Injured Barkley does not travel

Ross Barkley has not travelled with Everton's squad to their second pre-season training camp in the Netherlands because of a groin problem, the club say.

The 23-year-old - a target for Tottenham Hotspur in this transfer window - missed the Toffees trip to Tanzania earlier this month because of the same issue.
Barkley is about to enter the final year of his contract and has told Everton he wants to leave the club this summer. Ronald Koeman said at the end of last season that he will be sold if he does not sign a new deal.

 Sky Sports News HQ understands Spurs are very keen on the England number 10 but have been put off by his £50m valuation so far. Spurs are willing to wait for Everton to bring that price down, but they have not yet budged.
Defender Ramiro Funes Mori has also stayed at home from Everton's trip to boss Koeman's home country while he recovers from a knee injury sustained last season.

New signings Jordan Pickford, Cuco Martina, Michael Keane, Wayne Rooney and Sandro Ramirez are all in the squad.
The squad departed Liverpool Airport on Monday afternoon for Enschede in the east of the country ahead of a pre-season friendly against FC Twente on Wednesday. Everton will then travel to Belgium to take on KRC Genk on Saturday.

Full squad: Maarten Stekelenburg, Joel Robles, Jordan Pickford, Leighton Baines, Ashley Williams, Phil Jagielka, Callum Connolly, Mason Holgate, Jonjoe Kenny, Cuco Martina, Michael Keane, Morgan Schneiderlin, Davy Klaassen, James McCarthy, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Gareth Barry, Mo Besic, Tom Davies, Kieran Dowell, Kevin Mirallas, Aaron Lennon, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ademola Lookman, Wayne Rooney, Sandro Ramirez

AP Explains: Why is SKorea pushing for talks with NKorea?

Less than two weeks after North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile test, South Korea's new president has offered to hold talks at the tense border separating the two Koreas in what would be the rivals' first face-to-face meeting since late 2015.

President Moon Jae-in's overture Monday clearly showed again that he prefers diplomacy over pressure or economic sanctions to try to improve ties between the two Koreas and persuade the North to give up its nuclear weapons program.
Moon's government proposed two sets of talks to discuss how to dial down tensions and resume reunions of aging Koreans separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.
But it's unclear if those talks will be realized. The North recently voiced suspicion over Moon's North Korea policy, and some conservatives in South Korea worry that his overture might weaken international pressure on North Korea.
A look at Moon's proposed talks and their prospects:
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WHAT PRESIDENT MOON IS PLANNING
With North Korea pushing to expand its nuclear and missile arsenals, relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in decades. Moon's two conservative predecessors suspended large aid shipments and major cooperation projects, and cross-border communication hotlines have been shut down. Official talks between the sides have not been held since December 2015.
Moon, who calls his predecessors' hard-line policies a total failure, has said he would employ both dialogue and pressure to resolve the North Korea standoff. After the North fired an ICBM on July 4, Moon quickly condemned the launch as a "reckless" and "irresponsible" provocation. But he still has not backed off from his outreach to North Korea, arguing during a recent speech that both Koreas must stop hostile activities along the border and resume family reunions.

On Monday, Seoul's Defense Ministry proposed talks at the border village of Panmunjom this Friday to discuss how to ease border-area tensions, while the Red Cross said it wants separate talks at Panmunjom on Aug. 1 to discuss family reunions. It was the Moon government's first formal proposal for talks with North Korea since its May 10 inauguration.
There was no immediate response from North Korea.
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TALKS HAVE BEEN RARE THROUGH THE DECADES
During a period of detente from 1998 to 2008, there was a flurry of talks and exchange programs between the two Koreas. During that period, two liberal South Korean presidents went to Pyongyang and held landmark summit talks with then-leader Kim Jong Il, the father of current North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un. Kim Jong Il, meanwhile, sent his premier, spy chief and other top officials to Seoul for talks.

