25, July 2024
Russia’s Mi-28 Helicopter crashes, all crew members killed 0
A Russian military helicopter has crashed in the country’s Kaluga region during a routine flight killing all of its crew members, as confirmed by the country’s Defense Ministry.
In a statement early on Thursday, Russia’s defense ministry said that a Mi-28 military helicopter crashed in the Zhizdra district of the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow, killing all its crew members.
The ministry said a technical malfunction was likely to blame, but no specific number of individuals on board was mentioned. However, a Mi-28 helicopter usually carries a crew of two.
“A commission of the Russian Aerospace Forces is working at the site of the crash,” the ministry added.
According to TASS news agency, the helicopter was performing a scheduled flight when the incident occurred. The crew members did not survive, as the Mi-28 is not equipped with a crew ejection system, unlike the Ka-52 “Alligator” helicopter.
The Russian aircraft crashed in a remote area near the village of Klyonki, without causing any further damage on the ground, as reported by local officials.
The governor of Kaluga, Vladislav Shapsha, has confirmed the incident, revealing that the crash occurred in Zhizdrinsk district on the border with the Bryansk region, which is on the frontier with Ukraine.
Shapsha wrote on Telegram that rescuers were working at the crash site.
Moreover, the Telegram channel of Mash online newspaper disclosed that the helicopter, which is often used on drone-hunting missions, was heading back from a combat mission when a crew member spotted a fire on board, apparently caused by an engine malfunction.
As a result, the pilot decided to redirect the aircraft to an unpopulated area to prevent any potential harm to civilians.
The Cold War-era Mi-28 helicopter is a twin-seat attack helicopter, designed as an anti-tank attack platform similar in scope and function to the American Hughes AH-64 Apache series.
It took its first flight in 1982, becoming an all-weather attack helicopter with multiple updated models.
Source: Presstv
25, July 2024
Yaoundé: World Bank Group feeding Biya’s corrupt government 0
The World Bank Group announced on July 23 its commitment to a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Cameroon, covering 2025 to 2029. This strategic partnership aims to support Cameroon’s “Vision 2035,” which aspires to transform the nation into “an emerging, democratic, and united country in its diversity.”
As part of this effort, the financial institution plans to provide over $2 billion (more than CFA1, 210 billion) during the CPF period to bolster the country’s economic development. This funding complements the $4.2 billion in ongoing commitments.
Cheick F. Kanté, World Bank Country Director for Cameroon, emphasized the importance of this partnership in job creation, particularly for the youth. “A key focus of our engagement is to create more and better jobs, particularly for the youth, as a driver for improving the living conditions of the Cameroonian population at large and preserving social cohesion,” he stated, according to the release. Another goal of the new CPF is to create more effective and inclusive service delivery institutions, with special attention to climate and fragility issues.
The new CPF marks a significant step in the collaboration between Cameroon and the World Bank Group institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). This partnership will focus on expanding economic opportunities while laying the foundations for resilient and inclusive growth in Cameroon.
Dahlia Khalifa, IFC Regional Director for West and Central Africa, highlighted the essential role of the private sector in achieving the CPF’s objectives. “The private sector has a key role to play in expanding renewable energy solutions, enhancing agricultural productivity, bridging the infrastructure gap, and increasing financing for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Cameroon,” she said.
Şebnem Erol Madan, Director of Economic Analysis and Sustainability at MIGA, underscored the World Bank Group’s commitment to mobilizing private financing and foreign direct investments to support inclusive and resilient development in Cameroon. “Over the CPF period, the WBG will build on its track record of mobilizing private finance and foreign direct investment in diverse sectors, supporting inclusive and resilient development in Cameroon. This effort will be strengthened by sustained collaboration between the World Bank, IFC and MIGA in joint business development, including through the deployment of the WBG Guarantee Platform housed in MIGA,” she explained.
According to the World Bank, the preparation of the new CPF involved consultations with key stakeholders, including government officials, the private sector, civil society, think tanks, universities, and other development partners.
Source: Business in Cameroon