring.

Olarenwaju died after he was rushed to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Ther boxer was a former West African and national light-heavyweight champion.

He competed in 24 bouts with 13 wins, eight losses, and three draws.

In 2022, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo, another boxer, also died after suffering a technical knockout (TKO) in a bout at the National Sports Festival (NSF) in Delta.

Igboanugo died after he took a fatal blow to the nose and did not survive the hit.

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