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The ‘Blue Wave’ – the enviable nickname given to Curacao’s national football team – will soon be surging across to North America.

The tiny Caribbean island of just over 150,000 people and covering only 443 square kilometres (171 square miles) will become the smallest country ever to compete at a FIFA World Cup when the 2026 tournament kicks off on June 11.

Curacao, a self-governing entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, scripted a fairytale story to secure qualification. Now, as one of four debutants at the tournament, the island nation will look to give its people more reasons to celebrate as their team plays in football’s most prestigious global competition.

Here’s everything you need to know about Curacao in Al Jazeera’s World Cup minnows series:

Where is Curacao?

It is 60km (37 miles) off the coast of Venezuela.

Willemstad, in the south of the island, is the capital.

How did Curacao qualify for the World Cup?

Curacao endured two challenging qualification rounds to punch their maiden World Cup final ticket.

They played 10 matches, won seven and finished their campaign unbeaten.

Curacao’s journey began in the second round of the CONCACAF qualifiers. They upset Barbados, Aruba, Saint Lucia and Haiti, scoring 15 goals to remain unbeaten.

In the third and final qualification round, they were in Group B alongside heavyweights Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Bermuda.

Curacao drew 0-0 in Trinidad and Tobago in the first match before defeating Bermuda 3-2 on their home turf. Playing at home, they beat Jamaica 2-0, sending an unequivocal warning to their opponents that World Cup qualification was their clear goal.

In the next game, they drew 1-1 with Trinidad and Tobago before thrashing Bermuda 7-0.

Defying the odds in a crucial final fixture against Jamaica last November, goalkeeper Eloy Room and a resolute Curacao defence kept the Reggae Boyz at bay, holding on for a goalless draw. But the stalemate was not without drama; in stoppage time, Jamaica were awarded a penalty, only for a VAR review to overturn the decision that proved decisive.

The resulting draw secured Curacao top spot in Group B and sealed the most remarkable chapter in their World Cup journey.

“It’s an impossibility that is made possible,” winger Kenji Gorre told the Guardian newspaper. “It’s literally impossible for such a small island, such a small 150,000 population, and now to go to the biggest pinnacle of football is unbelievable.”

Curacao are by far the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup, which is being expanded to 48 teams for the first time. Previously, the smallest country to qualify for the tournament was Iceland in 2018, with a population of around 350,000.

Have Curacao played at a major tournament?

The nation state successor to the Netherlands Antilles in international competition, it only began competing as Curacao after 2010, and first appeared in FIFA World Cup qualifying under the new name before the Brazil 2014 tournament.

With many of their players based in the Netherlands but boasting heritage from the southern Caribbean island, Curacao quickly became a footballing nation on the rise in the CONCACAF region, winning their first World Cup two-legged qualifying tie against Montserrat in 2015.

Two years later, the team qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time, though they crashed out in the group stage, losing all their fixtures. But in 2019, they bounced back in style, reaching the quarterfinals, where they lost to the eventual runner-up, the United States.

Curacao came close to reaching the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, only to be eliminated by Panama in the penultimate round of qualification.

What is Curacao’s FIFA ranking?

Ten years ago, Curacao were 150th in the FIFA world rankings. Now they have jumped to 82nd.

Who will Curacao face at the World Cup?

Curacao are in Group E, alongside former champions Germany, Ecuador and African heavyweights Ivory Coast. They will play all group games in the US.

Curacao’s World Cup 2026 matches:

• June 14: Germany vs Curacao – Houston Stadium
• June 20: Ecuador vs Curacao – Kansas City Stadium
• June 25: Curacao v Ivory Coast – Philadelphia Stadium

Curacao’s head coach carousel

Veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat led Curacao to their first-ever World Cup, calling it the “craziest thing” he had achieved in a managerial career spanning nearly four decades.

But four months before the tournament, he stepped down from the post due to his daughter’s ill health.

Fellow Dutchman Fred Rutten, who previously managed Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Schalke 04, was later named the replacement and looked set to lead them at the World Cup.

But there was another twist: on May 11 – exactly a month out from the tournament – Rutten stepped down to protect the squad’s professional environment after calls from players ⁠and sponsors to reinstate Advocaat.

A day later it was swiftly announced that the 78-year-old would return to the head coaching role following improvements in his daughter’s medical condition, according to reporting from ESPN. Advocaat’s reappointment makes him the oldest manager in World Cup history.

Who are Curacao’s key players?

Forward Gervane Kastaneer was Curacao’s top scorer during qualifying with five goals in six matches, which included a hat-trick against Saint Lucia.

Striker Rangelo Janga, Curacao’s all-time leading scorer with 21 goals, bagged a hat-trick against Barbados, while Juninho Bacuna and Gorre scored three goals in total during that phase.

Livano Comenencia, a 22-year-old right-back and Tahith Chong, a 26-year-old midfielder who is a product of the Manchester United academy, are promising players in Curacao’s squad.

What is the Dutch connection in Curacao’s squad?

The majority of the squad are Dutch-born, but have family links that make them eligible to play for Curacao.

Many represented the Netherlands in age-group teams, such as central midfielder Juninho, who played for the Dutch U-18, U-20 and U-21 teams. His older brother, Leandro, also played for the Netherlands’ youth sides before representing Curacao at senior level.

Juninho, who switched allegiance from the Netherlands to Curacao in 2019, said it was a “big decision”.

“At that time, I was only 21 and had a lot of years in front of me to see my chances for the Dutch national team,” he told the BBC. “But I made a choice early to play for Curacao. One of the reasons was that I could play in the same team as my brother, and for the family to see us play together.

“We’re seeing more players that are still young and able to play for Holland, and they come to play for Curacao – and make the team even stronger,” he added.

Chong, who plays for second-tier Sheffield United, is the only squad member born on the island.

How are Curacao preparing for the World Cup?

Curacao played two international friendlies in March, losing 2-0 to China in Sydney before being thrashed 5-1 by Australia in Melbourne. They are due to face Scotland in a friendly in Glasgow in May before heading to the World Cup.

Both Australia and Scotland are also competing in North America this summer.

What can we expect from Curacao?

An uphill task awaits Curacao at the World Cup, beginning with their opening match against four-time champions Germany. Although the Germans suffered a shock group-stage exit in 2022, they remain favourites to top the group and reach at least the quarterfinals.

Curacao fans, however, can expect a determined fight from their team – and perhaps a few goals too. The Caribbean side scored an impressive 28 goals in 10 matches while conceding just five during their World Cup qualifying campaign.

