White House warns US is running out of money for Ukraine war
The White House has issued a grave warning to Congress that if it fails to pass legislation by the end of the year to continue funding Ukraine’s defence, then Russia will be more likely to win the nearly two-year-old war. “There is no magical pot of funding available to meet this moment. We are out of money – and nearly out of time”. Ms Young said the failure to appropriate more funding for much-needed defence assistance to Kyiv would “kneecap” Ukraine’s defence forces, “not only putting at risk the gains Ukraine has made, but increasing the likelihood of Russian military victories”. The White House budget director’s warning comes as Mr Johnson has refused to make clear whether he would allow the House to vote on a supplemental funding bill that would include aid to both Ukraine and Israel, as President Joe Biden has requested.
Source:GNN Liberia
December 04, 2023 18:04 UTC
HOLDING BOAKAI BY HIS WORDS: Naymote Releases Comprehensive Report on Unity Party’s Tracked Campaign Promises
PAYNESVILLE – Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has unveiled a report of campaign promises by the Unity Party (UP) it tracked during the 2023 general elections. The promises were tracked from the winning party’s manifesto containing six pillars including its campaign rallies, media engagements, and public statements, according to Naymote. “Post-inauguration in January 2024, Naymote will commence tracking the government’s performance against these promises for the next six years. Under pillar two which tends to address health, WASH, the environment, and climate change, a total of nine promises were also tracked. Seven promises were tracked under pillar four with emphasis on foreign relations, rule of law, accountability, governance and transparency and reconciliation.
Source:Front Page Africa
December 04, 2023 14:57 UTC
U.S. And Allies Increase Pressure on Liberia, Marshall Islands, and Panama to Enforce Russian Oil Sanctions
Lloyd’s List Intelligence and oil analysts have noted that Panama, the Marshall Islands, and Liberia have been unwittingly involved in the “flag hopping” phenomenon. Approximately 40% of the 535 dark-fleet tankers have registered ownership through companies incorporated in the Marshall Islands, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. The letters addressed to Liberia, the Marshall Islands, and Panama highlight the growing concern over circumvention of the G7’s price cap on Russian oil. While the three countries are not subject to Russian sanctions themselves, the objective of this pressure campaign is not to reduce the number of ships carrying Russian oil but to tighten compliance with the price cap. Embassies in Washington for Liberia, the Marshall Islands, and Panama have not responded to requests for comments as of now.
Source:Front Page Africa
December 04, 2023 14:39 UTC
US pledges $3 billion for climate aid to poor countries at COP28
Jennifer A Dlouhy, Bloomberg News |The U.S. will pledge $3 billion toward a United Nations fund meant to help developing countries slash greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change — an effort that could help rebuild trust in rich nations’ promises of aid amid pivotal climate talks in Dubai. This is the second round of replenishment for the fund, and the U.S. promise would bring it to its highest level yet. The pledge is seen as helping to shore up U.S. credibility at the start of the two-week COP28. During negotiations at recent COPs, the limits of finance — and the long-running failure of wealthy countries to provide it — have fostered deep mistrust and tension. The rich world was supposed to provide $100 billion a year in climate finance for emerging economies starting in 2020, a milestone it appears to have reached two years late.
Source:GNN Liberia
December 03, 2023 23:41 UTC
Liberia Secures Category ‘A’ Seat In the International Maritime Council Meeting in A Historic Win
London – In a fiercely contested election at the 33rd Assembly session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, Liberia emerged victorious, securing a seat in Category ‘A’ of the IMO Council. The IMO Council, comprised of 40 Members, is the executive arm of the organization, and Category ‘A’ consists of countries with the largest interest in providing international shipping services. Liberia, with its impressive 14 percent share of the world’s oceangoing fleet, totaling over 5,000 vessels, fittingly falls into this top-tier category. This triumph holds particular historical weight for Liberia, which last occupied a Category ‘A’ seat in 1995. The Liberia Maritime Authority, noting the country’s substantial contributions to the maritime industry, strategically decided to vie for the Category ‘A’ seat in 2020.
