Several human rights groups have warned fans, players, journalists and visitors planning to attend this summer’s World Cup in the United States to be careful when travelling.

More than 120 organisations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, issued a travel advisory. They said the warning is because of what they described as a strict and harsh immigration crackdown by the administration of Donald Trump.

In their statement, the groups said the situation in the country could be risky, especially for minority groups, who they believe may face serious problems. They also criticised Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, over his close relationship with Trump.

The organisations called on FIFA to put pressure on US authorities to respect the rights of everyone travelling for the tournament.

US officials have not yet responded to the warning. However, FIFA said it is committed to respecting human rights and will continue to support their protection during the competition.

The rights groups also warned about possible issues such as denial of entry, arrests, travel restrictions, social media checks, racial profiling and increased surveillance. They noted that there are travel bans affecting citizens from some countries taking part in the tournament, including Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

They advised travellers to take safety steps such as removing sensitive information from their phones and keeping family and friends informed about their movements.

The United States will host most of the matches in the tournament, which it is organising together with Canada and Mexico.

The groups also accused FIFA of not giving clear safety guarantees for visitors, while pointing again to Infantino’s relationship with Trump. In December, Infantino presented Trump with FIFA’s first Peace Prize.

Immigration control has been a major focus of the Trump administration, with agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement expanding their operations. The agency has faced criticism over its actions, especially after reports of deadly incidents during protests.

US authorities have said immigration officers will be part of World Cup security. Meanwhile, fan group Football Supporters Europe raised concerns about increased police presence in the country.

Last month, Amnesty International warned that the World Cup could become a platform for repression.

In response, the White House World Cup Task Force said the tournament would be safe and welcoming. It added that fans should expect a smooth and secure event, promising a memorable competition for everyone.

Virat Kohli (Imag credit: BCCI/IPL)

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli continues to rewrite IPL history, adding yet another milestone during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s clash against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. The star batter became the first player in the league’s history to smash 800 fours, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest batters in the tournament.Kohli, who was dropped on zero in the opening over by Mohammed Siraj, was sitting on 799 boundaries. He reached the landmark in style, driving Kagiso Rabada to the long-on boundary. Since making his debut in 2008, Kohli has played 274 matches for RCB, scoring 8,915 runs at an average of 39.79, including 65 fifties and eight centuries, alongside his record 800 fours.Close behind is Shikhar Dhawan, who represented multiple franchises – Delhi Capitals, Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 222 matches, Dhawan scored 6,769 runs and struck 768 fours.Australia’s David Warner, who played for Delhi and Hyderabad, follows with 663 fours in 184 matches, scoring 6,565 runs at a superb average of 40.52.Rohit Sharma, featuring for Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians, has played 276 matches, scoring 7,183 runs with 653 fours. Veteran Ajinkya Rahane, who has represented multiple teams including CSK, DC, KKR, MI, RPS and RR, has 522 fours from 205 matches.Chennai Super Kings legend Suresh Raina scored 5,528 runs in 205 matches with 506 fours, while Gautam Gambhir registered 492 fours across 154 matches for Delhi and KKR.Robin Uthappa (481 fours in 205 matches), KL Rahul (472 fours in 151 matches), and Suryakumar Yadav (471 fours in 173 matches) complete the elite list.Most boundaries in IPL

Former Nigeria international forward Michael Eneramo collapsed and died on the pitch in Ungwan Yelwa, Kaduna on Friday morning, during a local friendly game in which he had played the entire first half.

Early reports indicated that Eneramo appeared to have suffered cardiac arrest five minutes into the second half of the said friendly match. He was born on 26th November, 1985 in Kaduna.

“This is devastating. I am short of words at this moment. I can only pray that God will grant him eternal rest and also grant his loved ones and the Nigeria football family the fortitude to bear the loss,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said on the telephone from Cairo, Egypt.

Highly-respected in Tunisia and Turkey where he had fantastic club careers, Eneramo won 10 caps for the Super Eagles after rejecting overtures from Tunisia to take that country’s nationality and opt for an international odyssey with the Carthage Eagles.

His debut for Nigeria was against Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in a friendly match in London on 11th February 2009, which ended goalless. In his second game, also a friendly, he scored his first goal for Nigeria against the Republic of Ireland in a 1-1 draw in London on 29th May 2009. He also played against France in Nigeria’s 1-0 win in Saint Etienne four days later.

Five days later, he featured in Nigeria’s 3-0 win over Kenya in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Abuja, and also played the home-and-away ties with Tunisia (0-0 in Tunis and 2-2 in Abuja) in the same race. It was in the home game against Tunisia in Abuja on 6th September 2009 that he scored his most memorable goal for the Super Eagles.

Nicknamed Al Dababa (The Tank) by fans of Tunisian and African giants Esperance Sportive de Tunis, Eneramo was much-loved in the North African country for his confident play, which earned Esperance a number of silverwares. He also featured for top clubs Besiktas, Sivasspor and Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey.

I’m fighting a losing battle with jet lag. When I was younger it never bothered me but now, I’m a zombie for days. I played tennis yesterday afternoon, badly, in a fog. I don’t get jet lag going to places (or at least not near as bad), I think the fun of being somewhere new gets me through, but coming home….

So instead of trying to come up with a post about the Jays, I’m going to put up this OpenThread and likely go back to bed.

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But then, after a little sleep, I’m going to the Calgary Comic Expo. I used to be a big comic book fan, I’d buy comic weekly, but the prices were going up and the nearest comic book store moved much further away and I decided that was a message that I should stop. The last several years I’ve gone to the Expo though and it has been enough to scratch that particular itch.

