Pope Francis has lamented what he calls today’s “culture of insults” in the world.

In his homily during Pentecost Mass Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, Francis also decried that “the more we use social media, the less social we are becoming.”

He warned of the temptation to cling to “our little group, to the things and people we like,” saying it’s only a “small step from a nest to a sect, even within the church.”

The pope said that “nowadays, it is fashionable to hurl adjectives” in what’s tantamount to “a culture of insults.”

He recommended responding “to malice with goodness.”

Francis also said the Catholic Church risks becoming a mere organisation with propaganda as its mission instead of a mission to foster joy and harmony.

By Lamin Njie

Police in The Gambia said Friday they have opened an investigation into a fatal car accident in Pirang.

A Brikama-bound passenger van collided with a truck in the Kombo East town Friday morning with at least six people confirmed to have been killed.

The spokesman of the Gambia Police Force Lamin Njie confirmed the news: “The accident occurred on Friday 7th June 2019 at about 0615 hours, around Pirang- Faraba along the Trans-Gambia Highway.”

Njie, in a statement, added: “It involved a motor vehicle with registration number Bjl 3236 L Lima Truck driven by Babucarr Mbye, 27 years old of Old Yundum heading to Bullock and another  vehicle with registration Bjl 7516 N, 26 passenger sprinter van driven by 25 year old Musa Gibba of Jalokoto Foni.

“At the Pirang- Faraba bend,  Musa Gibba driver to the van was overtaking another vehicle with speed when he lost control of the steering and collided with the truck driven by Babucarr Mbye resulting to a serious crash.

“The accident claimed the lives  of the following people. Ismaila Badjie 27 years old of Bajagar village, Fatou Njai 70 years old of Somita village, Musa Jallow 25 years old of Arangal Foni, Hamadi Sabally 41 years old of Bondali village and Anna Jarju also of Bajagar village making the number of fatalities six individuals.

“Several others are admitted at Brikama Major Health Center and Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital for injuries at various degrees.

“The Police has opened an investigation into the accident. Meanwhile the two drivers are helping the Police in their investigations.

“Drivers are strictly warned to desist from speeding and dangerous driving as the Police will not hesitate to apply the Laws.”

A pregnant housewife has been admitted in hospital in Touba Saloum after her fellow wife scalded her with hot water, local media in Senegal has reported.

Seneweb reported Friday that a pregnant woman was scalded by her co-wife in Touba Saloum. Touba Saloum is a town in one of Senegal’s biggest regions, Kaolack.

The victim was evacuated to a local health centre, Seneweb added quoting RFM. The deputy mayor of the region is said to have confirmed the incident.

Investigations have been opened into the incident.

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia Police Force Thursday said its investigations have revealed no signs of ‘external involvement’ in the deaths of a Mauritanian couple.

Last week, Kololi woke up to the shocking news of the death of a Mauritanian businessman and that of his wife. The couple were found dead inside their shop.

The Gambia Police Force Thursday evening issued a statement saying preliminary investigations have revealed no signs of ‘external involvement.’

The statement signed by the force’s spokesman Lamin Njie said: “On Thursday 30th May 2019, at around 1800 hours, the Office of the Inspector General of Police received information that the shop of Sheikh Babou, a Mauritanian, situated at Kololi had not been opened for quite a while and an unpleasant odour was exuding from the shop. The information prompted officers to immediately visit the scene where the lifeless bodies of a man and woman identified as Sheikh Babou and Mariama Babou his wife were found. Also their six month old daughter was found alive.

“The officers immediately evacuated the child to the Serrekunda General Hospital for medical attention as she too sustained injuries.

“The scene was preserved, protected and subsequently visited by forensics and crime scene experts who examined and collected evidence from the scene.

“Preliminary investigations revealed no signs of external involvement as so far evidence points to supposed domestic violence leading to a fight resulting to the death of both.

“This is further corroborated by evidence of previous history of violence and mental health issues around the couple.

“After taking appropriate actions, the Police eventually moved the bodies to Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital for autopsy.

“The Office of the Inspector – General of Police hereby informs the public that investigations are ongoing and its outcome will be made public as soon as concluded.

“Meanwhile, the baby is positively responding to treatment.

“The general public is encouraged to come forward with information that maybe useful to the investigation.”

One in three African children are stunted and hunger accounts for almost half of all child deaths across the continent, an Addis Ababa-based thinktank has warned.

