A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection. The MV Hondius reached Rotterdam on Monday morning, carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel. All passengers had disembarked already. The crew will enter immediate quarantine. During the outbreak, three passengers died, including a Dutch couple believed to have been exposed in South America. The outbreak has reached at least 11 cases, with nine confirmed. The ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines before being allowed to sail again.
The Congolese health minister has announced the opening of three treatment centers in eastern Congo as the Ebola outbreak continues. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday. Over 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths have been reported. Cases have also appeared in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, and in the city of Goma. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola variant with no approved treatments. Congo accounts for most cases, but two have been reported in Uganda. Health authorities are assessing the need for increased measures but caution against overreactions.
World shares are mostly lower and oil prices have jumped after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran that the “clock is ticking” as talks over a permanent end to the war stall. Markets in Japan and South Korea pulled back from their records. Yields on Japanese government bonds shot higher. Investors have remained concerned about the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on global energy flows. A drone strike over the weekend on a United Arab Emirates’ nuclear power plant raised worries over further escalations in the region. Elevated oil prices are also driving a global bond rout, and U.S. futures are lower after stocks on Wall Street fell Friday.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake has struck south China's Guangxi region, killing two people and toppling buildings. State media reports the quake hit early Monday, injuring four others and forcing over 7,000 residents to evacuate from Liuzhou city. Authorities say the search for missing residents wrapped up around midday Monday. A 91-year-old man was found alive in good condition. State broadcaster CCTV shows images of excavators clearing debris. At least 13 buildings collapsed, and landslides blocked roads. Train services around Liuzhou were canceled or delayed.
Remote Ushuaia in Argentina, known as the southernmost city on earth, has found itself at the center of a global media storm involving the deadly hantavirus outbreak. Local tourism operators and officials are scrambling to stem the reputational fallout that they fear could cause foreign tourists reconsider their Antarctic cruise plans for next season, with devastating economic consequences. Some tour agencies saying they've already seen cancellations even though authorities in Ushuaia and the wider province of Tierra del Fuego insist that it’s extremely unlikely the Dutch couple caught the rat-borne virus on the island for various environmental and epidemiological reasons. Three weeks after news of the virus-stricken ship surfaced, the source of the contagion remains unclear.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s president on Sunday stressed that arms purchases from the United States are “the most important deterrent” of regional conflict and instability, after President Donald Trump called into question continued U.S. support of Taiwan following his visit to China.
The World Health Organization has declared an Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. More than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths have been reported. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus which has no approved treatments or vaccines. A laboratory-confirmed case also has been reported in Congo’s capital Kinshasa. WHO's emergency declaration aims to prompt international action. But the response to past declarations has been mixed. Conflict and migration in the region complicate containment efforts. The outbreak started in April but slow detection delayed the response.
Hundreds of cheering fans waving Bulgarian flags have welcomed Eurovision Song Contest winner Dara upon her return home. The 27-year-old singer was visibly tired but smiling when she arrived on Sunday at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport holding up the Eurovision trophy. Bulgaria’s major television stations made changes to their regular programs to air live coverage from the airport. Dara said that “this award marks the beginning of my future international career.” She won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday in Vienna with her infectious party anthem “Bangaranga.” It gave the southeast European country its first-ever victory in the competition.
A drone strike has targeted the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant. No one has been blamed and no major damage is reported. But Sunday's incident highlights the risk of renewed war as the United States and Iran signal they would be ready to fight again. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shortly afterward said on social media that Iran “better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them.” Tensions continue over Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomatic efforts for a more durable peace have repeatedly faltered.
Russian officials say overnight Ukrainian drone strikes killed at least four people including three near Moscow. A dozen others were wounded. Authorities said Sunday that debris fell on Russia’s largest airport without causing damage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the drone strikes. He said that they were “entirely justified.” Russia has repeatedly launched similar attacks on Ukraine’s capital and other cities during the war. An expert said that the strikes appeared to be retaliation for recent Russian attacks on Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities said that Russian drone strikes on Ukraine overnight wounded eight people.
