Sierra Leone court gives green light for elections

Campaigner Rugiati Turay has won the Theodor Haecker human rights prize for fighting female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone.

In response to restrictive COVID-19 measures, a Sierra Leonean man in Germany's Bad Belzig is winning the hearts of the townsfolk by becoming a beekeeper. He's already turning his venture into a sweet success.

The West African nation's fight against corruption started bearing fruit when political will supported by international partners began mixing with digital technology. Can Sierra Leone be a model for the rest of Africa?

Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation in Africa. Despite decades of campaigns, the traditional practice has hardly declined. This doesn't deter Rugiatu Turay from fighting cutting.

27-year-old Solomon Fatorma is an acapella master and music producer. He uses his mouth, reverberations and even gabbles from his toddler, to create sounds he incorporates into his music. And the artist has big dreams.

A slum in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown was destroyed in a fire, the city authorities said, adding that the toll was unclear but thousands may have been affected.

Looking for a holiday escape? Why not head off to Sierra Leone – a paradisiacal destination that has long been forgotten by tourists. The country experienced horrors during its civil war in the 1990s, but it has been at peace for a long time and is doing everything possible to attract visitors. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot.

West African leaders have said Mali must hold a presidential election in February 2022. They also called for the immediate appointment of a new civilian prime minister.

In Sierra Leone, a team of researchers and agronomists have found traces of a wild coffee known as Coffea stenophylla. Farmed until the beginning of the 20th century, it used to be served to European high society. But due to its scarcity, it was gradually replaced by arabica and robusta strains. Forgotten by farmers, Coffea stenophylla was thought to have completely disappeared by 1954. The new find has generated much excitement in Sierra Leone because of its potential to revolutionise the global coffee sector. Our team reports.

Sierra Leone's president said he would sign the abolition of capital punishment, fulfilling a personal campaign pledge. Some 99 people in the country are currently sitting on death row.

Regional leaders from the ECOWAS group of countries have called for elections in Guinea following a military coup. It is the second country in the region now under the rule of a junta.

On a visit to Conakry following the 5 September putsch, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara say they had 'very frank' talks with the putschists' leader, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya. They were also able to meet with former President Alpha Condé, who is still being detained by the coup's plotters.