The National U-20 Coach, Lorenzo Rubbinaci, has said that his target is to win the game against Mauritania  come June 28 in Banjul, after successfully thrashing Senegal 3-0 over the weekend in an international friendly.

He said the team is ready and well prepared for the match with only one week to go in the African Youth Championship Qualifiers.

He described the Gambia U-20 game against Senegal  as a good one  as it has given them the opportunity and challenge to prepare the team by helping them to learn some of their errors which will be rectified for their next game.

“We had a good match. We controlled the game very well. So it is not a bad game for us,” he concluded.

Commenting on Sunday’s game, Senegalese coach, Mam Yasin Marr, said the game was very necessary for his side as his team has a crucial match against the Super Eagles of Nigeria on the 28 June as part of the African Youth Championship qualifiers.

“ We are building our team and testing a system to see if it will work . We will learn from our lessons and will work on our attack and defending techniques,” he explained.

 He made the observation that the Gambian team is a force to be reckoned with.

The test match was part of the FA’s preparatory efforts for the team match against Mauritania on June 28 in Banjul in the qualifying rounds of the 16th African Youth Championship in 2009 in Rwanda.

The winner between The Gambia and Mauritania are expected to meet Ghana or Libya in the final stages of the Qualifiers.

The Gambia youth team put up a very good performance during the last African and World Youth championships and were the African bronze medalists in Congo.

"We have pulled out of any peace talks, we have not disarmed so there really is no progress since Henry's arrest," the spokesman for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) who goes by the name of Jomo Gbomo wrote in an e-mail to IRIN on 13 April.

MEND is an alliance of militant groups claiming to fight for an increase in the percentage of wealth that the people of the Niger Delta get from the oil that is being exploited in their region.

Gbomo said that militants would target oil installations even if the oil companies repair pipe lines. “It only takes a few minutes to destroy what took years to build."

Prior to Okah's arrest, leaders of the militants had agreed to a temporary ceasefire. In August 2007 the newly-elected government of Umaru Yar'Adua initiated peace talks in Nigeria’s capital Abuja.

But in September Okah was arrested in Angola and by December the militants called back the people negotiating on their behalf. The negotiators pledged to return by January but the talks remain on hold.

Okah was extradited to Nigeria in February to face charges of arms dealing, oil bunkering and treason. MEND then issued a statement saying that it would not participate in future negotiations until Okah’s release or take part in a proposed Niger Delta Peace Summit that has been repeatedly delayed.

Unifying the enemy

The militants in the MEND alliance had become fragmented in recent year but Okah's arrest may now be unifying them, a professor of political science in Port Harcourt, Elias Courson, told IRIN. "Okah has enemies and friends in the Niger Delta," Courson said. "But [by arresting him] the government is rallying support for him."

One of the more violent and well-organised militias led by Ateke Tom, whom MEND says is not in the alliance, said he too would boycott further talks. "The government cannot arrest people while continuing to make peace talks,” an anonymous representative of Tom said. “[Ateke believes that Okah] should be released in order not to aggravate tensions in the region."

Secret trial

Militants say they are outraged by a court decision to make the trial secret. Local human rights groups disapprove of the proceedings.

"The people of this country should have the benefit of knowing what happened and if indeed he has committed those crimes including treason, how he did that," Isaac Osuoka, director of Social Action in Port Harcourt, told IRIN.

Okah’s defence team will challenge the decision of a closed hearing on 22 April. The government’s prosecutor argues that a public trial would be a threat to security.

Who’s the man?

Okah is thought to be the original spokesperson for MEND that goes by the name of Jomo Gbomo and who has made hundreds of statements to the press over the years, claiming responsibility for the countless attacks and kidnappings in the Delta.

But the accusations against him focus on arms dealing. In October 2007, a former militia leader Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who was himself arrested for treason, published an open letter detailing his relationship with Okah, recounting numerous weapons purchases starting in 2003. "We… coined him at the time 'Master of Arms' from where many now call him Master," Dokubo-Asari stated in the letter.

Okah is also accused of having arms dealing connections with the Nigerian military. One of the charges that he faces is that he bought arms from the Nigerian Army Ordinance Depot in Kaduna and took them to the Niger Delta.

