BLAQUE MAGIQUE: THE GRAND YEARLY FINALE TO GAMBIA SPOKEN WORDS

Blaque  magique ( BLACK MAGIC: A literal play on words) Is an annual show case of Gambia finest spoken words. The show showcases the talent and wiliness of Gambia finest poets, spoken word artist, story-telling and performing artist to go beyond the limit of showbiz.

The organizers, BALAFONG organizes such event monthly and mid yearly with different theme and event names such as; WOM (words of mouth) and RHYTHMIC VIBRATION. These shows bring out the best in Gambia’s young and talented literal community and it’s always well attended.

BLAQUE MAGIQUE being the last show of such events every year comes in December on Christmas day and is portray as the final to the yearly events. This is one show that you don’t want to miss for anything. 

BLAQUE MAGIQUE is in its 4 season. And as expected, it is going to be bigger and unsurpassed.

To make it better, the show is organize in a gala dinner style (ehhh, who doesn't love food, a good food?). You get entertain of you money worth and wish BLAQUE MAGIQUE 5.0 is the next day .Sorry folks, come December 2015 In Sha Allah, expect a superlative one.

WHAT IS A SPOKEN WORD POETRY?

Spoken word poetry Is poetry that is performed. Its demonstrate a heavy use of rhythm, improvisation, free association, rhymes, rich poetic phrases, story-telling, music, words play and actions at some point.

 The art of spoken-word poetry has existed for many centuries. The Ancient Greeks included Greek Lyric which is similar to spoken-word poetry in their Olympic Games

Similar exercises were encouraged in political and social discourse in what was then an ancient and thriving form of democracy. Whereby every citizen was encourage to share their opinions and grievances to the rulers at that time.

Spoken word can be use to demonstrate our true feelings and opinions of our societies. It can impact a great change.

A big  kudos to the BALAFONG team for a job well done. We hope everyone going to the show listen to the message and use then to make changes. 


COME OUT TO SUPPORT OUR OWN:
25 DECEMBER (CHRISTMAS DAY)
 JAAMA HALL @KAIRABA BEACH HOTEL 

WATCH: A spoken word arstist from the balafong team Abdoulie Bah

FORMER ARSENAL LEGEND HUNG HIS BOOT

The former France star has decided to hang up his boots to become a pundit

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has announced his decision to retire from professional football with immediate effect.

The 37-year-old recently decided to leave New York Red Bulls, but had yet to make a final decision on his future.

Henry has now made it clear that he will no longer continue his playing career and will start working as a pundit with Sky Sports instead.

"After 20 years in the game I have decided to retire from professional football. It has been an incredible journey and I would like to thank all the fans, team mates and individuals involved with Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls and of course the French National Team that have made my time in the game so special," a statement on his official website reads.

"It is now time for a different career path and I am pleased to say that I will be returning to London and joining Sky Sports. I will hopefully share some of the insights, observations and experiences I have learnt over the years with you guys.

"I have had some amazing memories (mostly good!) and a wonderful experience. I hope you have enjoyed watching as much as I have enjoyed taking part. See you on the other side..."

Henry started his professional career with Monaco and also briefly wore the Juventus jersey before signing for Arsenal in August 1999.

The attacker quickly became a key figure at the Premier League outfit, scoring over 200 goals for Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups during his time in London.

He then moved to Barcelona where he was part of the team that won La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, Club World Cup, Spanish Supercup and European Supercup in 2009.

Henry spent the last five seasons of his career at MLS outfit New York Red Bulls, while also briefly returning to Arsenal in 2011-12.

Furthermore, the forward scored 51 goals in 123 games for France, winning the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000.

SAD!!! Ebola crisis: Sierra Leone bans Christmas celebrations

Sierra Leone has banned public celebrations over Christmas and the New Year, because of the Ebola crisis.

Soldiers are to be deployed on the streets throughout the festive period to keep people indoors, officials say.Christmas is widely celebrated in Sierra Leone, even though Islam is the largest religion.

