By Reuters

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday signed an order imposing new vaccine requirements for most foreign national air travelers and lifting severe travel restrictions on China, India and much of Europe effective November 8, the White House said.

The U.S. travel restrictions were first imposed in early 2020 to address the spread of COVID-19. The rules bar most non-U.S. citizens who within the last 14 days have been in Britain, the 26 Schengen countries in Europe without border controls, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil.

“It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the COVID-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States,” Biden’s proclamation says.

The White House confirmed that children under 18 are exempt from the new vaccine requirements as are people with some medical issues. Non-tourist travelers from nearly 50 countries with nationwide vaccination rates of less than 10% will also be eligible for exemption from the rules. Those receiving an exemption will generally need to be vaccinated within 60 days after arriving in the United States.

Those countries include Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Armenia, Myanmar, Iraq, Nicaragua, Senegal, Uganda, Libya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen, Haiti, Chad and Madagascar.

The White House first disclosed on September 20 it would remove restrictions in early November for fully vaccinated air travelers from 33 countries.

“Families and friends can see each other again, tourists can visit our amazing landmarks. This policy will further boost economic recovery,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

The Biden administration also detailed requirements airlines must follow to confirm foreign travelers have been vaccinated before boarding U.S.-bound flights.

By: Christian Alpha Conteh

“I was depressed and ashamed to interact with friends and relatives because of fistula. My husband who was my source of support told me at one point that he almost abandoned me. I was not a happy woman as a result of this [fistula] predicament,” Maseray Bangura

“My dignity has been restored. I have spent a week without experiencing urine leaks.” Maseray Bangura

Approximately 2 million women currently live with fistula globally. In 2003, in line with universal targets to advance maternal and newborn health to make fistula as rare as possible, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, and its partners launched a global campaign to end fistula.  Sierra Leone, estimated to have 2,400 women living with obstetric fistula, is among the 55 nations participating in the global campaign.

Pregnant with her fifth child, 38-year-old Maseray Bangura a petty trader from Mambolo in the Kambia district was taken to the Government Hospital in Lungi, a referral hospital in Port Loko district for her delivery. There, she encountered difficulties and was unable to deliver the baby.

“For three agonising days, I was experiencing severe labour pain. I was unable to deliver my baby. The nurses told me I didn’t have enough blood. It was a difficult moment for me. To save my life and that of the baby, a caesarean delivery was performed successfully and a few days later, I was discharged,” she said.

Narrating her ordeal, Maseray said when she was discharged a week later, she realised she had developed serious complications, having returned home with fistula. “Four days after returning home, I realised I was leaking urine unconsciously. This was too much for me. It was a shameful thing to experience.  I chose not to tell anyone and only confined it to my husband and my mother,” she recounted sadly.

Obstetric fistula is preventable and, in most cases, can be repaired surgically. In Sierra Leone, with funding from the Government of Iceland, UNFPA partners with non-governmental organisations like Haikal Foundation and Aberdeen Women’s Centre to conduct screening for women with suspected obstetric fistula, and surgery to repair their fistula and restore their dignity. UNFPA also supports the government in preventing the incidence of obstetric fistula by strengthening the quality of obstetric services, a key component to addressing maternal mortality.

In 2020, for instance, 260 women were screened for suspected obstetric fistula. Of these women, 129 had surgery to repair their fistula, with 31 of them receiving livelihood skills as part of their rehabilitation and reintegration. Since 2011 to date, Aberdeen Women’s Centre, with funding support from UNFPA, has successfully performed 1,731 fistula surgeries.

Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury that leads to the development of a hole between the birth canal and the urinary tract resulting in constant leakage of urine or faeces. This is often the direct result of failure by a health system to provide quality health care during childbirth.

Women who develop fistula often have prolonged labour due to the failure to make a timely decision to go to the health facility when labour starts, or a delay in reaching a health facility due to a poor referral system or bad road network, or the failure of a health facility to provide timely and apt treatment to women during childbirth.

“It’s quite challenging getting patients to come for screening because of the stigma surrounding fistula,” said Alie Kamara, fistula programme officer at the Aberdeen Women’s Centre. “Many of them are not confident to leave their homes to get screened.”