“Generally, if it’s a world championship or European championship, there are always surprises,” coach Rutten told reporters in March. “And why not this year for us?

“We have a team of fighters and they never give up.”

You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool forward Alexander Isak have been named in Sweden’s World Cup squad.

However, the summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States has come too soon for Tottenham forward Dejan Kulusevski, who misses out having not played this season because of a knee injury.

Sweden coach Graham Potter said it was difficult to leave out the 26-year-old.

“A very, very difficult decision in terms of where he [Kulusevski] has been and what he’s done over the last year, where he’s at in terms of his rehab with four and a half weeks to go to that first game,” Potter told a news conference.

Isak, 26, has also had an injury-hit campaign and has only started eight league matches for Liverpool since his £125m British record transfer from Newcastle last summer.

“We obviously hope he finishes the season in Liverpool with some game time,” added Potter. “Our challenge is to get Alex in the best moment of the season and for him to hit top form, because if he does, he’s a world-class player.”

Sweden endured a miserable qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of their group with two points, but their performance in the Nations League gave them a second chance and wins over Ukraine and Poland in the play-offs took them to the finals.

“It’s incredibly exciting – a huge honour for me,” said Potter, who became Sweden manager in October. “The positive response from our supporters has been fantastic, and now we’re looking forward to creating more memories together during the World Cup.”

Gyokeres and Isak are two of 11 British-based players in the squad, which also includes goalkeepers Viktor Johansson (Stoke) and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (Derby) and defenders Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds) and Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa).

Midfielders Yasin Ayari and Lucas Bergvall, who play for Brighton and Tottenham respectively have also been named, as have Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga and Celtic forward Benjamin Nygren.

Sweden are in Group F and play Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico on 14 June (03:00 BST, 15 June) before two games in the United States – against the Netherlands in Houston on 20 June and Japan in Dallas five days later (00:00 BST, 26 June).

SEOUL, May 12 (UPI) — Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, or KHNP, said Tuesday it partnered with Southern Nuclear Operating Co. of the United States to enhance nuclear engineering.

The state-backed enterprise signed a memorandum of understanding at its head office in Gyeongju, around 180 miles southeast of Seoul, with the U.S. nuclear company.

Under the agreement, KHNP said, the two would expand technical exchange programs and share best practices in operating nuclear facilities.

The South Korean company noted the partnership aligns with the efforts over the past few years to shift its operations toward an engineering-based system.

“This agreement is expected to help our engineers broaden their global perspective and provide an opportunity for our engineering system to advance further,” KHNP senior executive Kim Young-seung said in a statement.

“Down the road, we will do our utmost to perfect the Korean-style engineering system through close cooperation with overseas operators and international organizations,” he added.

Last June, KHNP signed a deal worth at least $18 billion to build two nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic. To support the project, the company plans to collaborate with various partners both at home and abroad.

As of the end of last year, KHNP ran a total of 26 nuclear reactors in South Korea. It is also constructing four new reactors in the country. KHNP is not publicly traded.

The presidential chief of staff for policy on Tuesday proposed introducing public dividends to distribute the “fruits” from an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven economic boom.

Kim Yong-beom made the suggestion in a Facebook post, as the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), the country’s main stock index, was heading toward the record-high 8,000-point mark, driven by gains in chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc.

The companies posted record-high profits in the first quarter, highlighting their leadership in the global chip market amid the AI boom.

“The fruits of the AI infrastructure era are not the results generated by certain companies alone … they were produced on a foundation that all the people have built together over half a century,” the presidential policy chief wrote.

He argued that deliberating on how to use the proceeds would “not be optional but necessary if (the companies’) strategic advantage in the distribution network for AI infrastructure creates a structural upcycle and that, in turn, leads to record-breaking tax revenues.”

“Part of these fruits should be structurally returned to the people,” he said.

Kim referred to cases of foreign countries “socially institutionalizing structural excess profits,” such as Norway’s oil-generated profits in the 1990s, and suggested “public dividends” as the name for the program should South Korea introduce such a system.

The policy chief also listed a fund for young entrepreneurs launching startups, a pension program for the elderly and a fund for retraining in the AI era as possible areas that could benefit from the initiative, while stressing the need for social consensus in making such a decision.

“There’s a possibility that South Korea could become the first country to return excess profits from the AI era into people’s lives,” he noted.

Cheong Wa Dae later clarified that Kim’s proposal has nothing to do with any internal discussion or review at the presidential office, describing it as a “personal opinion.”

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

May 10 (Asia Today) — The South Korean government said Sunday that a fire aboard the HMM Namu was caused by strikes from two unidentified flying objects.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il said during an emergency briefing that two unidentified aircraft struck the outer shell of the portside ballast tank near the stern of the HMM Namu twice, about one minute apart, on Monday.

“The objects were captured on CCTV footage, but there are limits to identifying the launch source, exact model and physical size,” Park said.

The government said the incident does not appear to have been caused by a drifting mine or an underwater drone attack. Authorities plan to conduct further analysis of debris collected at the scene to determine the type and size of the objects that struck the vessel.

After an explosion and fire broke out aboard the HMM Namu on Monday, speculation emerged over whether the incident was a simple fire or an attack by Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the vessel acted independently and suggested Iran was responsible. The South Korean presidential office initially said the possibility of an attack appeared low.

Iranian state television reported that force had been used against a South Korean vessel, but the Iranian Embassy in Seoul denied any attack on the ship, adding to confusion over the cause of the fire.

The HMM Namu arrived at a repair shipyard in Dubai on Thursday, and a detailed internal and external inspection was conducted from Friday through Sunday. A joint South Korean government investigation team, including officials from the Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal and the National Fire Agency, was dispatched to the site. The South Korean Consulate General in Dubai also supported the investigation.

The presidential office said the investigation team had completed necessary on-site work and would return to South Korea individually depending on flight availability.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260510010002226

May 11 (UPI) — A criminal court in the Bolivian city of Tarija declared former President Evo Morales in contempt after he failed to appear for trial on charges related to the alleged trafficking of a minor.

The hearing, scheduled for Monday, was expected to begin the final stage of a case investigating Morales’ alleged relationship with a 15-year-old girl in 2015, from which a child was allegedly born.

The contempt ruling triggered measures intended to ensure the appearance of the former leader of the ruling Movement for Socialism, or MAS.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant authorizing security forces to detain Morales anywhere in the country and prevent him from leaving Bolivia. The court also ordered freezing his bank accounts and precautionary registration of his assets.