But over the past decade, the sides have pulled back on talks and reconciliation programs, though there have been some high-profile meetings to try to reach a breakthrough in strained ties or pull back from the brink.
In August 2015, North Korea's No. 2 leader, Hwang Pyong So, and South Korea's national security director, Kim Kwan-jin, met at Panmunjom and reached a deal on averting possible bloodshed over a land-mine blast that maimed two South Korean soldiers. The December 2015 talks at a now-stalled joint factory park in North Korea ended with no breakthroughs.
While the two Koreas have a history of failing to follow through on some rapprochement agreements struck during their rare talks, any dialogue between the rivals is considered a positive step toward easing tensions.
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ENDURING ANIMOSITIES FOR 70 YEARS
The two Koreas restarted Cold War-era psychological warfare after the North's fourth nuclear test in January 2016. Seoul began blaring anti-Pyongyang broadcasts and K-Pop songs via border loudspeakers, and Pyongyang responded with its own border broadcasts and launches of balloons carrying anti-South leaflets.
Outside experts believe the South Korean broadcasts and leaflets sting in Pyongyang more because the authoritarian country worries that the broadcasts will demoralize front-line troops and residents and eventually weaken the grip of absolute leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea will likely accept Moon's proposed talks on easing border animosities, as it's something that it's previously called for. But the North might set a precondition for the talks, such as a suspension of annual South Korean-U.S. military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal, according to Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul's Dongguk University.
If the talks are held, loudspeaker broadcasts, leafleting and South Korea-U.S. drills are expected to top the agenda.
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TIME RUNNING OUT FOR FAMILY REUNIONS
Chances for talks on family reunions are slimmer as North Korea has already made it clear that it won't agree to a fresh reunion program unless Seoul returns some of the North Korean defectors living in the South who it says were abducted by South Korean agents.
The sporadically held reunions last took place at a mountain resort in North Korea in October 2015, when hundreds of elderly Koreans and their family members met their long-lost relatives for the first time since they were split during the Korean War.

The reunions are a highly emotional issue because most applicants are in their 70s or 80s and are desperate to see their loved ones before they die. Both Koreas prohibit their citizens from exchanging letters, phone calls and emails with people in the other country without government permission.
South Korean officials have long called for holding reunions more regularly and expanding the number of people taking part. North Korea is seen as worrying that doing so could open the country to influence from more affluent South Korea and threaten the ruling party's grip on power. - AP

Australian bride-to-be shot dead by US cop after she called 911 to report hearing noise outside her house

An Australian woman due to get married next month was shot dead by a US police officer after she called 911 to report a possible assault outside her home.

Justine Damond, 40, went outside in her pyjamas after police arrived and was shot through the door of a squad car by an officer seated inside the vehicle, it was claimed.
The officer's body camera was not turned on at the time, raising questions from the woman's family and Minneapolis' mayor.
Ms Damond was killed outside the home she shared with her fiance, Don Damond, and was preparing for their wedding in August.
The bride-to-be, who used her fiance's surname despite not yet being married, wrote online that she was working as a spiritual healer and meditation coach, but was also a trained veterinarian.

Ms Damond was fatally shot in an alley behind her home at about 11.30pm on Saturday night.
Dressed in her pyjamas, the woman was talking to an officer in the driver's seat of the police car when the officer in the passenger seat pulled out his gun and shot her through the driver's side door, sources told the Star-Tribune.



The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which is investigating the incident, said two officers responded to “a call of possible assault" when “at one point an officer fired their weapon, fatally striking a woman".
The BCA added that the officers’ body cameras weren’t during on at the time of the incident and that they are investigating.

The squad car's camera did not capture the incident in the 5100 block of Washburn Avenue South, in Minneapolis' upscale Fulton neighbourhood.

Ms Damond's family have demanded answers and the city's mayor has said she was "deeply disturbed" by the incident.
The BCA said of its investigation: "More information will be available once initial interviews with incident participants and any witnesses are complete.

"The officers' body cameras were not turned on at the time and the squad camera did not capture the incident.

"Investigators are attempting to determine whether any video of the incident exists."

The two officers involved are on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure following such an incident.

Ms Damond, originally from Sydney, also went by the name Justine Ruszczyk.
In the aftermath of the shooting, her 22-year-old stepson Zach, whose dad Don, 50, was due to marry her in August, released a video saying he wanted answers.

Her fiance was away on a business trip when she was killed.
Zach said in the video: "Basically, my mom's dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know.
"I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. I'm so done with all this violence."

He said Ms Damond called 911 after hearing a sound in the alley.
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges told reporters that she has “questions about why the body cams weren’t on”.
She added: "I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by the fatal officer-involved shooting that happened last night. I know the neighborhood well.

"We have few facts at this point. I want to know more. I call on the BCA to share as much information with all of us as quickly as they can.
"I have questions about why the bodycams weren't on."
Hundreds of people gathered at the scene on Sunday to mourn Ms Damond.

