Man City sign £50m Walker

Manchester City have completed the signing of Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker for a world-record fee for a defender.

Sky Sports News HQ understand City have paid in excess of £50m for the 27-year-old England right-back.
Walker, from Sheffield, will wear City's number two shirt and he said: "I am thrilled and can't wait to get started.

"Pep Guardiola is one of the most respected managers in the world and I feel he can help me take my game to a new level."
City's director of football Txiki Begiristain said: "Kyle is a fine full-back; one capable of producing quality at both ends of the pitch.

"We've followed his progress at Tottenham and have been really impressed by how he has developed. He is now one of the best right-backs in the Premier League and justifiably an England regular."
Sky Sports News HQ reported as the transfer window opened that City wanted to sign Walker and were set to begin talks for the England star, with Spurs prepared to make a sale.

Guardiola has made strengthening his options at full-back a priority this summer, and Sky sources understand they are working hard to finish the transfer of Monaco left-back Benjamin Mendy to the club.

Sky sources understand Mauricio Pochettino was happy to sell Walker after relations between the pair deteriorated towards the end of the season and Kieran Trippier developed into his preferred choice in the position.
Tottenham are interested in Porto's Ricardo Pereira as a replacement, while they have also scouted Hertha Berlin's Mitchell Weiser and Torino's Davide Zappacosta.

Mourinho confirms Manchester United failed in Morata bid

Jose Mourinho has confirmed Manchester United failed with a bid to bring Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata to Old Trafford.
United had been strongly linked with a move for the Spain international before the Premier League club concluded a £75 million deal to sign Romelu Lukaku from Everton.


Mourinho indicated Morata had been one of United's top targets as the club prepares to return to the Champions League, but no agreement could be reached with Madrid.
"I don't like to speak about players who aren't ours, because Morata is not our player. I am nobody to speak about players from Real Madrid," Mourinho told reporters.

"Yes, we have had interest, that is obvious and it's public. We have not come to an economic agreement, that is obvious as well.
"But it's Real Madrid's right to ask for their players the amount of money that they want. We do not determine what the price is of a player of Real Madrid, Real Madrid do that. And we didn't arrive at an agreement with Real Madrid.
"I do not criticise Madrid and I am not going to criticise my board because my board has made the offer, and they have tried to reach an agreement during a time, and they didn't come to an agreement. It's simple."

While United missed out on Morata, the club snapped up Lukaku and made the striker the second most expensive transfer in British football history, behind only Paul Pogba.
Mourinho suggested Lukaku's Premier League experience and his personal relationship with the player from their time together at Chelsea were the primary reasons United sought to buy the Belgium international, the club also having been strongly linked with a deal for Antoine Griezmann before Atletico Madrid's transfer ban nixed the Frenchman's exit.

"He's the kind of player that everybody knows. He's a striker, so we're not speaking about a multi-functional player or [one who will] create doubts about positions on the pitch, he's a striker and normally strikers score goals," Mourinho added.
"The reason why he was so important and difficult to get is what he did in the Premier League. Obviously there are other good strikers in football but the Premier League is a very specific habitat, a different habitat. Normally they need some time to adapt and Lukaku plays in Premier League for the last four or five seasons.

"I didn't negotiate, it was Mr [chief executive Ed] Woodward who negotiated with Romelu, his agent [Mino Raiola] and the Everton board, the only thing I did was to call him when the situation was almost there just to guarantee him that he would be an important player in my team.


"It's quite a great experience the fact we worked together already for a few months and during the time when I was at Chelsea and when he was at Everton our relationship was always very close, despite it not working well for us together.

"He's intelligent, he's polite, we kept the contact, the feeling and now we are back together in different moments and I have no doubts it is going to work."

Mourinho open to re-signing Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be offered fresh terms at Manchester United despite leaving the club at the end of his one-year contract, Jose Mourinho has suggested.

Ibrahimovic struck 17 Premier League goals last season after joining from Paris Saint-Germain, but a serious knee injury sustained against Anderlecht in the Europa League quarter-finals ruled the veteran Swede out for the remainder of the season.
The 35-year-old was subsequently left off United's retained list at the end of the campaign after the club returned to the Champions League by beating Ajax in the Europa League final, and Ibrahimovic hinted in an Instagram post that he would be seeking a new club.

But Mourinho has opened the door for Ibrahimovic to return to Old Trafford, if and when he is able to prove his fitness.
"Possibly, it's open. Of course we wanted to be honest and open and leave everything for him to make the decision," Mourinho said when asked by reporters about Ibrahimovic's possible future at United.

