Zimbabwe’s wildlife authority has announced plans to cull approximately 200 elephants as part of efforts to address food shortages caused by severe drought. The El Nino-driven drought has ravaged crops across southern Africa, with the World Food Programme projecting that 7.6 million Zimbabweans will face food insecurity from January to April next year. The culling…
Nigeria is launching a new code of standards this week to fortify stock cubes with four essential micronutrients—iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12. This initiative aims to address widespread malnutrition and “hidden hunger” by enhancing the nutritional value of a commonly used seasoning. Dr. Augustine Okoruwa of Hellen Keller International emphasizes that fortification is…
In a bid to tackle unemployment and close skill gaps in Sierra Leone, 50 youths have been certified in Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) training. The certification ceremony, held on September 13, 2024, at Eastern Polytechnic, Freetown, marked a milestone in an initiative funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) aimed at boosting youth…
On September 13, 2024, Sierra Leone’s Arms and Ammunition Commission, in partnership with the Small Arms Survey, officially validated the National Action Plan (NAP) on Weapons and Ammunition Management. The event, held at Swiss Hotel in Freetown, marks a major step in strengthening the country’s security through improved control of weapons. The NAP, developed since…
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…
