Liberian footballer Amara Kamara has sadly passed away while on his way to Ghana for surgery following an injury he sustained during a Division One League match.
Kamara and his family were travelling to Ghana for medical treatment after he was diagnosed of a spinal cord injury.
However, upon reaching Ivory Coast, the 17-year-old died, leaving Liberia football in a state of mourning.
“It is with immense sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the untimely passing of our beloved player, Amara Kamara, who tragically departed from us in Ivory Coast while being transported to Ghana for advanced medical care,” a statement from the club’s secretary George Elliot read.
“Kamara was not just a player but a family member, a role model, and an embodiment of the Blackman Warriors spirit. His dedication to the club and his love for the game inspired us all. His loss leaves a void that will never be filled. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, teammates, friends, and the entire Blackman Warrior community.”
The teen sensation, who plays for Blackman Warriors FC collapsed moments after scoring in their 3-3 draw against Bea Mountains on January 8, 2025.
He was rushed to two hospitals before later sent to the St Joseph’s Hospital, where he was diagnosed of the spinal cord problem which needed surgery.
However, the hospitals in Liberia were not equipped to perform the procedure, leading to a decision to transport him to Ghana for treatment.
The club and his family tried to arrange a flight for his travel to Ghana but that failed and were forced to travel via an ambulance.
“Our club’s CEO requested a transfer to the Catholic Hospital for more specialized care after Kamara’s diagnosis at JFK. We hired Dr. Alvin N. Doe, who cut short his vacation abroad to attend to Kamara,” Nelson Meanyeah, the club president disclosed.
“When Dr. Doe arrived and assessed the situation, he determined that Liberia lacked the necessary equipment for the surgery. He recommended transferring Kamara to Ghana, where the required medical attention could be provided.”
“We were told that only Asky Airlines had an airbed mattress for disabled passengers,” Meanyeah added.
“Despite filling out the necessary forms, we faced delays and were eventually told that no space was available on the flight.”
Guinea’s most wanted fugitive,a former high-ranking military officer who escaped from prison last November, has been extradited from Liberia along with his son, according to officials.
Ex-Colonel Claude Pivi, who had been convicted in absentia for his involvement in the 2009 stadium massacre of opposition supporters in Conakry, will now serve his life sentence, the country’s military prosecutor confirmed.
Pivi and his son, Verny Pivi, were apprehended during a routine security check near the Guinea-Liberia border on Tuesday.
Photos circulating online show a frail-looking Claude Pivi in handcuffs next to his son, who is accused of masterminding his father’s prison escape.
Former military leader Moussa Dadis Camara, who was also freed during the jailbreak, was quickly recaptured and remains in custody, serving a 20-year sentence for crimes against humanity.
The charges against Pivi and Camara relate to the September 2009 massacre, in which Guinean troops opened fire on an opposition rally, killing over 156 people and raping dozens of women.
The rally was organised to demand a return to civilian rule, marking one of the darkest moments in Guinea’s history.
Known as “Coplan,” Pivi served as minister of presidential security in Camara’s regime.
The authorities had offered a reward of $58,000 (£43,700) for his capture. Pivi is back in the main prison in Conakry to serve his life sentence, military prosecutor Colonel Aly Camara said on Thursday.
“He was brought back to the central prison to serve his sentence in accordance with the law,” Col Camara added.
Fatoumata Diariou Camara, one of those caught up in the violence at the rally, told the AFP news agency she was “overjoyed” that he had been recaptured. “I pray that he will remain in prison forever,” she said.
SIB Liberia Limited (SIBL), a financial institution owned by a prominent Ghanaian billionaire, is teetering on the brink of insolvency, as reported by FrontPage Africa.
The bank’s financial troubles have escalated due to the burdensome liabilities it inherited from the now-defunct First International Bank Liberia Limited (FIBLL), severely hampering its operations.
The crisis traces back to 2020 when SIBL took on approximately US$23 million in liabilities from FIBLL. While the bank managed to settle US$14.7 million of these legacy debts, it has struggled to clear the remaining US$8.5 million, creating significant financial strain.
In a bid to resolve the crisis, SIBL requested assistance from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), arguing that the outstanding debt should be covered by the Liberian government and the central bank.
Following a two-year review, the CBL’s board of governors approved a payment of US$8 million on May 17, 2024. However, this payment had not been disbursed at the time of the report, leaving the bank in a precarious position.
The uncertainty surrounding the bailout has led to a surge in customer withdrawals, further destabilizing the bank’s financial position. Despite efforts by the central bank to restore stability, public confidence remains low, with many customers rushing to withdraw their funds.
SIBL’s management has sought intervention from the Liberian presidency, warning of severe repercussions for the country’s financial sector if the situation remains unresolved.
The bank’s leadership is focused on maintaining public trust and keeping operations afloat during this crisis.
Concerns about SIBL’s liquidity were amplified by the Green Revolution of Liberia, a pro-democracy group, which highlighted the bank’s staggered payment of withdrawals as a sign of deeper financial troubles. The group uncovered documentation of an US$8 million bailout, but customers reportedly continue to face difficulties in accessing their funds.
SIBL is not alone in its struggles; International Bank Liberia Limited (IBLL) is also reportedly facing significant financial challenges.
The growing turmoil has raised alarm among government officials and economic experts, who fear a potential collapse of the broader banking sector.
With pressure mounting, the Central Bank of Liberia is being urged to take decisive action to prevent further instability and restore confidence in the banking industry. The future of SIB Liberia Limited and IBLL now hangs in the balance, depending on the effectiveness of the measures taken by the central bank and other financial stakeholders.
Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai has announced a significant reduction in his salary, aiming to lead by example in promoting responsible governance and showing solidarity with the Liberian people.
Amidst growing concerns over government salaries amidst rising living costs, President Boakai has decided to cut his annual salary by 40%. Previously disclosed at $13,400 annually, his salary will now be adjusted to $8,000.
This decision mirrors a similar move by his predecessor, George Weah, who had previously reduced his salary by 25%.
While some in Liberia have praised President Boakai’s decision as a step towards addressing economic challenges, others question its impact, considering additional benefits such as daily allowances and medical coverage that he continues to receive.
The presidential office’s budget for this year is reported to be nearly $3 million.
Anderson D Miamen, from non-profit organisation the Centre of Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, said the president’s pay cut is “welcoming”.
“We just hope that the public will clearly see where the deductions will go and how they will be used to positively impact the lives of the people,” he told the BBC.
W Lawrence Yealue II, whose organisation also campaigns for government transparency, described the president’s decision as “very commendable” and said that “leadership has to be provided from the top”.
He added that hoped Mr Boakai’s benefits would be reviewed in the budget for the next financial year.
As well as reducing his salary, Mr Boakai has pledged to “empower” Liberia’s Civil Service Agency to make sure public servants “receive fair compensation for their contributions to the country”.
Last week a group of lawmakers complained they had not received their official cars, which they needed to perform their duties.
As a form of protest, they turned up to parliament in tuk-tuks, known locally as keh keh, a common mode of transport for ordinary Liberians.
Mr Boakai took office in January after defeating Mr Weah in a run-off election. He vowed to tackle corruption and financial mismanagement during his presidential.
As well as declaring his assets since taking office, Mr Boakai has ordered an audit of the presidential office. The results have not yet been released publicly.
Mr Weah’s government was plagued by allegations of corruption, and lavish spending, which triggered mass protests as the cost of living spiralled for ordinary people.
A total of 4,300 Liberians residing at the Buduburam Refugee Camp in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region are set to return to Liberia between May and June 2024 as part of the Liberian Government’s repatriation plan facilitated by the Liberia Refugee Repatriation Resettlement Commission.
The repatriation initiative will kick off on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, with 770 individuals being transported from Ghana to Liberia, as disclosed during a pre-departure meeting between representatives of the Liberian Government and the Buduburam Liberian Community.
Mr. Jeddi Armah, Deputy Minister of Legal Affairs of Liberia, who headed the government delegation, emphasized the closure of Liberian refugees’ stay in Ghana and highlighted the extensive discussions and agreements reached between Ghana and Liberia since 2021 regarding the repatriation process.
Encouraging Liberians to take advantage of the opportunities provided for their smooth return and reintegration, Mr. Armah underscored the temporary nature of the camp, originally established as a refuge during the war.
Expressing gratitude to Ghana’s government and citizens for their support during their time of need, Mr. Dennis Gwion, President of Liberians in Ghana, affirmed the voluntary nature of the repatriation, noting that those opting to remain were primarily individuals with stable employment and housing outside the camp.
