World News for Students of English

15-09-2026 07:00

Gambian President Adama Barrow promised to improve the country’s severe power outages by the end of October. His announcement followed intense overnight protests in the capital, Banjul, and surrounding areas.

Demonstrators blocked roads, set fires, and marched toward the headquarters of the national energy provider, NAWEC. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Residents expressed frustration over spoiled food and interrupted businesses after enduring blackouts lasting up to 48 hours during extreme summer heat. President Barrow declared the crisis a national security issue and an emergency. To address the shortage, the government is installing a new 24-megawatt generator and planning a 50-megawatt solar power plant.

NAWEC officials attributed the blackouts to rising demand, climate change, and Middle Eastern conflict impacting imports. These unrests mark a major escalation just months before the December presidential election, where Barrow is seeking a third term.

Difficult words: outage (a period of time when a service is not working), frustration (the feeling of being annoyed or upset because you cannot change or achieve something), attribute (to say or believe that something is the result of a particular cause).

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