The News Review:

- Sierra Leone: ‘I Am Still Bishop of UMC,’ Says Bishop Humper
- Sierra Leone: ADB Pledges More Support to Country
- Sierra Leone: Fish Shortage Rocks Freetown Markets
- Sierra Leone: Women Plan Protest for Bondo
- Liberia: Charles Taylor Taken for Medical Attention

Sierra Leone: ‘I Am Still Bishop of UMC,’ Says Bishop Humper
AllAfrica.com – Feb 27, 2008
Humper Monday told Concord Times that he is still the Bishop of UMC in Sierra Leone. His statement came after the church’s annual conference session at Baughman Church, brookfields ended in disorderliness thus attracting police presence. He also cleared the air on the misinformation going round about his tenure which he said will end in December this year.

Sierra Leone: ADB Pledges More Support to Country
AllAfrica.com – Feb 27, 2008
The group of directors paid a three-day visit to the country to get first hand information about their various projects. GA_googleFillSlot(“AllAfrica_Story_Inset”); ADB’s Executive Director covering Egypt and Djibouti, Dr. Hassan Ali Khedr said Sierra Leone deserves to be assisted by the bank because the people are just out of a civil war. He said post-conflict countries have big chances of getting more support from the bank but there should be coherence in the government’s capacity to manage resources in the right way.

Sierra Leone: Fish Shortage Rocks Freetown Markets
AllAfrica.com – Feb 27, 2008
Explaining the situation through her experience, Ramatu Bangura said she bought a carton of bonga fish for Le 8,000 last year but now, its price has increased to Le 33,000 "and I have to make profit," she said adding that she has been having problems with her customers because of the increment in price. GA_googleFillSlot(“AllAfrica_Story_Inset”); On what could have been responsible for the price increase and afterward, shortage in the commodity, Bangura said they observed that fishermen are paying high taxes and that the increase in the price of fuel also contributed to the shooting up of fish price. A sampled view of consumers revealed that many homes in Freetown are now wondering on how best to get fish in their meals. A resident of Freetown, Zainab Bolloh explains how some of them have been grappling with the increase in the price of fish.

Sierra Leone: Women Plan Protest for Bondo
AllAfrica.com – Feb 27, 2008
Coordinator of the Women’s Coalition in Kenema, Doris Kali disclosed to Concord Times that they have developed serious interest in the various discussion programmes on radio stations across the country condemning Bondo initiation and its connection with female genital mutilation (FGM). GA_googleFillSlot(“AllAfrica_Story_Inset”); "We are going to demonstrate for the government and the international community to know that we are against their denouncement of FGM and that we will continue with the practice because we inherited it," she said. Kali opines that the denouncement of Bondo is an abuse on traditional leaders and their women because a large number of them, especially those in the provinces, are members of the society. "The denouncement of Bondo in Sierra Leone is an abuse to us as Sierra Leoneans.

Liberia: Charles Taylor Taken for Medical Attention
AllAfrica.com – Feb 27, 2008
In May 2000 Lansana was put in prison and on 11 April 2006 he was convicted for murder and conspiracy to murder and received a 10 year sentence. He was scheduled for release on 8 March 2009. The Chief Prosecutor wrote a letter to the then-President of Sierra Leone for the early release of Lansana. Anyah quoted from this letter and asked if Lansana knew about it. Lansana stated he had no knowledge of the letter, that a human rights lawyer appealed on his behalf and he thought his early release was part of a general pardon that was issued accordingly. Anyah established that the OTP and Lansana discussed his safety and that of his family; money for the education of his children; and school uniforms for his children. Time of arrestAnyah disclosed that Lansana was brought to Pedemba Road Prison on 8 May 2000.