Aminata Jalloh is an obstetric fistula supervisor at Aberdeen Women’s Centre in Freetown. She said the effects of fistula are much more than the physical pain.

“The condition often leaves women feeling rejected by their husbands, stigmatized by their families, and alienated by their communities.”

The discrimination often drives women from their homes and puts their livelihoods in jeopardy. She appealed to government and donor partners to make fistula funding a priority

With 717 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to the 2019 Demographic and Health Survey, Sierra Leone is still among the countries with the world’s highest maternal mortality ratio. Bleeding in pregnancy (obstetric haemorrhage) accounts for about 40% of maternal deaths in the country.

Safe pregnancies and childbirth depend on functioning health systems and the provision of quality care.

Civil Society Organisations have also played a role in raising awareness about fistula, one such CSO is Health Alert-Sierra Leone. Victor Lansana Koroma is the intuitions Executive Director. He said over the years they have called for increased budget allocation to the Ministry of Health, this increase in resources will go a long way to address issues like fistula which has received very little attention due to budget constraints.

He appealed to donors like the UNFPA to continue providing valuable services for the women of Sierra Leone.

“Health Alert will continue to help in the awareness-raising and advocacy to see reduced cases of fistula. And where fistula occurs facilities are available to provide treatment to correct the defect,” said Victor Lansana Koroma.

In Sierra, Leone UNFPA is addressing fistula prevention (as well as prevention of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, and stillbirth, and improving the quality of maternal care) by supporting the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in improving quality services for pregnant and postnatal women.

When Maseray learned of the work of Aberdeen Women’s Centre, she travelled to Freetown with her husband to be admitted at the centre for her fistula surgery.

“I successfully underwent the surgery without paying a cent. I have seen so much improvement and I am beginning to gain my happiness and self-confidence. My dignity has been restored. I have spent a week without experiencing urine leaks.  My wish now is to return to my hometown because I am not leaking anymore,” Maseray said happily.

By AFP

Former Liberian warlord-turned-president Charles Taylor, jailed for five decades for war crimes, has filed a lawsuit against his country’s government over its ‘refusal’ to pay his pension and retirement benefits, according to a court statement.

Taylor sparked a 13-year civil war in Liberia when he led a rebellion in 1989 to oust President Samuel Doe, which deteriorated into one of Africa’s bloodiest conflicts.

He currently serving a 50-year sentence in a UK prison after being convicted in 2012 by a court in The Hague of fuelling civil conflict in Sierra Leone.

The court of the West Africa bloc ECOWAS said Taylor had filed a lawsuit alleging his right to property had been violated by Liberia’s refusal to pay his pension and retirement benefits since 2003.

“The former President said the action of the government constitutes a violation of his human rights, particularly the right to freedom from discrimination, equal protection of the law, right to dignity, fair hearing and property,” it said.

The court said no date has been fixed for the hearing for Taylor, who was Liberia’s president from 1997 to 2003.

Taylor was the first ex-head of state to be jailed by an international court since the Nazi trials at Nuremberg in Germany after World War II.

He was convicted on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity over acts committed by Sierra Leone rebels he aided during the war.

By Christian Alpha Conteh

Credible Sources have revealed to The Fatu Network that the Gambian Government is concerned about recent developments which have the tendency to undermine peace and national cohesion, an act it blames squarely on Former President Yahya Jammeh.

This is in direct response to last week’s phone address by Former President Jammeh who is in exile in Equatorial Guinea. The former president addressed APRC supporters and urged them to fight and regain and develop the country as it was done under his 22-year rule.

“This is unacceptable for the APRC and those who want to join APRC-GANU are welcome. Come and join but insults will not be allowed. The country is sinking faster than the Titanic and we have to save the country. For us to save the country, we need the hands of all people, patriotic Gambians to work together and get rid of what is happening in our country,” Jammeh said.

According to our source, the government is reported to have sent formal correspondence to the President of Equatorial Guinea raising its concern about the political overtures of former president Yahya Jammeh whilst residence in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

Our source reveals that the Gambian government is of the view that the hospitality offered to former President Jammeh underpins the need to continue the unchallenged space to further Gambia’s cherished peace and political stability.