“We have had fruitful engagements and discussions with the Ghanaian government throughout this period, and they have been giving us the necessary and needed support to undertake this exercise,” he added.
Residents shared mixed sentiments about the repatriation, with some eagerly looking forward to returning to Liberia, while others cited educational or work commitments as reasons for delaying their departure.
The Buduburam Camp, established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1990, served as a sanctuary for more than 12,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees fleeing civil wars in their respective countries.
Liberian President Joseph Boakai has issued an executive order to inaugurate the nation’s inaugural war crimes tribunal, over two decades following the cessation of two civil wars that claimed 250,000 lives.
Mr. Boakai remarked that Liberia had weathered torrents of suffering.
The conflicts from 1989 to 2003 were marked by egregious acts such as mass murders, sexual assault, and the coerced conscription of minors.
Opponents within Liberia have voiced objections to the tribunal’s formation, fearing it may reignite past traumas.
But Mr Boakai said the court would “help ferret the causes and effects of the violence” and bring about “justice and healing”.
International allies have also welcomed the move.
US Chargé d’Affaires in Liberia Catherine Rodriguez commended Mr Boakai for taking a “historic and courageous step to bring justice and accountability for the atrocities committed”.
She said the US would support the court.
“We are optimistic that this initiative will bring an end to impunity for war and economic crimes, while promoting national reconciliation and sustainable peace,” Ms Rodriguez said.
This marks the initial significant move in the establishment of a war crimes tribunal in Liberia.
Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2006, although it did not function as a tribunal.
In 2009, the TRC compiled a list of individuals to be prosecuted for war crimes, yet no further steps were taken.
Former Vice-President Jewel Howard Taylor of Liberia emphasized the obstacles encountered by young women in West Africa, including poverty, early pregnancy, and harmful cultural traditions.
She made these remarks at the commencement of the West Africa Adolescent Girls Summit held in Monrovia, Liberia. The summit convened 200 adolescent girls and boys from across the region, along with government representatives.
While acknowledging some progress, Mrs. Taylor expressed hope that the young attendees would be motivated to effect change in their respective communities.
Ame Atsu David, the regional co-director for Africa at the Global Fund for Children, highlighted the tendency to exclude young people from decision-making processes due to perceptions of inexperience or apathy.
Former Nigerian First Lady Aisha Buhari, in a recorded video message for the summit, underscored the significant challenges facing young women and girls, particularly due to traditional religious norms.
She cited “religious misconceptions” as barriers to girls’ access to formal education, often relegating them to domestic roles.
Vice President of Liberia, Jeremiah Koung, recently visited Ghana on a thank-you mission to express gratitude to a Ghanaian police officer, Emmanuel Ekow Addison, who saved his life 24 years ago.
Addison, now retired, showed remarkable professionalism to prevent a potential lynching and killing of Koung and his friends. They were falsely accused and arrested on suspicion of being armed robbers.
In an interview with Accra-based JoyNews alongside the retired police officer, the Liberian vice president recounted the traumatic ordeal from the late 90s. He shared that during a period of heightened civil unrest in Liberia, he and five friends traveled to Togo on a business trip to purchase vehicles for resale in Liberia.
Their trip took an unexpected turn when they made a stop in Ghana to buy gas cylinders. This decision changed their lives forever.
“We were a group of five who arrived in Accra from Danale in Côte d’Ivoire between 1:00am and 2:00am on a bus belonging to an Ivorian transport company named STIF, which was on the way to Togo. We should’ve gone to Togo but we used to buy cylinders in Ghana and take them to Liberia to sell so, we made a stop in Ghana.
“Upon arrival into Ghana at the time [2:00am], one of my friends suggested we head to a nearby entertainment centre called ‘Yakiki’ to spend the night instead of lodging into a hotel,” he narrated.
Jeremiah Koung added that at around 4:00 am on Sunday morning, he and his friends boarded a bus they believed was heading to Togo. However, they soon realized they had mistaken two individuals in the bus as the drivers’ assistants.
After a long night of partying and consuming alcohol, the five friends were completely exhausted and fell asleep during the journey, unaware of the looming danger ahead.
During the journey, Koung said a vigilant Togolese in the bus quickly alerted them to the suspicious behavior of the driver and his two accomplices, who were plotting to conduct a robbery.
“While we were asleep, the driver and his two accomplices engaged in a conversation in Twi, plotting a robbery during the journey. However, the Togolese understood the conversation and subsequently raised an alarm, which prompted a confrontation,” he narrated.
This led to some of the passengers shouting at Koung and his friends, labeling them as criminals because they seemed out of place on the bus.
“These are criminals,” Koung recounted the words as he said some of the passengers kept repeating them.
Soon after, they realized that the driver and his two accomplices had abandoned the vehicle in the middle of the road and fled into a nearby bush.
This forced Koung’s friend to drive the vehicle to the nearest police station to report the matter. Upon their arrival, they learned that the driver and his accomplice had also fled to a nearby naval base and falsely alleged that some Liberians had robbed a Ghanaian driver of his vehicle.
However, this SOS message had been sent to the very police station they went to report the matter, where they met Officer Emmanuel Ekow Addison. He listened to their ordeal and assisted them in filing a police report.
Jeremiah Koung said Officer Addison committed to properly investigating the matter, which later led to their exoneration. He shared that the police officer ensured that every valuable piece of information was properly sourced and investigated.
“Officer Addison followed us to the crime scene and also took us to the Naval base to find out about the incident but when we got there, one of the officers confirmed and told them the Togolese and another friend were picked up as suspects and sent to the Fishing Port Police Station. It was there that me and my friends were arrested and placed behind bars as suspects who escaped.
“But during the investigations, I was able to prove that we were indeed businessmen. I had to lead the police officer to a spot where we had buried an amount of US$40,000 meant for our trading activities in Togo,” he recalled.
Koung emphasized that the discovery of hidden money provided crucial evidence of their innocence and led to their release from police custody.
After being released, they attempted to express gratitude to Officer Addison by offering him a monetary gesture of US$3,000. However, Koung said Addison refused the gift, emphasizing that he was simply doing his duty as an officer of the law.
Now, 24 years later, Jeremiah Koung was determined to locate Officer Addison to properly show his appreciation to the Ghanaian police officer who demonstrated exemplary conduct and commitment to justice.
This is the first time a woman is doing this job, but we don’t know why Mrs. George is only doing it temporarily.
She joined the army in 2006 while it was being rebuilt after a civil war and became part of the best troops. She has been the second-in-command of the staff for the past six years.
After Mr Boakai became president on 22 January, he chose her to be the deputy in charge of administration in the defense ministry.
The senate in Liberia approved his appointment last week, but he had to quit because of the protests.
The woman said that because he used to be in charge of the armed forces, he should be blamed for the military not getting enough money and having bad living conditions.
The women put roadblocks in Monrovia and other parts of the country, so Mr. Boakai had to cancel the National Army Day celebrations on Monday.
Mr Boakai became the new leader by winning a very close election against the current leader, George Weah, last November. Neither of them won enough votes in the first round, so they had a second election to decide the winner.
Last year in June, four people were arrested and accused of being involved in the death of Charlotte Musu, who was said to be the niece of Ms Scott.
Last February, Charlotte was killed by unknown people at Ms. Scott’s house in Brewerville, in north-west Liberia.
The previous head of the court said someone broke into her house and killed her niece.
However, after five months of trial, a court in the capital city of Monrovia found her and three family members guilty of Charlotte’s murder last month.
The four women were also are guilty of planning together and lying to the police.
During the trial, the person accused said they didn’t do it and pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, the court decided that the evidence presented by the prosecution was very convincing and gave the four people lifetime in jail.
Liberia stopped using the death penalty in July last year.
Ms Scott’s attorneys stated that they will challenge the decision.
She was the top judge in Liberia from 1997 to 2003.
In a catastrophic incident in central Liberia, over 40 individuals have perished following the explosion of a fuel tanker, as reported by the nation’s chief medical officer, Dr. Francis Kateh.
The disaster occurred in Totota, approximately 130 kilometers from Monrovia, the capital, when the tanker overturned and was subsequently engulfed in flames as locals rushed to collect leaking fuel.
Eyewitness accounts describe a harrowing scene where people, including a pregnant woman, were engulfed in the blaze. Dr. Kateh confirmed the extent of the calamity, noting that numerous victims were burnt beyond recognition.
In a statement to Super Bongese TV, he disclosed that over 83 people sustained injuries and were hospitalized, with those critically hurt transferred to facilities in Monrovia.
