Gambia
Gambia vote to consolidate democracy as president eyes boost
Voters in the tiny and impoverished West African state will renew the unicameral National Assembly's 58 seats for a five-year term.
Tom Saintfiet wants Gambia to build on a great run in Cameroon, where they upset Tunisia and Guinea before losing a last-eight clash.
Adama Barrow's first election in 2016 put an end to more than 20 years of dictatorship in the tiny West African nation under Yahya Jammeh.
The decision came just hours before they were due to play Algeria in Doha -- the other match was against Syria on Tuesday.
President Adama Barrow, however, fell short of a commitment to hold those responsible for crimes committed by the state and its agents under the dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh to be held accountable.
Saturday's election, the first since former dictator Yahya Jammeh fled into exile, is seen as crucial for the young West African democracy.
Skin lightening is also practised in other parts of the world such as South Asia and the Middle East, and is particularly popular among women.
Authorities attributed the rise to people relaxing their guard on protective measures that had so far kept Gambia’s case total the lowest in Africa. Testing has also increased in the country, where the number of deaths is 16.
President Adama Barrow said last week he would self-isolate for two weeks after Vice President Isatou Touray tested positive.
In a statement published on social media, Barrow's office said the president will self-isolate for two weeks, with immediate effect.
President Adama Barrow has reneged on his campaign promise to step down by this month, saying the constitution requires him to serve out a full five-year term.
In response, a movement called “Three Years Jotna” - which means “enough” in the local Wolof language - began protesting last month to demand his departure.
The Gambian government on Sunday denied that three protesters were killed during a demonstration demanding the departure of president Adama Barrow, and banned the group behind the protests.
The Nobel Peace laureate challenged allegations in a lawsuit brought by Gambia last month accusing Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.
In its filing, Gambia asked the court to grant so-called provisional measures to make sure Myanmar immediately 'stops atrocities and genocide against its own Rohingya people'.
The environmental group estimated that fish represents 70% of the animal protein intake of people in Senegal and 50% in Gambia.
A veterinarian by training, Jawara in 1959 founded the Protectorate People’s Party, later rechristened the People’s Progressive Party, which emerged as the dominant political force following independence from Britain in 1965.
Yahya Jammeh ordered the massacre of some 30 migrants he said were "mercenaries" sent to topple him in 2005.
Jammeh ruled the tiny West African state for 22 years before fleeing to Equatorial Guinea after losing elections to opposition candidate Adama Barrow in December 2016.