Latest news with #FIFAWorldCup
Sinar Daily
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
US refuses visa for members of Senegal's women's basketball team
The visa refusals come amid US President Donald Trump's administration's immigration crackdown and tightened border controls. 20 Jun 2025 09:20am Senegal's women's basketball team, Les Lionnes, faced a setback after the US denied visas to several members, leading to the cancellation of their crucial pre-Afrobasket 2025 training camp in the United States. - AFP photo for illustration purpose only DAKAR - The United States rejected visa applications for multiple members of Senegal's women's basketball team which was scheduled to train in the country, the country' prime minister said Thursday, as he cancelled the group's participation in the practice. The visa refusals come amid US President Donald Trump's administration's immigration crackdown and tightened border controls. Senegal's women's basketball team, Les Lionnes, faced a setback after the US denied visas to several members, leading to the cancellation of their crucial pre-Afrobasket 2025 training camp in the United States. - AFP photo for illustration purpose only The United States is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Senegal is among 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal administration memo. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko posted on Facebook that he had been "informed about the refusal to issue visas to several members of the Senegalese women's national basketball team". He said that he had instructed the country's minister of sports to cancel what was to have been a 10-day training camp in the United States. According to Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Federation, the United States only renewed visas for "those who held old visas and rejected new requests". Les Lionnes had been slated to train in the United States ahead of the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast, which begins in July. A spokesperson for the US State Department told AFP that it was not able to comment on individual cases, while the US Embassy in Senegal did not reply to a request for comment. In addition to pulling the plug on the training, Prime Minister Sonko thanked China for having "awarded dozens of training scholarships for our athletes and their coaches". - AFP More Like This
GMA Network
8 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
NBA: Walter's deep pockets could fuel Lakers return to glory
LOS ANGELES — Billionaire Mark Walter's purchase of a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, in a deal that values the team at $10 billion, adds another glittering asset to his sports portfolio and could usher in another championship era for the National Basketball League franchise. The Buss family, the longest-tenured owners in the NBA, is entering into an agreement to make the sale to Walter, ESPN reported on Wednesday, in what would be the largest-ever sale of a professional sports team. The Lakers have yet to confirm the deal. Walter, 65, is the CEO of holding company TWG Global and financial services firm Guggenheim Partners, and LA sports fans do not need to look far to see the impact his mighty checkbook can have on a franchise. Walter, along with a group that included Lakers legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson, purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 for $2.15 billion in what at the time was an MLB record. Under his ownership, the Dodgers have made 12 straight playoff appearances, won two championships, including last season's World Series and added generational talents Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani. 'Ecstatic' Johnson, a Hall of Famer who won five NBA titles with the Lakers, said fans should be "ecstatic" about Iowa native Walter becoming the team's next owner. "A few things I can tell you about Mark - he is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way," Johnson said in a post on X on Wednesday. The reported $10 billion valuation of the Lakers was eyebrow-raising, especially after their historic rivals the Boston Celtics sold for $6.1 billion in April. But it was not a surprise that Walter would be on the other side of the deal. He has been a stakeholder in the team since 2021. Walter's net worth is estimated at $12.5 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Unlike Major League Baseball, the NBA has a salary cap. Still, there are plenty of ways for a deep-pocketed owner to use his money to the team's advantage, from developing players to hiring the best staff. The Lakers have 17 NBA titles, with the latest one coming in 2020. That is second only to the Celtics who have 18, including in 2024. In addition to his ownership of the Dodgers, Walter is also co-owner of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, Premier League side Chelsea FC and, through TWG Motorsports, owns Cadillac Formula One team, which will debut next year. His other financial interests include international women's tennis competition the Billie Jean Cup and the Professional Women's Hockey League, which named its championship trophy the "Walter Cup" after him and his wife Kimbra. Walter's growing footprint in the Los Angeles sports scene comes at a time when the Southern California city is preparing to play a key role in hosting FIFA World Cup matches next summer. Dodger Stadium will host baseball and softball competitions during the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, while the Lakers' home of Arena in downtown LA will serve as the venue for gymnastics and boxing. — Reuters
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
US Denies Visas to Senegal Women's Basketball Team
THE United States rejected visa applications for multiple members of Senegal's women's basketball team which was scheduled to train in the country, the country' prime minister said Thursday, as he cancelled the group's participation in the practice. The visa refusals come amid US President Donald Trump's administration's immigration crackdown and tightened border controls. The United States is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Senegal is among 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal administration memo. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko posted on Facebook that he had been 'informed about the refusal to issue visas to several members of the Senegalese women's national basketball team'. He said that he had instructed the country's minister of sports to cancel what was to have been a 10-day training camp in the United States. According to Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Federation, the United States only renewed visas for 'those who held old visas and rejected new requests'. Les Lionnes had been slated to train in the United States ahead of the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast, which begins in July. A spokesperson for the US State Department told AFP that it was not able to comment on individual cases, while the US Embassy in Senegal did not reply to a request for comment. In addition to pulling the plug on the training, Prime Minister Sonko thanked China for having 'awarded dozens of training scholarships for our athletes and their coaches'.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
US refuses visa for members of Senegal's women's basketball team: PM
DAKAR: The United States rejected visa applications for multiple members of Senegal's women's basketball team which was scheduled to train in the country, the country' prime minister said Thursday, as he cancelled the group's participation in the practice. The visa refusals come amid US President Donald Trump's administration's immigration crackdown and tightened border controls. The United States is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Senegal is among 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal administration memo. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko posted on Facebook that he had been 'informed about the refusal to issue visas to several members of the Senegalese women's national basketball team'. He said that he had instructed the country's minister of sports to cancel what was to have been a 10-day training camp in the United States. According to Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Federation, the United States only renewed visas for 'those who held old visas and rejected new requests'. Les Lionnes had been slated to train in the United States ahead of the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast, which begins in July. A spokesperson for the US State Department told AFP that it was not able to comment on individual cases, while the US Embassy in Senegal did not reply to a request for comment. In addition to pulling the plug on the training, Prime Minister Sonko thanked China for having 'awarded dozens of training scholarships for our athletes and their coaches'.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Visa refused for members of Senegal women's basketball team
DAKAR: The United States rejected visa applications for multiple members of Senegal's women's basketball team which was scheduled to train in the country, the country' prime minister said Thursday, as he cancelled the group's participation in the practice. The visa refusals come amid US President Donald Trump's administration's immigration crackdown and tightened border controls. The United States is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Senegal is among 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal administration memo. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko posted on Facebook that he had been 'informed about the refusal to issue visas to several members of the Senegalese women's national basketball team'. He said that he had instructed the country's minister of sports to cancel what was to have been a 10-day training camp in the United States. According to Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Federation, the United States only renewed visas for 'those who held old visas and rejected new requests'. Les Lionnes had been slated to train in the United States ahead of the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast, which begins in July. A spokesperson for the US State Department told AFP that it was not able to comment on individual cases, while the US Embassy in Senegal did not reply to a request for comment. In addition to pulling the plug on the training, Prime Minister Sonko thanked China for having 'awarded dozens of training scholarships for our athletes and their coaches'.
