Category World News

Washington, DC – A White House committee organizing the 2026 World Cup in the United States calls the event a “global moment of unity.”

The executive director of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, Andrew Giuliani, told reporters on Wednesday, “We want to make sure that we’re as welcoming as possible.”

However, Donald Trump’s increasing anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies are raising questions about Washington’s commitment to hosting a friendly tournament.

Giuliani praised the US Department of State’s efforts to shorten the time it takes to get interviews for visitor visas, which will allow fans from all over the world to visit the US during the World Cup, which Mexico and Canada will host together.

Giuliani also confirmed that fans from 19 nations that are subject to a US travel ban won’t be granted special World Cup exemptions. Additionally, he did not rule out removing undocumented immigrants from neighborhoods where matches are held.

Amnesty International USA’s Americas advocacy director, Daniel Norona, criticizes the US administration’s strategy.

If you’re pushing down on anyone who disagrees with you, repressing them, and promoting discrimination, you can’t have unity, Norona said to Al Jazeera.

If they are acting in a way that is contrary to what unity means, then I don’t believe we can refer to this as a moment of unity.

travel interdiction

Haiti and Iran, both of which are subject to the travel ban, are participating in the tournament.

Giuliani repeatedly reiterated that fans and direct support personnel from banned countries will be given visas, but that they may not, as he repeatedly said. Every single person who is present, he said, “is a national security issue.”

However, some Iranian delegation members have already been denied visas by the US for Friday’s World Cup group stage draw.

Giuliani also defended the travel ban for Haitian fans, noting that Sebastien Migne, the national team’s coach, has never traveled to the Caribbean nation, which has experienced gang violence, humanitarian crises, and natural disasters.

Haitians outside Haiti are also subject to Trump’s ban. As the Trump administration continues to rescind immigration protections for Haitians living in the US, Norona also made a point about how the crackdown might affect them.

Norona argued that Trump’s policies are “the antithesis” of the World Cup, which celebrates openness and welcoming people from all over the world.

For the fans, players, and everyone involved in the World Cup, “we are concerned that this will create a non-welcoming and overall hostile environment,” Norona told Al Jazeera.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids aimed at World Cup venues were not approved by Giuliani.

About 14 million people who have never been granted permanent residency in the US have established new lives and families, many of whom are Latinos who love football.

Giuliani, the son of Trump’s former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, said, “I’ve known the president for 25 years.” The president doesn’t rule out anything that would improve the safety of Americans.

Norona claimed that no one is safe during immigration raids.

They only serve to spooky effect the rest of the football fans and the rest of the community who want to watch their games, he claimed.

Trump has a “unique style”

Trump’s crackdown has affected more than just undocumented immigrants.

Over the objections to Israel, the administration has pushed to deport people who are legal residents of the country, including visitors, foreign students, and permanent residents.

Sami Hamdi, a British journalist who fought for Palestinian human rights, was detained by ICE agents in October and held for two weeks before being taken out of the country for his advocacy for Palestinian human rights.

The undocumented population in the US is among the chilling effects, according to the author. Anyone who might disagree or be offended by the current administration has a chilling effect, said Norona.

Giuliani, for his part, argued that Trump does not want foreigners to enter the country because it is a “fictional narrative.”

He stated that “he wants to make sure that people can enter the United States legally.” He added to reporters that we can also ensure that the games and other experiences are secure.

Trump, however, had launched an anti-immigrant tirade on Tuesday, calling US Somali residents “garbage.”

Giuliani was questioned by Al Jazeera about Trump’s rhetoric and how it might conflict with the unity message US officials are putting forth during the World Cup.

The president “has a distinctive style.” In my opinion, Giuliani is a very effective leader, and I believe that is the justification for why he is the ideal host for this incredible World Cup, which will be the largest in human history,” Giuliani said.

He continued to make the case that Trump’s bigoted approach was honest.

He is unique in that regard in terms of the president’s rhetoric. Like me, he is a New Yorker. Giuliani remarked that there are times when we use words that are a little off-kilter than words for polished politicians.

“But I believe that’s also the reason why he’s been able to really touch the hearts of so many Americans because he is completely honest with them.”

However, Norona claimed that Trump’s statements send a “racist” and “discriminatory message.

He continued, “I don’t believe it’s style; it’s a deliberate choice of words.” It should be reprobable for everyone, the author writes.

FIFA Pace Prize

Trump has shown a lot of interest in football in general and the World Cup. He regularly hosts Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, at the White House and he recently watched the Club World Cup final in New Jersey in July.

During his visit to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he welcomed Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo to a state dinner in Washington, DC, last month.

The US president will also be present for the first FIFA Peace Prize presentation at Friday’s draw.

There have been calls for FIFA to require immigration protection at games. Additionally, the organization’s close ties to Trump have drawn criticism.

FIFA’s anti-racism messages were not promoted during the World Cup, which appeared to be in line with Trump’s opposition to diversity and inclusion initiatives.

