Authorities in Argentina‘s Tierra del Fuego province are vehemently disputing claims that a deadly hantavirus outbreak, linked to an Atlantic cruise ship, originated within their borders.

Instead, they are urging investigations into other Argentine provinces visited by passengers.

Local officials in the southernmost South American archipelago reject the assertion by national health authorities that a rubbish dump in Ushuaia was the probable source where two Dutch tourists contracted the virus while bird-watching.

“I believe we are facing a smear campaign against this destination” Juan Facundo Petrina, the province’s director of epidemiology, told reporters Friday in a press conference from Ushuaia.

He highlighted that federal officials reportedly failed to contact local authorities directly, instead learning of the alleged Ushuaia link through media reports.

Petrina further stressed that Tierra del Fuego has no history of hantavirus cases, particularly not the Andes variant implicated in the cruise ship outbreak, unlike provinces further north in Argentina.

The director also noted that the deceased Dutch couple spent only two days in Tierra del Fuego during their four-month journey across Argentina and Chile, a factor he believes “dramatically reduces the likelihood that the infection happened here”.

As the main gateway to Antarctica, the remote town of Ushuaia drew over 157,000 cruise passengers last year — almost double its local population.

Deep-pocketed cruisers have increasingly grown vital to Tierra del Fuego’s economy as its core electronic manufacturing sector reels from libertarian President Javier Milei‘s slashing of trade barriers and subsidies.

“Now the whole world is associating Ushuaia, and cruise travel, with a lethal virus, and if this continues, reservations for next season are honestly going to plummet because nobody will want to be exposed” said Rubén Rafael, the former health minister of Tierra del Fuego.

“Ushuaia’s reputation as a tourist destination is suffering badly”.

Argentine investigators have yet to arrive

When asked on Friday whether the Argentine Health Ministry still favored the outbreak origin theory of the Ushuaia landfill, a ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to talk about the investigation, said that nothing had changed and that Ushuaia was the only place where the ministry was sending investigators, adding that it remained possible the virus originated elsewhere in Argentina.

The Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that it would dispatch experts from the state-backed Malbran Institute to trap rats at the Ushuaia trash heap and nearby areas and test them for the Andes strain of the hantavirus.

Over two days later, the investigators have yet to arrive. The official dismissed the delay as normal for Argentina’s slow-moving bureaucracy.

In Tierra del Fuego, Petrina said he hoped national investigators would clear Ushuaia’s name. He said it was taking a while “to determine all the exact locations where trapping and analysis will take place”.

Others in the left-leaning province complained that the government’s delay and lack of transparency came as part of a wider pattern ever since Milei took his chain saw to the country’s health system, withdrawing his country from the World Health Organisation weeks after US President Donald Trump did the same and defunding national programs responsible for tracking infectious diseases.

“The health system in Argentina is going through a serious crisis” said Rafael, the former provincial health minister. “The system is weakened, and as a result, the response to this outbreak has been very slow. That exposes all of us”.

Outside Argentina, public health experts said that the investigation is a critical step so that a similar situation can be avoided.

“It’s not an extreme emergency, but it’s still of urgency in terms of collecting the data” said Celine Gounder, an epidemiologist who serves as editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News and previously advised the Biden administration on the coronavirus pandemic.

“If there is an Andes virus that is more infectious locally you’d want to know that so that you can warn local residents and take measures to prevent their infection. And if they haven’t started that process yet, that would be concerning”.

A daunting hunt for answers

The Dutch couple that the WHO has identified as the first cruise passengers infected with the Andes variant — the only hantavirus that may be able to spread from person-to-person in rare cases — arrived in Argentina last November, according to the Argentine Health Ministry.

The couple, 70 and 69 years old, spent weeks driving up and down the country before making a series of border crossings between Argentina and Chile over months.

They also traveled between Argentina and Uruguay in March before embarking on the Antarctic cruise from Ushuaia on 1 April.

The governments of Chile, which has seen deadly outbreaks of the Andes variant before, and Uruguay, which hasn’t, declared the couple couldn’t have become infected while visiting based on the virus’ up-to-eight-week incubation period. They didn’t offer details.