A neighbour named Hannah, 21, told the Star-Tribune: "I don’t know what she was doing out.
"She’s such a kind woman. She took me in when I was in a tough situation and helped me with whatever I needed."
She said of Ms Damond and her fiance Don: "They were just so in love. I’m just kind of in disbelief."

Ms Damond described her work on her website, writing that she had studied and practiced yoga and meditation for more than 17 years.
Her website states: "Her interest in supporting people to heal and transform themselves developed after she saw family members suffer greatly from depression, alcoholism and cancer.
"After losing much of her family to cancer she has spent many years on a personal investigative journey to discover how habits and disease develop, and how people can change and live in joy, expressing their full potential." - UK Mirror

Newcastle agree Murphy deal

Newcastle have had a £12.5m offer to sign Norwich City winger Jacob Murphy accepted, according to the reliable John Percy.

Percy claims that the two clubs have finally agreed a fee for the midfielder, following a bid that was rejected last week for Murphy.
Norwich rejected an offer in the region of £8m for Murphy, which they deemed way below his valuation.

It has been claimed that Murphy would be interested in talking to Newcastle about a potential move, with him and his brother Josh Newcastle fans growing up. This means that personal terms may be no issue in this move.
Murphy has four years left on his contract after signing a new long-term deal last season.

Everton sign Southampton's Martina on free transfer

Everton have announced the signing of Cuco Martina on a free transfer from Southampton, the right-back reuniting with former Saints boss Ronald Koeman.

The 27-year-old has agreed a three-year contract with Everton, becoming the latest fresh face at Goodison Park in a busy transfer window for Koeman's men.


Wayne Rooney has completed a return to Everton after 13 years at Manchester United, while big-money signings include Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane and Davy Klaassen.
Martina will add to Everton's defensive options as regular right-back Seamus Coleman continues to recover from a broken leg sustained on international duty with Republic of Ireland in March.

"Everton is a big club with big ambitions and I'm really looking forward to joining this group of players and the manager as we try to step forward next season," Martina told Everton's website.
"Obviously, I know the manager from my time at Southampton, so I know what he wants and he knows what I can do."
Martina's versatility attracted Koeman to the Curacao international, who made nine Premier League appearances for Southampton last season, as Everton attempt to balance European commitments with their efforts to break into the Premier League's top six.

"Cuco Martina is an experienced player who can perform in different positions at the back, which is important," Koeman said. "It's also important, with the number of games we will face in the coming campaign, that we have strength and competition in the squad.


"I brought the player to Southampton, so I know what he can do for us here and this is why I've now brought him to Everton. He is a player who will strengthen our squad and be able to play in different positions when that's needed, too." - Goal

Liverpool linked with move for Maxi Romero

Despite already adding Dominic Solanke to their ranks this summer, Liverpool are still looking to sign a young forward if reports are to be believed.

Liverpool are said to be eyeing up a move for highly-rated Velez Sarsfield striker Maxmiliano Romero.
The Reds have had scouts watch the teenage forward several times and they are now ready to make their move for the Argentine.
Romero has broken into the Velez first-team in the last couple of seasons, scoring four goals in 24 career appearances for his boyhood club.

https://twitter.com/eaamalyon/status/595673166644682753

Premier League rivals Arsenal tried to sign the player as a 16-year-old in 2015, and were even reported to have agreed a deal for the striker, but a severe knee injury forced the Gunners to back out of a transfer.

The 18-year-old has worked his way somewhere back to his best form and is regarded as one of the best young forwards in Argentina today.
Romero would be unlikely to gain a work permit just yet, meaning if Liverpool did sign him they would need to loan him out until he secures one.

Chelsea need more signings to follow Bakayoko, Desailly claims

Tiemoue Bakayoko is a good signing for Chelsea but the Premier League champions need more arrivals ahead of the new season, according to the club's former defender Marcel Desailly.

Bakayoko was Antonio Conte's second capture of the transfer window, the midfielder joining from Monaco in a move reported to be worth £40million, following Roma defender Antonio Rudiger's switch to Stamford Bridge.
Desailly says fellow Frenchman Bakayoko will slot in immediately at Chelsea but called for the club to be more active in the transfer window, having missed out on former striker Romelu Lukaku, who instead joined Manchester United from Everton for £75m.