However, it notes that quite recently former president Jammeh has initiated political actions that confirm his ulterior motive to derail national cohesion particularly in a delicate period of the political transition in The Gambia and the upcoming presidential elections which are scheduled to hold in the Gambia on 4^th December 2021.

It points out that the undue interference of former president Jammeh in genuine and evolving political engagements has heightened the anxiety within the national political landscape and triggered acrimonious debates that are a disservice to the continued stability of Gambia’s body politics.

“This reckless and destabilizing undertaking, unfortunately, reaffirms his trademark indifference to the prevailing reform efforts and particularly to the generous hospitality that the leadership of your esteemed country has offered him,” the correspondence reads.

The Gambia government Fatu Network understands has solicited the support of the president of Equatorial Guinea as it [the Gambian Government] strongly requests that former president Jammeh immediately stop his maligned political activities and utterances.

Actions that government feel only provoke unwelcomed political frictions and divert the needed unity from the national agenda of conduction peaceful presidential elections.

Gambia Democratic Congress National Youth President has confirmed that talks are ongoing between GDC and former President Jammeh’s No Alliance Movement for a merger.

“Their spokesperson has confirmed it in the radio that Jammeh approved for them to work with GDC. So it’s true. We are talking with them to see Gambia has change. A political party is all about the supporters and right they have the supporters.

“So if they should come with their supporters and we add that we those of GDC, it will make the job easier for GDC to go to State House,” Mr Cham Jnr told Teranga FM.

The GDC top official told The Fatu Network his party welcomes the idea of working together.

A delegation of GDC among them MC Cham Jnr were at the house of NAM member Jerrending Sanyang on Monday following his arrest by police.

Former President Yahya Jammeh has given leave for his supporters on the ground to work with opposition Gambia Democratic Congress.

“We’re going to stun the nation. We are going to reconcile the nation. For GDC, Yahya Jammeh has approved for us to work with them. Because GDC are a kid from the APRC,” No Alliance Movement spokesman Pa Modou Mbowe told Star FM’s Pa Nderry Mbye on Monday.

Jammeh’s supporters have already thrown their weight behind GANU leader Sheikh Tijan Hydara.

On Monday, a GDC delegation was spotted at No Alliance Movement leader Jerrending Sanyang’s house sparking speculation GDC is planning a partnership with Jammeh’s supporters.

By Sarjo Brito

A landmine explosion has reportedly killed five young boys including a 16-year-old Gambian and left six others in life threatening situations. The devastating incident happened in Kafenkeh, a border settlement around Kanilai.

According to our source Kemo Colley, who identified himself as a brother of the 16 year-old, the incident occurred on Friday, October 22nd just after Friday prayers. Colley explained that the victims were returning from the mosque when one of them unknowingly stepped on the mine.

Elements of the separatist rebel group in Casamance (the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance MFDC), are known to have settled around some of these villages. The rebel group has been accused of burying these explosives to serve as a deterrent and shield from military attacks. Villages like Kafenkeh, are unfortunately inhabited by civilian populations who continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing conflict between the Government of Senegal and the (MFDC).

The armed struggle in Casamance was ignited in March 1982. The conflict which has been described by analysts as neither war nor peace has claimed thousands of lives in the region and displacing many others since its beginning. In February 2021, Senegalese forces launched a ground and aerial assault, taking back control of some of the rebel held villages bordering Guinea-Bissau.

Five of the nation’s political parties have agreed to a united front regarding the December presidential election.

Talks involving 11 of the country’s opposition political parties for a grand opposition coalition began weeks ago. Some pulled out of the talks as the talks progressed.

The talks have now borne fruition as five of the remaining parties have agreed to form a coalition.

A source said the parties that have agreed are Citizens’ Alliance, All People’s Party, Gambia For All, National Unity Party and Gambia Moral Congress.

The agreement document will be signed on Wednesday.

A Gambian and a Senegalese face up to seven years in prison in Spain for smuggling migrants into the country, according to local media in Senegal.

Leral.net reported today a Gambian and Senegalese will learn their fate before a judge after organising the arrival of 80 migrants to Spain in September 2018.

Leral, relying on L’Ecomonist, said the duo will be sentenced on November 16.

