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Arsenal joins Manchester United in race to sign Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace
via SeneNews2 min read
Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly vying for the services of Senegalese international Ismaïla Sarr. The 28-year-old winger had an exceptional season with Crystal Palace, scoring 9 goals in 28 Premier League matches and playing a key role in the club's historic UEFA Europa Conference League victory, where he was the top scorer and best player. Across all competitions, Sarr scored over 20 goals last season. His strong form continued into the 2026 World Cup with the Lions of Teranga. Manchester United is reportedly in advanced talks, having inquired with Sarr's entourage, and Sarr himself has expressed a long-standing desire to play for the club. Arsenal is also showing interest, seeking an alternative winger after missing out on Morgan Rogers. However, Sarr is under contract with Crystal Palace until June 2029, which could lead to high transfer demands from the London club, making negotiations complex for any suitor.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Blaise Diagne International Airport AIBD recorded 1,481,529 passengers between January and June 2026, marking a 4.30% increase compared to the previous year. This growth reinforces its position as a key regional hub in West Africa. Passenger traffic included 687,305 arrivals, up 4.19%, and 720,840 departures, up 4.76%. Direct traffic accounted for 1,408,145 passengers, a 4.48% rise, representing nearly 95% of total traffic. Transit passengers numbered 73,384, a slight increase of 0.84%. Europe remained the primary market with 693,468 passengers, growing by 7.62%, followed by Africa with 581,971 passengers, up 3.33%. Beyond passenger numbers, cargo activity also saw significant growth, with 22.3 million kilograms of goods processed in the first half of the year, an increase of 17.93%, driven by a 26.57% rise in exports. These results highlight the efforts of LAS Limak AIBD Senegal, the airport's manager, to enhance air connectivity and operational performance, affirming AIBD's role as a leading airport platform in West Africa.
Must ReadThe National Office for the Recovery of Criminal Assets ONRAC has reported managing over 5,000 assets from criminal proceedings, totaling more than 50 billion CFA francs since its launch on July 23, 2021. These assets include bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, and other equipment. By March 2026, the managed assets comprised over 13 billion in bank seizures, nearly 21 billion in real estate seizures and guarantees, and proceeds from the sale of seized goods. The ONRAC also focuses on preserving the value of assets to prevent depreciation before judicial decisions are made. In 2025, 19 public auctions across six regions generated 2.234 billion CFA francs. While Kédougou accounted for 55% of the volume of goods sold, primarily equipment from illegal gold panning, Dakar generated 85% of the revenue, nearly 1.896 billion, due to the higher value of items sold in the capital. ONRAC Director General, magistrate Mor Ndiaye, stated that the office's mission extends beyond recovery to include managing assets to preserve their value, ensuring restitution if no definitive confiscation is ordered, and contributing to victim compensation. Representing the Minister of Justice, Secretary General Mamadou Diop emphasized ONRAC's crucial role in upholding the principle that "crime must never pay." He announced planned reforms, including modernizing the legal framework, fully digitizing procedures, strengthening human and budgetary resources, and increasing coordination with judicial and part
Must ReadPresident Bassirou Diomaye Faye is consolidating his political base through a new movement called "Jeunes patriotes pour la République" Jpr, which has seen over 700 members of Pastef's "Jeunesse patriotique sénégalaise" Jps defect within 96 hours. This move follows a reported crisis between President Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, and aims to reassert the President's control over the electoral base that brought him to power. The Jpr, launched on July 23, 2026, in Dakar, describes itself as a movement of free and voluntary adherents, not beneficiaries of political appointments. It includes key territorial leaders from 46 departments and the diaspora. Dubbed "Operation Phoenix," the initiative seeks to remobilize the militant base directly around the President to support his national transformation project. The Jpr states that its members are primarily grassroots activists, students, and cadres who have not received presidential decrees. This development is seen as weakening Pastef's radical wing and centralizing support around the presidency, with the Jpr planning to establish structures across all 46 departments. Pastef's leadership is reportedly observing these resignations as an epiphenomenon, while the struggle for the legacy and direction of the patriotic project is now openly engaged.