World Cup visa chaos shows the settler colonial US is a hostile environment

• Post author:Alex/Rose Cocker
• Post published:8 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

Fans have found themselves facing rejections, restrictions, and outright bans for short-term visa applications to the US for this year’s men’s FIFA World Cup. Of course, this is hardly a surprise, given the Trump administration’s undisguised racism and Islamophobia. However, the news underscores existing criticisms of FIFA for awarding hosting responsibilities to the US in the first place. World Cup chaos entirely expected The states unveiled its bid to host the 2026 world cup back in 2017. Under the banner ‘United 2026’, it was a joint endeavor between the US, Canada, and Mexico. The latter two countries will host 13 matches…

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Farage has taken over £80,000 from the US anti-abortion lobby

• Post author:Alex/Rose Cocker
• Post published:8 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

On 7 June, the i Paper revealed that Nigel Farage has personally taken over £83,000 in earnings and expenses from US anti-abortion groups. The news comes less than a week after Reform’s candidate for the Makerfield by-election, Robert Kenyon, faced a grilling on Question Time for his previous comment that: abortion is the cowardly act of women murdering a defenceless baby and that women do it so they can shag anyone they want. Farage, Reform, and the anti-abortion lobby The far-right party has previously claimed that it has no plans to alter UK abortion law. This is a lie. Even before the…

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Israel and the US are weaponising starvation in Lebanon

• Post author:Mohamad Kleit
• Post published:8 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

In the current negotiations over Lebanon’s borders, the United States does not sit at the table as an impartial broker of peace, but as the orchestrator of a calculated financial siege. The Trump administration is utilising underhanded economic warfare, targeted banking blockades, and weaponising the global dollar system to deliberately starve the Lebanese state into a position of absolute geopolitical capitulation. Lebanon — Weaponised interdependence As formal diplomatic delegations gather under the polished chandeliers of international summit rooms to debate lines on a map, an ordinary Lebanese citizen stands in a dim Beirut neighbourhood, calculating whether their remaining cash can cover…

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England — one of the top candidates for the 2026 World Cup

• Post author:Alaa Shamali
• Post published:7 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

As the 2026 World Cup approaches in North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), England enters the list of serious contenders to win the title for the first time since 1966. This assessment relies on a strong combination of exceptional talent, tactical preparation under Thomas Tuchel’s leadership, a perfect qualifying record, and statistical expectations. Despite a long history of “disappointments” in the knockout stages, the English team appears more balanced and mature this time. The golden generation The English national team possesses one of the strongest squads in the world, combining experience with explosive youth: Attack: Harry Kane (Captain and historical top scorer)…

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Visa crisis threatens media coverage for the 2026 World Cup

• Post author:Alaa Shamali
• Post published:7 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

As FIFA continues to promote the 2026 World Cup as the most expansive and inclusive tournament in history, a new crisis has emerged that could overshadow the long-awaited event. The International Sports Press Association has warned of significant difficulties facing dozens of accredited journalists in securing visas to enter the United States. In an official letter to FIFA media officials, the association revealed it has received an increasing number of complaints from accredited journalists—including a large group of Iranian journalists and those from various African nations—who have yet to secure the necessary visas, despite fulfilling all of the tournament’s media accreditation…

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Could we be about to get wealth taxes in the UK?

• Post author:oscar
• Post published:7 June 2026
• Post last modified:13 July 2026

This is an AI-written (but human-edited) summary of Gary’s recent video: The UK is closer to wealth taxes than ever before The UK is currently closer to introducing wealth taxes than at any point in the last 40 years. In this episode Gary unpacks the current political situation in the UK, and a potential route to getting wealth taxes from it. The Political Context The Labour government in freefall. Keir Starmer, who won an electoral landslide just two years ago, is now among the most unpopular prime ministers in modern British history. Labour were routed in local elections. Living standards have…

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Orientalism — What Edward Said can teach us about the US-Israeli war against Iran

• Post author:Tchanguize Mahmoodzadeh
• Post published:6 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

