According to the Catholic- run Veritas Radio, Col. Massaquoi said the discovery followed a tip-off by residents of the area.

This is the first discovery of such a huge quantity of ammunition in the county which lies about 35 kilometers from the capital Monrovia.

Bomi County was the base of the LURD and ULIMO rebel factions during Liberia’s bloody civil war in which tens of thousands were killed.

Since the end of the war in 2003, Liberia has witnessed two elections widely certified by the international community as largely free, fair and transparent.

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The 2012 Liberia CAP is appealing for a total of $121,577,279 to the international donor community to implement 40 projects presented by 20 participating agencies in the areas of Water & Sanitation, Education, Logistics, Health, Protection, Food aid, Agriculture, and Nutrition.

Major humanitarian crises and disasters require many aid agencies on the ground. To operate effectively, agencies need to coordinate efforts to avoid gaps and duplication, focus on urgent needs, and work towards longer-term recovery. A common strategic approach is essential for an efficient response that builds on each organization’s strengths. The Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) helps to achieve this. It brings aid organizations together to jointly plan, coordinate, implement and monitor their humanitarian response. It also allows them to appeal for funds cohesively, not competitively. This means people in need can be supported in a timely, predictable and accountable way.

The United Nations, along with its partners, have thus far provided, through the Emergency Humanitarian Action Plan (EHAP) developed last year, critical services including food, shelter and protection, to address the needs of Ivorian refugees whose numbers nearly reached 200,000 individuals back in April – May 2011 in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Maryland and River Gee Counties in Liberia. The UN will continue to address the multiple needs of the refugee population as well as the challenges faced by the vulnerable Liberians in the border region.

Mr. Soumaré said at the launch that “even though we no longer are in the same situation as we were last year, there are pressing needs which still require our urgent attention” noting that “this goes both for the Ivorian refugees as well the Liberian people who, despite their own vulnerability, have kindly opened their homes and hearts to their neighbors.” The Humanitarian Coordinator extended the International Community’s gratitude to those Liberian families who have “so generously and unequivocally come to the assistance of brothers and sisters in need.”

The Humanitarian Coordinator also noted during the launch, that having common strategic approach is essential for an efficient humanitarian response which builds on each organization’s strengths with a single aim, to assist vulnerable populations in need – be they Ivoirians or Liberians.

The launch was done simultaneously via teleconference to member states in Geneva and presided in Geneva by the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Catherine Bragg.

As of January 2012, the EHAP managed to mobilize $98,963,859 in financial contributions out of total projects costs of US$ 166,651,691 presented by 8 participating agencies in the areas of Water & Sanitation, Education, Logistics, Health, Protection, Food aid, Agriculture.

Building on the EHAP, the projects in the 2012 Liberia CAP put an emphasis on both the Ivorian refugees whose numbers have decreased to about 128,000 individuals in January 2012, about 2,000 Third Country Nationals, as well as on an estimated 140,000 vulnerable Liberian nationals affected by the sudden influx and massive presence of Ivorian refugees in Nimba, River Gee, Maryland and Grand Gedeh Counties.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE HUMANITARIAN AND RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN LIBERIA

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According to media reports, the Liberian government expects Van Oord to dredge the two ports by at least ten meters deep to accommodate bigger
vessels.

Liberian seaports, especially the Freeport of Monrovia considered the gateway to the Liberian economy, have over the last ten years suffered setbacks from low vessel calling due to huge debris.

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The Chinese began the construction of the complex some twenty five years ago during the administration of former President Samuel K. Doe but suspended the project during the heat of the civil conflict.

Presenting the keys to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia on Friday, Zhao Jianhua said the completion of the complex was a further manifestation of the strong ties between Liberia and China.

Zhao expressed satisfaction that the people of China are of great assistance to Liberia during a difficult period in its reconstruction after a devastating civil war.

Receiving the keys to the complex during the ceremony, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said China leaves “big footprints” in the development projects it has undertaken in Liberia over the years.

“It pleases me greatly that this structure, once an eyesore sheltering Liberians displaced by the war, will henceforth serve as permanent headquarters of our Ministry of Health and Social welfare. We can proudly say that our dream has come true,” President Sirleaf said.

She named the completed multi-million dollars University of Liberia Fendell Campus, the state-of-the-art Jackson Fiah Doe Memorial Hospital in Nimba County and the Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center at the Central Agricultural Technology Institute (CARI) in Bong County as some of the Chinese government’s initiatives in Liberia.