In an urgent call for action, a study by the African Child Policy Forum said that nearly 60 million children in Africa do not have enough food despite the continent’s economic growth in recent years.

A child dies every three seconds globally due to food deprivation – 10,000 children every day – but although figures show an improvement in child hunger at a global level, it is getting worse in some parts of Africa, where the problem is largely a question of political will.

Nine out of 10 African children do not meet the criteria for minimum acceptable diet outlined by the World Health Organization, and two out of five don’t eat meals regularly. Liberia, Congo and Chad are at the bottom of the chart when it comes to children aged six to 23 months receiving sufficient and diverse food with a healthy frequency. They are followed by Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Child hunger is fundamentally a political problem,” said Assefa Bequele, ACPF’s executive director. “It is the offspring of the unholy alliance of political indifference, unaccountable governance, and economic mismanagement. Persistent and naked though the reality is, it remains a silent tragedy, one that remains largely unacknowledged and tolerated, perhaps because it is a poor man’s problem.”

Bequele added: “It is completely unacceptable that children are still going hungry in Africa in the 21st century. The statistics are truly alarming. Child hunger is driven by extreme poverty, uneven and unequal economic growth, gender inequality and a broken food system. Although Africa now produces more food than ever, it hasn’t resulted in better diets.”

Hunger impairs growth and cognitive development of children, but also hits the economic performance of the country they come from. Child hunger can cost African countries almost 17% of their GDP, according to the report. The continent’s present GDP is estimated to have been reduced by 10% because of stunting alone. (Guardian)

The global scale of sexually transmitted infections (STI) should be a “wake-up call” to governments, UN health experts said on Thursday, citing data showing that one in 25 people today have “at least one” curable STI, which occur at a rate of more than one million a day worldwide.

Highlighting the “concerning lack of progress” by countries in stopping the spread of these and other STIs, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that if left untreated, they can have a profound impact on the health of teens, adults and unborn children.

“This is a wake-up call for a concerted effort to ensure everyone, everywhere can access the services they need to prevent and treat these debilitating diseases”, said Dr Peter Salama, Executive Director for Universal Health Coverage and the Life-Course at WHO.

Negative effects of the four curable STIs covered in the report – chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomoniasis – include neurological and cardiovascular disease, infertility, pregnancy complications, stillbirths, and an increased risk of HIV.

‘No substantial decline’ in infection levels

“On average, these data translate to one in every 25 people globally having at least one of these curable STIs with some of them experiencing multiple infections at one time,” said Dr Melanie Taylor, Medical Epidemiologist at WHO’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research.

Noting the “incredibly high global burden” of STIs, Dr Taylor added that since WHO last published estimates on curable STI levels in 2012, “there has been no substantial decline” in infection levels.

WHO’s findings relate to 2016 global figures for women and men aged 15-49. (UN News)

Senegambia Bridge will close later this month for essential final-touch work, it has been announced.

The government said Thursday the Sene-Gambia Bridge at Bambatenda – Yellitenda, will be closed to all traffic from 15th of June 2019 to 30th of June 2019.

“The closure is necessary to allow the contractor to carry out the final finishes to the bridge,” a statement by the Ministry of Transport, Work and infrastructure and the management of the National Roads Authority said.

It added: “During the period of this closure, the Gambia Ferry Services will continue the service of ferrying people, vehicles and goods across the river.

The Ministry and the NRA apologies sincerely to the travelers using this corridor for this inconvenience and would like to inform the public that service on the bridge will resume on the 1st of July 2019 and the bridge will be open to all vehicular traffic including trucks.”

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow has said that pushing people out of his government forms part of his responsibility.

President Barrow said he is committed to removing any official and hiring a fresh hand at any given time ‘in the interest of the country’.

The president made these remarks on Tuesday while meeting with the country’s Muslim leaders on the occasion of this year’s Eidhul Fitr festival.

Mr Barrow said: “We may have different views but one view we should all share is how The Gambia can move forward. We seek forgiveness from everyone. For us, we have forgiven everyone. This position [I’m] holding today, it’s a responsibility given [to me] by God. That’s to shepherd people, to see what’s best for The Gambia.

