News as at
August 24, 2026, 5:07 am
Liberia Receives First 20 U.S. Transferees
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA, August 20, 2026 -- The first group of 20 people transferred from the United States has arrived in Liberia, marking the beginning of an arrangement under which the country has agreed to receive up to 1,200 third-country nationals from the U.S.
Former VP Jewel Taylor Rushed to Hospital Under Police Escort
- [Liberian Observer] Former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor spent Thursday night at the Gomez Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in the Sophie Community, Congo Town, after being rushed to the facility following a medical emergency while in police custody.
Arrest of Former Vice President Taylor Sparks Political Showdown
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA -- The headquarters of the Liberia National Police (LNP) became a scene of heightened political tension Wednesday when former Montserrado County District #8 Representative Moses Acarus Gray was escorted from the compound after arriving to show solidarity with former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor.
Alcop Accuses LNP of Intimidating Sen. Amara Konneh Over Drug Probe
- [Liberian Investigator] The All Liberia Coalition Party (ALCOP) supports the government's fight against drugs but condemns in the strongest terms what it describes as the Liberia National Police (LNP) apparent intimidation of critical voices calling for accountability in the ongoing fight against cocaine and other illicit drugs.
AFL Presses Grand Kru Women to Enlist in the Army
- [Liberian Observer] Women in Grand Kru County who are 18 or older can enlist in the Armed Forces of Liberia in a coming recruitment exercise, an opening the military is pressing in a force where women hold 7.5% of the positions.
Abail Reborn to Boost U.S.-Liberia Trade
- [Liberian Observer] The American Business Association in Liberia, Inc. (ABAIL) inducted its newly elected officers and Board of Directors on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Royal Grand Hotel, marking a renewed chapter in the association's efforts to strengthen commercial relations between Liberia and the United States.
Pres. Boakai Signs Cybercrime, Data Protection Acts Into Law
- [Liberian Investigator] PAYNESVILLE -- President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has signed into law the Cybercrime Act and the Data Protection Act, marking a major development in Liberia's efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and protect personal information in the country's rapidly expanding digital environment.
LTA Opens Liberia's Skies to Satellite Services With New Regulatory Framework
- [Liberian Investigator] PAYNESVILLE -- Satellite companies can now apply to sell broadband, backhaul and direct-to-device service in Liberia under a licensing regime the Liberia Telecommunications Authority adopted this week, a change that opens rural areas no tower reaches to operators who until now had no clear route into the market.
Govt Sets August 26 Deadline for Yellow Machine Deployment
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA, August 21, 2026 -- The Liberian government has set August 26 as the deadline to complete the nationwide deployment of its yellow machines across all 15 counties, with the road equipment program projected to create up to 1,200 jobs.
Govt, UN Move to Align U.S.$874m Funding With National Priorities
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA, August 21, 2026 -- The Government of Liberia has called for stronger coordination, transparency and accountability with the United Nations Country Team to ensure an indicative US$874 million development financing envelope is aligned with national priorities and delivers measurable results for Liberians.
Weah Accuses Boakai of 'Tyrannical' Rule
- [Liberian Observer] Former President George Manneh Weah has accused President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's administration of undermining Liberia's democracy and using what he described as "extrajudicial powers" to target political opponents, following the reported detention and travel restriction imposed on former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor.
Kemayah Committee's Legality Questioned
- [Liberian Observer] The prosecution has opened its case in the high-profile Saudi humanitarian rice diversion trial before Criminal Court "C," with the State's first witness alleging that former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah Sr. created an unauthorized inter-ministerial committee to investigate the disappearance of donated rice and subsequently facilitated the removal of the remaining consignment from its lawful custodian.
Liberia, Five Others Benefit From U.S.$5.3m AfDB Tax Administration Project
- [Liberian Observer] Liberia is among six West African countries set to benefit from a US$5.3 million African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed initiative designed to strengthen tax administration, improve domestic revenue mobilization, and build resilient revenue systems across the region.
Finance Ministry Seeks Greater Oversight of UN Development Resources
- [Liberian Observer] Deputy Minister for Economic Management at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Dehpue Y. Zuo, has called for stronger coordination, transparency, and accountability between the Government of Liberia and the United Nations Country Team to ensure development resources remain aligned with national priorities and deliver measurable improvements in the lives of Liberians.
CSA Warns Poor-Performing Consultants Against Contract Renewal
- [Liberian Observer] The Civil Service Agency (CSA) has warned consultants of the government that poor performance could cost them contract renewals, as the government moves to strengthen accountability and value for money under its centralized consultancy regime.
