Abdul Hamid Adiamoh, the editor and proprietor of TODAY newspaper was on Thursday 28 August 2008, charged with seditious intention after a publication of a story indicating children dodge school to look for scrap metals for sale at the expense of their schooling. He is standing trial before Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo of the kanifing magistrate courts.

According to the particulars of the alleged offence the accuse Hamid on or about the 15 of July 2008, at kanifing Municipality printed and distributed or reproduces a story in his newspaper, children dodge from school to pick scrap metals.

The embattled journalist was reporting to the police head quarters since July of this year and was on two occasions detained for a couple of days. On Wednesday 27 August 2008, when he reported at the Banjul police for his usual reporting, he was made to wait until 3pm, there after he was informed that he will be appearing before the court, to answer to some charges made against him.

Reaching the courts at Kanifing, there was no judge to hear his case, so he was detained over night at the kotu police station, till Thursday morning the 28 august 2008.

Hamid is granted a court bail in the sum of D2000, 000, with a Gambian surety, and the case is adjourned to the 10 September 2008, for proper hearing. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

It will be recalled the same magistrate has just handed a heavy fine of D250, 000 on Fatou Jaw Manneh a few days ago. It was also the same judge who found Lamin Fatty guilty and fine him D50, 000.00.the two are journalists in the country.

Mr Bajinka was alleged to have defiled the daughter of his wife by falling her on the ground and trying to undress her, a charge he denied.

According to the presiding Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh, the offence allegedly committed by the accused is a serious one.

He therefore revoked the accused bail and remanded him pending the determination of the case.

The case was then adjourned until 1^st September 2008.

Mr Barra Secka, a driver, was recently convicted and sentenced to a fine of D1000, in default to serve three months’ imprisonment by Magistrate B.O Jobe of the Bundung Magistrates’ Court.

He was also ordered to compensate the victim the sum of D6000, in default to serve another 12 months’ imprisonment. All sentences are to run concurrently.

The convict was, on 5^th August 2008 at Sukuta Junction, said to have hit one Fiedel Camara with his vehicle and thereby broke his legs.

In passing his sentence, Magistrate Jobe stated that the accused pleaded guilty to charges and that he did not waste the court’s time. He said the convict is a first-time offender and pleaded for mercy.

One Alhagie Bah, a Senegalese national, on Monday 25^th August 2008 appeared before the Brikama Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate John Njie on a charge of stealing. He denied the charge.

According to the particulars of the offence, on 17^th July 2008 along the Brikama-Serekunda Highway, the accused Alhagie Bah stole a motor vehicle with the registration number BJL 8821, and a black briefcase content valued at D6, 175, being the property of one Samba Gassama.

Hearing continues.

The trial of Adama Mballow of Kubuneh who allegedly raped an 18-year-old girl has being deferred until 15 September 2008 for continuation.

The case which was scheduled to be heard last Monday at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court could not proceed as the complainant who was supposed to be the prosecution witness was absent in court.

However, Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh warned the prosecution that if on the next adjourned date the witness failed to show up in court, the court would be left with no option but to strike out the case.

Amie Cherry, another Banjul – born female musician in the making, started music at a tender age endowed with fluid voice and exceptional stage presence.

Speaking in an interview with ‘Entertainment’ recently at the City Limits Radio Station, Amie Cherry said that she is involved in music and at the same time is an actress and a radio presenter. Some of the singles she has produced are presently enjoying prime airplay on local radio stations and television, prominent among them are president promotion, HIV and AIDS, and girl child education, respectively. Owing to lack of financial support, The Banjul-born musician has still not released an album.

Comparing Gambian artists with their Sensgalese counterparts, Amie Cherry calls on all Gambians to join hands and support their Gambian artists. Touching on the congress which was held at the Paradise Suites Hotel, the female musician said the aim of the congress is to bring all artists in the country together as one. She advised those artists who normally copy their own counterparts’ songs to desist from such practices and to create their own music. She however pointed out that all cannot be musicians but instead some can look to other things.

Amie Cherry went further to thank the Gambian leader for supporting Gambian artists noting that if others emulated the president, then the music industry would not face the difficulties it is now facing.

Tutty Sallah, a provincial and a young talented artist, has promised to surprise the music industry in the country when she gets sufficient financial support either nationally or internationally. Presently, the rising artist has not produced any album due to financial problems but she has released three singles entitled ‘Jammeh Mousa’, ‘Youth of today’ and ‘Gambia our Motherland’ successively.

Speaking to this reporter, the young Bansang artist explained that she has been practising to become an artist since a tender age, adding that music is her hobby .Tutty Sallah who was born at Karantaba in Sami district but now resides in Bansang working as a teacher in Daru Lower Basic school, has called on philanthropists, NGOs and Government to support her both morally and financially.

According to her, with the support, she can launch another album soon.

One of the Senegalese female super mbalax artists, Vivian Ndour, is expected to land on Gambian soil after Ramadan. The Senegalese artist’s visit is organised by The Gambia Ports Authority as Operation Promotion Excellence in Sciences OPES.

