May 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump has said he will speak with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te about a stalled $14 billion arms deal, a call that would be precedent-setting for a sitting U.S. president and likely anger China.
“I’ll speak to him,” Trump said Thursday from the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
The president was responding to a reporter’s question on whether he planned to call Lai before making a final decision on the Congress-cleared weapons deal, the future of which remains uncertain following Trump’s visit last week to Beijing for meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Taiwan has requested the weapons package as it faces an aggressive China, which claims sovereignty over the self-governing island it views as a breakaway province and has said it will take it back by force if necessary.
The weapons deal was pre-approved by Congress in January 2025, and Taiwan’s legislative body earlier this month approved a special defense budget of $25 billion to buy weapons from the United States. The package now requires Trump to sign off on it.
But Trump on Friday told reporters aboard Air Force One while en route back to the United States following his visit with Xi in Beijing that they had “talked a lot about Taiwan” and that he would “make a determination over the next fairly short period” on whether to give the arms deal final approval.
Taiwan was a significant topic during the trip, with Xi warning Trump that the island was “the most important issue” in bilateral ties and that, if mishandled, could trigger “clashes and even conflicts.”
Amid the uncertainty, Lai issued a Facebook post Sunday night stating Taiwan-U.S. security cooperation and arms sales “are key elements in maintaining regional peace and stability” and that the island’s security is the region’s security.
Trump did not say Wednesday when he would speak with Lai or discuss specifics concerning the arms deal.
“We have that situation very well in hand,” he said, adding that he had an “amazing” meeting with Xi.
“We’ll work on that,” he said.
Trump spoke with Taiwan’s then-President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, when he was the president-elect, but no sitting U.S. president is known to have spoken with the leader of Taiwan since Jan. 1, 1979, when the Carter administration formally severed diplomatic ties with the Republic of China, the official name of Taiwan’s government, and established relations with the People’s Republic of China in Beijing.
Spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian of Beijing’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office gave reporters a standard answer during a press conference Wednesday, stating: “We firmly oppose the United States conducting any form of official exchanges with China’s Taiwan region, and we firmly oppose the United States selling weapons to China’s Taiwan region.”
“This position is consistent and clear,” she said.
UPI has contacted Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry for comment.
Democrats and some Republicans have urged Trump to approve the arms deal and expressed concern over its future as the president was in Beijing.
The Republic of China, the current government of Taiwan, once governed mainland China but retreated to the island following its defeat by the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War in 1949.
The Chinese Communist Party views Taiwan as part of China under its One China principle and seeks reunification with the island — an act Taiwan says would amount to an illegal annexation.
More than two-thirds of UN member states, 141, voted in favour of the resolution on Wednesday, with eight voting no and 28 abstaining.
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Ralph Regenvanu, the minister for climate change from Vanuatu, which championed the case, described the vote as a victory for “communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis”.
“Today the international community affirmed that climate change is not only a political and economic challenge, but a matter of law, justice, and human rights,” Regenvanu said in a statement.
“For vulnerable countries like Vanuatu, this resolution is deeply significant because it confirms that no State is above its obligations to protect people, future generations, and our planet.”
The historic ruling from The Hague-based court in July last year found that states have a legal obligation to act on the “existential threat” of climate change.
The case was the biggest ever to be considered by the ICJ’s 15 judges, who reviewed tens of thousands of pages of written submissions and heard two weeks of oral arguments before delivering their verdict.
The case came to the court at the request of the UNGA after a resolution led by Vanuatu was adopted by consensus in March 2023.
Wednesday’s vote, by contrast, attracted a number of objections, with Belarus, Iran, Israel, Liberia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Yemen voting no.
“We are strongly urging Vanuatu to immediately withdraw its draft resolution and cease attempting to wield the Court’s Advisory Opinion as a basis for creating an avenue to pursue any misguided claims of international legal obligations,” a copy of the cable seen by Al Jazeera stated.
Wesley Morgan, a fellow with the Climate Council, an Australian nonprofit, said the vote confirmed states had a legal duty to act on climate change.
“This landmark resolution is a massive victory for Vanuatu and the Pacific leaders who have spent decades fighting for survival on the frontlines of the climate crisis and a warning for Australian governments,” Morgan said in a statement.
“For far too long, fossil fuel heavyweights have treated climate action as a political choice, but the UN General Assembly has now confirmed it is a binding legal duty,” he added.
Cubans in Havana and Miami react to the US charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of civilian planes. The charges against Castro mark a major escalation in pressure from the Trump administration against Cuba’s socialist government.
May 20 (UPI) — Three people are dead and nearly 20 others, mostly first responders, were hospitalized after coming into contact with an unknown substance at a central New Mexico residence on Wednesday.