“So we don’t have anything personal against anybody. We are only doing our job. The work I’m doing, I’m doing it between God and I. If I come to the realisation that a person is fit for a particular position at a particular time, I will pick the person and put the person there. It’s only for the interest of the country. To remove you from [a position] doesn’t mean I hate you. I’m only bound by what the nation requests of me. Anyone who is upset with me, you’re only upset [over no reason] but know that I’m only doing my job.”

President Barrow also said no one loves to see The Gambia to move forward in terms of development ‘more than me.’

“No one can love to see Gambia move forward more than me because I’m the principal. All we are invested in terms of thought is how The Gambia can move forward. But with that, I cannot do it alone. Gambians must support me. Let’s know that this country without hard work, the country will not move forward. There is no other way, there is no shortcut. I want all of us to fasten our belts and work for The Gambia,” the president said.

The Gambia Police Force has issued a statement saying it has observed with deep concern private security firms, parastatals, councils and other institutions recruiting security officers without following approval guidelines for uniform specifications.

A statement signed by the spokesman of the force Lamin Njie on Wednesday said: “The office of the Inspector General of Police has observed with deep concern, private security firms, parastatals, councils and other institutions; recruiting security officers without following approval guidelines for uniform specifications.

“In accordance with Section 18 Sub Section 1 (A, B, and C) of the Police Act Cap 18:01 Laws of the Gambia; it is part of procedural guidelines that such organizations are required to present a sample of proposed uniforms to the office of the Inspector General of Police for approval before issuance of uniforms to avoid confusion with national security services’ uniforms by the public.

“In this regard, the Office of the Inspector General of Police urges all recruiting organizations, private security firms, parastatals, councils and private individuals providing security to liaise with the Inspector General’s Office to seek approval for uniforms as specified under section 18 of the Police Act, Laws of The Gambia in order to provide security services in accordance with the Law.

“Consequently, noncompliance could result to legal actions instituted against such organizations.

“The Inspector General’s Office solicits the cooperation of the general public.”

The TRRC will resume hearings with the opening of its fifth three-week session on Monday June 10, Dr Baba Galleh Jallow has announced.

The TRRC suspended its public hearings on April 25 following the unexpected appearance of former AFPRC vice chairman Sana Sabally.

On Wednesday, the executive secretary of the probe’s secretariat Dr Baba Galleh Jallow said the investigation into the human rights abuses and violations of the 22 years rule of former president Yahya Jammeh will resume next week Monday.

“During this session the Commission will continue hearing testimonies from witnesses and victims of the 1996 UDP encounter with security forces at Denton Bridge and the November 11 and Koro Ceesay incidents,” Dr Jallow said.

According to him, the commission plans to hold its first institutional hearing on the media during this fifth session, “which runs from Monday, June 10 to Thursday, June 27.”

Dr Jallow added: “While the Commission was on break from hearings, the TRRC offices remained open and Commissioners and staff continued to be engaged in work-related activities.

“Among other things, the Research and Investigations Unit continued their engagement with victims, witnesses and alleged perpetrators to further investigate allegations made in statements received, interviews, or the oral testimony of witnesses during past public hearings.”

A group of teachers at Njaba Kunda Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School on Monday returned to Gambia Teachers Union in Kanifing where they were finally paid their salary.

At least 12 teachers last week burned tree branches in front of Njaba Kunda Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School demanding that their salary for three months be paid to them. The teachers were invited to Gambia Teachers Union on Friday eleven hours after their protest – where each was given a quarter of what each owed the government.

On Monday, the teachers returned to Gambia Teachers Union where they were given what remained of their money.

One of them told The Fatu Network: “The issue is now resolved. We all have been safely given our money.”

The president of the Supreme Islamic Council has announced that the Muslim festival of Eidhul Fitr will be marked in The Gambia on Tuesday June 4, 2019.

“We would like to inform everyone that tomorrow is Eidhul Fitr in The Gambia. The last information that has come is Kerr Bamba, Nuimi. They have also called telling us they have sighted the moon,” Momodou Lamin Touray said over QRadio late Monday.

SIC has for more than two decades played a central role in determining the day Muslims in The Gambia can observe Koriteh. During this period, the issue of Koriteh proved to be not only a hot religious potato but it also was a hot political one when former Gambian dictator assumed central position in influencing Gambian Muslims in observing Id-ul-Fitr through SIC.

