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Palestinian Football Federation president Jibril Rajoub denied US and Canada visas for 2026 World Cup events
via SeneNews2 min read
Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Federation, stated on Friday that he was denied entry visas for the United States and Canada, preventing him from attending 2026 World Cup events. Rajoub, who attended the World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City, described the US decision as "ridiculous" after applying in Amman. He plans to attend a match in Mexico before returning to the Palestinian Territories. Rajoub also mentioned that he was denied a visa for Canada, a co-host of the 2026 World Cup, and claimed without providing proof that "the Israelis" had "exerted pressure" to prevent his entry, a situation he reported to FIFA. This follows an incident in April where Rajoub refused to participate in a group photo with an Israeli Federation official at a FIFA congress in Vancouver. The Palestinian Federation has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA's decision not to sanction Israel regarding clubs in occupied West Bank settlements participating in Israeli-supervised competitions. United Nations experts in 2024 identified at least eight football clubs operating in "Israeli settlements" and called on FIFA to uphold human rights responsibilities. The article also notes that US immigration policy has led to entry issues for others, including Somali referee Omar Artan, Iranian national team officials, and Senegalese and Ivorian supporters, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino calling Artan's case "unfortunate."
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
The Keur Massar Research Brigade arrested a Senegalese national for criminal association and international drug trafficking after seizing 92 kilograms of suspected cocaine. The operation began when intelligence indicated suspicious packages in a vehicle at a mechanical garage. Investigators conducted surveillance, leading to a search of the vehicle and the discovery of 92 one-kilogram packages of what is believed to be cocaine. Documents found in the vehicle led to the identification and arrest of the driver in the Medina district of Dakar. During questioning, the suspect admitted to transporting cocaine from Mali on more than four occasions for another Senegalese national, receiving 150,000 CFA francs per trip. He also stated that his alleged financier is currently detained at the Rebeuss House of Arrest and Correction for similar offenses. A sample of the seized substance was sent to the National Criminal Identification Center CNIC for analysis. A white Volkswagen vehicle was also seized. The investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend any accomplices involved in this drug trafficking network.
Must ReadSenegal and the United Nations have signed an agreement for the new UN House in Dakar MONUD located in Diamniadio, near Dakar. This signing, which took place on June 12, 2026, marks the culmination of a long-awaited project and signifies a new phase in cooperation between Senegal and the UN. The Ministry of African Integration announced the agreement, highlighting that the personal commitment of Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye helped overcome obstacles that had delayed the project for years. The UN House was inaugurated in November 2023 by former Senegalese President Macky Sall, but the relocation had not occurred due to various reasons. MONUD is designed to host all 34 UN entities based in Senegal, serving West and Central Africa, and will accommodate approximately 2,400 employees. The facility, built on a 13-hectare site, features seven floors, 1,800 offices, conference rooms, restaurants, and green spaces. The complex, which began construction in 2019, cost 175 billion CFA francs nearly 267 million euros and was developed by a private Senegalese company linked to the State of Senegal through a lease-purchase system. The new city of Diamniadio, launched in 2015 by President Macky Sall, aims to decongest Dakar and hosts several ministries, a conference center, a university, a 50,000-seat football stadium, an industrial zone, and a high-speed train station connecting the capital to its suburbs. The Senegalese government expressed satisfaction with this major step f
A decomposing body was discovered in the trunk of a car parked near the stadium where the Iranian football team is training for the World Cup in Tijuana, Mexico. Journalists from AFP observed the scene on Friday. The grim discovery was made in the supermarket parking lot directly opposite the Caliente stadium, which the Iranian team uses daily since their arrival on Sunday, and is a one-minute drive from their hotel. Police opened a gray Toyota SUV, revealing a strong odor. Specialists in white suits examined and then removed the body. According to the Tijuana prosecutor's office, a patrol discovered the body during a vehicle inspection. A preliminary report stated that a person wrapped in a black bag with signs of violence was found in the trunk. A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office indicated the suspicious car had been parked there since Wednesday. Tijuana is often considered one of Mexico's most dangerous cities, with over 1,200 homicides recorded in 2025. The Iranian team established its base in Tijuana, a border city with California, due to war and tensions with the United States, rather than Tucson, Arizona, as initially planned. The team has been under massive security since its arrival, with heavily armed National Guard soldiers escorting their bus between the hotel and the stadium. The team's convoy left the stadium just minutes after the body was evacuated on Friday. The communication manager for the Iranian team did not immediately respond to AFP's inquiry ab