New Mexico State Police said in a statement that the incident occurred around 11 a.m. MDT at a home at 306 Halon Avenue in Mountainair, located about 65 miles southeast of Albuquerque.
State police officers were assisting the Torrance County Sheriff’s office with what they believed was a suspected overdose involving an unidentified substance at the residence, where four people were found unresponsive inside, three of whom have since died.
Eighteen responders exposed to the substance then began experiencing nausea and dizziness, according to authorities, who said they, along with the sole living occupant of the residence, were transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where two first responders were listed in serious condition.
Albuquerque Fire Rescue’s technicians were deployed to the scene in Level-A hazmat suits, the highest level of protection against hazardous materials, to sample, identify and remove the unknown substance and conduct decontamination work.
Videos and photos published by Albuquerque Fire Rescue to its Facebook page show several men dressed in large orange hazmat suits coordinating their operation.
Fire officials said they had completed their operation at the residence. New Mexico State Police said they believe the substance is transmitted through contact and is not airborne.
“There is currently no threat to the public,” New Mexico State Police said.
“A secure perimeter has been established and the affected area remains limited to the residence.”
It was not clear whether authorities had identified the three people who died. The conditions of the other hospitalized first responders and the surviving occupant were also unknown, but authorities said they were being quarantined, evaluated and monitored.
Survivors of Indonesia’s deadly Sumatra floods are suing the government over what they say was an inadequate disaster response. As Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington reports, they’re seeking a court order to declare the floods a national disaster and improve recovery efforts.
President Trump said the United States is “freeing up Cuba” and ruled out escalation after the US indicted former Cuban President Raul Castro in Miami over the 1996 downing of exile planes.
1 of 2 | US President Donald Trump (R) and Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (L) attend a meeting with relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea at the Akasaka Palace State Guest House in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by KIYOSHI OTA / EPA
May 20 (Asia Today) — Japan is intensifying efforts to pressure U.S. political leaders and public opinion over the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, seeking to ensure the matter remains part of future U.S. policy toward Pyongyang.
The campaign reflects growing concern in Tokyo that the abductee issue could be sidelined if Washington resumes negotiations with North Korea focused primarily on nuclear weapons and missile programs.
Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported Tuesday that the Japanese government has, since last year, sought meetings with former members of the U.S. Congress and expanded outreach efforts targeting American political and policy circles.
Officials from the Japanese Embassy in Washington have reportedly led the effort, while Tokyo has also engaged experts and opinion leaders with influence over U.S. public discourse. Japan has additionally used opinion advertisements published in The Washington Post as part of its advocacy campaign.
Japan officially recognizes 17 citizens as victims of abduction by North Korea. Pyongyang admitted to abducting Japanese citizens during a summit between the two countries in 2002, and five victims returned to Japan later that year.
However, the fate of the remaining abductees remains unresolved.
The Japanese government has consistently maintained that normalization of diplomatic ties with North Korea cannot proceed without resolution of the abductee issue. Japan’s Foreign Ministry and headquarters for abductee affairs classify the matter as a major issue involving national sovereignty and the safety of citizens.
According to the Sankei report, some U.S. lawmakers questioned why Japan had failed to resolve the issue independently over such a long period.
Japanese officials responded by arguing that the abductee issue is not simply a bilateral dispute but also a broader matter involving human rights and international security.
Tokyo views Washington as essential leverage because North Korea has largely refused direct negotiations with Japan. Japanese officials want to ensure the abductee issue remains included whenever the United States adjusts North Korea policy or enters diplomatic talks with Pyongyang.
Concerns have grown amid speculation that the Trump administration could again pursue direct engagement with North Korea, potentially pushing the abductee issue behind nuclear and missile concerns.
The issue also has parallels in South Korea. According to Seoul’s Ministry of Unification, North Korea is currently believed to be detaining seven South Korean nationals, including missionaries Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kook-kie and Choi Chun-gil, along with four North Korean defectors who later obtained South Korean citizenship.
South Korea also estimates that around 100,000 civilians were abducted during the 1950-53 Korean War. About 82,000 South Korean soldiers were listed as missing after the armistice, while only 8,343 prisoners of war returned through prisoner exchanges.
Despite those figures, the issue has received less sustained public and political attention in South Korea than Japan’s abductee campaign. While Seoul has pursued interagency initiatives and operates awareness campaigns such as the “Three Forget-Me-Nots” project, public focus has remained centered more heavily on nuclear threats, inter-Korean relations and military tensions.
Pope Leo XIV waves to supporters as he leaves after his visit in April to the Ngul Zamba orphanage in Yaounde, Cameroon. The Vatican will release the pope’s first encyclical, a pastoral letter, on Monday. Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/EPA/POOL
May 20 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV will release the first encyclical of his papacy next week, the Vatican announced Wednesday. Magnifica Humanitas will address artificial intelligence and human dignity.