Scnl, Partners Boost Forest Communities' Livelihoods Through Cassava Processing Facility
- [Liberian Observer] A new cassava processing facility commissioned in Fornor Town, Porkpa District, is expected to transform the economic prospects of farmers living around the Gola Forest National Park by helping them move beyond subsistence production into value-added agriculture.
Liberia's Decentralization Push Stalls As Counties Face Funding, Capacity Gaps
- [Liberian Investigator] MONROVIA -- Liberia's drive to shift development closer to its citizens continues to face serious funding, institutional, and coordination challenges, prompting government officials, development partners, and civil society actors to call for stronger local governance, greater citizen participation, and predictable financing to turn county development plans into tangible results.
SUP Demands School Renovation, University Transition Support
- [Liberian Investigator] CAPITOL HILL -- UL campus-based political party, the Students Unification Party (SUP) on Thursday marched through Capitol Hill demanding government action to renovate dilapidated public schools and improve support for students transitioning from high school to university.
Questions Raised Over Credentials Submitted for Uniboa Presidential Candidacy
- [Liberian Investigator] MONROVIA -- Questions have been raised regarding the educational credentials submitted by United Bassa Organizations in the Americas (UNIBOA) Pennsylvania Chapter Presidential Candidate Madam Rhoda Yassah Redd as part of her application to contest the upcoming UNIBOA national election.
'Ex-VP Howard Taylor Connected to U.S.$317m Drugs Case'
- [Liberian Observer] The fight against illicit drugs has entered a politically explosive phase after Police Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman emphatically placed former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor within a trafficking network linked to the country's reported US$317 million cocaine seizure, while Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh defended the government's decision to stop her from leaving the country and subsequently bring her into custody.
Opposition Rallies Around Ex-VP Taylor
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA -- Several opposition leaders have rallied in solidarity with former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor following her questioning by the Liberia National Police in connection with the ongoing multimillion-dollar cocaine investigation.
When the Wind By Xiangjiang River Meets the Shwedagon Pagoda By Yangon River - Han Changsha Culture Space Launches the First Overseas Station in Myanmar
- [Liberian Observer] August 19th, the first overseas station of the Han Changsha Culture Space officially opens in Yangon, Myanmar. Unveiled at the China Cultural Center in Yangon, this station marks the first regular Sino-Myanmar cultural exchange landmark in the Shwedagon Pagoda area. Li Qianguo, Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, attended and delivered a speech;Han Jiajun, Director of the China Cultural Center in Yangon, presided over the opening ceremony.
UP Backs Joint Security Over Taylor Charges
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA -- The governing Unity Party (UP) has commended the Joint Security over the investigation and subsequent charges against former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor in connection with the ongoing multimillion-dollar cocaine probe, urging security agencies to remain professional and not be swayed by political or public pressure.
From Passport Scandal to Cocaine Charges
- [Liberian Observer] The formal charging of former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in connection with the alleged trafficking of 237.6 kilograms of cocaine valued at US$19.2 million has transformed what was already a major narcotics investigation into one of the country's most politically consequential criminal cases.
LTA Urges Global Satellite Community to Invest in Liberia
- [Liberian Observer] The Chairperson of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), Clarence K. Massaquoi has called on international satellite operators and investors to explore opportunities in Liberia, following the Authority's adoption of new Satellite Communications Guidelines designed to create a predictable regulatory environment for the rapidly growing sector.
CDC Condemns Taylor Questioning
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA -- Liberia's main opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has condemned the questioning of former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor in connection with the ongoing cocaine investigation, accusing the government of attempting to intimidate and scapegoat opposition figures.
Was VP Taylor's Arrest Lawful?
- [New Dawn] MONROVIA -- Questions are mounting over whether the arrest and detention of former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor in connection with Liberia's ongoing multimillion-dollar cocaine investigation followed proper legal procedures, as police insist their actions were lawful and based on credible evidence.
Ex-VP Jewel Howard-Taylor Becomes Person of Interest in Cocaine Probe
- [Liberian Observer] Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has been invited by investigators of the Liberian National Police to answer questions in connection with an ongoing cocaine investigation, police spokesperson Sam Collins has confirmed.
Liberia Agrees to Receive 1,200 U.S. Deportees
- [Liberian Observer] MONROVIA -- The following is the full text of a statement issued by the Government of Liberia announcing an arrangement with the United States to receive up to 1,200 third-country nationals being removed from the United States. The Daily Observer has submitted questions to Information Minister Jerolinmek M. Piah seeking further clarification on the terms, legal basis, costs and implementation of the arrangement. His responses will be published when received.
Ecowas Urges Liberian Youth to Protect Peace
- [New Dawn] CONGO TOWN -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged young Liberians to take greater responsibility for protecting the country's hard-won peace, warning that gains made since the end of the civil war must not be taken for granted.