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Sirleaf on Thursday appointed Augustine Ngafuan as Foreign Minister, Amara Konneh as Finance minister, Brownie Samukai retained as Defence Minister, Jerolinmek Piah as Press Secretary to the President.

On Monday, the Liberian leader appointed another four people, APA learns from a presidential press release.

1- Samuel Kofi Woods re-nominated Minister of Public Works

2-Patrick Sendolo nominated Minister of Lands, Mines & Energy. He replaces Roosevelt Jayjay.

3-Blamo Nelson appointed minister of Internal Affairs. He replaces Harrison Karnwea.

4- Dr. Florence Chenoweth re-nominated Minister of Agriculture.

All appointments are subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate.

It could be noted that Sendolo headed the Program Delivery Unit in the Office of the President while Blamo Nelson was a former Grand Kru County Senator.

The exercise is expected to continue until all 24 cabinet portfolios are filled are named.

The President, during her inaugural address, pledged to form a government of inclusion, but none of the appointments made so far reflects this.

Meanwhile, the President will Monday afternoon deliver her Annual Message to the First Session of the 53rd Legislature in the Joint Chambers of the Capitol Building, the seat of the national legislature.

The President will, in that Message, set out her agenda for her second term of office.

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According to the press statement, the Brown Card, coming into effect this month, is expected to protect motorists and passengers that will be leaving Liberia to travel to any part of the sub-region.

It is also intended to be used as an insurance claim in case of an accident in any country other than the motorist’s home land.

The Brown Card will also be used to pay prompt claims to victims on board a vehicle that is insured and have the brown card in their possession when there is an accident.

Speaking at the launch of the ECOWAS Brown Card, the Insurance commissioner for Liberia, Foday L. Sesay, said they will set up a security guaranteed fund that will be supported by the government and insurers to serve as an impediment to the old ECOWAS Brown Card over the years.

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According to the statement, Madam Thomas-Greenfield was speaking on Tuesday evening at the dedication of a new US Embassy in Monrovia estimated to have cost $164 million.

She said the US will assist rebuild the private sector because ".”

The US will also work with the government of Liberia strengthen democracy and good governance, continue supporting educational excellence, bring electricity to Monrovia and beyond, increase agricultural production and food security by introducing improved seed varieties and building farm-to-market roads.

"We will promote private enterprise and expand access to credit for ordinary men and women and farmers and entrepreneurs. We will partner with your Government to create jobs and the environment to promote job creation,” the U.S envoy said.

Speaking at the event, LMiberian head of state Ellen Johnson Sirleaf observed that the construction of the new embassy in Liberia “represented a vote of confidence in Liberia’s future, a vote of confidence and support for the Liberian people.”

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Briefing journalists immediately after the meeting with Tubman in Monrovia on Saturday night, President Johnson Sirleaf revealed plans to form an all-inclusive government to which all parties that participated in the 2011 elections would be represented.

The standard bearer of the CDC Tubman also told journalists immediately after the meeting that their talks had centered on the formation of a unity government in a bid to diffuse the tension which attended to the October and November 2011 polls, the outcome of which was bitterly contested by the opposition.

He said both the CDC and the Unity Party of President Sirleaf had recognized the need for far-reaching compromise after the state of bad blood generated by the election controversy which had thrown Liberia into a knife-edge. He said now that the CDC was in talks with the government, he was enjoining all Liberians to rally round efforts to bolster the country’s peace and stability.

Tubman also announced the abandonment of a planned CDC demonstration originally scheduled for the day President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was to be inaugurated on January 16.

The CDC had initially planned to stage a demonstration on Sirleaf’s inauguration day to show its disapproval of the November 8 presidential runoff result which it insists was flawed, despite the fact that it was certified by local and international observers as “free, fair and transparent”. In reaction, the government had announced a one-week ban on demonstrations.

Counselor Tubman said he and other officials of the CDC will attend the inauguration on Monday and spoke of further moves to cooperate with the government in bringing reconciliation to Liberia.

The CDC had hitherto insisted that it will not accept Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as president after she was certified as the winner of the November 8 presidential runoff which was boycotted by the CDC on the grounds that the October 11 presidential poll was fraudulent.

The first round in October had ended in deadlock with Sirleaf, CDC presidential candidate Tubman and the other contenders failing to poll the mandatory 50 percent plus one vote required to avoid a run-off.

In the November poll, Sirleaf had polled 513,320 votes or 90.2 percent out of 565,391 tallied votes while 52,071 ballots, or 9.2 percent had been cast for Tubman. At least one person was killed on the eve of the election as the police tried to quell a demonstration by CDC supporters in Monrovia.

