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GAMBIAN SENIOR NURSE DIES FROM COROA VIRUS
The Gambia has confirmed its first novel Covid-19 case among healthcare workers after a senior nurse catch the virus.
‘The nurse, who worked at the country’s main referral, EFSTH, passed away.’
It is the country’s third registered Covid-19 death since the first case was recorded back in March.
*As said by the ministry of health, the senior nurse, 50, in addition to having had an underlying health condition, was a known diabetic and had also severe pneumonia-like symptoms. A sample was only collected from him after his demise on the 4th of July and a positive test result returned on 5th July.*
For now,, three other cases were recorded which took the country’s toll to 61. Two of them are Belgian couple, both 64, who arrived on SN Brussels flight in late June. The other one is a UN staff of Gambian nationality, 45, who arrived on a WFP-chartered flight from Liberia.
The country at the moment has 341 people in quarantine; 31 active and 8 probable cases.
The ministry said one of the challenges now is escalation of COVID-19 among healthcare workers, while mentioning low staff precautionary measures due to the absent of incentives and the non-payment of allowances, frequent power outages in the PHEOC due to the depenance on NAWEC, as other stumbling blocks.
Source___Standard Newspaper
Cabinet desires president’s total control of Secretary General
Opposite to the purpose of the draft constitution for greater liberty to be divested in the head of the civil service, President Barrow’s Cabinet has desired that the Secretary General should remain under the supervision of the President.
The CRC, in its draft has said that the secretary general “shall not, in the performance of his or her functions, be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority…”
Nonetheless, looking at its stand on the draft constitution in a document seen by The Standard, the Cabinet told CRC to “delete” such a provision giving liberty to the secretary general and head of the civil service to act on his or her own accord.
“Delete this provision because the secretary general works under the President and undertakes assignments given to him or her by the President,” the Cabinet paper demanded.
“He or she cannot be divorced from presidential supervision, direction, control or authority,” it added.
“The position of a CEO should also be performance-based and since the president retains ultimate responsibility for the performance of public enterprises, it is essential for him to retain the power of removal,” the paper observed.
The Cabinet endorsement was sent after the disclosing of the first draft, the CRC did not include the recommendations in the final draft which was sent to the president and has since been published.
Source___Standard Newspaper
President Barrow should take action against tribal insults says, Manding Network
A group of Gambians, called Manding Network, with membership across the globe has written to President Adama Barrow urging him to take immediate action against people who inadvertently insult tribes for no significant reasons.
“This nonsense has to stop. The government through law enforcement agencies must intensify their intelligence coordination to swiftly arrest such deviants, isolate them and subject them to the full force of the law,” a letter signed by diaspora president Lamin Anta Jajur shared with The Standard stated.
“We can no longer afford to remain silent for fear of characterisation. We stand to be counted, to condemn this relentless superfluous diabolical diatribe against any tribe in The Gambia. We will no longer stand doubtfully and allow criminals insult any tribe.
We will not be silent out of correctness. Wrong can never be right and something must be done about this according to law,” the group added.
The letter further added: “The Gambia Government through the Ministries of Justice and Interior must ensure that these criminals are identified, arrested and prosecuted. Our criminal justice system must adequately respond to this dangerous trend to avert a potentially more serious threat. An attack against any ethnicity is an attack against all. Tribal bigotry and hostility must not be permitted, and the frequent targeting of the Mandinkas is unacceptable. All futile efforts at hate and contempt shall remain odious.”
The group urged the government to issue a statement of sanction and set the conversation against the promotion of ethnic tension and division in the country.“That will demonstrate to us the government’s attitude towards this specific and similar tendencies in the country. The Gambia’s future peace and stability will be at risk if we do not effectively address and tackle this dastardly propensity head on now,” the group added.
Source___Standard Newspaper
US says international students must leave if classes are online
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) branch of the Department of Homeland Security in US issued new rules for exchange students to leave in order to prevent challenges for universities and schools amid the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
The “Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States”, ICE’s highly anticipated new rules said.
Students who are already in the US and whose programmes have switched to online-only instruction must “depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status”, the rules continued.
“If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.”
President Donald Trump also said on Monday that US “schools must open in the fall” – a decision over which he has less power.
Schools in the US are largely under the jurisdiction of state and local governments in which the President have limited powers.
“SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!” Trump wrote in a Twitter post.
Source___Aljazeera
Paramount Iraqi specialist on armed groups shot to death in Baghdad
A paramount Iraqi expert on jihadist and other armed groups has been shot dead in the capital, Baghdad.
Hisham al-Hashimi, 47, was killed near his home in the Ziyouna district yesterday night by two gunmen who were riding a motorbike, according to the police report.
No t none which group us behind the killing, but he had reportedly received threats from Iran-backed militias.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, whose government he advised informally, blamed groups “outside the law”.
“We vow to his killers that we will pursue them so they are justly punished. We will not allow assassinations to return to Iraq for a single second,” a statement said.
The US embassy in Baghdad said in a Facebook post that it was “deeply shocked and saddened by the cowardly murder”.
