Didi Hamann says Chelsea are ‘crying out’ for some experience and should attempt to sign a departing Liverpool legend on a free transfer.

Chelsea have been in dismal form over the past two months, suffering six successive Premier League defeats and crashing out of the Champions League.

The Blues’ struggles cost Liam Rosenior his job last month, with the ex-Strasbourg boss sacked after just 106 days in charge.

Chelsea’s chaotic transfer strategy has been highlighted as one of the reasons for the club’s poor form, with the board prioritising the signing of young and promising players since their 2022 takeover.

Hamann believes it is time for Chelsea’s owners to bring some much-needed experience to the Stamford Bridge squad and has recommended a shock deal for Andy Robertson.

Scotland international Robertson, 32, is searching for his next club after announcing he would be leaving Anfield when his contract expires at the end of the season.

In his nine-year spell on Merseyside, Robertson has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League and three domestic cup competitions, establishing himself as one of Liverpool’s greatest defenders.

‘I think Chelsea need experience,’ Hamann told BetKing. ‘If you’ve got good young players, you need experienced players to bring them on.

‘Sometimes when things go badly, as they have now, the run of form is dreadful, you need experienced players who can calm young players down, where a young player looks up and somebody says to him, “Listen, lad, don’t worry about it, we’ll be fine.”

‘I don’t think they’ve got that. So what you see with them now is that when they go behind, they fall apart. The most blatant example was probably against Brighton [when Chelsea lost 3-0].

‘A player like Andy Robertson, they should take him in a heartbeat. I think he’s exactly the type of player Chelsea needs or is crying out for.

‘With one or two more experienced players, they’ve got to give themselves a chance. I don’t think the way the team is put together, they give themselves a chance.

‘Andy Robertson, I’d take him at Chelsea in a heartbeat if he was interested.’

Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat at home to relegation-battlers Nottingham Forest on Monday left the Blues just ninth in the Premier League, closer to the drop zone than third-placed Manchester United.

The west Londoners, currently led by interim boss Calum McFarlane, conclude their Premier League campaign against Liverpool, Tottenham and Sunderland.

Chelsea do have a chance to salvage some positivity from this season, however, ahead of a FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 16.

McFarlane’s side beat Leeds United in the semi-final, while Man City booked their place in the final with a comeback win over Southampton.

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Not content with a secret shop in London, Nintendo has unveiled the much rumoured new Star Fox game in a Direct they didn’t advertise until a few minutes beforehand.

Acting strangely is, and always has been, completely normal for Nintendo but they really have been on something this year. We’re into May now and they still haven’t had a first party Nintendo Direct, so we know almost nothing about what games they have planned for the rest of the year.

Unusually there have been believable rumours, including a Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake and at least one new Star Fox game. There’s been some disagreement, amongst insiders, as to whether there’s one or two new games, but most agreed that an old school entry in the series would be released in the first half of this year.

It’s now been revealed that the game in question is a remake of Star Fox 64 (aka Lylat Wars) and not an entirely new game. That’s mildly surprising, but what’s even more curious is that Nintendo decided to announce it at 11pm BST on Wednesday night, with only 10 minutes warning.

It’s pointless asking why they did it that way, as they clearly don’t care about when and how Europe find out the new game (11pm is midnight on the Continent). But if nothing else it proves that not even Nintendo is immune to leaks and there is now absolutely no way of guessing when or how they might announce other new games.

Even ignoring all that, it is a bit odd that it’s Star Fox 64 which is being remade and not the original game, but then Star Fox 64 has already been remade once before, for the 3DS, so it was probably a bit easier to do that, compared to the massive upgrade the original SNES game (known as Starwing in Europe) would’ve required.

Star Fox 64 is also arguably the best game in the series, with both linear and all-range levels, where you have full freedom of movement. It also had a four-player competitive mode which, unusually for modern remakes, will be included in, and slightly expanded by, the new version.

According to Nintendo, the level design is the same as the N64 version but, as you can see, the graphics have seen a major upgrade. The characters have been redesigned too, but in a slightly disarming pseudo-realistic style that doesn’t look like either Fox McCloud’s appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie or the cuddly models from the box art of the original SNES game.

The graphics are really good, but Fox has such a wide mouth he looks like he’s just swallowed a plate. Although the new feature that replaces your face with one of the characters when using GameChat is very impressive, as the camera maps your facial movements onto the CGI avatar.