Sierra Leone has the most cases of Ebola in the current outbreak. Some 6,580 have died, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

President Ernest Bai Koroma told traditional leaders to stop traditional practices as part of efforts to end Ebola in the country, Awoko newspaper reports.The president added that despite international aid, it seemed "as if the cases are increasing", especially in north-western areas such as Port Loko and the Bombali region.

Meanwhile in Mali, the last person still to be treated for Ebola has been cured leaving no more cases in the country, the health ministry announced.The country recorded eight cases of Ebola - including six deaths - and is continuing to monitor a number of people who were in contact with patients.

Overtaking Liberia

Sierra Leone has the highest number of Ebola cases in West Africa, with more than 8,000 cases and some 1,900 deaths since the start of the outbreak.It overtook Liberia as the country with the most cases earlier in December, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures.

The West African outbreak of Ebola is the deadliest ever.The virus, which was first identified in 1976, causes vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding.People are infected through direct contact with the bodily fluids of a person who has the virus or has died from Ebola.

WATER: Are You Getting Enough?

                                  Water is life 

We've all heard that drinking water will help keep us healthy. But how much is really enough?

The experts have always said, on average, that eight eight-ounce glasses per day will suffice. However, that might not be enough. While eight is great, amounts really need to be tailored to meet the needs of every individual.

Most adults will lose between two to three quarts of water per day by way of normal body functions, but those who live in or work in warmer environments tend to lose more. Athletes for example, need to drink more water to balance their bodily fluids. For those people, drinking more water will make up for the bigger loss of water they had through perspiration, as well as in the regulation of body temperature.

Our bodies are made up of 55-70% water, but it does not replenish itself, so drinking water helps maintain that healthy balance. But even still, many will walk around dehydrated, most of the time unknowingly. That is because thirst is a poor indicator of dehydration. 

By the time someone gets thirsty, it is too late! Or, if one is thirsty, they may go for a beverage that does not actually replenish the body. A cold soda may feel nice going down; beverages with caffeine are not meant to hydrate.

 Water is the best remedy for dehydration. If mild dehydration sets in, it can decrease one's energy level and mental functioning and increase stress on the body. Severe dehydration can have far more damaging effects. There are three important rules when it comes to drinking water:

1. Drink twice as much as it takes to quench your thirst.
2. Drink frequently throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
3. Drink at least eight glasses daily or one cup for every 20 pounds of body weight. For example a 150-pound person who does not exercise or work in hot climates needs 7.5 cups.

                                                                       Are You Getting Enough?

QUICK TIP: A trick to ensure that you drink a daily allowance is to fill a jug or water bottle with the allotment of water and keep it on your desk at work or handy at home. The goal is then clearly marked. As you drink down the water, you know that you are on the right path to drinking enough water.

Signs of Dehydration

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Sleepiness or tiredness
• Thirst
• Decreased urine output
• Few or no tears while crying
• Headache, dizziness, 
• Constipation

Believe it or not you can also tell if you are dehydrated by observing your urine. The color of your urine can reflect how much water your body needs. The target color we want to have is clear or light lemonade color. This is a clear indication that you are drinking enough water. As soon as your urine turns bright to dark yellow it is a sign that you are entering dehydration. When the body feels it is not receiving enough water the kidneys begin to conserve water which makes urine more concentrated with waste products thus reaching a darker color. Thus, those frequent bathroom trips are not a bad thing!

Water hydration is essential for every aspect of your health so get in the habit of sipping water throughout the day. You may even find yourself more energized as you increase your water consumption. Healthy living is one of the most important improvements we can make upon our lives and definitely something to promote to all your loved ones. Support one another to make healthy and positive decisions together!

NAKALA TV SERIES IS HOME

PPREMIERING NAKALA TV SERIES

                           

​Its finally here .The long awaited TV SERIES NAKALA Premiers in the New Year. 2^nd January 2015.  To start our new year’s resolution of Cinema revolution in the Gambia, Lil Sisqo’s 2Rays Syndicate will premiers it hit series

The future of Gambia cinema has been born. The future of Gambia cinema is now. Our determination is growing and readiness to develop the entertainment industry in the Gambia by all indications is positive.

We hope this premier will be a success to CINEKAMBIYA branding and a strong start to our cinema industry.

LET’S SUPPORT OUR OWN:

Premier @ The Pencha Mii (Paradise Suites Hotel)

JOKES: My memory is not what it used to be

An old man goes to see his doctor because of a problem he is having concerning his memory. There conversation:

Old man: Doctor, "I have been having lots of problems remembering things that happened in the past couple of hours, you know, my short term memory." 

Doctor:  "How long has this been going on?" 

(The old man puzzled, looks back at the doctor and replies)

Old man: "How long has what been going on?"

One word for the old man

ADEBAYOR SEND MUM PACKING

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor claims his mum is using witchcraft to ruin his caree

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has fallen out with his mother – because he claims she is using witchcraft to ruin his career.

In easily the maddest story of the day, Adebayor’s mum was said to be forced out of the family home, with his sister telling a radio station in Accra this week that Adebayor kicked her out.

But the former Arsenal frontman claims his mother left of her own accord, and they’re not talking because she has been trying to ruin him using ‘juju’ – a type of witchcraft.

‘How can I talk to a mother who together with my sisters have been plotting juju against me?’ he told reporters

Fair point.

Adebayor’s career has been in free-fall in the last few months, with Tottenham believed to be trying to move the striker on in the January transfer window, after a run of poor performances.

WONDERS: INDIAN BABY BORN WITH EIGHT LIMBS

Thousands of worshipers flock to small village after ‘GOD’ baby is born with eight limbs

Thousands have flocked to see a baby born with four arms and four legs in India, reported Central European News (CEN).

The baby, dubbed “God Boy” by his parents because they say he looks like an Indian God, was born in Baruipur, a city in India’s eastern West Bengal State.

“When he first came out we couldn’t believe it,” an unnamed relative told local TV. “The nurses said he was badly deformed, but I could see that this was a sign from God.”

“In fact, this is a miracle, it’s God’s baby,” the relative said.

The village is being overrun by curious believers from across the region.

“When we first heard about God Boy we were slightly skeptical,” Chukka Roa, 67, who came from a neighboring village, told CEN. “When we eventually saw a pic of the child it was a wonder. This is truly the son of the Hindu God Brahma, who also has four arms and four legs.”

Police say they are having trouble controlling the crowds.

“This is a freak baby and it is tragic, there is nothing Godly about him at all,” a police spokesman told CEN. “Hundreds are crying in the streets, hundreds of others are praying and setting up camp here.” The spokesman said he’d never seen anything like the crowds in his whole career.

Medics say the birth defect is actually the result of the remains of the baby’s twin being joined to him in the womb – a condition referred to as a parasitic twin.

“This is similar to the way that conjoined twins form,” Dr. Manny Alvarez, senior managing editor of health at FoxNews.com and chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive science at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey said. “With conjoined twins, you have two living fetuses that are attached either by the head, abdomen or legs. [With a parasitic twin] it’s the same principle, except there is a malformation of one of those twins. As a result, the twin never fully develops and is then partially encased in the living fetus.”

The family understands the excitement and interest in their newest member.

“It is only natural that people want to see the God Baby,” the family member told CEN.

HABITS THAT WRECK RELATIONSHIPS. TAKE NOTE

Bad habits should be given no room in a relationship if you want it to be successful; sometimes while in a relationship, we might make that little mistake of tending to take some things as normal, and those little mistakes would most definitely sum up to being a huge mistake — which would make your relationship suffer.

Most times, it shouldn’t end by just being in a relationship, we need to be self-observant to note some certain things we are doing wrong because it’s only by this medium can we improve ourselves and our relationships.

Bad habits should be far from our relationships and I’d mention some common bad habits partners are guilty of which can harm a relationship.

1. NAGGING

Nagging isn’t just a bad habit, it’s a terrible one and can never bring any good to your relationship. Nagging could cause unwanted friction in a relationship; it could lead to anger, hatred, enmity and all sorts of negative things. We make that mistake of attributing nagging to women only, but men also nag.