Anyway, use the thread to talk about anything you would like. Comics if you would like. Or anything else. Seen a good movie lately? Have some thoughts about sumo wrestlers and how they should wear move clothing.

Or maybe you want to talk about Bill Singer’s birthday. Singer started the first Blue Jays game, in the cold, and made 11 other starts (and one relief appearance) that year, his last in the majors. Singer is 82 today. He was 32 when he made that start on opening day. He had a good career, winning 20 games twice, making two all-star teams, and picking up 118 wins in total (127 losses), with a 3.39 ERA.

Carlos Alcaraz will miss out on the opportunity to defend his Roland Garros crown after confirming he will skip the French Open due to injury.

The seven-time grand slam champion picked up a wrist injury in the first round of the Barcelona Open earlier this ⁠month before withdrawing from ​the ⁠tournament.

Scans showed the issue was more serious than initially thought, leading him to ⁠then skip the Madrid Open, with further tests confirming that he will be unable to compete in Paris, nor will he feature at the Italian Open beforehand.

“After the ‌results of the tests carried out ‌today, we have ‌decided that the most prudent thing ⁠is to be cautious and not participate in Rome and Roland Garros, while we wait to ‌assess the evolution ​to decide ‌when we ⁠will return to ⁠the court,” Alcaraz ‌said on his Instagram.

“This is a difficult time for me, but I am sure we will come out of it stronger.”

The Spaniard was due to enter the tournament as the holder after coming from two sets down to beat rival Jannik Sinner 4-6 6-7 6-4 7-6 7-6 in a five-and-a-half-hour final epic.

Alcaraz, who was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year earlier this week, was vying for his third title at Roland Garros, having dispatched Alexander Zverev to win his first crown in 2024.

However, he has surrendered the world number one ‌ranking to Sinner after losing to the Italian ⁠in the Monte Carlo Masters final days before his ‌Barcelona opener, a win over Otto Virtanen.

Injury means he will likely fall further off the pace with Sinner, competing in Madrid, taking a firm grip at the top of the rankings.

The 22-year-old had previously told reporters that the injury “is more serious than any of us expected” and said he would “need to listen to my body” to avoid further damage.

The ​French Open will start ‌from 24 May in Paris.

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali could be set for a fresh move in the coming weeks, according to new reports.

Nwabali has been without a club since leaving Chippa United after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in January. Despite strong performances for Nigeria and earlier interest from clubs such as Al Ettifaq and Queens Park Rangers, no deal was completed, leaving him as a free agent.

The former Enyimba goalkeeper is still widely rated as one of Africa’s top shot-stoppers, and his availability without a transfer fee has made him an attractive option for several clubs.

Reports say Tanzanian giants Simba SC are interested in strengthening their squad, while South African side Kaizer Chiefs have also been long-time admirers of the Nigerian goalkeeper.

Both clubs are expected to step up their plans once the current season ends, with African leagues entering their final stages.

For interested teams, signing Nwabali on a free transfer is seen as a major opportunity, given his experience and quality at international level.

The 29-year-old will also be hoping to regain his place as Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper under Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, after recent matches saw him lose his starting role to Maduka Okoye.

Nwabali has built an impressive career, rising from local football in Nigeria to becoming the national team’s number one during major tournaments. A move to a top African club now looks likely as he searches for a new chapter in his career.

For the first time, the Anthony and Sam Freedman operation will tackle an Adelaide Group sprint with two representatives.

Point Barrow and Ameena are the father-son teams hopefuls in Saturdays Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) on Morphettville.

The race has proven fruitful for the Freedmans since achieving Group 1 in 2005, with Lee Freedman taking three in a row beginning with Alinghi, succeeded by Ellicorsam and Universal Queen, and Anthony triumphant with Shoals in 2018.

Sam Freedman hopes to inscribe himself among the winners, certain that his two sprinters present strong cases.

Early wagering has Point Barrow at $4.60 favourite and Ameena priced at $34.

Freedman highlighted Point Barrows flawless campaign to date, drawing parallels to Shoals explosive finish in her Sangster conquest.

“This has been a target race for the whole prep,” Freedman said.

“She’s coming in with the strongest form and due to circumstances in the Oakleigh Plate, we didn’t see her at her best, but she put up a great run last start.

“Maybe it wasn’t a great field, maybe she got the right run throughout, but they’ve still got to go out and do it.

“Shoals won this race a few years ago and had a better CV than Point Barrow but had a similar sort of racing style where she got back and swooped down the middle.

“I think for a three-year-old filly, I wouldn’t go swapping her with any that are in there.”

Point Barrow missed a planned Sandown jump-out last week as Freedman deemed it unnecessary.

Opting for Mornington last Saturday, she worked sharply on the course proper, impressing her joint trainer.

Ameena makes her Group 1 return first-up since spring, bolstered by four recent jump-outs.

Employing the same strategy as 12 months back that yielded second in the Sangster and fourth in The Goodwood, the Freedmans proceed confidently.

“She’s going in fresh,” Freedman said.

“She ran brilliantly in the race last year fresh. She should have nearly won, so we’ll follow the same path.

“There is the Goodwood a fortnight later for both them if you have a hard luck story or they pull up well, so there is the option to do that, but I don’t think they will be pushing on to Queensland as this is very much a target race for them.”

Discover the best racing betting markets ahead of the Robert Sangster Stakes.