Arkady Dvorkovich, president of the International Chess Federation (Fide) and former Russian deputy prime minister, has stepped aside after being included on the EU's latest sanctions list for supporting the annexation of Crimea. Ukraine has hailed the move as a significant victory, while Dvorkovich calls the sanctions unfair.
The U.S. State Department extended its ban on citizens' travel to North Korea for another year, citing "serious" risks of arrest and long-term detention. The restriction is valid from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025.
South Korea's foreign ministry has lifted travel bans for specific areas in Cambodia and Venezuela due to improved security. Bans were extended for 10 other countries and 12 regions.
The UAE has lifted its travel ban on Lebanon, allowing Emirati citizens to visit starting June 29. The move is welcomed by travelers eager to resume holiday and family plans, and by Lebanese expats who see it as restoring a bond between the nations. Mandatory registration on the Twajudi platform is required.
Egypt's World Cup preparations are disrupted after authorities rejected a request to travel directly from Vancouver to Seattle. The team will return to Spokane instead, adding travel fatigue before their crucial match against Iran.
The UK Foreign Office has eased its travel advice for Dubai, removing the "do not travel" warning. While this facilitates travel insurance and booking, it cautions that the regional situation remains unpredictable despite a US-Iran agreement.
The UK has lifted its 'do not travel' advisory for Dubai following a US-Iran peace accord, though warns the situation remains unpredictable with a risk of sudden attacks, impacting travel insurance and airline operations.
A travel ban imposed by Trump in June 2025, affecting citizens from Iran, Haiti, and 17 other countries, has created fear among immigrants attending the World Cup in the US. Despite exemptions for athletes and close relatives, many fear detention by immigration authorities.
South Korea's justice ministry has imposed a travel ban on Roh Tae-ak, former head of the National Election Commission (NEC), and other officials. This action follows a probe into ballot shortages during recent local elections, which temporarily halted voting at 26 polling stations nationwide.
Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the US for the World Cup, will officiate the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg on August 12. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin stated the decision aims to honor Artan's skills and connect people through football.
WHO Europe chief Hans Kluge stated Ebola risk is low for World Cup fans, urging normal travel. The US, however, is pressing other nations to impose travel restrictions from affected countries like Congo and Uganda.
The 2026 World Cup is marred by visa issues and strict US border controls affecting teams from Iran, Iraq, Somalia, and Senegal. Players and officials face prolonged interrogations, denied entry, and restrictive conditions, raising human rights concerns.
The WHO urged football fans to travel normally for the World Cup, stating the Ebola risk in Europe is low and there's no reason to change plans. This follows US pressure on European nations to implement travel bans on individuals from affected Central African countries, a move the WHO opposes.
A Taiwanese publisher, Li Yanhe (pen name Fu Cha), imprisoned in China for inciting secession, has been released after serving a three-year sentence. However, he is reportedly banned from leaving the country and cannot return to Taiwan.
Somali referee Omar Artan, Africa's top official, was denied entry to the US for the World Cup despite a valid visa, citing unspecified "vetting concerns." The decision sparked outrage and highlighted concerns over US immigration policies and travel bans affecting athletes and officials.
Belgium has rejected a US demand to impose an entry ban on travelers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, citing scientific advice over political pressure. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke stated Belgium focuses on screening at departure points and quarantine for symptomatic arrivals, criticizing US aid cuts and travel restrictions.
China has imposed a one-year travel ban on four New Zealand lawmakers for visiting Taiwan, accusing them of violating the one-China principle. The Chinese embassy in Wellington stated the MPs crossed a "red line," while the NZ and Australian governments condemned the ban and plan a formal protest.
New Zealand will express concern to Beijing after China banned four of its MPs who visited Taiwan last month. The MPs, from both the ruling coalition and the opposition Labour party, were informed of the one-year ban by the Chinese embassy.
The WHO is urging countries to lift blanket travel bans, advocating for exit screening instead. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that Ebola cases in the DRC are lower than feared, with 344 confirmed cases and 60 deaths as of June 1. Uganda has reported 15 confirmed cases and one death.
The article questions the EU's sovereignty, citing US travel bans against former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and NGO leaders as evidence of foreign interference in European lawmaking concerning online hate speech.
A US professor, Moss Tan, facing defamation charges for alleging election interference and a past juvenile detention for South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, has been placed under a travel ban. Tan's legal team argues the ban violates constitutional rights, while the Ministry of Justice claims he failed to prove a specific purpose for travel and is evading investigation.
Morse Tan, a Korean American professor accused of defaming South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, has filed a lawsuit challenging a travel ban imposed by the justice ministry. Tan, who previously served in the Trump administration, is also known for claims of election fraud.
A professor at Liberty University, known for spreading conspiracy theories about South Korean elections and President Lee Jae-myung, has filed a lawsuit to lift a travel ban imposed by the Ministry of Justice. The professor, who entered South Korea to monitor the upcoming local elections, is accused of election interference and political activity by progressive civic groups.
South Korean police are seeking a travel ban on Korean American professor Morse Tan, accused of defaming President Lee Jae Myung. Tan, who previously served as a U.S. ambassador-at-large, failed to comply with a summons and is suspected of spreading false information about the president.
