Africa backing Infantino for unique fourth term as FIFA president
African football has given its backing to Gianni Infantino to run again in 2027 as head of the global governing body. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 The Confederation of African Football (CAF) says it is backing FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s bid for a fourth term as head of football’s global governing body. In a statement after a meeting before the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, CAF said it had “unanimously agreed” to support Infantino when the FIFA chief stands for re-election in 2027. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Infantino took over as head of FIFA in 2016 in the wake of the corruption scandal that led to the downfall of his predecessor Sepp Blatter. He was re-elected to the post in 2019 and 2023. Although FIFA statutes limit FIFA presidents to three terms in office, Infantino is allowed to run for re-election next year after the body ruled that his first, partial term from 2016 to 2019 after Blatter’s ouster did not count towards the total. CAF’s decision to support Infantino comes after South American football’s governing body, CONMEBOL, also pledged to support the Swiss-Italian official earlier in April. Adblock test (Why?)
Pro-government rally in Tehran demands end to US threats
NewsFeed Hundreds of Iranians have rallied in Tehran to demand an end to US threats and the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. The blockade is causing Iran’s already devalued currency to sink further. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
US charges Sinaloa state governor, 9 others over Mexican drug cartel links
United States prosecutors have brought charges against Mexico’s Sinaloa state Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine current and former officials, accusing them of links to the Sinaloa drug cartel in a move that could strain relations between the two countries. An indictment unsealed on Wednesday in New York alleges that Rocha Moya, 76, and nine others worked with cartel leaders to move large quantities of narcotics into the US in exchange for political support and bribes. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Prosecutors say that support extended to Rocha Moya’s 2021 election campaign, when members of the cartel’s “Chapitos” faction allegedly helped secure his victory. According to the indictment, cartel operatives kidnapped and threatened opposition candidates and stole ballot papers cast for his rivals to help secure his victory. Authorities said the scheme was aided by another defendant, Enrique Diaz Vega, who later became Rocha Moya’s secretary of administration and finance, who allegedly provided the cartel with a list of opponents’ names and addresses so they could be pressured into dropping out of the race. The US Justice Department said most of the suspects were aligned with the sons of the Sinaloa cartel cofounder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is serving a life sentence in the US. “The Sinaloa Cartel is not just trafficking deadly drugs, it is a designated terrorist organization that relies on corruption and bribery to drive violence and profit,” said Terrance Cole, administrator of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Advertisement “This indictment exposes a deliberate effort to undermine public institutions and put American lives at risk,” Cole said in a statement. “The defendants allegedly used positions of trust to protect cartel operations.” Rocha Moya has rejected the charges, calling them baseless and without evidence. In a statement, he said the accusations were part of a broader political attack, not just against him, but against the governing Morena movement and its leadership. The state governor also told residents of Sinaloa that he would confront the claims “with dignity” and demonstrate that they lack any foundation. Translation: I categorically and absolutely reject the accusations made against me by the Southern District of New York Federal Prosecutor’s Office, as they lack any truth or foundation whatsoever. And this will be demonstrated, with full force, at the appropriate time. The Mexican government said in a statement that the US documents requesting the arrests and potential extraditions lacked sufficient evidence. Rare move signals shift in US strategy Indictments against sitting senior Mexican politicians are rare, and the case could point to a shift in Washington’s approach to tackling drug cartels, with increased attention on alleged links between organised crime and political figures. “It certainly is a change in US strategy to go after a sitting government official,” said Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on non-state armed groups at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, DC. “It’s long been considered a very big step, almost a ‘nuclear option’,” she said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more indictments to follow,” Felbab-Brown told Al Jazeera. “Although Rocha is the eye of the storm, the storm is much wider than him,” she said, describing the case as part of a broad sweep against the alleged crime-politics nexus in Sinaloa. Among those indicted, at least three officials, including Rocha and a Mexican senator, were affiliated with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party, while others held roles outside formal party structures, she added. Translation: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received requests for provisional arrest for the purposes of extradition, which will be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office. No evidence is attached to the documents.” ‘A political headache for Sheinbaum’ The case adds pressure on Sheinbaum, given Rocha Moya’s ties to the governing Morena party and his close relationship with former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Advertisement Rocha Moya, a longtime Morena figure