Other new features include optional mouse controls for the fist person view, although you can also use the wireless N64 controller if you’d rather keep things old school. There’s also a co-op mode where one person can be the pilot and one the gunner, along with three separate difficulty modes, to ensure everyone can play to some degree.

There’ll also be a new Challenge mode with Achievement-like goals and a number of new cut scenes and lore details, with Nintendo showing off a new prologue featuring Fox’s dad.

Confusingly, the remake is called simply Star Fox, which seems to rule out them ever giving the original game the same treatment, and it’ll be released for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 25.

That’s around the same time that Nintendo usually put on a not-E3 style Direct, but given everything else that’s happened (or rather not happened) this year it’s impossible to know if they’ll still stick with that tradition.

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“People in London are really struggling and they need to know that they have councillors who are out there batting for them every single day, protecting local services, making sure we’re investing in the community, that we have council homes, homes that people can actually afford to live in in London.”

Ukraine accused Russia of violating a ceasefire initiated by Kyiv overnight, with officials reporting one person killed and three wounded in regions in the north and east of the country.

“Russia violated the ceasefire initiated by Ukraine at midnight between May 5th and 6th,” Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said on X, reporting that Russian attacks continued through the night, including morning strikes on the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.

“This shows that Russia rejects peace and its fake calls for a ceasefire on May 9th have nothing to do with diplomacy,” he wrote.

Ukraine’s air force said this morning’s attack involved at least 89 Russian drones as well as ballistic missiles, with hits confirmed in eight different locations. It warned that the attack continues as there are “several enemy UAVs in the airspace”.

The unilateral ceasefire proposed by Volodymyr Zelensky took effect at midnight. At least 27 people were killed in Russian strikes throughout eastern Ukraine in the hours leading up to the start of the ceasefire at midnight (Tuesday 10pm BST).

Putin has not committed to observing the ceasefire, but has proposed his own truce to cover 8 and 9 May, when Russia will commemorate the end of the Second World War with a military parade in Red Square.

During the 2022 local election in Southwark, 52 Labour councillors were elected, while the Lib Dems won 11 seats – making them the largest and only elected opposition group on the council. Since the last local election in 2022, four councillors have defected to the Greens and three former Labour councillors now sit as independents.

Two people who returned to the UK from the cruise ship that was hit by a hantavirus outbreak have been told to self-isolate, the UK Health Security Agency said.

The organisation added that “the risk to general public remains very low” after they returned from the MV Hondius.

It is now believed that a Dutch couple who visited a landfill during a bird-watching tour in Argentina may be the source of the outbreak.

Two Argentine officials said the government’s leading hypothesis was that the couple could have been exposed to rodents on the trip in Ushuaia.

Eight suspected cases of hantavirus have now been linked to the boat, the World Health Organisation said, with five of the cases confirmed.

On Wednesday, three patients were medically evacuated from the boat to receive treatment in the Netherlands.

Spain’s health minister said that a British doctor who was evacuated from the boat is no longer in a critical condition.

Oceanwide, the cruise ship operator, said the planned destination for the ship was still the Canary Islands, despite its leader, Fernando Clavijo, blocking the vessel from docking in Tenerife.

MV Hondius heading to Canary Islands after three people suspected of hantavirus infections evacuated

The cruise ship MV Hondius is now heading to the Canary Islands from Cape Verde after three people suspected of having hantavirus infections were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday.

The three passengers are from Britain, the Netherlands and Germany. Earlier reports said the British person was a doctor, but that now appears to be incorrect.

Two other British passengers had already left the ship earlier and are currently self-isolating at home after possible exposure.

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The ship is still heading to the Canary Islands with 145 people on board, all reportedly symptom-free according to the operator, Oceanwide Expeditions.

Spanish authorities say there is “no risk” to local residents, but the Canary Islands’ president says he is concerned and was not properly consulted.

Maroosha Muzaffar7 May 2026 04:25

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Passenger stuck on ship at centre of hantavirus outbreak says atmosphere ‘relatively good’

Harriette Boucher7 May 2026 04:00

What is hantavirus? Symptoms you need to know after deadly cruise ship outbreak

Hantaviruses, which have been present for centuries, have a documented history of outbreaks across Asia and Europe.

In the Eastern Hemisphere, these viruses have been associated with severe conditions such as haemorrhagic fever and kidney failure.

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A distinct group of hantaviruses emerged in the early 1990s in the southwestern United States, leading to the acute respiratory disease now known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Hantavirus is mainly spread by contact with rodents or their urine, saliva or droppings, particularly when the material is disturbed and becomes airborne, posing a risk of inhalation.

