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Accra, Feb. 2, GNA – Ghana’s Black Stars have dislodged African champions, Egypt to become the latest best ranked team on the continent. The Stars gained 16 points to move to the 15th position on the globe up their previous 908 points at 16th position, according to the latest ranking released Wednesday by world soccer governing body, Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) culled by GNA Sports in Accra.
Ghana increased its points haul to 924 points to assume the top spot of the continental rankings, but their latest position is a place behind their all-time best 14th position on the FIFA table after the Nations Cup exploits in 2008.
Egypt now third in Africa dropped 23 places to place 33rd in the world, whilst Cote d’Ivoire leapfrogged to the second place on the continent despite also losing five points.
Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea, South Africa, Tunisia and Algeria complete the top 10 in Africa in that order.
World Champions, Spain maintained their place at the top of the global ratings just as Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, England, Uruguay, Portugal and Croatia respectively.
Greece are the latest entrants in the global top 10, assuming the spot previously held by Egypt.
South African health authorities will soon lunch a highly criticised HIV testing campaign for schools. But Parents, backed by several groups, believe that the campaign could have a devastating impact on children. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s health ministry has announced that an estimated 47 000 HIV positive pregnancies this year will result in tens of thousands of HIV positive births.
A massive HIV testing drive in South Africa targeting schools has caused an uproar among parents and student unions who have accused the government of planning to use statistics from student testing to reach set targets.
The South African government is aiming to test 15 million people for HIV/AIDS by June 2011.
With the roll out of the planned voluntary testing expected to take place anytime soon, reports say that teacher unions, legal experts and child rights organizations have demanded to know exactly how this will work.
The voluntary campaign is expected to be rolled out at high schools and tests will be performed in private spaces on school premises during weekends and school holidays.
While the groups argue that the planned HIV testing has the potential to raise serious human rights concerns, the country’s main students body the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) has described the campaign as a “bomb waiting to explode”.
Cosas president Bongani Mani is quoted saying: “The country has not dealt with the stigma attached. You cannot expect a learner to go for such a life-changing test and then go back to class as if nothing happened.
“Serious medical tests such as HIV and Aids should be done outside the school. Schools are for learning and should remain so.”
It is “something we fully support”, Health Department spokesman Fidel Hadebe defends the campaign as he describes extension of the campaign to pupils as overdue.
But Parents are worried that children found to be carrying the HIV virus would not be able to deal with the psychological pressure.
However Mani says that “if the testing takes place we would like full psycho-social support in the form of the presence of parents, social workers and councilors in order to ease the burden on teachers”.
Several publications quote health experts raising concerns as to whether learners would be able to keep their status secret especially since those who test positive are usually kept longer in counseling, thereby revealing their positive status to other people in attendance.
Nonetheless, advocates for the campaign say it is never too early to begin school testing as figures show that children are sexually active at a young age and want children older than 11 to be tested without parental consent.
Zimbabwe’s soaring rates
In another related development in neighboring Zimbabwe, its health minister Henry Madzorera has disclosed that close to 14 000 births with the deadly virus from an estimated 47 000 HIV positive pregnant women will occur in 2011.
“Out of the estimated 47 000 HIV-infected pregnant women in 2011, about 14 000 children will become infected with HIV without any intervention. However, with high quality of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission interventions, this figure can be reduced to 2 350,” said the minister.
He, however, does not explain how they came up with the figure of women to fall pregnant. Heath statistics reveal that about 150 000 children below the age of 15 are living with the virus in the southern African country because more than 90 per cent of them acquired the virus from their mothers.
The health ministry, which is heavily dependent on international donors, is exploring ways of increasing funding for Aids programmes.
Flirting is a form of human interaction between two people, expressing a sexual or romantic interest. It consists of conversation, body-language or brief physical contact. It may be one-sided or reciprocated.
The origin of the word flirt is obscure. The Oxford-English-Dictionary (first edition) associates it with such onomatopoeic words as flit and flick, emphasizing a lack of seriousness.
