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- World Cup teams, players and officials face US visa denials and delays
- Stefanski continues testimony as Crown questions account of ex-wife’s death
- U.S. conducts additional strikes on Iranian targets following Trump’s vow to intensify action
- Girl, now wheelchair-bound and non-verbal, recovering after stabbing in Dublin
- Bulgaria halts army weapon supplies to Ukraine, cites need for diplomacy
- Canada establishes new panel for preventative cancer screenings
- Graham Platner wins Maine Democratic Senate primary to challenge Susan Collins
- Spain implements strict measures for England and Scotland World Cup fans
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World Cup teams, players and officials face US visa denials and delays
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Get you up to speed: Which World Cup teams, players and officials were denied US visas, entry?
Omar Artan, a Somali referee designated for the World Cup, was denied entry into the United States at Miami airport despite having a valid visa, and was subsequently returned to Istanbul. His situation occurred amid broader visa complications affecting athletes and officials from various nations participating in the tournament, with the US Department of Homeland Security citing “vetting concerns.”
The US Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that several key Iranian football squad members were denied visas due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, forcing the team to base itself in Tijuana. FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated that the organisation cannot override government decisions regarding visa approvals, emphasising that FIFA’s role is strictly as a sports entity.
The US government has faced significant criticism from immigration and human rights experts over visa complications affecting World Cup athletes and officials. Following UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk’s call for a “massive rethink” of policies, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that FIFA will not intervene in the US visa process, emphasising that they are a “sports organisation” with no power to override government decisions.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how visa complications for Iranian support staff will impact team performance during the tournament.
World Cup teams, players and officials face US visa denials and delays
Sport|World Cup 2026Which World Cup teams, players and officials were denied US visas, entry?
Top Somali referee Omar Artan is the latest victim of stringent US travel policies after the Iranian squad’s visas were delayed.
By Anushe EngineerPublished On 11 Jun 202611 Jun 2026
The United States government has faced sharp criticism from immigration and human rights experts due to the ongoing visa-related complications and entry denials for athletes and officials participating in the FIFA World Cup.
The censure of US President Donald Trump’s administration grew after top Somali football referee Omar Artan, who was set to officiate in World Cup games, was denied entry into the country this week.
“Human rights organisations and advocacy groups have repeatedly raised concerns regarding immigration enforcement practices and treatment of migrant communities in the US,” international sports lawyer Khayran Noor told WTX News last month.
Noor said that while these debates are “independent” of football, they inevitably become relevant when a country hosts one of the world’s largest international gatherings.
“The challenge is that major sporting events rely not only on logistics and security but also on atmosphere and perception.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for a “massive rethink” of US immigration policies, saying that he hoped issues around “racial profiling, around surveillance, around immigration enforcement are not going to affect this World Cup in the way that they have already done”.
Although Artan returned home on Wednesday to a hero’s welcome and sporting a positive attitude, the incident rehashed the conversation on geopolitics and racism being cloaked by US visa denials ahead of the 48-nation, 39-day tournament starting on Thursday.
Fans from several countries, including Morocco and Scotland, who spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and tickets for the most expensive World Cup in history, have also reported having their travel documents denied or revoked just days before they were due to travel.
Here’s a look at the athletes, officials and fans affected by US visa complications:
Omar Artan: Somalia
Artan, 34, was set to make history as the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup, but his dream debut ended at Miami airport where he was denied entry into the country and flown back to Istanbul, despite having a valid US visa and all required documents.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to WTX News on Monday that Artan was “determined to be inadmissible” to the country “due to vetting concerns”, despite having been listed as one of FIFA’s 52 World Cup referees.
Trump has targeted both Somalia and the Somali-American community with inflammatory rhetoric, at one time calling the community “garbage”, and has put Somalia on the US travel ban list.
Iranian World Cup squad and officials
Until last week, there was uncertainty over whether Iran’s football team would be granted visas by the US due to the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, which has brought geopolitical tensions into the sports sphere.
The US awarded visas to all the players on Friday, just 10 days before their first match, but several members of the support squad were denied visas, including “key managerial and administrative members,” according to the Iranian football federation.
Iran’s team, whose base camp was to originally be in Arizona, will be based in Tijuana, in neighbouring Mexico, throughout the tournament, despite playing their entire group stage on the US West Coast.
The team will be able to enter the US the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the DHS said on Tuesday.
Media reports over the weekend quoted the Iranian ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, as saying that Iran’s team would have to enter and leave the US on the same day as they were playing, raising questions about logistics and whether it would affect team performance.
Aymen Hussein: Iraq
Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was detained for nearly seven hours and his phone inspected at Chicago’s O’Hare airport before he was eventually allowed into the country.
