Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
The three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine announced by president Donald Trump last week ended with a fresh wave of Russian strikes, with over 200 attack drones reported over Ukraine (10:15).
The issue was among those discussion by the EU’s defence ministers at their regular meeting in Brussels (9:57).
Elsewhere,
The head of the World Health Organization has told countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases after the outbreak onboard the MV Hondius (10:54), and thanked Spain for the “compassion and solidarity” it had shown by taking in the stricken cruise ship and evacuating its passengers and crew (13:31).
France said it has identified and is monitoring 22 contact cases of hantavirus, but saw no evidence of circulation of the virus within its territory (17:11).
A Dutch hospital has quarantined 12 staff members in a preventive measure after blood and urine from a hantavirus patient were handled without observing strict protocols (15:22).
In other news,
The new Hungarian government, led by Péter Magyar, has been formally sworn in, with ministers refusing to have pictures taken with the country’s president, Tamás Sulyok, a loyal ally of the previous prime minister Viktor Orbán (16:31).
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany must “pull itself together” or risk being left behind in a rapidly changing world, in a speech to trade unionists on Tuesday that sparked jeers, whistles and boos (12:07).
Ukrainian authorities have named Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s powerful former chief of staff as a suspect in a major corruption investigation, a move likely to pile pressure on the president’s office at a sensitive moment in the war with Russia (10:41).
Finally, the Eurovision song context begins tonight (14:41).
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France looks closely at 22 contact cases for hantavirus, but no evidence to suggest widespread circulation, minister says
Speaking at the press conference, Stéphanie Rist insisted there is currently no evidence of community transmission of hantavirus in France.
She recalled the history of the five French passengers on board of MV Hondius, with four of them doing well and testing negative, and the fifth person remaining in serious condition.
She said there is more work on contact tracing, with 22 cases identified in total and followed up by authorities.
“There is no evidence suggesting widespread circulation of the virus on our national territory,” she said.