The title of the encyclical (a pastoral letter written to the church) means “magnificent humanity” in Latin. The pope will appear Monday at a press conference for the encyclical’s release, along with other speakers, including academics, cardinals and Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, a U.S. AI company. Olah is also Anthropic’s head of research on the interpretability of AI.
Pope Leo spoke about AI early on in his tenure and has mentioned the topic frequently, The Catholic Register reported. The Vatican also created a study group on AI and its use days ago.
“In our own day, the church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor,” the pontiff said only days after his election in 2025.
Some of Anthropic’s founders have spoken on ethical concerns about AI. In fact, the company gathered Christian religious leaders this year to speak to AI researchers about its AI chatbot, Claude, and how to steer its “moral and spiritual” development, including ethical questions and how to respond to those grieving, The Washington Post reported.
Also like Pope Leo, the company has run afoul of U.S. President Donald Trump. CEO Dario Amodei said in a blog post that he opposes the Defense Department’s use of Anthropic’s technology, leading Trump to call it a “radical left, woke company” and order federal agencies to stop using it, Forbes reported. Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, then called Anthropic a supply chain risk to national security, drawing a lawsuit.
Pope Leo signed the new encyclical on May 15, a day that marks 135 years since Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum, which dealt with social teachings.
The indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro over a 1996 plane shootdown revives a decades-old case at a moment of heightened US pressure on Havana. Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett explains why the timing matters.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks Wednesday at a Senate subcommittee hearing focused on the recent surge in popularity of sports betting and betting by minor. Photo by Erika Tulfo/Medill News Service
WASHINGTON, May 20 (UPI) — As sports betting and prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket grow in popularity, U.S. senators on Wednesday weighed the need to regulate use of the platforms by minors.
One main issue senators raised during a hearing by the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology and Data Privacy was how prediction markets use social media to advertise their platforms to underage users, putting them at risk of a gambling addiction.
“Young people are being inundated with advertisements on social media. Their favorite influencers and sports figures are introducing minors to betting,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who chaired the hearing.
“This is not safe. It needs to stop, and advertising to minors is disgusting,” Blackburn said.
The “No Sure Bets: Protecting Sports Integrity in America” hearing was intended to discuss the prevalence of sports betting and its impact on the integrity of matches.
It followed a unanimous Senate vote last month to ban its members and their staffs from trading on prediction market platforms, and the senators seemed determined to do more. Issues surrounding gaming continue to be a hot topic in Congress, where more than 10 active bills are related to prediction markets.
Some recent high-profile scandals surrounding prediction market platforms have also drawn attention to the industry, including the arrest of U.S. Army soldier Gannon Van Dyke last month. He was charged with using classified information to profit from a Polymarket wager related to the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January.
In the same month, Kalshi fined and suspended from its platform three congressional candidates for betting on the outcomes of their own elections.
In the hearing, Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., criticized prediction markets like Kalshi for hiring social media influencers to promote their platforms to adolescent users.
“I think it’s specifically dangerous for minors to get into sports betting, and especially on prediction markets. That’s why almost all the states say [the legal betting age] is 21, not 18,” Hickenlooper said.
“Prediction markets let users as young as 18 bet on sports, but they also market their products to younger, more vulnerable audiences who are in many cases adept at getting around the platform precautions.”
A study released in January by Common Sense Media found that more than one-third of adolescent boys aged 11 to 17 admitted to engaging in gambling over the past year. Almost 60% of those who have been gambling said that they were exposed to gambling content through social media.
Kalshi, in an email, denied advertising to minors and pointed to recently implemented consumer protection measures, including requesting a selfie from the user to supplement documents verifying their age.
Hickenlooper grilled Patrick McHenry, a former U.S. representative now acting as senior adviser to the Coalition for Prediction Markets, on the guardrails to ensure underage users could not access their platforms.
McHenry pointed to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees prediction markets and regulates them as a form of financial derivative rather than an avenue for gambling.
“The CFTC is a cop on the beat. It has the capacity to oversee this market, just as they’ve done with a broader commodities marketplace that has been around and well-versed for decades,” he said.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s jurisdiction over prediction markets has been a contentious topic, since users can trade event contracts related to sports, weather, politics and more.
The Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, which Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., introduced in March, seeks to ban prediction markets from listing contracts that resemble sports bets, arguing that such contracts are considered gambling and should be subject to state regulation.
The agency argues that sports event contracts were treated as “swaps,” a term used to describe events that have potential economic consequences.
But Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pushed back against the classification of sports contracts on prediction markets as financial derivatives.
“What is the economic consequence of whether a pitcher throws a ball or strike?” he asked.
Another bill specifically targeting digital gambling advertisements to minors was introduced Monday. Sens. Richard Blumenthal D‑Conn., and Katie Britt, R‑Ala., are advocating the Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement Act, which would implement a federal ban on sports betting ads on social media platforms for minors.