“Why is America hosting the World Cup if it is so hostile to foreign nationals?” the 30-year-old said after the incident.
Meanwhile, national team photographer Talal Salah was held for more than 10 hours, underwent similar phone checks, and was ultimately denied entry into the US.
Woodensky Pierre: Haiti
Woodensky Pierre, the only member of Haiti’s national football team who lives in the Caribbean country, was granted a late visa by the US government to play in the World Cup.
Pierre had been training with local players in an upscale area of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, as he awaited the visa, which was a “great moment for him, a moment of happiness”, an official of the Haitian Football Federation had said.
The midfielder from Cite Soleil was unable to play in a friendly against New Zealand because his visa was not approved by US authorities until it was too late. He landed at Miami airport around half-time with Haitian football officials and hoped to catch the last part of the game.
Breel Embolo: Switzerland
Swiss forward Breel Embolo was unable to travel with his team due to a flagged visa, but eventually caught up with them after being cleared to enter the US.
The snag was linked to a previous conviction over an altercation in Basel in 2018. Embolo had been convicted of making threats five years later, which he chose not to appeal, but it left his fate to be decided at a meeting at the US Embassy in Bern, where he made his case and was cleared for travel.
Is FIFA obligated to ensure visas?
FIFA’s bidding rules in 2017 for nations wanting to host this World Cup stated that visa processing “must be applied in a non-discriminatory manner”, with the caveat it must not “adversely affect the national immigration and security standards”.
Sports lawyer Noor explained that states understandably retain sovereign responsibilities regarding border control and national security, but global sporting events often require exceptional frameworks.
“This is not about requiring states to abandon immigration laws or surrender sovereignty.
“Rather, it is about asking whether hosting the world’s largest sporting events also carries responsibilities around meaningful inclusion and access,” Noor said.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has fended off concerns and criticism, saying the global football body’s executives are not “kings of the world” and cannot override government decisions.
Infantino, facing questions from the media on the eve of the World Cup on Wednesday, said that FIFA is focused on being a “sports organisation” and will not intervene in helping the US determine approvals for entry into the country.
“We try always to find solutions – always,” Infantino said at a news conference in Mexico City. “But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces and I don’t know what. We are a sports organisation; we try to do our best with the means that we have.”
Stefanski continues testimony as Crown questions account of ex-wife’s death
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Get you up to speed: Stefanski testifies for 2nd day as Crown challenges account of ex-wife’s death
Tatjana Stefanski’s body was discovered down a steep embankment near the 25-kilometre mark on a forest service road by Mabel Lake on April 14, 2024. The immediate situation following the discovery has not been detailed.
Authorities are conducting an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tatjana Stefanski’s death, with no further updates on potential suspects. The incident is marked by its remote location, which has complicated recovery efforts since the body was discovered on April 14, 2024.
Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tatjana Stefanski’s death, which was discovered on April 14, 2024. Local law enforcement has indicated that updates will be provided as developments occur, while community members have expressed concern and demand for transparency in the ongoing inquiry.
What remains unclear — The circumstances leading to Tatjana Stefanski’s death have not been disclosed.
Stefanski continues testimony as Crown questions account of ex-wife’s death
Tatjana Stefanski’s body was found down a steep embankment near the 25-km mark on a forest service road near Mabel Lake on April 14, 2024.
U.S. conducts additional strikes on Iranian targets following Trump’s vow to intensify action
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Get you up to speed: U.S. launches more strikes on Iranian targets after Trump promises to hit Iran “hard”
The U.S. military conducted airstrikes on multiple targets in Iran early Thursday morning, as confirmed by U.S. Central Command. Explosions were reported in several cities, including Bandar Abbas, following these strikes described as self-defensive in response to Iranian aggression.
The U.S. military targeted key Iranian facilities, including ammunition depots and command nodes, during airstrikes conducted early Thursday morning. Indirect negotiations between Iranian and American officials regarding a ceasefire extension and the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports have been ongoing for weeks but remain unresolved.
The U.S. military launched additional strikes on Iranian targets, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stating the aim is to compel Iran to negotiate, asserting, “If we need to negotiate with bombs, we’ll negotiate with bombs.” In response, Iran’s foreign ministry accused the U.S. of undermining diplomatic efforts, amidst ongoing indirect negotiations for a ceasefire extension and a broader agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme.
What remains unclear — The details of the impact from the latest strikes on the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are not specified.
U.S. conducts additional strikes on Iranian targets following Trump’s vow to intensify action
The U.S. military launched an additional round of strikes on targets within Iran early Thursday morning local time, U.S. Central Command said, hours after President Trump vowed to hit Iran “hard” in a bid to force the country to agree to a deal on the administration’s terms.