Prosecutors said they gathered more than 170 pieces of evidence in the case, which were expected to be presented during the trial.

After Morales and his legal team failed to appear in court, the judge applied Bolivian law that prohibits criminal trials in absentia.

“Because the accused failed to appear and did not legally justify his absence, this court issues a contempt ruling,” the judge said, according to Bolivian newspaper El Deber.

The trial will remain suspended until Morales is arrested or voluntarily appears before the court.

Morales’ defense team argued the case already had been addressed and resolved in 2020, adding the former president should not face prosecution again. His lawyers also claimed “there is no victim” and describe the charges as politically motivated, according to Chilean news outlet Emol.

Attorney Nelson Cox, a member of Morales’ legal team, said insufficient security guarantees existed to transport the former president from the Chapare region of Cochabamba. He also described the case as a “political fabrication” intended to block Morales from running for office again, according to Bolivian broadcaster Unitel.

Prosecutors and lawyers representing the alleged victim criticized interruption of the trial.

“It is a mockery of the victims and the judicial system. The evidence is overwhelming and the accused must answer for his actions before the law,” the regional prosecutor’s office said.

Since October 2024, Morales has remained in the Chapare region, his main political stronghold, where he is protected by thousands of supporters and self-defense groups.

At that time, police were unable to execute an earlier arrest order after Morales supporters blocked roads for 24 days to prevent officers from entering the area where he remains sheltered.

The government of President Rodrigo Paz announced Tuesday it would seek information from U.S. judicial authorities to investigate Morales’ alleged links to drug trafficking networks. Bolivian authorities are seeking to participate as a “victim” in ongoing U.S. legal proceedings to gain access to evidence.

One of the most significant cases involves former anti-drug chief Maximiliano Dávila, who was extradited to the United States in December 2024 and sentenced in March to 25 years in prison for conspiracy to import cocaine.

Morales has argued that Dávila’s extradition is part of an effort to pressure him into testifying against the former president in exchange for legal benefits.

Dick Advocaat could make a surprise return as head coach of the Curacao national team after his successor Fred Rutten resigned just a month out from their World Cup debut.

Advocaat made history last November when he led the Caribbean island to the finals but stepped down three months later because of his daughter’s health.

Throughout Rutten’s short tenure, which included defeats to China and Australia in March, Curacao’s football federation (FFK) has been under pressure from players and sponsors to reinstate Advocaat.

On Friday, the FFK put its full support behind 63-year-old Rutten, stating he “will represent Curacao as national head coach during the World Cup”.

However, just three days later, following “open and constructive” talks, Rutten has departed, saying: “A climate that damages professional relationships among players and staff must not be allowed to emerge. It is prudent to step back. Time is pressing and Curacao must move forward.”

Reports in the Dutch media suggest Advocaat, 78, is open to returning to his former role following improvements in his daughter’s health.

Should he return, he will become the oldest coach in World Cup history.

Curacao, the smallest country to qualify for a World Cup, face Germany on 14 June in their Group E opener, with further matches against Ecuador and Ivory Coast.

After the ODIs, England play three T20s against New Zealand before another three against India as their World Cup preparations ramp up.

Their World Cup campaign begins on 12 June against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston.

Key spinner Sophie Ecclestone, 27, also sat out Sunday’s win with a quad problem.

The camp has suggested Ecclestone’s injury is only minor, and she was seen in the gym at Chester-le-Street, but it is not clear if she will be fit for Wednesday. She has only played twice for Lancashire this season.

Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is also missing the New Zealand ODIs because of a left calf tear. She is on course to return for the T20s against the White Ferns.

Should Wong’s issue be worse than feared, the situation is complicated further by a concussion suffered by all-rounder Em Arlott on Sunday.

The 28-year-old would be one of those best placed to take Wong’s place but, after being hit on the head while batting in the nets, has been ruled out of the New Zealand ODI series under concussion protocols.

SUN, sea, sand and an Irish bar – it sounds like a dream and less of a reality to most of us living in the UK.

But for Sean and Aine Rice, this is actually the case, and the two are set to star in an upcoming episode of Channel 4‘s Escape to Florida.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

When it comes to swapping life in the UK for a sun-soaked destination, it seems that most nowadays are heading to the likes of Portugal or far-flung Australia.

But Sean and Aine Rice who are from Northern Ireland, headed the other way across the Atlantic and settled in the USA.

The couple first called New York their home, but in the year 2000 moved to the ‘Sunshine State’ where they settled in Brandon near Tampa before heading to Apollo Beach.

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Talking to Sun Travel, Sean revealed just why he loves Florida so much and reveals that of course, the weather plays a big part in it.

He said: “Any day in the year is good day in Florida, we get great weather throughout the year.

“Even when the extreme heat arrives, Florida is catered for it, so you suffer from the humidity too much.”

Sean has lived in the States for 40 years, and Aine for 27 – together they share two sons and a two-year-old granddaughter.

Both confess that moving to Florida might be a little different now from when they bought their Floridan family home 26 years ago.

Sean told us: “It was extremely cheap back then, you certainly got a lot more house for your buck back in the day.

“Our first house was around £125,000, and it’s around doubled or tripled in price now.”

The couple now live in Apollo Beach which is south of Tampa and is referred to as a ‘boater’s paradise’.

It has over 55 miles of canals and direct access to Tampa Bay with plenty of wildlife swimming around the bay like dolphins and manatees.

There are some disadvantages to life in Florida though as Sean and Aine found in 2024 when their home was severely flooded by Hurricane Helene.

But the couple took repairing their house in their stride and have completely transformed it.

Sean told us: “Home is what you make it, and we turned ours into a mini resort.

“Originally it was a 1,700 square foot house with over 200 feet of water front and we’ve really modernised it.

“We’ve got our own dock, an outdoor shower, a driving range, putting green, space for our kayaks, we have an outdoor kitchen, and we plan on putting a sauna out there too.

“It’s somewhere you can hang out and relax, and there are palm trees that keep you out of the sun.

“We want to enjoy all the elements and the only time we really have to leave is to go shopping – it’s pretty cool.”

As for work, the pair run the Salty Shamrock, an Irish pub in the heart of Apollo Beach.

It serves up classic American meals as well as Irish classics like chicken pot pie, sausage and mash and seaside favourite, fish and chips.

