The Institute of Governance Reforms (IGR), in partnership with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), hosted a stakeholder engagement on Friday to validate draft development plans for four local councils in Sierra Leone. The goal was to engage MDAs and the private sector in shaping local…
The Judiciary of Sierra Leone will officially open the Michaelmas Criminal Sessions of the High Court in Freetown on Tuesday, 17th September 2024. The ceremony, starting at 8:30 AM at High Court No. 1, will be led by Acting Chief Justice Hon. Nicholas C. Browne-Marke. It will feature a ceremonial case call-over and a Guard…
On Monday, September 16, 2024, Moroccan authorities increased security in Fnideq, a town near the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, after recent social media calls for border crossings into Europe. Despite the deployment of numerous security personnel and a strong land and sea presence, some migrants, including Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans, attempted to cross but were…
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will soon introduce new passports, according to a recent announcement by the president of their confederation. In a televised address on September 15, Malian President Col. Assimi Goïta stated that the new passports are designed to harmonize travel documents within the confederation and facilitate global mobility for their citizens. The…
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the US of obstructing UN Security Council resolutions aimed at a Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Speaking after a discussion with his Egyptian counterpart, Lavrov criticized the US for allegedly blocking measures to halt the violence and dismissed a US-backed resolution as ineffective. Russia abstained from voting…
The death toll from Typhoon Yagi in Myanmar has risen to over 220, with nearly 80 people still missing, according to the military government. The storm, which hit northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar in early September, has claimed over 500 lives across the region. In Myanmar, the storm triggered severe floods and mudslides, destroying…
Tanzania’s leading opposition party, CHADEMA, has announced the death of Ali Kibao, a key official who disappeared last week. His body was discovered with signs of severe beatings and acid burns on his face. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, known for easing restrictions on the opposition, condemned the killing in a statement on X (formerly Twitter),…
Over 40 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a crowded humanitarian safe zone for displaced Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday. The attack targeted Al-Mawasi, a tent encampment near Khan Younis, hitting with four missiles and leaving behind deep craters. The strike injured at least 60 others and ignited fires in the area. Israel…
In a national address, President Julius Maada Bio announced that Sierra Leone will hold a Population and Housing Census in 2025. This follows the enactment of Statutory Instrument No. 8 of 2024, effective from August 29, 2024. The census is scheduled for the 2nd to the 15th December, 2025. President Bio highlighted the significance of…
James Earl Jones, the legendary American actor renowned for his deep, commanding voice and iconic roles in film, TV, and theater, has passed away at 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died early Monday, surrounded by loved ones. Best known as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, Jones’ career…