The circumstances leading to the crash remain uncertain. Video footage from the scene revealed a crowd, including children, converging around the overturned tanker, many armed with containers, moments before the explosion.
Liberia’s President George Weah has extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and expressed his distress over the tragic images of the incident.
In a released statement, he pledged full support to health authorities, emphasizing the need to augment resources and manpower in the ongoing efforts to save lives and manage the aftermath of this tragedy.
President Akufo-Addo has commended Liberia’s recent elections, urging emerging democracies to emulate its democratic example. He specifically praised Liberia for strengthening the foundations of democracy through the successful election of a new president to lead the country.
In the elections, President-elect Joseph Boakai, the candidate of the Unity Party, secured victory, defeating the incumbent President George Manneh Weah.
President Akufo-Addo in a Facebook post on November 23 said, “Through the peaceful exercise of their sovereign and democratic right to elect their own leaders, the people of Liberia have strengthened the frontiers of democracy for emerging democracies on the continent to emulate. The consolidation of democracy in Liberia, in the wake of Liberia’s painful civil war, continues to gather pace.”
In addition to congratulating the newly elected President Joseph Boakai, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo commended outgoing President George Weah for his “statesmanlike concession of defeat.”
President Akufo-Addo expressed optimism that President-elect Boakai would continue the positive trajectory set by his predecessors, fostering and deepening the friendship between Liberia and Ghana.
Liberia is heading for a run-off election next month after the initial round of voting resulted in a close race between President George Weah and his main rival, Joseph Boakai.
In the first round held on October 10, Weah secured 43.83% of the vote, while Boakai, a former vice-president, received 43.44%. This election marks the closest presidential contest in Liberia since the end of the civil war nearly two decades ago.
A run-off was anticipated due to neither candidate achieving over 50% of the vote in the first round. The run-off is scheduled for November 14, according to Davidetta Browne, the head of the electoral commission.
Boakai, 78, performed better than expected, closely approaching Weah’s vote share. In the previous 2017 election, Boakai lost to Weah by a significant margin.
In this election, Boakai campaigned under the slogan “Rescue,” accusing Weah, a 57-year-old former international football star, of leading Liberia into decline during his first term. Weah countered these allegations, citing achievements such as the introduction of free tuition for university students.
At a press conference last week, Mr Boakai urged fellow opposition candidates to join the “rescue team for a resounding victory”.
“We are reaching out to our brothers and sisters in the opposition and Liberians in general to join us in this noble mission of making our country breathe freely again.”
Mr Boakai served as vice-president in the government of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who became president after the end of a brutal civil war about 20 years ago.
He pledged that if he was elected president, he would form a “government of inclusion that truly reflects the political, social and religious diversity of the citizens”.
None of the 18 other candidates received more than 3% of the vote.
Nine temporary employees, who were assisting in the supervision of Liberia’s presidential and parliamentary elections held on October 10, 2023, have been detained.
According to the election commission, these nine temporary staff members were apprehended on charges of vote manipulation and electoral misconduct.
Chairperson of the National Elections Commission, Davidetta Browne Lassanah, informed the press in Monrovia that the arrests took place in Grand Cape Mount County and Montserrado County.
She, however, assured the Liberian public that “the attempted irregularities were rectified and had no impact on the election results.”
In the presidential election, with nearly all the votes counted, incumbent George Weah and former Vice-President Joseph Boakai are in a tight race, and the election is expected to proceed to a runoff.
With nearly all votes numbered in Liberia’s decision, President George Weah and his fundamental match Joseph Boakai are still running neck and neck, meaning they are set for a run-off.
Mr Weah as of now has 43.8% of the vote with Mr Boakai on 43.5%, temporary comes about appear.
A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to be pronounced the victor.
The 10 October decision was Liberia’s closest presidential race since a respectful war finished two decades prior.
The race commission discharged the most recent comes about after votes had been checked in more than 98% of surveying stations, giving Mr Weah a thin lead of 5,456 votes.
Voting is set to be rehashed in a few parts of Sinoe, Nimba and Montserrado districts on Friday after polls were altered with by obscure individuals, the commission said.
None of the 18 other presidential candidates gotten more than 3% within the to begin with circular, and the two primary candidates are likely to look for their underwriting, as each vote will tally in a run-off.
Mr Weah, a previous universal football star, is looking for a moment term as president.
The president won a run-off within the 2017 survey with 61.5% to Mr Boakai’s 38.5%.
He got the foremost votes within the to begin with circular of that decision – 38.4% to Mr Boakai’s 28.8%, recommending that Mr Boakai fared way better in final week’s poll.
Investigator Abdullah Kiatamba told AFP news organization that whoever comes out on beat within the to begin with circular will have the advantage of more noteworthy energy.
A run-off will be held on 7 November after the declaration of official comes about.
Examiners say this can be the final endeavor at the presidency for Mr Boakai, 78.
He served as vice-president within the government of then-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her endeavors to realize peace and soundness in Liberia taking after a brutal respectful war that slaughtered an assessed 250,000 individuals.
He pursued his campaign beneath the motto “Protect”, contending that the West African state went downhill amid Mr Weah’s to begin with six a long time in office.
Mr Weah, 57, has rejected Mr Boakai’s affirmations, saying that he has made noteworthy strides, counting presenting free educational cost for college understudies.
In Liberia’s presidential election, President George Weah and opposition candidate Joseph Boakai are in a tightly contested race.
With nearly three-quarters of the vote results now available, Mr. Weah holds a slim lead at 43.8%, while Mr. Boakai follows closely at 43.5%.
These results were announced by Liberia’s National Elections Commission on Sunday, with outcomes from 4,295 of the country’s 5,890 polling places released by that point.
At the same time, the West African regional bloc Ecowas cautioned against the premature declaration of victories and urged all parties to maintain peace as they awaited the final results.
Ecowas emphasized that any actions leading to violence and instability would be subject to accountability.
President Weah is seeking re-election for a second term, while Mr. Boakai, who finished second in the previous elections, previously served as deputy to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
It is important to note that the winning candidate must secure at least 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff election.
On October 10, Liberians cast their votes in the presidential election, as well as for members of the House of Representatives and half the Senate.
The official from George Weah’s political party said that he will agree with the outcome of the general election that took place on Tuesday.
Jefferson Koijee, the head of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change, said to the media: “This person has repeatedly expressed that he values the peace of our country more than his own interests. ”
But Mr Koijee said that Mr Weah, who used to play football and is now 57 years old, will not lose.
Election officials said that many people came out to vote in Liberia’s fourth election after the war.
The votes are still being counted. The electoral commission will start announcing the results at 4:30 PM local time (5:30 PM BST).
Mr Weah will likely have to deal with his toughest opponent, former Vice-President Joseph Boakai, who is 78 years old and belongs to the Unite Party. Boakai was the assistant to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf while she was the leader of the country.
Vote counting is happening now after the polls ended in Liberia’s presidential and parliamentary elections on Tuesday.
In the country of West Africa, people took part in a vote to choose their president, the members of the House of Representatives, and also half of the Senate.
The current president, George Weah, used to play football and is now running for a second term as president. He is the favorite to win against 19 other people running for the presidency.
But it is predicted that he will have to participate in a second round of voting next month.
The electoral commission will start releasing the first results today.
Liberians will be voting on Tuesday in important elections for president and parliament. These are the first elections since 2018 when a UN mission left the country after helping to maintain peace for over ten years. Liberia has been deeply affected by two very destructive civil wars.
In addition to the 14-year long civil war, which resulted in the loss of 250,000 lives before ending in 2003, Liberia has also faced other major health crises. These include the Covid pandemic and a severe Ebola outbreak in 2014, which caused the death of over 4,000 people.
The current President George Weah, who used to be a famous football player, wants to be elected again for another six years. His first term was troubled by corruption and claims of poor leadership.
The World Bank says that there is a lot of poverty in Liberia. They estimate that half of the people in the country live on less than $2 per day.
Over 60% of the population in Liberia is under 25 years old. However, many young people in the country are unemployed, including some who were child soldiers during the civil war.
Nineteen people are running against Weah, who is in the Coalition for Democratic Change party. But he will have a tough competition with Joseph Boakai from the Unity Party.
There were disagreements and arguments between the supporters of the two political parties before the elections, according to Liberia’s police on Facebook. The country’s voting committee said that many people died and things were destroyed.
According to a representative from the UN Human Rights Office in Liberia named Seif Magango, there were some conflicts where two individuals lost their lives while 20 others got hurt.
Weah, who is the only African to have won football’s top award called Ballon d’Or, won more than 60% of the votes against Boakai in a second round of elections in 2017.
Both Weah, who is 57 years old, and Boakai, who will be 79 years old next month, did not get more than 50% of the votes in the first round of voting.
Boakai accepted that he lost after he tried to go to court and it didn’t work out.
Boakai said to CNN that his young followers really want things to be different now.
Liberians are seeking something different or new. The young people on the street are admitting that they voted for Weah in 2017 but now realize it was a mistake. They are asking for forgiveness and expressing their desire to fix the mistake. This is what they are saying wherever I go. ”
“This time, Weah knows that he is not as popular as before and he doesn’t have a chance in this election,” Boakai said.
Approximately 24 million Liberians, mostly young individuals, have signed up to vote in the election. Experts believe that the election is primarily between Weah and Boakai, with no clear third candidate in the competition.
“Joel Cholo Brooks, the publisher of Global News Network Liberia, said that many believe Boakai will become the next president. They think Boakai will save Liberians from President Weah, who they say has not done a good job in his six years as president. ”
However, Weah’s supporters believe that he should be voted for again in order to finish all the projects he has started but not yet completed.
Before the elections, Weah spoke up for his administration’s achievements. He told his supporters at a rally that his record of progress during his first six years as president is better than that of previous leaders, according to a statement from the president.
He praised the progress made in improving infrastructure and mentioned that his government has made public university education free in Liberia.
Weah said that he is better than his opponents at a different meeting last month. “I am a person who creates software and applications, and that’s why I am working to improve the country,” he said while asking for people to vote for him.
Weah was criticized last year for spending almost two months in another country. He went to Qatar to watch his son, who is American, play in the FIFA World Cup for the United States.
Liberia’s finance minister, Samuel Tweah, said that the president had the right to receive $2,000 each day for his trip. However, he did not mention how much the entire 48-day tour by President Weah cost. The tour is said to be the longest one taken by a Liberian leader in recent years, according to local media.
“Since the beginning, they’ve been a dishonest government and everything they do is for their own benefit,” accused Boakai, Weah’s main competitor. Boakai also explained to CNN that if he is elected, he intends to reduce government spending and address the mishandling of limited public funds.
Weah’s campaign manager, Eugene Nagbe, told CNN that President Weah has been working hard to get rid of corruption in Liberia’s institutions.
“The president has formed the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and has given it the authority to independently punish those who are guilty of corruption,” Nagbe explained.
Some experts don’t believe that Weah has done enough to get rid of the corruption in his government.
Brooks said that the president didn’t do a good job in stopping corruption. He also mentioned that a lot of the people who work for him and were accused of being corrupt have not been punished yet.
Last year, three people who were close friends of Weah, including his assistant, Nathaniel McGill, were punished by the US because the US believed they were involved in ongoing corruption in Liberia.
McGill and Twehway, who held important positions in Liberia, were accused by the US Treasury Department of accepting money illegally, taking away government money, and changing government agreements for their own benefit.
The three people quit their jobs but they did not face any legal consequences, even though people wanted them to be charged.
Brooks said that the president allowed two people who were punished by the US government for lots of stealing to run for the Liberian parliament.
McGill and Twehway were chosen by Weah’s CDC party to be on the ballot for the country’s senate.
Weah’s campaign manager told CNN that there is no law in Liberia that stops them from running for office. He also said that the government is waiting for evidence from the United States to start prosecutions.
Liberia’s Corruption Perception Index score has dropped a lot since Weah became the president in 2018. It has fallen by 22 points in just five years and is now at 142. This list, created by Transparency International, ranks 180 countries based on how much corruption is believed to exist in their government.
Nagbe said that people think corruption is a big problem, and although our ranking has gone down, the president is working hard to fight it.
Oscar Bloh, who leads the biggest election observing group in Liberia called ECC, said to CNN that this election is not like the ones before.
This election is very important compared to the ones before. This is the first time we have switched from using a manual system to a biometric voter registration system,” he said.
This is the first time that elections will happen in Liberia without the UN mission providing outside security. So Liberia’s security agencies will be responsible for security.
The UNMIL was a group of people who helped make Liberia a more peaceful and stable place. They finished their job in 2018 and left.
Bloh was also concerned that the training for poll officials started just a few days before the elections.
A person who speaks for the electoral commission, Henry Flomo, said to CNN, “Everything is on time,” as the law dictates.
The Supreme Court said that putting up the voter roll should happen at least two days before the election. Flomo mentioned this, but he did not give a reason for the election officials being trained late.
The voting will start at 8:00 in the morning. The time right now is Tuesday and we will be closing at 6:00 p. mAccording to the law, the election officials have to announce who won within two weeks after the voting is over.
In order to become president, a candidate needs to get more than half of all the votes. If no candidate gets more than half of the votes in the first round, there will be another election two weeks later with the top candidates.
Bloh predicts that there will probably be a runoff this time.
“He told CNN that it is unlikely for any of the candidates to win completely in the first round. ”
More than 2.4 million Liberian citizens will on Tuesday October 10, participate in elections to choose their president and members of the legislature.
Currently, there are 19 candidates vying for the presidency, with the incumbent President George Weah of the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) seeking a second six-year term.
Among the leading contenders are former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and businessman Alexander Cummings. Both Boakai and Cummings were previously part of a four-party opposition alliance known as the Coalition of Political Parties (CPP).
However, the coalition has since disbanded due to reported disagreements over the allocation of the presidential ticket for this election cycle.
Additionally, Tiawan Gongloe, a renowned human rights lawyer and law professor, is in the race representing the Liberian People’s Party.
Gongloe previously served as the country’s solicitor general during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who made history as Africa’s first elected female leader in 2006.
However, gender inclusivity in politics remains a challenge in many parts of the continent, including Liberia. Out of the 20 presidential contenders in Tuesday’s election, only two are women, one of whom is Sara Nyanti, a former deputy special representative in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
George Weah
Running for a second term, President Weah has confidently stated his intention to secure an outright victory in the initial round of elections. Weah has held the presidency since 2017 and is seeking re-election as the candidate for the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC).
Weah’s running mate remains the current vice president, Jewel Howard-Taylor, who was previously married to former president Charles Taylor, now serving a 50-year sentence for crimes against humanity committed in neighboring Sierra Leone, in a British prison.
At 57 years old, Weah is banking on his track record, citing achievements such as the implementation of a tuition-free program for undergraduate students at public universities in 2018. His government also covers the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fees for 9th and 12th graders in public schools.
Additionally, the administration has expanded access to electricity and reduced costs from 38 cents per kilowatt to an average of 15 cents per kilowatt. The government has undertaken several road construction projects across the country.
However, critics argue that corruption has been pervasive during Weah’s tenure. They also highlight concerns about the state of the economy and the rising cost of food, which led to protests in December of the previous year and in June of 2019, reflecting what they perceive as government shortcomings.
In his manifesto, President Weah pledges to decrease out-of-pocket expenses for medical care through the establishment of a mandatory social health insurance scheme. He also commits to providing off-the-grid solar energy for public hospitals and secondary schools.
Furthermore, his promises include creating sustainable employment opportunities by formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining activities and providing training in sexual and gender-based violence for public prosecutors.
Joseph Boakai
With decades of experience within Liberia’s public sector, Joseph Nyuma Boakai enjoys extensive name recognition and is now setting his sights on the presidency as a candidate for the Unity Party (UP). The 78-year-old previously held the position of Minister of Agriculture from 1983 to 1985 and served as Vice President from 2006 to 2018 under President Johnson-Sirleaf.
In this election year, Boakai has forged an alliance with the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), a party founded by former warlord-turned-senator Prince Johnson. Consequently, Boakai has selected MDR senator Jeremiah Koung as his running mate. Both Johnson and Koung originate from and hold significant sway in Nimba, the country’s second most populous county. Notably, MDR had previously formed an alliance with the CDC in 2017, supporting the CDC in the second round of elections that ultimately led to George Weah’s victory. This alliance dissolved in 2022 due to Johnson’s complaints about the lack of job opportunities for his constituency.
For many observers, Boakai’s second bid for the presidency represents a rematch with Weah, as both candidates faced off in the 2017 elections. Neither candidate secured the required absolute majority in the first round, leading to a runoff election, which Weah ultimately won.
Drawing on his extensive experience, Boakai has prioritized agriculture as a central campaign issue, pledging to boost domestic rice production and establish three agricultural machinery hubs within the country. He has also committed to improving infrastructure by paving highways that connect county capitals and facilitate cross-border trade with neighboring countries.