CENTCOM said on X that it hit “multiple targets in Iran … in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.” It described the strikes as self-defensive. The operation targeted key Iranian facilities such as ammunition depots, command-and-control nodes and warehouses, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the airstrikes.
Iranian media outlets reported that explosions were heard or air defenses were activated in multiple cities, including Bandar Abbas, a port city in southern Iran that abuts the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest strikes could put new stress on an already brittle two-month-old ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, which has prevented most large-scale attacks but hasn’t stopped the two countries from exchanging fire.
In an earlier salvo on Wednesday, the U.S. struck nearly 20 targets inside Iran in retaliation for Iran’s downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz this week. Iran then launched drones at several U.S. allies in the region. It was the latest flareup between the two countries, though the Trump administration has insisted the ceasefire is still in place.
For weeks, Iranian and American negotiators have held indirect negotiations on extending their ceasefire, ending a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching talks on the thorny longer-term question of Iran’s nuclear program. But a deal has proven elusive. Iran’s foreign ministry accused the U.S. earlier Wednesday of sending contradictory messages and “damaging the diplomatic process” with the strikes.
Mr. Trump told reporters on Wednesday “we’re going to hit them hard again today,” accusing Iran of “playing us for suckers” and refusing to strike an agreement with the U.S. He said on social media Iran has “taken too long to negotiate a deal,” and “now they will have to pay the price.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the goal of the latest round of strikes is to force Iran to the negotiating table.
“If we need to negotiate with bombs, we’ll negotiate with bombs. And we’re very good at it,” he said.
Girl, now wheelchair-bound and non-verbal, recovering after stabbing in Dublin
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Get you up to speed: Girl stabbed in Parnell Square now uses wheelchair and can’t speak | News World
On November 23, 2023, Riad Bouchaker, 52, was charged with attempted murder and other offences following a stabbing incident on Parnell Square in Dublin, which resulted in injuries to three young children and a creche worker. The victims were attacked as they left the Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire school, and immediate confirmation indicated serious injuries, including significant blood loss to one child.
Riad Bouchaker’s trial is ongoing, with charges including attempted murder of three children and serious assault of a care worker stemming from the incident on November 23, 2023. The children involved, including a five-year-old girl who is currently non-verbal and in a wheelchair, had recently left Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire school at the time of the attack.
Following the stabbing incident on November 23, 2023, violent protests erupted in Dublin, prompting a response from An Garda Síochána to restore order. The trial of Riad Bouchaker, who faces multiple charges including attempted murder, is ongoing, as he maintains his innocence by claiming he was ‘not in his right mind’ at the time of the attack.
What remains unclear — It is not known what specific evidence will be presented during the ongoing trial of Riad Bouchaker.
Girl, now wheelchair-bound and non-verbal, recovering after stabbing in Dublin
Candles and tributes were left outside a school on Parnel Square, where three children were injured in the stabbing on November 23, 2023 (Picture: PA)
The mother of a young girl who nearly died in a stabbing outside an Irish school has revealed how her daughter is doing after the attack.
The child, aged five at the time, was seriously injured along with another young girl, a boy and a creche worker during a stabbing on Dublin’s Parnell Square.
Riad Bouchaker, 52, originally from Algeria, is accused of attempted murder of three children and other charges over the incident on November 23, 2023.
He has denied the charges and claimed he was ‘not in his right mind’ at the time, the Irish Times reports.
The girl’s mum was left in limbo over whether her daughter would survive the attack as the youngster was rushed into surgery following significant blood loss.
The stabbing sparked violent protests in Dublin city centre in November 2023, with the Garda deployed to quell the unrest (Picture: PA)
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The mum’s first question to the medics was ‘is she dead?’ after a life-saving operation.
Her daughter, who has not been named for legal reasons, had suffered a wound to her heart and her brain was left without oxygen for around 40 minutes.
The girl stayed in the ICU for three weeks and was under heavy sedation so that doctors could understand the extent of damage to her brain.
She has been required to relearn everything over the course of her recovery, her family said previously.
The children had left the Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire school on Parnell Square, Dublin, when the attack unfolded (Picture: PA)
At the moment, she is non-verbal and in a wheelchair, and learning to swallow again.
She uses blinking to indicate yes or no, and she relies on medication to go to sleep.
The woman told a Central Criminal Court jury how she received a tearful call from the creche owner where her daughter attended before school on the day of the stabbing.
The owner told the mum, who worked nearby, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, […] has been stabbed, you have to come’ and that it happened in front of the school.
She told the court: ‘I stopped breathing for a second but I kept running and I got there.’
The mum could see her daughter’s pink backpack and pink shoes near the school entrance as the emergency workers surrounded her.
