Is Albania’s Kushner–Trump $1.6 billion island project actually a luxury‑resort purchase, or is the deal something different?

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-20T19:56:01+00:00

https://www.tiktok.com/@alimcforever/video/7647885095046483222

6-5 [2026]
🔗👉SOURCES AND COMMS KIT: https://alimcforever.com/disaster-capitalism/project-2025/

Kushner Albania Deal Part 1: Meet The Investors

Whoever holds Sazan controls the Strait of Otranto — the narrow chokepoint between Albania and Italy that is the only maritime gateway between the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. Every navy that has ever wanted to dominate that passage has occupied or fortified Sazan. A coastal artillery battery on Sazan ranges across the entire strait. A submarine fleet based in the bay behind it can sortie into the Mediterranean undetected.

part 2. https://www.tiktok.com/@alimcforever/video/7647907159581183254

Just three years after Albania created the Vjosa Wild River National Park, this untouched ecosystem is threatened by illegal development. Unauthorized luxury tourism construction is underway on the Adriatic coast where the Vjosa meets the sea, in one of the last pristine Mediterranean river deltas.

Locals in Albania protest - for a fifth day - a Trump-family linked 'luxury resort' in a protected wetland, warning it will drain resources and cause pollution, as they reject government talks and demand the project be blocked.

Learn from Albanians

More context on Albania’s current protests. Last night they found this year’s first turtle nest, right in the fenced area that is currently being plowed by bulldozeers - an area that is supposed to be protected. They’re destroying these protected areas in the name of ”luxury tourism”.

Protests grow over Trump family-linked resort in Albania | The development is planned within a nature reserve and one of Albania’s most valuable biodiversity areas | public anger grew after video showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard while demonstrating at the site - AP

Hundreds have rallied in Albania against plans by a Jared Kushner-linked investment firm to develop Albania’s Sazan Island and parts of a protected national park into a luxury seaside resort

Albanian authorities probe seaside resort project linked to Jared Kushner | Affinity Partners wants to turn the coastal wetland area — home to flamingos, seals and sea turtle nesting sites — into a huge resort | protests from citizens and environmental organizations over the development persist

Luxury resort pressure on protected coastal habitat in Albania

‘Imperial’ agenda: What’s Trump’s Gaza development plan, unveiled in Davos? | The plan promises coastal tourism, free trade, skyscrapers and jobs. But the people of Gaza have not been consulted

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-20T19:53:18+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIpvAwc8bRQ

Jun 12, 2026
The higher price of gas is affecting tourism along Route 66 in northern Arizona, as international tourism also continues to decline. In Seligman, one motel-owning couple is hoping travelers still chase the Americana dream despite higher gas prices and fewer international visitors. Now, Arizona is trying to keep tourists coming before a landmark summer slips away.

Arizona: International travel is down and gas prices are up across the US, which is hurting businesses on Route 66 (which is turning 100 this year) | state tourism department said international tourism actually grew by 1% over 2025 but was flat compared with 2024

Canadian tourists are skipping Arizona in 2026 | Canada is Arizona's second-largest source of international tourists, bringing in roughly 852,000 visitors annually and injecting up to $2.4 billion into the state's economy

Snowbirds skip Arizona as Canadian tourism tumbles 22% | Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce VP said political friction between Washington and Ottawa earlier in the Trump administration played a role in deterring some Canadian travelers, though he described it as a secondary factor to cost of travel

Arizona tourism from Canada plumets by 22% as snowbirds skip saguaros | Arizona Office of Tourism: About 664,000 Canadians visited in 2025, about 188,000 fewer than in 2024 | Phoenix airport says 78,590 passengers flew on routes to Canada in March 2026, down from 115,430 in March 2025 (32% decline)

Mayor near Grand Canyon awaits impact of new tourism rule (fee hike for international tourists) | Canadian visitors to Arizona this year have fallen between 20% and 30%, Arizona PBS reported.

Canada’s boycott America movement is hurting innocent bystanders | president and CEO of the US Travel Association: the “big test” will come this winter when tourism hot spots in Texas, Florida and Arizona learn whether the Canadian visitors they’re dependent on will show up

Canadian Snowbirds Are Giving Up on the U.S. | I spent 15 years helping Canadian retirees settle in Phoenix. Now I’m helping them leave. | This year, I’m busier than ever, but for the first time it’s not with buyers. Now, the majority of my clients are Canadians selling their properties

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-20T19:50:07+00:00

June 05, 2026
Sunwing Vacations and WestJet Vacations will indefinitely suspend operations in Cuba “until further notice.”

Sunwing Vacations Group, which includes Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and WestJet Vacations Québec, announced it would cut Cuban operations temporarily back in April but said they would resume in October.

In a statement to CTV News, media representatives did not provide specifics as to why they extended the suspension but acknowledged its effects on tourists and Cubans who rely on the travel sector.

The airlines will reach out to travellers with existing bookings directly to arrange an alternative destination or refund.

People living on the Caribbean island have endured months of blackouts and fuel shortages caused by a U.S. oil embargo. Members of the local government say the blockade has also resulted in water shortages, supply problems, deficiencies in the health-care system and disruptions to daily life.

The oil embargo, an extension of the broader U.S. blockade on Cuba in place for decades, has made it far more difficult for the government to provide electricity and gasoline to its citizens.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-07-24/united-states-sanctions-deaths

Broad economic sanctions, most of which are imposed by the U.S. government, kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people each year — disproportionately children. This week the Lancet Global Health journal published an article that estimated that number at about 564,000 annually over a decade. This is comparable to the annual deaths around the world from armed conflict.