The more than 4,000 local and international observers who monitored the 2011 elections had concluded that it was "largely free, fair and transparent".

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The Ukrainian Defence Ministry press statement disclosed Wednesday that Ukrainian combat helicopters will monitor the inaugural procedure.

President Johnson Sirleaf was on November 8 re-elected in a runoff presidential election boycotted by the main opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) which claimed that the polls were fraudulent.

The CDC which refused to accept Sirleaf’s victory, has threatened to stage a protest on the day of the inauguration to express its dissatisfaction.

President Sirleaf has responded that her government will not be intimidated into changing its plans to suit the demands of the CDC, assuring Liberians that her government was committed to protecting lives and properties.

The government has beefed up security around the country ahead of the inauguration.

Meanwhile, the government cut the number of presidential invitees for the occasion, citing limited airport capacity, hotels and other essential logistics to host them.

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Foreign Minister Dr. Toga Gaywea McIntosh, who is also Chairman of the Inaugural Committee, at the weekend announced that at least 30 heads of state were expected to grace the inaugural ceremony.

The President’s office has however said that the Roberts International Airport has extremely limited capacity to host such a huge number of presidents on inauguration day, the Presidential press secretary Cyrius Badio said when addressing a news briefing in Monrovia.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her running mate Joseph N.Boakai won the November 8, 2011 presidential runoff boycotted by the main opposition Congress for Democratic Change.

In keeping with the Constitution, the President and Vice President-elect will be sworn into office on the third working Monday in January (January 16).

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Media reports Monday quote Captain Corissa Barton of the Michigan National Guard as saying the 25 soldiers will help train the fledgling Liberian military.

"They are just coming out of a civil war.The whole country has been war-torn for years.

They are extremely low as far as poverty goes, and it’s important that they build a democracy and build a military force to defend them," she said of Liberia.

Barton says the training will cover everything from basic soldiering skills to engineering and military police work.

The Michigan Guard was assigned to Liberia as partner by the U.S military project to establish closer ties with emerging national governments.

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According to the wife of the victim, Hawa Augustine, her husband was attacked and crushed by the elephant after he shot at it. He died on the spot when the giant mammal in a fit of animalistic rage stepped on him.

A distraught Hawa told APA Thursday that Hunter Tamba Augustine was attacked by the animal when he shot its calf. She said the elephant angry at the loss of its baby charged at the hunter who had managed to shoot it full in the face.

Elephants are found in western and eastern Liberia and had no history of attacking humans without being provoked. Local and international wildlife conservationists have declared elephants an endangered species in the Liberian wild and called for new ways of rescuing them.

The Liberian Wildlife department is yet to react to the tragedy.

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The private Truth FM radio Wednesday quoted its reporter who is in the area as saying that the multi-colored worms are destroying crops in Jabajeh and surrounding villages. The reports say inhabitants of the area have started relocating out of fear of water pollution, and are appealing to government to take steps to contain the pests.

Meanwhile, the ministry of agriculture has dispatched a team to the affected area to contain the outbreak. The agriculture ministry spokesman told state radio Wednesday that the team will stay in the area until the army worm infestation is brought under control.

The ministry called on residents of the affected area not to panic as everything was being done to bring the situation under control.

This is the second army worm infestation in the country in two years. The first took place in Zota, Bong County in central Liberia.

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The students who protesting delays in the payment of vacation job benefits in the capital Monrovia went on the rampage, throwing stones and breaking vehicle wind-shields, burning vehicles and blocking roads. The free flow of traffic was disrupted.

Information Minister Cletus Sieh announced the imposition of the curfew Friday evening as the standoff between state police and the students entered its second day.

The curfew which was initially announced to last from six in the evening to six in the morning, was later relaxed to ten in the night to six in the morning, to allow Christmas peddlers and other residents
to return home.

Despite President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s appeal to protesters Thursday to exercise restraint and the commencement of payment Friday, some disgruntled students again went on the rampage Friday stoning and breaking wind-shields, blocking roads and forcing people returning home from selling and from work to trek to their homes.

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The grant, which was approved by the World Bank acting Administrator for the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA), will supplement capital allocations from various donors to install power connections.

According to a World Bank statement issued here, the scheme will be implemented by the state-run Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).

It said GPOBA will pay LEC a capital subsidy of $595 for each connection installed.

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated 64 percent of its population living below the poverty line.

The only hydro power plant that supplied electricity to the capital and parts of the country was damaged during its civil conflict that lasted nearly two decades.

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