Ghanaian Defense, Environment Ministers among eight killed in military helicopter crash
Ashanti Region, Ghana: Eight people, including two senior Ghanaian ministers, were killed when a military helicopter crashed near the Adansi area in the Ashanti Region on Wednesday.
The deceased have been identified as Defense Minister Edward Kofi Omane Boamah and Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Murtala Muhammed. Also among the victims were Muniru Mohammed Limuna, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Sarpong, National Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress; and Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate.
The helicopter’s crew, Peter Bafemi Anala, Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Ernest Addo Mensah, also died in the crash.
Confirming the incident at a press briefing, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah stated, “I have the unpleasant duty to announce a national tragedy involving the crash of a military helicopter this morning around the Adansi area in the Ashanti Region.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo has directed that all national flags be flown at half-mast until further notice in honor of the victims. The government expressed its condolences and lauded the deceased for their service to the country.
The United Nations in Ghana also offered condolences, with UN Resident Coordinator Zia Choudhury calling the crash “a national tragedy and an international loss,” and expressing solidarity with the people and government of Ghana.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
