Sierra Leone

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'Hero' Ebola Doctor Dies; US Physician Is 'Grave'

Disease threatens to spread to Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria

(Newser) - Dr. Sheik Umar Khan, one of the leading doctors fighting Sierra Leone's Ebola outbreak, died today of the virus in yet another high-profile casualty , reports the BBC . The death of the man hailed by the government as a "national hero" comes as Nigeria, the continent's most populous...

Leading Ebola Doctor Contracts the Disease

Sierra Leone virologist being treated by Doctors Without Borders

(Newser) - A doctor hailed as a "national hero" for his leading role in treating the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone now needs treatment himself, reports UPI . Dr. Sheik Umar Khan caught the disease—which kills about 90% of those infected—and was being treated at a facility run by Doctors...

Ebola 'Out of Control' in Worst Outbreak Ever

Group says drastic action necessary, calls meeting

(Newser) - The World Health Organization is calling an emergency meeting of health ministers from 11 countries next week in hopes of coming up with a plan to combat the worst outbreak of Ebola the world has ever seen. So far more than 390 people have died in the outbreak, which is...

Doctors Helpless Against Worst-Ever Ebola Outbreak

At least 337 dead in 3 West African countries

(Newser) - The Ebola outbreak that was called "unprecedented" when it had killed 80 people in March has now infected at least 500 people in three countries and health authorities say they're not sure how to stop it. The outbreak has now killed at least 337 people, making it the...

Court Upholds Charles Taylor's 50-Year Sentence

Appeals chamber issues unanimous ruling

(Newser) - An international war crimes court unanimously upheld the conviction and 50-year sentence of former Liberian President Charles Taylor for aiding rebels in neighboring Sierra Leone, ruling today that his financial, material, and tactical support fueled horrendous crimes against civilians. The appeals chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone upheld...

Cops: Smuggler at JFK Had Uranium in Shoes

Feds say he thought he was selling to Iran for nukes

(Newser) - How's this for an unusual airport bust: Authorities say a guy at JFK flew into the country with uranium ore hidden in the soles of his shoes. The suspect thought he was working on a deal to sell that ore and much more to Iran for use in nuclear...

1 in 4 Humans Paid a Bribe Last Year

Global corruption survey finds widespread bribery

(Newser) - Roughly 27% of people worldwide have paid a bribe to a government agency in the last 12 months, according to the latest Global Corruption Barometer report from Transparency International. The survey covered more than 114,000 people across 107 countries, the Wall Street Journal reports, and on the bright side,...

Charles Taylor Sentenced to 50 Years

Former Liberian president expected to appeal

(Newser) - Charles Taylor is going away for 50 years. The former Liberian president, 64, was sentenced to a half-century in a British prison today, as international war crimes court judges blamed him for "some of the most heinous and brutal crimes recorded in human history." But Taylor will likely...

Charles Taylor Guilty of War Crimes

International court rules against former Liberian president

(Newser) - In a historic ruling, an international court convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor on Thursday of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity for supporting notoriously brutal rebels in neighboring Sierra Leone in return for blood diamonds. Taylor is the first head of state convicted by an international...

West African Leaders Push Ivory Coast's Gbagbo to Leave

20K flee country as violent confrontation looms

(Newser) - Last chance for a peaceful resolution? West African leaders met with Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo today to try to resolve the country’s post-election strife, the BBC reports. The heads of Benin, Sierra Leone, and Cape Verde met with Gbagbo, who has refused to step down despite international support for...

Warlord Moves to Block Campbell Testimony

Taylor accused of giving model 'blood diamond'

(Newser) - Supermodels aren't often called as witnesses at war crimes tribunals, and Liberian strongman Charles Taylor's lawyers want to keep it that way. They're seeking to block Naomi Campbell from being subpoenaed to appear at Taylor's trial to testify about a "blood diamond" she allegedly received from the warlord at...

221 Missing, 8 Dead in Sierra Leone Boat Accident

Vessel was carrying mostly schoolkids

(Newser) - Police say more than 200 people remain missing in Sierra Leone a day after a boat capsized, killing at least eight. Most of the passengers were schoolchildren returning from holidays in the West African nation. At least 221 people remain missing, with 39 passengers rescued. The boat was traveling from...

Ex Liberian Prez Defends Skull Displays

(Newser) - Former Liberian President Charles Taylor defended displaying human skulls along roadways in his country to scare people into obeying soldiers' orders, reports the Times of London. “Skulls were used as symbols of death,” he told the judges at his trial at the Hague. “Enemy soldiers had been...

Ex-Liberian Prez: War-Crimes Charges 'Lies'

Taylor calls himself 'lover of humanity'

(Newser) - Former Liberian president Charles Taylor took the stand today in the Hague, calling war-crimes allegations against him “lies,” the BBC reports. “It is very, very, very unfortunate that the prosecution, because of disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumors would associate me with such titles or descriptions,” he said...

Fashion Week Hits Africa
  Fashion Week Hits Africa  
Jun 15, 2009 3:12 PM CDT

Fashion Week Hits Africa

Amidst global downturn, African designers poised to rise

(Newser) - The recession is taking a toll on demand for haute couture, but African designers are betting the youthfulness of their industry will trump the economy at the first pan-African fashion week. “We’re growing,” says a designer from Sierra Leone who trained in New York and Paris. "...

Japan Tops Life-Expectancy List

Sierra Leone, Afghanistan fall at bottom

(Newser) - Health initiatives and wars have flipped some of the world's life expectancies since 1990, the World Heath Organization said today. Some findings, via AP:
  • Japanese women, at 86, and San Marino men, 81, enjoy the longest life expectancies.
  • Sierra Leone men, 39, at Afghan women, 42, have the shortest.
  • In
...

Salma Hayek Breastfeeds Starving Baby

On-camera moment sparks viral video

(Newser) - Footage of Salma Hayek breastfeeding a starving African baby has gone viral, Salon reports, prompting responses from some who are impressed and others who are, predictably, turned on. The actress, who is still breastfeeding her own daughter, was filmed with babe in arms by Nightline during a humanitarian trip to...

Thais Nab 'Merchant of Death'
Thais Nab 'Merchant of Death'
Mar 6, 2008 5:18 PM CST

Thais Nab 'Merchant of Death'

Russian arms dealer may face US trial for supplying terror groups worldwide

(Newser) - The Russian arms dealer branded "the merchant of death" was apprehended in Thailand today after US intelligence linked him to Colombia rebels, the New York Times reports. Viktor Bout is on international most-wanted lists for allegedly using his private air fleet to supply al Qaeda and the Taliban—plus...

'Blood Diamonds' Trial Opens
'Blood Diamonds' Trial Opens
Jan 7, 2008 3:29 AM CST

'Blood Diamonds' Trial Opens

War crimes court pleads for cash in case against former Liberian president

(Newser) - The war crimes trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor is set to begin in The Hague after months of costly delays—forcing the court to ask for financial handouts to complete the proceedings. Taylor, 59, trained Sierra Leone's notoriously violent Revolutionary United Front in exchange for "blood diamonds,...

UN: Iceland Best Place to Live
UN: Iceland Best Place to Live
Nov 27, 2007 1:21 PM CST

UN: Iceland Best Place to Live

Sub-Saharan Africa, it turns out, not so great

(Newser) - Iceland has inched out longtime champ Norway as the best place in the world to live, and sub-Saharan Africa is the worst. The UN list, out today, ranks countries by real per-capita GDP, education, and life expectancy. The US ranked 12th, down from 8th last year, as relatively low life...

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