The matter of observing Koriteh put some religious leaders at loggerheads with dictator Jammeh, who believed that his authority in determining the annual date of Koriteh, was undermined by them. Former President Jammeh had warned that Koriteh in The Gambia will be held on dates determined by him and, of course, in cahoot with SIC. He was on record of issuing stern warnings to radical Islamic clerics who, he believed, refused to toe his line and that of SIC. The SIC’s credibility during this time waned.

Earlier on Monday, the first vice president of the council Sheriff Badjan said it was journalists who were inciting troubles in the country, during which he sent away a The Fatu Network reporter who went to visit the SIC Headquarters about the council’s present position on the issue of the sighting of the moon and Id-ul-Fitr.

“I will not talk to you. I don’t want to talk to you because the press is creating lot of problems in this country,” Badjan, who was sitting side by side the SIC’s President, Momodou Lamin Touray, retorted.

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow has said that his government is engaged in a massive push toward the development of The Gambia.

President Barrow Monday addressed Gambians on the occasion of the Muslim festival of Eidhul Fitr, using the address to hammer home his commitment to a more prosperous Gambia.

Mr Barrow aid: “My government strives for nothing but the progress, prosperity and the development of The Gambia and its people.

“In this pursuit, I stretch out a hand of friendship and invite all citizens, friends, partners and well-wishers to join us in the quest to develop the country and maintain peace and stability.

“I implore all Gambians to live by these ideals in order that we rededicate ourselves to the nation and to the welfare of humanity.

In the 7-minute address aired by GRTS and Paradise TV, Mr Barrow said the ultimate benefits derived from the month of Ramadan “should positively impact ourselves and transform us in all aspects of our being.”

“The ethical values of fasting ranging from sincerity, humility, discipline, generosity, uprightness and patience to being of service to God and nation are universal values that influence our economic and socio-political lives. Therefore, as Gambians, we ought to observe such nobles values beyond Ramadan,” the president said.

President Barrow also said Gambians must continue to discharge their responsibilities in pursuing their national goals including maintaining a peaceful and stable country, singling out youth involvement as crucial in the national development effort.

He said: “As such, the values of hard work and discipline should characterize our approach to service performance and output.

“To realise our national goals, youth involvement in national development is most crucial and as a result our youths should undertake useful engagements that will bring out the best in them as productive and useful citizens.”

By Momodou Justice Darboe

The First Vice President of the Supreme Islamic Council, SIC, Sheriff Badjan, has described journalists as threat to peace.

Badjan also added that journalists are bent on inciting troubles in the country, literally sending away The Fatu Network reporter who went to visit the SIC Headquarters about the council’s present position on the issue of the sighting of the moon and Id-ul-Fitr.

“I will not talk to you. I don’t want to talk to you because the press is creating lot of problems in this country,” Badjan, who was sitting side by side the SIC’s President, Momodou Lamin Touray, retorted.

He further said that he was in no mood to talk to journalists because the press is inimical to national security and cohesion.

SIC has for more than two decades played a central role in determining the day Muslims in The Gambia can observe Koriteh. During this period, the issue of Koriteh proved to be not only a hot religious potato but it also was a hot political one when former Gambian dictator assumed central position in influencing Gambian Muslims in observing Id-ul-Fitr through SIC.

The matter of observing Koriteh had put some religious leaders at loggerheads with dictator Jammeh, who believed that his authority in determining the annual date of Koriteh, was undermined by them. Former President Jammeh had warned that Koriteh in The Gambia will be held on dates determined by him and, of course, in cahoot with SIC. He was on record of issuing stern warnings to radical Islamic clerics who, he believed, refused to toe his line and that of SIC.

However two years after his shocking electoral defeat and subsequent exile, Gambians are now heaving sigh of relief when it comes to Koriteh now that they would not have to put up with any undue executive interference vis-a-vis Id-ul-Fitr.

At least two migrants died and around 25 others were missing after their inflatable boat capsized off the western Libyan coast, a spokesman for the coastguard said on Sunday.

A total of 73 migrants were picked up by a coastguard patrol about 14 miles off Qarabulli town, some 49 km (30.5 miles) east of the capital Tripoli, spokesman Ayoub Qassem said.

The bodies of a woman and a child were recovered, he added.

The migrants included 40 men, 25 women and eight children from Sudan, Kenya, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

“A wrecked and inflatable boat was found without an engine and the illegal migrants were found clinging to it,” Qassem said.

According to the UN migration agency IOM, 2,297 migrants died or went missing in the Mediterranean last year out of a total of 116,959 people who reached Europe by sea.