Source:Front Page Africa
December 03, 2023 19:02 UTC
More than 100 countries at COP28 agree to triple renewable energy, push out fossil fuels
Governments launched new initiatives on Saturday to bolster clean energy and to wean themselves off fossil fuels at the U.N. climate summit in Dubai, where countries are grappling with how to halt the non-stop rise in planet-warming emissions. In one of the most widely supported initiatives, 118 governments pledged to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity by 2030 at the U.N.’s COP28 climate summit on Saturday, as a route to cut the share of fossil fuels in the world’s energy production. “This can and will help transition the world away from unabated coal,” said Sultan al-Jaber, the United Arab Emirates’ COP28 summit President. Led by the European Union, United States and UAE, the pledge also said tripling renewable energy would help remove CO2-emitting fossil fuels from the world’s energy system by 2050 at the latest. While China and India have signalled support for tripling renewable energy by 2030, neither backed the overall pledge on Saturday – which pairs the ramp-up in clean power with a reduction in fossil fuel use.
Source:GNN Liberia
December 03, 2023 13:17 UTC
Judges Open Donald Trump up to Flood of Lawsuits
Former President Donald Trump can be sued for inciting the January 6, 2021, riot at the United States Capitol building, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday. Trump’s attorneys have argued his presidential immunity protects him from liability, arguing that his words involved “matters of public concern,” the Associated Press reported. But a federal court on Friday declined to dismiss the lawsuits on that basis. The three-judge panel noted, however, the ruling was not the final word on whether Trump’s presidential immunity applies to the case and does reflect “no view on the ultimate merits of the claims,” according to the Associated Press. Judges open Trump new lawsuitsThe panel found that Trump was operating “in his personal capacity as a presidential candidate,” rather than his official capacity, at the time of the rally, Reuters reported.
Source:GNN Liberia
December 02, 2023 08:02 UTC
Weah’s Administrative Dismissal Axe Falls; Dismisses Two Commerce Ministry Officials
Two ministers dismissed for administrative reasons are the Deputy Minister for Commerce and Trade, George D. Wolo and Peter D. Somah, Assistant Minister for Commerce with as the Liberian Chief Executive took the decision on Friday, December 1, 2023. Prior to this latest dismissal, the President of the Republic, H.E. The Liberian Chief Executive is being accompanied by the Minister of National Defense, Rtd. While the President is away, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Hon. G. Wesseh Blamoh will act as Chair of the Cabinet in consultation with the Vice President and via telephone conversation with the President.
Source:GNN Liberia
December 01, 2023 20:08 UTC
Tracking Promises: Naymote Releases Comprehensive Report on Unity Party’s Commitments in the Wake of President-Elect Boakai’s Victory
(November 30, 2023) Naymote Partners for Democratic Development is pleased to present the report on the tracking of campaign promises during the 2023 Liberian presidential election. These promises were derived from the Unity Party’s manifesto, campaign rallies, media engagements, and public statements. These promises spanned economic aspects (8 promises), financial management (10 promises), agriculture (12 promises), natural resource management (3 promises), job creation (6 promises), commerce and industry (2 promises), infrastructure development (5 promises), transportation (4 promises), information communication technology (ICT) (3 promises), and culture and tourism (5 promises). Pillar Three: Human Capacity Development Seven (7) promises were documented under this pillar, with primary focus on education. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that political campaign promises translate into tangible actions that positively impact the lives of the Liberian people.
Source:GNN Liberia
December 01, 2023 01:44 UTC
Sierra Leone Police declares 34 persons wanted in connection with last Sunday’s apparent attempted coup
Following thorough investigation after hundreds of inmates who broke jail in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, the country police force have released a list of individuals wanted The Sierra Leone Police Force has released listThe police in Sierra Leone, on Tuesday, declared 34 persons wanted in connection with last Sunday’s apparent attempted coup. The 34 persons whose pictures were released by the Sierra Leone police are wanted for questioning over their roles in the attempted coup that started with an attack on the armoury at the Wilberforce Barracks in Freetown. The 34 wanted persons include military officers and civilians including two females. The attempted coup was the second in the country, following a disputed presidential election that returned incumbent President, Julius Mada Bio, to power for a second term in office. The first attempted coup happened about three months ago following a disputed presidential election in June.
Source:GNN Liberia
November 28, 2023 22:32 UTC
50 ISIS fighters killed in an explosion in Nigeria
Two trucks loaded with militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Sunday exploded when they hit a mine outside Arina Masallaci village in Marte district, according to two anti-jihadist militia members assisting the Nigeria military fighting the jihadists. “The trucks were loaded with the insurgents when the one in the lead hit the mine and exploded along with the second truck trailing closely behind,” Babakura Kolo said. “Around 50 of the insurgents from both vehicles were killed and others were injured,” Kolo said. The militants were on their way to launch an attack when the incident happened around 0800GMT, said another militiaman Ibrahim Liman who gave the same toll. Their loss is in the region of 50 fighters,” Liman said.
Source:GNN Liberia
November 28, 2023 13:20 UTC
Israel, Hamas Prepare Lists of Hostages to Release After Agreement to Extend Ceasefire by Two Days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received a list of 10 Israeli hostages set to be released by Hamas today, while Israel has identified an additional 50 female Palestinian prisoners it would release as a ceasefire in Gaza stretches into a fifth day. A plane carrying Qatari diplomats landed in Israel early Tuesday afternoon local time, likely for the same reasons, the newspaper Haaretz reported. Qataris’ prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdelrahman Al-Thani rejected criticism by Israel that his country, a major funder of Hamas, was too close to the Gaza-based terror group. “We have built relations with Hamas in order to maintain peace and stability in the region,” he told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine. In recent years, we have negotiated cease-fires or similar agreements between Hamas and Israel over and over again.
Source:GNN Liberia
November 28, 2023 13:20 UTC
Liberian Timber Stakeholders Explore Broader Int’l Market
Liberian Timber stakeholders under the banner “Broader Market Recognition Coalition” (MBRC) has endorsed an international instrument aimed at opening new horizons in the international market that would give them the opportunity to sell Liberia timber species to more countries other than Britain and the European Union. The document was endorsed over the weekend following a two-day brainstorming session in Monrovia by representatives from the government led by the Forestry Development Authority, private sector (logging companies) and civil society. The statement said in view of the above, Liberia’s forest stakeholders recognized that in establishing the BMRC National Committee, consideration should be given to strengthening the existing Multi-stakeholders Processes. According to the Liberian forest stakeholders, the BMRC is a new approach thus concerted efforts should be made to provide education and awareness by the BMRC National Committee of Liberia to ensure that all forest stakeholders fully embraces this global initiative to incentivize tropical sustainable forest systems. Other Liberian forest stakeholders that signed the MBRC document alongside the FDA include the Liberia Timber Association (LibTA); relevant Government Ministries and Agencies (MAC); Liberia Chainsaw and Timber Dealers Union; NGO Coalition of Liberia; the National Benefit Trust Sharing Board and the National Union of Community Forest Management Board.
Source:GNN Liberia
November 27, 2023 15:44 UTC
Hamas, Israel release prisoners on third day of truce
By JAMES MACKENZIE, Reuters |JERUSALEM – Hamas freed 17 hostages held in Gaza, including a 4-year-old American girl, while Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the third day of their truce. Hamas said it wanted to extend the truce if serious efforts were made to increase the number of Palestinian detainees released by Israel. U.S. President Joe Biden said he hoped the pause in fighting can go on as long as hostages are getting released. He hoped more Americans would be released by Hamas although he did not have firm news. Biden said the 4-year-old hostage, Abigail Edan, had witnessed her parents being killed by Hamas fighters during their Oct. 7 raid into Israel and had been held since then.
Source:GNN Liberia
November 27, 2023 09:32 UTC
US Navy thwarts seizure of Israel-linked cargo ship
Source: Aljazeera News |The US military has captured five attackers who seized an Israel-linked cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden amid missile attacks from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Liberian-flagged tanker, which had been hauling phosphoric acid, was identified as the Central Park by the vessel’s company. The ship is managed by Zodiac Maritime Ltd, a London-headquartered international ship management firm, owned by Israel’s Ofer family. The US military said the USS Mason, with help from allied ships, demanded that the commercial ship be released by the attackers. “Subsequently, five armed individuals debarked the ship and attempted to flee via their small boat,” US Central Command said in a statement.
Source:GNN Liberia
November 27, 2023 09:12 UTC