The pub hosts live events and celebrate St Patrick’s Day when it comes around in March.

There’s plenty to do as well, especially when it comes to daytrip.

He said: “When we can, we like to jump on the boat to Fort Myers, have lunch, a few drinks – I’m an avid golfer and there are hundreds of golf courses in Florida.

“I love old Florida too which are the swamps and the everglades with the alligators out there.

“We’re also two hours from Orlando where the theme parks are, and we’re close to Tampa – there’s lots more to do there now especially when it comes to the food scene.

“But mostly, I love to fish on the water.”

Aine agreed adding: “There’s always something to do here, especially if you’re an outdoorsy person from fishing to boating, exploring the state parks or playing sports – I love pickleball at the moment.”

She continued: “I never feel guilty about being indoors when the sun is out like I did in Ireland – there’s a real urge to be outside and I enjoy it very much.”

The couple return to Northern Ireland multiple times a year, so what do they miss the most about their home country?

Aine said: “I miss family and a sense of community because that’s what I feel is missing in Florida, which is why we’ve created that with our bar.”

Sean added: “The people – Irish people are unique, when tourists ask me about Ireland, I say rent a car, get lost and talk to everyone.

“We travel a lot, but I’ve never experienced any place quite like Ireland. I love the coast of Donegal and how rural it all is and that it hasn’t been commercialised.

“I always look forward to going back.”

For anyone keen to make the move from the UK to the US, Sean has some advice to pass on.

He said: “Florida is a great place to live, as long as you do your homework.

“I’d say to come here, you do need some sort of career in mind, or get transferred with a sister company. For someone to come out and just ‘wing it’, it would be a huge uphill battle

“It can be quite the culture shock too in the likes of Apollo Beach – it’s much less fast-paced than New York or London.

“Remember that you don’t get things like free health care, and schools are very different from the UK too.

“And down in Florida, we have a lot of Spanish and Cuban neighbours, so I’d encourage anyone moving here to try and learn Spanish – although I’ve never have.

“Life in Florida has its ups and downs of course, but I’d recommend it to this day.”

Watch Escape to Florida on Monday-Friday on Channel 4 at 4PM.

Catch Sean and Aine’s episode on May 18.

May 11 (UPI) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged a bigger, bolder, more optimistic direction for Britain, with a much closer relationship with the European Union at its heart, as he fought to hold onto his job on Monday following a disastrous showing by his party in elections.

In a speech in London, Starmer acknowledged making mistakes, but said he would prove wrong those who doubt his ability to deliver solutions to the country’s problems, saying Labour needed to bring “a bigger response” than they had believed was necessary when they came into office.

“Incremental change won’t cut it on growth, defense, Europe, energy. We need a bigger response than we anticipated in 2024 because these are not ordinary times, and this is a political challenge, just as much as it’s a party challenge,” he said.

While insisting his government had got “the big political choices right” on issues such as not getting involved in the Iran war and “investment in public services,” Starmer promised to do much more on apprenticeships, technical excellence colleges and special educational needs to guarantee a job, training or internship to every young unemployed Briton.

He also promised the most significant overhaul of ties with the EU since Britain officially left the bloc in 2021.

“This Labour government will be defined by rebuilding our relationship with Europe, by having Britain at the heart of Europe, standing shoulder to shoulder with the countries that most share our interests, our values and our enemies. That is the right choice for Britain,” he said.

Taking questions from reporters afterward, he kicked the question of rejoining the EU single market or customs union down the road to beyond the next election — but did not rule either out.

Starmer vowed he would see off any attempt to topple him after Nigel Farage’s Reform UK made historic gains in English council elections and parliamentary elections in Wales and Scotland, at Labour’s expense, and warned those who wanted him out that it could clear the way for Farage.

“We are not just facing dangerous times, but dangerous opponents, very dangerous opponents,” he said, saying Labour was the only thing preventing the country from going down a very dark path.”

“This is nothing less than a battle for the soul of our nation, and I want to be crystal clear about how we will win, because we cannot win as a weaker version of Reform or the Greens. We can only win as a stronger version of Labour, a mainstream party of power, not protest,” Starmer said.

Starmer had faced possible internal party challenges from senior party figures seeking to replace him and wider calls to set a timetable for his departure after the party’s disastrous performance.

However, the BBC said Starmer’s speech appeared to have defused the immediate threat to Starmer of a contest for the leadership of the party — and therefore the prime ministership — with backbench MP Catherine West criticizing his speech as “too little, too late” but backing down from her threat to force a leadership election today.

However, she said she still wanted him gone by September.

“The results last Thursday show that the PM has failed to inspire hope. What is best for the party and country now is for an orderly transition. I am hereby giving notice to No. 10 that I am collecting names of Labour MPs to call on the Prime Minister to set a timetable for the election of a new leader in September,” she wrote in a post on X.

West said she had the backing of 10 of the 81 MPs required under party rules to formally kick off a challenge by an MP. If and once a nomination receives sufficient backing, that would likely trigger a full-blown race for the leadership.

Assuming he does not resign, as sitting prime minister, Starmer is an automatic candidate in any leadership election if he so wishes. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn fought and won a contest to remove him in 2016, consolidating his authority, although he was leader of the opposition only and not prime minister.

While Labour leaders have resigned under pressure from the party, the cabinet or the public, none has been removed in a formal leadership challenge in post-war Britain.

West is not seeking to replace Starmer herself.

FOUND in a small seaside town in Wales is a railway that was said to be the inspiration for Thomas the Tank Engine.

Talyllyn Railway is celebrating its 75th anniversary this weekend to acknowledge the day when it became a ‘world first’, not to mention that children can enjoy hopping aboard for as little as £5.

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The Talyllyn Railway in the Welsh county of Gwynedd was saved from closure in 1951 by volunteer train enthusiasts.

This was the first time in history that a railway had been taken over by volunteers, and now it’s celebrating 75 years of being ‘The World’s First Preserved Railway’.

One of the very first railway volunteers was actually children’s author Rev Wilbert Awdry who was the creator of beloved character Thomas the Tank Engine.

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It’s said that Wilbert Awdry based some of his stories on his experiences while working at the railway.

One tale in one of the books is from the time when Wilbert left a colleague, the refreshment lady behind at Abergynolwyn which is at the far end of the line.

Railway historian Tim Dunn said the Talyllyn Railway had made its way into a number of Thomas the Tank Engine books.

He even called the railway the “spiritual home” of Thomas the Tank Engine.