The illegal US-Israeli war on Iran can, of course, be discussed in terms of imperialism, colonialism, and capitalism. But there is a more specific and often overlooked dimension to the conflict. It connects to the ideas of the prominent Palestinian thinker Edward Said and his theory of Orientalism Since the war began on February 28, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed victory and insisted that Washington has reached its goals. In reality, the war for Trump has become a quagmire, shaped by a series of miscalculations by him and his advisors. Large-scale military attacks, heavy sanctions, and political threats did…

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The Naksa of 1967: “Israel’s” war of dispossession and occupation

• Post author:Charlie Jaay
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

During the Naksa, meaning “setback” in Arabic, “Israel” changed the lives of all Palestinians — entrenching them in a system of military control and apartheid that remains today. This war, fought in 1967, brought Palestinians displacement, occupation and loss, expanded on a scale not seen since the Nakba of 1948, when the Jewish state was formed. During the Six Day War — or Naksa — 300,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced by ‘Israel’ It began on 5 June, when “Israel” launched surprise attacks against Egypt and quickly entered a conflict involving Jordan and Syria. By the time the fighting ended, six days…

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The biggest scorelines in World Cup history

• Post author:Alaa Shamali
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

Most football matches are decided by small margins, but others are not. In fact, matches in the World Cup often feature remarkable scorelines not seen elsewhere. In such games, defensive structure can collapse, and goals accumulate quickly. Sometimes this happens through clear mismatches. At other times, it results from unusually open play. With the 2026 edition approaching in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a record 48 teams are taking part. This raises the bar. Uneven scorelines are all the more likely to appear, particularly when debut nations come up against established football powers. Below are the highest-scoring matches in World…

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Western politicians and media heaps tributes on the author of Persepolis

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

Obituaries for Franco-Iranian artist and author of Persepolis Marjane Satrapi are pouring in from Western politicians and media following news of her death in Paris at age 56 on Thursday. Western establishments’ obituaries revealed a pattern of appreciating Satrapi for opposing Iran’s government, reflecting their ever-present instinct of Islamophobia. “Persepolis” was a bestselling graphic novel series by Satrapi. Most of them admire her as CNN puts it as: an outspoken critic of Iran’s ruling establishment and a prominent supporter of the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement. Satrapi was married to Mattias Ripa, who helped translate ‘Persepolis’ into English. He died last year.…

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The 2026 World Cup will test Pelé’s youngest-scorer record

• Post author:Alaa Shamali
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

For nearly seven decades, Pele has topped one of the most distinguished rosters in World Cup history. When the Brazilian legend scored against Wales at the 1958 World Cup, he was just 17 years and 239 days old — a record that has yet to be beaten. With the final squad lists confirmed for the 2026 tournament, attention has turned to this historic number, especially with several teenagers set to make their World Cup debuts. Pele reigns supreme 68 years on Brazilian Pele still sits at the top of the youngest scorers list, ahead of all stars who have passed through…

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North of Ireland’s First Minister on the emerging ‘Celtic alliance’

• Post author:Cameron Baillie
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

Michelle O’Neill doesn’t mince words: the first nationalist First Minister for the North of Ireland’s six counties sat down with Scottish paper the National. She had plenty to say about culture, reunification, Scottish independence, and the arrogance of Westminster. Politics trickles through culture Something huge is shifting in the North of Ireland. You can feel it in the music, with establishment-baiting Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap packing out venues across the world. You can see it on TV as Derry Girls made the six counties a cultural export. And you can measure it in the polling: 63% of people in the North…

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US government weighs in on Nowak murder with the same old fascist lies

• Post author:Alex/Rose Cocker
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

With grim predictability, the far-right US government has waded into the controversy surrounding the tragic death of Henry Nowak. A US State Department post on social media offered mealy-mouthed “condolences” to Henry’s family, though only after a tight string of fascist dogwhistles. In particular, the Trump administration repeated Farage’s ridiculous ‘two-tier’ anti-white policing claim. This is fitting, given the Reform UK leader shamelessly exploited Nowak’s murder to attack DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives. As the Canary previously pointed out, Farage clearly received this talking point directly from Trump’s fascist America. In the UK, ‘DEI’ is better known as ‘EDI’ (Equality, Diversity and…

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The Israel lobby’s toxic attempt to silence solidarity with Palestine in the NHS