Because the couple died, retracing their steps through the country is exceedingly difficult, said Argentine health officials, adding that they’re working to fill in some gaps in the couple’s travels.

Many independent Argentine epidemiologists believe that the hantavirus outbreak most likely emerged from the woodlands of central Patagonia, another major tourist destination where authorities have recently recorded hantavirus cases and long-tailed rats known to carry the Andes variant run rampant — unlike in Ushuaia.

“With the media pressure now, it wouldn’t surprise me if the government’s response has been more about quieting criticism by appearing to act” said Raul González Ittig, genetics professor at the National University of Cordoba.

The motorway is closed southbound between J17 (Sandbach) and J16 (Crewe/Stoke-on-Trent).

Cheshire Police are in attendance and motorists are being warned of delays on approach to the closure and diversion routes. 

Diversion Route

Follow route marked with a hollow circle symbol on road signs:

• Exit the M6 at J17
• At the end of the slip road turn right on to the A534
• Follow the A534 towards Crewe
• At the Crewe Green Roundabout take the second exit on to the A5020 University Way
• Follow the A5020 on to David Whitby Way
• At the Weston Gate Roundabout with the A500 take the first exit
• Follow the A500 Shavington Bypass eastbound on to Alsager Road and continue to the M6 J16
• At the roundabout take the fourth exit to re-join the M6 southbound

A National Highways spokesman said: “If this closure affects your journey please allow extra time for your journey, consider alternate routes (if possible).

“Further information is available from National Highways by visiting our www.trafficengland.com website and travel apps, or via our regional X feed.

“Our 24/7 contact centre team is also available to provide up to the minute information on 0300 123 5000.”

The Other Side of Me will be performed at Northern Stage in Newcastle on May 20, following a seven-venue tour along Australia’s east coast that ends with a four-day run at the Sydney Opera House.

Originally scheduled to be staged in Newcastle in 2020, the production was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Other Side of Me by Gary Lang NT Dance Company at DanceX Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne 2025 (Image: Gregory Lorenzutti.)

It also carries emotional significance, following the death in 2024 of Dr Laura Fish, the Northumbria University writer and assistant professor who first conceived the project.

Dr Fish began the work after exchanging letters with a young Aboriginal man who shared his struggles with identity and reconnecting with his Indigenous heritage.

Liz Pavey, assistant professor at Northumbria University and co-creator of the production, said: “It is a joy that The Other Side of Meis finally coming to the North East after all this time.

The Other Side of Me by Gary Lang NT Dance Company at DanceX Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne 2025 (Image: Gregory Lorenzutti.)

“This is such an important story, and we are so excited that North East audiences can finally connect with it – I know they will be moved, challenged, and in awe of the choreography. It raises profound questions about colonialism and belonging that resonate far beyond Australia.

“This is also a wonderful moment of international recognition for Gary and his extraordinary artistry. And of course, it is a tribute to Laura – a chance for all those who knew her to remember the incredible cultural impact she had on creative writing, on this region, and well beyond.”

The Other Side of Me by Gary Lang NT Dance Company at DanceX Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne 2025 (Image: Gregory Lorenzutti.)

The Other Side of Me tells the story of a young man from Australia’s Stolen Generations – Indigenous children forcibly removed from their families under government policy – who is adopted and raised in the UK, cut off from his culture and identity.

Blending contemporary and First Nations dance with physical theatre and literature, the work unfolds as an intimate duet between two men representing different sides of the same person: the British identity he lives and the Indigenous identity he yearns to reclaim.

The performance has received international acclaim since premiering at the Darwin Festival in 2023.

It has since toured Western and Central Australia, featured at The Australian Ballet’s DanceX Festival in Melbourne, and embarked on its acclaimed 2026 East Coast Australian tour, which culminates at the Sydney Opera House before travelling to the UK.

Produced by the First Nations-led organisation BlakDance, the production was developed in collaboration with Northumbria University and the Gary Lang NT Dance Company.

Ms Pavey described the upcoming performance as a tribute to Dr Fish and her lasting influence.

