Travelled across iranian territory. Two returned back safely, but the one carrying the president and Foreign Minister crashed in mountainous territory in heavy fog. All contact with it was then lost. Our correspondent Caroline Hawley reports. 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 irans 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 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 well 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 irans Foreign Minister, a familiarfigure on the international stage. Hed been involved in many negotiations, including over the countrys 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. 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, theres 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. Caroline hawley, bbc news. Lets speak to bahman kalbasi, our bbc Persian Service correspondent. Thanks forjoining us. Quickly get us up to speed then with what youre hearing as being the latest information we have. They still havent reached the crash site, therefore its literally and practically in the dark as to where this crash happened and what happened to the passengers, including the president and the Foreign Minister. The fog in the rain, it was already difficult to reach it during the day so even at night, likely an impossibility. So first thing in the morning, we might get a better view of how far they have gone in their search and rescue, but as the hours pass, the chances of finding any of those on board alive obviously decreases. The posture of the regime, the way they have mustered their supporters to come out and pray, are all kind of in a familiar prelude to previous deaths of the Regime Officials in iran. The previous deaths of the Regime Officials in iran. Officials in iran. The time now is ust officials in iran. The time now is just past officials in iran. The time now isjust past 2 30am officials in iran. The time now isjust past 2 30am in officials in iran. The time now isjust past 2 30am in iran, i isjust past 2 30am in iran, its understandable that such operations have stopped for now. We are seeing on our bbc live page that falls rumours have been spreading online, can you give us some information on what is happening in iran . The initial hours what is happening in iran . Tue initial hours were what is happening in iran . Tte initial hours were shocked by everybody across the spectrum, but as the time has passed and the government has started to set the stage for the possibility that the president is dead, there are political implications that are immediate is first minister, first deputy will take over for 50 days, is first minister, first deputy will take overfor 50 days, and there has to be an election for a new president. That will introduce a lot of turmoil into a regime that is incredibly unpopular. There very president came in power and absence of any real competition with less than 30 of eligible voters voting for him. There is that reality and there is the reality and there is the reality of people who oppose this regime publicly celebrating, and cheering. Weve seen images of firecrackers in the streets of tehran, people expressing massive relief and even good riddance on social media. So iran is not a monolith but most certainly this government is in a minority when it comes to popular support. Theres the other question of what will happen to theirforeign other question of what will happen to their foreign policy. That one is likely not going to be set by this president or his Foreign Minister which was mostly a messenger. The real decisions are made by the Supreme Leaders and the iogc. Thank you for providing context for us. Our Persian Service correspondent. Lets speak to mansour farhang, former professor of International Relations at Benington College and former Iranian Ambassador to the un. Thank you forjoining me, months he wasnt the most popular president in iran, can you elaborate on that . The constitution you elaborate on that . The constitution of you elaborate on that . The Constitution Of Iran you elaborate on that . Tte Constitution Of Iran has separation of powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, but in reality the Supreme Leader has the absolute power to make any decision concerning any issue in the country and members of the parliament or the president are obligated to follow it. Over the past 45 years, iran has set seven president s. Received over 70 of the votes, but once he raised some questions about hostagetaking and so forth, Thenit Hostagetaking and so forth, then it was dismissed by khamenei and went to france as a refugee. The second one was assassinated. The third one was up assassinated. The third one was up to khamenei who would need replacing, by khamenei and he continues to be since 1988 the Supreme Leader. And the other president who was very close to him, for eight years he was speaker of the parliament but as president it was dismissed but his death was under very. Circumstances that his children considered to be a work of his opponents, and he passed away. So all of them have already been disqualified for run for any other office. In reality we are talking about the country that went through a revolution 45 years ago and a revolution has been extremely influential with potential d secularising the society. Art and literature will imposing very restrictive limits to what people can write or the cinemas they can produce, yet in the constitution, the ayatollah is defined as, Supreme Leader is defined as, Supreme Leader is defined as, Supreme Leader is defined as the viceroy of blood and earth. Therefore any questioning of his behaviour or priorities is considered to be a crime against the state. Raisi was absolutely power, the symbol of the presidency which existed in the constitution but had absolutely no role in the priorities of domestic or international. It was simply equalling the position of the president so echoing the post of the president. His presidency didnt have a Significant Impact on iranian politics. Significant impact on iranian olitics. ~. , Significant Impact on iranian olitics. ,. ,. , politics. We have to leave it there. Politics. We have to leave it there for politics. We have to leave it there. For marine politics. We have to leave it i there. For marine ambassador to there. For marine ambassador to the un. There. For marine ambassador to the un. Former ambassador to the un. Hundreds of Opposition Supporters rallied in taipei to protest four more years of Democratic Progressive Party rule ahead of taiwan inauguration President Elect william lai. It is set to take place in the next few hours and we will be following the latest developments. Lai will take the helm as taiwan faces increasing diplomatic and military pressures from neighbouring china, which claims the self ruled island as part of its territory. But his administration will also have to work with a fractious parliament after voters in january revoked his partys majority. Sean diddy combs has said that cctv footage showing him attacking singer cassie in a hotel in 2016 is inexcusable and that he is disgusted. The footage, aired by cnn earlier this week, appeared to show mr combs kicking and pushing his Ex Girlfriend in a hotel hallway. In a recorded message on his instagram page, the rap star said he took full responsibility for his actions in the clip. Cassies legal team told the bbc� s us partner cbs news that his new statement is more about himself than the many people he has hurt. Heres his statement. I mean, i hit rock bottom, but i make no excuses. My behaviour on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. Disgusted. I was disgusted then when i did it, im disgusted now. I went and i sought out professional help. I had to go into therapy, go into rehab. I had asked god for his mercy and grace. Im so sorry. But im committed to be a better man each and every day. Im not asking for forgiveness. Im truly sorry. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Thousands of people continue to take to the streets of the georgian capital tbilisi, protesting about a new law that they say will stifle free speech. European political leaders have expressed concern about the legislation, saying georgia is abandoning its path towards eu membership and moving closer to its neighbour russia. Although the law was vetoed yesterday by georgias president , its likely to come into force soon. Andrew harding reports from tbilisi. Its not easy being russias neighbor. And right now, the tiny nation of georgia is in trouble. On the streets of the capital, tbilisi, the young are protesting in huge numbers, angry that their government seems to be moving closer to russia and wrecking georgias path towards joining the european union. Russia tries very, very hard to pull us back to them because russia has this mentality to have this big empire like it was in ussr and they have this big dream which they never left. You dont want that . Of course we dont want that. At issue, a new law that looks like a kremlin style measure to limit freedoms. I want a Better Future for my children. I cannot see a Better Future in the country which will get the laws like this. You dont have to travel far from tbilisi to understand georgias fears about russia. An hour away lies one of two big chunks of territory occupied by russian troops. I can see a big Russian Military base, army trucks, barbed wire. This view says so much about georgia today, its fears of more russian aggression and the widespread belief that the kremlin is always meddling here, stirring up trouble, trying to weaken georgias independence. But how should georgia respond . Older people here seem more wary of provoking the kremlin. We dont want war, says zhuzhana. Were just a small country. Georgian Government Officials go further, accusing the west of bullying them, of Fueling Instability here. Translation the main thing we want is peace. L maintaining peace. We will not let our country share the same destiny as ukraine and whats happening there. But is this peace . Security footage of an opposition mp being attacked by masked thugs. Activists here are being targeted by the Security Forces and badly beaten, kremlin style. My nose is broken. This bone is broken. The bone which holds an eye. We all know that in russia does not more exist any free society, there is no free ngos. Do you worry that thats going to come and happen here as well . Yeah. So we are on the way. Which explains why these Street Protests are continuing. A russian flag set on fire. Young georgians have made their choice. They are determined to have a future inside europe. But with an ever more aggressive, authoritarian russia right next door, its going to be a long struggle. We are georgia, they shout. But this countrys future, its very identity, hang in the balance. Andrew harding, bbc news, tbilisi. Lets take a look at some other stories in the headlines. Slovakias Interior Minister has said the man who shot and critically wounded the Prime Minister, robert fico, may not have been acting alone. A special team is investigating the possibility of collusion because the suspect� s facebook and communication history was deleted within hours of the attempted assassination. Earlier, medicalstaff said mr ficos life was no longer in danger. Spain is recalling its ambassador to argentina following comments by the argentine president , javier milei, apparently referring to the spanish Prime Minister and his wife. Speaking at a far right conference in madrid, mr milei appeared to accuse pedro sanchez� s wife of corruption, without naming the couple. Pakistan says its repatriating more than 500 students from kyrgyzstan after mob violence broke out in the capital, bishkek, targeting foreigners and migrant workers. The Foreign Minister said three specially chartered flights had been arranged. In the uk people affected by the contaminated Blood Scandal have held a vigil in westminster this evening, on the eve of the publication of the independent inquiry� s final report. Theres speculation that the government is setting aside £10 billion for a Compensation Package. More than 30,000 people were given infected Blood Products by the nhs decades ago about 3,000 died as a result, most from hepatitis c or hiv. Our Health Editor hugh pym reports. Remembering loved ones, victims of the infected Blood Scandal. Campaigners gathered At Westminster ahead of the Public Inquiry report out tomorrow as politicians agreed it should be above Party Politics with failings over decades by successive governments. And the idea its taken all of this time to get to the truth, i think is heartbreaking. I havent seen the report yet. The government has already said that it will want to respond quickly to it. It looks like the government is going to do the right thing and they will have our wholehearted support in that. And we will make sure that victims have the certainty of knowing that if theres a change of government later this year, a Labour Government will honour that commitment. The chancellor, jeremy hunt, told The Sunday Times that families had every right to be incredibly angry, that politicians hadnt acted fast enough. Its reported hes preparing a Compensation Package of around £10 billion. The Inquiry Report will examine why blood for transfusions and products for other conditions were given to patients even after warnings they were infected with hiv and hepatitis c. Home testing kits for hep c are available, but bbc News Analysis found that more than 1,700 patients have the virus because of treatment decades ago and still dont know it. Demand for test kits has soared. Dame anita roddick, founder of the body shop, was one of the uks best known entrepreneurs. She had hep c because of a blood transfusion, which wasnt detected for many years. She died in 2007. My mum had a kind of very dangerous birth with me in 1971 that led her to having a haemorrhage. Her daughter sam says she feels solidarity with all those affected. My mum was a champion of all peoplesjustice, but this has made her a part of a collective. And so im hoping all of the people who have been hurt and damaged as we have been hurt and damaged by such a heinous act, i hope there is some collective comfort. Another key issue for the inquiry was the use of infected Blood Products for haemophiliacs obtained from paid foreign donors. Part of whats been called the worst Treatment Disaster in the history of the nhs. For these campaigners and many others, tomorrow will be a momentous day. For years, they feel their voices werent heard and they were ignored by those in authority. While other leading Health Care Systems tackled the Blood Scandal some time ago