British Royal Family to wear black armbands in tribute to Ahmedabad Air India crash victims
London: In a solemn gesture of solidarity, the British royal family will wear black armbands and observe a minute's silence during the annual Trooping the Colour parade on Saturday, honouring the memory of those who perished in the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. The disaster claimed at least 241 lives, including 169 Indians and 53 British nationals, sparking global mourning.
According to a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace, King Charles has directed changes to his birthday parade “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning, and all communities affected by this awful tragedy.”
Issuing a heartfelt statement, King Charles said, “My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad. Our special prayers and deepest sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations.”
He also praised the "heroic efforts" of emergency responders who rushed to the scene amid massive plumes of smoke and intense fire. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local fire brigades worked through the wreckage.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed deep sorrow, posting on X: “Today is a truly heartbreaking day for many British and Indian families. I want to extend my heartfelt sympathies to all those impacted by the horrific plane crash.”
In the aftermath, both the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have offered support in the probe, which is being led by Indian aviation authorities.
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Iran''''s Mexico Embassy says Iran is negotiating with FIFA to move World Cup matches
Mexico City (AP): Iran's Embassy in Mexico on Tuesday said the country is negotiating with FIFA to move Iran's World Cup matches from the U.S. to Mexico after President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending the tournament, citing safety concerns.
It was unclear whether such talks are happening with FIFA, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iranian officials have previously said it is up to FIFA and the U.S. to keep the team safe during the World Cup.
The Embassy posted a statement attributed to Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj saying Iran wants to move its group stage matches to Mexico to ensure the safety of players and officials.
“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” the statement said. “We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”
The World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play against New Zealand on June 16 and Belgium on June 21 in Inglewood, California, before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.
Moving the games would be unprecedented less than three months before the start of the World Cup.
Trump said last week that the Iran team was welcome at the World Cup despite the ongoing war in the Middle East but “I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
Iran has sent mixed signals about its participation in the tournament after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks that killed the Islamic republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of other senior figures.
Sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state TV last week that it was not possible to play "due to the wicked acts they have done against Iran.”
But after Trump's post the national team said on Instagram that “no one can exclude” it from the tournament and a government spokesman in Tehran stressed in it was the responsibility of FIFA and the U.S. as a co-host nation to keep players safe and secure.
“FIFA is the organizer of the World Cup,” Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said. “When warnings are issued at the highest level about the environment being unsafe for Iranian football players, this indicates that the host country apparently lacks the capacity and ability to provide security for such an important sporting event.”
Soccer is followed passionately in Iran, a nation of more than 90 million people which has qualified for seven men's World Cups and each of the past four editions. The team is ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and behind only Japan from Asia.
FIFA has not commented in recent days beyond an Instagram post by president Gianni Infantino last week that he'd received assurances from Trump that Iran was welcome at the tournament.