The incident came last month when unarmed Rivet Joint plane was securing NATO’s eastern flank in international airspace, according to the British Defence Ministry.
Published On 20 May 202620 May 2026
Two Russian jets have “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted a British Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft in April over the Black Sea, according to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence.
The Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out routine surveillance in international airspace over the Black Sea, securing NATO’s eastern flank, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. There was no immediate reaction from Russia.
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“This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace,” Defence Minister John Healey said in the statement. “These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation,” he added.
It was repeatedly intercepted by a Russian Su-35 aircraft, which flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the British plane, it said. A Russian Su-27 conducted six passes, flying six metres (less than 20 feet) from the Rivet Joint’s nose.
Defence and foreign ministry officials this week formally complained to the Russian embassy about the air incident, Wednesday’s statement added.
It said the incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane since 2022, when a nearby Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction.
The intercepts came days after Healey announced that the Royal Navy had tracked and “seen off” three Russian submarines on an alleged monthlong “covert operation” in Atlantic waters “north of the UK” near vital undersea cables and pipelines.
Healey made details of the monitoring operation public on April 9.
“Let me be very clear: This incident will not deter the UK’s commitment to defend NATO, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression,” he warned on Wednesday.
The UK monitoring mission involved about 500 personnel and saw UK aircraft fly more than 450 hours while a navy frigate covered several thousand nautical miles.
A defence review last year concluded that Russia poses an “immediate and pressing” threat to the nation.
1 of 2 | Former Rep. Barney Frank speaks in 2022 during a signing ceremony for the Respect for Marriage Act, which requires the U.S. federal government to recognizing the validity of same-sex and interracial marriages in the United States, in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Frank died Tuesday at age 86. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
May 20 (UPI) —Barney Frank, a former Massachusetts congressman who was instrumental in overhauling the country’s financial regulations and was one of the first openly gay members of Congress, died at his home in Maine. He was 86.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., worked with Frank in Congress for decades. Pelosi called him “a real mentor” and said she learned a lot from him.
“He has been about idealism and pragmatism to get the job done,” she told NBC News.
Frank served in the House of Representatives for more than 30 years and led the House Financial Services Committee from 2007 to 2011. One of the successes for which he was best known was the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, which he co-sponsored with Sen. Chris Dodd. The act, a response to the 2008 financial crisis, tightened regulations on Wall Street, preventing banks from taking part in the riskiest behaviors and protecting consumers.
Frank was one of the first U.S. politicians to come out as gay voluntarily — in a 1987 interview with the Boston Globe, a statement he followed with “So what?” He became the first member of Congress to marry a same-sex partner when he wed Jim Ready in 2012. Ready survives him.
“I think the key to our having made the enormous progress we made in defeating anti-gay prejudice had to do with all of us coming out and people discovering the gap between between our reality and the way we were painted,” Frank said in an interview last month with NBC News.
Frank was also known for championing civil rights and women’s rights and advocating for issues including environmental protection and abortion rights.
“I’m a left-handed gay Jew,” he often said, The New York Times reported. “I’ve never felt, automatically, a member of any majority.”
Frank’s first book, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage, was published in 2015. His second, The Hard Path to Unity: Why We Must Reform the Left to Rescue Democracy, is expected to be published in September.
In Frank, he wrote that he’d been good at his job but in retirement, he was ready to be “good at life.”
Brandon Clarke
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (R) and Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole reach out for a rebound in San Francisco on May 7, 2022. Clarke died at the age of 29 on May 11. Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA
Oscar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar called Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin ‘monsters’ during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, where he wore a Palestine solidarity pin.
Despite a raft of unrelated agreements resulting from talks between President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, the pair failed to make progress on a long-planned 1,615 mile second pipeline from Siberia to supply China with natural gas. Photo by Alexander Kazakov/EPA
May 20 (UPI) — Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday failed to make progress on a long-planned 1,615-mile pipeline to supply China with an annual 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia’s Yamal field in Siberia.
The Power of Siberia 2 project negotiations on the final day of Putin’s two-day state visit to Beijing stalled due to differences over the timetable, financing and cost of the gas with Beijing holding out for a price of around 12-13 cents per cubic meter, in line with the cost in the domestic Russian market.
Moscow and Beijing signed a binding contract to develop the project during Putin’s last visit to China in September but left the details to be ironed out down the line.
Russia wants a similar deal to that for Power of Siberia 1, which experts projected would mean the price of the gas would be at least double the 12-13 cents figure.
The talks yielded 20 other trade and technology agreements and while a joint leaders’ statement talked of boosting their “comprehensive partnership” and shared vision “for a multipolar world and a new type of international relations,” the summit produced no breakthroughs of any great significance.