• Post author:Ed Sykes
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

In a new review, notorious pro-Israel agitator John Mann has pushed for measures to silence NHS humanitarianism. The government and NHS have already pledged to implement them, including a crackdown on NHS staff members openly expressing solidarity with Palestinian people during Israel’s ongoing genocide. This is about Israel, not about ending racism Israel is a key junior partner to US billionaire–imperialism. The UK is a junior partner too, so giving Israel political and material support is just part of the deal. And for British political elites trying to get away with this shameful behaviour, consistent and widespread public outrage over Israel’s…

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European Union has policy of double standards when dealing with the Palestinian cause

• Post author:Charlie Jaay
• Post published:5 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

In January 2024, the EU established sanctions against individuals and entities supporting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It has now broadened these sanctions to also target members of Hamas’ Political Bureau, known as the ‘Politburo’. EU extends Hamas sanctions to include 10 political members According to the EU, the Politburo is a decision-making body, so its members are “responsible for violent actions carried out by Hamas.” 10 members now find themselves sanctioned. Measures include travel bans and the: freezing of all funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held or controlled by, members of the Politburo. This decision comes as the Israeli…

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Stormont Justice Bill permits the state to keep your data for a lifetime

• Post author:Robert Freeman
• Post published:4 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

The Justice Bill currently passing through the Northern Ireland Assembly will allow the police to retain a person’s biometric data for a massive 75 years. This is despite the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) previously ruling that indefinite holding of such information is a violation of privacy. 75 years may not be indefinite, but it’s essentially a lifetime, meaning the difference is largely moot. More worryingly, the bill allows the state to keep information such as fingerprints and DNA for most of a century in cases of “terrorism-related” offences. This could include cases of inviting “support for a proscribed organisation”.…

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The biggest international stars missing from the 2026 World Cup

• Post author:Alaa Shamali
• Post published:4 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

Although the 2026 World Cup will go down in history as the biggest edition ever, featuring 48 teams and co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the tournament’s expanded format has not been enough to guarantee the presence of all the world’s football stars. Whilst fans prepare to follow an unprecedented edition in terms of the number of teams and matches, qualifiers, injuries and tactical choices have shaped another side of the World Cup: the absence of names that have played a significant part in the game’s landscape in recent years. Whilst the tournament has opened its doors to new…

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Manchester City leads the world… List of the most represented clubs at the 2026 World Cup

• Post author:Alaa Shamali
• Post published:4 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

With the final squads for the 2026 World Cup now confirmed, the competition is no longer limited to national teams alone, but has also extended to the clubs that have become the biggest suppliers of stars for the biggest tournament in World Cup history, which will feature 48 teams and 1,248 players for the first time. According to data released by FIFA following the approval of the final squads, the major European clubs have dominated the scene, whilst Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal has made an exceptional showing as the leading Arab and Asian representative. City in the lead… a new record English…

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Farage threatens that white riots in Southampton are ‘just the beginning’

• Post author:Alex/Rose Cocker
• Post published:4 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

Nigel Farage has recently defended his call for “pure cold rage” in reaction to responding officers’ treatment of murder victim Henry Nowak. Worse still, he’s doubled down on his race-baiting, claiming that there’s worse yet to come.  Meanwhile, the Times has been doing all it can to tow the Reform leader’s party line. The right-wing rag has managed to dig up a Hampshire Police diversity training day questionnaire, reporting on the pigs feeling “pressured” and “controlled”, as if that’s somehow connected to them ignoring Nowak as he bled to death. Back in the real world, the president of the National Black Police Association…

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Mandelson and the missing messages

• Post author:Jody McIntyre
• Post published:3 June 2026
• Post last modified:9 June 2026

On Monday, I suggested that the Labour front bench would be dreading the release of further Peter Mandelson files. But instead of leaving things to chance, some ministers have followed the “missing phone” route of Morgan McSweeney fame. On June 2nd, Keir Starmer’s office confirmed that the Prime Minister had used the “disappearing messages” function in his communications with the disgraced Epstein-associate, who he gleefully appointed as US ambassador despite the objections of UK Security Vetting. Furthermore, we now learn that Mandelson refused a government request to hand over communications from his own phone, with an explanatory note attached to three…

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