Researchers in Dublin have uncovered the oldest surviving English poem in a Roman library. The poem, "Caedmon’s Hymn," was composed in Old English by a Northumbrian worker in the seventh century. It appears within the Latin text "Ecclesiastical History of the English People" by the monk known as the Venerable Bede. The discovery highlights the diffusion of the English language centuries earlier than previously believed. The manuscript had a complex history, traveling across Europe and the Atlantic before being found in Rome's public library. The library's digitization efforts may lead to more discoveries.
Indigenous leaders say that federal contractors are desecrating sacred Native American places and cultural sites at an unprecedented pace in the rush to build more walls on the U.S.-Mexico border. Construction accelerated after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security waived cultural and environmental laws. The action allows more barriers along the border even as illegal crossings have plummeted. The Trump administration says the border walls are needed for national security and are meant to keep people, including drug smugglers, from entering the U.S. illegally. Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” devoted over $46 billion to the effort.
Maryna Homeniuk fled Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion four years ago. She managed to complete her degree in the Czech Republic before returning home the following year and meeting her beloved, Yurii Orlov. Homeniuk and Orlov, who captained the Kyiv Floorball Club after a hockey career, were among the 24 people killed Thursday during Russian airstrikes that Ukrainian officials described as the biggest barrage of the war. Family and friends paid their final respects to Homeniuk on Saturday. They recalled how the 24-year-old English teacher loved to travel and learn languages. They had hoped to honor Orlov, too, but his body wasn’t ready for burial yet.
Félicien Kabuga, accused of bankrolling the Rwandan genocide, died in a hospital in The Hague while in custody, a U.N. court said. Kabuga, whose exact birthday is not known but was over 90, had dementia and had been stranded in legal limbo since 2023 when judges ruled that he was not fit to stand trial. He was one of the last fugitives charged in connection with the 1994 genocide, accused of encouraging and bankrolling the mass killing of Rwanda’s Tutsi minority. After years of evading international efforts to track him down, Kabuga was arrested near Paris in May 2020.
Wes Streeting's ambition to head the British government was one of the worst-kept secrets in U.K. politics. The former health secretary made it official on Saturday, announcing his intention to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a move that's likely to lead to an intense leadership contest within the Labour Party. Starmer has become unpopular due to missteps and disastrous losses for his party in the May 7 local elections, leading to calls for his resignation. Streeting, who became the first to quit Starmer's Cabinet, is an effective communicator who rose from humble beginnings to a key political figure tasked with saving an ailing state-run health system.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A North Korean women’s soccer team arrived in South Korea on Sunday to compete in a regional tournament, the first visit by North Korean athletes in eight years amid political tensions between the two nations.
The day John Lennon was shot in 1980, he and Yoko Ono gave an interview to a San Francisco radio crew from their home in New York’s Dakota Apartments. In “John Lennon: The Last Interview,” Steven Soderbergh pp those surviving tapes into a new documentary that debuted Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival. But his decision to fill in some visuals using Meta's AI software has prompted an outcry. One of America’s leading filmmakers was using AI? In a film about a Beatle, no less? Soderbergh has placed himself at the forefront of an industrywide debate about the uses of AI in moviemaking. But for him, it’s a conversation he’s eager to have.
Bulgaria has won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest with singer Dara’s party anthem “Bangaranga.” Dara beat 24 other competitors during Saturday’s grand final in Vienna. The song’s infectious beats and tightly choreographed dance routine was a hit with both viewers and national juries. It’s Bulgaria’s first-ever Eurovision victory. Israeli competitor Noam Bettan came second after a contest clouded by protests against the country’s participation. Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu came third and Australian star Delta Goodrem fourth. Five countries — Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — boycotted in protest of Israel’s inclusion in the contest following the war in Gaza. Several hundred protesters marched near the contest arena in Vienna.
Venezuela’s government says it has deported a close ally of Nicolás Maduro to face judicial proceedings in the U.S. less than three years after the business owner was pardoned by President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner swap. The Venezuelan government in a statement Saturday did not explicitly say where it had deported Alex Saab but said its decision was based on several ongoing criminal investigations in the U.S. The Associated Press reported in February that federal prosecutors have been digging for month into Saab’s role in an alleged bribery conspiracy involving Venezuelan government contracts to import food.