"He will fit in the system. He can defend, he can also project himself and he's coming into a team that is tactically very well organised, so he can fit quickly," Desailly told Omnisport. "I am sure he will adapt to the system and he will bring Chelsea to a different level, so I'm very pleased, very pleased.
"But we need more. We need more if you want to compete on these two different competitions, Champions League and Premier League, so we are hoping [for] more, we are really hoping [for] more.

"This year is a special market, we can see that it's very tough. Everyone is moving round, the prices are very high, so let's wait till the end. Chelsea knows, really, how to buy players so I am sure they will trust the philosophy and desire for Conte."
Speaking at indoor football competition Star Sixes, the 1998 World Cup winner also suggested there needs to be more patience with the world's most expensive footballer Paul Pogba, who had a mixed first season under Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

Nemanja Matic has been linked with a switch from Chelsea to reunite with Mourinho and Desailly believes the signing of a more defensively-minded midfielder would benefit Pogba.
"I think we are expecting too much from him straightaway from the beginning, he is still young, you know he is around 24 years old and he's not a playmaker and he just needs to fit into Mourinho's system," Desailly said.

"That's why they wanted to have a new defensive midfielder, for him to be along people that can defend really strongly, for him to be express himself... so young, talented, don't mind the price.
"You have to pay very expensive for these kind of players so don't look at [the] price, people have to be patient because he is very, very talented - he will prove it." - Goal

101-Year-Old Becomes World Record Holder in 100-Meter Dash: 'I Missed my Nap for This'

A 101-year-old just became the oldest woman ever to compete in the USA Track and Field Outdoors Masters Championships on Saturday.

Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins ran the 100-meter dash at the Louisiana event in 40.12 seconds, beating the current certified world record for women aged 100 and older by six seconds, reports said.

 “I missed my nap for this,” Hawkins said at the Saturday event, which took place at Louisiana State University.
Hawkins, who started running at the age of 100, reportedly practices her sprints several times a week, the Washington Post reported.
She has been an avid bicyclist for many years and is now using her strong legs for running.

“I’m always outside and the phone always rings, and I come running in is how I knew I could run,” Hawkins told the paper.
Hawkins, who was born in Wisconsin in 1916, said she also likes to impress her family with her running skills.

She has four children, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
“Having a momma that can do this pleases them, and it pleases me to please them,” the former schoolteacher told the Washington Post.

Man allegedly shoots lover with double-barrel gun over unwanted pregnancy

A man identified as Ogbonnaya Igwe has been arrested by men of the Abia state Police Command for allegedly shooting his lover, Ijeoma Chibuzor, with a double barrel gun over unwanted pregnancy.

While been paraded in Umuahia by the state Police Commissioner, Leye Oyebade, the suspect made an effort to deny the crime.

He said: “Yes. I know the late woman Ijeoma Chibuzor, we were friends and have been having extra marital affair.
“I must confess that the deceased made my life miserable with her continuous extortion and insatiable demand for money when she alleged that the romance has resulted in pregnancy.
“Initially I gave her the sum of N15,000 (fifteen thousand naira), to terminate the pregnancy, but she came back later to demand another N1million(one million naira) saying that there were complications during the process of abortion resulting in excessive bleeding.

“I had to sell my house in Aba to raise the money, but this woman kept coming for more money.

“I cannot explain what happened, I tried to scare her away with the double barrel gun, I did not shoot her. “
But, the Police boss explained that the policemen from Ndiegoro Division rushed to the scene of the incident at 22 Obohia Road Aba when they received information that a woman was shot dead.

On arrival, they met the deceased in the pool of her own blood, the suspect Igwe tried to evade arrest by hiding in the ceiling of his house.
“I want to say that it took the relentless effort of policemen to drag him out of the ceiling to the police station.

“And I want you to know that the double barrel gun with 15 live cartridges has four expended cartridges,” CP Oyenade said.
He further said that the command has embarked on proactive measures to rid the state of all types of crimes and ensure that perpetrators are apprehended.
“The command would not rest on its oars to ensure safety of lives and citizens,” Oyenade added. - Daily Post

UAE minister denies hacking of Qatari websites

The United Arab Emirates was not responsible for an alleged hack of Qatari websites which helped spark a month-long diplomatic rift with Doha, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

Speaking at a forum in London, Anwar Gargash said the UAE would not escalate its boycott by asking companies to choose between doing business with it or with Qatar.