"At the same time, let's make a decision that makes us all happy and if that is for him to stay and for us to wait - let's say in December maybe, because I don't think before December he can get back to competitive football - but why not wait for a player who gave us so much?

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"We are changing ideas and it's with Mr [chief executive Ed] Woodward and Zlatan's agent [Mino Raiola], but the final decision is the best for the player."- Goal

Makarfi: EFCC Warns Social Media Mercenaries Against Misinformation

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, hereby warns the general public to be wary of the activities of the duo of INNOCENT ONYEKACHI ORITSETIMEYIN AKPOTEDJA ADJENUHGURE and ADEOLA SAM OPEYEMI who have been misleading Nigerians with false information about the activities of the Commission.

Barely six hours after the Supreme Court judgment in the case of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where it ruled in favour of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s faction, Adjenuhgure posted in his Facebook Timeline that $42 million was found in Sen. Makarfi's farm by the EFCC “less than 2 hours after the Supreme Court judgment”.  
While many unsuspecting Nigerians shared the unfounded post, others simply copied and reposted as original which generated myriad of reactions suggestive that the Commission was a tool in the hands of the Executive to further destabilize the PDP.

Following efforts by the Commission to correct the erroneous and misleading information through its social media platforms, some who had no ulterior motive apologized and deleted the post. Sadly, ADJENUHGURE and OPEYEMI stood their grounds as they insisted that the story was true.
We have considered it necessary to set the records straight and to advice social media activists to be wary of ADJENUHGURE and OPEYEMI who are out to sow seed of discord among Nigerians as there is no EFCC investigation on Senator Makarfi. - EFCC

Face of corruption : Fayose distributed money to us after 2014 court attack – Witness tells court

A witness, Akin Apanisile, on Friday revealed hw Governor Ayo Fayose distributed money to his loyalists on September 25, 2014 after the State High Complex was attacked in a bid to prevent the hearing of his election eligibility case.

He made the revelation while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Ahmed Tafa, before the presiding judge, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye.

Apanisile testified as Prosecution Witness 5 (PW 5) in the murder case instituted by the state government against seven persons accused of complicity in the murder of former state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Omolafe Aderiye.

The defendants in the case are Adebayo Aderiye a.k.a. Ojugo (1st) Adeniyi Adedipe a.k.a. Apase (2nd), Sola Durodola (3rd), Kayode Ajayi (4th), Oso Farotimi a.ka. Oso Polo (5th), Sola Adenijo a.k.a. Solar (6th) and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu a.k.a. Mentilo (7th).
Aderiye, a loyalist of Fayose, was murdered on the same day (September 25, 2014), some hours after people suspected to be political thugs attacked the court, beat up a judge, Justice John Adeyeye.

Apanisile (22) told the court that Fayose (who was then governor-elect) gave money to those who followed him to the court on the day of the incident at Spotless Hotel owned by him (Fayose).

The witness revealed that Fayose handed the money to the late Omolafe to distribute to the boys who followed him to the court on that fateful day.
Apanisile claimed that the late ex-NURTW boss did not give money to the followers of the 1st accused person (Ojugo), who was the Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) at the time which, he said caused a rift among the duo.

The witness said: “We went to Spotless Hotel and at the hotel, Fayose gave the late Omolafe money to distribute to those who went to the court but Omolafe did not give the boys of Ojugo money and Ojugo was angry and said he (Omolafe) did not owe him (Ojugo) more than seven bullets.”
Under cross-examination from counsel to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, Mr. Biodun Fasakin, Apanisile said: “We followed Fayose to the court on September 25, 2014 and on that day, I rode on my bike. There was a big crowd of people cheering Fayose on that day.”

Under cross-examination from counsel to 5th and 7th defendants, Mr. Lekan Olatawura, Apanisile admitted that he was among who wielded canes on the day of the attack on court. Apanisile added that none of the accused persons in the dock shot Aderiye on the day he was killed.
Apanisile had earlier told the court that the late Omolafe adopted him after he lost his parents claiming that his father died in 2008 while his mother died in 2015 but had earlier told the court that he met Omolafe in 2014.

He had earlier told the court that the 6th defendant (Adenijo), alongside other defendants stormed the late Omolafe’s private park a white Hilux van on the day the deceased was killed in 2014 but in another breath said he knew Adenijo in 2015.
Under cross-examination from counsel to the 6th defendant, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, Apanisile was given a sheet of paper to append his signature with his signature tendered and admitted as Exhibit 19.
The witness’ statement volunteered to the Police was earlier tendered by the prosecution counsel and was admitted and marked Exhibit 18.

