## World Cup 2026: Fifa to pay Somali referee full tournament fee

Authored by bbc.com

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee.

A US government official said Artan had not been allowed to enter the country because of an alleged "association with suspected members of terror organisations".

Artan said he had been questioned by border officials over his links to Somali militant group Al Shabab and had told them he knew nothing about the organisation.

"I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.".

After being put back on a plane to Turkey, Artan received assistance from Fifa officials in Istanbul before boarding a flight to the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Sources told BBC Sport that even though Artan will take no part in the World Cup, Fifa has committed to paying his salary.

Referees do not know the actual fee they will receive for officiating at the World Cup, which is paid after the tournament is over. »

### Nine-year-old Perth girl fatally shot by police in Pakistan while on family holiday

Authored by abc.net.au

As the family began to drive away in their rental car, more police attending the scene opened fire, believing the car belonged to the suspects, according to a police official.

The girl and her family were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

In a statement, Chakwal District Police said the two suspects had been killed during a "police encounter". »

### UFC to pay White House fighters in crypto issued by Trump company

Authored by theguardian.com

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced on Friday that it will pay bonuses to fighters in a form of cryptocurrency issued by Trump family business World Liberty Financial at the heavily publicized White House mixed martial arts event on Sunday.

The development connects the Trump family’s financial interests to the high-profile UFC competition being promoted on government property.

The UFC said some fighters will receive bonuses in World Liberty Financial crypto called “stablecoins”, whose value is pegged to the US dollar. »

### X accused of giving racists ‘impunity’ after refusing to bar N- and P-word posts

Authored by theguardian.com

The Guardian understands X routinely takes action only when posts are reported to it as illegal under the UK’s Online Safety Act.

Elon Musk has been using X to amplify far-right narratives since he bought the platform in 2022.

In six, X failed to act because the posts were reported as “hate, abuse or harassment”. »

### Nike Launches Sneaker Line With Russian Designer Who Backed Crimea Annexation

Authored by united24media.com

Nike has unveiled a new sneaker collaboration with Rassvet, a brand founded by Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, who previously expressed support for Russia’s annexation of Crimea and was involved in a controversy over alleged requests for explicit photographs from a minor.

🤯 @Nike released a new collection with “Rassvet,” founded by Gosha Rubchinskiy, who is known for Russian imperialist aesthetics and a history of predatory behavior toward minors.

In an interview, Rubchinskiy said the brand’s name reflects his “desire to find beauty in Russian culture and show it.”. »

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