Defiant cheers and national pride eclipsed a crushed sporting dream at Aden Abdul Osman International Airport on Wednesday. Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the star Somali soccer referee who was blocked from entering the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was given a warm welcome.

Hundreds of local fans, top football board officials and senior government representatives crowded the tarmac and terminal. In a spectacular display of national solidarity, the crowd waved banners and chanted Ayrton’s name, turning what could have been a somber homecoming into a celebration of a national icon.

Speaking to the crowd after the rousing welcome, he said, “God willing, I promise you that I will attend next time too.”

“I want the Somali people to take comfort in this and be reassured.”

A dream broken in miami

The euphoric atmosphere in Mogadishu was a sharp contrast to the ordeal Artan had endured a few days earlier. Considered one of Africa’s leading match officials, Artan was named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Referee of the Year in 2025. His appointment for the 2026 World Cup was historic, marking the first time that a Somali national had been selected to officiate in football’s global showpiece.

However, upon arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul over the weekend, Artan was turned away by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Despite holding a valid tournament visa and a diplomatic passport provided by his own government, Ayrton was subjected to a grueling 11-hour interrogation. Border agents interrogated him extensively on Somali politics and local terrorist groups Before detaining him and putting him on a return flight to Türkiye.

The Trump administration later defended the tough stance, citing strict immigration and vetting policies, including a blanket travel ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia. An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that “derogatory information, including associations with suspected members of terrorist organizations” made Arton ineligible. “President Trump’s administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country, full stop,” the official said.

global uproar

The decision flashed immediately Fury in the global football community And a diplomatic standoff. The Somali government began late unsuccessful talks with Washington and FIFA to reverse the ban. Somalia’s Prime Minister strongly condemned the denial, while the Sports Ministry issued a poignant statement: “His international achievements are a source of honor and pride for the Somali people.”

The Somali Football Federation (SFF) expressed deep sadness, stressing that Artan’s selection was a milestone earned through “years of dedication, professionalism and integrity”. The SFF said it had received no formal explanation for the refusal.

FIFA quickly distanced itself from the political fallout and confirmed Arton had been removed from the tournament roster as all 52 refereeing pairs must train at a central hub in Miami.

A spokesperson said, “FIFA is not involved in the host country’s immigration processes.”

For the people of Somalia, the US government’s security narrative means nothing. When government officials took Artan from Mogadishu, the message from the streets was clear: He may have been rejected by the world, but at home, he remains a champion.

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Scenes from Ahon Guptu’s drag drama ‘Item’ (Photo Credits: Nayanthara Majumdar)

Pune: For six days this June, Shriram Lagoo Rang-Akaash will become a space for quirky storytelling, performance and dialogue as Satrang Mahotsav 2026 will bring together theatre-makers, dancers, drag artists and writers from across India.Running from 16 to 21 June, the festival presents a packed program of plays, workshops, panel discussions and performances exploring queer lives and experiences.Productions range from traditional Lavani and contemporary dance to drag, devised theatre, and experimental performances, reflecting the breadth of artistic practices within India’s LGBT community.According to festival director Deepa Dharmadhikari, every playwright, director and choreographer participating in the festival identifies as queer, representing a wide spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations.Dharmadhikari said, “The festival has been created without institutional or corporate sponsorship. We are crowdfunding through the community because we wanted it to be a festival that is for, by and with the gay community.”The schedule includes “Romeo Ranjha”, “Jisman Ton Paar”, “Where’s SSS?” Such production is included. , “Colorful Lavani”, with workshops, drag performances and Lavani traditions.The play “Dirty Laundry 2.0,” directed and co-written by Gurleen Arora, was created in response to an art exhibit featuring queer artists, and has now been reimagined for the stage with a new cast that includes transgender and non-binary artists.Arora said, “We wanted to examine what home means to gay people and how they navigate relationships within domestic spaces. The play asks how much the gay experience has changed over the last 100 years, and how much remains surprisingly familiar. While today’s gay communities have greater visibility and access to resources, there can also be a deep sense of isolation.”“Item”, directed by Ahon Guptu, blends theatre, drag, dance, music and audience interaction. This production traces the journey of a drag artist as she reflects on identity, belonging and self-discovery.Guptu said, “The show moves between different moments of a person’s life. Each performance ended with a conversation with the audience because asking questions and creating a safe space for dialogue is central to the project.”