While adjourning the case to next Wednesday, July 19, Justice Ogunmoye stressed that the prosecution should be ready to close its case on the next adjourned date for the defendants to open their defence. - Daily Post

My wife gave birth to SS, I’m AA and she is AS – Man tells court

The Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, on Friday, dissolved a 21-year-old marriage between one Idowu Iyanda and his wife Florence over the wife’s infidelity and alcoholism.
The President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, ruled that the marriage was dissolved due to irreconcilable differences between the couple.

“When wives refuse to keep to dos and don’ts binding a union, the result is usually tragic and bring about break up such as what is currently taking place.
“In the interest of peaceful coexistence, the union between Idowu and Florence has ceased to be henceforth.
“Custody of the four children produced by the union is granted to Idowu.
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“Idowu shall pay N3,000 to Florence to enable her move out her property from the house,” the Arbitrator said.

Earlier, Idowu, a carpenter had told the court that his wife Florence, was an unrepentant prostitute and alcoholic.
“My lord, when I entered into the union with Florence in 1996, I never knew that I was making a very terrible mistake for choosing her as a life partner.
“She is never to be trusted for a single moment in terms of fidelity as Florence has made herself a public tap where all sorts of men of easy virtue fetch water.

“My lord, times without number, I have caught her with men and I have warned her against the adulterous act.

“For the sake of emphasis my lord, our fourth and last child is a sickle cell patient, my own Genotype is AA, Florence is AS, how did our last child become an SS.
“Worst still, Florence is an addicted alcohol consumer. In fact, she still consumed one last night, this is the bottle, my Lord.
“When she was complaining that she wanted to be riding a car, despite the fact that I don’t drive, I bought a car.

“We agreed that she will be driving the car, carrying me to and from my workshop.
“One day, Florence carried me to a particular point and abandoned me in the car and went her way.
“In addition, she no longer performs any of her conjugal rites and she quarrels with me all the time.

“Florence is a highly disobedient wife and she has even vowed to eliminate me from the surface of the earth.
“She poisoned the drinking water at home with the intention that I will drink it, but I got to know and refused to take the water,” Idowu said.
Florence, a hair dresser, who could not deny most of the allegations, however, pleaded with the court to save her marriage.

She said that she was not ready to part ways with Idowu because they both achieved greatness together.
“My lord, it is true that I consume alcohol, but it is only during cold weather.

“I wonder why Idowu is rejecting the paternity of our last child. I don’t know why he is an SS,” Florence said.
The couple resides at Alegun-Oleyo area of Ibadan. - NAN

Woman exchanges son for bag of rice in Imo

The Imo State Police Command has paraded a 20-year-old woman, Chioma Fidelis, for exchanging her two-month-old son, Favour Fidelis, for half a bag of rice, six chairs, cement and N200,000 cash.
Chioma, who admitted that she bartered her son for the aforementioned items in addition to the cash, disclosed that she gave birth to the child following an unwanted pregnancy but was unable to cater for the newborn

She said that it was in her point of necessity that one of her accomplices, one Chidimma Unakalamba, advised her to sell the child.
Chioma, who hails from Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State, said she had no option but to accept the offer, because the baby was suffering from bad health, and also because she had nobody to take care of her and the child.

Unakalamba, who was paraded alongside Chioma and other accomplices, reportedly confessed to selling the baby boy to a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Anyanwu, who allegedly were in dire need of a male child.

She said the baby was sold for N600,000 to the couple.
Though the baby has been recovered, a mild drama ensued when the couple insisted that they paid N700,000 for the child.
Unakalamba then admitted that she deducted N137,000 she spent on the child’s medical bills, and that she gave the mother N200,000 and pocketed the remaining.

The Imo State Police Command has paraded a 20-year-old woman, Chioma Fidelis, for exchanging her two-month-old son, Favour Fidelis, for half a bag of rice, six chairs, cement and N200,000 cash.
Chioma, who admitted that she bartered her son for the aforementioned items in addition to the cash, disclosed that she gave birth to the child following an unwanted pregnancy but was unable to cater for the newborn.

She said that it was in her point of necessity that one of her accomplices, one Chidimma Unakalamba, advised her to sell the child.
Chioma, who hails from Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State, said she had no option but to accept the offer, because the baby was suffering from bad health, and also because she had nobody to take care of her and the child.
Unakalamba, who was paraded alongside Chioma and other accomplices, reportedly confessed to selling the baby boy to a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Anyanwu, who allegedly were in dire need of a male child.