The railway is open seasonally with train journeys throughout spring and summer.

The best part is that children can visit the Talyllyn Railway now and hop onboard for as little as £5 with a ‘Child Explorer’ ticket.

An ‘Adult Explorer’ fare starts from £29 – if you fancy reserving whole compartments this is from £155 (which seats up to six passengers).

The one-hour return journeys start from Tywyn Wharf and head to Nant Gwernol stopping in-between at Pendre, Rhydyronen, Brynglas, Dolgoch and Abergynolwyn.

You can even add an Afternoon Tea or Welsh Cream Tea Package to your experience.

On arrival at the Abergynolwyn stop, the teas are set up with fresh scones, cream and jam with a pot of fresh pot of tea or coffee – these start from an extra £6.50 per person.

On-site, the railway has a Narrow Gauge Railway Museum with a collection of items – some of which are 200 years old.

There’s even a special collection dedicated to the author of Thomas the Tank Engine.

The King’s Café and Quarryman’s Caban at Tywyn Wharf Station are open for breakfast, Sunday lunches, takeaways – there’s even a licenced bar.

The railway is a favourite attraction amongst its visitors with over 1,200 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor.

One visitor even said: “I visited for the first time yesterday. No exaggeration, it was the best day of my life.”

Another added: “My wife and I took a trip to this historic railway during their Awdry Extravaganza weekend and loved it. The trip up the valley is beautiful on a sunny day.”

It holds events throughout the year too – and this weekend the railway is holding its 75th Anniversary Gala to celebrate Talyllyn Railway being saved by volunteers.

Across the weekend, special locomotives are taking to the tracks, like an overnight steam train which will return to the railway for the first time in 11 years.

Trains from various eras like the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s all the way to modern day will also be on display.

Other events include Sunset Specials which run on Wednesday and Sunday during spring bank holiday week between 6PM until 9PM for pretty views.

The ‘Railway Adventure’ event is where visitors can travel behind a historic steam locomotives. Guides explain how Talyllyn Railway got to be a world first, and delve into the early days of the Preservation Pioneers.

During ‘The Slate Trail’, passengers can experience a train journey inside a Victorian-era carriage. Tickets for these two experience start from £23.75 for children and £47.50 for adults.

May 11 (UPI) — The remains of one of two U.S. soldiers who disappeared during exercises in Morocco earlier this month have been recovered, the U.S. military said, as the search continues for the other soldier.

A Moroccan military search team found the remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. at 8:55 a.m. Saturday, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa announced Sunday.

USAREUR-AF said Key’s remains were found along the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean within 1 mile of where the two soldiers are believed to have disappeared.

His remains have been transported by the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces via helicopter to the morgue of Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, located about 265 miles southwest of Marrakesh.

Next of kin have been notified and plans are underway to repatriate his remains, officials said.

“Our hearts are with his family, friends, teammates and all who knew and served alongside him,” Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement.

“The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command family is grieving, and we will continue to support one another and 1st Lt. Key’s family as we honor his life and service.”

Key, 27, and a second U.S. soldier went missing May 2 near Cap Draa Training Area, a coastal military training site near Tan-Tan, during African Lion 26, this year’s version of the U.S. military’s largest Africa-based exercise.

Their disappearance is unrelated to the exercises, with military officials believing the pair may have slipped off a cliff during a hike near the training range.

The pair were reported missing at 9 p.m. May 2 during a base-wide head count, and a search was launched.

U.S. military officials said they worked with Moroccan forces, concentrating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets in the search, which involved more than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civilian personnel.

The search effort continues for the remaining missing soldier, they said.

Key was from Richmond, Va., and was a platoon leader assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

USAREUR-AF said he was known at Charlie Battery, which he joined last year, for “the care he showed for his soldiers, his commitment to others and the relationships he built across the formation.”

“Kendrick embodied the highest standards of service as a selfless, inspirational leader whose unwavering dedication to his soldiers and their development leaves an enduring legacy within our ranks,” Lt. Col. Chris Couch, commander of 5-4 ADAR, said in a statement.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued an online statement of condolence.

“Adam and I join Virginians across our Commonwealth in extending our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones,” she said.

May 10 (UPI) — Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has had her long prison sentence suspended and is now in a Tehran hospital, her foundation announced Sunday.

Narges, who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while in prison on charges of spreading “propaganda” against Iran’s Islamic regime, was granted a suspension of her 18-year sentence and transferred by ambulance from a hospital in Zanjan to Tehran Pars Hospital where she will be treated by her own medical team, the foundation said.

“On behalf of the Narges Foundation and her family, we thank the international community for their unwavering solidarity,” the group wrote in a social media post.

“However, a suspension is not enough; Narges Mohammadi requires permanent, specialized care,” they added. “We must ensure she never returns to prison to face the 18 years remaining on her sentence.

“Now is the time to demand her unconditional freedom and the dismissal of all charges. No human and women’s rights activists should ever be imprisoned for their peaceful work.”

Mohammadi’s attorney Mostafa Nili said the order suspending her sentence was issued after a determination by Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization that she requires “specialized care outside of prison under the supervision of her own medical team due to multiple illnesses.”

The renowned activist has a history of heart attacks, chest pain, high blood pressure, as well as spinal disc issues, and her detention has been denounced by supporters as a human rights violation.

in a career of human rights advocacy beginning in the 1990s, Mohammadi has been arrested by the Islamic regime 13 times, convicted her five times and sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes, her backers say.

SEOUL, May 10 (UPI) — South Korea’s KB Financial Group unveiled a humanoid robot for senior care during AI EXPO Korea 2026 held in southern Seoul.

During the three-day event last week, KB Financial showcased the humanoid robot, named “GenP,” which was jointly developed with domestic AI company GENON.

KB Financial noted that GenP was specifically designed for senior care, as it is equipped with upgraded finger-module capabilities to perform precise movements suited for assisting elderly users.

During the exhibition, the humanoid robot carried out five demonstrations, including greeting visitors and delivering daily information, such as rehabilitation schedules.

The Seoul-based financial conglomerate said that the presentation demonstrated its transition from text-based agentic AI to physical AI geared toward engaging directly with the everyday lives of senior customers.

Next month, KB Financial’s affiliate plans to introduce an AI-powered care robot, dubbed “KeBi,” at a South Korean facility for senior citizens.