Upon arrival on Friday the 10, Vivian Ndour is expected to perform live on Gala night the 11th October, 2008. There will be a grand Dance on the 12th October, 2008; a live show with Vivian Ndour featuring prominent Gambian artists, Entertainment was reliably informed.

Every four years, the world traditionally puts aside its disputes to cheer on its athletes during the uplifting quadrennial spectacle of the Olympic Games. During this Olympic year, however. we’ve been treated to a spectacle that has been anything but uplifting, as Russian tanks, troops and planes have swept across the border of one of its small neighbors. Although the neighbor was Georgia, not Czechoslovakia, and the tanks bore Russian, not Soviet Union markings, the scene was chillingly reminiscent of 1968.

The aftermath of these events has been equally disturbing. Russian troops have refused so far to leave, and have dug in to positions not only in Georgia’s disputed areas of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but also in Georgia proper, all in violation of Georgia’s territorial integrity.

On Tuesday. NATO foreign ministers issued a strong statement in support of Georgia’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty, as well as its democratically elected government. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the statement also “sent a message to Russia that NATO will not permit a new line to develop in Europe between those states that are a part of  the transatlantic structures and those states that still aspire.”

The world’s attention now is focused on two urgent objectives: Bringing a halt to all hostilities and abuses in the conflict area, including those committed by “irregulars” in Russian-controlled areas and helping the survivors of the conflict. Both Georgia and Russia have signed a cease fire agreement, but the world is still waiting for Russia to honor it. Meanwhile there is an urgent need to allow humanitarian workers in. The United States and other countries have  already begun delivering medical care and supplies, food, shelter, and other assistance to the survivors. While the exact number of dead and wounded is still unknown. it is clear that the people of Gcorgia are facing a humanitarian crisis in the swath of destruction left behind.

Georgia’s separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have had a long history of tension. But anyone who takes a closer look at the events of the past year should not be surprised by the events of the last few weeks. Moscow has been steadily intensifying pressure on Georgia economically, politically and militarily, launching trade embargos and suspending air and ground transport links. In the spring, Russia issued a government order to increase its official ties  with the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, completely bypassing the Georgian authorities.

Russia’s challenges then became more ominous. Last April, a Russian fighter jet shot down a Georgian drone over Georgian airspace, and in that same month, Russian combat troops and artillery began moving into Abkhazia, all on the pretext of augmenting the peacekeeping force - but without any consultation with Georgia. In May, Russia sent railroad construction troops into Abkhazia — with no apparent legal mandate - to repair the railway leading south from Russia to the conflict zone, ostensibly for “humanitarian reasons.” By July, incidents of violence were occurring in South Ossetia, including attacks on Georgian police vehicles and an attempted assassination of a pro-Georgian South Ossetian leader.  

Throughout this period, U.S. officials urged the Russian and Georgian governments to exercise restraint and find a way to resolve their differences peacefully. On August 7, after Georgia responded to shelling of Georgian villages that came from Russian peacekeeper controlled territory in South Ossetia and moved to reclaim parts of South Ossetia, an overwhelming Russian force swarmed through South Ossetia and into Abkhazia and Georgia proper. Russia is now questioning Georgia’s territorial integrity and intimating that it may recognize the independence of both disputed areas, despite numerous U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at resolving their status diplomatically.

The scenes of Russian aggression - and now the threats, both direct and indirect, against other countries such as Poland and Ukraine - have brought back frightening memories to the former captive states which have since chosen a Western model of freedom and democracy. But the world we live in today is different from 1968, when the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia. Since then, Europe, the transatlantic community, and the world have moved forward. Russia has sought to integrate into the diplomatic, political, economic, and security structures of the 21st century, and the United States has strongly supported those efforts.

But through its actions Russia has now put its international reputation and aspirations at risk. The impact of its actions is already being felt as questions are being raised about Russia’s suitability for admission into the World Trade Organization, and the prestige of an eighth seat at the G-7 economic forum. Some critics are even questioning the appropriateness of Russia hosting the next Olympics in Sochi, which is only a marathon’s race away from the disputed territory of Abkhazia. The Russian people may learn that the cost of last week’s aggression will be measured in ways that their leaders never considered.

If Russia wants to repair the damage to its reputation - and to its relations with the rest of the world the first step it must take is to respect the cease fire its president has signed and stop all hostilities, including those committed by irregulars in the areas it is now occupying. In accordance with the terms of that cease fire, it must immediately remove from Georgia the troops it introduced after August 6. It must also permit international monitors and a more robust international presence in South Ossetia; allow humanitarian aid to be delivered; and adhere to Russia’s previously professed pol icy of supporting Georgia’ s territorial integrity.

Without those actions. Russia will further isolate itself. As Secretary Rice said alter the NATO meeting: “There can be no business as usual with Russia while this kind of activity is going on.”