She said: “This is also a wonderful moment of international recognition for Gary and his extraordinary artistry.

“And of course, it is a tribute to Laura – a chance for all those who knew her to remember the incredible cultural impact she had on creative writing, on this region, and well beyond.”

Gary Lang, choreographer and artistic director of Gary Lang NT Dance Company, said: “While this work was inspired by a specific and gut-wrenching story about the loss of a Blak boy’s identity, the exploration is about the many ‘what if’ moments we can all recognise in our lives.

“The Other Side of Me is about the prison that everyone has in their own minds – how we keep ourselves behind bars and how we try to find our own freedom.”

Following the Newcastle date, the production will appear at Dance North Scotland’s RISE 2026 festival, an annual event celebrating contemporary dance across Caithness, Inverness, Findhorn, and Glasgow.

The Other Side of Me will be performed at Northern Stage, Newcastle, on May 20.

The campaign, Together Through Sport, aims to ensure every child can play, grow and thrive through access to sporting opportunities.

Mr Quinn said: “Sport should be for every child, not just the lucky few.

“Together Through Sport is helping ensure no child is left on the sidelines.

“By supporting the campaign, you can help provide opportunities that make a real difference to young people and families across our region.”

The campaign brings together major sporting foundations and organisations across the North East, including the Foundation of Light, Newcastle United Foundation, Durham Cricket Foundation, Eagles Community Foundation and Newcastle Rugby Foundation.

Together, they aim to remove barriers that prevent young people from taking part in sport and physical activity.

Funds raised will go towards free and subsidised holiday activities, community sports sessions for children and young people, school-based opportunities to get active, access to safe, inclusive and welcoming environments, and support for families facing financial barriers to participation.

The campaign also forms part of a wider ambition to establish the North East as the UK’s first Region of Sport, harnessing the power of clubs, charities and community organisations to create healthier, happier and more connected communities.

People can support the campaign by texting TOGETHERFIVE to 70085 to donate £5, plus one standard network rate message, or by donating online through the campaign’s JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/campaign/sport.

Prince Harry has, it is said, been made aware of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being threatened at his Sandringham home by a “balaclava-clad” armed man

Prince Harry is expected to “double down on his position” his family needs taxpayer-funded security when they visit the UK after the alleged Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor incident.

The Duke of Sussex’s legal and personal argument in his continued fight is said to have been given a boost following the arrest of a man in connection with the alleged Andrew incident. Alex Jenkinson, 39, appeared in court on Friday, charged with two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior to harass someone or cause alarm or distress.

Tom Sykes, a royal journalist, said: “It’s reasonable to assume he will be seriously concerned, and will now double down on his position that he simply cannot bring his wife Meghan Markle and their children back to the United Kingdom without a comprehensive security package in place.”

Prince Harry’s argument has, for years, been met with scepticism, legal battles, and indifference but it is believed the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is likely to change things.

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The machinery governing Harry’s security when he visits the UK runs through RAVEC, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, and has a complicated process. Under the current arrangement, Harry must give thirty days’ notice of any visit, after which RAVEC makes a case-by-case determination about what protection he receives.

But last September, a known stalker managed to get within feet of the Duke of Sussex on two separate occasions during a single London visit. Mr Sykes, also an author, continued: “If something were to happen [to Prince Harry], it would be catastrophic, not just for Harry, but for the United Kingdom, the monarchy, and the country’s reputation in the world.”

Father-of-two Harry has claimed he is particularly concerned for Meghan Markle and their children during visits to the UK. His wife and children will not join Harry when the duke comes here in the summer for a preperation meeting ahead of the Invictus Games, which next year will be held in Birmingham.

With this in mind, Mr Sykes added: “The time has come to untangle status from safety. But the fact that Harry has been foolish does not mean he should be unsafe.”

The expert shared his thoughts in a piece for The Daily Beast after Jenkinson’s appearance at Westminster Magistrates Court. There, the defendant pleaded not guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour toward the former Prince Andrew near his home on King Charles III’s Sandringham Estate.

Jenkinson, who is from Stowmarket, Suffolk, been released on conditional bail. One of the conditions is that he must not go into Norfolk or go near any royally owned premises in the UK and another that he must not contact the victim.