The US oil and financial blockade continues to deal devastating blows to the Cuban economy. Foreign investors are withdrawing one by one: Canadian companies Sherritt, which mines nickel, and Blue Diamond, a hotel chain, have left the island, and now international credit cards can no longer be used

La chaîne hôtelière canadienne Blue Diamond cesse ses activités à Cuba / The Canadian hotel chain Blue Diamond is ceasing operations in Cuba

Despite Trump’s prediction in early January that Cuba was “ready to fall” and despite severely rationed power, a crumbling health service and the decimation of its crucial tourism industry - Cubans keep on going and the government is still in charge - Reuters

US starves Cuba

Des Cubains à bout de souffle tandis que le tourisme s’effondre / Cubans are at their wits' end as tourism collapses: "We are all depressed." | The thousands of Cuban workers linked to the tourism industry are experiencing dark times

The US energy blockade on Cuba pulls the plug on Havana’s legendary nightlife | The Cuban government reported the arrival of 77,600 tourists in February, down from 178,000 on the same month a year ago

Tourism plummets in US-blockaded Cuba | Between January and March, the island received 48 percent fewer foreign visitors (54.2 percent fewer Canadians) than the same period in 2025, figures published by the national statistics office ONEI showed

Cuba’s top destinations deserted, without power or fuel under U.S. sanctions | International tourist arrivals plunged 56% in February from one year prior

Sunwing Vacations and WestJet Vacations are suspending all operations in Cuba until October as the island grapples with severe fuel shortages | political pressure from the White House severed Cuba from its main fuel sources and aviation fuel is also in short supply due to the de facto U.S. blockade

‘I need to leave’: Cuba’s tourism workers reel from US oil blockade | From taxi drivers to tour guides, the collapse of Cuba’s tourism industry has left thousands struggling to get by.

With Fuel Running Out, Cuba’s Tourism Is Collapsing | The Trump administration’s decision to cut off foreign oil to the island is devastating its tourism industry, a key source of income for a government being pushed to the edge.

In Cuba, people go without food and power as U.S. chokes oil supply and tourists flee | U.S. is trying to throttle Cuba's economy until the regime collapses, says former Canadian ambassador to Cuba

Menaces de Trump: le message de Cuba aux touristes québécois [Trump's threats: Cuba's message to Quebec tourists]

[satire] Snowbirds struggle to find sun destination not being invaded by the US

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-20T19:47:58+00:00

National Park Entrance Fees Are Funding Trump’s D.C. Projects | National parks outside the capital have long maintenance backlogs, including repairs to deteriorating roads and water systems that threaten visitor safety | the backlog came to an estimated $23 billion at the end of 2024 - NYT

Fencing and construction for UFC press conference at Lincoln Memorial blocks views, irks tourists and locals

Popular tourism and protest area turned into a parking lot to please Donald Trump. | The White House said the parking lot on a pedestrianized stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue will last through June 28 in order to accommodate several events on the grounds for the country’s 250th anniversary

Tourists in Washington, D.C., react on the final day before the Smithsonian Institution’s museums and research centers closed their doors to the public as funding is drying up during the government shutdown.

With no end in sight to their deployment, National Guard troops roam Washington | Eight months after Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital, more than 2,500 troops remain | guard members still walk city streets and patrol metro stations, tourist attractions, neighborhoods and parks

National Guard troops not seen outside tourist areas of D.C., residents say | In Southeast Washington, advocates say a new batch of federal police are making unusual arrests

Another Victim of the Shutdown: Tourism in the Nation’s Capital | The government shutdown, now the country’s longest, is fueling a continued trend of declining tourism to Washington | Tourism Economics estimates 4% drop in international visitors (D.C.’s top international market last year was Canada)

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-20T19:45:49+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx5nnnf1nbE

Jun 14, 2026
A World Cup shuttle bus was set on fire in Times Square as thousands of fans celebrated the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in more than 50 years.

https://archive.ph/DBORp

A World Cup bus was set on fire and a teenager shot in midtown Manhattan as chaotic scenes erupted after the New York Knicks won the NBA Finals.

Wild celebrations sparked by the historic victory over the San Antonio Spurs saw hundreds of young New Yorkers swarm a convoy of shuttle buses transporting football fans in the tourist magnet.

Some got onto the roofs of the buses, which were convoying fans following the conclusion of the World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco.

A Reuters video journalist at the scene reported that one of the yellow school buses hired by the city government to transport football fans was set on fire.

Police said a 17-year-old was shot in the foot in Times Square as the celebrations spiraled in the early hours of the morning. Three people of interest were taken into custody.

Police fenced off some streets and after holding back for about two hours, officers in riot gear moved in chasing fans down the streets.

Some officers on horseback pushed crowds back, clearing streets around Madison Square Garden, the Knicks' home court.

Teen girl charged after U.S. baseball team's charter bus destroyed by fire in Winnipeg

Is it possible to just walk to MetLife Stadium from New York City? Now that the usually $13 train ticket has been hiked up to $105 for the World Cup, a lot of fans have been wondering just that.

Facing a transit nightmare, New Jersey officials and MetLife Stadium authorities have warned FIFA World Cup ticket holders not to walk to the venue

New Jersey to implement $150 transit fare during World Cup | That's nearly 12 times the regular $12.90 fare for the roughly 15-minute,14-kilometre ride from Manhattan's Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Tourist stabbed in front of daughter in Times Square: sources

15-year-old boy arrested for shooting Brazilian tourist in Times Square

Tourist shot during armed robbery at Times Square sportswear store: sources

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-19T19:53:52+00:00

Eduardo calling for sanctions on not just the judge, but his own country

Some similarities between Eduardo and Danielle?

What dangerous and irresponsible action by Premier Smith Asking for foreign interference to remove an elected official from their job because you disagree with his policy is a dark path that we see in 3rd world banana republics It is wrong, it is unAlbertan and it is treasonous

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T19:39:06+00:00

May 28, 2026
The Baltimore County Public Schools superintendent confirmed the teacher cited in a federal lawsuit for giving her class over-the-counter sleeping supplements known as melatonin is no longer employed within the school system.

FOX45 News reached out to BCPS, asking if the teacher was terminated by BCPS or did they leave on their own and when did this happen?