On the other hand, it has been attributed to the old French “Conter fleuretteâ€, which means “to (try to) seduce†by the dropping of flower leaves, that is, “to speak sweet nothings.â€
This expression is no longer used in French, but the English Gallicism to flirt has made its way and has now become an Anglicism.
Flirting is often used as a means of expressing interest and gauging the other person’s interest in courtship, which can develop into a long-term relationship. Alternatively, it may simply be a prelude to casual-sex with no deep relationship.
In other situations, it may be done simply for immediate entertainment, with no intention of developing any further relationship. This type of flirting sometimes faces disapproval from others, either because it can be misinterpreted as more serious or it may be viewed as “cheating†if the person is already in a romantic relationship with someone else.
People who flirt may speak and act in a way that suggests greater intimacy than is generally considered appropriate to the relationship (or to the amount of time the two people have known each other), without actually saying or doing anything that breaches any serious social norms. One way they accomplish this is to communicate a sense of playfulness or irony.
Flirting may consist of stylized gestures, language, body language, postures and physiologic signs. Among these are:
1. Eye contact, batting eyelashes
2. “Protean†signals, such as touching one’s hair
3. Casual touches such as a woman gently touching a man during conversation
4. Smiling suggestively
5. Winking
6. Sending notes, poems, or small gifts
7. Flattery
8. Online chat is a common modern tactic, as well as other one-on-one and direct messaging services
9. Footsie, the “feet under the table†practice
10. Teasing
11. Chance meeting
While some of the subconscious signs are universal across cultures.
The International Students Academic Merit Scholarship is open to new international students seeking a graduate or undergraduate degree. The scholarship covers 50 percent of the total of in and out-of-state tuition and maintenance fees only. No additional fees or costs are covered.
The award is available for:
Eight semesters for undergraduate recipients
Five semesters for recipients seeking a Master’s degree, or commensurate with the length of the program.
Eight semesters for doctoral students, or commensurate with the length of the program.
‘Dream’ is a natural phenomenon of the human species. This natural process which usually occurs when a person is at deep rest or sleep has a ‘dynamic’ way of relating with humans. Dreams could reveal to an individual a course of event in the future, bring a past memory to light, mystically warn of an impending danger, fills one’s subconscious world with imaginations, and sometimes, dreams could be a reflection of one’s hopes, aspirations or desires in life.
For the purpose of this piece, the last role played by this natural phenomenon will be the focal point; that is, a dream’s role as a reflection of human’s hopes and aspirations or desires in life. My African dream is about my hopes, aspirations and desires for the African continent.
Contemporary literary works have undeniably traced civilization to Africa. Egypt has historically and scientifically been confirmed to be the source of human civilization. Down the ages, the African continent lost its amiable glory to colonialism. Undoubtedly, today, the foundation which laid the glory of modern development in the Western hemisphere, was built by Africans and of course people of other races who labored tirelessly for centuries as slaves under servitude.
Ironically, even after centuries of post–slave trade or colonization, most African states are still under the influence of imperialism. Policy formulation and implementation of African nations are subject to national and international treaties and conventions. This is a major reason several nations in Africa today are either economically or politically challenged.
My African Dream examines my hopes, aspirations and desires for the continent under these three parameters: LEADERSHIP, HUMAN RIGHTS and VALUES.
LEADERSHIP– Poor leadership this has been identified by political commentators, the media, academics and individuals as the root cause of Africa’s present position in the global community. Take an analogy of Nigeria, the acclaimed giant of the continent, the sixth-oil producing nation in the world, and an active and leading member of OPEC. Today, an average Nigerian still ‘hunger for water while in the middle of the sea’. Needless to state that the proceeds accrued over the decades from oil have had little or no effect economically on the people.
Leadership in the political arena, especially, has been abused in Africa. An ex-president of an African nation was once quoted in the media as referring to politics as ‘a do or die affair’. That in itself is the driving force or mentality of politicians, especially in Africa. Public office has now become a platform for greedy individuals to enrich themselves to the detriment of the masses. Political office is exploited to abuse and intimidate others and as a lifetime career.