‘I stopped and let them work because I could not do anything for her at that moment,’ she said.
Her daughter had celebrated her fifth birthday at the time of the events.
Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, is charged with attempted murder of two girls and one boy, and assault causing serious harm to a care worker, assaulting three people and producing a 36cm kitchen knife.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges through an interpreter.
The trial continues.
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Bulgaria halts army weapon supplies to Ukraine, cites need for diplomacy
9:00 pm
Bulgaria halts army weapon supplies to Ukraine, cites need for diplomacy
Military Aid Shift
Bulgaria will no longer supply weapons from its army stocks to Ukraine, as confirmed by Prime Minister Rumen Radev on Wednesday.
Bulgaria will no longer supply weapons from its army stocks to Ukraine, as confirmed by Prime Minister Rumen Radev on Wednesday.
Strategic Shift
Bulgaria’s decision to halt direct arms supplies from military stocks underscores a significant pivot in its defence policy, with potential implications for NATO cohesion and regional security dynamics.
Bulgaria’s decision to halt direct arms supplies from military stocks underscores a significant pivot in its defence policy, with potential implications for NATO cohesion and regional security dynamics.
Bulgaria’s Position
“We have already given enough, while our country continues to suffer socio-economic damage from this bloody war,” said Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
“We have already given enough, while our country continues to suffer socio-economic damage from this bloody war,” said Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
‘We have already given enough’: Bulgaria’s PM says weapons supplies to Ukraine will end
Published on •Updated
Bulgaria will no longer provide weapons from its army stocks to Ukraine, the country’s prime minister said on Wednesday, calling for “the pursuit of a diplomatic solution” to end the war.
While the country’s defence industry is set to remain one of the main suppliers of ammunition destined for Kyiv, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the government was “putting an end to the provision of weapons from the Bulgarian army to Ukraine.”
“We have already given enough, while our country continues to suffer socio-economic damage from this bloody war,” he told the media before a cabinet meeting.
Radev, who is perceived as Russia friendly and has called for dialogue with Moscow, took office in May after his party won a majority in parliamentary elections.
He said on Wednesday that he was “convinced that a peaceful solution (to the Ukraine war) will not be achieved by military means.”
“That is why we once again call for a comprehensive and realistic approach to this war and for the pursuit of a diplomatic solution,” he added.
Radev’s comments echo those of the country’s Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov who said on Tuesday that the war would not be resolved on the battlefield.
“What we are witnessing is a war of attrition, and no matter how much weaponry is amassed, its only result is the loss of human lives,” he said.
“Ukraine needs more people, not more weapons. It has enough weapons, so we do not envisage providing more weapons to the Ukrainian army.”
Bulgaria, which is member of NATO and the European Union, has been providing military aid Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
The shipments of mostly Soviet-era weaponry played an important role at the early stages of the war. Due to political controversies at home the shipments had been made mainly through third countries.
Stoyanov said it was time to sit down at the negotiating table “to seek a just peace that is defined by both sides.”
“Of course, the role of the EU is extremely important,” he said, adding that “it would be difficult to assign this role to that of a mediator for the simple reason that the EU has also assisted Ukraine in its efforts in this war anyway.”
Stoyanov also announced Bulgaria plans to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.
Bulgaria has supplied Ukraine with arms from Bulgarian army stocks, including air-defence and surface-to-air missiles, for which it was compensated through the EU’s European Peace Facility fund.
While several Bulgarian governments have emphasised their reluctance to deliver weapons directly to Ukraine, the country’s defence industry is one of the main suppliers of ammunition destined for Kyiv.
The centre-right GERB party headed by Boyko Borissov, a former prime minister, has criticised the plans to stop providing military aid to Ukraine, saying this was eroding “trust in Bulgaria as an ally.”
Additional sources • AP, AFP
Canada establishes new panel for preventative cancer screenings
6:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Canada is launching a new panel on preventative cancer screenings
A new committee has been established to replace a task force suspended in March 2025 due to controversy over its recommendations on breast cancer screening. The task force faced criticism for not recommending screening for women under the age of 50.
The newly formed committee will assess breast cancer screening protocols after the previous task force was suspended due to public outcry over its recommendations. No timeline has been established for when the committee will release its findings.
The new committee aims to address concerns following the controversial suspension of a task force in March 2025, which had opted against recommending breast cancer screening for women under 50. Anticipated next steps include a comprehensive review of screening guidelines, with an emphasis on better addressing public health needs.
What remains unclear — The reasons behind the suspension of the previous task force have not been disclosed.
Canada establishes new panel for preventative cancer screenings
The committee replaces a task force that was suspended in March 2025 following controversy over its decision not to recommend breast cancer screening for women under age 50.
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