By Reuters

Mali’s transitional government has given the special representative from West Africa’s main regional bloc 72 hours to leave the country over “actions incompatible with his status”, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been pressing Mali to respect its commitment to hold presidential and legislative elections next February following last year’s military coup.

Mali’s interim authorities have pushed back, saying this week that they would confirm a date for elections after national consultations in December.

It was not immediately clear why the ECOWAS representative, Hamidou Boly, was expelled. Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who chairs the bloc, visited Mali’s capital Bamako earlier this month to push for elections to be held on time.

ECOWAS has been approached for comment.

Mali’s transition back to democracy following the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020 is being closely watched in a region that has seen several recent military coups and where Islamist militancy is on the rise.

The process was dealt a setback in May when the colonel who led the initial coup, Assimi Goita, ordered the arrest of the interim president and then took over the role himself.

“Mali reiterates the willingness of the government to maintain dialogue with ECOWAS and to work together for the success of the transition,” the foreign ministry’s statement said.

Drug Law Enforcement officers have arrested two people for allegedly being in possession of cannabis and stolen items.

DLEAG said in a statement: “DLEAG operatives stationed in the Central River Region on Thursday 23rd October 2021 around 13:00 hours GMT onwards clutched one Buba Kuyateh of Brikamaba and Ansumana Kanteh of Nani Sukuta with five (5) parcels of suspect cannabis sativa. They were apprehended at the Brikamaba – Darslameh Junction. The said junction is an area ill-famed for dealing in drugs, open abuse, and other forms of illicit activities.

“The suspects were also arrested with suspected stolen properties. They were found with twenty (20) mobile phones and a Dell laptop.

“They are presently being investigated by DLEAG for possession of prohibited drugs while the matter involving the suspected stolen properties will be handed over to the police for further investigations.

“The Regional Command reiterate its call for concerted efforts in bridling drugs, criminality, and criminal-related activities. Law Enforcement Officers cannot do it all. The public especially heads of households and those responsible for managing premises and facilities have an equally important role to play.

“They must endeavor to ensure that they do not allow or falter drug-related activities or criminality to knowingly take place within those premises. The future of our youths who are most affected by this menace should be our collective responsibility.”

GANU leader Sheikh Tijan Hydara has said police have no right to arrest Jerrending Sanyang for organising a press conference.

The GANU leader said there is no law in the country that bars citizens from holding press conferences.

He told reporters at Banjullinding on Monday as Mr Sanyang’s arrested and detention unfolded: “The police have no right, they have no authority, they have no powers to go to Jerrending’s house and disperse the press conference because there is no law that says they have to obtain a permit before they can conduct the press conference. So they went there, dispersed it, arrested him and then even threw tear gas at the people.”

Mr Sanyang is a member of former President Yahya Jammeh’s No Alliance Movement, a breakaway group that is rebelling against the APRC executive’s decision to form an alliance with NPP.

Police arrested him on Monday when he invited reporters to his house in Lamin where the movement wanted to unveil its new executive appointed by former President Jammeh.

GDC officials met supporters of former President Yahya Jammeh at Jerrending Sanyang’s house in Lamin following his arrest.

Jammeh’s supporters under the banner of No Alliance Movement wanted to hold a press conference at Mr Sanyang’s house when police ambushed them and arrested Mr Sanyang.

The Fatu Network understands the GDC officials among them national youth president MC Cham Jnr were at Mr Sanyang’s house to show solidarity to them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8D61rTAD9E

By Dawda Baldeh

Vendors at the Serrekunda market over the weekend called on NAWEC to stabilize the supply of electricity and water. They raised concerns over the constant power failure from NAWEC, which led to the damage of properties and affected businesses within the market.

Over the years, the availability of water and electricity has become a major concern to many communities within the country.

Speaking to The Fatu Network, Aja Sanden, a vegetables seller says their businesses has been badly affected due to the constant NAWEC power failure. She added that It has not only affected their businesses but also let them to sleepless nights as the struggle for water continues at home.

“The constant on and off from NAWEC has really affected our businesses at the market,” Aja Sandeng said. “We want NAWEC to stabilize the supply of electricity and water. Our fish and vegetables are getting spoil everyday and we are losing a lot.”