Libya’s western coast has become a main departure point for migrants as smugglers exploit the county’s chaos since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

But since July 2017, smuggling networks inside Libya have been disrupted under an Italian-backed deal with local authorities in a former smuggling hub of Sabratha town in western Libya.

The coast guard has stepped up patrols after receiving new boats from Italy as part of efforts by the right-wing government there to stop migrants reaching Italian shores from Africa. (Reuters)

New Yundum Saturday voiced disappointment at remarks by President Adama Barrow’s special adviser Mai Ahmad Fatty that the behaviour of the people of the community was posing a threat to the environment.

Mr Fatty at an emergency press conference in the wake of last week’s airport plane mishap said people who live around the airport were engaged in indiscriminate dumping of waste.

New Yundum, one of the communities around the airport, issued a statement on Saturday describing Mr Fatty’s choice of words as unfortunate.

The statement reads in part: “First, during the Press Conference, Hon Mai Ahmed Fatty infers that New Yundum and other surrounding communities are responsible for attracting ‘’Birds’’ into the Airport premises  due to their  ‘’bad attitudes’’ in indiscriminately dumping refuse and that  consequently poised a serious danger to Flights safety at the Airport.

“It is utterly disappointing that such irresponsible and inconsiderate statement above could be directed to the people of our community and from a man of Hon Mai’s status and position in our governance structure as a country. This we as a community, took as a hard knocked and affront plain insults to our community and people. We will like to remind Hon Mai and the purportedly constituted task force, that he (Mai) may be obliged to speak for, that; the People of New Yundum are not a cause or a source of attraction of birds into the Airport and thus has never serve as a trouble for Flights safety in the country. The dump site in use by our people is an area consensually accepted for the dumping of refuse for the community. Therefore, we expected the blatant failure of the Brikama Area Council to be of highlights of the Press Conference of not executing their rightful duties in the collection of refuse from the community rather than an attack of such irresponsible statement against the unconsidered tax payers of our community. Beside, we would like the general public to understand that the closure of the Airport on this faithful day has nothing to do with Bird strikes instead a ‘’Technical Failure’’ and the incapacity of the authorities to sort out the fault rather than diverting the public attention on our communities.

“Moreover, Hon Mai confirmed that a ‘’ Task Force Committee’’ was set up by the President to look at all the parameters surrounding the Airport and that the conclusion was, the problem has to do with the attitude of ourselves. Then what is the use of the task force when the lead of the force has already confirmed the cause of the problem even without investigation.

“Furthermore, this is indeed a news to us and one would have expected  that a task force committee of such a nature and considering the location of the Airport and the people mostly affected will serve as a key stakeholder in the formulation down into the implementation of the laid down policies. But unfortunately, the total disregard of the importance of stakeholder management and involvement on any policy formulation, implementation or monitoring in this case is totally disregarded by the responsible authorities. This serve as an affront of total disrespect of our local authority structures!

“Thirdly, It is unfortunate that the tone and choice of words used by Hon Mai Fatty in conveying or asserting his message is too commanding and sends an authoritarian feature in him or the authority he is authorised to speak for of how he is perceiving this whole saga and in particular of forcefully demanding that our people including the Alkali, The VDC, The Imam and the Young people MUST come out in their numbers to clear the mess been done by themselves and their own people going by his exact words. We would be very happy to advise the Presidential Advisor to not deviate from his responsibility, which is to advise the presidency on issues relevant to the realisation of the country’s dream, but not to use the media space to speak vulgar and or, unfounded allegations against the innocent communities of New Yundum.

“To move on, we call on the Brikama area council to live up to their responsibilities by providing refuse bins for our people or have periodic collection of waste from our communities. This will help in the preservation of not only the surrounding of the Airport, but even the environment of New Yundum.

“Again, we will like to call on the GCAA to be fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities. For so long, our land, water and air have been over polluted by the authority, and we think it is about time that they consider doing what is expected of them.

“Finally, we unreservedly demand a public apology from the task force through their lead, Mai Ahmad Fatty, who has uttered such irresponsible, discourteous, and ungracious statement against the people of New Yundum Village.

“However, we reassure the general public of our utmost concern of the Safety of the Airport. The safety and security of the flights coming in and out of the Airport is equally the safety of our community. Remember, New Yundum has housed the Airport for centuries now.”