Additionally, the former vice president has promised to collaborate with the legislature to establish a specialized court to expedite cases related to corruption and economic crimes. He also intends to support the private sector in developing initiatives to recycle solid waste into renewable energy.
Nonetheless, critics have raised concerns about Boakai’s age, arguing that, at 78 years old, he may be too elderly to effectively govern. Boakai has denied facing health challenges, despite such allegations.
Alexander Cummings
Alexander Cummings initially gained prominence in Liberian politics when he ran for the presidency in 2017, securing fifth place in the election. This year, he is once again vying for the presidency as a candidate of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP), a coalition consisting of Cummings’ Alternative National Congress and the Liberty Party.
At 57 years of age, Cummings brings a wealth of corporate experience to his political career. He served as the head of Coca-Cola’s African subsidiary from 2001 to 2008 and subsequently held the position of global Chief Administrative Officer until his retirement in 2016.
During his tenure at Coca-Cola, Cummings played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Africa Foundation, which contributed significantly to the continent’s response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In recognition of his humanitarian efforts, he was honored with Liberia’s highest national distinction, the Humane Order of African Redemption, by President Johnson-Sirleaf in 2011.
Cummings has anchored his campaign on the goal of diversifying Liberia’s economy. To achieve this, he has pledged to create a $20 million empowerment fund within his first 100 days in office, aimed at supporting women, youth-owned businesses, and farmers. Additionally, he plans to temporarily freeze all existing taxes and regulations for review to foster a more business-friendly environment. He has also advocated for a “buy Liberian” policy to prioritize the purchase of locally-made products, thereby stimulating indigenous businesses.
Furthermore, Cummings has expressed his support for the establishment of a war crimes court to prosecute key individuals involved in Liberia’s civil wars of 1989-1997 and 1999-2003.
In response to the unexplained death of 36 cows in a border area, Sierra Leonean authorities have imposed a ban on the movement of cattle from Liberia and the import of meat from the neighboring country.
The incident occurred in the town of Kelima Bendu, located in Lofa County, approximately ten kilometers from the Sierra Leone border and fifteen kilometers from Guinea.
Liberian authorities have initiated an investigation into the cause of the cattle deaths, although no timeline has been provided for when the results will be made known.
As a precautionary measure, Sierra Leone has implemented several actions, including the prohibition of cattle, goats, and sheep movement along the border with Liberia, temporary closure of livestock markets in the border area, and increased surveillance in slaughterhouses.
These measures aim to prevent any potential spread of the unknown cause of death to Sierra Leonean livestock.
It is important to note that Sierra Leone experienced an anthrax epidemic in May 2022, which resulted in the loss of over 200 animals.
Anthrax, caused by spores that can remain dormant in the soil for extended periods, poses a risk to both animals and humans, with potentially fatal consequences in rare cases.
Authorities in both Sierra Leone and Liberia are taking these precautions to ensure the safety of their respective livestock populations and mitigate any potential risks to public health.
Jonathan Lee Pratt, better known by his stage name “JZyNo,” a multi-award winning Liberian Afropop sensation based in Ghana, has delved deep into his humble beginnings.
Speaking to the media, the “Butta my bread” hitmaker revealed that coming from Liberia, a country where war had derailed the brighter future and opportunity for young people. He had no option than to come Ghana to seek a better life.
According to him, at the time he was in Liberia, he sold charcoal, gari and others to survive on the hustling field.
But, added that despite, having being in Ghana since 2015 to start his music career, he had his first hit song in 2019 when he returned to Monrovia.
Glory be to God, Jzyno has created a buzz in the music industry and captured the awareness of listeners with his breakthrough hit single “Butta My Bread.”
A 51-year-old Liberian man is on trial after being accused of supplying too much alcohol and cigarettes to a chimpanzee he unlawfully possessed.
According to Front Page Africa, officials in the West African nation said Bobby Domah Parker’s actions caused the chimpanzee to become more aggressive, adding that the animal also endangered the safety of residents in the community as a result.
An order for Parker’s arrest was issued by Monrovia City Court magistrate, L. Ben Barco, on May 1. Court documents stated that Parker deliberately gained possession of the chimpanzee without a permit or license and provided it with excessive alcohol and cigarettes, putting its life at risk or in possible danger.
The defendant’s actions caused the animal to roam through the community, sometimes charging at residents and attempting to bite them, per the court documents.
The chimpanzee, which Parker named “Serena”, was in his possession for more than a year, investigations revealed. The defendant also disclosed that an individual sold the rescued animal to him.
Investigators determined that the defendant allowed the chimpanzee to wander around the community freely as he did not secure it, Front Page Africa reported. Parker is accused of violating Liberian law, as he did not have a permit or license to possess an animal of such nature.
Liberia’s Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the opposition’s appeal to halt the country’s ongoing universal voter registration and the October presidential and legislative elections.
The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) argued that it was unconstitutional to list voters without first defining constituencies in accordance with the most recent national census.
However, the court stated in a majority decision that it did not see any justification for “disturbing” the voter registration process because the National Elections Commission (NEC) did not, as claimed, violate the constitution.
The court determined that the case was not an election matter.
The court ruling allows the electoral body to move ahead with phase two of the voter registration exercise, having already conducted phase one last month, which was overshadowed by a series of technical glitches.
Liberia’s population has grown by 50.4% to 5.2 million people, according to 2022 provisional results released in February.
Opposition fears the new numbers might be manipulated to favour President George Weah who is facing strong challenges in his re-election bid.
A court in Busan, South Korea, on Wednesday sentenced two employees of the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) to nine years in prison each for sexual assault, local media report.
Moses Owen Brown and Daniel Tarr had been detained in South Korea since last year for allegedly raping two Korean teenagers, according to Korean police.
The Liberian government said it has requested its legal representation in South Korea to furnish it with the various appeal options available.
“The government shall continue to remain engaged with the Republic of Korea through official diplomatic channels to explore many options which may be available to Browne and Tarr,” a government statement said.
It said the families of the two Liberians have been notified of the court decision and will be facilitated to visit the men.
To stop bloodshed before the presidential and legislative elections in October, Liberian political groups signed a peace agreement on Tuesday.
The agreement signed by 26 political parties, according to President George Weah, demonstrates the nation’s commitment to maintaining national stability during the election.
“History has taught us that the risk of post-conflict countries to regress to war is extremely high. By any account, therefore, Liberia is a post-conflict success story,” Mr Weah said.
The pact obliges signatories and their supporters to uphold peaceful elections and resort to constitutional means if they are dissatisfied with the electoral process and outcomes.
Members of observer missions from the African Union, the European Union and other diplomats witnessed the signing of the accord.
The elections are expected to be hotly contested with the incumbent facing strong challenges from former vice-president Joseph Boakai of the former ruling Unity Party and Alexander Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties.
As a part of celebrations honoring Ghana’s 66th Independence Day, Ghanaians residing in Liberiaand the Ghana Embassy in Liberia have donated some items to disadvantaged Liberian children in Paynesville.
The items, including bags of rice, boxes of made in Ghana chocolate, soft drinks, washing and bath soaps, sweets, a cake decorated in Ghana colours were donated to the Rescue for Abandoned and Children in Hardship (REACH), which is run by Madam Nesuah Beyan Livingston in Nickley Town Community, Jacob Town.
Francis G. Boayue reports from Monrovia that the Ghanaian Ambassador to Liberia, Kwabena Okubi-Appiah, speaking on behalf of allGhanaians residing in Liberia, expressed joy in celebrating Ghana’s Independence with the children of Liberia.
Ambassador Okubi-Appiah used the occasion to motivate the children to cultivate the role of being emerging leaders for Liberia and Africa at large.
He called on them to “never lose hope and [to remember that] there is a brighter future for the children of Africa because the leaders of today have already begun to lay the foundation for their future.”
He, however, urged the children to take their lessons seriously, be disciplined, and always learn to respect those who are older than them, which will guide them for good leadership in the not-too-distant future.
Madam Ne-Suah Beyan Livingstone, receiving the items, lauded all Ghanaians residing in Liberia, mainly Eric Ellington Agyedenah who is the organiser of the programme, for always taking concrete steps in the last three years to identify with her organisation through her regular Saturday feeding programme for children whose parents cannot afford daily meals to come and have a plate of rice every weekend.
The president of the Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Liberia, George Idun-Sam graced the occasion.