She said the baby was sold for N600,000 to the couple.
Though the baby has been recovered, a mild drama ensued when the couple insisted that they paid N700,000 for the child.
Unakalamba then admitted that she deducted N137,000 she spent on the child’s medical bills, and that she gave the mother N200,000 and pocketed the remaining.- Daily Post

Nigeria is negotiable, say Soyinka, Dickson, others

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson and other notable literary icons said on Friday that Nigeria is negotiable.

They all agreed that the country should not break up but could be renegotiated to decentralize power and give states more effective and efficient control of their resources.

In a workshop titled: “A day with the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Ijaw literary icons,” held at the Ijaw National Academy (INA), Kaiama, Kolokuma-Opokuma local government area of Bayelsa State, they affirmed that the people should negotiate many knotty developmental issues bugging down the country.
Dickson, as part of his efforts to challenge and motivate the students of NIA, one of the 15 boarding secondary schools built by his administration, brought Soyinka and other celebrated Ijaw literary giants to speak to the students.

Notable Ijaw icons, who attended the programme, are Prof. John Pepper Clark, 96-year-old Dr. Gabriel Okara, said to be the oldest poet in Africa and a foremost historian, Prof. Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa.
The event, which witnessed performances of poems written by Soyinka, Clark and Okara, was also attended by the Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), Dickson’s wife, Rachel, lawmakers, traditional rulers, cabinet members and celebrated authors, under the auspices of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).

Responding to questions on agitations in the country, Soyinka, said people are mixing up and confusing the argument, adding that some politicians are sounding hypocritical, dogmatic and dictatorial each time they say Nigerian unity is not negotiable.
He said: “That for me is a falsity. Anything is negotiable. The right of people to determine their future is what is non-negotiable. Most nations came to be through negotiation.

“Sometimes, when people say negotiate, what they really mean is restructure. What the question should be is, should Nigeria break-up? An answer to that is no. But, please don’t tell me that the Nigeria as it stands is non-negotiable.
“For me it is a fallacy. The nation has got to be negotiated. Negotiation includes ensuring that there is no marginalisation. Negotiation has to do with control of resources.

“Negotiation has to do with restructuring the nation in a way in which the components are not feeding an over-bloated centre to the detriment of their own development.
“So, Nigeria is negotiable. But the language we should use is what are you willing to sacrifice, what effort are you willing to make to ensure that Nigeria remains intact? That is a citizen question.”
Also responding to the question, Dickson aligned himself with Soyinka’s submissions and asked his people to feel free without fear of intimidation to interrogate every notion.

He said the Niger Delta region had funded the Nigerian project for over 61 years, insisting that staying together as one Nigeria is desirable.
Dickson said: “I believe that if you ask the question whether Nigeria should continue to exist as a united country, the answer you will get from the majority is yes. I believe that the continuous existence of our nation as an indivisible entity is desirable.

“There is a very strong case to make for that. After all you and I, our people have been funding the Nigerian experiment for the last 61 years. From your backyards, they carve out portions of land and call it in Abuja and Lagos and other capitals of the world, they call it oil blocks.” - The Nation

Teachers arraigned for raping seven schoolgirls

Two teachers of Nazareth Junior and Senior College, Ibawon, Epe, Lagos State, who allegedly defiled seven pupils of the school, were on Friday charged before Ogba Magistrates’ Court, Ikeja, Lagos.

Oke Mustapha, 38, and Yisau Musibau, 39, were arraigned before Mrs. M.B. Olajide on two- count charge of sexual assault, recklessness and negligent acts.
According to the police, the victims were between 15 and 17 years old.
The teachers were charged alongside a trado-medical nurse, Abimbola Adesanni, 42, who was accused of administering a “dangerous drug” on a female student (name withheld).

The student was allegedly impregnated by one of the teachers.
Prosecuting police officer, Sgt. Rachael Donny, told the court that Mustapha, Musibau and others at large, committed the alleged offences between 2014 and 2016 at Ibowon.
She alleged that they secretly subjected the girls to serial sexual harassment for two years.
Donny said they conspired “to commit felony to wit: sexual assault by penetration, reckless and negligent acts.

The offences, she added, were punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
The Principal State Counsel, Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Jamiu Alapo, watched brief for the complainants.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In a bench ruling, Magistrate Olajide granted the bail application filed by the defence counsel, Bright Idahosa.
She admitted each defendant to bail in the sum of N1million with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties’ statements of accounts and residential addresses, the magistrate added, should be verified.

