By Aria Deemie, climate change reporter with New Narratives Summary erratic rainfall, drought, and rising pest infestations that are devastating harvests. WUNGKO FARM, Salala – The afternoon sun comes out after a sudden downpour on this farm, 50 miles from Monrovia, heating the nursery as workers gently lower seeds into tiny pots lined in long,…
Liberia Included on a List of 36 Countries for Potential US Travel Ban; Foreign Minister Nyanti Says Government Is Engaging The Trump Administration on the Matter
By Anthony Stephens, senior correspondent with New Narratives The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has included Liberia on a list of 36 countries whose citizens could be banned from traveling to the US according to a draft memo obtained by The Washington Post, a U.S. media outlet. The memo “signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio…
Ghana: How the theft of a small engine part is fueling pollution, crime, and a deadly health crisis
When Isaac Peprah bought his car, a Honda Accord, he thought he had finally escaped the long tro-tro commutes between East Legon and Spintex that had taken hours from his day. But barely a week after he bought it, a group of young men from a makeshift mechanic shop flagged him down near a junction…
Ghana’s buses are filling with toxic fumes — and experts say passengers are paying the price
Adeeza’s breaths came in short, rapid bursts. As the bus rumbled from Bolgatanga toward Accra each inhalation felt like fire in her lungs. For the asthma patient, these moments signaled mortal danger — her body screaming that something was triggering her compromised respiratory system. Adeeza scanned the bus, desperately searching for the regular culprits. Strong…
Residents pay price as Ofankor-Nsawam Highway project delays; health workers warn of rise in air-pollution related illnesses
The Ofankor-Pokuasi-Nsawam Highway was once a vital transportation artery for the local economy, but legal battles and government debt owed contractors have delayed the reconstruction by two years as surrounding communities face a range of problems. Key among them is their health. Experts warn the delayed project has become a major health hazard for over…
Liberia Overwhelmingly Wins UN Security Council Seat as Diplomats Say It Shows Country’s “Growing Regional Influence”
By Anthony Stephens, senior correspondent with New Narratives Liberia has overwhelmingly won a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council—64 years after it first held the role. One hundred and eighty-one of the 188 member states of the UN voted for Liberia. The vote marked a historic milestone for the country, coming nearly 22…
Video: Lonestar Cell Sues EPA Over Noise Fine, Agency Confirms
This story is a collaboration with New Narratives. Funding was provided by the American Jewish World Service. The donor had no role in the content of this story….
Video: What is COP30?
This story is a collaboration with New Narratives. Funding was provided by the American Jewish World Service. The donor had no say in the content of this story….
Liberia: U.N. Chief Reaffirms Support for War Crimes Court Office; Urges Civil Society to Unite as Internal Rift Goes Public
Summary: By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Christine N. Umutoni, the United Nations resident coordinator in Liberia, reaffirmed the U.N.’s support for the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court of Liberia at an event in Monrovia marking International Human Rights Day, as a dispute between the Office and a bloc of…
Liberia: War Crimes Court Office Gets Promised Government Funding as Director And Activists Engage in Public War of Words
Summary: By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives The Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court of Liberia, the body tasked with establishing a war and economic crimes court and a National Anti-Corruption Court, has dismissed a newly submitted civil society bill to establish a war and economics crimes court as “mischief”…
Liberia: “A Quiet Earthquake”: In Major Blow, Sweden Plans Exit as Largest Remaining Bilateral Donor
By Anthony Stephens, senior correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Sweden, long Liberia’s most reliable and generous development partner, announced on Friday that it will end bilateral aid to Liberia and close its embassy in Monrovia by August bringing an abrupt end to decades of deep cooperation. In a statement on Facebook, the embassy described the decision it…
Liberia: Civil Society Groups Submit New War Crimes Bill As Advocates Scramble To Kill Earlier Version That Would Exclude War Crimes
Summary: By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives In a surprise move, a coalition of advocates led by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday submitted a new war crimes court bill to the Legislature. It came as campaigners intensified efforts to block an earlier version that would exclude so-called “international” crimes including war crimes and crimes against humanity from…
Video: Accra’s Toxic Air Hits Poorer Families Hardest, Widening Health Gap
This story was a collaboration with New Narratives, with funding from the Clean Air Fund. The funder had no say in the story’s content…
Ghana: Accra’s Toxic Air Hits Poorer Families Hardest, Widening Health Gap
By JENNIFER AMBOLLEY Agbogbloshie, Accra – Every morning, long before the sun burns through Accra’s haze, Doris Tey opens her stall here among a street of traders. She sells plastic basins and buckets, stacking them high in neat, colourful towers that brighten the grey air around her. By noon, the market is alive with the…
Liberia: Civil Society Urges Government to Deliver on Climate Justice Amid Ongoing Gaps
By Aria Deemie, climate change reporter with New Narratives Summary: Liberia’s civil society and community leaders on Tuesday urged the government to accelerate action on climate justice, warning that vulnerable communities remain exposed to worsening climate impacts despite years of policy commitments. The call came at the close of the National People’s Climate Justice Summit, a two-day meeting…
“The Big Big Talk, We Can’t Understand It” Rural Women Press for Climate Justice at Monrovia Summit As Government Warns Cuts to International Aid May Limit Relief
By Aria Deemie, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives Summary • Rural women say Liberia’s climate policies are failing to reach the communities most affected, warning that technical language, planning meetings, and funding commitments have not translated into real support on farms and in villages. • As heat intensifies and farming becomes less reliable,…
Explainer: What Is Climate Change?
By Aria Deemie, climate change reporter with New Narratives Climate change is no distant threat lurking beyond our shores—it is here, reshaping the lives and livelihoods of ordinary people across Liberia and West Africa with every rising tide and failing harvest. Rainy seasons arrive late, flooding becomes more frequent, sea levels continue to rise, and homes…
Liberia: New Climate Finance Commitments Offer Hope, Uncertainty for Liberians
By Aria Deemie climate change reporter with New Narratives Summary: The 30th annual summit of world nations committed to slowing climate change, known as the Conference of the Parties, concluded last week with countries pledging a range of actions to slow global warming and help vulnerable countries adapt. Leaders at the summit, held in Belém,…
Liberia: Experts Warn Deaths From Extreme Heat Are Growing as New Report Finds Last Year Was Hottest on Record
By Aria Deemie, climate change reporter with New Narratives Summary: · Monrovia experienced its hottest dry season on record in 2024. Climate models predict the city could face up to 118 additional hot days annually by mid-century. · Experts warn prolonged exposure to extreme heat increases the risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and pregnancy complications,…
Video: Experts Warn Deaths From Extreme Heat Are Growing as New Report Finds Last Year Was Hottest on Record
This story was a collaboration with New Narratives. Funding was provided by the American Jewish World Service. The donor had no say in the story’s content….
Video: Doctors Warn Rampant Abuse of Anti-Microbial Drugs Is Creating Superbugs That Are Killing Thousands and Leaving Sick People Defenseless
This report is a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the “Investigating Liberia” project. Funding was provided by the Swedish embassy in Liberia which had no say in the story’s content. …