Police caught the accused

Hyderabad: A real estate businessman shot dead his second wife at their house in Malkajgiri in the early hours of Wednesday. The accused was arrested three months ago with an illegal gun when he was preparing to murder the victim.Accused D Arun Kumar, 48, a real estate businessman from Maruti Nagar in Malkajgiri, has two children from his first wife. Since his first wife was ill for a long time, Arun separated from her and married her sister Nishita Rani alias Nisha Rani five years ago.However, tension arises between Arun and Rani as she doubts his loyalty.After repeated disputes, Rani started living separately. Dissatisfied with Rani’s conduct, Arun decided to kill her and, using his contacts, obtained a country-made firearm from Munger in Bihar in March.While he was plotting to kill Rani with the illegal firearm, Charminar Task Force police, in coordination with Amberpet police, arrested Arun along with his associates, Mohammad Abbu, 26, a paan shop owner from Yapral and Mir Muzammil Ali Khan, 23, a student from Yakutpura, on March 9, 2026, at Ali Cafe X Roads in Amberpet.Police seized a country-made pistol, six live cartridges and a two-wheeler from their possession. Amberpet Inspector T Kiran Kumar said, “We have produced the accused in the court and they have been sent to judicial custody. Arun spent more than 40 days in remand.”Police have not yet filed a chargesheet in the case as the alleged arms suppliers have still not been arrested.Meanwhile, late on Tuesday night, Arun contacted Rani and asked her to come to his house to talk about family issues. Police said that during the meeting, Arun opened fire on Rani in the early hours of Wednesday and she died on the spot.Police suspect that Arun was with another accused at the time of the murder. After the incident, both the accused fled from the spot. Malkajgiri police launched a search operation to nab them. Rani’s body was sent for post-mortem and a case of murder was registered.

AI image is used for representational purpose only

MUMBAI: A wave of large-scale redevelopment is gathering momentum on Bandra’s waterfront, with industry estimates suggesting that more than 140 acres of land could be transformed into a premium residential and mixed-use district over the next decade.According to a report prepared by Lighthouse Luxury and CRE Matrix, the proposed waterfront corridor, dubbed “Bandra Bay” by developers and consultants, is expected to have a phased redevelopment of approximately 8 million square feet of real estate, with an estimated development potential of over ₹1 lakh crore.The emerging micro-market is being driven by redevelopment projects, proximity to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and a series of infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Industry estimates indicate that BKC could add approximately 7 million sq ft of Grade A office space over the next five years, potentially driving demand for premium housing in the surrounding areas.The region is also expected to benefit from major connectivity projects including the coastal road network, metro expansion, Atal Setu, Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Corridor and airport-related transport infrastructure. Better connectivity between Bandra, BKC, South Mumbai and other business districts is seen as a key factor supporting redevelopment activity.Among the biggest projects planned in the area is the redevelopment of Nargis Dutt Nagar, which is being carried out by Godrej Properties in partnership with ORA Group and RC Group. The project is estimated to have a revenue potential of approximately ₹10,000 crore and will be developed in phases.Urban planners and real estate consultants say large-scale redevelopment presents a rare opportunity to create modern residential communities in a city where developable land remains scarce. However, they caution that the long-term success of the emerging district will depend on timely implementation of redevelopment plans, delivery of supporting infrastructure and sustained demand in the housing market.Market observers say strong demand remains in established luxury locations such as Carter Road and other seaside areas, but future growth in Mumbai’s premium housing segment may come from urban districts led by rapid redevelopment.The report’s authors drew parallels with waterfront developments such as Marina Bay in Singapore and Dubai Marina in Dubai, arguing that investment in infrastructure and mixed-use planning could reshape underutilized urban land over time.Speaking at the launch of the report, Sumesh Mishra, Founder, Lighthouse Proptech, said the waterfront corridor is attracting increasing interest from developers, investors and home buyers due to its location and redevelopment potential.Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar had earlier described the Bandra-BKC catchment area as an area capable of developing into a modern urban district, integrating infrastructure, culture and economic activity.MHADA vice-chairman and CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal said the redevelopment under the cluster development framework was aimed at improving roads, open spaces and connectivity while supporting planned urban growth. “Planned under the cluster development framework, Bandra Bay is more than a real estate initiative. It is a blueprint for urban renewal integrating wide roads, open spaces and future-ready connectivity,” he said.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam with Shaheen Shah Afridi (PTI photo)

Pakistan has handed over Sahebzada Farhan With captaincy for men’s cricket competition in 2026 asian gamesWhich will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan during September and October. The selectors have selected a young and largely experimental 15-man squad, which includes several uncapped players.Farhan, who has represented Pakistan in 46 T20 Internationals, will lead the national team in white-ball cricket for the first time. Abdul Samad Has been appointed vice-captain for the tournament. The team has four players who have not yet made their T20I debut for Pakistan: Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood. Meanwhile, Usman Khan has been chosen as the main wicketkeeper of the team.Pakistan squad for Asian Games 2026: Sahibzada Farhan (Captain), Abdul Samad (Vice-Captain), Abrar AhmedAhmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Mokim and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper).While Farhan has been a regular presence in Pakistan’s T20 setup, he has not captained the national team in the limited overs format before. Samad, on the other hand, has featured in five T20 Internationals but has not played in the format for Pakistan since March last year. His most recent international appearance came in the ODI series against Australia.This team bears little resemblance to the one fielded by Pakistan in the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Several established stars have been left out, including regular white-ball captain Salman Ali Aga Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi And Shadab Khan.A large portion of the selected players are currently involved in Pakistan’s preparations at the National Cricket Academy. Fourteen members of the Asian Games squad are also part of the NCA white-ball camp, which is scheduled to begin on June 15 in Lahore.The men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games will begin on September 24 and the medal matches will be played on October 3.

New Delhi: Reliance Industries Ltd on Wednesday signed a contract with Meta Platforms, Inc. for a data center project in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Announced a partnership with RIL, positioning RIL as a single-window solution provider for hyperscale AI infrastructure in India. RIL will develop a 168 MW capacity data center within two years, with the option of scaling up. This will be the first build-to-suit data center capacity in India for Meta to lease capacity from the facility, marking an important milestone in Meta’s global infrastructure expansion and deepening its strategic partnership with Reliance that spans connectivity, commerce and AI innovation.Mukesh D Ambani, CMD, RIL, said: “This partnership with META is a transformative moment for India’s digital infrastructure. The construction of India’s first build-to-suit data center for a global technology leader of Meta’s scale reflects India’s readiness to be at the forefront of the global AI revolution. At Reliance, we are committed to building world-class digital infrastructure that will power the next generation of AI innovation – not just for India, but for the world. Jamnagar will become a landmark destination for hyperscale AI computing, and we are proud to partner with Meta to make this vision a reality.Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Meta, said: “We are proud to work with Reliance to build our first AI-enabled data center in India. This world-class facility in Jamnagar will help us scale our AI infrastructure globally while deepening our long-term investment in India’s economy.”The data center will serve Meta’s global infrastructure, supporting its core business and AI computing needs, underscoring India’s growing role in the digital and AI ecosystem around the world. Under the agreement, RIL will provide comprehensive end-to-end services across the entire lifecycle of the data center – from design and construction to ongoing management of utilities, renewable energy supply, network connectivity and fully managed operational services.RIL said in a statement that the data center will be powered by renewable energy and cooled by desalinated seawater. This partnership is in line with the priorities of the Government of India that designates data centers as strategic national infrastructure and introduces a long-term policy framework to attract global AI infrastructure investments in India.