They must also present evidence of three years’ tax clearance.
The matter was adjourned till September 18.
However, following the defendants’ failure to meet the bail conditions, they were remanded in Kirikiri prison. - The Nation

Ambode: NYSC, land use acts shouldn’t form part of the constitution

Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state, on Friday, queried the inclusion of land use and NYSC acts in the 1999 constitution.

He urged the national assembly to identify address such provisions in the constitution that have become “stumbling blocks” to true federalism in the country.
The governor was speaking at a retreat which members of the senate and house of representatives committees on the review of the 1999 constitution held in Lagos.

He cited other issues to be considered by the committees to include devolution of powers, Code of Conduct Act, state policing as well as a review of the revenue allocation formula.
The governor said this was necessary for the country’s quest to fully realise its potentials in all sectors of the economy.

“Why does the federal government hold legislative and executive powers on matters of local concern which over-stretch its administrative and supervisory abilities,” he asked.
“Should we not have a sharing formula that ensures that states and local government councils are empowered to discharge their constitutional responsibilities? We need to be truthful and frank about fiscal federalism.

“Should the constitution not confer power on state houses of assembly to establish state police, with clear jurisdiction and well-articulated protocols for the regulation of its relationship with the federal police?”
The governor also described the operation of a land registry by the federal government in Lagos as “an aberration.”
He added that the proposed stamp duty bill presently before the national assembly would “cripple internally generated revenue due to the states.”

“It is a grave threat to the principles of fiscal federalism,” he said.
“As representatives of the true beneficiaries of the act, as it presently stands, there is need to put an urgent end to its further coordination by the national assembly, which also has the noble tradition that once a matter is before the court, all activities on the matter will be suspended.” - Cable Nigeria

Scam !!! Woman has life savings emptied from bank account by fake new card reader scam sent through the post

A grandma has been left devastated after her entire bank account was emptied by a new card reader scam.

The elderly woman had her life savings taken, including savings for her granddaughters, by what the woman was led to believe was a helpful service.
The scam, which apparently seems genuine, involves being sent a fake card reader machine.
According to the Manchester Evening News , the elderly woman was sent the supposed Royal Bank of Scotland device, which is used for online banking, but decided she didn’t need it.

The heartless thieves managed to obtain her phone number and called her about activating it.
When she told them she didn’t want it, they offered to cancel it for her.



Patricia Barry from Greater Manchester, who knows the victim, said a man asked the elderly woman to insert the card and reveal her full card details over the telephone - something the RBS has now warned customers should never do.
A day later she went into the bank and discovered all of her money had been stolen.

In a Facebook post , which has been shared more than 50,000 times, Patricia wrote: “URGENT!! Can I just make my friends and family aware of something I have dealt with today?
“One of my ladies received this digital card reader in the post two weeks ago from The Royal Bank of Scotland with the enclosed letter.

"She left it to one side as being elderly she wasn’t interested in it.
“Two days ago she had a phone call from the bank asking if she received it. She said she had but was taking it back to the bank as she didn’t want it, the ‘very nice man’ told her she didn’t have to do that he can cancel it for her and told her to put her card and number in to do this."



The post continued: “The next day she went to the bank for a statement and yes you can guess so every penny had been took out of her account including savings for her granddaughters.
“She was devastated and the worst of it is SHE felt foolish and ashamed. I reassured her these scammers are very good at it. Luckily she got her money back but apparently this is a new digital system coming out now so please make your contacts aware of this as it looks very genuine.”


A spokeswoman for The Royal Bank of Scotland, in response to the viral Facebook message, said the bank will never call and ask for card reader codes and if this happens, to end the call immediately.
She said: “The Royal Bank of Scotland uses a digital banking card reader to authorise transactions leaving your account via your digital banking.

"If you get a phone call saying it’s your bank, the police, or another company you trust and they ask for card reader codes, end the call immediately.


“Your bank will never ask for third party reader codes over the phone and you should not disclose these to any third party under any circumstances.

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“If you receive a card reader in the post that you’ve not requested, report it to us immediately.”

In West Africa, cancer patients forced abroad for treatment

Christine's doctor felt a small lump in her left breast at a checkup in 2015, though she was flooded with relief when the technicians assured her they had detected nothing amiss.

Still in pain more than a year later, she pushed for another mammogram. The 44-year-old mother of four was then diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.
"It was the descent into hell," she said. "You ask, 'Why, why, why?' ... I was so angry. Because why in 2015 did they not see this, and why was it left for so long?"

