BOGOTA. July 6: Number one ranked tennis player Martina Hingis Is due to travel to Colombia for a two-day visit starting July 12 to promote a UN programme to help street children a UN spokeswoman said bi Bogota, reports Reuters

Hingis, a Swiss who lost the Wimbledon tennis quarter final to American Venus Williams, will come to the hemisphere s most violent nation in her capacity as UN goodwill ambassador. the spokeswoman said.

The trip was organised by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Colombia s First Lady Nohra Puyana de Pastrana.

Colombia is ravaged by a three-decade-old war between Communist rebels, ultra-right death squads, government security forces and powerful drug mobs.

Children are recruited by all sides in the conflict: more than 25.000 people, some 1.500 of them children, are murdered each year; and almost 3.000 citizens were kidnapped last year.

There is no exact census of children living on the streets In the capital Bogota but the number is thought to run into the hundreds. Many more are sent out on to the streets each, day to beg or sell trinkets at traffic hghts

Rajshahi v'ball

From Our Correspondent

RAJSHAHI, July 6: The final match of the Durgapur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Volleyball tournament was held yesterday at the Upazila Parishad playground.

Upazila Education Officer team became champions defeating Upazila Nirbahi Officer team by 2-0 goals.