Friday, June 6

United States President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping travel ban that prohibits people from 12 different countries from entering the US, with exceptions for sports players.

The ban was signed by Trump on Wednesday, and will be implemented on June 9. From then, citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will not be allowed into the United States.

Additionally, people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela may be banned from entering-- this will be determined based on the situation.

Trump claims that the new restrictions have been put into place because of the improper vetting processes in the countries listed, and accepting them into the US would be a safety hazard and could endanger local citizens.

However, the order clearly established an exception for players, coaches, other team members, or any immediate relatives of a sports team. This is due to the upcoming Club World Cup that will take place in the United States this year, along with the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

Anyone affiliated with a sports team from one of the banned countries will still be allowed to enter the United States if a sporting event is taking place, but the government has refused to specify which sporting events are included in the exception.

Fact of the Day (BBC): The Moon is shrinking. But only very slightly, by about 164 ft in radius over the last several hundred million years. The body's cooling interior has led to extremely slow shrinking, which has also caused seismic activity known as moonquakes.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): I’ve always said manage in good times so that you’re ready for the bad times. (Herb Kelleher)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Sea change (noun, SEE-CHAYNJ) - Sea change refers to a big and sudden change or transformation.

In a Sentence: The early 2000s witnessed a sea change in public opinion about smoking in public places.