South Korea is widely regarded as having one of the world’s fastest-aging societies, as the proportion of people age 65 or older topped 20% of the population. As of the end of last year, it was 21.21%, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

“Starting with this demonstration, we plan to gradually verify the feasibility of applying physical AI to care settings. Based on those results, we will further expand our service scope and business operations,” KB Financial said in a statement.

“Going forward, we will concentrate our capabilities on realizing the future of senior care solutions, which combine advanced technology and compassionate care,” it said.

The share price of KB Financial rose 0.31% on the Seoul bourse Friday.

May 10 (UPI) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s job was hanging in the balance Sunday in the aftermath of the worst local council election results for his Labor Party in its long history, analysts said.

Political rivals were circling around the prime minister after the ruling party’s support on councils in England and in devolved Parliaments in Scotland and Wales collapsed in Thursday’s voting, leave the right-wing Reform UK and left-wing Green Party as the biggest electoral winners.

In what was termed a “total bloodbath,” a “calamity” and a “wipe-out,” Labor was voted out of power in 40 local councils, losing about 1,500 councilors along the way, with the vast majority of the seats being seized by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

Starmer’s party also lost the Welsh Senedd to Plaid Cymru, surrendering its control of the body for the first time since the Welsh parliament was created in 1999.

The results came during what is essentially the mid-point of the Starmer government’s five-year term following Labor’s lopsided victory over the Conservative Party in 2024, and he vowed on Friday that he would not stand aside.

Labor, he said, was elected to meet the challenges faced by everyday Britons “and I’m not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos.

“I led our party to that victory, that is a five-year mandate to change the country. It was a five-year term I was elected to do, I intend to see that through.”

But the scale of last week’s losses have prompted calls for the prime minister’s resignation. As of Sunday, more than 40 Labor members of Parliament have publicly called on him stand aside.

“It is clear that Keir has fought his last election as Labor leader and, deep down, he will know it,” Labor MP Richard Burgon said in a statement. “The party should now work towards a timetable for an orderly transition to a new leader by the end of this year.”

“When you’re the leader, the buck stops with you,” Labor MP David Baines told the BBC. “There’s no doubt his popularity has plummeted and we’ve heard it on the doorstep.”

Starmer’s main party rivals spent Sunday voicing warnings that he rethink his determination to hang on to power ahead of what will likely be a “make-or-break” speech on Monday in which the prime minister is expected to outline sweeping changes to his government’s direction.

Angela Rayner, Starmer’s former deputy prime minister, issued what amounted to an ultimatum that he avoid mere “policy tweaks” and instead implement a sharp progressive turn to win back voters who are deserting Labor for the Green Party.

“The prime minister must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs,” she said. “Change our economic agenda to prioritize making people better off, change how we run our party so that all voices are listened to, and change how we do politics.

“Labor exists to make working people better off. That is not happening fast enough, and it needs to change — now.”

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has told Starmer he is preparing to make a bid for the top job should the prime minister resign or be forced from office, The Telegraph reported Sunday.

The favorite candidate of the “soft left,” Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, has been blocked by Labor’s National Executive Committee from standing as a parliamentary candidate in a move engineered by Starmer in January.

But Rayner on Sunday called for Starmer to lift Burnham’s ban in the greater interests of the party and the country.

May 10 (UPI) — Iran has communicated its response Sunday through a mediator to a proposal by the United States to end the war, its state media reports.

The Islamic Republic News Agency reported Sunday that Iran’s response has been sent through Pakistan, which has mediated talks between Iran and the United States. IRNA did not share details about what the response was.

“According to the proposed plan, negotiations at this stage will focus on the issue of ending the war in the region,” IRNA said.

The war has centered on the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with U.S. and Iranian forces continuing to exchange fire in the Persian Gulf region as recently as Saturday.

“We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat,” Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian posted on social media Sunday. “Rather, the goal is to uphold the rights of the Iranian nation and to defend national interests with resolute strength.”

Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said on Fox News on Sunday that he expects President Donald Trump to remain firm that Iran must abandon its nuclear program.

“We’ll see what the Iranians just came back with overnight in terms of their response to our very clear red line,” Waltz said.

May 10 (UPI) — Israel deported two activists who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza more than a week ago.

Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila were deported on Sunday after Israel’s foreign ministry said it concluded an investigation into the two. It had suspected Abu Keshek, a dual citizen of Spain and Sweden who is of Palestinian origin, of being affiliated with a terrorist organization and suspected Avila of being involved in criminal activity.

The foreign ministry confirmed on social media that Abu Keshek and Avila were deported on Sunday.

Abu Keshek and Avila were part of the flotilla of 22 boats and nearly 175 activists that was intercepted off the Greek island Crete more than a week ago. Armed Israeli naval troops boarded the vessels, destroyed their engines and blocked communications, preventing the flotilla from reaching Gaza, more than 700 miles away.

Hadeel Abu Salih, an attorney who represented Abu Keshek and Avila during their detention, called the detention of them and other activists unlawful and a “sham proceeding with no legal basis, intended to punish them for attempting to challenge Israel’s illegal blockade on Gaza.”

Abu Salih is part of the rights group Adalah. It alleges that they were subject to “psychological abuse” during their detainment.

The Global Sumud Flotilla released a statement on Saturday calling for sanctions against Israel for the detainment of activists.

“We demand explanations from the European Union, and specifically, Greece, after days of silence and complicity, and we call for immediate sanctions against Israel for this illegal abduction and for the constant violations of international law and human rights of the Palestinian people,” the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement.

Addressing reporters on a recent flight to Algeria, Pope Leo XIV invoked the Gospel, called himself a peacemaker and pledged to keep speaking out on behalf of the downtrodden.

“Too many people are suffering in the world today,” he said. “Too many innocent people are being killed, and I think someone has to stand up.”

Pontiffs have a tradition of weighing in on global strife, and Leo’s words were in keeping with long-standing church teaching. Appearing in front of reporters in this fashion was also not new: Pope John Paul II began taking questions from journalists on the papal plane in the 1970s.

But the first American pope was in fact wading into an unprecedented political tempest — responding to a series of broadsides from President Trump that drew Leo into debates over the war with Iran, immigration policies and more, all while Catholics in the U.S. and around the world looked on.

Missionaries from Austin, Texas, gather for prayer in St. Peter’s Square on May 11, 2025.

(Marco Di Lauro / Getty Images)

With no permanent peace deal in sight to end the war, two of Trump’s top lieutenants — Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both Catholics and potential 2028 presidential candidates — have also been pulled into the fray. On Thursday, Rubio met Pope Leo at the Vatican in what he said was a long-planned diplomatic visit. Next month, Vance will release a memoir, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” detailing his 2019 conversion to Catholicism.