Mr. Eric Ellington Agyedenah, the initiator and also the dream bearer of the donation, said his interest in catering for the wellbeing of children is backed by his passion for children and expressed excitement about having the Ghanaian Ambassador on board this year.
He said that since 2020, he has made it his duty to reach out to less fortunate children in celebration of Ghana’s independence.
Rapid diagnostic testing for everyone residing within 100 meters of newly confirmed cases helped break transmission chains and greatly increased the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations through reactive immunization as Liberia battled escalating COVID-19 cases in 2022.
The community-based testing strategy to decentralize COVID-19 response allowed health workers to conduct door-to-door community sensitization to tackle COVID-19 misinformation, including myths about vaccination. The approach helped the country reach 81% vaccination coverage of the population by the end of 2022.
With financial and technical support from World Health Organization (WHO), mobile health teams administered tens of thousands of rapid tests in Nimba, Margibi and Montserrado counties, which are home to nearly half of Liberia’s total population.
With polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests mostly no longer mandatory for cross-border travellers, the community-based response initiative enabled surveillance and monitoring of epidemiological trends to augment virus control measures.
The initiative, which uses rapid tests to counter the challenge of identifying COVID-19 cases outside health facilities, was launched in Liberia in July 2022. By the end of last year, 74 000 rapid tests had been administered.
“Expanding testing in communities using the antigen tests is helping provide a better way for the country to respond to the pandemic,” says Chea Sanford Wesseh, Assistant Minister for Vital Statistics in Liberia’s Ministry of Health, adding that there are plans to broaden their use beyond the three counties.
In practice, the mobile teams target everyone living within a 100-metre radius of new confirmed COVID-19 cases, administering rapid tests to identify other potential cases. The technology is simple, making it suitable for use in all settings.
Anyone who tests positive and requires treatment is linked to their nearest health facility. In cases where patients are either experiencing mild symptoms or asymptomatic, they are managed under home- based isolation and care, receiving infection prevention and control materials, including information on COVID-19 risk factors and prevention measures such as vaccination and handwashing.
“With testing in communities, we are reaching both the asymptomatic and symptomatic cases. That way we are undertaking timely isolation of confirmed cases leading to a break in the chain of transmission,” explains Dr Monday Julius, the WHO team lead for health emergencies in Liberia.
The positive impact on vaccination uptake saw Liberia join Mauritius, Rwanda and Seychelles as the only fourAfricancountries to achieve the 70% global vaccination coverage target by December 2022.
Victoria Dekpah, a student at Nimba University in Liberia, was among those convinced to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when health workers visited her community.
“I didn’t think it was important to test. Many people were afraid of knowing their status and what would happen to them. But after listening to the health worker, I volunteered to take the test and it turned out positive. I isolated myself at home and the health worker visited me regularly until I tested negative again. I also got vaccinated thereafter,” she says.
Isaac Cole, County Surveillance Officer in Nimba, blames rampant misinformation surrounding COVID-19 for the reluctance among Liberians to accept testing and vaccination. But working with local leaders who are trusted by their communities, he says, is changing attitudes.
“The people now know that once they are tested and found to be positive, they will be taken care of either at the health facility or through the home-based care approach. When we go to communities, health workers also lead by example by being vaccinated first, as one of the ways of dispelling myths about vaccination and its effect on the body,” he adds.
WHO is supporting 18 other African countries to implement community-based COVID-19 response, with more than 400 000 rapid tests carried out to date. Across these countries, rapid testing currently accounts for at least 60% of all COVID-19 testing.
An eyewitness to the killing of a Palestinian by Israeli forces, the man was shot simply for punching a police officer.
Last Friday, Ammar Mefleh was killed at close range in the occupied West Bank.
He is the 10th Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in a week.
The video of the shooting sparked a massive online reaction, prompting Israel to issue a diplomatic rebuke to a top UN official who said he was “horrified” by the killing.
Israeli officials praised the officer involved, asserting that he reacted after a Palestinian stabbed a police officer in the face, preventing a “mass terror attack.”
Palestinian leaders described it as an execution “in cold blood”.
Mr Mefleh, 22, was killed in the Palestinian town of Huwara, which lies on a main road frequently used by Israeli settlers and has been the scene of growing violence in recent months.
Incident filmed
This year in the West Bank more than 150 Palestinians have been killed, nearly all by Israeli forces. The dead include unarmed civilians, militant gunmen and armed attackers.
Meanwhile a series of Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis, as well as militant gunfire at troops during arrest raids, have killed more than 30 people including civilians, police and soldiers.
The footage from Friday, shared extensively online, was rare in capturing in detail part of the event that led up to the shooting. The last 13 seconds are caught in a second video from another angle.
In the recording, the Israeli officer is seen holding Mr Mefleh in a headlock as the pair struggle. Two other Palestinians are in the melee at first, but then step back.
IMAGE SOURCE,HUWARA RESIDENT Image caption, Footage showed Ammar Mefleh trying to grab the police officer’s weapon during the struggle
After Mr Mefleh struggles out of the headlock, he tries to grab the policeman’s rifle. As they wrestle over the weapon the officer takes a hand off it – first to try to hit the Palestinian, who strikes him back – then to reach for his pistol.
Mr Mefleh for a split second has hold of the rifle but almost instantly throws it down or lets go of it, recoiling as he sees the officer raise his pistol. The policeman shoots him instantly, four times.
Following his killing, a popular Israeli news website reported that the officer had “eliminated the terrorist”. The footage was repeatedly circulated on Palestinian social media with people appalled at the killing.
The UN’s envoy to the region, Tor Wennesland, tweeted that he was “horrified by today’s killing of a Palestinian man, Ammar Mefleh, during a scuffle with an Israeli soldier,” calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
“The incident is a terror attack, in which an Israeli policeman was stabbed in his face and the life of another officer was threatened and consequently he shot his assailant,” Mr Nahshon added.
“This is NOT a ‘scuffle’ – this is a terror attack!”
Disputed account
The row drew increased focus on the precise events leading up to his killing.
On Friday evening, Israeli police said the incident began when a Palestinian armed with a knife picked up a rock and tried to break into an Israeli couple’s car. They said the driver, an off-duty soldier, shot the man leaving him injured – thought to be from the bullet or shrapnel glancing his head.
Police said the wounded Palestinian then approached two border police officers on patrol in their vehicle, stabbing one in the face, while the other – the policeman later seen in the video – got out and chased him, leading up to the events captured in the footage and the fatal shooting.
1/5 Terrorist Neutralized in the area of Huwara: Today at approximately 16:00, a Palestinian terrorist armed with a knife tried to break into a vehicle of an Israeli couple in the area of Huwara pic.twitter.com/MwMGAXGWfg
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter
Police published an image of an officer with his identity obscured with a wound to his face and a close-up picture of a knife lying on a roadside (although one Israeli media report cited the police investigation as saying the knife fell into the police car after the officer was stabbed).
Over the weekend police released footage of the officer who killed Mr Mefleh describing the events: “Me and my team were on a mission patrolling the road [when] the terrorist came and stabbed my driver in the face. Immediately I knew it was a terrorist attack. I got out of the vehicle and went after the terrorist,” said the policeman who is not identified.
“I identified the terrorist and the Israeli civilian vehicle he tried to infiltrate while armed with a knife, and the terrorist immediately confronted me violently,” he said in a further statement.
“[He] tried to steal my weapon. I knew that if he took my weapon there would be a mass terror attack and I took out my pistol. I succeeded in pulling out my gun and shot the terrorist until he was neutralised,” he added.
However, the accounts of four eyewitnesses who spoke to the BBC in Huwara did not match the police version of events.
One said the incident appeared to begin with a confrontation in the street, possibly connected to a road accident that was blocking traffic.
“I was standing over there next to the butchers,” said Nader Allan, who had just left a nearby wedding.
“A settler’s car stopped. I’m not sure if he hit the [Palestinian] guy’s car, or if the guy was walking in the street. They started yelling at each other and I heard a shot. The settler shot the guy in the face. He was bleeding and he fell on the floor,” he said.
Like the other eyewitnesses, Mr Allan said this was the moment the Israeli police officer arrived. A short video taken by one witness shows an officer – who looks similar to the one in the fatal shooting footage – giving directions on a police radio and standing close to Mr Mefleh who is lying with a bloodied face in the street, as passers-by gather.
Another photo shows a similar scene, which appears fairly calm as locals speak on their phones. A witness said people tried to give Mr Mefleh first aid.