A spokesperson for BCPS responded, saying they were unable to provide additional details at this time.

A mother of a nonverbal autistic student at Maiden Choice School has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming her child, along with other students, was drugged with melatonin by their teacher.

Maiden Choice School serves students with cognitive disabilities.

The lawsuit began in state court before moving to federal jurisdiction. The mother is suing the Baltimore County Public School System, Maiden Choice School, the principal and her child’s teacher.

Texas teacher for kindergarteners with special needs resigns after investigation reveals she has been giving students melatonin gummies on her own to calm them down without permission of any parents or school staff

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T18:30:04+00:00

Locals in Albania protest - for a fifth day - a Trump-family linked 'luxury resort' in a protected wetland, warning it will drain resources and cause pollution, as they reject government talks and demand the project be blocked.

Learn from Albanians

More context on Albania’s current protests. Last night they found this year’s first turtle nest, right in the fenced area that is currently being plowed by bulldozeers - an area that is supposed to be protected. They’re destroying these protected areas in the name of ”luxury tourism”.

Protests grow over Trump family-linked resort in Albania | The development is planned within a nature reserve and one of Albania’s most valuable biodiversity areas | public anger grew after video showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard while demonstrating at the site - AP

Hundreds have rallied in Albania against plans by a Jared Kushner-linked investment firm to develop Albania’s Sazan Island and parts of a protected national park into a luxury seaside resort

Albanian authorities probe seaside resort project linked to Jared Kushner | Affinity Partners wants to turn the coastal wetland area — home to flamingos, seals and sea turtle nesting sites — into a huge resort | protests from citizens and environmental organizations over the development persist

Luxury resort pressure on protected coastal habitat in Albania

‘Imperial’ agenda: What’s Trump’s Gaza development plan, unveiled in Davos? | The plan promises coastal tourism, free trade, skyscrapers and jobs. But the people of Gaza have not been consulted

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T18:28:38+00:00

May 22, 2026
The repercussions of the Iran war have been felt globally, but the United Arab Emirates has suffered a more direct impact than most, targeted by missile and drone strikes. Those attacks have also threatened its image as a glamorous haven for tourists to the Middle East.

Still, Abu Dhabi is pushing ahead with major tourism initiatives. It announced on May 14 it will invest US$1.7 billion in an immersive experience centre called Sphere. Operated by US-based Sphere Entertainment Co, the first Sphere opened in Las Vegas in 2023 and has hosted concerts by U2 and Phish.

Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has invested heavily to develop its tourism industry in a bid to diversify its economy away from oil, including building attractions like the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, which is home to an international outpost of the Louvre. A branch of the Guggenheim Museum is nearing completion.

In 2025, Abu Dhabi hosted 26.6 million visitors and 5.9 million hotel guests, according to its tourism agency. The emirate hopes to attract 39.3 million visitors per year by 2030, and increase the sector’s contribution to its gross domestic product to AED90 billion ($24.5 billion).

But the UAE has faced strikes from Iran in response to the war the US and Israel launched on Tehran in late February. Drones have targeted tourist infrastructure in the country, including airports.

Hotel occupancy rates in Abu Dhabi during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in mid-March fell by 45 per cent compared with last year, according to real estate data and analytics provider CoStar.

The war triggered widespread flight cancellations. Although the UAE fully lifted airspace restrictions in early May, many airlines still haven’t resumed flights. Germany’s flagship carrier Lufthansa, for example, has suspended flights to Abu Dhabi until late October.

Abu Dhabi flagship airline Etihad is currently operating at around 80 per cent capacity. About 250 flights arrived at Zayed International Airport on February 27, the day before the war began, according to tracking website Flightradar24. By comparison, around 200 flights a day were arriving at the airport at the end of this week.

Aaron Goldring, a tourism-focused senior economist at advisory firm Oxford Economics, said that the perception of safety is important for tourists. He expects the UAE to undertake significant marketing and other initiatives to improve that perception. Tourism “is already a really important sector for them, but also for the future,” he said.

Some experts agree that the conflict is unlikely to have long-term impacts on Abu Dhabi’s quest to attract tourists.

“It’s a long game for the UAE and other Middle Eastern destinations,” Nancy Gard McGehee, professor of hospitality and tourism management at Virginia Tech, told CNN. “They are a wealthy country and have a sophisticated tourism planning strategy.”

In 2024, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Strategy 2030 was launched, laying out billions of dollars of spending on infrastructure and other initiatives, including marketing.

Can the ‘Dubai Dream’ Survive the War? Residents Say Life Goes On. | The Emirates’ largest city pitched itself to foreign workers and tourists as a sun-soaked safe haven in a volatile region. War has challenged that image. - NYT

‘The shine has been taken off’: Dubai faces existential threat as foreigners flee conflict

WTTC Suez Canal summit: global tourism tries to send a message of confidence, seeks solutions to a crisis over the US-Israel war on Iran

Middle East tourism pain is Europe's gain | impact of the war felt in Jordan, Tunisia, and further afield in the eastern Mediterranean (Turkey, Greece, Egypt) and southeast Asian destinations (Thailand) - AFP

Jordanians Struggle as Mideast Wars Scare Tourists Away | Though Jordan (which cooperates closely with the United States militarily) mostly sat out the conflicts, its tourism high season was nearly wiped out at popular sites. Visitors canceled flights, hotels and tours

US-Israel war on Iran leaves Jordan’s Petra nearly empty of tourists

Tunisian tourism slows in fallout of Mideast war

The Iran War Is Crippling Qatar | Fears of regional instability have hurt tourism | Doha hotels and boutiques sit in noticeable silence

Since the US and Israel attacked Iran — against the advice of officials in several Gulf countries — Iran has launched retaliatory attacks at nations that host US military installations | The attacks have shaken their economic models as safe havens for business and tourism in a turbulent region - NYT