Vodafone Qatar, an affiliate of Vodafone Group had said that access to its network was being affected by technical issues.
“The company is working to resolve the issue,’’ Vodafone Qatar said on its official Twitter account.

Several Vodafone customers told Reuters that they were unable to make or receive phone calls.
A spokesman for Vodafone Qatar did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
State-controlled Ooredoo also serves Qatar’s mobile communications market.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism, a claim which Qatar denies.

60-year-old woman bags six months for burglary

A 60-year-old woman, Adegunwa Adejoke, was on Monday sentenced to six months imprisonment for breaking a shop with the intent to steal, an Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State ruled on Monday.

Adejoke, a resident of Agbowa-Ikosi in Ikorodu area, had pleaded guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, housebreaking and burglary brought against her.
The Magistrate, Mrs A.B. Olagbegi-Adelabu, who gave the verdict, sentenced the woman to six months each on the three counts, totalling 18 months.
She, however, said the sentences would run concurrently.

She said: “Having made a confessional statement, the convict said she was lured into the act by some people who fled the scene.
“Meanwhile, no goods was carted away from the shop but she was caught with a stone which she used to burgle the shop.
“In view of this, not minding the situation, the court has to protect the interest of the state.
“You are hereby sentenced to six months imprisonment on each of the counts which will run consecutively.

“This will teach you a lesson and I hope when you leave the prison, you would have turned a new leaf.”
Earlier, Police Prosecutor Mary Ajiteru told the court that the accused with others still at large were caught on June 29 at 9.00 p.m. breaking a shop belonging to Mr Oladehinde Agbomeji, at Maiyegun Bus Stop in Agbowa-Ikosi, Ikorodu.

“The accused was caught by a security man, while others fled.
“She was taken to the palace of the traditional ruler, but the chiefs directed that she should be taken to the police station.”
The offences contravened Section 305, 308 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Fashola asked to reinstate auditor sacked ‘for exposing corruption’

The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), a civil society organisation (CSO), has asked Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and housing, to reinstate Murtala Ibrahim (pictured), an internal auditor of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

On May 8, Ibrahim was dismissed after he exposed a doctored financial report in FMBN.
In a statement on Monday, Chido Onumah, coordinator of AFRICMIL, alleged that the FMBN made up the report to deceive Fashola whose ministry supervises the bank.
Onumah said Fashola was “shamelessly taken for a ride by the management of FMBN”.
He referred the minister to a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report which vindicated the audit group that there was indeed no profit contrary to the report of the stated period submitted by the bank’s management.

The coordinator said where the FMBN merely reported a loss, the CBN report the figure at N7 billion.
“The finance and accounts group of the bank reported a surplus of income over expenditure to the tune of N423,653, 187, but on investigation by the internal audit group where Mr Ibrahim served as deputy head, it was discovered that the report was doctored and that the so-called profit was fraudulent. They found out that what ought to have been declared was a loss and not a profit,” the statement read.

“We request Mr Fashola to look critically at that CBN report and he would discover that not only was he shamelessly taken for a ride, the management of FMBN also went on to unlawfully sack an officer who was only carrying out his duties in an honest and professional manner.
“The cruel treatment of Ibrahim by FMBN has again brought to the fore the recurring victimisation of officers who report wrongdoings in government offices. The persistent victimisation in any form of those who are courageous enough to blow the whistle must not be tolerated if the whistleblower policy of this administration must succeed.

“We have said it repeatedly that whistleblowers deserve nothing more than full protection as this will further encourage accountability and enrich the right of the public to know.” - Cable Nigeria

Anyaoku: We’ve been moving backwards since we departed from true federalism

Emeka Anyaoku, former secretary-general of Commonwealth, says Nigeria has been moving backwards since it departed from true federalism.

The elder statesman said this while speaking at a forum organised by Arise TV.
Leaders from various parts of the country spoke on the clamour for restructuring, addressing whether the nation needs to restructured or not.
Some of the dignitaries at the event were Supo Shonibare, leader of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba organisation; Nnia Nwodo, president general, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Eniola Bello, managing director of THISDAY; Albert Horsfall, former director general of National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Bashir Yusuf, former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and Aluwalu Yadudu, constitutional lawyer.

