Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has explained his reasoning for calling up veteran attacker Neymar from Santos as part of the Seleção's 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Neymar returns to the national team after a lengthy absence from the Brazil squad, following Ancelotti's announcement of the 26 players selected for World Cup 2026. The forward had barely featured for Brazil in recent times.

Ancelotti recently addressed why he chose to include Neymar in this squad: "We have been evaluating Neymar throughout the season. He has shown considerable development recently, and his physical condition has also improved. He is an important player, and he will be important in the World Cup."

"Neymar will have the same responsibilities as the other 25 players. He may get playing time or not, sit on the bench or come on as a substitute. He has the same responsibilities as everyone else. He is a player with experience in many areas—both scoring and attacking. We prioritize experience above all."

"We want to be a strong team so we can try to win the World Cup. I'm not afraid to say that we can win it. There are high expectations, and that gives us motivation. It's important for our preparation."

Brazil will compete in Group C of the 2026 World Cup alongside Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland.

On May 19, 2569, Snail Sisodmonty (Snail Luk Peert) spoke confidently to media before his bout on the Langkawi Day ring, declaring his readiness exceeded 100% despite having only two weeks to prepare and train intensively. He stated he's ready to finish the fight before the final round if given the opportunity.

When asked about his confidence, Snail responded: "I'm completely ready right now. My opponent has expressed confidence and set a goal to check my chin with a knockout—I respect that. But if I get the chance to knock him out, I will definitely do it. Whether it happens from the first round, we'll have to see in the ring."

When pressed about his signature technique or secret weapon, Snail smiled mysteriously and kept it under wraps, simply saying: "I'd like everyone to watch and find out in the ring." Observers speculate he may unveil surprise striking techniques or heavy artillery to thrill boxing fans.

Trainers from the Sisodmonty camp revealed their limited two-week training program. The first week focused on fundamentals and teaching boxing basics, since Snail had never boxed or trained before and couldn't be pushed too hard. The second week shifted to technical boxing review and more intense conditioning similar to professional fighters. "You have to understand he's never thrown a punch or trained in boxing before," the trainer explained. "We had to guide him carefully these two weeks so he'd be ready and perform his best. The kid showed great determination."

During the interview, when media noted Snail's mother appeared stressed, she quickly clarified with a smile: "I'm not worried about him fighting. What you see is just the heat making me look tense—I've been sitting in the sun for hours. For today's fight, I just want him to give his absolute best. Whether he wins or loses doesn't matter because I've already seen his determination. I watched him train every week, and the camp took great care of him."

She continued emotionally: "I'm so proud of him. Over these weeks, I saw how hard he worked and how focused he was. Today, win or lose, I don't care about that. Just seeing how far he's come and the responsibility he's taken on makes me happy and proud as a mother."

As his mother spoke with emotion, Snail stood beside her, embraced her, and expressed gratitude to his mother amid smiles and applause from media and onlookers. Snail thanked everyone for their encouragement and promised to do his best. He acknowledged that his mother's and family's support is the most important motivation driving him to face his opponent fearlessly in the ring.

BANGKOK — The Chinese Embassy in Thailand has urged Thai authorities to conduct a lawful, fair and transparent investigation following reports that a Chinese national was allegedly abducted and held for ransom in Sa Kaeo province.

In a statement issued on 19 May, a spokesperson for the embassy said the Chinese side had attached great importance to the case and immediately contacted relevant Thai agencies to seek details about the incident.

The embassy called on Thai authorities to quickly establish the facts, thoroughly investigate the case and bring all those involved to justice.

China also expressed hope that Thailand would strengthen law enforcement oversight and public security measures to better protect the lives, property and legal rights of Chinese nationals in the country.

The statement said maintaining safety and stability was important for people-to-people exchanges and friendly cooperation between Thailand and China.

The Chinese Embassy also issued a renewed advisory urging Chinese citizens living in Thailand or planning to travel to the country to strictly comply with Thai laws and regulations, remain vigilant about personal safety and promptly report emergencies to police or Chinese diplomatic missions in Thailand.