People are typically exposed to hantavirus around their homes, cabins or sheds, especially when cleaning out enclosed spaces with little ventilation or going into areas where there are mouse droppings.

The WHO says that while rare, hantaviruses may spread between people.

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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking the virus after a 1993 outbreak in the Four Corners region – the area where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet.

It was a doctor with the Indian Health Service who first noticed a pattern of deaths among young patients, said Michelle Harkins, a pulmonologist with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center who for years has been studying the disease and helping patients.

Most US cases are in Western states. New Mexico and Arizona are hotspots, Dr Harkins said, likely because the odds are greater for mouse-human encounters in rural areas.

Harriette Boucher7 May 2026 03:00

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Pictured: The MV Hondius cruise ship, where 150 passengers are isolated in their cabins

Harriette Boucher7 May 2026 02:00

Airline says Dutch national who died from hantavirus was briefly on board aircraft

Dutch airline KLM has confirmed that a Dutch passenger who died from hantavirus was briefly on board one of its aircraft in Johannesburg.

The airline’s crew decided to not allow the passenger to travel on the flight due to their medical condition.

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The flight concerned was KL592, which departed Johannesburg for Amsterdam on 25 April.

In a statement, the airline said: “Yesterday evening, the Dutch public health authority RIVM informed KLM that one of the Dutch nationals who died from hantavirus had briefly been on board a KLM aircraft in Johannesburg on April 25, 2026.

“Due to the passenger’s medical condition at the time, the crew decided not to allow the passenger to travel on the flight. The passenger sadly later passed away in Johannesburg. KLM extends its condolences to the next of kin and wishes them much strength during this difficult time.”

Harriette Bouche7 May 2026 01:00

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US travel blogger comes to defence of hantavirus-struck cruise ship and says vessel is clean with strong biosecurity

Travel blogger Jake Rosmarin has been documenting his time aboard the illness-stricken ship, telling The Independent in a statement that aside from the two confirmed cases, the other passengers on board are “doing well” and remain “in good spirits”.

Mr Rosmarin noted that the MV Hondius is an expedition vessel, not an average cruise ship, and is held to a higher standard of cleanliness due to the types of trips it takes

“These ships operate with strict protocols and a strong emphasis on cleanliness, especially given the remote and environmentally sensitive regions they visit, which require high levels of biosecurity,” he said.

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“The vessel is maintained to a very high standard, and suggestions that it is unclear are not accurate,” he added.

Harriette Boucher7 May 2026 00:00

Why the Andes virus is a concerning member of the hantavirus family

The word hantavirus refers to a broad family of viruses, with different versions in different countries.

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Almost none of them have been found to spread from person to person — with the possible exception of the Andes virus, which has been confirmed in the current outbreak.

Still, transmission between people does not happen easily, and would require “close and prolonged” contact, according to the World Health Organisation.

“We haven’t had huge person-to-person spreads of hantavirus infection ever before, and there’s no reason to suspect a huge outbreak from this case at this point,” said Steven Bradfute, an associate professor and associate director of the Center for Global Health at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, which specialises in hantavirus research.

South African tests first confirmed the Andes virus when health authorities said they identified the strain of hantavirus in two passengers who were on the ship.

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WHO said the Andes virus is found in South America, primarily in Argentina and Chile.

Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:40

Up to eight weeks of isolation needed for hantavirus exposure

The UKHSA has said up to eight weeks of isolation could be needed after exposure to the hantavirus.

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A spokesperson said this was the “most cautious scenario” and the public health body would be monitoring exposed passengers “very closely” over the coming days and weeks.

“Most cases of hantavirus, we think, are transmitted within the first few weeks, but up to eight is the figure we are working with,” the spokesperson said in a video shared by Sky News.

“We are working on the most cautious scenario, which is the potential eight week isolation. Over the coming days and weeks, we will be monitoring these people very closely and we may be able to adjust that as time goes on.

“We are going to see how the data derives in the coming days. As you would expect, we are going to treat everything with the utmost caution.”

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Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:30

Passenger who was on MV Hondius was ‘shocked’ to hear of virus outbreak

A passenger on board the MV Hondius has said it was “shocking” to learn of the outbreak on the vessel.

Ruhi Cenet was on the ship for 24 of the 36 days of the cruise and left after the first person had died.

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He told Sky News: “We were on board with these people for 24 days straight. We had relationships.

“I knew these people, I’m very sad that they’re going through this human crisis, I just wish them to get well.”

