A shaky start for the “Scorpions” of The Gambia

Banjul (The Gambia) The Gambia’s Under 20 football squad, the Scorpions, got off to a shaky start Friday when they were defeated by 4 goals to 0 by the hosts South Korea in the opening match of the third Suwon Youth International Football Tournament which is currently taking place in Suwon, South Korea from 23 to 27 March, 2007.

According to reports, South Korea has always won the championship since it initiated this biennial event in 2003 for national youth teams which have qualified for the FIFA Under 20 World Cup.

The Scorpions are also supposed to meet the Chilean Under 20 team on Sunday, who defeated Poland on Friday by 2 goals to 0 following a hard fought game.

Gambian soccer analysts have contended that the Scorpions defeat is not in character with the past performance of the team in previous marches, attributing it to problems of jet lag and a long flight from Banjul to Seoul, passing through Dakar, Casablanca and Paris.

Another reason given is the fact that many of the key players, such as Ousman Jallow, Ken Abdoulie Mansally, Ebrima Sohna and Sarja Leigh, are missing from the team because of engagements with their overseas clubs.

It remains to be seen if the Scorpions, who are the bronze title holders in the recently concluded Africa Youth Championships held in Congo Brazzaville, will get over their handicaps when they meet Chile Sunday. A win should not be a first time off set against a South American side by this team, which as the Under 17 Africa champions defeated Brazil at the FIFA Junior World Cup Championships in Peru last year.

In Suwon, the Scorpions endured 2 goals in each half with the second goal by Korea coming from a spot kick. More misfortune was to follow when Pa Landing Conateh was sent off, reducing the Gambian side to 10 players, after he accidentally handed the ball as he tried to save it from touching the goal line.

By Korir

Africn Press in Norway, apn, africnpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa

Tuberculosis is the biggest threat to life in Kenya

Nairobi (Kenya) Tuberculosis remains the biggest health problem in Kenya with more than 100, 000 lives claimed by the disease in 2006 alone, according to Joseph Sitienei, head of the National Leprosy/ TB programme in Kenya.

Speaking during the commemoration of the World TB day in Nairobi on Saturday, Sitienei said that there has been a steady increase in the number of TB patients reported by the programme from 10,000 in 1990 to 115,234 in 2006.

He said that the there is a disproportionate TB case distribution in Kenya with Nairobi, the western and coastal parts of the country being the worst hit, with the areas reporting over 60 percent of the total reported cases in Kenya.

“This has led to increased poverty which makes transmission of the disease worse, trapping millions of Kenyans in the vicious cycle of poverty and disease”, added. Sitienei. He primarily attributed the rise of the TB cases to HIV and poverty.

“The increase of the TB cases is attributed primarily to HIV co- infection and poverty which has led to rapidly expansion of unplanned urban settlements like slums”, he added.

He further noted that the majority of the undiagnosed continue to infect more people making TB control efforts constrained at the same time.

However, Sitienei assured Kenyans that the government is doing all it can and that the ministry of Health has established about 800 diagnostic and about 2000 treatment centers countrywide.

By Korir

African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa

Supreme Court prohibits trial against former Liberian leader

Monrovia (Liberia) The Supreme Court of Liberia has granted a writ of prohibition to stop all further proceedings in the trial of the chairman of the former Liberian transitional government, Charles Gyude Bryant on corruption charges, APA learns here Saturday.

According to the writ of prohibition, a copy of which was made available to APA, lawyers of the former chairman filed it with the Supreme Court to halt the trial of the former chairman in his capacity as former head of state.

The lawyers argued that Article 61 of the Liberian Constitution grants immunity to a head of state for acts committed while in office.

They further argued that a head of state can be prosecuted only when he is removed from office by impeachment for bribery, treason or felony.

The Supreme Court ordered the judge of the Criminal Court ’C’, Boima Kontoe to appear before Justice Gladys Williams of the Supreme Court on April 3 to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

Former Chairman Bryant has been indicted on corruption charges for reportedly siphoning more than US$1.3 million of state funds into his personal account while in office.

He is the first Liberian head of state to be tried in the country after leaving office.

Published by Korir,

African Press in Norway, Apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa