The director general of the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA), yesterday said that shopkeepers whose stalls were demolished by soldiers on the directives of the GTA, were illegal occupants of the areas concerned.

Ismaila Sambou, the secretary of state for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, on Monday, received a cheque for D299,760 from the Kerewan Area Council, as its second counterpart contribution for the construction of the new Farrafenni Market.

President Jammeh has warned district chiefs, Alkalolu, governors and even secretaries of state to stand firmly in support and protection of poor farmers against exploitation by rice dealers and retailers or he would be forced to use his electric broom.

A line of stalls were last week demolished, turning the area into a ground zero, by personnel of the Tourism Security Unit, following allegations that the owners had been using the area to trade in illicit drugs.

Senior magistrate Buba Jawo of Kanifing Magistrates Court has advised tenants to always exercise maturity in dealing with family feuds involving their children.

Nine students of the University of The Gambia (UTG), have been selected to attend Scholarly Writing and Research Methodology Workshop in Freetown, Sierra Leone, organised by Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).

Senior Magistrate EF M'Bai of the Brikama Magistrates Court on Monday sentenced one Musa Sanyang, a native of Lamin Village, for unlawfully hitting his seven-year old son with a stick on the head, to a jail term of nine months with hard labour.

The US Embassy in Banjul, last week, launched a new website which is expected to improve customer services, at the Embassy complex on Kairaba Avenue.

Sopeh Dr Isatou Njie Saidy Shrimpers Association, a registered self-help association, is soliciting assistance to procure a storage facility for their products.

Magistrate Mboto of the Banjul Magistrates Court, yesterday adjourned the criminal case involving Bai Ousman Secka, a former permanent secretary at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs and Batata Juwara, former protocol officer at the same department, to May 22, following the indisposition of the prosecution witness.

For a closer look at the Tourism Development Area, one would easily notice a transformation of infrastructural development such as additional hotels, bar and restaurants, traffic lights, good road network. Of course the security and the hospitality of Gambians which is second to none.

Momodou Drammeh, a photographer residing in Tallinding, Serrekunda East, on Monday filed a civil suit before principal magistrate Buba Jawo, against Photo Star Enterprise, for allegedly spoiling three used films belonging to him.

Fifty midwives were recently awarded certificates after a successful completion of a two week training on the use of partograph, at a ceremony held at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH).

One Omar Simaga, a marabout, was recently paraded before the Bundung magistrate court, presided over by senior magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara, charge with obtaining D212,000 from one Musa Jallow and Mariama Janneh, by false pretence.

The president's dialogue with the peoples tour began yesterday, and from the transcript of the schedule of activities, this year's expedition is packed with festive programs, a rather ideal way of capturing the attention of the people. Apart from being a constitutional requirement, this very important annual activity is in line with our African culture, which demands that we sit and discuss ...

At least 60 students and 19 teachers from Lycée Chérif Samsideen Hydara, a high school in Wellingara, Senegal, on Saturday May 3, concluded a four day exchange visit to Armitage Senior School in Janjangbureh, Central River Region (CRR).

The opposition UDP chairman in Lower Fulladu, Central River Region (CRR), has announced his defection to the ruling APRC party.

A former Taiwanese plenipotentiary in The Gambia has showered praises on the Daily Observer and The Point newspapers for their "indefatigable" support in promoting cooperation between Banjul and Taipei.

The AG Chambers, yesterday, took over the prosecution of the April 2008 Babylon Attack case, with Buba Bojang appearing as the new state prosecutor.

There was total breakdown of authority and services at the ferries last Sunday night, between the hours of 20:24 and 21:50, as the Kanilai ferry was unable to dock and let off busy travellers, among them returnees from their weekly weekend outings to the countryside. This was caused by the much talked about installation of the new ramps at the (Banjul-Barra entry and exit points).

As the world celebrates World Press Freedom Day, tomorrow, May 3, 2008, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is once again drawing attention to the deteriorating press freedom situation in The Gambia and Niger, where serious freedom of expression and press freedom violations continue unabated.

The leader of the opposition National Democratic Action Movement (NDAM), a nominated councillor of the Brikama Area Council (BAC), has disclosed that his council has registered with tangible improvements in both the revenue collection and social service delivery.

The 'Dialogue with the people tour' begins today, Monday May 5th 2007.

In its drive to make achieve food self-sufficiency, the government of The Gambia recently leased a 200 hectares of the 265 hectares land located between the villages of Kuloro and Pirang in the Kombo East, for a US$7 million investment by MAKFOOD Company.

Madam Sia Myama Koroma, the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leaone on Friday met Dr Aji Isatou Njie-Saidy, Vice President and secretary of state for Women's Affairs at her office at State House, Banjul.