Trump’s invective has not abated, even in the week his chief diplomat met the pontiff. Ahead of Rubio’s visit, Trump repeated his claim that Leo was “just fine” with Iran developing a nuclear weapon. In response, Leo said that his critics should go after him “truthfully,” noting that the Catholic Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons.

Against the backdrop of this sparring, Rubio sought to downplay the drama after his official visit to the Holy See, which lasted about two hours. On X, he said the meeting with Leo focused on their “shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.”

The episode has revealed the unique power Leo holds on the U.S. stage, with his inherent understanding of the country’s politics and an ability to deliver his message in an accent that at times reveals his Chicago roots.

“He’s speaking in English and he’s American,” said Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author, most recently of the memoir “Work in Progress.” “People can’t dismiss him as not understanding the United States.”

For weeks, Leo has been asked to respond to a cascade of insults from Trump, including accusations that he is “weak on crime,” that he was chosen as pope because of Trump, and that the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics should “get his act together.”

In measured tones, Leo has repeatedly said he does not want to fight with the president. He counters that he is merely preaching the Gospel. On that flight in April, the pope told journalists: “I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. I don’t want to get into a debate with him.”

He added: “I will continue to speak out loudly, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships.”

He may not be a politician, but Leo’s preaching, ranging from Iran to immigration and global warming, has touched a nerve with Trump. In the U.S., Catholics often serve as a powerful swing vote and hold a wide range of views on those issues. But even in a time of deep division and political malaise, enthusiasm for the pontiff, born and raised in the Chicago area, is hard to dismiss.

Leo’s ascendancy comes as engagement with the Catholic Church appears to be growing in the United States. Though comprehensive data are hard to come by, parishes are reporting renewed interest.

Mark Gray, a senior research associate at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, said there was evidence of an increase in baptisms, a trend that appeared to predate Leo’s election as pope last May.

Some of the new American converts lean more conservative, experts said, part of a broader rise in traditionalism. Amid tensions over whether the church should focus more on traditional issues of morality, such as abortion and marriage, or global concerns like war and migration, Leo has stressed that all are welcome and that he wants the church to function as a big tent.

Making history

U.S. presidents have long sought to court the pope, mindful of the country’s sizable Catholic population and its potential as a swing vote in elections. Woodrow Wilson was the first president to meet with the pope, in 1919, during talks after the end of World War I. Since Dwight Eisenhower made a trip to Rome in 1959, every president has traveled to meet the pope, some more than once.

That includes Trump, who traveled to see Pope Francis in 2017, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump. He also attended Francis’ funeral in 2025.

Asked if there was any precedent for Trump’s clash with the pope, Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, invoked an English king who changed the course of church history: “Henry VIII invites a comparison,” he said. Henry rejected Catholicism in the 1500s and founded a new church in order to ratify a divorce rejected by the pope.

Though Trump — who is not Catholic — has not suggested any such schism, he certainly appears to have discarded most niceties. The president has not apologized for any of his comments, though he did, after widespread backlash, take down a social media post that appeared to depict him as Christ.

Trump is constitutionally blocked from seeking another term, so picking a fight with Pope Leo may not have lasting political implications for him. But it’s a different story for Vance and Rubio, both of whom may need to appeal to the country’s Catholic voters to further their ambitions.

In the 2024 election, the Catholic vote tilted more decisively to the right, with 55% supporting Trump compared with 43% for Kamala Harris, according to the Pew Research Center. Four years earlier, Catholics were evenly divided, with 50% supporting Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, and 49% backing Trump.

Rubio noted as he headed to Rome that “obviously we had some stuff that happened” between the White House and the Vatican. Vance, who has frequently expressed his support for the pope but is also known for his often-punchy defense of the president’s positions, drew some derision in April when he was asked at a conference about Trump’s comments and suggested that Leo should “be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”

Pope Leo XIV exchanges gifts with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the pope’s private library at the Vatican on Thursday.

(Vatican Media via Associated Press)

He later modified his tone, posting on X: “Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he offers his opinions on the moral issues of the day. The President — and the entire administration — work to apply those moral principles in a messy world. He will be in our prayers, and I hope that we’ll be in his.”

Still, the rift could cloud the upcoming release of Vance’s memoir, overshadowing a book meant to burnish a potential 2028 bid with questions about Trump’s antagonism toward the pontiff.

Two Catholics have served as president — Biden and John F. Kennedy. During an era of stronger anti-Catholic sentiment, Kennedy famously gave a speech as a candidate emphasizing the separation of church and state. Biden was more openly devout, attending Mass every weekend and quoting Catholic hymns in his speeches. Vance is the second Catholic vice president, following Biden’s two terms as President Obama’s deputy.

In a statement, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Trump’s social policies were a boon for U.S. Catholics and alluded to electoral politics without mentioning the pope. “President Trump has great respect for the more than one billion Catholics around the world, especially the Catholic Americans who helped power his landslide election victory in 2024,” she said.

The Midwestern pontiff

It’s been a year since the man born Robert Prevost in 1955 stepped out onto the Vatican balcony as pope, a role that predates the United States by nearly 2,000 years. The first American pope’s compatriots quickly seized on his Midwestern upbringing (he’s a White Sox fan) and relatable family dynamics (one of his two brothers supports Trump). In a nod to his Chicago roots, an Iowa-based clothing store, Raygun, began selling a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Da Pope.”

Leo also served for years as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, building a global profile that helped propel him to the papacy. It hasn’t stopped Chicagoans from claiming him as one of their own — even showing up at the Vatican with Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.

Known as “Bob” before becoming Pope Leo, the new pontiff chose a name that clearly signaled his intentions as a leader, invoking memories of Leo XIII, an intellectual considered a pioneer of modern Catholic social teaching and an advocate for workers. Millies said the choice signaled that Leo wants to refocus on justice and care for others as well as the rising threats around the globe. Leo has cited artificial intelligence as one of those challenges.

With a more low-key presence than his predecessor, Pope Francis, some observers have labeled Leo as quiet. But as his tug of war with Trump shows, his messages are frequently not subtle. In fact, his reserved style may be a reflection of his Midwestern roots.

Pope Leo XIV presides over the Prayer Vigil for Peace at St. Peter’s Basilica, on April 11.