2. BEING BLAMELESS

A blameless partner sees faults only in his/her partner while playing the role of self-righteous. This mistake is also common; in many relationships, partners blame each other and find faults in each other and exonerate only themselves. This is a very common habit that should be checked; we all see ourselves as the innocent and blameless one and in our perception the one to blame should be our partner.

3. UNFORGIVING

This is one habit that can ruin a relationship; if you can’t forgive your partner then I wonder who else you can forgive. No one is above mistakes but forgiveness is something that would keep the relationship going. Every partner should have a forgiving heart, but it’s sad as the other way round is the case; instead of a forgiving heart, couples hold grudges for long against each other.

4. RETALIATION

The previous tip highlighted being unforgiving as a habit that can ruin a relationship; while being unforgiving is a bad habit in relationships, retaliation is even worse. Retaliation isn’t just terrible but it is childish as well. If partners keep retaliating for every wrong done then the relationship would never grow; retaliation shows accumulated anger, unforgiving heart, immaturity and these factors wouldn’t allow a relationship to be successful.

5. QUARRELLING IN PUBLIC

This is also another habit that could lead to an abrupt end of a relationship. What happened to talking? What happened to communication? What happened to sorting things out? If couples can wash their dirty linens in public then I wonder what they would do in private. I’m sure we have all witnessed couples quarrelling or even fighting in public; it doesn’t show love, it doesn’t show respect, it doesn’t show understanding; it’s a terrible habit.

6. INABILITY TO APOLOGISE

‘I’m sorry’ are two simple and easy words to say that would help save a lot of drama but some partners have the habit of being too proud to apologize. Being apologetic means you are aware of your mistakes and you are really sorry, but inability to do that shows pride unrepentance and lacking the ability to treat your partner right.

7. COMPARISONS

Different people, different relationships; each relationship should have its own characteristics that would make it unique and special but some partners have the habit of always looking at the other side and this would lead to unnecessary jealousy and comparisons. Constantly berating and comparing your partner or your relationship to that of others is a bad habit that would definitely ruin your relationship.

8. LIES

One thing about lies is that it always starts with one then another and another till it becomes a regular routine. Your partner deserves every bit of honesty from you; a lack of it would kill the trust in a relationship and we all know the importance of trust. Surprisingly, lying is now a normal thing and it’s one of the most frequent habits in a relationship.

9. TAKING YOUR PARTNER FOR GRANTED

Sometimes one can get so used to a relationship that you start taking your partner for granted, you might not even know this but it happens a lot. Some people even purposely take their partner for granted by cheating, not listening to their partner and the rest of it. Taking your partner for granted is a terrible relationship habit that would ruin your relationship and kill all the thrills that make a relationship happy. Every frown, every smile, every smirk should be taken serious.

These 9 habits are common relationship habits that many partners are guilty of and they can only bring harm to your relationship.

Your WhatsApp Messages are Now Encrypted and More Secure

A wave of delight has started to sweep away 600 million users of the most popular messaging app WhatsApp. The company has released an update to its Android app that will have a strong end-to-end encryption by default. What does this mean for you? Scroll down to know.

The recent partnership of WhatsApp with Open Whisper Systems is nothing but good news for users who might have questioned the security or privacy of their WhatsApp messages. In its latest update for Android, the company has integrated the TextSecure encryption protocol.

What Does this Mean?
With the TextSecure encryption protocol in place, your messages are end-to-end encrypted. In other words, your messages can be read only by you and the receiver. So, this eliminates the risk of a hacker or anyone decrypting and reading your messages while it is traveling to the recipient’s device.

This Encryption Technology is Stronger than What Facebook and Google Uses
While our emails and messages on Facebook and Google are encrypted, they can still be read by authorities if permitted by law. TextSecure, on the other hand, ensures that the message is only read by the sender and the recipient, and no one else, nada. So, even if the government compels WhatsApp to share your data, there is no way they can do it. Hence, it can be safely said that this is the strongest security feature any major texting app has ever offered.
As per reports, WhatsApp is by far the largest platform that has deployed end-to-end encrypted communication in history.