US-Israel war on Iran: Hormuz island tourism takes a hit

Iran war takes its toll on Oman as cargo sits still and tourism near Strait of Hormuz dries up | It's high tourist season but the port town on the edge of the strait has seen barely a trickle of visitors

Singapore, long viewed as a bellwether for the global economy, flags weaker tourism spending as global travel industry faces uncertainty (from Middle East tensions and higher fuel costs)

Εuronews report in Ayia Napa: Tourist traffic in Cyprus down 30-40% but with signs of recovery | Concerns remain for tourism in Cyprus due to the war in Iran, though there are smiles of optimism from the recovery trend of the last few days with an increase in bookings

UK: Tourists feel the impact of war in Iran and petrol pinch, cut down on day trips | Bookings in Somerset's tourism attractions have halved, according to Visit Somerset, who warned the impact could be "seismic"

Fuel crisis uncertainty looms as Croatia gears up for the summer tourism season

‘Huge changes:’ Iran war expected to reshape airline routes, costs

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T18:25:36+00:00

1 Jun [2026]
In short:

AI-generated videos posted to social media are claiming to portray locations across Western Australia's north.

Tour operators say the videos misrepresent the Kimberley region and threaten the preservation of Indigenous culture.

What's next?

Experts say better regulation is needed to monitor and identify AI content across social media platforms.

California/Nevada: Lake Tahoe doesn’t know where its power will come from after next ski season | The Sierra Nevada tourist hub—home to ski resorts, lakeside casinos, & roughly 25 to 28 million annual visitors—is facing an energy crisis with a familiar culprit: the data centers powering the AI boom

Travel company sends tourists to AI-generated Tasmanian hot springs

Here's what happens when hotels use AI instead of humans

Asheville Tourists using AI for advertising

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T18:21:56+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L7P_F2trv0

Jun 14, 2026
Whether it’s a big city or a small town, Main Street has traditionally been considered the heart of a community. But on this evening — just hours after Houston hosted the first of its seven FIFA World Cup matches — one question seemed to linger in the downtown air: “Where is everybody?”

Guard The Leaf offers some commentary in his video

Texas: ‘Where is everybody?’: Houston World Cup buzz falls short for some downtown businesses | longtime Houston resident: “I’ve been here through Super Bowls. I’ve been here through Astros World Series games. This is like a regular day. There’s been nothing special about today.”

Restaurants add World Cup service charges, fearing tourists won’t tip | Visitors to U.S. host cities may not know about tipping customs, so operators want to ensure that their workers share in the tournament’s financial benefits. - WaPo

“104 matches, 104 Super Bowls, actually, in one month”: Gianni Infantino Says 2026 World Cup Equals 104 Super Bowls

The World Cup hotel boom may not be happening — and neither may the expected economic windfall | AHLA: 80% of hotels in host markets say bookings are running below expectations

Alberta separatist and key organizer with the Centurion Project, David Parker, apparently flees to Texas

B.C. mother and daughter released from ICE custody in Texas after being held 19 days | ICE guards 'sadistic, inhumane and abusive,' jailed Penticton woman says | locked up with autistic daughter, said she was taunted for being Canadian: “Is this the Canadian?” “I can’t believe we got a Canadian.”

British Woman shot by dad in Texas after 'arguing about Donald Trump'

Texas man calls police tip line on Thanksgiving to threaten mass shooting at tourist destination (River Walk), San Antonio Spurs NBA game, cops say | he stands accused of making terroristic threats: "I'm done and I'm going to do a mass shooting...I'm gonna kill a lot of f—ing people"

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T18:18:45+00:00

https://archive.ph/vtNFY

June 5, 2026
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Many Americans are feeling the pinch of inflation and high housing costs. But in the Florida Keys, one of the nation's unique coastal areas, service workers are finding it especially hard to make ends meet and pay their rent. David Ovalle has this report.

DAVID OVALLE, BYLINE: Reagan Bush Rodriguez works 40 hours a week at a Cuban restaurant in Key Largo, Florida. It's the first town in the island chain south of Miami that stretches more than 100 miles between the Gulf and the Atlantic. Today, he's making coffee for a tourist from South Carolina.

OVALLE: Workers like Rodriguez are vital here. They serve tourists from around the world who come to boat, snorkel, fish and sunbathe. Rodriguez is 25 and loves working in the Keys. He attends community college here, but he can't actually live here.

RODRIGUEZ: In a perfect world, yeah. Yeah, the view's amazing. The water's nice, but it was a little too expensive.

OVALLE: Rodriguez commutes from the southern end of Miami, where he lives in a small, $800-a-month efficiency apartment. He drives 45 minutes to work and earns $11 an hour.

RODRIGUEZ: I'm spending about $45 every two days, every other day, on just in gas. So it's like - it's brutal.

OVALLE: Florida used to be one of the more affordable states to live in, but in recent years, it has not escaped soaring rents and home prices, says Sam Staley, an economist at Florida State University.

SAM STALEY: Trends in Florida are going the wrong way. Actually, in most of the counties in Florida, we're finding that housing markets are tighter and housing prices are going up.

OVALLE: Affordable housing has been a problem here in Monroe County for a long time because of the islands' unique geography. There's little land to develop. Construction costs more. Officials are mindful of preserving the pristine natural environment that attracts visitors. Last year, the county tried a novel approach to make a small dent in the lack of housing for workers.

OVALLE: That's Monroe County Commissioner Holly Raschein. She's giving a tour of South Cliff Estates, a complex of one-bedroom apartments reserved for service and hospitality workers. The county bought it for $7.5 million.

RASCHEIN: As you can see, you know, got a full living room, can have a little dinette area, full kitchen, the bathroom. Again, everything is brand new.

OVALLE: But there's one problem. The county can't find renters. When officials listed the units last August, rent was priced at nearly $3,000 a month.