and former senator, won the Sinaloa governorship in 2021 and has remained politically aligned with Lopez Obrador. “It’s a real political headache for Sheinbaum,” Felbab-Brown said, adding that how she responds in the coming days, including whether to act against the governor, could have significant diplomatic and domestic consequences. “If she does not act against him, including potentially arresting or extraditing him to the US, the US will feel very alienated at a time of USMCA negotiations,” she said, referring to the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. “If she does act against him, it could undermine her ability to control the Morena party and perhaps even jeopardise her political position,” she added. The case comes as Mexico’s government has stepped up efforts to confront powerful drug cartels, with a series of high-profile operations targeting organised crime figures in recent months, including the killing by security forces of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, who led the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum addresses the media in her daily news conference [File: Quetzalli Nicte-Ha/Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)
Israel seizes Global Sumud Flotilla boats 1,000km away from Gaza
NewsFeed Israeli forces have intercepted around a dozen Gaza-bound aid boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near the Greek island of Crete, more than 1,000km from Israel. Organisers call it an illegal attack on civilians in international waters. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
US, Latin America countries criticise China’s retaliation over Panama Canal
China has detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships after a Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Canal, US officials say. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States have released a joint statement in support of Panama, while criticising Chinese economic retaliation, after a Hong Kong-based conglomerate lost a legal dispute over the management of ports on the Panama Canal. Panama’s Supreme Court in late January annulled contracts that had allowed a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison to administer the Balboa and Cristobal port terminals on the Panama Canal after deeming the decades-old agreements unconstitutional. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list In their joint statement on Tuesday, the six countries claimed that following the court ruling, China has retaliated against Panama with “targeted economic pressure” on Panamanian-flagged ships. China detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships in March, according to the US Federal Maritime Commission, a number “far exceeding historical norms”. “These actions – following the decision of Panama’s independent Supreme Court regarding the Balboa and Cristobal terminals – are a blatant attempt to politicise maritime trade and infringe on the sovereignty of the nations of our hemisphere,” the signatories said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said separately on X that Washington was “deeply concerned” by China’s economic pressure on Panama. “We stand in solidarity with Panama. Any attempts to undermine Panama’s sovereignty are a threat to us all,” he said. China has previously accused the US of “bullying” and trying to smear its reputation in Latin America, while it described the Panamanian Supreme Court ruling as “absurd” and “shameful”. US Federal Maritime Commission head Laura DiBella said last month that Beijing’s detention of Panamanian ships had repercussions for both Panama and the US. Advertisement “These intensified inspections were carried out under informal directives and appear intended to punish Panama after the transfer of Hutchison’s port assets,” DiBella said. “Given that Panama‑flagged ships carry a meaningful share of US containerised trade, these actions could result in significant commercial and strategic consequences to US shipping,” she said. ‘States know how vulnerable shipping is’ Panama’s decision to invalidate the contracts held by CK Hutchison’s subsidiary Panama Ports Company was made at a time of heightened media attention around the Panama Canal amid threats by US President Donald Trump to seize the strategic waterway. Trump had made the approximately 80km (49-mile) waterway a focus of his second administration, alleging in his inaugural address in January 2025 that China was “operating” the canal and pledging that the US would “take back” control. US officials allege that, in addition to targeting Panama and its interests, China has also retaliated against shipping giants Maersk and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), whose subsidiaries were granted 18-month contracts to administer the Balboa and Cristobal terminals after CK Hutchison was removed. Representatives of Maersk and MSC were both summoned by China’s Ministry of Transport for “high-level discussions”, the Federal Maritime Commission said in March, while Chinese shipping giant COSCO has suspended operations at the Balboa terminal. CK Hutchison, through its Panama Ports Company subsidiary, is separately pursuing international arbitration against the government of Panama and seeking more than $2bn in damages. David Smith, an associate professor at the University of Sydney’s US Studies Centre, said that the Panama Canal dispute and China’s retaliation were the latest example of how shipping has become a political target, from Latin America to the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea in the Middle East. “We have taken for granted that the world runs on container ships just freely sailing around the world,” he told Al Jazeera. “What we’re seeing now is that states know how vulnerable shipping is. They know they can cut shipping lanes off if necessary. It should not surprise us from now on if ships and shipping in general become pawns in international politics.” Adblock test (Why?)
