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Hantavirus Alert: Cruise Ship MV Hondius Set To Reach Canary Islands Once the vessel reaches the Canary Islands, all passengers and crew will undergo medical checks and treatment. Read Time:3 mins Share Photo source: oceanwide-expeditions.com The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius dealing with a hantavirus outbreak will travel to the Canary Islands, Spain has announced. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is working to determine passengers who need urgent evacuation from Cape Verde, where the ship is currently docked. The remaining travellers are set to continue to the Canary Islands, where the ship is due within three to four days. Officials have not specified the port of call. Once docked, all on board will be examined, treated and returned to their home countries. “Spain will host the MV Hondius vessel in the Canary Islands in compliance with International Law and the humanitarian spirit,” Spain’s  Ministry of Health said in a tweet. ALSO READ: What Is Hantavirus? WHO Flags Concern On Cruise Ship-Linked Disease, Issues Advisory On Global Risk Cape Verde does not have the means to carry out the operation, pointing to the Canary Islands as the nearest suitable alternative, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.  “Spain has a moral and legal obligation to assist these people, among whom are several Spanish citizens,” it said in a statement. The operation will follow a joint protocol on case management and contact tracing drawn up by the WHO and the ECDC, incorporating strict safety safeguards. Care and transfers will be conducted in designated spaces and purpose-built transport to prevent any contact with residents and to protect medical staff. The government will disclose the protocol once it is agreed and will keep the public informed of progress. While hantavirus is most commonly linked to rodent exposure, the WHO noted that transmission could have occurred among those in close proximity aboard the ship.  It emphasised that the threat to the general public is limited. In its latest update, the WHO said seven cases have been detected, including two confirmed infections and five suspected ones. The two verified cases include a Dutch woman who died, and a 69-year-old UK citizen evacuated to South Africa for treatment. The Dutch woman’s husband also died, but was not confirmed as a case, while a German national who died on May 2 was likewise not classified as infected.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (May 5, 2026) reached out to the Congress, a constituent of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, seeking support to form the government in Tamil Nadu, as the debutant emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly, winning 108 seats, falling short of a simple majority in the 234-member House. The national party, which won five seats, hinted it could extend support. In New Delhi, All India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal confirmed that the TVK has formally sought Congress backing. Following the Congress-led UDF’s return to power in Kerala, discussions on forming the new government have commenced. Pinarayi Vijayan, who resigned as Chief Minister, has not yet spoken to the media but is expected to address them after the party’s State Secretariat meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday (May 6, 2026). Tamil Nadu election results live: BJP’s Tamilisai Soundarajan On Vijay’s Big Win BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan said Vijay’s big win in Tamil Nadu is not only an effect of a ‘Vijay wave’ but also an “anti-wave against MK Stalin, the misgovernance of the DMK, and the highly disturbed law-and-order situation”. “Vijay has made his mark in one shot. He achieved significant numbers, even though he fell short by 10. He will receive support, and he should run a good government,” he said. May 06, 2026 09:31 (IST) Tamil Nadu election live: Sandalwood Superstar Congratulates Vijay On NDTV Sandalwood superstar Shivaraj Kumar, while speaking to NDTV, congratulated Vijay on his big win in Tamil Nadu. According to Kumar, he was never surprised with the results. He also said he was impressed with Vijay and his plans for changes in education in Tamil Nadu, adding that he would “surely” try to attend the swearing-in  ceremony if he is invited.

The United States is the biggest exporter of petroleum products, including diesel. But with a fifth of the world’s oil supply choked off at Hormuz, even the US could not make up for the shortfall.Washington: The US-Israeli war with Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a vital energy route — have triggered one of the biggest oil supply disruptions in history. This has led to a massive hike in global crude prices, but not all fuels are moving the same way. In the United States, diesel prices saw a spike of roughly 45 per cent, compared to about 35 per cent for petrol.  That could have severe consequences for the diesel-dependent industries in the US, including the transportation and farming sectors. While most of the individuals buying petrol can, for example, carpool or forgo some trips, diesel-dependent truckers, farmers and other users of diesel may not be able to cut back easily.  Why Diesel Is A Bigger Crisis Even before the war started, the global diesel supplies were tight in the US. That meant there wasn’t much buffer when exports from the Gulf, a major source of diesel and jet fuel, were disrupted. Adding to the challenge is the fact that, unlike petrol, which is relatively well supplied, production of diesel and jet fuel depends on specific types of crude oil and refining processes– a lot of which happens in the Gulf region.   “This is why diesel more than doubles, while gasoline (known as petrol in most parts of the world) basically moves up in tandem with crude,” Joe DeLaura, a global energy strategist at Rabobank, told the New York Times.  “You have a shortage of diesel, you have a shortage of jet fuel, you have a shortage of fuel oil. Gasoline is relatively well supplied,” he added. Before the war started, refineries in the Middle East exported more diesel and jet fuel than petrol, and no other nation in the world has the capacity to make up for that loss. 

President Trump faces a May 1 deadline to end US military action in Iran without Congressional approval under the War Powers Act. His options are – agree a peace deal, get approval, or ignore the deadline and face legal risks.The clock is ticking, loudly, for Donald Trump as he tries to negotiate an end to the Iran war, a conflict that seems not to have gone to plan, though he has made it clear he thinks otherwise. The US president faces an inflection point this week – May 1 is the last day he can continue to order military action without violating the War Powers Resolution, or the War Powers Act.Under that law he cannot deploy American forces for more than 60 days at a time without Congressional approval. In simpler words, without the US declaring war on Iran. Trump does not have that approval, not yet anyway. He does have options, including seeking a 30-day extension or an AUMF – an Authorisation for Use of Military Force – but the ferocity of Democratic opposition complicates the process.

Changes in weather patterns have been observed across the country following the onset of the pre-monsoon season. While the 2025 monsoon season saw excellent rainfall, leading experts to predict heavy rains for 2026, recent reports suggest that El Niño may influence this year’s precipitation. Amidst these conditions, pre-monsoon activity is expected to intensify. Consequently, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert for several states on 28, 29, and 30 April. Northwest India The IMD has issued an alert for Northwest India, forecasting heavy rain in several parts of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh on 28, 29, and 30 April. Light rain is also expected in various locations. The alert includes gusty winds at speeds of 30–40 km/h, dust storms, and thunderstorms. Additionally, hailstorms are likely in certain areas.