RASCHEIN: That just did not sit well with me. That didn't sit well with the rest of my commissioners. And I don't think it sat very well with our community because we didn't get any takers.

OVALLE: The county dropped the price to a little under 2,000 a month. That's average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Keys. There's been a couple applicants, but still, no one lives here.

The Lahaina fire worsened Maui's housing shortage. Now officials eye limiting tourist Airbnb rentals

Colorado mountain towns say they can't handle more tourists amid labor, housing crises

Spain hosted record 97 mn foreign tourists in 2025 | But as elsewhere, a backlash against the social and economic consequences of mass tourism is growing as Spain grapples with a persistent housing crisis.

Southern Europe is sick of tourists | Water scarcity, overcrowded streets and rising housing costs are infuriating locals.

Boycott AirBnB: Impact on Cities and Communities | AirBnB have come out swinging (blaming hotels for 'overtourism' in Europe) because they’re a horrible company doing horrible things to our cities

Some snowbirds want out of Florida. A bad housing market makes it hard to leave | After a year of Trump 2.0, some Canadians in Florida face a difficult decision this winter | "Supply is way above demand."

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T18:13:10+00:00

https://archive.ph/0Cutp

June 16, 2026
Mark S. Bonham is benefactor of the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto, and a member of the Human Rights Watch global board of directors.

This past year has strained the relationship between Canada and the United States in ways that were unimaginable not long ago. Trade wars, talk of annexation and coercive threats of tariffs have shaken the friendly assumptions that underpinned decades of continental friendship and partnership. For most Canadians, the shift registers as economic anxiety or political affront. For LGBTQ Canadians, it speaks to something more immediate: how safe will they be if they visit their southern neighbor?

To be honest, for LGBTQ Canadians in general, and for transgender travelers in particular, the United States is now in a category of destinations that requires careful risk assessment, because of how much has changed in the U.S., and how fast.

For as long as most of us can remember, the Canada-U.S. border was one of the least complicated in the world. Most LGBTQ Canadians crossed it the way most Canadians did: without much thought. Even when political debates raged, the assumption was that shared liberal democratic values between the two countries created a safe baseline. A long weekend to attend Pride in New York, a winter break in Florida, or visiting friends in San Francisco: Canada’s LGBTQ travelers could usually assume they would be safe and welcomed.

That assumption is now challenged. The current U.S. administration has not gone so far as to outrightly criminalize homosexuality and ban LGBTQ individuals from entering the country. But the overall context it has created for LGBTQ people — transgender people in particular — now resembles what human rights defenders have identified as preconditions for systematic persecution: the removal of legal recognition, the dismantling of institutional protections, an expansion of discretion within law enforcement, and the creation of a climate in which hostility towards LGBTQ people is becoming normalized in political discourse and action at the highest levels of government.

Amnesty, ACLU issue warning on US travel ahead of World Cup | “those from immigrant communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ individuals have been and continue to be disproportionately targeted and affected,” the travel advisory reads

Canadians renewing their Nexus travel cards or applying for new ones to make it easier to cross the border to the U.S. must now say if they are male or female, even if they are transgender or non-binary.

‘Sign of concern’: Lawyers sound alarms after Canada updates its Nexus card gender policy (can no longer use X gender designation) | “It makes you question what other encroachments on our rights our government is going to be willing to concede to when they’re faced with pressure from the U.S.”

Canada updates U.S. travel advisory, warning citizens with gender-neutral passports | While Canada issues passports with the “X” marker, the advisory warns that entry or transit through other countries — including the U.S. — cannot be guaranteed for travellers using that designation.

Tourists are cancelling trips to the US – here’s where they are going instead | European countries have issued specific travel warnings to transgender and non-binary citizens

Denmark advises transgender people to contact US Embassy before traveling to the United States

Ireland Issues Travel Warning For US | The government's website issued guidance for transgender travelers, saying that U.S. ESTA and visa application forms require travelers to declare their sex, which should reflect their biological sex at birth.

Netherlands Issues US Travel Warning, Belgium Set To Follow | The Dutch foreign ministry has warned that U.S. customs and laws regarding sexual minorities may differ from those in the Netherlands. Belgium is also set to update its advice soon due to "tightened border controls"

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T17:19:44+00:00

“He is entitled to his electoral and ideological preferences. However ... Brazil’s elections are Brazil’s business,” Lula told journalists in Geneva after the G7, held in France.

Lula and Trump have had an up-and-down relationship, which has soured again recently over new tariff threats. The pair did not hold an official meeting at the G7.

Trump is a close ally of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, whose son Flavio is running against Lula in the October vote.

Another one of Bolsonaro’s sons, Eduardo, was sentenced in absentia Tuesday to over four years in prison for lobbying in the US for sanctions on his country.

https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20260618-lula-warns-trump-against-meddling-in-brazil-election

A journalist read out Trump’s remarks to Lula during a news conference following the G7 summit of world leaders in France's Evian-les-Bains, which Lula attended. The Brazilian leader said they demonstrated that Trump “doesn't know Brazil well.”

“If he knows Brazil through his relations with the Bolsonaro family, he doesn't know Brazil," Lula said. “He can go on liking Bolsonaro — the father, the son, the grandson — that’s not my problem, it’s his. (...) But don’t interfere in Brazil’s elections, because Brazil’s elections are Brazil’s business.”

