Lauren Gelfand
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/ 18 November 2005

Wanted: Honest men and women for Liberian govt

Presumptive president-elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said on Thursday she is looking for a few honest men, and women, to form a government able to tackle the challenge of rebuilding war-torn Liberia. ”There are going to be three basic requirements: the requirement of competence; the requirement of honesty; and the requirement of the regard and protection of human rights,” she told reporters.

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/ 17 November 2005

Confused start to Liberian vote-fraud hearings

Hearings into Liberian presidential candidate George Weah’s claims of vote fraud opened amid confusion on Wednesday, when his lawyers failed to deliver witnesses or documents to back up allegations he was cheated of a rightful win in November 8 polls. Weah’s supporters have held three days of mostly peaceful protests.

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/ 16 November 2005

Liberia opens hearings into vote-fraud claims

Liberian officials on Wednesday opened hearings into claims of vote fraud made by trailing presidential candidate George Weah, who has urged his supporters to quell protests even as the government imposed a ban on demonstrations in the capital. Preliminary results showed that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had won nearly 60% of votes.

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/ 7 October 2005

Lights, water, action? Not so fast, Liberia

If Liberia had a lightbulb for everyone who has promised electricity as part of its reconstruction, the capital Monrovia would be lit up like Las Vegas, and not wreathed in perpetual darkness. As the electoral campaign for October 11 polls winds down, presidential candidates are stepping up their promises, committing to bring current and running water to the roughly one million residents.

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/ 8 July 2005

Africa grieves for London

Africa expressed grief and shock on Thursday after a string of explosions in London killed at least 37 people, amid concerns that ending African poverty will take a back seat to security issues at the Group of Eight summit in Scotland. ”The world and all progressive humanity are with you,” said President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria.