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Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his nation’s first World Cup game in Toronto against Panama, after being denied entry to Canada.

Partey, 32, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022.

He is due to stand trial next year.

In a statement, FIFA confirmed the former Arsenal player, who is now with Spanish side Villarreal, will be unable to travel from Ghana’s training base in Boston after having his “visa application was refused by the Canadian government”.

World football’s governing body, added: “FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas.

“The host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”

On the Canadian government website rules around visiting the country state: “If you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed into Canada.”

Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges but is awaiting trial and has not been convicted.

Prior to the tournament, Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz, said he had no qualms over selecting Partey, who was at Atletico Madrid before moving to London in 2020 to join the Gunners.

“If the player is here with me, my answer is clear,” said Queiroz.

“I don’t have any comments about my own decisions. He is here so what are we talking about?

“This is not for me or you to make a judgement about.

“Let the events run their normal course; let the river flow and one day when the river meets the ocean we are going to find the truth.”

Canada Denies Partey Visa For Ghana’s World Cup Opener is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Former Fulham boss Marco Silva has been officially confirmed as the new head coach of Portuguese giants Benfica, replacing Jose Mourinho.

Silva spent five years at the craven cottage, during which he successfully led the team back to the Premier League and secured an impressive 11th-place finish last season. His achievements earned him recognition and this new role at one of Portugal’s top clubs.

The appointment follows Benfica’s third-place finish in Liga Portugal under the management of Jose Mourinho, who has since moved on to take charge of Real Madrid.

Silva’s leadership will be pivotal as Benfica aims to improve their standings in the coming seasons.

48-year-old Silva, previously managed Benfica’s local rivals Sporting in 2014-15, leading them to the ‌Portuguese ⁠Cup before joining Olympiacos the following season where he helped them to win the Greek Super League.

After short spells at Hull City, Watford ⁠and Everton, Silva joined Fulham in 2021, and helped them to win the second-tier Championship ⁠on his debut season. Fulham reached the FA Cup quarter-finals twice under Silva, and ⁠established themselves as a stable Premier League side.

Silva Officially Joins Benfica As Head Coach is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Elon Musk has become the world’s first trillionaire after SpaceX began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange on Friday, June 12, 2026.

Musk’s net worth crossed the $1tn threshold shortly after the aerospace company completed its initial public offering (IPO) and shares began trading publicly.

The increase in his fortune was driven by the early performance of SpaceX stock on its first day of trading.

SpaceX opened at $150 per share, above its IPO price of $135. The opening price placed the company’s valuation at nearly $2tn.

Musk holds a significant equity stake in the company, contributing to the increase in his estimated personal wealth.

According to estimates from Forbes and Bloomberg, Musk’s net worth is approximately $1.1tn following the IPO.

The calculation reflects his combined holdings in several companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company.

Musk, who was born in South Africa, has been the world’s richest individual for several years. His wealth has been closely tied to the performance of his technology and engineering companies, particularly Tesla and SpaceX.

SpaceX, founded in 2002, develops and manufactures spacecraft and rocket systems. The company operates reusable rocket programs and provides satellite-based internet services through its Starlink network. It also conducts commercial and government space missions, including contracts with NASA.

The IPO marks the first time SpaceX shares have been made available on a public exchange.

Trading activity on the first day saw the company’s valuation rise significantly above its initial offering price.

Financial analysts tracking the listing said the increase in SpaceX’s valuation contributed to Musk’s net worth crossing the trillion-dollar mark. Market data indicated strong early investor demand following the listing.

Under the terms of the offering, Musk is subject to a lock-up period that restricts him from selling a large portion of his shares for a set period following the IPO. The restriction is standard in public listings to prevent immediate large-scale share sales by major stakeholders.

SpaceX’s stock performance is expected to remain under close watch in the coming days as investors assess its valuation and trading stability following its market debut.

Elon Musk Becomes World’s First Trillionaire is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Meta owned social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook experienced global outage on Friday.

The disruption left millions of users across the globe unable to access their accounts.

The outage affected Facebook’s main website, messenger service and mobile application with users reporting about being automatically logged out of their accounts.

Attempts to log back in were met with messages indicating that “an unexpected error occurred”, while visitors to Facebook’s website received a notice that the company was working to resolve the issue.

Users however turned to X platform to complain and confirm if others were experiencing similar problems

A real-time service status platform that collects and analyzes user reports to monitor online service disruptions worldwide. By comparing incoming reports

A platform that tracks service disruption, Downdetector recorded a sharp spike in reports relating to Facebook and its products before the website itself experienced technical difficulties.

Downdetector reports on Friday afternoon that more than 100,000 people were having problems logging in to the Facebook App, while over 9,000 users were reporting problems with Instagram and 20,000 with Facebook Messenger.

DAILY POST reports that as of the time of filing this report, Meta is yet to release an official statement on the cause of the outage.

Instagram, Facebook suffer global outage

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a suspected gun courier, Muhammad Abubakar, in Kano State while allegedly transporting arms to Funtua in neighbouring Katsina State.

The 30-year-old suspect was apprehended in Gezawa Local Government Area following intelligence reports, according to the DSS.

Parading the suspect before journalists at the agency’s Kano State Command, security officials said Abubakar was intercepted with four Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) tubes, three AK-47 rifles and two empty magazines.

The DSS said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, who works as a transporter, was allegedly conveying the weapons from the Maigatari border area in Jigawa State to an undisclosed recipient in Funtua, an area affected by insecurity.

According to the agency, the suspect confessed that he collected the weapons from a man identified as Bello and was promised N450,000 upon successful delivery of the items.

Speaking to journalists, Abubakar claimed it was his first involvement in such an operation.

He said he is from Mokwa in Niger State and works as a transporter conveying passengers between Kano, Abuja and Mokwa.

According to him, Bello repeatedly persuaded him to transport the weapons before he eventually agreed.

The suspect stated that he met Bello for the first time when he travelled to collect the arms, adding that he was arrested while transporting them to Funtua.

He also admitted knowing that the weapons could be used for criminal activities but said he accepted the job because of the promised payment.

The DSS said the suspect would be prosecuted, while efforts are ongoing in collaboration with other security agencies to track down and arrest his alleged accomplice and other members of the network.

DSS Arrests Gun Courier, Intercepts RPG Tubes In Kano is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Head of Senate Secretariat of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Abdullahi Muhammad Saleh, has said Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democracy have strengthened citizens’ freedoms and expanded access to opportunities, especially for young people.

He made the remarks on Friday during a Democracy Day walk organised by NANS in Kano State.

Speaking at the event, Saleh said democracy in Nigeria should be celebrated and reflected upon for its impact on citizens’ lives.

“We are here to celebrate democracy, the unstoppable democracy of 27 years. And we need to applaud ourselves,” he said.

He explained that democratic governance has given Nigerians greater freedoms and space for participation in civic life.

“Let’s appreciate ourselves. Let’s celebrate it among ourselves. Because democracy comes with several packages, freedom of speech, freedom of movement, and freedom of expression of every kind of interest, as far as that interest is legal,” he added.

Saleh also linked democratic progress to improved access to education and empowerment opportunities.

According to him, young Nigerians are now better positioned than before.

“I always say that democracy has come with a lot of things. Today, a child of a common man can go to school due to the NELFUND introduction. Not only the tuition fee, but upkeep is being given to students to keep them on campuses,” he said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s political journey since the return to civilian rule, he noted that each administration has contributed in different ways to national development.

“At our age, we are able to witness the transition right from President Obasanjo down to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Every transition comes with development,” he said.

He added that even technological changes over the years are part of the broader gains of democratic governance.

“During President Obasanjo’s tenure, the introduction of handsets was a top-notch achievement, which Today we are enjoying, and it’s part of the dividends of democracy,” he stated.

Nigerians empowered by democracy – NANS

A collection of World Cup memorabilia, featuring Pelé’s 1958 winners’ medal, is anticipated to fetch in excess of £2 million at an upcoming auction.

The prestigious medal, awarded to the legendary footballer during his teenage years, is expected to command up to £500,000 on its own. Brazil won 5-2 in the final against host Sweden at Rasunda Stadium near Stockholm.

This month, over 450 lots will go under the hammer, including the iconic jersey worn by goalkeeper Peter Shilton at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, and the shirt donned by Gordon Banks when he made his famous save against Pelé in 1970.

The auction also boasts items from England’s triumphant 1966 World Cup campaign, such as Banks’ own winners’ medal and Alan Ball’s shirt from the final match.

Organised by sports memorabilia specialists BUDDS, the sale is projected to exceed £2 million in total, following “strong interest” from collectors globally.

Perlé’s 1958 W’Cup Winners’ Medal To Fetch £500,000 At Auction is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Olympic 200m freestyle champion Mollie O’Callaghan and fellow Olympic gold medallist Meg Harris secured places in Australia’s women’s 100m freestyle team on Friday as the country’s swimming trials continued to produce standout performances ahead of the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships.