The word "cancer" is rarely spoken in Senegal, synonymous with death in a country where many like Christine are only diagnosed in the later stages of disease and radiation therapy can be difficult to access.
Cancer has become an emerging public health problem in West Africa, and the lack of strong prevention, good screening and treatment often leaves outcomes grim. For that reason, Christine and most other patients don't share their diagnosis, and they ask not to be identified by their full names.

For now, radiation treatment is impossible for Senegal's population of 15 million people without leaving the country. The sole radiotherapy machine, donated in 1989, broke down last year. Senegal's government had promised two new machines by December, and they were delivered weeks ago, but patients must wait until they are functional.

In the meantime, their only option is to seek treatment in North Africa — more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away — or even Europe.
"Wherever you go in Africa you have the same problem. Late diagnosis is a fact ... and you don't have the same treatment that you have in Europe or the United States or other developing countries," said Macoumba Gaye, head of the radiotherapy department of Dalal Jamm Hospital outside Dakar.
The need for radiation in West Africa is greater, too. While about 70 percent of patients might need radiation in developed countries, more than 80 percent require the treatment in Senegal because their cases are caught at more advanced stages, Gaye said.

The problem is only expected to worsen unless improvements are made. The number of cancer cases in Africa is projected to double between 2008 and 2030 because of an aging population, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The Senegalese Ministry of Health did not respond to several requests for an interview on the broken radiotherapy machine.
The country has been planning to set up a National Cancer Institute within five years, plus a registry to track cancer patients. There is also a program to have mammogram machines in all regions of Senegal by next year.

Gaye said they hope to have the two new machines up and running by September.
Until then, Senegal's government is paying for patients' travel to Morocco, said Gaye, who is on the committee that approves who can get such funding. He says some 70 patients have been sent to Morocco so far.
Treating stage 3 to 4 cancer costs at least $5,000-$10,000, he said, while preventative planning such as a pap smear costs only $20.
It's unclear how many people have had to forego the important treatment, but Gaye said it's likely in the hundreds

Christine's husband had insurance that allowed her to undergo radiation treatment in Casablanca after her tumor was successfully removed by surgery in Senegal in November.
She was fortunate to have a daughter who already lived there, but still had to attend 30 treatment sessions by herself. Christine said she and other West Africans didn't feel entirely welcome in Morocco, adding to the burden of being sick and trying to hide their illness.

"Treatment there was frustrating because they were indifferent to me," she said. "But when the Moroccan patients came in they got kisses, greetings and were treated with kindness."
Wearing a wig, a bright purple dress and a bra with inserts, she said she hopes to start a consultation service for others who have to fight cancer, helping them find such bras and wigs.

She especially credited Dr. Abdoul Aziz Kasse, her Senegalese surgeon, with helping to save her life.

Kasse has been at the forefront of Senegal's cancer care for decades and has been pushing for improved treatment options and government planning to focus on prevention.
Kasse has saved lives with mobile screening units as well, saying that screening can reduce cancer rates by some 30 percent. He now hopes to continue helping others like Christine by opening a new private clinic in Senegal's capital that would expand treatment options.

Once opened, it will offer advanced technology at a lower cost than treatment in Morocco. He and his French partners hope that their business model can be replicated with satellite facilities in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin, Ivory Coast and Rwanda.
Burkina Faso has no radiotherapy machine but expects one by next year, said Paulin Somba, head of non-communicable and chronic diseases at Burkina Faso's health ministry. The government has suspended since 2015 sending its citizens to other countries for medical evacuation because of the costs — the lowest coming in at about 1.5 million CFA, or $2,500, he said. Because of that, the death rate is at 50 percent, he said, adding that surgery and chemotherapy are available.
Mali and Mauritania do have radiotherapy machines, Gaye said.

In East Africa, Uganda has faced the same challenge as Senegal, with its only radiotherapy machine breaking down in April 2016.
A new machine is being shipped and services will be restored "by the beginning of August," said Christine Namulindwa, a spokeswoman for the Uganda Cancer institute. For now, patients who require radiotherapy are referred to a hospital in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, she said.

In Senegal, patients like Christine who have had successful recoveries still worry the cancer could return. Their silence means few know of the hardships many must overcome after such a devastating diagnosis.
"Most people will simply tell me I am going to die," she said. "I don't need their pity." - AP

Teenage girl 'kills mother, sets house on fire, then apologises to her on Facebook'

Anna Schroeder, 15, allegedly lay in wait with a 0.38 revolver for her mother Peggy to get home from work in Morrison, Illinois, on Thursday.
Anna then asked Peggy, 53, to put a towel over her face, before shooting her to death in the head in the living room of the house the two shared, according to the Sauk Valley local newspaper.