“Our deepest condolences to his family and to the people of Iraq for the tragic loss of this Iraqi national treasure. We call on the Iraqi government to bring those responsible for his murder to swift justice.”
UN special representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert also expressed shock.
“We strongly condemn this despicable act of cowardice,” a statement said.
Source____BBC
15 Killed In Fresh Katsina Attack in Nigeria
Bandits have killed at least 15 farmers at Yar Gamji village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State in Nigeria.
Inhabitants in the affected community discloses to Channels Television that the victims were killed while working on their various farmlands around 10: am on Monday.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Gambo Isah, said, “It’s true that 15 people were killed in an attack in their various farmlands far away from Yar Gamji.”
He further make known that the bandits numbering over 200 came on motorcycles armed with AK-47 rifles, adding that they pursued the farmers to the forest, shooting and killing them.
“The bandits numbering over 200 came on motorcycles armed with AK 47 rifles pursuing them (the farmers) even to the forest, shooting and killing them.
“A mop up after revealed the 15 corpses. At present, our people are on ground and I am expecting a detailed report on their confrontation with the bandits,” he added.
Source___Channels TV
Federal Government of Nigeria Set To Shut Third Mainland Bridge For Six Months
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to shut the Third Mainland Bridge for six months starting from Friday, July 24.
This was disclosed by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukayode Popoola.
According to him, consultations are ongoing for another phase of repair works to begin on the 11.8km bridge.
The bridge has gone through a series of repair works and was last shut in August 2018 for a three-day investigative maintenance check.
There have also been reports of some worn-out expansion joints on the structure, raising concerns over the state of the bridge.
This development will force motorists in Lagos who ply the bridge to begin making arrangements for alternative routes.
Source___Channels TV
Nigeria becoming one of the epicentres of Corona Virus in Africa as Infections Surpass 29, 000
Nigeria’s COVID-19 infections surpassed the 29, 000 point as the country reported 575 new cases of the virus pushing the country into the mark of the virus concentration in Africa.
This is according to the latest data released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
In a tweet on its official handle on Monday night, the NCDC explained that the new cases were reported in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory, taking Nigeria’s total infections from the virus to 29, 286.
Out of those infected with COVID-19 in Nigeria, 11,828 have been discharged with 654 deaths reported, the NCDC data revealed.
Source___Channels TV
‘Jammeh era was not conducive for vocal lawyers like me’-Essa Faal
The lead Council of the Truth Commission Essa Faal, has discloses at a youth conference that The Gambia was not conducive for vocal lawyers like him during the reign of ex-president Jammeh.
Faal, a former ICC lead investigator into the Darfur killings who also served as chief prosecutor at the UN transitional administration in East Timor, was brought forward to share an inspirational reminder with a large gathering of youths from various backgrounds at the ‘Hope for the Youth Conference’ in Kanifing.
He challenged youths to be brave to take risks and look into ways of reshaping their lives with a big dream if they are to be successful in the world.
“Risk is the only recipe for success. Take risks and if you fail keep trying” Faal urged youths.
“I was so passionate when I left the ICC and was doing private work but I did not trust the environment in The Gambia especially for a lawyer that time, especially for a vocal person like me. The Jammeh environment was not the most conducive so I went to Senegal. Even though I was warned against it, I took the risk, I ventured and ventured and I dare say I have done very, very well,” he added.
“Challenges are meant to be conquered; mountains are meant to be climbed so be ready to take risks if you want to be successful in life. Be prepared to fail; in fact, there is much to learn from failing. I remember my first common entrance taught me a lot about life but if I had succumbed to failure, perhaps I would have ended up being a guy who pushes a canoe. So pursue your passion, work hard, embrace good ideas, push and persist and someday you will make the breakthrough,” Faal stated.
‘He noted that there is a need for youths to re-invest in their future to ensure they turn into investors and business owners instead of employees.’
Source___Standard Newspaper
Nigeria Troops of Lafiya Dole Kill 75 Boko Haram Terrorist
Troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole have killed 75 Boko Haram terrorists and recuperated weapons in the northeast of the country
The Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, discloses this in a statement issued yesterday.
As said by him, the terrorists were killed in an ongoing offensive in the region that resulted in deaths of Boko Haram fighters
Enenche clarified that the Boko Haram fighters met their death during 17 separate encounters with the troops from June 1 to June 30 of this year.
“It is evident from recent encounters with Boko Haram/ISWAP that the resilience of the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE is being sustained across the North-East Theatre of operation resulting to high BHT/ISWAP casualties on men and equipment as well as capture or surrendering of some of their fighters.
“In their resolve to end BHT/ISWAP menace in the North-East region, from 1 – 30 June 2020, the gallant troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE had a total of 17 encounters with the marauding criminals, neutralizing 75 of them in the process,” the statement partly read.
Speaking further, Enenche said four insurgents including two women were captured and later identified to be the wives of the local Boko Haram commander at Gajingi in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Source___Channels TV
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