O’Callaghan, one of Australia’s biggest swimming stars, lived up to expectations by winning the event in 52.33 seconds, while 50m freestyle world champion Harris finished second in 52.63 seconds to book her place on the national team.

Shayna Jack came third and Alex Perkins fourth, with all four swimmers expected to form part of Australia’s formidable women’s 4x100m freestyle relay squad. The team has dominated the event for more than a decade and currently holds both Olympic and world titles.

The six-day Australian trials, which conclude on Saturday, serve as qualifying events for next month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California, in August.

In the men’s events, Queensland freestyle sensation Sam Short continued his remarkable week by completing a clean sweep of the freestyle distances. The 22-year-old stormed to victory in the 1,500m freestyle in 14:42.09, setting a blistering pace through the first 1,000 metres before fading slightly in the closing stages.

Short had already posted the fastest 800m freestyle time since the now-banned supersuit era of 2009. He also recorded a personal best in the 400m freestyle, ranking as the 10th fastest performance in history, and added victory in the 200m freestyle.

Tokyo Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook also impressed, producing a powerful finish to win the men’s 200m breaststroke in 2:08.92 ahead of Bailey Lello.

In the women’s 200m breaststroke, Ella Ramsay led from the front to qualify fastest with a time of 2:24.04, narrowly edging Tara Kinder.

Se-Bom Lee rounded off the day’s notable performances by winning the men’s 200m backstroke in 1:56.75.

O’Callaghan, Harris Secure Sprint Spots As Short Dominates Australian Trials is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Lawmakers from Osun State have called for the immediate redeployment of the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, over alleged partisanship and failure to provide adequate security ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo, Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, said the legislators had lost confidence in the police commissioner and urged the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, to replace him without delay.

The lawmakers, comprising seven members of the National Assembly and 25 members of the State House of Assembly, also called for the arrest and prosecution of individuals allegedly linked to attacks on members and supporters of the Accord across the state within the last three months.

According to the caucus, it had received intelligence suggesting that leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC were allegedly planning to instigate violence in the period leading up to the election.

The lawmakers alleged that the police in the state had failed to respond adequately to reported incidents of violence and vandalism, including attacks carried out in public and allegedly captured on video recordings.

“We find it difficult to understand how crimes committed in broad daylight, in branded vehicles, caught on tapes would not be tracked and perpetrators arrested 72 hours after those shootings,” Egbedun said.

He also alleged that the Police Commissioner had rarely attended meetings of the State Security Council since assuming office in May 2025, claiming that junior officers were frequently delegated to represent him.

The caucus accused the police leadership in the state of attempting to weaken the operations of the Osun Amotekun Corps at a time when concerns over kidnapping and other security threats were increasing across parts of the country.

The lawmakers also alleged that hundreds of campaign billboards belonging to the Accord had been vandalised without any arrests being made, while campaign activities of the party had allegedly faced restrictions in some areas of the state.

They also claimed to possess intelligence indicating plans for targeted attacks on Accord members, destruction of property and other acts capable of creating instability before the governorship poll.

According to the lawmakers, “such actions could be aimed at creating conditions that might lead to the declaration of a state of emergency in Osun State ahead of the election.

“This is not political speculation, or hearsay. We consider the information before us serious enough to warrant immediate public attention and preventive action by relevant security agencies.”

The caucus appealed to President Bola Tinubu to direct security agencies in the state to remain neutral and professional, while urging civil society groups, the media, election observers and the international community to closely monitor developments in Osun as preparations continue for the August 15 governorship election.

Osun lawmakers seek redeployment of CP over election tensions

Controversial Nigerian social media influencer, Mandy Kiss, has called out her former godmother, actress Funmi Awelewa, for allegedly ruining her life.

Mandy Kiss made the allegation while responding to a Tiktok report about her falling out with several celebrities including Funmi Awelewa, Papaya and Toyin Abraham.

In response, Mandy Kiss in an Instagram video, clarified that she only had issues with Papaya, stating that Awelewa and Toyin Abraham wronged her.

While tagging Awelewa as her greatest mistake, she claimed that her godmother “ruined my life”.

“It was only Papaya that I had issues with. Even though I didn’t mean to hurt her but she blocked me everywhere after I innocently reposted a post about her from a blog. I honestly don’t know that she’s the one that the blog is referring to.

“For my ex godmother, that one is my greatest mistake. She really ruined my life,” she said.

‘She’s my greatest mistake’ – Mandy Kiss accuses Funmi Awelewa of destroying her life