Anyaoku, who expressed support for restructuring, express optimism that the process will help Nigeria achieve “greater national cohesion, development and political stability”.
His audio recording was played at the programme.
“It will also enable the states look forward to dealing with a centre which would have far diminished responsibilities than it currently has. In that way, we will be able to revive the national spirit that existed when we were a true federation,” he said.

“Virtually everyone recognises that the 36-state structure we have at the moment is unsustainable. If you have far fewer federating units, you will have a basis that lends itself more readily to accountability.
“Our founding fathers believed that the best system of government to suit Nigeria’s multi-ethnic nature is true federalism and I believe that since we departed from that, we have been moving backwards.”

Nwodo, on his part, said part of the need for restructuring Nigeria stems from the nature of the 1999 constitution which he said wasn’t for the good of Nigerians.
He said the constitution, which is an attempt by the military “to transit us as quickly as possible into a civilian routine,” does not reflect equity or representation of the various parts of the country.
“This is the only country in the world that answers federation but has no characteristics of a federal structure. Unfortunately, there is no independence of the federating units. These military constitutions were created with the concept of sharing national wealth rather than an engineering locomotive for economic transformation of the country,” he said.

“This idea of creating a federation that makes every month for wealth collected from every part of Nigeria to be shared is a destroyed production. Restructuring today says change our constitution, it does not promote competition.”
Horsfall said the call for restructuring is premised on demand for resource control and devolution of power.
He also said resource control is the key thing involved in the demand for restructuring
“Why should I produce the money and somebody here in Abuja shares that money and gives me what he thinks I should get,” he asked.

Horsfall recalled that the various parts of the country were concerned about developing their natural resources before oil came into the picture and “everybody stopped working”.
He said the greatest challenge facing the country is for Nigerians to be able “to produce and contribute to a central government that is structured in a manner that has very little control over what I do in the south-south”.

However, Yusuf faulted the calls for restructuring.
According to him, “the overwhelming majority” of people agitating for restructuring are those “scrambling for political office and resources.”
“The 2014 national conference recommended 18 more states and I am surprised that the same people calling for the restructuring of the country are also calling for the multiplication of constituent units,” he said.

“So for me, Nigeria is not working, not because of bad structure, but because many Nigerians don’t stand for any set of values. So any talk about restructuring must address the issue of values; what do we believe in as Nigerians. National unity doesn’t say anything, what are those values that will bring us together.”
Sonibare admitted that there is “nowhere in the world” where a multi-ethnic collection of peoples runs a unitary system.

He recalled that Nigeria’s founding leaders negotiated a federal constitution as such, “there were no issues of ethnicity in the first republic.”
“People who say that restructuring is something that is contrived by elite; maybe they don’t appreciate the fact that if you are a collection of ethnic groups and if you don’t devolve power to the various ethnic groups, you are encouraging a combustion, you are encouraging ethnicity to be the issue,” he said.

Yadudu aligned with Yusuf’s position, saying the clamour for restructuring is being pushed by “disgruntled elite”.
“There was no consensus on the 2014 national conference report. My view is that it cannot solve the problems because it is undemocratic,” he said.
“If you are going to change anything in the constitution, it must be on the basis of section 35 and a referendum cannot be used since it is not recognised by the constitution.” - Cable Nigeria 

United making Perisic progress

Manchester United are making progress with a deal to sign Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan, Sky sources understand.

Perisic's price has been a sticking point in protracted negotiations between the teams, with Inter holding out for £48m for the 28-year-old.
The Serie A side also enquired about the possibility of United's young French forward, Anthony Martial, going the other way in the deal.
But Inter are now in advanced talks to sign a replacement for Perisic - Keita Balde from Lazio - and that could smooth the way for the Croatian to move to move to United.

Perisic was given permission to leave Inter's training camp in the Alps on Saturday to return to Croatia to see a "trusted dentist" because of a "tooth abscess".
United have brought in Victor Lindelof and Romelu Lukaku already this summer but Jose Mourinho has made it clear he wants at least two more signings before the transfer window shuts on August 31.
"We don't have our door closed. We are not happy with just Lukaku and Lindelof. We need more," Mourinho said.

"We wanted four, so I could say 50 percent of the job is done, but I won't say that because it's so difficult. I wouldn't like to be in Ed Woodward's position, negotiating, because everything is really difficult.
"Maybe we don't get two, maybe we got one, but we need one to give us more options and balance. We have players in the squad that cannot play football for the next few months; players like Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young."