By the time of publication, FIFA had not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

According to Minky Worden, the director of sport for Human Rights Watch, “FIFA’s so-called peace prize is being awarded in the wake of violent detentions of immigrants, national guard deployments in US cities, and the obsequious cancellation of FIFA’s own antiracism and anti-discrimination campaigns.”

An intergovernmental organization tasked with monitoring human rights has lodged a complaint against a Colombian man who was killed in a US military attack on a alleged drug smuggler in the Caribbean Sea.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) received the complaint a day prior, according to the AFP news agency on Wednesday.

When President Donald Trump bombed a boat on September 15th, it claimed that the US violated Alejandro Carranza’s right to life and the rule of law.

Carranza’s family claims that he was killed by the explosion while aboard that ship.

The complaint claimed that “we know that Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, was in charge of the bombing of boats like those of Alejandro Carranza Medina and the murder of all those on them.”

Hegseth, according to the report, gave the order to strike “despite the fact that he had no idea who the targets of these bombings and extrajudicial killings were.”

Carranza’s family has said he is a fisherman, but Carranza’s family denies that the US military struck his boat with drugs.

Trump himself “has ratified Secretary Hegseth’s conduct,” according to the complaint.

Carranza’s case has sparked a wave of opposition to the US bombing campaign in his native Colombia.

Since September 2, there have been 21 known military strikes the US has carried out on alleged drug smuggling vessels, totaling over 83 fatalities.

Even Gustavo Petro, the president of Colombia, has cited the case in official statements to denounce the bombings as extrajudicial killings.

On October 18, Petro wrote that “US government officials have murdered and violated our territorial waters.”

“The fisherman, Alejandro Carranza, did not have any ties to drug trafficking; he only went fishing every day.” The Colombian boat’s engine was inoperable, and it was adrift. The US government is still waiting for an explanation.

The Trump administration and Hegseth in particular are under increased scrutiny as a result of the family’s complaint.

According to rights groups, strikes are likely prohibited by both domestic and international law, which largely forbids attacks on civilians.

Self-defence laws do not apply because drug trafficking is not regarded as a form of combat under international law.

Following a so-called double-tap strike during the first known bombing on September 2, US media has reported on a heightened level of scrutiny in recent days. A second missile was dropped on the boat in response to reports that the US military’s initial attack appeared to leave two passengers alive.

According to legal experts, hitting on unarmed adversaries is likely to be a war crime. According to the Pentagon’s own manual, firing “upon the shipwreckd” is also prohibited by the laws of armed conflict.

Trump and Hegseth have since said the follow-up strike was ordered by Navy Vice Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, but they have since distanced themselves from the attack. According to the White House, the order was “given within his authority and the law.”

The administration has also stated that the strikes will continue. It has argued that the attacks are necessary to stop ‘narco-terrorists’ from importing drugs into the US.

The president of Colombia, Petro, has been a vocal critic of the strikes and has pledged to support Carranza’s family’s fight for justice.

Katerine Hernandez, Carranza’s widow, described her husband as a “good man” in an interview with the AFP in October.

She claimed that “he had no ties to drug trafficking, and his only daily pastime was fishing.”

Trump threatens possible land attacks on Venezuela as the US militaries its forces in the Caribbean increase.

Nicolas Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, claims that Trump is trying to change the Caracasi regime under the pretext of drug trafficking.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior American officials discussed the country’s desire to join NATO during talks in Moscow, according to the Kremlin.

Yury Ushakov, one of Putin’s top advisers, made the comment on Wednesday following a nearly five-hour meeting between Putin and Washington officials Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

Ushakov told reporters, “The American partners have confirmed that they are ready to take into account our considerations and key proposals.”

Moscow contends that Ukraine should never be allowed to join NATO, despite Kyiv’s claim that it must do so to safeguard itself from upcoming Russian aggression.

Another important area of disagreement is territory, with Ushakov claiming shortly after the Witkoff meeting that there hasn’t been “no compromise” on the areas Russia has captured and intends to keep.

Later, at a meeting in Belgium, the European Allies of Ukraine accused Putin of not wanting to end the world-wide civil war it had started against its neighbor in February 2022.

“Putin has not changed any course,” we see. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna reported that he is advancing more forcefully on the front line. It’s obvious that he doesn’t want any kind of peace, he said.

“Promising outcome”

Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the Kremlin’s claim that Russia is opposed to the US peace plan is “not accurate.”

He said, “We’re not going to add anything on purpose.” The more productive these negotiations will be, it is understood.

Andrii Sybiha, the country’s foreign minister, confirmed that Witkoff, the US special envoy, spoke to the head of the Ukrainian delegation after he met with Putin in Moscow, in response to the US-Russian negotiations on Tuesday.

According to the American delegation’s representatives, “the discussions in Moscow ended up being successful,” he said, adding that Kyiv representatives would soon be invited back to the US. On Sunday, the two parties held discussions in Florida.

Following a “thorough, productive meeting” with Russia’s leader, Witkoff and Kushner “briefed US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian officials,” according to the White House.

NATO’s Mark Rutte said Putin is “wrong” to think he could “outlast” the alliance during a speech in Brussels on Wednesday.