Army goes free

MEND says that the real reason the government is keeping the trail secret is to protect its own. "There are many top people in the past and present government that will prefer Okah dead because of their complicity in oil bunkering, political assassinations, and other hard facts that we know about and which Okah will have no qualms in speaking out about in an open court of law," said the current MEND spokesman who also uses the name Jomo Gbomo.

On 27 March, Human Rights Watch issued a statement on the issue. "Although the federal government recently charged prominent militant commander and alleged arms dealer Henry Okah with treason, this is not a meaningful gesture against impunity if the government's political allies are not prosecuted for their role in perpetrating similar crimes," the statement read.

Abdoulie Ken Mansally was again on target for his New England Revolution side as he continues his good run of form in the on-going America pre-season tournament.

The former Real de Banjul ace scored one of the four goals in New England’s 4-1 victory over Mexico’s Segunda Division, Pioneros de Cancun, on Monday afternoon at Estadio 86. The 84th minute brace helped the versatile forward to extend his pre-season goal tally to five.

Mansally was able to get off an overhead kick in the 77th minute before his on-target shot got blocked by Pioneros’ keeper. However, just before full time – in the 84th minute – Mansally struck for his fifth goal of the preseason, connecting with fellow Gambia under 20 player, Sainey Nyassi. Nyassi came down the right wing and cut in, but passed up the shot to find Mansally coming into the area for the first-time effort.

His goal gave him five goals in three games.

The Revs return to pre-season action on Thursday, March 6, when they travel to Playa del Carmen to face reigning Apertura champion Atlante.

This is a change of both date and location for this game, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 5.

- Armed Forces Coach Vows

After opening his teams account with a victory in the GFA national first division league, which kick off on Sunday, the head coach of armed forces Mr. Alhagi Sey vowed that his target is to win the 2008 national league. He saw his side beat Sea view FC by 1-0 in a match played at the Sere Kunda West Mini Stadium.
 
Abdou Darboe got the only goal of the game in the 62nd minute after the Sea view goal keeper made an error which the Striker capitalised on to give his team the 3 points.

Speaking after the game the head coach of Armed Forces, Alhgie Sey a Senegalese born coach, vowed that his aim and target is to win the league.

“We have a target and our target is to win the league. Any team that is playing has a target and our target is the league. Because we have the materials to do it, and I believe if the players do as I say we will achieve our goal”. He said that the best teams are not known now, because of the league has just started and every team is well focused at the moment, “we must play few games to know the weakness of the teams,” he explained.

Commenting on the game Coach Sey said that his team is ready to challenge any team “ We got the potential. We prepared very hard for our game with Sea view, like we will do to all teams we met in the preseason tournament. We won 2-0 and that win motivated us. That motivation helped.

Alhagie Jobe alias Toldo of first division side, Real De Banjul is the main target by big teams like Armed Forces and others for the GFA first division national league this season.

Toldo, who is number one keeper for Real De Banjul, joined the club in 2005 and succeeded in wining 2007 GFA National League with his side. He now finds himself faced with the situation of making a quick decision as to whether to leave his club or go in for any of the offers awaiting his approval.

He was the reserve goal keeper for the Gambia Senior National team that was held to a two all draw with Guinea Conakry and made his debut in the Ghana 2008 qualifiers against Cape Verde in the Cape Verde Islands and was rated the man of the match.

Jobe continue his outstanding performance for the national team which won him the captains arm band for the team in the just concluded Amilcar Cabral zone II tournament held in Guinea Bissau.

Speaking to the player himself he said,” I am very happy to receive offers from big teams. This clearly shows that I have really improved in the game”.

“I have good offers from different teams in the first division and I am definitely looking into it, because I want a new challenge and want to play in the Caf Championship,” he added
He pointed out that despite having a good relationship with Real de Banjul, he will also have to decide his future before the close of the transfer window as until this moment he has never signed any contract with his current club.

Meanwhile according to sources, Armed Forces are said to be the leading team that will capture the signature of the goalie after succeeding in capturing the signature of young Ham Ham FC versatile midfielder, Buba Manneh who had a very good tournament in the last Zonal championship for Serrekunda West zonal team.

After almost two weeks of negotiations, this years United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC) is soon going to end, Friday being scheduled as the last day of the talks, with an extension until Saturday being possible if agreement can not be reached beforehand.