He said they were told on 12 April that a passenger had passed away due to “natural causes”, which he said was a “relaxing explanation”, but turned out to not be true.

With the World Health Organisation’s involvement, he said he was noe “hopeful” for the passengers on board.

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Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:10

Two of three evacuated patients in hospital, while third experiencing delays

Two medicalised aircraft, carrying two of the three individuals transferred from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship earlier today has landed in the Netherlands and the passengers have been taken to the hospital.

Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise ship operator, said a second aircraft carrying the third individual was experiencing a delay, but the individual on board remained in a stable condition.

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The company confirmed that the vessel had departed Cape Verde and is headed for the Canary Islands.

“This is expected to take 3-4 days,” a statement said.

“Three additional medical professionals have embarked m/v Hondius to provide optimal medical care during the crossing.”

Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:03

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Housebuilder Bellway is seeking approval to build 115 homes alongside a new public sports pitch on land off Victoria Road West in Hebburn, South Tyneside, once home to the Hebburn campus of South Tyneside College before its closure in 2011.

The site, formerly used as college playing fields, is earmarked for development in the council’s emerging Local Plan.

Stuart Morgan, land director for Bellway North East, said: “This development would help to meet demand for new private and affordable homes in South Tyneside while opening up a new sports facility for the local community to use.

“The homes would be energy efficient, featuring solar panels to provide free low-carbon electricity to residents as well as electric vehicle charging points.

“There would also be landscaped areas, new wildlife habitats and trees planted within the development.

“Bellway has a strong track record for building high-quality homes across the North East.

“This site in Hebburn provides an opportunity to create a sustainable new neighbourhood which would provide the housing the area needs while supporting employment for people in the area.”

The scheme includes a mix of two, three, and four-bedroom properties, with four homes designated as affordable rental units and 10 offered at discounted market value.

Bellway has already developed a separate residential scheme on part of the former college grounds.

The land benefits from nearby amenities, including schools, shops, and leisure facilities, as well as transport links via the Metro at Pelaw.

The developer has applied to South Tyneside Council for full planning consent for the 13-acre site.

The application follows a period of public consultation, during which Bellway distributed information leaflets to local residents and held a public meeting to discuss the proposals.

The new homes would feature energy-efficient designs, incorporating solar panels and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Plans also include enhancements to green space, with new habitats and tree planting.

The development in Leeming Bar, led by Broadacres, is located at Harkness Close, off Bedale Road.

Broadacres is working in partnership with contractor Keepmoat and supported by a £7.5 million grant from Homes England.

A CGI of what one of the finished homes will look like (Image: Supplied)

The scheme will deliver one to four-bedroom homes, with 70 available for social rent and 30 offered through shared ownership.

Claire Townson, chief executive of Broadacres, said: “We are delighted to once again be working in partnership with Keepmoat and Homes England to provide these much-needed affordable homes.

“Alongside a similar scheme in Aiskew, it will mean when the homes are complete, we will have delivered almost 200 homes for local people in a one-mile radius in just a few years.”

Homes will be allocated based on local connection.

Each property will be heated using renewable air-source heat pumps and will feature triple glazing, high levels of insulation, and electric vehicle charging points.

These features are designed to make the homes “net zero ready”.

Ms Townson said the scheme also supports the broader goal of sustaining communities.

She said: “We are committed to ensuring our rural communities remain sustainable for current and future generations and the new homes won’t just be affordable, but highly efficient and net zero ready.”

A spokesperson for Homes England said: “As the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, increasing the supply of quality affordable homes remains one of our key objectives and we are committed to supporting ambitious housebuilders of all sizes to build these homes and communities.

“This investment through the Affordable Homes Programme allows our partners and registered providers to do just that and it has enabled Broadacres to build 100 much-needed new homes the people of Leeming Bar can be proud of.”

The scheme follows the nearby 88-home The Hatchery development on Blind Lane in Aiskew, which is nearing completion.

The MV Hondius is currently carrying almost 150 passengers but the majority have been forced to stay in their rooms after a Hantavirus outbreak, which has killed three people already

Disturbing footage from inside a cruise ship packed with masked passengers and deserted decks has emerged as health workers clad in hazmat suits board the stricken vessel.

Dutch ship MV Hondius, situated off the coast of Cape Verde, is currently carrying nearly 150 stranded passengers. The vast majority of those aboard have locked themselves in their cabins to avoid the deadly Hantavirus, as panic continues to grip the ship.