Eschewing the words of Martin Luther King (Jnr.)…
‘I Have a Dream’…………………..
I also have a dream……. ”that Africa will soon experience a revolution that will bring about leaders of national interest, integrity, patriotism, selfless service, amongst other virtues. I dream of an Africa that will produce notable leaders as exemplified by Barrack Obama (an offspring of Kenya), Nelson Mandela (S/Africa), and Obafemi Awolowo (Nigeria).
I dream of an Africa that will prove that blacks are no different to other races in terms of knowledge, potential, abilities, and expertise. I have a dream of African with leadership that is seen as ‘idea and philosophy’ globally, and who believe in service devoid of corruption and abuse of power. An Africa that will take the Comity of Nations by surprise, emerging strong in human and infrastructural developments. Leaders who believe that change is the only constant thing in life which must be wholly embraced. An Africa that will live up to the dreams of her founders.
I HAVE A DREAM……………………
HUMAN RIGHTS– Closely associated with leadership is Human Rights abuses in Africa. This comes in various forms; from sexual harassment and molestation, lack of regard to human life and human dignity. Mostly, during civil wars, as was the case in Darfur (Sudan), African women have been victims of sexual abuse in the hands of those meant to protect them. Similarly, those perpetrating the heinous crime of human trafficking have handed over young women to foreign ‘contactors’ to be sexually abused. Innocent and defenseless civilians have been repeatedly assaulted by law enforcement agents due to money not ‘exchanging hands’, or not showing ‘due regard’ to the agents of the government.
I have a dream…………. ”that Africa especially those vested with power and authority will see their privileged office not as a means to exploit and abuse their fellow, but as a means to serve their motherland and fellow Africans in the spirit of Love and Unity”. I HAVE A DREAM…………………………
VALUES– Most of Africa’s treasured values has been lost in recent times to western culture. Values are simply the embodiment of our principles, standards, mores, cultures and believes, entrenched in all spheres of our lives; from religion, education, family, politics and so forth. Values define an individual or group of people from another as much as color differentiates one race from another today. In Africa, for example, our values are expressed in the way and manner we dress, our multilingual languages and dialects, our diet, our cultures and traditions. However, as noted earlier, most of these are best known to be penned on paper about Africa but not expressed in their best to the world. Reasons for this are not far-fetched: African societies are becoming increasingly westernized. The media have also in recent times promoted more of foreign programs to the detriment of locally produced ones. Especially in this age where information is easily available and abundant, the youth population in African societies is increasingly spending time on websites that expose them to information that may not be helpful to them and actually may turn to be harmful.
I have a dream…………….” that African value system will be restored and upheld with pride by Africans home and abroad. That the values with which we are defined as people will refine us. That with our joint effort as Africans, we can take the continent to the point of global recognition
1 February 2011 –The Government of Liberia, with support from United Nations agencies, will launch a week-long measles vaccination campaign on Wednesday targeting all children in Nimba County, which hosts over 30,000 refugees who fled the political turmoil in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire.
As of the end of January, five Liberian children between one and five years old had died of measles, two cases had been confirmed by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), and just over 100 suspected cases had been reported.
“In a context where there are large numbers of people living in congested spaces, and there’s a severe shortage of food, safe water, sanitation and health care, it is critical that we act quickly to stop this outbreak,” said Isabel Crowley, Liberia Representative for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
“The fact that there are measles cases underlines that basic immunization rates are low, and that these communities may not have been fully reached and protected by health services. This is dangerous for these communities and beyond,” Crowley said.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that hits children hardest. Symptoms include high fever and rash, but among malnourished children it can cause serious complications including blindness, severe diarrhoea, and pneumonia. The disease can be prevented by immunization.
The vaccination campaign, led by Liberia’s health ministry with support from UNICEF and WHO, aims to reach all children between six months and 15 years old from both refugee and host communities.
It will also integrate Vitamin A supplementation, which can reduce deaths associated with measles by up to 50 per cent, as well as de-worming for children below five years old.