Analysts said the power imbalance in the Sino-Russia relationship — one where Russia needed China more than China needed Russia — was on full display during Putin’s visit.
Putin said that as one of China’s largest energy suppliers, Russia was ready to “reliably” meet fast-growing Chinese demand for oil, gas and coal.
“Russia and China are actively cooperating in the energy sector. Our country is one of the largest exporters of oil, natural gas, including liquefied gas, and coal to China. We are, of course, ready to continue to reliably ensure uninterrupted supplies of all these fuels to the rapidly growing Chinese market,” Putin said in comments that made no reference to the pipeline.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the sides had “reached an understanding on the project’s main parameters” in Wednesday’s talks but that “some nuances remain to be ironed out.”
Beijing, which is looking to Russia to ameliorate the energy shock from the severe disruption to its supplies of oil and LNG caused by the Iran war and the closure of the Hormuz Strait, has already imported 35% more Russian oil in the January to March quarter than in the same period in 2025.
“Both China and Russia need each other, but Russia clearly needs China more than before at the global stage. Given today’s international environment, deep co-operation with China is extremely important for Russia in dealing with many of its current challenges,” Zheng Runyu, of the Centre for Russian Studies in Shanghai, told the BBC.
Wreathes are seen amongst the statues at the Korean War Veterans Memorial during Memorial Day weekend in Washington on May 27, 2023. Memorial Day, which honors U.S. military personnel who died while in service, is held on the last Monday of May. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Mirae Asset Group founding Chairman Park Hyeon-joo delivers a keynote speech at the launch event for the “Sage Beyond” platform in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo by Mirae Asset Securities
SEOUL, May 20 (UPI) — South Korea’s Mirae Asset Securities said Wednesday it launched the “Sage Beyond” platform geared toward sharing its insights with young business leaders.
The Seoul-based brokerage house said Sage Beyond would pass on its philosophy of innovation-driven growth.
The platform came to light when Mirae Asset Group founding Chairman Park Hyeon-joo delivered a keynote speech to about 140 participants. He is often referred to as South Korea’s Warren Buffett, the legendary U.S. investor.
Park shared insights into the mindset and strategic vision needed for the next generation of leaders, stressing innovation and sustainable long-term growth, according to the company.
It said it plans to strengthen partnerships with young executives through various programs linked to Sage Beyond, including regular forums focused on macroeconomic insights.
The introduction of Sage Beyond is also part of the company’s broader effort to upgrade its premium wealth management service brand, “Sage,” it said.
While Sage Beyond targets young business leaders in their 30s and 40s, “Sage Jr.” is aimed at university-age children from client families as a next-generation leadership development program.
“Sage Beyond is a platform designed to build partnerships with young leaders who value innovation,” Mirae Asset Securities said in a statement. “By continuously providing insights on management and investment, we hope to help them achieve sustainable growth.”
The share price of Mirae Asset Securities dipped 6.63% on the Seoul bourse Wednesday, while the broader KOSPI edged down 0.86%.
Football’s world governing body, FIFA, has framed the 2026 World Cup’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams as a watershed moment for inclusivity, opening the door for nations that have never qualified before.
Indeed, four teams will be playing at their first World Cup in North America this summer: Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
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Here is Al Jazeera’s short guide to the debutants at this year’s competition.
Cape Verde
FIFA world ranking: 69
World Cup fixtures (Group H): Spain (June 15, Atlanta), Uruguay (June 21, Miami, US), Saudi Arabia (June 26, Houston, US)
Player to watch: Garry Rodrigues
With a population of about 525,000, the small archipelago off the coast of Senegal will become the third-least populous country to participate in a World Cup after Curacao and Iceland.
Ryan Mendes is not even a household name in Turkiye, where he plays for second-tier Igdir, but Cape Verde’s 35-year-old captain was at the heart of their 3-0 win over Eswatini in October, which booked their place at the World Cup.
This was no freak occurrence as Cape Verde topped their group at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which included Ghana, reaching the quarterfinals where they lost on penalties to South Africa.
Although they failed to reach AFCON 2025, they again topped their group in 2026 World Cup qualifying – this time finishing ahead of the once-mighty Cameroon.
“We have taken part in four African Cup of Nations tournaments, and we were also very close to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup,” Mendes told the AFP news agency.
“A lot has been achieved over the years. And today, we can say that this is the logical outcome.”
Garry Rodrigues of Cape Verde is challenged by Onni Valakari of Finland during a match in March [Phil Walter/Getty Images]
Cape Verde rely heavily on their Portuguese colonial past for a supply of diaspora talent, and also have several Dutch-born players, as well as one from Ireland – the Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto Lopes. The Dublin-born 33-year-old has a Cape Verdean father and Irish mother and was reportedly recruited for Cape Verde via LinkedIn.