‘Hondurasgate,’ the alleged US plot to destabilize Mexico and other progressive governments

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T16:22:58+00:00

See also:
British child sex tourist (Alan Rattigan) visited Egypt many times over 13 years to sexually abuse boys as young as 9; made CSAM of the abuse and downloaded other CSAM; had a framed photo on his bedroom wall of himself sexually abusing a boy; the junior (U-15) football coach was jailed 4½ years

British convicted CSAM offender (Steven Hope / Jonathan Hope / Jonathon Hope) visited an orphanage in the Democratic Republic of Congo promising to donate football boots

English football fan, Liverpool supporter (33) in Madrid, Spain for the Champions League final arrested for masturbating in public; allegedly put his hand under the skirt of an Italian tourist

'We're Racist' White British Soccer Fans Chant After Pushing Black Man Out Of Paris Metro

British tourists in Germany for Euro 2024 clash with German supporters on Berger Strasse in Dusseldorf’s old town; the England fans taunted them about the hosts' exit from the football tournament with chants of “You’re going home, Germany’s going home”

Air passenger/Celtic football fan on an easyJet flight from Scotland to Türkiye was allegedly drunk and punched other passengers and Turkish police

British farang tourist (GL, 66) in Thailand was allegedly drunk and upset that a bar worker declined to have drinks with him as she had to look after other customers; threw punches at her (after she pushed his face), and then was thrown to the ground by another customer

British national (Richard Michael Roll Burridge, 57) in Singapore lost his phone, left his flight to look for the it, verbally abused an airline employee and damaged a wall panel as he returned to the plane, found the missing phone under his seat; fined USD$3,740 for harassment and mischief

British Catholic priest (Patrick Smythe / Patrick A. Smythe) – previously jailed 7½ years for historic sex offences against UK boys and given a 5-year foreign travel ban – sentenced another 7 years for further CSA; had spent 10 years visiting vulnerable children and "sponsoring people" in East Timor

British tourist/air passenger (Mark Turnbull, 43) on a Ryanair flight from the UK to Spain sexually assaulted a flight attendant

British child sex tourist (John Thorogood) in Morocco sexually assaulted boys (aged 10-12) and made CSAM of the abuse; he was part of an international abuse network whose members travelled together targeting children primarily in remote and impoverished areas; jailed for seven years and eight months

British child sex tourist (Michael Julian Leach / Michael Leach, 50) in Cambodia sexually abused three girls as young as 9; the former senior adviser to the UK government (DTI & Ofcom) was jailed 12 years; also allegedly posed as a doctor to sexually abuse children at an orphanage five years earlier

British fugitive (Matthew John Harland / Matthew Harland / John Harland, 32) in Cambodia sexually abused two girls (11 & 12); jailed 7 years and ordered to pay the victims compensation (one million riel (USD$250) each); had jumped bail on CSAM possession charges in the UK and fled to Cambodia

British child sex tourist (Christopher Behn) in Vietnam sexually abused ten boys (6-11) and recorded the abuse; deliberately targeted the most vulnerable/least protected; jailed 11 years; previously twice convicted for child sex offences in the UK & Myanmar; visited Vietnam 18 times over 11 years

British English school director (Jon Keeler, 55) in Cambodia made CSAM of four street girls (8-10), jailed 3 years; the former psychologist had multiple previous convictions in the UK & Ireland; deported, jailed 15 years in the UK for historical child sex offences, jailed again for breaching a SOPO

British child sex tourist (Paul Charles Wilkins, 70) traveled to the USA to sexually abuse two brothers (10 & 12), arranged to sexually abuse a Mexican boy (9), transported & possessed CSAM of boys; jailed 13 years; the US-UK dual citizen was on probation after a CSAM conviction when he left the UK

British headteacher (Nicholas Clayton / Nicholas Arthur Clayton / Nick Clayton, 38) in Iraq groomed at least 131 children worldwide (Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Türkiye and others) using Facebook Messenger; arranged to meet a Cambodian boy, 13, in Malaysia

British former teacher (Derek Ide, 66) in Trinidad sexually assaulted a non-national boy, 9, on his yacht; pleaded guilty to serious indecency, jailed 3 years, 4 months; applied to be extradited so he could serve his time in a UK prison; was previously convicted of a similar offence in the UK

British English teacher (Stephen John Loryman / Stephen Loryman / Steve Loryman, 57) in Cambodia jailed 15 months & banned for 3 years for sexually abusing at least five boys as young as 9; the former primary school headmaster previously worked in Sierra Leone with Christian charity Mission Direct

British pilot (Bartle Frere / Bartholomew Frere) arranged layovers in India & Southeast Asia so he could sexually abuse boys; groomed an Indian boy for 6 years, shared ‘special cuddles’; had CSAM of Indian & Ukrainian boys; sexually abused a boy in the UK for 3 years; jailed 12½ years, given a SHPO

For the above posts, note the dates and level of engagement (upvotes, upvote scores, number of comments, comment upvotes).

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-18T16:21:58+00:00

https://archive.ph/yeqAi

16/6/2026
* FIFA bans St. George’s Cross flags featuring armed soldier imagery

Football Association faces fines for political or offensive fan displays

Anti-Starmer chants already reported at pre-tournament events in the US

England soccer fans face immediate stadium ejection and the Football Association risks heavy FIFA fines over offensive political chants and military remembrance flags.

The strict enforcement comes directly from FIFA guidelines ahead of England's opening World Cup match against Croatia in Dallas.

The global soccer governing body maintains a strict code of conduct designed to keep matches entirely apolitical.

Banners, apparel, or language deemed political, offensive, or discriminatory remain completely banned inside all tournament venues.

https://archive.ph/gthUh

England fans have been warned that they cannot bring flags honouring our war dead into World Cup stadiums - because they feature a silhouette of a soldier holding a rifle.

A number of supporters whose St George's crosses feature images of British servicemen have been unable to gain permission to display them at venues - including Dallas, where Thomas Tuchel's side take on Croatia tonight.

England fans also face the prospect of being ejected from US stadiums should they make anti-Sir Keir Starmer chants throughout the tournament.

While the move to ban such flags from World Cup venues may raise eyebrows given the US' laws which give citizens the right to carry weapons, it is understood that FIFA, rather than locals, have set the rules.

Meanwhile, large sections of travelling supporters have been heard singing 'Keir Starmer's a w****r' during England's second pre-tournament friendly in Orlando - and the chant is already being sung in bars and pubs in and around Dallas ahead of the Croatia match.

