Reuters: Sierra Leone News

FACTBOX-African warlord Charles Taylor on trial

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:30:09 +0000

Nov 10 (Reuters) - Liberia's former President Charles Taylor, the first African ruler to stand trial for war crimes, will be cross-examined on Tuesday. The 61-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutors to grill Taylor at war crimes trial

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:30:07 +0000

THE HAGUE, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Prosecutors at the U.N.-backed Sierra Leone court will start cross-examining Charles Taylor on Tuesday, challenging the former Liberian president on his denials of weapons trading in exchange for "blood diamonds".

Rwanda wants U.N. to send genocide convicts home

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:50:48 +0000

KIGALI, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The United Nations genocide court in Tanzania is reneging on its promise to transfer Rwandan convicts to serve the remainder of their sentences in their homeland, Rwanda's justice minister said.

Sierra Leone court sends convicts to Rwandan prison

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:40:33 +0000

FREETOWN, Oct 31 (Reuters) - The Special Court for Sierra Leone has transferred to Rwanda eight prisoners it has convicted of various serious crimes committed during the West African nation's decade-long civil war, the court said on Saturday.

UN investigator tells of horrors of world prisons

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:08:28 +0000

* 10 million people detained worldwide, 1 million children

Kimberley Process failing Africa - campaigners

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:35:06 +0000

KINSHASA, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The diamond industry's Kimberley Process is failing due to a lack of accountability and follow-up, paving the way for an illegal trade that could see a return of conflict stones to world markets, campaigners said.

UPDATE 1-Canada nabs suspected migrants off Pacific coast

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:02:27 +0000

* Origin unknown, possibly from Sri Lanka (Updates, adds details)

One-third of world's child brides from India-UNICEF

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:36:39 +0000

MUMBAI, Oct 6 (Reuters) - More than a third of the world's child brides are from India, leaving children at an increased risk of exploitation despite the Asian giant's growing modernity and economic wealth, according to a UNICEF report.

TABLE-UN country rankings for human development

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:17:25 +0000

Oct 5 (Reuters) - The United Nations Development Programme has compiled rankings of 182 countries or territories according to their wealth, education levels and life expectancy.

UPDATE 1-Chavez proposes Africa-South America mining firm

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:28:08 +0000

PORLAMAR, Venezuela, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez proposed on Sunday that South American and African nations unite to create a cross-continental mining corporation to keep control of their resources.