She adds that life has become extremely unpleasant for vendors at the market as they always struggle to freeze their fish. She strongly believes that NAWEC is not doing what is expected from them.

“I don’t know if NAWEC is aware of the challenges they are putting us to buy they should apologize to us.

NAWEC is really punishing us especially at Dippa Kunda we only get water at 3am which is very sad,” she explained.

The freezing of fish, meat and other vegetables cannot be done in the absence of water and electricity.

Ramata Taal, another fish seller says the challenges caused by the inadequate electricity supply are huge and she explain. She adds that it has also affected their daily worshiping.

“We are really losing a lot from our businesses because we cannot freeze our fish and at the end of the day we will throwing the fish,” Ramata Taal said. “We really need electricity and water to do our business. We find it difficult to observe our five daily prayers because we don’t have water.”

Fatou Jeng, a fishmonger called on NAWEC to stabilize the supply of water and electricity. She told this medium the mechanism they use to preserve their fish to minimize total loss of income.

“Our business is very slow because we don’t have water and electricity to freeze our fish,” she said. “If NAWEC can help and stabilize the supply of water and electricity for us it will really help.”

Alhagie Jallow a butcher at Serrekunda Market told The Fatu Network that the lack of adequate electricity supply has affected their income earning.

“I feel very uncomfortable to sell meat at the market because we don’t have water and electricity. Our meat gets spoiled everyday because we don’t have ice to store it. I also want the president to help us to stabilize the market price because a like of meat is very expensive and we don’t want that for our customers,” he said.

It appears that NAWEC has been at the center of critics from all the people we spoke to at the market. However, NAWEC is mandated for the provision of electricity, water and sewerage service in The Gambia.

Police have arrested Jerrending Sanyang, one of the officials of former President Yahya Jammeh’s No Alliance Movement.

Jammeh’s supporters under the banner of No Alliance Movement invited reporters to Jerrending Sanyang’s house for a press conference on Monday, but the presser was disrupted after police stormed the house and asked Mr Sanyang to come with them.

A reinforcement of riot police fired teargas at the supporters as Mr Sanyang was being taken to Banjullinding Police Station.

One supporter told The Fatu Network: “We are ready to die. We are ready for anything.”

Another said: “They said they needed him at the police station. He told them he will not go but we asked him to go. But where has it ever been one needs a permit to hold a press conference? For us we are ready to die to see him released.”

A Kerr Fatou reporter was arrested during the incident but he was released, according to the outlet.

GANU leader Sheikh Tijan Hydara has said Fabakary Tombong Jatta and his APRC executive are fooling themselves by trying to ignore the fact that APRC belongs to former President Yahya Jammeh.

Addressing GANU and NAM APRC supporters in Gunjur on Saturday, Mr Hydara said: “What I want is the APRC to be one. This is my desire, today and tomorrow. But it’s said you can take the horse to the water but you can’t force it to drink. It’s now clear to The Gambia and the world and everyone that APRC Yahya Jammeh is in our hands.

“It’s also clear APRC Yahya Jammeh and the APRC that went to Barrow whose crowd is bigger. When Yahya Jammeh took power in 1994, he served for two years and people went to him and asked him to take the country and he then formed APRC. So if people now sit and say they are discarding that, those people are deceiving themselves.”

His comments come as Fabakary Tombong Jatta warned Mr Hydara against using APRC’s name in his activities and vowed that he will not hesitate to take legal action.

By AFP

Mali’s interim authorities will confirm a date for post-coup elections after national reform consultations in December, a representative of a U.N. Security Council delegation said after talks on Sunday.

The timeline is a further sign that Mali’s military leadership is likely to extend an 18-month transition to constitutional rule that it originally promised would culminate in presidential and legislative elections on Feb. 27, 2022.

The U.N. delegation met transitional authorities, political parties, and civil society representatives in Bamako over the weekend to assess Mali’s progress back to democracy following the August 2020 overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Niger’s U.N. ambassador, Abdou Abarry, said they were told the national reform talks in December would agree to an electoral schedule that would be announced soon afterward.

“While we cannot object to the reforms, we should not delay the end of the transition,” Abarry told a news conference.