The virus has already claimed the lives of three passengers and left at least eight others seriously ill. The cruise ship was barred from docking at Port of Praia, Cape Verde, as local authorities left the vessel stranded “with the aim of protecting national public health.”

READ MORE: Brit MV Hondius cruise passengers face ‘up to eight weeks isolation’ after Hantavirus exposure fearsREAD MORE: Actor, 41, dies after sharing heartbreaking last post as agent says he was ‘in the prime of his life’

The Dutch vessel is currently making its way towards Spain after Fernando Clavijo, the Canary Islands leader, declared he cannot permit it to dock in his territory. Chilling footage obtained by AP has shown ghostly, empty decks as a handful of health workers patrol the ship.

The once vibrant lounges, restaurants and dining halls are eerily empty. MV Hondius is expected to arrive at Santa Cruz de Tenerife within days, reports the Daily Star.

A Spanish government statement confirmed the Canary Islands are the “closest location with the necessary capabilities” to treat those onboard. It added: “Spain has a moral and legal obligation to assist these people, among whom are also several Spanish citizens.”

What is Hantavirus?

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) describes Hantavirus as a collection of viruses carried by rodents including mice and rats, and is spread through contact with their droppings and urine.

Symptoms include:

• fever
• extreme fatigue
• muscle aches
• stomach pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• shortness of breath

In certain cases, patients develop severe respiratory problems and require hospitalisation. Symptoms typically emerge between one and four weeks following exposure, though there are reports of this occurring up to eight weeks afterwards.

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Infection takes hold when people inhale air containing virus particles. It can also enter the body via cuts, the eyes, or a rodent bite, though this remains uncommon. Infections are most frequently recorded in rural and agricultural settings.

While the majority of hantavirus strains cannot pass between humans, the Andes variant — confirmed as the type responsible for the current outbreak — is capable of doing so. When transmission between people does occur, it is through prolonged and extremely close contact.

Currently, there is neither a vaccine nor a specific course of treatment available. Those infected with the virus receive care based on managing their individual symptoms.

The latest from UKHSA

Three people, including one British national, with suspected hantavirus have been evacuated from the Hondius in order to receive medical care in the Netherlands

The remaining British nationals can now be repatriated once the ship docks at its next destination if they do not develop symptoms. None of the British citizens onboard are currently reporting symptoms but they are being closely monitored. The FCDO is making arrangements for these individuals to return to the UK, where UKHSA is working with government to support them to isolate with regular testing and contact with healthcare professionals.

UKHSA is aware of two people who have returned to the UK independently having been on board the MV Hondius. Neither of these individuals is currently reporting symptoms. They are receiving advice and support from UKHSA and have been advised to self-isolate. UKHSA are supporting a small number of individuals identified as close contacts of those on the boat. They are being offered support and are also self-isolating. None are reporting any symptoms. The risk to the general public remains very low.

Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director for Epidemic and Emerging Infections at UKHSA said: “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the hantavirus outbreak onboard the MV Hondius.

“It’s important to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains very low. We are standing up arrangements to support, isolate and monitor British nationals from the ship on their return to the UK and we are contact tracing anyone who may have been in contact with the ship or the hantavirus cases to limit the risk of onward transmission.

“UKHSA will continue to work closely with government partners to offer all necessary support.”

Oceanwide Expeditions latest

A spokesperson said: “Oceanwide Expeditions can confirm that the first of two medicalized aircraft, carrying two of the three individuals transferred from m/v Hondius earlier today has landed in the Netherlands. The two individuals on board have been received by specialist medical and screening teams. The second medicalized aircraft carrying the third individual is currently experiencing a delay. The individual on board this aircraft remains in a stable condition. We will provide an update on the arrival of this second aircraft as soon as possible.

“Oceanwide Expeditions can confirm that m/v Hondius departed Cape Verde at 19:15 CET and is now heading north. Under the current plan, m/v Hondius will sail for the Canary Islands. This is expected to take 3-4 days. Three additional medical professionals have embarked m/v Hondius to provide optimal medical care during the crossing.

“Oceanwide Expeditions remains in close and continual discussion with relevant authorities regarding our exact point of arrival, quarantine and screening procedures for all guests, and a precise timeline. We are unable to confirm the details of onward travel for guests at this stage. This is dependent on medical advice and the outcome of stringent screening procedures. Close cooperation continues with local and international authorities, including the WHO, the RIVM, relevant embassies, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Follow our live blog for the latest updates on the MV Hondius by clicking here.