The team’s best-known player, however, is probably 35-year-old winger Garry Rodrigues; now at Cypriot club Apollon Limassol, he has had stints at the likes of Galatasaray and Olympiacos.
But even without mega-star names, Mendes is certain that the Blue Sharks can make a mark at the tournament.
“One thing’s for sure: we’re not going there just to play three games and come home,” he said.
Curacao
FIFA world ranking: 82
World Cup fixtures (Group E): Germany (June 14, Houston, US), Ecuador (June 20, Kansas City, US), Ivory Coast (June 25, Philadelphia, US)
Player to watch: Tahith Chong
“Small island, big dreams” reads a poster for the football team of the Caribbean island of Curacao – the smallest country ever, by population, to qualify for football’s World Cup.
Since Curacao clinched qualification with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Steven McClaren’s Jamaica in November, the 160,000 inhabitants of the Dutch island famed for its eponymous sapphire liqueur are riding the crest of the Blue Wave, as the national side is dubbed.
The most famous person around the squad is Curacao’s boss Dick Advocaat, the 78-year-old former Netherlands, PSV and Rangers manager who guided the Curacaoans to qualification. He is set to become the oldest manager ever at a World Cup.
Meanwhile, as a self-governing entity within the Netherlands, the island owes its World Cup squad entirely to its Dutch-based diaspora, the president of Curacao’s football federation, Gilbert Martina, admitted.
“All the players on the national team play in foreign leagues,” he told AFP.
Perhaps the best-known player is former Dutch youth international Tahith Chong, now at Championship side Sheffield United. The only team member born on Curacao, Chong moved to the Netherlands at the age of 13.
The 26-year-old winger or attacking midfielder is known for his pace, dribbling and a wicked left foot.
The most famous Curacaoan is probably former Ajax and Barcelona star Patrick Kluivert, who was born to a Surinamese father and a mother from Curacao.
“It’s fantastic that the island is in the World Cup,” Kluivert, who coached the Curacaoan side between 2015 and 2016, told AFP.
“In my day, [football] was not that big on the island, but the players have given Curacao visibility. It’s important for the future, for the next generation.”
Jordan
FIFA world ranking: 63
World Cup fixtures (Group J): Austria (June 16, San Francisco, US), Algeria (June 22, San Francisco, US), Argentina (June 27, Dallas, US)
Player to watch: Musa Al-Taamari
Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami has called on his players to emulate Morocco’s shock run to the last four of the World Cup in 2022 as they prepare for their first appearance at the tournament.
“In big competitions, many teams can surprise. My country, Morocco, reached the semifinals in the last World Cup,” Reuters quoted him as saying during a training camp in Antalya, Turkiye in late March. “That gives us belief.”
Despite their underdog status, the players say they are not going to the World Cup just to make up the numbers.
“For us, we are not going just for participation,” midfielder Noor Al-Rawabdeh added. “We are aiming to go as far as we can in the tournament.
“To be honest, sometimes we don’t sleep when we think about it,” he added. “It’s a dream come true for us.”
Jordan’s Musa Al-Taamari, left, in action with Qatar’s Akram Afif during the AFC Asian Cup final in 2024, which Qatar won 3-1 [Robert Cianflone/Getty Images]
The Rennes winger Musa Al-Taamari is probably the team’s standout player – he was the key creative force as Jordan secured an automatic berth at the World Cup after finishing second behind South Korea in their Asian qualifying group.
Sellami said the camp in Antalya, which involved games against Costa Rica and Nigeria, was a key stage in building experience before facing elite opposition.
“We are preparing step by step. We’ve played against different football cultures,” he said.
“We are collecting experience and, Inshallah [God willing], we will surprise many people.”
Uzbekistan
FIFA world ranking: 50
World Cup fixtures (Group K): Colombia (June 17, Mexico City, Mexico), Portugal (June 23, Houston, US), DR Congo (June 27, Atlanta, US)
Player to watch: Abdukodir Khusanov
Uzbekistan FA Vice President Ravshan Irmatov is no stranger to the World Cup, having refereed at three finals, but believes the Central Asian country’s long-awaited qualification is merely the latest step in its football development.
“Qualifying for the World Cup has been a dream for 38 million people for 34 years,” Irmatov said. “You can understand how important it was for the Uzbek nation, we waited so long.”
Uzbekistan’s first qualification comes after seven attempts to secure a finals spot since the country was granted FIFA membership in 1994 following the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Slovenian coach Srecko Katanec guided a team built primarily on home-based talent to the cusp of the finals before health issues forced him to stand down, leaving Olympic team coach Timur Kapadze to secure the ticket for the 2026 tournament.
Abdukodir Khusanov became the first Uzbek to play in the Premier League when he joined City last year [File: Alex Livesey/Getty Images]
Captain Eldor Shomurodov, on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir from Roma, is the country’s top scorer with 44 goals in 90 games and scored 21 Turkish Super League goals this season.