Arsenal defender set for exit

Mathieu Debuchy is edging ever closer to finally securing a move away from Arsenal this summer, as he travels to Nice for a medical.

According to French news outlet RMC Sport, as covered by the Mirror today, the experienced defender is en route back to his homeland as he looks to revitalise his career.
Since his move from Newcastle, Debuchy has underwhelmed. He’s suffered niggling injuries but has failed to impose himself on the Arsenal squad and has failed to break into Arsene Wenger’s plans.

Debuchy was left behind by Wenger for Arsenal’s pre-season tours in China and Australia and is being allowed to leave this summer, with Nice now looking to be the likely destination.

The defender is too far down in the pecking order at the Emirates to really make anything of his time at Arsenal, and will now look to kick on at Nice.
Debuchy will be hoping to secure regular first-team football in Ligue 1. - Read Sport

Woman 'steals' her stolen bike back from thief who advertised it on Facebook

A Bristol cyclist has "stolen" her bike from a thief who advertised it for sale on Facebook.

Jenni Morton-Humphreys, 30, turned the tables on the thief with an ingenious sting, even though she was advised against doing so by the police.

Ms Morton-Humphreys had appealed for help by posting a picture of the stolen bike on Facebook and appealing for help.

A fellow cyclist scoured Facebook's for sale pages and found the same bike on display.

The good samaritan and Ms Morton-Humphreys devised a cunning plan, which entailed offering to buy the bike from the unsuspecting vendor.

Having found the bike she asked the police to accompany her on the mission and arrest the culprit - but the invitation was declined.

Undeterred she and a friend approached the vendor and arranged a meeting.

“I pretended to be interested and asked silly questions about the bike,” she said. “I said the saddle was too high, and asked if I could get on it to test it out," she told the Bristol Post.

“I made sure I had nothing on me, no possessions at all apart from the stuff in my hands – and they were a cigarette packet and a set of keys. I handed them to this guy as I got on the bike and said ‘here, hold my stuff’.

She then asked for a test ride. The seller agreed and Ms Morton-Humphreys pedalled away furiously.

To add to her joy, the bike had been smartened up ahead of the sale with even the front light being fixed. - The Telegraph

Leipzig will sell Keita to Liverpool if valuation is met

Liverpool will be able to land their prime target Naby Keita if they meet Red Bull Leipzig’s valuation of the Guinean midfielder, according to Gab Marcotti of ESPN.

Having had their initial bid rejected, the Express claim that the Reds will go back in with a £65m offer for the 22-year-old.
The below video discusses how close the Reds are to securing a deal for the former Salzburg man, as well as the latest on Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andrew Robertson.

If Keita was to join Jurgen Klopp’s side, it would smash the club’s transfer record which was broken when Mohamed Salah arrived from Roma in a deal worth around £37m last month.
Dominic Solanke has also joined the ranks at Anfield, but it appears that the Reds’ spending during this window is far from complete.
In terms of outgoings, Lucas Leiva’s decade-long spell on Merseyside is about to come to an end. The Brazilian is in Italy completing a switch to Lazio, reports the Express.

Ryan Kent is wanted by Hull City, claims Andy Kelly of the Liverpool Echo, with the report noting that the two clubs are already close to doing business this summer as Andrew Robertson nears a move to Liverpool. - Read Sport

Liverpool unveil new third kit

Liverpool have unveiled their new third kit for the 2017/18 season in Hong Kong - the first stop of the Reds' pre-season tour.

Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana and James Milner have been pictured in the new design, which has been made by New Balance.
The third kit will be debuted during Liverpool's Premier League Asia Trophy game against Crystal Palace, which is live on Sky Sports on Wednesday from 1.30pm.
The kit continues with the theme of celebrating iconic periods from Liverpool's 125-year history.

It takes its design inspiration from the original wooden signage of the famous Kop stand, featuring a 'Bold Citrus' and black colourway.
Launched as part of the 'Pure Liverpool FC' campaign for the 2017/18 season, the kit celebrates the club's 125th anniversary and features the special 125th anniversary crest - a unique feature of all the New Balance kits for the 2017/18 season.

To commemorate the tragic events of Hillsborough, the 96 emblem, encased by the eternal flames sits at the nape of the neck. The jersey also features a debossed '125' to the shoulder seam tape and is framed by a black collar and trim, and is completed by Bold Citrus shorts and Bold Citrus socks with a black trim.
The goalkeeper kit features a Toxic Green design with black crest, sponsor and NB branding with a tonal three colour sleeve pattern.