Villagers examine the damage caused by overnight cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghan forces in a village in Bajaur, a district in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, on Friday, February 27, 2026. (AP Photo)

Afghanistan on Wednesday accused Pakistan of launching new airstrikes on its territory and said the attacks killed at least 13 people, most of them children, and wounded 14 others.Read this also ‘Converting genocide into military action’: India rebukes Pakistan at UN over Afghan attacks Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban-led regime, said the attacks hit Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces. “Crime. Last night, the Pakistani military once again violated Afghan airspace and bombed civilian homes in Kunar, Khost and Paktika provinces,” Mujahid posted on Twitter. He said: “These attacks resulted in the death of 11 children, a woman and an elderly man, while 14 others, including women and children, were injured. “We strongly condemn this humanitarian crime and this aggression.” Pakistan did not immediately acknowledge the attacks. The charges come amid broader regional tensions, including renewed US-Iran hostilities in the Middle East and unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where protests have turned violent. The two countries have been engaged in months of cross-border conflict since late February, when Afghanistan launched retaliatory strikes following Pakistani airstrikes that have left hundreds dead. Temporary ceasefires have stopped fighting from time to time, but have not been sustained. Islamabad has accused Kabul of harboring terrorists, especially Tehreek-e.Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it says carries out attacks inside Pakistan. The group is separate from but affiliated with the Afghan Taliban, which has ruled Afghanistan since taking power in 2021 following a US-led withdrawal. Kabul has denied the allegation.(with AP input)

After Atletico Madrid publicly mocked city rivals Real Madrid after rejecting a club-record €150 million bid for Julian Alvarez, the striker has been identified as Florentino Perez’s marquee transfer target after being re-elected as club president.

Real Madrid confirmed the approach in an official statement on Tuesday, revealing that the Spanish giants had submitted a formal offer for the Argentina international. The bid, which would have been the most expensive transfer in the club’s history, was immediately rejected by Atlético.

The offer comes just days after Perez secured another term as Real Madrid president. During his election campaign, the 79-year-old promised supporters a big signing and hinted that the club would submit a big offer for a player from the leading Champions League team.

Real Madrid said Atletico had rejected the bid and pointed to Alvarez’s release clause.

“Following the meeting of the board of directors held today, Real Madrid CF has offered Club Atlético de Madrid 150 million euros for the federal rights to the player Julián Álvarez. After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atlético de Madrid expresses its gratitude for the offer made within the framework of good relations between the two clubs and rejects it, citing the provision for the player’s release,” the club said in a statement.

atlético mock real

However, Atlético’s response soon went beyond formal rejection.

The club reposted Real Madrid’s statement with a series of laughing emojis on social media before issuing a strongly worded response to their city rivals.

“You may have confused education with gratitude, but there is no doubt: we do not thank you for anything. We neither study nor consider any proposal for Julian. How can we not come along, when you make us laugh more than Barcelona,” Atlético posted.

The exchange escalated when Atlético sent another message referencing Real Madrid’s recruitment of youth players from its academy.

“PS Taking advantage of the good relationship with your new President, let’s see if you stop ‘stealing’ players from our academy. Thank you very much, @realmadrid!”

The rejection is a significant blow to Perez, who had promised to bring a high-profile signature after winning Sunday’s presidential election. Speaking before the vote, Perez had hinted at an imminent move.

“On Tuesday, I’m going to make an offer for a great player to a major Champions League club. It will be the biggest transfer fee ever paid by Real Madrid in its history,” Pérez said on the Spanish television program Horizonte.

Alvarez has emerged as one of Atletico’s most important players Since joining Manchester City in 2024. The Argentine forward enjoyed a stellar first full season under Diego Simeone, scoring 20 goals in 49 appearances in all competitions and playing a key role in Atlético’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.

Reports in Spain suggest that Alvarez’s contract includes a release clause of €500 million, a figure Atlético remains committed to implementing despite growing interest from Europe’s biggest clubs. It was also reported that Barcelona had rejected a bid for the 26-year-old last week.

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