In addition, women of child-bearing age will be vaccinated against tetanus, and in selected communities with large refugee populations, the campaign will also include nutrition screening, counselling and referrals, according to UNICEF.
UN agencies have called for urgent funding, warning that refugees fleeing the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire – resulting from former president Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to leave office despite his UN-certified defeat by opposition leader Alassane Ouattara – to Liberia could top 100,000 by the end of April.
In addition to the 30,000 refugees in Liberia, at least 20,000 other Ivorians have been internally displaced in western Côte d’Ivoire, where UN officials have warned that ethnic tensions stemming from national, racial and religious affiliation linked to the opposing camps could lead to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
Last month UN agencies and partners launched an $87.7 million appeal for aid in Côte d’Ivoire and five neighbouring countries to face a potential major humanitarian crisis.
Crying foul over the evil that men do; this has become the culture of the day. The world is glued to the demeaning situations in Egypt. I applaud situation and support the course the Egyptians have taken. Nevertheless, I am taken aback by the recent developments waving around the fight for freedom. Misconstrued agenda have now been hoisted and radically becoming the main focus of demand.
The biggest flaw in this demonstration is the infiltration of some political figures (opposition members) to take advantage of the struggle to advance their own course. It appears some protestors do not know exactly what they want but rather are dancing to the tunes played by some politicians. This in my view empowers the government to negotiate for its existence because the struggle has now become a political game rather than for a just course.
I fear that the voice of the Egyptian protesters will be overshadowed by the voice of opposition politicians. I am downhearted because it is the same politicians who are pulling the strings for the ignorant citizen.
The world has now become a place for celebrating self-seeking individuals, especially politicians. I believe society must focus on achieving good for the masses.
The disenfranchised Egyptians must choose their stand and separate their course from the course of opportunist politicians.
Didier Drogba is a household name around the world. In Ivory Coast, he is regarded as superman; perhaps more respected than either Laurent Gbagbo or Alassane Ouattara. In England he is revered. On the internet, he is a source of traffic. Globally, 550,000 people search the name “Drogba” on Google each month; 60,000 searches in the US, 74,000 searches in the United Kingdom where he is based. Last year, the no-nonsense Ivory Coast striker scored 37 goals in all competitions for his English club, Chelsea FC. His side won the English Premiership League title for 2010.
But Drogba had a nasty interaction with a well-known insect in the fall of 2010 and since then the hitman has never been the same. He was bitten by a mosquito and contracted malaria, a disease that afflicts up to 400 million people worldwide each year.
The economic consequences of Drogba’s malaria are widespread. This year the Ivorian has netted only 10 goals for Chelsea. To recap, the Drogba scored 37 goals last season, even after missing about three weeks due to the African Cup of Nations (ANC) in Angola and several other games due to injury. The striker’s fiery supremacy is shattered. Goalkeepers do not seem to worry much about Drogba’s strikes this season as they did last year.
Malaria’s impact on Africa is enormous. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a child dies from malaria every 30-40 seconds. Premature deaths and sagging national productivity are often the offspring of a tiny mosquito’s assault. In college, I wrote my final chemistry examination at the University Hospital, Legon, with a policeman standing behind my shoulders just in case I made any attempt to cheat. I was under a severe malaria attack, shivering like crazy. I’m lucky to be alive. Drogba is alive and I’m 100% sure he will make a come-back in a big way. Hundreds of thousands of children, men and women, aren’t always as lucky as I was. By the time I finish writing this piece, a handful more children will be gone due to malaria.
I cannot say that Didier Drogba’s performance this season can be fully attributed to the malaria he contracted; in any case, the contribution would be significant. Could you just imagine how many children will never accomplish their dreams in life as a result of a disease that I, still, believe is preventable and eradicable?
It is time to show malaria the Red Card. Each one of us can help.
By the way,do you know that if you follow a link from TalkAfrique to buy anything at Amazon, Amazon will give up to 2% of your of payment to supports TalkAfrique’s anti-malaria initiative? If you would like to help please CLICK HEREAmazon
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