A driver has plowed into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, injuring eight people, four of them critically, before trying to flee and being detained by police, local authorities said. They added the man, a second-generation Italian, was known to local heath services official for mental disorders. Authorities identified the driver as Salim El Koudri, a 31-year-old man born in Bergamo and living in the province of Modena. El Koudri, who holds a degree in economy, is currently unemployed. He was detained and questioned at police headquarters in Modena as investigators tried to determine whether he acted deliberately. Investigators said there was no immediate indication the man was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. No links to extremist groups had emerged.
Canadian officials have reported that one of four Canadians returning from a cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak has a “presumptive positive” test result. Confirmation from the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg is expected soon. British Columbia's public health officer says the patient in their 70s is stable with mild symptoms. The outbreak on the MV Hondius has led to three deaths and 12 cases. Nine of them are confirmed. Henry reassures that hantavirus isn't like COVID-19 and lacks pandemic potential. She emphasizes that infection control measures are in place to ensure public safety.
President Donald Trump has returned from his state visit to China to face a challenging U.S. economy. Consumer inflation rose to 3.8% annually in April, driven by the Iran war and tariffs. The Cleveland Federal Reserve estimates inflation could reach 4.2% in May. Trump's trip to China seems unlikely to help despite his claims of trade deals. Many U.S. voters are facing rising costs for essentials. Democrats criticize Trump for being indifferent to inflation concerns. Trump insists he's focused on growth and affordability, but inflation continues to affect businesses and interest rates. The November elections could be influenced by these economic pressures.
An Israeli airstrike in Gaza has killed Hamas military wing leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad. The Israeli military said Saturday that al-Haddad was one of the last surviving architects of the Hamas-led militant attacks on southern Israel that triggered the war on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas confirmed his death. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile with accusations of violations from both sides. Violence has flared in the West Bank meanwhile. Israeli troops shot and killed a 34-year-old Palestinian in the Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli military said that the man was shot after failing to comply with warning shots.
LONDON (AP) — Police were out in force on Saturday to ensure that two rival marches on the streets of London attended by tens of thousands of people and the climax of English soccer's top cup competition passed without major incident.
Maldivian authorities have suspended the search for four Italian divers believed to be trapped in an underwater cave. The decision follows the death of a military diver who suffered decompression sickness during the mission. The divers disappeared Thursday while exploring a cave at Vaavu Atoll, exceeding the Maldives' recreational diving limit. The search involved eight local divers and was hampered by rough weather. The Italian Foreign Ministry said the cave has three chambers, but only two have been explored. Authorities are awaiting Finnish experts to reassess the strategy. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Authorities say a humpback whale found dead this week off a Danish island has been identified as the animal released two weeks ago in a spectacular and contentious rescue effort. The whale had repeatedly become stranded off Germany’s Baltic Sea coast. The dead whale was stranded on Thursday just off the small island of Anholt in the Kattegat, the broad strait between Denmark and Sweden that connects the Baltic Sea to the North Sea. The site is south of the location where the whale that gained the nicknames “Timmy” and “Hope” was released on May 2 after being transported toward the North Sea in a barge.
U.S. President Donald Trump has described arms sales to Taiwan as a "very good negotiating chip" in dealings with China. This comment, made in a Fox News interview, has heightened anxieties in Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Trump suggested that a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan depends on China, raising concerns about Taiwan's security. China has warned of potential conflicts over Taiwan, framing it as a crucial issue in China-U.S. relations. Trump's remarks also included a call for Taiwan's microchip makers to move to the U.S., adding to the island's concerns.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on a two-day trip to Beijing next week, the Kremlin says. The announcement comes less than 24 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump finished his own state visit to China, where he also met Xi to discuss trade and the U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran. Relations between China and Russia have deepened in recent years, particularly since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Meanwhile, Ukraine on Saturday repatriated the bodies of fallen soldiers following an earlier exchange with Moscow involving prisoners of war.