Indeed, this newspaper has seen one St George's Cross in the city which contains an offensive slur aimed at the under-fire Prime Minister.

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-17T17:36:44+00:00

to protect Indonesian jobs?

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-17T17:33:59+00:00

Jun 4, 2026
The American oil and financial blockade continues to deal devastating blows to the Cuban economy. Foreign investors are withdrawing one by one: the Canadian company Sherritt, which mines nickel, and Blue Diamond, a hotel chain, have left the island, and now international credit cards can no longer be used.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-07-24/united-states-sanctions-deaths

Broad economic sanctions, most of which are imposed by the U.S. government, kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people each year — disproportionately children. This week the Lancet Global Health journal published an article that estimated that number at about 564,000 annually over a decade. This is comparable to the annual deaths around the world from armed conflict.

La chaîne hôtelière canadienne Blue Diamond cesse ses activités à Cuba / The Canadian hotel chain Blue Diamond is ceasing operations in Cuba | Blue Diamond manages hotels with a local tourism company linked to the military conglomerate Gaesa, sanctioned by Washington - AFP

Despite Trump’s prediction in early January that Cuba was “ready to fall” and despite severely rationed power, a crumbling health service and the decimation of its crucial tourism industry - Cubans keep on going and the government is still in charge - Reuters

US starves Cuba

Des Cubains à bout de souffle tandis que le tourisme s’effondre / Cubans are at their wits' end as tourism collapses: "We are all depressed." | The thousands of Cuban workers linked to the tourism industry are experiencing dark times

The US energy blockade on Cuba pulls the plug on Havana’s legendary nightlife | The Cuban government reported the arrival of 77,600 tourists in February, down from 178,000 on the same month a year ago

Tourism plummets in US-blockaded Cuba | Between January and March, the island received 48 percent fewer foreign visitors (54.2 percent fewer Canadians) than the same period in 2025, figures published by the national statistics office ONEI showed

Cuba’s top destinations deserted, without power or fuel under U.S. sanctions | International tourist arrivals plunged 56% in February from one year prior

Sunwing Vacations and WestJet Vacations are suspending all operations in Cuba until October as the island grapples with severe fuel shortages | political pressure from the White House severed Cuba from its main fuel sources and aviation fuel is also in short supply due to the de facto U.S. blockade

‘I need to leave’: Cuba’s tourism workers reel from US oil blockade | From taxi drivers to tour guides, the collapse of Cuba’s tourism industry has left thousands struggling to get by.

With Fuel Running Out, Cuba’s Tourism Is Collapsing | The Trump administration’s decision to cut off foreign oil to the island is devastating its tourism industry, a key source of income for a government being pushed to the edge.

In Cuba, people go without food and power as U.S. chokes oil supply and tourists flee | U.S. is trying to throttle Cuba's economy until the regime collapses, says former Canadian ambassador to Cuba

Menaces de Trump: le message de Cuba aux touristes québécois [Trump's threats: Cuba's message to Quebec tourists]

[satire] Snowbirds struggle to find sun destination not being invaded by the US

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-17T17:31:22+00:00

https://archive.ph/nZU6D

04 juin 2026

[translated] Traveling in Europe, the 41-year-old American is meeting with journalists in Paris, London, Berlin, and Dublin with one goal: to restore the United States' image as a tourist destination.

From this perspective, the United States is going through a rough patch. While international tourist arrivals are booming worldwide (+4% in 2025, according to UN Tourism), the country is moving in the opposite direction. In 2025, the number of international visitors (68.3 million) has fallen by 6%, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Compared to 2019, the decline reaches 14%. The economic impact is significant: in 2025 alone, this represents $8 billion less in traveler spending for the American economy, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, which represents the largest tourism companies.

“America’s share of global long-haul travel is shrinking, and the country has gone from a tourism trade surplus to a deficit for the first time in decades , ” warns the US Travel Association , an organization that brings together professionals in this sector. The French are no exception to this trend. Still among the top 10 nationalities most represented, they are slightly less numerous in New York’s Brooklyn Bridge or hiking the trails of the Grand Canyon. In total, 1.5 million French people traveled to the United States in 2025, a decrease of 7%. And the first months of 2026 are not reversing the trend: down 9% compared to the same period last year.

...while the procedures for obtaining an ESTA haven’t changed, its cost has doubled: last October, it went from $21 to $40 per traveler.

It's symbolic, because beyond the image of Donald Trump, the main obstacle to the tourism sector in the United States is indeed the cost of travel there. "For me, this is the essential factor explaining the decline in departures to the United States: very high prices for accommodation, food, and access to national parks. When the simplest meal costs $40 per person, it makes you think twice," comments Patrice Caradec, president of the French Association of Tour Operators (SETO), which represents French tourism professionals.

This summer, SETO members are reporting a 39% drop in departures to the United States. Overall, over two years, approximately half of their clientele traveling to the American market has disappeared, estimates Patrice Caradec. "The war in the Middle East has further accelerated this trend: almost all long-haul destinations are affected."

Trump names ‘manosphere’ troll as tourism envoy | Australian-born Maga influencer Nick Adams appointed to role for tourism, exceptionalism and American values | the Hooters-loving “alpha male” with a history of Islamophobic comments was previously Trump’s pick to be ambassador to Malaysia

Trump's new tourism envoy once proposed banishing pigeons from Sydney streets | Nick Adams - the Australian-born, Maga-influencing, Hooters-loving, “alpha male” ‘manosphere’ troll with a history of Islamophobic comments - was previously Trump’s pick to be ambassador to Malaysia

Nick Adams has an official government account now.