(Antonio Masiello / Getty Images)

This mild manner comes across in public statements that nonetheless make a lasting impact.

Last fall, Leo questioned Trump’s decision to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War. “Let us hope it is just a way of speaking,” he said. More recently, he took aim at the president’s preferred method of communication, his social media site Truth Social. Asked about Trump’s vitriol on the platform, Leo said: “It’s ironic — the name of the site itself. Say no more.”

Perhaps no message has been clearer than the pope’s decision on how to spend the Fourth of July this year. For the nation’s 250th birthday, as Trump hosts a giant celebration, the pope will be an ocean away. His plans? Visiting Lampedusa, an Italian island that serves as a stop for migrants traveling to Europe.

Lucey writes for Bloomberg.

May 10 (UPI) — A cruise ship stricken with a hantavirus outbreak is evacuating its nearly 150 passengers in the Spanish island Tenerife on Sunday.

The MV Hondius docked in Tenerife Sunday morning to begin evacuating passengers who will be sent to their home countries. A small boat is being used to transport passengers to shore where they are received by a medical tent.

The first group of passengers left Tenerife on Sunday morning by plane. Fourteen Spanish passengers were boarded on a plane bound for Madrid.

Passengers were seen in face masks and full-body personal protective equipment. They have been isolated from the general public during transport off the vessel.

Before being released from the ship, passengers were screened for symptoms and all were asymptomatic.

The next group of passengers to leave the island will be passengers from the Netherlands, Spain’s health minister Monica Garcia said. Some crew members will also be part of that flight.

Passengers from the United States are set to be received at the University of Nebraska Medical Center where they will be monitored. It is a one-of-a-kind medical facility in the United States with specially designed rooms for the purpose of monitoring.

Three cruise ship passengers have died from hantavirus infection, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Chile has reported a fatality rate of 33% in hantavirus cases this year. Last year it confirmed 44 cases and eight deaths.

May 8 (UPI) — Russia and Ukraine on Friday confirmed a three-day cease-fire and prisoner swap, which they said was agreed to after their leaders spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that the countries agreed to pause the conflict Saturday through Monday, and for both country to swap 1,000 prisoners each that have been captured during the four-year war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the agreement in a post on X, and said that he has instructed his team to “promptly prepare everything necessary for the exchange.”

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov also confirmed the deal, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin found it acceptable and that Russia “welcomes” it, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The deal comes less than a day before Russia celebrates Victory Day, its annual commemoration of the allied powers victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

“This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymir Zelenskyy,” Trump said in the post, referring to calls he placed to both leaders and which they confirmed.

“Hopefully, [the cease-fire] is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, hard fought War,” Trump said. “Talks are continuing on ending this Major Conflict, the biggest since World War II, and we are getting closer and closer every day.”

The cease-fire in the biggest land war in Europe since World War II will include “a suspension of all kinetic activity,” as well as countries returning 1,000 prisoners each to one another.

Zelensky said there had been appeals and signals about a potential cease-fire to start on Saturday because of Victory Day, which motivated it to negotiate the pause and pursue the return of Ukrainians held during the war.

“An additional argument for Ukraine in determining our position has always been the resolution of one of the key humanitarian issues of this war — namely, the release of prisoners of war,” he said. “Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be brought home.”

Ushakov said that Trump, during the call with Putin, emphasized that Russia and the United States were allies during World War II, pointing to Victory Day as a potential date to start a cease-fire.

“An agreement on this matter was reached during our telephone contacts with the U.S. administration,” Ushakov said. “In turn, U.S. representatives were in contact with Kyiv.”

May 8 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Navy will deploy the destroyer Wang Geon to the Gulf of Aden next week with newly upgraded anti-drone defense systems, following heightened security concerns after an explosion aboard a South Korean-operated vessel near the Strait of Hormuz.

Defense Ministry officials said the 4,400-ton destroyer, assigned to the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit, is scheduled to depart from the naval port in Jinhae on May 15.

The deployment comes 10 days after an explosion and fire aboard the HMM Namu cargo vessel near the United Arab Emirates in waters close to the Strait of Hormuz. While South Korean officials later said it remains unclear whether the ship was attacked, the incident intensified concerns over growing threats to commercial shipping in the region.

The Wang Geon is expected to replace the destroyer Dae Jo Yeong in early June as part of the Navy’s regular six-month rotation in the Gulf of Aden.

Military officials and defense analysts said the latest deployment reflects a broader shift in South Korea’s maritime security posture as regional tensions escalate across the Middle East.

The destroyer has reportedly been equipped with enhanced counter-unmanned aerial systems designed to respond to drone and missile threats increasingly seen in the Red Sea and Gulf region.

According to defense industry experts, the upgrades include electronic jamming systems capable of disrupting hostile drones, along with improved integration between the ship’s close-in weapon systems and Rolling Airframe Missile interceptors.

The destroyer’s upgraded combat system is also expected to improve simultaneous threat detection and response capabilities against drone swarm attacks and low-cost unmanned systems.

South Korean officials have closely monitored attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have used drones and cruise missiles to target more than 100 vessels since late 2023, according to international assessments.

The Wang Geon is the fourth Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer operated by the South Korean Navy. The vessel previously served in anti-piracy missions and is now undertaking its 10th overseas deployment.

The ship carries a Korean vertical launch system, anti-submarine missiles and Hyunmoo-3 cruise missiles designed for precision strike operations.

The deployment also follows remarks by President Lee Jae-myung last month supporting multinational efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

During a virtual summit hosted by France and Britain on April 17, Lee said South Korea was a “key stakeholder” in Hormuz security and pledged to make a “practical contribution” to protecting maritime navigation.

Government officials later confirmed the comments signaled Seoul’s willingness to expand the operational scope of the Cheonghae unit beyond the Gulf of Aden.

Military planners are reportedly considering broader operations near the Strait of Hormuz, though officials said any expanded multinational mission could require parliamentary approval.

Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties have argued that participation in multinational military operations during wartime conditions would need National Assembly consent under South Korean law.

The Cheonghae unit was originally established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, but defense analysts say its mission has increasingly evolved toward countering asymmetric threats from state-backed groups and regional militias.

Since its creation, the unit has supported the safe passage of more than 40,000 vessels and gained international attention during the 2011 rescue of the Samho Jewelry crew from Somali pirates.

Officials say the Wang Geon’s upcoming deployment marks a turning point as South Korea expands its role in global maritime security operations amid rising instability in the Middle East.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260508010001759