Trump to feature on limited-edition US passports for 250th anniversary
The passports are part of broader plans to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. United States President Donald Trump will feature on a new, limited-edition US passport being issued to mark the country’s 250th anniversary in July, officials said, the latest area of public life to receive Trump’s personal branding. The commemorative passports are part of broader plans to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, with events planned across the country next July. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Images released by the White House and the Department of State on Tuesday show Trump’s portrait incorporated into the design, set against elements of the Declaration of Independence and the US flag. The rendering also includes the president’s signature in gold. Another page will feature an illustration of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. “As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed US passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” said Tommy Piggott, a spokesperson for the US State Department. The commemorative passports will be available to US citizens applying through the Washington Passport Agency, with distribution set to begin this summer and continue while supplies last. Current US passports feature images tied to the country’s history and identity. The inside front cover shows a painting of Francis Scott Key after the Battle of Fort McHenry, when he saw the US flag still standing after an attack. This moment inspired him to write a poem that later became the US national anthem, with lines from it printed alongside the image. Advertisement Other pages include moments from American history, such as the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and symbols like the Statue of Liberty. Trump links branding push to 250th anniversary plans The passport redesign is the latest example of efforts by Trump and his administration to place his name, image or signature on institutions and initiatives across Washington and the country. Some of those efforts have already been implemented. This year’s national park passes, for example, display Trump’s image alongside George Washington, a departure from the programme’s traditional focus on natural landscapes. The United States Mint has also released draft designs for a $1 coin featuring Trump’s profile as part of the 250th anniversary commemorations. Proposed imagery for the coin redesign includes his portrait alongside inscriptions such as “Liberty” and “In God We Trust”. The reverse depicts him raising a clenched fist in front of an American flag with the phrase “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT”, referencing a chant he used after a 2024 assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump has pushed Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer to rename New York’s Penn Station after him, linking the idea to the release of federal infrastructure funding, but the effort has failed to gain traction. Trump has also placed his face on government buildings around Washington, DC, in the form of long banners. Even the architecture of the US capital city is changing to reflect his tastes: Last October, he tore down the White House’s East Wing to build a massive ballroom, and he has plans to build a triumphal arch in the capital, similar to the one in Paris, France. In December, Trump’s name was added to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, just one day after his hand-picked board members controversially voted to rename the art venue, the first time a national institution has been named after a sitting US president. Within days, workers had added metal lettering to the building’s exterior, renamed as “The Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts”. Adblock test (Why?)
UN aid chief says situation in Somalia worsened by US war on Iran
NewsFeed UN relief coordinator Tom Fletcher has slammed the war on Iran during a visit to Somalia where he says people in Mogadishu are suffering more as a result of the US-Israeli conflict 3,000km away. He says resources being diverted away from aid have exacerbated food shortages and worsened health conditions. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
LIVE: PSG vs Bayern Munich – Champions League semifinal first leg
blinking-dotLive MatchLive Match, Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the semifinal first-leg from Parc des Princes in Paris. Published On 28 Apr 202628 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Gulf leaders meet in Saudi Arabia for first time since start of war on Iran
High-level GCC summit in Jeddah embodies ‘unified Gulf stance’ towards the war, Qatar’s emir says. Published On 28 Apr 202628 Apr 2026 Gulf leaders have gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss a regional crisis triggered by the United States-Israel war on Iran, their first in-person meeting since the outbreak of the conflict two months ago. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders were greeted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as they arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday, according to images released by Saudi state media. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “During the summit, a number of topics and issues related to regional and international developments were discussed, as well as the coordination of efforts in response to them,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Among those in attendance were Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the SPA said. The summit embodied “the unified Gulf stance” towards the war and the need to intensify coordination in pursuit of a diplomatic path forward to preserve the security and stability of the region, Sheikh Tamim said in a social media post after the meeting. The talks took place as the US considers an Iranian proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway that has essentially been closed during the war, disrupting the global economy. The six energy-rich GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – have stressed that the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass during peacetime, must reopen and any deal must result in a permanent, long-term arrangement. Advertisement The talks in Jeddah also coincided with the UAE announcing a decision to withdraw from OPEC and OPEC+ to focus on “national interests”, dealing a heavy blow to the oil-exporting groups. Earlier on Tuesday, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned against the possibility of a “frozen conflict” in the Gulf. “We do not want to see a return to hostilities in the region anytime soon. We do not want to see a frozen conflict that ends up being thawed every time there is a political reason,” spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said. During the war, Iran has attacked key energy infrastructure in all GCC states, which maintained a defensive posture against the salvoes of missiles and drones launched towards them. US-linked firms, other civilian infrastructure and military installations were also targeted. Attacks have subsided since the US and Iran entered a ceasefire on April 8 although Gulf countries remain wary of resumed conflict as a permanent deal between the US and Iran to end the war has so far been elusive. Adblock test (Why?)
UAE leaves OPEC in blow to oil cartel amid war on Iran
NewsFeed The United Arab Emirates has announced it’s withdrawing from OPEC and OPEC+. Al Jazeera’s Michael Appel outlines the significance of the announcement and its likely impact on the energy market. Published On 28 Apr 202628 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)