Dede Ayew will lead the national U-20 side out for the first time on Sunday as they seek to end Ghana's hoodoo at the African Youth Championships.

Ousman Kagbo, editor-in-chief of "Business Digest", an independent Banjul-based newspaper, was questioned by the notorious and much-feared National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on 3 October 2008, after it was alleged he'd received "strange" telephone calls from persons whom the authorities claimed were a threat to the security of the Gambia.

In what is seen as a last minute rush for shopping, before the much-awaited feast of Koriteh, major metropolitan markets within the Greater Banjul Area are experiencing quite a surge in activities as shoppers descend on them. "Wanterr" is the buzzword in the next few days.

The idea of re-cycling used materials is born out of a pure need to enhance sustainability of natural resources for succeeding generations of humanity. It is especially important for resources that are susceptible to the depleting effect of the ever-increasing world population.

The Department of State for Communications, Information and Information Technology (DoSCIIT), in collaboration with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), and other stakeholders in the telecommunications sector, yesterday, converged at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi, to review and validate the Information and Communications Bill 2008.

Participants from ECOWAS member countries, recently concluded a training workshop on water resource management, at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

Bubacarr Trawalleh, a blind man of Malian nationality, was recently arrested by personnel from the Kuntaur Police Station, the closest to the Senegalese border, on the North Bank.

As trading closes in Banjul this ending the 25th. September, 2008, the Dalasi is manifesting a very mixed picture. Which way to swing, I do not know as I am equally confused as you may be with these figures just like a child looking into a prism and mentioning all colours that comes her way.

Poverty is not a new phenomenon; it is as old as human history. While we can not divorce natural causes from it, there are convincingly enough reasons to argue that manmade causes of poverty largely account for the increasingly deplorable conditions of the world's poor people.

Alhagie Ganyie Touray, the governor of Central River Region, recently sponsored the refurbishment of the offices of The Gambia Immigration Department in Janjangbureh, Central River Region.

Muslims in The Gambia, Saturday night, joined the rest of the Islamic Ummah in commemorating Lailatul Qadr, the Night of Power. As is characteristic of Gambians, prayer and preaching sessions were held in almost all the mosques in the country. Three reporters from the Daily Observer joined worshipers in selected areas, as you can read in the following reports.

Abdou Colley, the secretary of state for Trade, Industry and Employment, last Friday, presided over the first National Reference Group (NRG) meeting, which marked the formal launching of the Seven Up 4 (7up4) project in The Gambia, at a landmark ceremony held at the Jerma Beach Hotel and Resort in Kololi.

The Holy Month of Ramadan is and month for caring, sharing and empathising with the poor and needy.

The Black Satellites will take a slender 2-1 advantage to their African Youth Championship second leg qualifier second leg match in Banjul against Gambia but Sellas Tetteh is confident his side can still qualify.

Our environment is precious and vital to the existence of plants and animals, including human beings.

After the successful release of her debut CD album - Xalel - The Gambia's young female Mbalax star, Nancy Nanz is now set for real business.

The Gambia's International reggae dancehall star, Omsla Baru, still remains a big reggae dancehall star in the United Kingdom, according to reports reaching What's On.

Alhagie Ganyie Touray, the governor of the Central River Region, on behalf of the people of the region, has commended President Alhagie Dr Yahya Jammeh for his good will gesture in the Holy Month of Ramadan, following the president's donation of two thousand bags of sugar to the region.

In a bid to raise awareness of the rights of the consumer and the obligations of the service providers in the resolution of their common problems and concerns, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), yesterday, convened a stakeholders' meeting.

Lamine Diack, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and Professor Andreas Steigen, the outgoing vice chancellor of the University of The Gambia (UTG), yesterday, paid a courtesy call on the Vice President, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, at her office at State House, Banjul.

A thirteen-year old boy from Ebo Town, Mama Besidi, last Wednesday, drowned while swimming in Bakau. The tragic incident was said to have happened during the late hours of the day, around 17:00 hours.

The proceedings of the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the body in the National Assembly tasked with scrutinizing the financial performance of public institutions has been described as 'going smooth.'

A dramatic scene unfolded last night, as fire egulfed the building housing the Home Finance Company and Social Security and Housing Finance Co-operation, the floor on top of Trust Bank Limited, at Westfield, the Daily Observer can reveal.

French side Lorient has told the Ghana Football Association (GFA) that they will not release midfielder Andre Dede Ayew for this week's U-20 clash with Gambia. Coach Sellas Tetteh named the 18-year-old in his squad for Sunday's final first-leg qualifier for the African Youth Championship.

The worldwide professed $100 laptop project is on its way to The Gambia, thanks to a potential partnership between the Department of State for Communication, Information and Information Technology, and the founder and CEO of Green WiFi, Bruce Baikie.