more images

Former British premier Tony Blair encourages investment in Sierra Leone, now war is over

UK’s Blair encourages investment in Sierra Leone

Ex-Liberia president Taylor claims war crimes indictment was part of US regime change plan

Ex-Liberia president says US sought to oust him

Charles Taylor claims his war crimes indictment was part of US regime change plan

Taylor claims US sought to oust him from power

After 13 weeks, Charles Taylor nears end of testimony in his own defense at war crimes trial

Taylor nears end of testifying in his own defense

Sierra Leone links up with India medics

FREETOWN - Sierra Leone ’s president has launched a satellite link-up so that doctors in his country can seek advice from their colleagues in India.

US Peace Corps to return to Sierra Leone after 16 years’ absence: US official

Peace Corps to return to Sierra Leone

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — A US official says the Peace Corps will return to Sierra Leone after 16 years’ absence.

Tribunal upholds sentences for 3 ex-Sierra Leone rebels convicted of crimes against humanity

Sierra Leone upholds sentences for 3 former rebels

World leaders seek global solutions to confront multiple crises

UNITED NATIONS — Global leaders on Thursday warned colleagues that coordinated international action to end the worldwide recession and reverse climate change must not fall victim to routine political divisions and pitfalls.

Police arrest 2 attendants who survived a boat that capsized off the coast of Sierra Leone

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — Police say they have arrested two attendants who survived after an overloaded wooden boat capsized off the coast of Sierra Leone, killing at least 30.

Police: More than 200 missing, feared dead after boat capsizes near Sierra Leone’s coast

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — More than 200 people, including many schoolchildren returning from holidays, were missing and feared dead Thursday, a day after a wooden boat capsized at sea, authorities said.

Police: At least 221 people missing, 8 dead after boat capsizes near Sierra Leone’s coast

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — More than 200 people, including many schoolchildren returning from holidays, remained missing Thursday, a day after a wooden boat capsized at sea and left at least eight dead, police said.

Sierra Leone boat capsizes with 150 aboard, police say 8 confirmed dead

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — Police in Sierra Leone say a boat carrying 150 people has capsized on a river near the coast of the West African nation, killing at least eight people.

80 children drown as boat capsizes in Sierra Leone

FREETOWN - At least 80 children were killed when the boat in which they were travelling capsised off the coast of Sierra Leone capital during a storm, media reports said.

Former Liberian president uses witness stand at war crimes trial to strike back at US

AMSTERDAM — Charles Taylor accuses the United States of gunboat diplomacy, of dumping him as part of a global policy of “regime change” and of hypocrisy on human rights. Defending himself in court against war crimes charges, the former Liberian president is hitting back at his nemesis.

Liberian Charles Taylor lifts veil on life of guerrilla leader-turned besieged strongman

AMSTERDAM — In three weeks on the witness stand, Charles Taylor has painted a portrait of an African strongman — navigating rebellions and palace intrigue, and ultimately failing in a struggle to survive as Liberia’s president.

Ex-Liberian president Charles Taylor blames UN envoy for false charge

AMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor on Thursday blamed the beginning of his legal troubles on a former U.N. envoy who he claimed misidentified Liberians fighting in Sierra Leone as his men.

Former Liberian president denies cannibalism allegations at war crimes trial

AMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor said Monday he was sickened by allegations at his war crimes trial that he ate human flesh, calling testimony by a former aide the lies of an illiterate man.

Former Liberian president denies at war crimes trial sending weapons to Sierra Leone rebels

AMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor pointed to impassible roads and his country’s own mineral wealth Monday to deny key testimony at his war crimes trial that he had traded arms for diamonds in Sierra Leone.

Ex-Liberian President Charles Taylor calls key prosecution witness at war crimes trial ‘crazy’

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor said Tuesday that a key prosecution witness at his war crimes trial was a low-level official who “went crazy” years before testifying against him.

Ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor denies looting funds, blood diamonds from Sierra Leone war

AMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor on Monday challenged anyone to find a bank account of his holding illicit funds or “blood diamonds” from the civil war in Sierra Leone.

Former Liberian leader challenges anyone to find booty from the war in Sierra Leone

AMSTERDAM — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor issued a challenge at his war crimes trial Monday to find any bank account owned by him holding illicit funds or “blood diamonds” from the civil war in Sierra Leone.

Former Liberian leader denies role in creating Sierra Leone rebel group or invading neighbor

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor denied on Monday that he had played any part in forming the guerrilla force that invaded Sierra Leone in the early 1990s.

Ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor admits he allowed the use of enemy skulls at roadblocks

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — In an unusual defense against war crimes charges, former Liberian President Charles Taylor told judges Thursday that he saw nothing wrong with displaying the skulls of slain enemy soldiers at roadblocks.

Ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor says his troops were trained to avoid atrocities

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Former Liberian President Charles Taylor has told a war crimes court his band of rebel fighters were trained in Libya to avoid atrocities as they swept into the country in a 1989 revolution.

Ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor rejects war crimes charges, says he was a corruption fighter

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The American CIA and Libya’s leader Moammar Gadhafi both had a hand in Charles Taylor’s rise to power as Cold War politics and pan-African struggles helped propel him to the presidency in Liberia, according to his testimony Wednesday at his war crimes trial.

Ex-Liberian leader portrays himself as corruption fighter in early years of rise to power

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Charles Taylor retraced his rise to power in Liberia to war crimes judges Wednesday, casting himself as an anti-corruption fighter in his army-ruled nation before ousting the military in a coup to restore democracy.

Former Liberian leader tells tribunal that war crimes case based on ‘deceit, deception, lies’

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — His combat fatigues were replaced by a dark suit and tie, and the tinted aviator glasses gave the former Liberian leader a haughty air as he took the stand Tuesday to emphatically denounce the war crimes charges against him as “disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumors.”

Liberia’s Taylor ends 3-year silence, says war crimes case is deceit, deception and lies

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Ending three years of silence, former Liberian President Charles Taylor began building his defense against war crimes charges Tuesday, portraying himself as a peacemaker rather than the cannibalistic warlord described by prosecutors.