An Illinois teen who police claim killed her deaf mother before setting her house on fire wrote a goodbye message on her Facebook page saying she had been her “best friend”.

She then texted her friend Rachel Helm, 15, about the alleged crime and sent her a picture of the body.
Detective David Molina, the sheriff who interviewed both girls, testified that the two tried to clean blood out of the carpet and moved Peggy’s body to her bedroom floor, covering her with a bedsheet.

The next day they bought more cleaning products for the carpet, and dyed their hair in preparation to run away.
On Saturday they set the house on fire to destroy the evidence, walked to a nearby cemetery and hid Anna’s phone and gun.
Rachel, who has not yet been formally charged, eventually told her mother about what had happened.

Anna posted a message to her own mother’s Facebook page that evening: "I don't even know if you can see me right now but if you can I just want you to know you were my best friend. There were so many things I wanted to say and do with you. I wasn't always the best daughter and I'm so sorry. I love you so much mom I just want you to know and I'll never forget you."

Anna and Rachel have appeared in Whiteside County Court and are being held at Mary Davis Detention Home in Galesburg, though the latter has not yet been formally charged.
Anna has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, concealment of homicidal death and arson.

The girl confessed to the crimes and said she had researched children who murdered their parents.

The official cause of death may take some weeks to establish, said Sterling Police Chief Tim Morgan, deputy coroner at the scene.

Wenger 'like a father' to players

Arsene Wenger will protect Arsenal's players "like a father" when they come under fire, insists Gilberto Silva.

Wenger signed a new two-year extension to his Arsenal deal earlier in the summer following months of speculation surrounding his future, as Arsenal finished outside of the top four for the first time since 1996.
Brazilian midfielder Gilberto, who played under Wenger at Arsenal between 2002 and 2008, winning a Premier League title with the Invincibles in 2004, was not surprised the Frenchman stayed put, and says he is like a father figure at the club.

Gilberto told Sky Sports : "He's always been strong, no matter what the situation is, he will always support the players and embrace them. He will always stay in front of them, protects them, especially when the pressure is there, that's just his style.
"He was the same last season when the team were struggling; he behaves like a big father to everyone, and takes the responsibility.
"But behind the scenes for him it is important that the older players take a lot of responsibility and help the younger players. Now they have a new chance, a new season and a new outlook.

"Honestly, it was not a surprise for me that he stayed. He's got the desire inside of him to carry on and win games. It's special because he loves Arsenal too, it is very unique and personal to him."
The 40-year-old former Brazil international also feels it will be difficult to replace Wenger when he does eventually leave the Emirates, and insists Arsenal must get their preparation done early for his successor.

"When it happens it will be difficult for any coach coming to replace him. Because there is one kind of style and philosophy, everyone would have to adapt to a new manager.
"I hope that when the time comes for him to leave they start to prepare a new manager to replace that ability."

Lucas to Lazio is a done deal

It looks like Lucas Leiva’s time at Liverpool has come to an end with Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio saying that the Reds have accepted Lazio’s £5m bid.

The Brazilian midfielder joined the Reds back in 2007 for a fee of around £5million and ten years and over 340 games later, he’s leaving for a similar fee.

Lucas had a very up and down time at Liverpool. He overcame the boo-boys at Anfield to become a key member of the side. However, two serious knee injuries had a huge impact on his game and he was never quite the same player.
However, with Liverpool having plenty of options both in midfield and in defence, it looks like the player has made the decision to move to Rome, where he’ll hope to get regular playing time. - Read Sport

Rooney: We must be ready for EL

Wayne Rooney urged Everton to get up to speed in pre-season to prepare for their Europa League qualifier this month.

The England captain marked his return to his boyhood club with a stunning 30-yard goal in the Toffees' victory over Kenyan opponents Gor Mahia in a friendly on Wednesday, playing 45 minutes of the 2-1 win.
Rooney, making his first appearance just four days after re-signing for the club, has already set sights on what could be his first competitive game for Everton since his comeback - with the Toffees having learned they will face Ruzomberok (Slovakia) or Brann (Norway) in the Europa League third qualifying round.