But the team’s best-known player is probably Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov. The 22-year-old centre back has become a key part of the defence this season, well-regarded for his positional play, pace, strength and quiet leadership.
Uzbekistan confirmed their place at the finals with a 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in June, and since then, former Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro has taken over as coach.
“I’ll tell you what I always repeat to my players: for the first time you will play in a World Cup, you have nothing to lose,” Cannavaro was quoted as saying by The Mirror newspaper in March.
“Approach every match with maximum calm, enjoy yourselves as much as possible, and if you feel anxiety, let it be positive anxiety.”
Arsenal have ended a 22-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions after Manchester City were held 1-1 by Bournemouth.
Mikel Arteta’s men held off the challenge of Pep Guardiola’s second-place City on Tuesday night to seal a long-awaited triumph with one game to spare.
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Here are the key factors that helped the Gunners finally get over the line after three seasons as runners-up:
Back to basics
Arsenal’s title-winning campaign has been ugly at times. For a couple of seasons, Arteta’s Arsenal have been the emblem of a more back-to-basics approach in English football.
The era of pretty passing under Guardiola and heavy-metal football under Jurgen Klopp has given way to set pieces, long throw-ins and long balls from the back.
It is a world Arsenal have mastered with Gabriel Magalhaes a menace at corners, Declan Rice key with his pinpoint throws and dead-ball deliveries, and Victor Gyokeres a more robust out-and-out striker.
Often derided by rival fans as “Set Piece FC” for a lack of creativity, specialist coach Nicolas Jover has devised a series of inventive schemes to give Arsenal an edge.
More than 40 percent of the Gunners’ Premier League goals this season have come from dead ball situations. Of their 28 goals from set pieces, 18 have come from corners, a new single-season Premier League record.
Meanwhile, the Gunners easily have the best defensive record in the league, conceding just 26 goals in 37 games this season, and it is that solidity and sturdiness that will define this title-winning team.
Rice’s leadership, Raya’s saves, Gyokeres’s goals
Rice and goalkeeper David Raya have stood out for Arsenal this season, putting them among the favourites for English football’s Player of the Year award.
Rice’s leadership, energy in midfield and set-piece delivery have made him an integral member of the team and one of England’s key players heading into the World Cup.
Raya has helped Arsenal keep 19 clean sheets, earning him the Golden Glove award for the third straight year.
“David Raya, for me, has to be the player of the season,” former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira told Sky Sports. “I think he was outstanding from the first game until the end of the season. I think he was really impressive.”
Throw in Gyokeres scoring 21 goals in all competitions in his first season at the club and it is clear that Arteta has built the most well-rounded team of his tenure.
Arsenal’s David Raya and Declan Rice in action with West Ham United’s Pablo [File: Tony O’Brien/Reuters]
Strength in depth
Injuries played a ruinous role in Arsenal’s failed pursuit of Liverpool last season.
The decision to invest heavily in bulking out Arteta’s squad paid off this season despite injuries to Saka, Magalhaes, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber.
New signings Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera have all made significant contributions to get Arsenal over the line in the Premier League and within one game of winning the Champions League for the first time.
Gyokeres in action against Burnley [File: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images]
Unorthodox methods
Finishing as runners-up in the Premier League for the past three years saw Arsenal’s players and Arteta derided as “nearly men”, even chokers, by many football pundits.
An alternative view is that it built up the prerequisite experience and resolve to finally launch a successful tilt at the title.
Arteta kept believing in his squad – and kept coming up with unorthodox, ridicule-inviting methods to inspire his players. A professional pickpocket was reportedly hired for a preseason dinner and took items from players, highlighting the need for them to be alert at all times.
Arteta brought a lightbulb into the locker room before one game, linking that to his demand for the team to shine and light up Emirates Stadium. Just a few weeks ago, TikTok videos featuring fan chants were played on big screens during practice sessions.
Arsenal have been mentally tougher this season, holding on after yet another strong start to the campaign and seeing it through to the end despite City’s trademark late-season rally.
Faltering rivals
Arsenal accumulated more points two years ago when they were pipped to the title by City despite winning 16 of their final 18 games.
Over the past decade, City and Liverpool have often set the bar high, winning the league with more than 90 points.
This time, 82 was enough to see Arsenal over the line.
Despite taking the title race into the final week of the campaign, City lacked the same consistency and relentlessness of Guardiola’s best sides while Liverpool’s title defence imploded.
Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s football club coach who filmed players in changing rooms, has been banned for life.
Published On 20 May 202620 May 2026
European football’s governing body says it has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s football coach who secretly filmed his players.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following an investigation into allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17. According to the indictment cited by the Czech media, Vlachovsky confessed and expressed regret.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19 team.
