Sierra Leone news stories on Newser

Charles Taylor Guilty of War Crimes

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:33:18 CDT

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

Matt Cantor — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:55:40 CST

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 his...

Warlord Moves to Block Campbell Testimony

Rob Quinn — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:31:54 CDT

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 a...

221 Missing, 8 Dead in Sierra Leone Boat Accident

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:33:32 CDT

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

Mary Papenfuss — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:30:07 CDT

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 killed and their...

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

Matt Cantor — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:24:02 CDT

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 regarding accusations of terrorism,...

Fashion Week Hits Africa

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:12:01 CDT

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. "The excitement of youth...

Japan Tops Life-Expectancy List

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:55:01 CDT

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

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:46:01 CST

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...