IMAGE SOURCE,HUWARA RESIDENT Image caption, Eyewitnesses say Mr Mefleh had been attacked prior to the shooting incident
Another witness, Mahmoud Abed, who works in a kebab restaurant, said he also rushed out when he heard Mr Mefleh being shot at by the Israeli driver.
“We found a guy on the floor with his face covered in blood. A policeman came from far away. He looked at him and kicked him, then the policeman said something on the radio,” he said.
Both Mr Abed and Mr Allan say the wounded Palestinian then got up and confronted the Israeli officer, trying to hit him. They say this is what triggered the confrontation that led to the officer getting him in a headlock, before fatally shooting him.
Another eyewitness, Bahaa Odeh who runs an ice-cream shop, said he heard a commotion and came out to see the policeman holding Mr Mefleh in a headlock, and then saw him kill him.
“Because of how upset I got from what I saw I started shouting at the soldier telling him ‘you’re despicable… there was no danger to your life, why did you kill him?’
“I told him ‘you are a coward… you killed him because he punched you. He has a right to defend himself,’” said Mr Odeh.
Knife claims
As the sense of anger grew in response to Mr Mefleh’s killing, confrontations later broke out between Israeli forces and residents. Mr Odeh was hit by a rubber bullet, leaving him with wounds to his chest and arm.
Image caption, Bahaa Odeh shows his injury from being hit by a rubber bullet
Asked whether Mr Mefleh had a knife, all four witnesses insisted he did not. No weapon is visible in Mr Mefleh’s hands or anywhere in the photo of him lying wounded after being shot by the Israeli driver.
To add to the discrepancy over the sequence of events, on Saturday Israeli police were quoted as saying they were “97% certain” that it was Mr Mefleh who had stabbed the police officer in the car; whereas on Friday their statement contained no doubt over this.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited police as saying they had longer footage of the incident from several different cameras which “strengthens the assessment” that the Palestinian man who was killed was the one who stabbed the policeman.
Israeli police did not respond to questions about the eyewitness accounts compared to those of the officers.
President of Liberia George Manneh Weah, has spoken of his delight in having a son playing at the greatest level of football in the globe.
Weah was in Qatar on business and on November 21 he watched his son Timothy play for the United States of America in their opening match despite Liberia’s exclusion from the FIFA World Cup.
“Just had dinner with my son Timothy Weah. Proud daddy,” the one-time world best footballer wrote on Twitter.
His post was accompanied by photos of the Weah family – himself, Timothy and his mother Clar.
The US drew one-all with Wales in their first match at the World Cup, Timothy grabbed the first goal which was canceled by Welsh forward Gareth Bale, who scored late to grab an important point in Group B’s opening fixture at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Monday night.
Weah scored the team’s first goal at a World Cup since Julian Green against Belgium in 2014, after connecting a pass from Christian Pulisic to power the Americans ahead.
The Stars and Stripes of the USA made their intention known from the blast of the referee’s whistle, with excessive pressure on the opponent’s defense and dominating play.
This yielded positive results when 22-year-old Weah coolly finished off a brilliant pass from Chelsea’s Pulisic.
The Dragons came back strong in the second stanza fighting for at least a point, but USA’s goalkeeper Matt Turner pulled some fantastic saves to keep his side in the lead.
USA was cruising to a resounding victory until defender Walker Zimmerman brought down Bale in the 18-yard box.
Timothy Weah, the son of Liberia’s President George Weah, scored for the US in their World Cup opener against Wales that ended in a draw.
Tim Weah finished smartly after a surging run and pass by Christian Pulisic.
Gareth Bale rode to Wales’ rescue with a late penalty.
President Weah is in Qatar for nine days to watch his American-born son play in the World Cup.
His trip has sparked controversy back home after the country’s finance minister said the president was “entitled” to $2,000 (£1,700) daily allowance during his stay in Qatar.
Critics say awarding Mr Weah such a huge amount a day goes against his promise to reduce public spending in favour of his “pro-poor agenda”.
Liberiadeclared a public holiday on Friday so people can stay at home to be counted in a much-delayed census, yet none of the 71,000 counters hired for the job are out counting because of a dispute over their fees.
There was also a last-minute disagreement between top officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services – it’s head insists preparations are complete, but another senior official in charge of statistics disagrees, and warns that any attempt at premature counting will not be accurate or credible.
In their confusion, people in rural places have been phoning others in Monrovia to find out if the census will actually happen.
President George Weah– out of Liberia for weeks to attend officials events including watching his son, Timothy, play for the US side in the football World Cup in Qatar – is under heavy criticism for not staying at home himself for the census and setting an example to others.
Some lawmakers had suggested a postponement of the event to allow for more adequate preparation, but this wasn’t considered.
The Liberian constitution calls for a census to be conducted every 10 years. The results are needed to define electoral constituencies for the 2023 general election.
President of Liberia, George Weah, has drawn criticism from his countrymen after it was revealed that he will attend the World Cup in Qatar for nine days.
The former Ballon d’Or winner informed the Senate of his nine-day World Cup schedule last week, and then he took out for a number of international trips.
Critique has come in the form of call-ins into radio and TV shows as well as on social media platforms.
Critics say it would be inconsiderate of the president to go to Qatar at a time when many people were dealing with a crippling food crisis, and other pressing issues at home.
The BBC Africa LIVE page reports that the president’s son Timothy, who is American, will be in the US squad at the World Cup tournament, which kicks off on 20 November.
The 56-year-old former AC Milan and Chelsea forward was elected president of Liberia in 2017. He was a serving senator at the time of his second-round victory over Joeph Boakai.
Mr Weah’s staff – who haven’t responded to questions about the cost of the trip – have hit back at his critics, saying the president’s foreign visits would “yield huge dividends” for the country.
At least eight people, including a mother and her two-month-old baby, died after a canoe capsized in a river in Liberia’s north-eastern Nimba county over the weekend.
Seven of the bodies were retrieved from the Yari River and hastily buried near the river, local authorities told the BBC.
Rescue workers on Monday said they were not hopeful of recovering the infant’s body.
The local district commissioner, Jefferson Saye Gondah, said the possibility of finding the baby’s body was “slim”.
The dead were among 18 persons returning from their farms in a dug-out canoe that capsized in the middle of the river. Ten people managed to swim to the shore.
The local town, Zahnboi, has remained tense, with grief-stricken people from nearby and distant towns coming in to help with search and rescue efforts and consoling the bereaved.
Paramount Chief Isaac Kolleh told the BBC that the situation was confused.
Liberia has had bad roads and poor infrastructure since the country’s bloody wars ended nearly 20 years ago. Corruption and bad governance have been blamed for the lack of resources for critical interventions.
The trialof a former Liberian rebel commander charged with committing crimes against humanity has started in a Paris court, AFP news agency reports.
Kunti Kamara is the first Liberian to be tried in France under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which recognises that the prosecution of certain crimes transcends all borders.
He is accused of rape, murder and torture during Liberia’s first civil war in the 1990s.
Mr Kamara admits he was a commander of a rebel group, the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (Ulimo), in Lofa county, north-west Liberia, but denies the charges.
If found guilty, he faces a sentence of life imprisonment.He was arrested four years ago.
Liberian President, George Weah, says importers assured him there would be enough rice to last into the following year, thus he does not think there is a shortage.
The lack of rice in Liberia is creating panic purchases and unease.
The country’s staple started disappearing from shops and marketplaces several weeks ago, prompting hundreds of desperate rice retailers and consumers in the capital, Monrovia, to spend days and nights in queues to scoop small quantities of the commodity from the warehouse of a foreign company that still has a small consignment.
Some of them have gone on to profiteer, reselling the commodity at skyrocketing prices.
Police have been deployed to assist the company’s security, as crowds of anxious people try to force their way into its premises.
As the crisis continues, large-scale buyers say they are being compelled by the company to also buy unrelated goods they do not need.
The shortage seems the worst in recent years and the tales of the visibly frustrated buyers in queues are similar.
Many told the BBC they had spent days sleeping around the company’s premises and had had their money stolen by thieves infiltrating the crowd.
Some people have fainted while others sustained injuries in a stampede to the warehouse.
A spokesman for the company, Fouani Brothers Corporation, said a worse shortage was on the horizon.
Liberia is grappling with a shortage of rice, causing panic-buying and anxiety.
The country’s staple started disappearing from shops and marketplaces several weeks ago, prompting hundreds of desperate rice retailers and consumers in the capital, Monrovia, to spend days and nights in queues to scoop small quantities of the commodity from the warehouse of a foreign company that still has a small consignment.
