Cuba's Volleyball Team Barred From US Event in Latest Sport Spat
Cuba's volleyball team was denied visas for a tournament in Puerto Rico, the latest example of a US travel crackdown that the communist government blasted as discriminatory and said could hurt its ability to participate in the Olympics.
The denial is another example of 'racist and xenophobic visa restrictions developed by Secretary of State' Marco Rubio, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Friday in a post on X. 'They're trying to block the development of Cuban sports, which are already limited' by US economic sanctions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Rubio condemns Iran's threats against IAEA chief
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned calls in Iran for the arrest and execution of Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, following the U.S.'s attack on three of Iran's nuclear sites last week. 'Calls in Iran for the arrest and execution of IAEA Director General Grossi are unacceptable and should be condemned,' Rubio wrote on X Saturday. 'We support the lAEA's critical verification and monitoring efforts in Iran and commend the Director General and the lAEA for their dedication and professionalism. We call on Iran to provide for the safety and security of IAEA personnel.' The extent of threats against Grossi was not immediately clear. Last week, Ali Larijani, a top advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wrote on X, 'When the war ends, we will settle the score with Grossi' in Arabic. Iran also recently elected to ban the head of the nuclear watchdog and remove agency cameras from its nuclear facilities, claiming that the Israeli government had been able to obtain sensitive data. The IAEA is responsible for monitoring the nuclear program of Iran as well as other countries. Iran previously allowed the agency to access and inspect its nuclear plants as part of the 2015 Obama-era nuclear deal. However, access has become more difficult after President Trump withdrew in 2018, although the IAEA has negotiated with Tehran to continue monitoring. The day before Israel began launching missiles at Iranian nuclear and military sites, the nuclear agency said that Tehran had amassed a worrying quantity of enriched uranium and that the country was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years. The IAEA has also examined the impact of American airstrikes on the Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Grossi said Saturday that the facilities had sustained serious damage, although he was unsure whether the IAEA would have the access needed to establish whether nuclear activity was still proceeding.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
State Department Staff Are Miserable Working Under Marco Rubio
Morale has tanked at Marco Rubio's State Department as staffers are asked to work overtime ahead of looming layoffs. Rubio has called the agency 'bloated' and, in April, announced his intent to lay off 15 percent of its workforce of more than 2,000. This month, however, staff at the State Department have been asked to work long hours to keep Americans overseas safe amid the flaring tensions between Israel and Iran—leaving staffers at the agency feeling insulted that they have been asked to volunteer for extra work while at the same time having their jobs threatened, according to The Washington Post. One State Department official told the Post that the department 'either doesn't appreciate or just doesn't care' about its workers. 'Doing extra shifts while this ax is swinging above our heads is just devastating to morale,' the insider added. The tensions were exacerbated when staff were sent a message requesting that they round up joyous photos of July 4 celebrations at embassies and consulates around the world, the Post reported. Staff were asked to 'collect a high-quality set of visuals'—including 'candid shots of attendees enjoying the event' and 'smiling children, families, and diplomats.' 'To me, the irony of asking for happy photos of smiling children, happy families, and guests celebrating while threatening to fire thousands is peak Trumpism,' one State Department staffer said. While Rubio initially gave a July 1 deadline for the layoffs, the Supreme Court is currently evaluating the permissibility of sweeping job cuts across the federal government under the Trump administration. With no clear sense of when the ruling could come down, State Department officials have been left in limbo. Tom Yazdgerdi, president of the union that represents America's diplomats, told the Post that the job cuts 'show serious disregard for members of the Foreign Service managing multiple conflicts and assisting American citizens in the Middle East and other crisis zones.' 'Despite the stress of not knowing when they or their colleagues might face layoff notices,' he said, 'our members tell us they want nothing more than to remain on the front lines and continue to serve the American people.' Speaking anonymously, a political appointee who worked on the State Department's layoff plan told the Post that it was designed through a 'thoughtful' and 'deliberative process' that included 'dozens of conversations with Congress, employees and stakeholders.' The State Department did not immediately return the Daily Beast's request for comment.
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
Daren Sammy fined for criticizing TV umpire during first test
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — West Indies coach Daren Sammy has been fined 15% of his match fee after publicly criticizing TV umpire Adrian Holdstock during the first test against Australia in Barbados. The sanction followed Sammy's post-play press conference on day two, where he called for consistency in Decision Review System (DRS) rulings after a series of contentious calls at Kensington Oval.