"There's things we can do better, but the most important thing is minutes under the belt," Rooney told EvertonTV after his goalscoring return.
"We'll look forward to them and make sure we are right for the qualifier."
Rooney's spectacular strike was reminiscent of his memorable first Premier League goal in 2002 when - aged just 16 - he curled in a late winner against Arsenal to announce himself in the top flight.

While the 31-year-old was pleased to get straight back on the scoresheet for Everton, Rooney reiterated fitness remains his primary concern.
"We all want to show our qualities and help the team," he added.
"It was great, first game back, to get a goal. I was delighted with it.

"It's always important that we win the game, but the most important thing was we all got 45 minutes under our belts."

Premier League earnings to top £4.5 billion, Deloitte confirm

The Premier League has cemented its status as unquestionably the world's richest league, with projected collective earnings of £4.5 billion last season, according to Deloitte.


The prestigious audit and financial consulting firm has released its Annual Review of Football Finance 2017, covering the 2015-16 campaign, during which total earnings were £3.6bn, a rise of nine per cent from the previous period. 
While the latest accounts are yet to be published, that figure is believed to have increased considerably last term, which was the first season of a lucrative new television rights deal, worth a total of £8.4bn for domestic and international markets, or £2.8bn per season, over three years from 2016 to 2019.

In contrast, clubs in the top two divisions of Europe's second richest competition, Germany's Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga, are expected to earn approximately £1.2bn per season during the same period.
Combined revenue for clubs in England, Germany, Spain, Italy and France was said by Deloitte to have increased by 12 per cent to £11.8bn in 2015-16, fuelled by increases in broadcast income from UEFA Champions League participation. 
Much of this was reinvested by teams in spending on wages, which increased by 10 per cent to £7.2bn. 

"Even in the final year of its old broadcast contracts, Premier League revenues continued to set new records," Dan Jones, a partner in Deloitte's sports business group, was quoted as saying. 

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The lure of securing promotion to the Premier League continues to encourage major speculative spending among Championship clubs, who paid more in wages (£561m) than they earned (£556m) and had record operating losses of £261m in 2015-16.

Mayweather vs McGregor New York: Both fighters misstep in ugly third presser

Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor didn’t connect in New York.

Los Angeles had spark, with Conor McGregor dominating the verbal war against a rusty Floyd Mayweather. Toronto was even better, with Mayweather getting himself back in the mix in front of a rabid pro-Conor crowd.
Brooklyn, however, was a disaster.

From the crowd waiting two hours past the scheduled start time to reports that much of the crowd couldn’t even make out what anyone was saying on the mic, it was a fundamental mess. Content-wise, both McGregor and Mayweather misstepped badly, too.
McGregor tried to play the crowd like a fiddle, expecting them to sing along with Notorious B.I.G. lyrics and respond to him saying that Biggie is “the greatest of all time.” They didn’t. They also didn’t care when he called 50 Cent — Mayweather’s former (perhaps once again?) friend — a “b----.” Or when he called Floyd a “b----.” Or when he dropped off a copy of Jay-Z’s latest album, on CD, no less. CD!

McGregor’s biggest misfire came when he attempted to mock those critical of what they felt to be racially charged comments, when McGregor said to Mayweather, “Dance for me, boy!” at the Los Angeles event. Here, McGregor said that it was “f------ ridiculous” to accuse him of racism, and that he’s “half-black, from my belly button down,” then gyrating for his “beautiful black female fans.”

Mayweather didn’t fare a lot better. He had another bag of money, making it rain on McGregor. McGregor said they were all $1 bills, later Mayweather said that’s because McGregor is a “ho,” also calling him a “b----” roughly 112 times. He repeatedly complimented Dana White for being smart enough to sell McGregor for the fight, referring to White at one point as McGregor’s “pimp.”

There was also a halfassed scuffle, after Mayweather pointed to his two largest bodyguards, and said, “YO! FORM VOLTRON!” Forming Voltron involved the two men, and others, to crowd around McGregor. This obviously wasn’t met well by the McGregor camp, who intervened immediately.
Mayweather backed away from the scene, running up and down the stage, cackling and shouting, “YEAH!” He came back to shadowbox a few yards removed from the crowd.

All in all, this was a bad one. At no point has the content been “classy” or less than vulgar, but that was all to be expected with Mayweather and McGregor. What I’m saying is that today’s versions of both failed miserably, tried way too hard to push the envelope. Truthfully, we’ve probably gone as far as the envelope needs to go — anything more and we’re just talking about a press conference brawl, full-on, and I’d prefer that be saved for the $99.95 pay-per-view if it’s going to happen at all. Give me chaos after the grift, not before it. - SB Nation