“This is a deeply serious and distressing matter which came to light in 2023 and had a significant impact on our club, and above all on the players affected,” a spokesperson for FC Slovacko told the Reuters news agency.
“From the moment we became aware of the allegations, the club acted immediately, terminated its cooperation with the former coach, and cooperated with the relevant authorities.
“Throughout this process, the club has regarded itself as an injured party and has treated the matter with the utmost seriousness, sensitivity and respect for those affected.”
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world football governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the wellbeing of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
May 20 (UPI) — In its eighth war powers resolution vote since the United States went to war with Iran, the U.S. Senate has advanced legislation seeking to curb President Donald Trump‘s ability to engage in conflict with Tehran.
Senate Democrats have repeatedly used War Power Resolution privileges to force votes on ending Trump’s use of military force in the Middle Eastern country without congressional approval and have vowed to continue to do so for as long as necessary.
In its eighth vote on the resolution Tuesday, Democrats were able to court enough Republican votes to advanced the measure in a 50-47 result, with three lawmakers not voting.
The Democratic victory is largely procedural, as it discharges the resolution from committee for floor consideration, limited debate and a final vote on whether to send it to the House for consideration.
The Democrats have slowly cobbled together a handful of Republican votes as the war and its effects on the economy drag on.
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote to push the legislation over the threshold on Tuesday, days after thee 15-year-veteran lost the Republican primary to Rep. Julia Letlow, whom Trump endorsed in turning against Cassidy for voting to convict him during his second impeachment trial in 2021.
“While I support the administration’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury,” he said in a social media statement, referring to the Defense Department name for its military operation against Iran.
“In Louisiana, I’ve heard from people, including President Trump’s supporters, who are concerned about this war. Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified.”
Since the war began on Feb. 28 with the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, Democrats have been accusing the Trump administration of waging an unlawful war, stating the Constitution mandates that only Congress can authorize such military force.
The president is required to end the use of U.S. forces after 60 days unless Congress authorizes the action or extends the deadline, which was May 1.
Trump argues the resolution effort is moot, stating the conflict is over, and pointing to the fragile cease-fire announced in April.
The cease-fire “gives you additional time,” he told reporters earlier this month, describing the Democrats behind the legislative effort as “not patriotic people.”
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the sponsor of Tuesday’s bill, said he was grateful that “enough of my colleagues stood up for the Constitution and listened to their constituents.”
“President Trump’s deeply unpopular war of choice in Iran has imposed a tremendous cost on the American people — including deaths and injuries of our service members and soaring gas prices,” he said in a statement.
The vote, he continued, sends “a strong message” to the Trump administration “that the American people aren’t interested in more war in the Middle East.”
The other three Republicans to vote in favor of the resolution were Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has been the lone Democrat to consistently vote with the Republicans on this war powers measure.
China’s Xi Jinping has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing. The two leaders praised their strong ties, and spoke about the importance of maintaining their ‘comprehensive partnership’.
Taijul Islam’s six-for helps Bangladesh bowl out the visitors for 328 in their first home series win over Pakistan.
Published On 20 May 202620 May 2026
Bangladesh have sealed a historic home Test series win over Pakistan after handing the visitors a 78-run defeat in their second Test in Sylhet.
Spinner Taijul Islam took six wickets to lead the spirited home side’s series win on the fifth day of the match on Wednesday.
Pakistan, who started the day on 316-7 while chasing a record 437, were bowled out for 328 in the first session after Mohammad Rizwan hit a valiant 94.
It was Bangladesh’s first Test series win at home against Pakistan and their second successive sweep after their 2-0 triumph on Pakistani soil in 2024.
Wicketkeeper Rizwan kept Pakistan in the hunt for an unlikely win with a 166-ball stay after the visitors had slumped to 162-5 on day four.
Rizwan put on an eighth-wicket partnership of 54 with overnight partner Sajid Khan, who made 28.
Taijul broke through to dismiss Sajid for his 18th Test five-wicket haul, and Shoriful Islam had Rizwan caught in the next over to end Pakistan’s resistance.
Taijul took the final wicket of Khurram Shahzad to return figures of 6-120 and trigger Bangladesh celebrations.
The left-arm spinner also took 3-67 during Pakistan’s 232 in the first innings.
Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das scored 126 in their 278 in the first innings.
Veteran batsman Mushfiqur Rahim scored 137 in the second to guide Bangladesh to 390, with contributions from Mahmudul Hasan Joy (52) and Litton (69).
Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, won the opening Test by 104 runs.
“I am afraid of dying.” From Bukavu to Kinshasa, concern is spreading among residents and street vendors as Ebola cases rise. In cities hundreds of miles apart, people are wearing face masks and calling for stronger protections from the latest outbreak in DR Congo.