Jean Kasaya, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmed on May 19 that the Ebola death toll in the Democratic Republic of Congo has climbed to at least 131, with more than 513 suspected infections. Health authorities are urging strict adherence to public health measures as the outbreak spreads. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed two Ebola cases in Uganda, with one fatality, while the World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo virus outbreak a global public health emergency. An American doctor working in DR Congo is among those infected and will be transferred to Germany for treatment, with at least six Americans reported to have had contact with the virus. Despite assessing the risk to the United States as low, authorities elevated travel advisories for DR Congo to the highest level 4 and imposed entry restrictions for non-U.S. passport holders who have been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days.

At 3 p.m. at Wat Oo Thong temple in Kokkram subdistrict, Bang Pla Ma district, Suphan Buri province, the family brought the body of Sang Dok Sadao, a 63-year-old comedian who died from cancer at Chao Phraya Yommaraj Hospital in Suphan Buri, to conduct a merit-making ceremony at the temple.

Many comedy industry artists attended the water-sprinkling ceremony, including Note Chern Yim, Oba Siang Noe (president of the Thai Comedians Association), Thua Reh Chern Yim, Ja Reh Chern Yim, Gwang (wife of Danny Sripinya), and numerous other comedy colleagues.

Note Chern Yim stated that upon hearing the news, he felt heartbroken and regretted losing such a talented performer. Sang Dok Sadao had worked with him for many years during their café days. When the café declined, they went their separate ways to earn a living. During his illness, Note tried to stay in touch, speaking with him by phone, though Sang eventually stopped answering. "The comedy world has lost another talented person," Note said. "Sang was an excellent comedian with great timing. He had unique comedic skills—mimicking voices, accents, and timing. His style was similar to the legendary Doi Dok Sadao, whom Sang considered his teacher. This is a great loss. I want to express my condolences to Sang's family. We've already discussed with his daughter and son whether the comedy association can provide any assistance."

Thua Reh Chern Yim also expressed his condolences, saying he had been regularly calling to check on Sang's health. When he learned the condition was serious, he offered encouragement. He urged others to maintain relationships while still alive—visiting, expressing love, and keeping in touch. Sang had told him he quit smoking long ago but eventually was found to have a lung mass.

The ceremony was marked by sorrow from the family, including Sang's wife, daughter, and son. During the water-sprinkling, extreme heat caused Sang's daughter to faint, and relatives provided first aid until she regained consciousness.

The merit-making ceremony will include chanting from May 19-23, 2025, with the cremation ceremony scheduled for May 24, 2025, at 4 p.m. at Wat Oo Thong in Bang Pla Ma district, Suphan Buri province.

Major progress has been made in investigating the cause and identifying those responsible for the freight train collision with an air-conditioned bus on Route 206 at the Makkasan railway crossing on Asok-Din Daeng Road in Bangkok, which resulted in a fire, eight deaths, and over 30 injuries, with additional vehicles severely damaged. This shocking incident in a densely trafficked city with multiple railway crossings raises serious concerns about public transport safety systems. If such loose safety protocols continue, similar disasters could happen again at any time. Police have now formally charged three parties: the train operator who failed to stop despite warnings, the railway crossing guard, and the bus driver, all sharing responsibility for negligent failures. More seriously, drug testing of the train operator revealed he regularly uses heroin and cannabis. When all three parties fail and act negligently at the same time—like a Swiss cheese model of accidents—disaster results. The railway should enforce strict warning systems acknowledging when the road crossing remains blocked due to traffic congestion, and must automatically reduce speed at this intersection where vehicles constantly block the tracks. The red flag worker must perform duties diligently, as footage clearly shows many vehicles parked across the tracks. The bus driver is certainly at fault for parking across the railway, violating traffic laws and creating danger. While all three parties should be charged, a disaster of this magnitude causing multiple deaths and widespread damage cannot end with just three suspects. Supervisory personnel who failed in oversight should also be held accountable. Most critically, safety systems in this area and other congested railway crossings throughout the city must be completely overhauled. Traffic management must be improved to reduce congestion; vehicles from branch roads must not be allowed to squeeze through and force through-traffic to back up across the railway. Ultimately, systematic solutions are needed—either grade-separated crossings with bridges or tunnels. Most importantly, communication systems with trains must be effective and provide genuine warnings kilometers in advance. A tragedy this severe and heartbreaking cannot merely be a passing incident.