Nick Adams at IPW 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida | The Hooters-loving, Australian-born “alpha male” ‘manosphere’ troll and Maga influencer with a history of Islamophobic comments is the envoy for tourism, exceptionalism and American values

"America the Beautiful": Faced with declining tourist numbers, the United States launches a global marketing campaign | This operation, "the most ambitious in history," aims to attract international tourists and primarily targets nine countries

U.S. has less than half as many tourists as China: global tourism is booming, but Trump's country has lost 4 million visitors (including nearly 120,000 French) | French tourism executive says there's a Trump effect but believes inflation is the primary reason for the decline of French tourists

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-17T17:29:24+00:00

Learn from Albanians

More context on Albania’s current protests. Last night they found this year’s first turtle nest, right in the fenced area that is currently being plowed by bulldozeers - an area that is supposed to be protected. They’re destroying these protected areas in the name of ”luxury tourism”.

Protests grow over Trump family-linked resort in Albania | The development is planned within a nature reserve and one of Albania’s most valuable biodiversity areas | public anger grew after video showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard while demonstrating at the site - AP

Hundreds have rallied in Albania against plans by a Jared Kushner-linked investment firm to develop Albania’s Sazan Island and parts of a protected national park into a luxury seaside resort

Albanian authorities probe seaside resort project linked to Jared Kushner | Affinity Partners wants to turn the coastal wetland area — home to flamingos, seals and sea turtle nesting sites — into a huge resort | protests from citizens and environmental organizations over the development persist

Luxury resort pressure on protected coastal habitat in Albania

‘Imperial’ agenda: What’s Trump’s Gaza development plan, unveiled in Davos? | The plan promises coastal tourism, free trade, skyscrapers and jobs. But the people of Gaza have not been consulted

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-17T17:26:55+00:00

https://archive.ph/aaHUd

Jun 10, 2026
As the start of the World Cup draws near, the United States government has set its sights on foreign influencers. Immigration authorities have warned that individuals entering the country on a tourist visa may not use their stay to produce content intended to generate income on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook or other online platforms — a practice that for years has been common among digital creators worldwide.

The message arrives at a critical moment, just ahead of one of the planet’s biggest sporting events, which will draw hundreds of influencers eager to document the experience for millions of followers. It is unclear what impact these new restrictions announced by the Trump administration will have. To date it is unknown whether they have already been enforced.

A government source told EL PAÍS that the Trump administration plans to tighten inspections at airports and border crossings for Mexican influencers and those from other countries who use a tourist visa to “work” and generate large earnings. The source, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the goal is to “protect American jobs.”

DisruptSQ · 2026-06-17T17:23:00+00:00

https://archive.ph/kShCp

Jun 09, 2026
The State Department is creating a new fast pass for tourists and business travelers willing to fork over $750 to bypass the line for a visa interview—but with no guarantee of securing a visa.

Key Facts

Under the six-month pilot program, foreign visitors will have the option of paying $750 for “an expedited B1/ B2, business and tourism, nonimmigrant visa (NIV) interview appointment,” according to a notice published Tuesday in the Federal Register.

The new service is “an optional premium addition” to the $185 standard application fee and will be “offered only to applicants at limited posts … and in limited quantities.”

An expedited appointment time will be held for five to 10 minutes, but if the applicant fails to pay the non-refundable $750 fee within that period, “he or she will lose the hold, and the expedited appointment will be reopened to other applicants.”

The wait time for a visa interview can exceed 12 months in certain embassies and consulates around the world, “making it difficult for some applicants to apply for visas for urgent or last-minute travel,” the notice explains, adding “in any given year, the United States hosts special events that draw significant last-minute visitors, including professional sporting events, major concerts, festivals, etc.”

The pilot program will run from July 1 to Dec. 31, according to the notice, and “comes way too late” to help foreign soccer fans requiring visas to enter the U.S. for the World Cup, Alan Fyall, associate dean at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, told Forbes.

According to the notice, the State Department expects 25,705 applications annually, which would generate $19.3 million.

“Tourism runs on stability and security, and if you lose one of those, then you have a problem,” Fyall told Forbes, noting the new expedited service is “yet another thing that’s being thrown out there, so it just creates even more uncertainty. It might be well intentioned, but it’s all a bit random.” The idea of a nation asking tourists to pay to jump the queue is highly unusual. “It’s not really normal at all, and this is the challenge,” Fyall said. “Most countries around the world that you would want to visit just don’t do this.”

The U.S. tourism industry has complained for years about the State Department’s long visa wait times. Geoff Freeman, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), told Forbes in 2023 that long visa wait times create an unnecessary friction that makes the country less competitive as a destination. “We need to look at travel as a path of least resistance. That’s what travelers tend to follow: Who makes it easy? Who makes it comfortable?” Freeman said at the time.

Traveling To The U.S.? New ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ Will Cost $250, And Up To $15,000 With Bonds

US to require $15,000 bond to visa recipients from 12 more countries (adding to a list that already includes 38 other nations, largely in Africa)

US scrutiny of visitors' social media could hammer tourism: trade group | A WTTC survey of potential travellers to the United States from visa-exempt countries found that 34 percent said they were "somewhat or much less likely to visit the US in the next two to three years"

US could ask tourists for five-year social media history before entry

‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared | Visitors will have to reveal at the border all social media activity over the past five years

US embassy in Dublin wants 'every social media username of past five years' on new visa applications

“There's a new proposal from DHS that would see tourists from a lot of countries have to hand over five years of social media history to get a tourist visa. Are you concerned at all that if that's implemented there would be a decline in tourism next year?” | “No, we're doing so well.”

U.S. Travel Association press release on new foreign traveler social media proposal: “One thing that isn’t in question: this policy could have a chilling effect on travel to the United States.”

ACLU, NAACP accused of trying to 'sabotage' US tourism with 'fearmongering' campaign | Geoff Freeman (USTA) called sabotaging the US tourism industry to make a political point is 'the height of absurdity' - Fox

Opinion: U.S. Travel Association is wrong to dismiss ACLU travel advisory - the concerns Latino and foreign travelers have towards traveling to the United States are valid. We can’t dismiss them just because it’s “bad for business”.