All flights to Liberiahave been cancelled by Brussels Airlines over a malfunctioning navigation system at the main airport in Liberia’s capital, Monrovia.
The Belgium-based airline in a statement said “It is of the utmost importance that we operate each and every flight in a safe, secure and compliant manner.”
According to the Airlines, all passengers affected by the cancellations will be contacted.
Meanwhile, the management of Monrovia’s Roberts International Airport to comply with safety regulations “as soon as possible”.
The airline was the only Western airline flying directly to Liberia.
In April, one of its planes nearly crash-landed at the Monrovia airport due to a power outage on the runway.
British police say a man in his 40s has been arrested over alleged war crimes committed during civil wars in Liberia that began in 1989 and ended in 2007.
The violence left a quarter of a million people dead.
He was arrested during a raid on a home in the city of Newcastle on suspicion of committing offences contrary to the International Criminal Court Act.
The arrest follows a referral early last year to Britain’s Counter Terrorism Command.
The former president of Liberia, Charles Taylor, is serving a 50 year sentence in a British prison after being convicted of several crimes including terrorism, rape and the use of child soldiers during Sierra Leone’s civil war that ended in 2002.
At least 29 people, including 11 children and a pregnant woman, have died in a stampede at a Christian crusade in a densely populated area in the capital, Monrovia.
Police spokesman Moses Carter told the BBC the stampede occurred on Wednesday night when a group of gangsters, some carrying knives, moved on the open-air ground and attacked worshippers.
He added that one person, who was carrying a knife, has been arrested.
The crusade – a term commonly used in Liberia to describe Christian prayer gatherings – had been organised by an influential pastor.
The bodies have been taken to the morgue at Redemption Hospital, close to the crusade ground in a beachside place called New Kru Town.
The number of street gangs operating on the streets of Liberian cities has increased in recent years.
President George Weah was expected to visit the scene Thursday, according to OK FM, a private Monrovia broadcaster.
Liberia’s Information Minister, Ledgerhood Rennie, has defended the move to seek help from the US government to investigate recent deaths of four civil servants.
The minister told the BBC’s Newsday programme that the government wanted a transparent investigation involving the best experts.
“Ourselves as government do not know what happened that is why we have launched a full scale investigation,” he said.
Mr Rennie said a preliminary report would determine if a criminal or non-criminal investigation is needed.
“People will come out with conspiracy theories and speculation about things when they happen. So we want to be clear and open so that tomorrow when the conclusions are made they can be convinced that whatever conclusions that are derived as a result of these investigations will be accepted by the public,” he said.
Mr Rennie said the investigation will involve the families of the deceased civil servants.
The officials who died include the head of the Internal Audit Agency, Emmanuel Nyeswua, and three other officials who worked for the Liberia Revenue Authority.
The Republic of Liberia has lost her full membership rights at the African Union, is now an observer at the African Union, one without a voting right, from being a founder to a shocking rejected stone, one who understood the purpose for which the organization was founded.
Over the past three years, Liberia has struggled with meeting up with every single report to be submitted to the AU. These reports are the core responsibilities of being a member country, some of these reports either come in later or never do, with key diplomats at the AU headquarters truly bothered about the ministry of foreign affairs in Liberia and the Minister not understanding the core function of international diplomacy, starting with the African Union.
Fingers pointing have never stopped, though the situation is pathetic and disgraceful, it is not known why it had to get thus far, the past administration of former President Ellen, left with about $800,000 united states dollars to the AU and the present administration have feared or even performed worst. These non-actions to international responsibilities, only closes the nation’s doors to benefiting and having a voice around graceful tables, most especially when we have had major scandals at the passport office in Liberia, which led to the suspension of the former Director of Passport, it has also placed the Nation’s credit rating on a downward low, limiting the capacity to borrow above a certain limit.
Former Minister Findley who is now contesting for a senate seat in the Liberian senate is said to be a major point of interest in understanding the issues which lead to this unfortunate situation, which a founder of the African union, cannot today vote on nothing and have a period upon which even the observer statues may also be lost.
It must be remembered, most of the discussions were held in Sanniquellie, Nimba county in Liberia which were finalized in addis and then where the Organization was formed with head quarters stationed today and in 1979, Liberia finally was able to host the general assembly or summit for the first time.
Pundits are of the Opinion, this partial expulsion or demotion, does not and should not represent the position Liberia should be found at no time in her history. Today the AU is composed of 55 countries and Liberia was one of the most important members.
Observer status is a privilege granted by some organizations to non-members to give them an ability to participate in the organization’s activities. … Observers generally have a limited ability to participate in the IGO, lacking the ability to vote or propose resolutions. It is with these in mind that Liberia must return as quickly as possible to the full membership statues of the African Union for the good of the nation her people and humanity.
It must be known that as at today, shamefully a Nation who was a founding member of a major international Organization as Liberia, doe not have a permanent representative at the African union., this does not only spell doom of Liberia, but exposes the importance the Weah Led government attaches to international diplomacy and a clear understanding of the benefits therein.
Liberia’s President George Weah has lifted the state of emergency he declared in April to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
He has ordered soldiers who were deployed to enforce the restrictions to immediately return to barracks.
The controversial restrictions came to an end on Wednesday, days after the president told worshippers at his private church that he could not continue to keep the country in lockdown.
Mr Weah, however, warned the public “not to construe the cessation of the state of emergency as a licence to engage in behaviours that may lead to a further spread of the virusâ€.
But while the move has brought some relief, coronavirus infections continue to surge with the restrictions showing little sign of halting or reversing the spread.
The police have arrested two persons suspected to be involved in the production of fake currency notes in Accra.
The suspects, identified as Kamara Seidu and Judith Koadue, from Liberia and Cameroon respectively are aged 40 years.
Daily Graphic reports that Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, DSP Effia Tenge disclosed that the two were picked up on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, after a tip-off at a hotel along the Baatsona-Spintex Road.
They were in possession of counterfeit GH¢50 notes and pieces of paper cut to the size of the same amount.
DSP Tenge noted that the team retrieved several items used by Kamara and Judith to make the counterfeit notes in the hotel where the duo were lodging.
The items included two bottles of a liquid substance, a white polythene bag containing some washing powder, cotton wool and gloves all suspected to be items used in processing the fake currency notes.
DSP Tenge also disclosed that the police also found nine pieces of GH¢50 notes which were later found to be fake.
Later when the police took the suspects to their residence at Nii Boi Town in Accra for a search, a pair of scissors, a cutter, 88 pieces of paper, cut into sizes of GH¢50, two bottles containing a liquid substance, two rolls of Sellotape, two bundles of white polythene bags and 60 sheets of paper all suspected to be materials for processing fake currencies, were also discovered.
She said preliminary investigation had revealed the suspects were fraudsters who swindled their victims under the pretext of doubling their money.
At least 25 people in western Liberia who were searching for diamonds have been trapped and are feared dead after a hole that they had dug collapsed, official sources in the area have said.
The incident took place in the town of Masakpa, near the border with Sierra Leone.
Aaron Vincent, superintendent of Grand Cape Mount county, told the BBC he was rushing to the scene to see for himself.
“It is a serious matter but I have to get there first to know what the actual situation is,“ he said on phone almost going out of breath.
There have been conflicting reports of the number of people involved, with some putting the figure at 50.
A relief worker speaking to OK FM, a radio station in the capital, Monrovia, said about 25 people were trapped and about three bodies had been recovered. A search operation was on going, the interviewee added.
Police spokesman Moses Carter told the BBC that he authorities had instructed the regional police to move in and restore order as the search continued.
Grand Cape Mount County is rich in minerals including iron ore, diamonds and gold, but the region is among the most economically inactive and underdeveloped in Liberia.
In 1982, a landslide in an old iron ore mining town, No-Way Camp, killed hundreds of people.
Liberia reported its first coronavirus case on Monday, a ministry official said.
“I can confirm that we have a case and we are managing it,” said Chief Medical Officer Francis Kateh. He didn’t provide further detail on the patient’s identity.
President George Weah is expected to make a speech later in the day.
Liberia has been named number one in the world when it comes to helping strangers, according to the World Giving Index, an annual ranking of people’s generosity.
Helping strangers is one of the three criteria the UK-based Charities Aid Foundation used to draw up the overall index of generosity.
It also looked at how much money people donate to charity and how much time people give to volunteering.
But it is in helping strangers that Africa excelled.
Including Liberia, there were seven African countries in the top 10 in that category: Sierra Leone (second), Kenya (fourth), Zambia (fifth), Uganda (sixth), Nigeria (seventh) and Malawi (joint 10th).