Lallana said: "Scoring in front of the Kop is the best feeling in the world. It's a special place for the whole LFC family so it's brilliant to see a kit inspired by it.
"It definitely stands out, I like it and will be a nice reminder of the Kop every time we wear it."

 

Sanchez: Pep's unfinished project

A move to Man City would reunite Alexis Sanchez with Pep Guardiola. Adam Bate looks at how things went at Barcelona and why Sanchez is the Catalan's great unfinished project.

Pep Guardiola's style of play is well defined, his beliefs about the game famously established. But sometimes even he is drawn to something different; attracted instead to another way of doings things; convinced he can bring fresh qualities to even the greatest of teams. That is what happened when he decided to take Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona in 2011.

That Barcelona team is seen by some as the high point of football. Their dismantling of Manchester United in the Champions League final that year was perfection. But Guardiola's desire to evolve continued and while there was a high-profile pursuit of Cesc Fabregas that summer, he is on record as saying that the main target was a Chilean talent from Udinese.
If Fabregas was seen as steeped in Barca's traditions, Sanchez's strength was that he wasn't. He was more direct. "He came to offer something that we didn't have," explained Guardiola. "He can play in all three positions in attack, he has lots of energy, defensive intensity, one-on-ones, dribbles, with a vertical sense of the game, and he is also a great kid."

While Guardiola's instincts told him that renewal was essential, it was never going to be easy to find a role for his new signing. There was a public apology to Sanchez after leaving him as an unused substitute in the Super Cup win over Real Madrid in August as the coach preferred to stick with Pedro instead. Ultimately, Sanchez started only 20 league games.
Injuries played their part but even some of those were self-inflicted. When Sanchez came on as a substitute against Sporting Gijon in March only to depart with a groin problem soon after, it sparked a memorable Guardiola rant in which he urged the player to use his head. He was discovering that Sanchez's all-action approach is unleashed rather than harnessed.

Not that it was a total failure by any means. Sanchez's tally of 12 league goals was more than anyone else bar Lionel Messi, who enjoyed the best scoring season of his career with 73 goals in all competitions. Guardiola said of Sanchez: "He played really good in Barcelona but normally when you play with Messi all the players beside him are not at his level."
Sanchez still had his moments in that first season. When he did get his chance against Real Madrid, he took it - producing a dynamic display in a Copa del Rey quarter-final victory at the Bernabeu. "He has stolen my heart," said Guardiola afterwards. "He is very young, but he came forward and sacrificed himself a lot. I think the club has made a special signing."

But even though Sanchez stayed for two more seasons after Guardiola's departure, he was still allowed to leave - his three years at the club ending without a Champions League triumph despite Barca having won the competition in the year prior to his arrival and the year after his exit. The accepted wisdom was that he preferred being the main man.
Dani Alves suggested recently that Sanchez needs to be the protagonist. His old Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli explained it in tactical terms. "Alexis needs freedom and in Barcelona he had to cover a certain area that was not best for his personal game," said Sampaoli. "He had to be part of a philosophy that wasn't convenient for him. Now he appears to be freed again."

Could that ever be the case under Guardiola? The City coach feels the issue is one of role rather than style. "I think the position Arsenal are using him as a striker, in front, it is perfect for him," he said last season. "In Barcelona maybe I didn't help him too much because he played wide. He can do that but he is better between the lines, closer to the goal."
With Guardiola already facing the challenge of fitting Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus into the same City side, there is not an obvious vacancy there in his current line-up. But in a sense, there has been something of a role reversal in England. It is Sanchez who is the proven Premier League success. Guardiola is the one still trying to adapt.  

Maybe both can be convinced that a reunion would be beneficial. They certainly remain on good terms, embracing after a 2-2 draw between City and Arsenal in April, and Sanchez recently recalled fondly Guardiola's speech in the dressing room after his final game as Barcelona boss. "That experience has stayed with me," he admitted this summer.
The 3-0 Copa del Rey win over Athletic Bilbao inside the Vicente Calderon Stadium is likely to forever remain Guardiola's last ever game at the helm of Barcelona. Time will tell if it is also to be his final match as Alexis Sanchez's manager. He missed out on Dani Alves. But there is still a chance for Pep Guardiola to have another crack at his great unfinished project. - Sky Sports