Virus-hit cruise ship latest - catch-up
If you’re just catching up with our coverage, here is our early afternoon story with all the latest on the virus-hit ship.
Three people with suspected hantavirus, including a British doctor, have been medically evacuated from the cruise ship linked to the outbreak.
The evacuation means the ship, with close to 150 people on board, can now continue on its three-day journey to the Canary Islands after Spanish authorities gave permission for the vessel to dock.
Since the start of the outbreak, the WHO has emphasised that the risk to the public is low.
Key talks on implementation of EU-US trade deal to take place today
In trade news, talks between MEPs and EU member states over the controversial US trade deal will begin at 7pm tonight in the wake of Donald Trump’s threat to increase tariffs on cars this week.
The so-called “trilogue” talks between German MEP Bernd Lange’s trade committee and representatives of EU countries are designed to thrash out any remaining differences over the Turnberry deal signed last year at Trump’s golf course.
But Donald Trump’s threat to increase tariffs on EU cars from 15% to 25% has risked ratification of the deal with Lange saying Trump has proved again he is an unreliable partner for the EU.
Lange’s committee is looking for three amendments:
a sunrise clause, enabling the deal only if the US respects its commitments
a sunset clause ending the deal in March 2028 unless renewed
and the option to suspend part or all of the deal if Trump issues new tariffs; which would address the current scenario
Lange enters talks with the majority backing of MEPs for his negotiating position but Manfred Weber, the head of the centre right group of MEPs, the EPP, said this week it would be pushing for a quick implementation of the deal.
The threat has reopened divisions within the EU with Merz and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen pushing for a diplomatic solution and the swift implementation of the deal to avert a crisis.
However, French president Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called on the EU to activate its so called trade “bazooka”, the anti-coercion instrument that would enable the EU to impose sweeping retaliatory measures.
Trump said he was imposing the tariffs because the EU was taking so long to implement its side of the deal.
The US side of the deal was already ruled unlawful by the supreme court but the EU is pushing to maintain the deal in a bid to stabilise the transatlantic relationship.