President Donald Trump says a joint U.S. and Nigerian operation has killed a top Islamic State leader in Nigeria. The mission targeted Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, a key figure in the Islamic State West Africa Province. Nigeria's government says the operation in the Lake Chad Basin was part of a new partnership with the U.S. Al-Mainuki was a significant leader in the region, involved in media, finances, and weapons development. Analysts say his death is a major blow to ISWAP. The operation highlights increased U.S.-Nigeria military cooperation, marking a new phase in their relationship.
A train has crashed into a public bus in Bangkok, killing at least eight people. The crash happened Saturday near an airport railway station in the central area. The city's emergency services reported more than 20 others are injured. Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat says all the bodies were found on the bus, but the number of passengers is unclear. Footage shows the train dragging an orange bus and several vehicles before it caught fire. Rescuers later entered the charred bus after the flames were brought under control.
Pope Leo XIV has created a study group on artificial intelligence in a sign of his ongoing concern about the technology. The Vatican announced the creation of an in-house study group even as it gears up to release Leo's first encyclical. It's expected to emphasize the need for an ethics-based approach to AI that prioritizes human dignity and peace. Vatican officials said Leo signed it on the anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s significant encyclical, “Rerum Novarum,” or Of New Things. This new document is expected to address AI within the context of the church's social teachings.
Pope Leo XIV is adding a trip to France to his busy 2026 travel schedule. The Vatican confirmed Saturday the visit will be from Sept. 25 to 28. This will be his fourth foreign trip of the year. Earlier, he visited Monaco in March and four African nations in April, with Spain and the Canary Islands planned for June. Leo's visit to France includes a stop at the U.N. culture agency. The late Pope Francis focused on smaller Catholic communities. A possible visit to Latin America, including Peru, remains unconfirmed for later in the year.
At least 80 people have died in Congo’s new Ebola disease outbreak in the eastern Ituri province. Authorities also say health workers are racing to intensify screening and contact tracing to contain the disease. Meanwhile, The Associated Press in Ituri's capital, Bunia, interviewed locals who recounted their fears and constant burials for the dead. Officials first confirmed the outbreak on Friday, reporting 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases. Congo's health minister says the suspected index case is a nurse who died at a hospital in Bunia. He said the case dates back three weeks to April 24.
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have sent economic shock waves across the Mideast. In Lebanon, those woes have been compounded by the country's existing economic problems and by largely unregulated markets that are vulnerable to price gouging. Lebanon was already battered in Hezbollah and Israel's last war, which ended in late 2024 and cost the country an estimated $11 billion in damage and economic losses. The renewed fighting made the situation worse. Now 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced. Many are sheltering in schools with no work or draining whatever money they have renting out apartments or hotel rooms.
Iran’s foreign minister says that a lack of trust remains the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the U.S. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said contradictory messages from the U.S. have made Iran reluctant about its intentions in the stalled ceasefire negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week dismissed Iran’s latest formal proposal as “garbage.” Trump has demanded a major rollback of Iran’s nuclear activities while Iran has said that it has a right to enrich uranium. Iran’s top diplomat says the issue of its enriched uranium stockpile is another one of the difficult sticking points in its negotiations.
Spain is boycotting this year’s edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, after repeatedly expressing disapproval over Israel’s participation. As the Eurovision finals take place in Vienna on Saturday, Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE will air a tribute to the network’s musical history, featuring a performance by the musicians who would have represented Spain in the contest. Some Spanish fans respect the choice to take a stand by sitting out the cherished event, even if it’s bittersweet, as it means they can’t enjoy the annual spectacle with friends and family. Spain announced its boycott in December and has been joined by Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland.
Millions of Palestinians are marking the 78th anniversary of the Nakba. That's Arabic for "catastrophe," referring to the mass expulsion and flight of some 750,000 Palestinians from what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation. Friday's anniversary is the third commemoration of the Nakba since the war in Gaza began. More than six months after an October ceasefire, Gaza's more than 2 million people are now crammed into less than half of the 25-mile-long strip along the Mediterranean coast. They are surrounded by an Israeli-controlled zone. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country's military now controls 60% of the Gaza strip.
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