Dunkley News - Iran president, foreign minister die, China sanctions Boeing, Congo army foiled coup

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash after an hour-long search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country's northwest. The crash site was found on Monday and there were no survivors. Iranian state TV gave no immediate cause for the crash on Sunday in Iran's East Azerbaijan province. Traveling with Raisi were Iran's foreign minister, the governor of Iran's East Azerbaijan province and several other officials. Three crew members were on board.

China's Ministry of Commerce has announced sanctions against Boeing and two other defense companies for their arms sales to Taiwan. The companies include Boeing's Defense, Space & Security unit, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, and General Dynamics Land Systems. Monday is the day of Taiwan's presidential inauguration. The move is the latest in a series of sanctions that China has announced in recent years against defense companies for weapons sales to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China considers part of its own territory. The likely impact of Beijing's sanctions on such businesses is unclear since the United States bars most sales of weapons-related technology to China. But some military contractors also have civilian businesses in China.

Congo's army says it has foiled a coup attempt and arrested the perpetrators, including several foreigners. The arrests came after attacks early Sunday on the presidential palace and the residence of a close ally of Congo's president that left three people dead in the capital, Kinshasa. At first, local media identified the armed men as Congolese soldiers but then reported they were linked to self-exiled opposition leader Christian Malanga who later posted a video on Facebook threatening President Felix Tshisekedi. The president was reelected in December in a chaotic vote amid calls for a revote.