News about Liberia from different sources – Liberia’s first industrial rice processing facility inaugurated; Liberia’s first commercial gold mine opens in May 2015; In factory explosion incident Liberian Gov’t fines LAC US$100,000 for ‘negligence’; Agreement signed to develop small hydroelectric plant in Liberia; Liberia loses US$12million annually to illegal fishing; Can Liberia Qualify for 2017 African Cup of Nations, and more…

• Liberia’s first industrial rice processing facility inaugurated–Kakata, Margibi County — The President of Liberia, H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and U.S. Ambassador to Liberia Deborah R. Malac have officially inaugurated Liberia’s first industrial rice processing and warehousing facility, Fabrar Liberia Inc. in Kakata, Margibi County (April 9).The newly industrialized facility, now with double its previous capacity, can mill 30 metric tons (MT) of rice each day and store 1,000 MT with proper ventilation and protection from pests, mold, fungus and mildew. As the country’s largest rice processor, and its only industrial processor, Fabrar Liberia Inc. will provide Liberian farmers with an incentive and motivation to grow quality rice as a business and not just for subsistence. (Front Page Africa) & (GNN Liberia)

• Liberia’s first commercial gold mine to open in May 2015- The inaugural gold pour from Liberia’s first commercial gold mine is now expected at the end of May, as TSX- and Aim-listed Aureus Mining starts the hot and cold commissioning phases of the New Liberty project. (Mining Weekly) 
  
• The Government of Liberia (GOL) [..] has announced that a fine of US$100,000 has been imposed on the management of the Liberia Agriculture Company (LAC) for  what it refers to as ‘negligence’ on the part of the factory regarding the explosion of tank that resulted to the death of six employees at the plantation.(Heritage Liberia)

• Agreement signed to develop small hydroelectric plant in Liberia-Hummingbird Resources has signed a collaboration agreement to begin planning and developing a small hydroelectric plant in southeast Liberia.The hydro project would have a capacity between 20 MW and 30 MW.Hummingbird Resources says the plant would significantly contribute to the domestic power supply in southeast Liberia and provide considerable potential to reduce operating costs of the Dugbe 1 mine through the delivery of low-cost power.(HydroWorld)

• Liberia loses US$12million annually to illegal fishing- The Project Coordinator of the West African Regional Fisheries Program (WARFP) in Liberia, Dr. Lawrence I. Braimah,  has disclosed that Liberia loses US$12 million annually to illegal fishing. According to Dr. Braimah, the WARFP project is intended to curtail illegal fishing in Liberian waters and to put in place an effective and efficient management system to strengthen the country’s fishing industry as well as empower Liberian fishermen. (Heritage Liberia) 
• Liberia was amongst 52 countries placed in one of the 13 Groups in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers draw at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Federation (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt, recently.The Lone Star is in Group A, alongside Tunisia, Togo and Djibouti.The group’s winners and two best second placed teams would join hosts Gabon for the finals.(Liberian Observer)