While the head of the UNFCCC Secretariat, Yvo de Boer, stressed from the onset that actual targets for emission reductions were not to be expected to be agreed on, the inclusion of a target frame for industrialized nations is being debated after all. However, his stated goal of deciding on a roadmap for negotiations, which he said needed to address the matter of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reductions after 2012, and would have to be concluded by 2009, is not yet achieved, there being disagreement on a matter of points.

China for example restated a position it had made at the beginning of the first week, calling for 2010 as target year for the so called "Bali Roadmap".

But a bigger point of contention is that the EU and the vast majority of the 190 nations participating in the conference want to set a target of a 25-40% cut in GHG emissions. The U.S., along with Canada and Japan, are refusing to agree to any targets at this point.

The EU and others say it is important to set targets now, to get a head start in the fight against global warming. The U.S. says targets should come later, after negotiations begin.

The latest to be heard by Sean Heron, who is reporting on behalf of the Wikinews on site, regarding the ongoing negotiations was a statement by a Pakistani official, saying that the US had made a new proposal, and that he was feeling more optimistic than he had the day before. The official spoke in the press conference room, excusing the Ambassador Munir Akram, who was supposed to give a briefing on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, but couldn't make it, as negotiations, due also to the new American suggestion, were still ongoing at 11 pm local time.

Alain first Football team on Thursday defeated Alsalaam Omani team 3-0 in the friendly match held at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium...

Ousman Jallow scored the first and the second goals in the 7th and 33rd while Sufian Alaloudy scored the 3rd in the minute 71st minute of the game.

It was a thrilling match, especially for Alain players who wasted some opportunities that could have increased their score level.

Alain coach Titi seized the opportunity in this match to rest some main players and also some of the reserve for future games. Alain started the match with the following line-up: Abdullah Sultan, Fawzy Fayez, Jumaa Abdullah, Hilal Saeed, Abdullah Ali, Nashaat Akram, Ahmad Moudhed, Salem Abdullah, Fadl Ahmad, Othman Galo, Sufian Alaloudy.

In the second round Hazaa Salem replaced Fadel Ahmad, Mahboub Jumaa replaced Jumaa Abdullah, Fares Jumaa replaced Abdullah Ali, then also Abdulaziz Fayez replaced Ousman Jallow. In the last moments the goalkeeper Sultan Musbeh replaced Abduallah Sultan and Mohammad Fayez replaced Fawzy Fayez. Most of Alain stars glittered during the match especially Ousman Jallow who scored twice and also participated in scoring of the 3rd goal before he left the match.

Bamba Saho, Governor of the Central Bank of the Gambia (CBG), has said that the public finances has performed better than projected in the first half of year 2007 and the domestic revenue has exceeded the target by D204 million owing to higher than the projected tax and non-tax revenue as total expenditure and net lending, on the other hand, it was below projection (ceiling) by about D0.5 billion.

Governor Saho made these remarks during a press briefing on Friday at the Central Bank conference hall in Banjul.

According to Governor Saho, the latest data recorded that the Gambian economy is projected to grow at a robust 7.0 percent underpinned by plentiful and well distributed rainfall which should increase agricultural production, expanding services sector, including banking, tourism and communications and the continuing boom in construction.

“Monetary Policy in 2007 is aimed to achieve the target of  5.0 percent by end of December 2007.  Money supply grew by 17.2 percent in the year to end July 2007 compared to 16.3 percent a year earlier.  Narrow money increased by 15.1 percent and quasi money by 19.4 percent compared to end December 2006, money supply grew by only 2.3 percent,” he said.

He added that, government’s fiscal policy stance continue to focus on supporting the disinflationary process and sustaining economic growth.  He stated that the current account deficit including official transfers is expected to narrow to D828.4 million (US $29.3 million) compared to D1.3 billion in 2006 premised on strong exports, including re-exports, increased travel and communication income and decline in external interest payments.

The capital and financial account balance, he noted, is projected to decline to a surplus of D1.69 billion in 2007 from D2.04 billion in 2006 reflecting decreased in external borrowing.

He also revealed that, on August 30, 2007 executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the first review of The Gambia’s economic performance under the programme supported by a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRFG) arrangement.

He then added that the IMF executive board then commended The Gambia for the strong performance under the PRGF and for making good progress in attaining macro-economic stability and higher economic growth.