Limitations
As of now, the TextSecure protocol only encrypts your text messages and not group chats, images and videos. However, Open Whisper Systems has stated in a blog post that they will be rolling out support even for these issues in the near future.

Do you have to Activate the TextSecure Protocol on your WhatsApp?
You do not have to do anything to turn this security feature ON, as it would be enabled by default. Also, this will not affect the way you use the WhatsApp in anyway. As Open Whisper Systems’ co-founder Moxie Marlinspike says it, “Ordinary users won’t know the difference, it’s totally frictionless.”

Celeb-filled, stirring ad confronts world leaders' slow response to Ebola crisis in West Africa

                                       YAHOO NEWS

Cuba says doctor catches Ebola in Sierra Leone

YAHOO NEWS

GAMBIAN'S MODOU BARROW TO SWANSEA

Swansea have completed the signing of Gambian striker Modou Barrow from Swedish club Ostersunds FK .

Modou Barrow is one of the deadline day signing that happened on the last day of player shopping season in Europe. It was a busy shopping season in the footballing world this season and Barrow was not to be left out.

Barrow,who scored 10 goals in 19 appearances for Ostersunds last season, will hope to progress to Garry Monk's senior squad after settling in at the Liberty Stadium.

"I'm delighted to be here," said Barrow,

"I now can't wait to get going and improve each day in training and try to score some goals.

"I like the way Swansea play football, it reminds me of how I used to play back home. I've watched a lot of their games on TV and I was impressed with what I saw.

"They like to give young players a chance and hopefully I can progress here"

THIS IS SERIOUS; Ivory Coast prepared to forfeit 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tie

Ivory Coast are prepared to forfeit their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at home to Sierra Leone because of fears over Ebola.

The match is scheduled to be played in Abidjan on 6 September but the Ivorian government has forbidden it.

Sierra Leone is one of five nations where the virus has spread.

"There is the option of relocating the game or even the option of forfeiting," Ivory Coast Football Federation spokesman Malick Tohe said.

In an attempt to minimise any risk of importing Ebola into Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone have named a squad of players based outside the country.

It also gave assurances that all the coaching staff travelling from Sierra Leone would be screened for the disease before departure.

The Confederation of African Football said on Thursday that as far it is concerned the game would be played in Abidjan as schedule. 

It is unclear whether Ivory Coast would be permitted to simply forfeit the tie against Sierra Leone and continue the qualifying campaign or if there might be further sanctions imposed.

West Africa Ebola outbreak could infect 20,000 people, WHO says

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa could infect more than 20,000 people, the U.N. health agency said on Thursday, warning that an international effort costing almost half a billion dollars is needed to overcome the outbreak.

As the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced its strategic plan for combatting the virus, GlaxoSmithKline said an experimental Ebola vaccine is being fast-tracked into human studies and it plans to produce up to 10,000 doses for emergency deployment if the results are good.

The WHO estimates it will take six to nine months to halt the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, while Nigeria said on Thursday that a doctor involved in treating the Liberian-American who brought the disease to the country had died in Port Harcourt, Africa's largest energy hub, although the cause had yet to be confirmed.

So far 3,069 cases have been reported in the outbreak but the WHO said the actual number in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria could already be two to four times higher.

"This is not a West Africa issue. This is a global health security issue," Bruce Aylward, the WHO's Assistant Director-General for Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration, told reporters in Geneva.

With a fatality rate of 52 percent, the death toll stood at 1,552 as of Aug. 26. That is nearly as high as the total from all recorded outbreaks since Ebola was discovered in what is now Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976.

The figures do not include deaths from a separate Ebola outbreak announced at the weekend in Congo, which has been identified as a different strain of the virus.

Aylward said tackling the epidemic would cost an estimated $490 million, involving thousands of local staff and 750 international experts. "It is a big operation. We are talking (about) well over 12,000 people operating over multiple geographies and high-risk circumstances. It is an expensive operation," he said.

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The operation marks a major ramping up of the response by the WHO, which had been accused by some aid agencies of reacting too slowly to the outbreak.

A wider United Nations -led plan being launched by the end of September is expected to provide support for the secondary effects of the outbreak on food security, water, sanitation, primary and secondary healthcare and education, the WHO said.

EXPERIMENTAL DRUGS

Early this month, the WHO called the current Ebola outbreak an "international health emergency". Concerns that the disease could spread beyond West Africa have led to the use of drugs still under development for the treatment of a handful of cases.

Two American health workers, who contracted Ebola while treating patients in Liberia, received an experimental therapy called ZMapp, a cocktail of antibodies made by tiny California biotech Mapp Biopharmaceutical. They recovered and were released from hospital last week.

The virus has already killed an unprecedented number of health workers and is still being spread in a many places, the agency said. About 40 percent of the cases have occurred within the past 21 days, WHO statistics showed.

Previous Ebola outbreaks have mainly occurred in isolated areas of Central Africa. However the current epidemic has spread to three West African capitals and Lagos, Africa's biggest city. The WHO said special attention would need to be given to stopping transmission in capital cities and major ports.

Authorities in Nigeria announced the death in Port Harcourt, the oil industry hub of Africa's largest crude exporter, of one of the doctors who treated Patrick Sawyer, a U.S. citizen who died in Lagos after flying in from Liberia last month.

Health Ministry spokesman Dan Nwomeh wrote in his Twitter feed that 70 people who had been in contact with Sawyer were now under observation in the town. Aylward said the deceased doctor had not yet been confirmed as being infected with Ebola.

According to new figures released on Thursday, Nigeria has recorded 17 cases, including six deaths, from Ebola, since Sawyer collapsed upon arrival at Lagos airport in late July.

AID EFFORT CHOKED OFF

The Lagos case contributed to the decision by a number of airlines to halt services to Ebola-affected countries. Air France said on Wednesday it had suspended flights to Sierra Leone on the advice of the French government.

The WHO has advised against travel bans and border closures, which some countries in the region have also implemented, saying they risked creating food and supply shortages.

"We assume current airline limitations will stop within the next couple of weeks. This is absolutely vital," Aylward said. "Right now the aid effort risks being choked off."

West African health ministers meeting in Ghana on Thursday echoed the WHO's concerns and called for the reopening of borders and an end to flight bans.

SOURCE: YAHOO NEWS

Perfect storm' for Ebola to spread,

Paris (AFP) - Peter Piot, the Belgian scientist who co-discovered the Ebola virus in 1976, on Tuesday said a "perfect storm" in West Africa had given the disease a chance to spread unchecked.

"We have never seen an (Ebola) epidemic on this scale," Piot was quoted by the French daily Liberation as saying.

"In the last six months, we have been witnessing what can be described as a 'perfect storm' everything is there for it to snowball."

The epidemic "is exploding in countries where health services are not functioning, ravaged by decades of civil war," Piot said.

"In addition, the public is deeply suspicious of the authorities. Trust must be restored. Nothing can be done in an epidemic like Ebola if there is no trust."

Piot is former chief of the UN agency UNAIDS and now director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, one of the world's foremost centres of expertise on tropical disease.

In the interview, he also castigated "the extraordinary slowness" of international organisations in responding to the outbreak.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) only woke up in July," whereas the epidemic began in December last year and health experts sounded the alarm in early March, said Piot.

"There is now leadership but it is late," he said.

The epidemic has killed 1,427 people out of more than 2,600 known cases of infection, with doctors and nurses paying a particularly heavy price.

The epidemic is focussed on Liberia and Sierra Leone, which were wracked by conflict in the 1990s and the early part of the last decade, and on neighbouring Guinea.

Other cases have been recorded in Nigeria, whose north is hit by unrest, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose east is in the grip of a decades-old conflict and where Ebola was first identified in 1976.

DRC Health Minister Felix Kabanga Numbi last Sunday said that the country's seventh recorded Ebola outbreak had "no link to (the epidemic) in west Africa

Source: YAHOO NEWS