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By Kyle Feldscher, CNN

(CNN) — LIV Golf is facing an existential threat, as its Saudi backers are expected to pull funding from the league as early as Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The Saudi-backed circuit aimed to rival the PGA Tour as the world’s preeminent destination for pro golf by luring some of the game’s top names with huge sums of money, largely from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter, that LIV planned to inform players and staff by Thursday that it is withdrawing its backing at the end of the season.

CNN Sports has reached out to LIV Golf for comment on the Journal’s report.

Launched in 2022 with an initial $400 million investment, LIV Golf looked to rival the PGA Tour by featuring $250 million in prize purses, initially threatening to shake the foundations of the sport. The PGA Tour declined to comment when asked about Wednesday’s report.

The league is primarily funded by PIF, the sovereign wealth fund chaired by Mohammed bin Salman – the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and the man who a US intelligence report named as responsible for approving the operation that led to the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Bin Salman has denied involvement in Khashoggi’s murder.

The Saudi Arabian government has been dealing with the economic fallout from the war between the United States and Iran and the subsequent effects on the oil markets that are so lucrative to the Saudi government.

Saudi energy infrastructure has been the target of Iranian attacks, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had a dramatic effect on the movement – and price – of oil drilled in the Middle East. Reports have indicated in recent weeks that the PIF has been assessing its investments in light of the war and the effect it is having on the Saudi economy.

All of that has led to rampant speculation on LIV’s future that only ramped up after an event in New Orleans was rescheduled to a later date on Tuesday.

The announcement came from Louisiana officials, indicating that the June event in New Orleans would be moved to the fall. In a statement to the Associated Press, LIV attributed the decision to the summer heat in The Big Easy and the World Cup.

While the Journal characterizes the loss of funding as a death knell for the organization, LIV officials have been quick to point out that the league has been increasing its revenue this year. According to LIV, the organization is increasing its revenue and is tracking $100 million ahead of 2025 so far this year. Sponsorships and merchandise revenue are both up year-over-year and ticket sales are up 129% year-over-year.

Rumors of LIV’s possible collapse prompted CEO Scott O’Neil to say in a letter to employees, “We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.”

“LIV Golf’s funding and operations are continuing as planned,” a source with knowledge of the situation told CNN Sports less than two weeks ago.

A Saudi source familiar with the matter previously told CNN that the PIF would not be pulling out of LIV Golf this year.

“The PIF is in for this year but is restructuring as they were supposed to merge with the PGA (Tour) but that deal did not go through,” the source said. “They had been approached by some for investment or buy out but had put those on hold for the PGA talks. As of now, they are looking at all options.”

The next event on the schedule is s

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Por Jennifer Hansler, CNN

Los solicitantes de visas para Estados Unidos ahora tendrán que afirmar que no temen persecución en sus países de origen, mientras el Gobierno de Trump busca restringir aún más el ingreso al país de posibles solicitantes de asilo.

La nueva norma, descrita en un cable diplomático enviado esta semana a todas las embajadas y consulados, llega en medio de un cambio amplio de políticas que ha trastocado y restringido la inmigración a EE.UU.

La administración ya había incrementado los controles para los solicitantes de visas de estudiante, y ha pausado temporalmente las decisiones sobre solicitudes de inmigración para garantizar que cumplan con las directrices de verificación de seguridad recientemente implementadas, según una fuente familiarizada con la situación y un memorando interno.

La norma se aplica a quienes solicitan visas de no inmigrante, que incluyen las de turistas, estudiantes y trabajadores temporales. En enero, EE.UU. suspendió el procesamiento de visas de inmigrante para 75 países.

“Los funcionarios consulares deben prevenir el abuso del sistema de inmigración por parte de solicitantes de visa que tergiversen su propósito de viaje, incluidos aquellos que intentan obtener visas de no inmigrante con el propósito de solicitar asilo a su llegada a Estados Unidos”, decía el cable, que fue revisado por CNN.

The Washington Post fue el primero en informar sobre el cable.

La directiva del Departamento de Estado instruye a los funcionarios consulares a hacer dos preguntas a los solicitantes de visas de no inmigrante: “¿Ha experimentado daño o maltrato en su país de nacionalidad o última residencia habitual?” y “¿Teme sufrir daño o maltrato al regresar a su país natal o de residencia permanente?”

“Los solicitantes de visa deben responder verbalmente con un ‘no’ a ambas preguntas para que el funcionario consular continúe con la emisión de la visa”, instruía el cable.

Un portavoz del Departamento de Estado dijo: “Los funcionarios consulares son la primera línea de defensa para la seguridad nacional de EE.UU.” y señaló que el departamento “utiliza todas las herramientas y recursos disponibles para determinar si cada solicitante de visa califica conforme a la ley estadounidense”.

Para solicitar asilo, una persona debe estar físicamente presente en EE.UU. y estar huyendo de persecución política, racial o religiosa en su país de origen.

Camille Mackler, consultora de políticas migratorias, dijo a CNN que la nueva directiva “va a poner a la gente en posiciones realmente malas y terribles, de tener que tomar decisiones que en última instancia afectan su seguridad y la de su familia”.

“También creo que esto empuja a la gente hacia vías inseguras y rutas inseguras, porque si necesitas irte, te vas, y haces lo que sea que tengas que hacer”, dijo.

The-CNN-Wire
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Con información de Priscilla Alvarez de CNN

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