A court in Mali’s capital, Bamako, has sentenced former Prime Minister Moussa Mara to one year in prison for a social media post expressing solidarity with political prisoners — a verdict that critics say underscores the ruling junta’s growing intolerance of dissent.
Mara, who served as Mali’s prime minister between 2014 and 2015, was convicted on Monday of “undermining the credibility of the state and opposing legitimate authority.” The court handed him a one-year prison term, an additional one-year suspended sentence, and a fine of 500,000 CFA francs (about $887).
The case stemmed from a post Mara published in July, in which he mentioned meeting with political prisoners and pledged to seek justice on their behalf. Authorities accused him of using the post to question the legitimacy of the current government, led by military ruler Colonel Assimi Goita.
Mara has been in detention since August 1. His lawyer, Mountaga Tall, criticised the ruling and confirmed plans to appeal. “This is not the end,” Tall told AFP. “We will discuss with our client and determine the next course of action.”
An associate of Mara, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed disappointment but little surprise at the judgment, asking pointedly, “What exactly is his crime?”
The sentencing comes amid heightened political repression in Mali under Col. Goita, who came to power following coups in 2020 and 2021. The verdict against Mara — one of the country’s most prominent civilian politicians — reinforces fears among international observers that the West African nation is sliding further away from democratic governance.
Since taking power, Goita’s military administration has tightened control over political discourse, clamped down on opposition activities, and delayed the promised transition to civilian rule. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that the regime’s actions threaten free speech and civic engagement.
Mara’s conviction is the latest in a series of measures targeting political figures and activists critical of the junta, signalling a deepening climate of fear and repression in Mali’s political landscape.
Archive of Our Own (AO3) is officially exiting beta. The Organization for Transformative Works – the nonprofit behind the fanfiction site – announced the update…
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/row-of-houses-in-montreal.jpg?id=55506085&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=2%2C0%2C2%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>The Montreal housing market is poised for steady growth in 2025, with home prices expected to rise faster than the national average, a new report shows. </p><p>For anyone hoping to buy a home here, the real question is: <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/housing-market-montreal-average-rent-november-2024" target="_blank">How much income will you need</a> to make it happen?</p><p>According to a <a href="https://www.royallepage.ca/en/realestate/news/canadian-property-price-appreciation-set-for-a-return-to-long-term-norms-in-2025/" target="_blank">recent report from Royal LePage</a>, the aggregate price of a home in Greater Montreal is forecast to increase by 6.5% this year, reaching $655,082 by the fourth quarter of 2025. </p><p>Detached houses are set to climb even higher, with a 7.5% increase pushing their median price to $750,780. Condos, meanwhile, are expected to rise by 6%, bringing their median price to $507,210.</p><p>That puts Montreal slightly ahead of national growth projections, where the aggregate home price is expected to rise by 6% this year — although the average home in Canada is still projected to be about 30% more expensive than in Montreal, rising to $856,692 by the end of the year. </p><p>Montreal is also set to outpace Canada's other big cities this year, with Toronto projected to grow by 5% and Vancouver by only 4% in the same period.</p><p>"The Greater Montreal real estate market recorded healthy growth in activity and prices in 2024 after 2023 was characterized by below-average transactions," explains Marc Lefrançois, a Royal LePage real estate broker.</p><p>So, how much income do you need to afford a home in Montreal in 2025? Let's crunch the numbers.</p><p> As a general rule, the <a href="https://assets.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/sites/cmhc/consumers/buying-a-home/homebuying-step-by-step-guide/homebuying-step-by-step-guide-en.pdf?rev=37af6dbf-580a-4de8-aba9-353eba4c022f" target="_blank">Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation</a> (CMHC) recommends keeping your major housing costs — mortgage payments, property taxes, heating costs and condo fees — to no more than 32% of your before-tax income. We've made some calculations based on current mortgage conditions in Canada, including the <a href="https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/banking-and-financial-statistics/posted-interest-rates-offered-by-chartered-banks/" target="_blank">Bank of Canada</a>'s current five-year conventional interest rate of 6.45%, to figure out what household income you need to afford an average home in Montreal.</p><p><strong>For a single-family detached house priced at $750,780:</strong></p><ul><li>You'll need a minimum down payment of <strong>$50,078</strong> (5% on the first $500,000 and 10% on the rest).</li><li>Including the obligatory 4% CMHC insurance on a down payment of that size, your total mortgage would be <strong>$728,730.08</strong>. That means monthly payments of <strong>$4,859.14</strong>, assuming a 6.45% interest rate over 25 years.</li><li>Factor in around <strong>$5,332.94</strong> in annual property taxes and <strong>$1,597.92</strong> in heating costs, and your total yearly expenses come to <strong>$65,240.54</strong>.</li><li>To stay within CMHC's guidelines, you'll need a gross household income of <strong>$203,877 </strong><strong>per year</strong>.</li></ul><p><strong>For a condo priced at $507,210:</strong></p><ul><li>A down payment of <strong>$25,721</strong> is the minimum.</li><li>With 4% CMHC insurance added, your total mortgage would be <strong>$500,748.56</strong>, which comes out to monthly payments of <strong>$3,338.97</strong>.</li><li>We've estimated around <strong>$2,040</strong> a year in condo fees (based on 850 sq. ft. at $0.20/sq. ft.), while property taxes add about another <strong>$3,602.81</strong>, bringing total yearly expenses to <strong>$45,710.45</strong>.</li><li>In order to keep that capped at 32% of your income, your household will need to make around <strong>$142,845</strong> to comfortably afford this.</li></ul><p>Montreal's affordability is still relatively strong compared to other Canadian cities, but rising demand could push prices even higher. </p><p>The city is experiencing renewed interest from buyers, many of whom had previously moved to more remote areas during the pandemic, according to Lefrançois. At the same time, <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/canada-new-mortgage-rules-december-2024" target="_blank">government programs aimed at helping first-time buyers</a> are increasing demand without necessarily boosting supply, which adds upward pressure to prices.</p><p>With fewer new construction projects in the pipeline and more families looking to settle in or around the city, Royal LePage expects steady competition in the housing market throughout the year.</p>
Everything could be going fine until one inconsequential comment, one offhand remark ruins your day. Your mother casually criticizes you. A coworker offers unsolicited feedback on a presentation. A friend asks for everyone’s opinion on where to host their birthday dinner, except yours. The infraction rolls over and over in your mind: What did they […]