He added that two-thirds of member states have committed to providing Ukraine with weapons worth $4 billion as part of a new initiative. “We’re not going anywhere,” he said.

Following the meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Hungary, according to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, said it will not send any weapons or money to Ukraine.

The European NATO members have been swept up in a brutal war fanaticism. They become incapable of making rational decisions as a result, according to Szijjarto, adding that Trump’s peace efforts are being undermined by NATO’s main members.

What will Trump do next?

According to Jonah Hull, a reporter from Kyiv, the Putin-Witkoff meeting appeared to have failed in advancing Washington’s efforts to broker peace.

He noted that the search for a peace agreement that is acceptable to both parties has stalled as a result.

What Donald Trump’s next move is really important in Ukraine, according to the president. Will he come back with more threats to stifle Ukraine’s ability to accept a bad deal? Or does he abandon interest and leave, which is possibly worse?

In addition, the EU and the EU have agreed to stop producing Russian gas until the end of 2027. We show our support for Ukraine by reducing Putin’s arsenal, according to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

In addition to purchasing and producing weapons, Ukraine’s parliament approved a budget for 2026 that will allocate more than one-quarter of GDP to the army.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the situation in Ukraine as an indication of its resilience and the availability of stable financial resources for the needs of the coming year.

The main concerns are with ensuring our defense, social programs, and the ability to rebuild our lives in the wake of Russian attacks.

The western side of the Caribbean island, which includes the capital Havana, was temporarily affected by a second blackout that had temporarily affected Cuba’s ability to access power.

The blackout began at 5am local time (10:00 GMT), according to the nation’s Ministry of Energy and Mines on Wednesday. At around 1:26 p.m. (18:26 GMT), it declared that all systems had been restored.

Millions of people remained in the dark for hours as the government worked to restore power to a region that stretched from the province of Pinar del Rio’s western border to Mayabeque, which is located just east of Havana.

The public was reassured throughout the morning that the electricity would soon be restored.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines employees immediately began restoration efforts, which are already underway, according to Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, who posted a statement on social media.

“We are aware of their extraordinary efforts to make this happen as quickly as possible.”

However, power outages have been a frequent source of consternation and a sign of Cuba’s crumbling electrical system.

At least five major power grid failures shook island life in 2024, causing a rare wave of protests against the government in cities like Santiago de Cuba.

A major blackout in September, which was caused by a malfunctioning thermoelectric plant, has continued into 2025.

Grid has numerous pressures.

The National Electric System (SEN) in Cuba is aging. The power grid is viewed as outdated in large part, with a significant use of fossil fuels from sources like Venezuela.

The infrastructure is mostly constructed during the Cold War. Construction increased there in the 1980s, and by 1989, the grid had reached 95% of all households.

In addition to its current energy production system, Cuba has recently invested in renewable energy.

For instance, the Caribbean island signed a deal with China to start 92 solar farms by 2028 in April 2024. The first of those solar installations was inaugurated in February of this year.

However, hurricanes and other natural disasters continue to impede the island’s electricity supply.

For instance, Hurricane Imelda sprang through the Caribbean Sea in late September, causing at least two fatalities in Cuba.

Then, in October, Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever, struck Cuba once more.

By the time it made landfall in Cuba, the hurricane had slowed to a Category 3 storm, but it still blasted the island with more flash floods, causing thousands of homes to be lost and thousands of people to be displaced.

Additionally, Cuban officials have accused the United States of aiding the island’s deteriorating infrastructure.

Cuba has been subject to a broad-reaching embargo by the US since 1962, which critics claim has harmed the island’s economy.

According to reports of human rights violations under the Cuban government, the administration of US President Donald Trump has continued to impose the sanctions despite efforts to loosen them in recent years.

However, as part of an annual appeal, a majority vote at the UN General Assembly once more authorized the US to ratify a non-binding resolution in October.

According to the resolution, the economic sanctions are disproportionately punitive.

President blames US “blockade”

On Wednesday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel cited that justification as obstacles to the proper operation of the electrical grid, along with the recent storms.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines employees, who never rest despite the daily strains brought on by the blockade and the recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa, are already working to address the problem, Diaz-Canel wrote. We have faith in them once more.

Diaz-Canel has been subject to significant pressure from blackouts and public unrest since taking office in 2019.

In protest of the island’s worsening economic conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of Cubans took to the streets in 2021 to protest the island’s deteriorating circumstances. The island’s frequent blackouts were one of the complaints that they made.

A record-setting mass exodus from Cuba followed those protests. Although estimates vary for the island’s population, government statistics show that there were roughly 11, 113, and 215 residents overall in 2021.

As of 2024, that number has plummeted to 9, 748, 532. That suggests a significant population decline of more than 12%, most of it due to island migration.

The US Customs and Border Protection agency has documented a rise in Cuban arrivals, which corresponds to that increase.

The organization reported 200, 287 “encounters” with Cuban migrants trying to enter the United States for fiscal year 2023. For fiscal year 2024, that number rose to 217, 615.