Storm Stacey claimed the Superstock race and second Superbike event on his first appearance on the roads of the Causeway coastline

Storm Stacey had a North West 200 debut to remember as he completed a brilliant double on the legendary Triangle Circuit.

The 23-year old claimed the Superstock race and second Superbike event on his first appearance on the roads of the Causeway coastline.

The British Superbike frontrunner rode his BMW to pip Michael Dunlop in the Stocker race and followed that up with a success in Superbike race two which came to a premature end when the red flags came out because of an oil spill.

The race was halted after lap three, with Stacey declared the winner, and Dean Harrison and Glenn Irwin second and third.

“Unbelievable,” Stacey told BBC Sport NI after the Superstock race.

“The goal here was just to come here and have a good, successful North West 200, go home happy and continue with BSB.

“I did promise Stuart Higgs I would go easy, but you get a bit carried away when you’re racing, unfortunately.

“I really enjoyed that race, battling with Michael [Dunlop] is– it’s a new thing for me, I’ve never battled with Michael.

“Obviously, we’ve done test days before on tracks, but the difference on a track to on roads is so different, but it was good having some duals, we were looking at each other down the straights and it was a bit of a ‘who dares wins’ on the brakes.

“I think I won all the battles on the brakes, so it was very fun.”

Irwin claimed the 12th Superbike triumph of his career by winning race one, Michael Dunlop took the Supersport victory and Peter Hickman and Jeremy McWilliams were the winners of the Supertwin/Sportbike races.

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Rowling, a former Labour supporter herself, later added: “Polite notice to those urging me to show blind tribal allegiance to a party that’s screwed over female nurses who want to change in a female-only space, female prisoners housed with male sex offenders and female rape survivors who want an all-female support service: nope.”

Noni Madueke has revealed the ‘toughest opponent’ he has faced during his career so far at Premier League clubs Arsenal and Chelsea.

Madueke made close to 100 appearances for Chelsea after being signed from PSV in 2023, helping the Blues qualify for the Champions League and win the Conference League last season.

Arsenal agreed to pay London rivals Chelsea over £50m for the England international last summer, with a large section of fans sceptical about the value of such a deal.

Madueke has not been a guaranteed starter under Mikel Arteta but has still played a part in Arsenal challenging for the Premier League title and reaching the final of the Champions League.

The 24-year-old has come up against some of the best players in Europe but views Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk as his ‘toughest opponent’ to date.

‘I would probably say Virgil van Dijk,’ Madueke told Sky Sports. ‘He’s just so big and fast so it’s difficult to get in behind him. I would probably say him, for sure.

‘Playing against players like that is good competition, you want to test yourself against the best, that’s the mindset you have to have going into the game.

‘It’s football at the highest level so it’s definitely fun to test yourself against those type of players.’

Discussing his move from Chelsea to Arsenal, Madueke added: ‘I just believed Arsenal were going to win trophies so that’s why I moved.

‘The England boys helped me a lot, I was already close to them so it was great. The whole club helped me though, everyone in and around the club was helpful.

‘It’s full of good people and people who want to work hard and achieve something. It was easy in that sense.’

Madueke’s Arsenal teammate Declan Rice is one of the frontunners to win the PFA Premier League Player of the Year award after a brilliant season in north London.

Asked whether he believes Rice deserves the award, Madueke said: ‘Yeah, definitely. I hope he wins it.

‘Look at how consistent he’s been this season. Those type of trophies depend on team success as well as individual performances but if we win I’m sure he has a real chance.

‘I’ve known him for a few years now and he’s a top, top person and a top player, he’s got a great vibe about him off the pitch and on the pitch he’s obviously a top player and a leader.’

Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid last time out to reach their first Champions League final in 20 years.

Arteta’s side return to action on Sunday with another crucial Premier League fixture against relegation-battlers and London rivals West Ham.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

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The Blacksmith Arms at Lastingham, north of Kirbymoorside, has won the payout from The Telegraph to celebrate National Pub Day.

The media outlet has created National Pub Day on Saturday May 16 to celebrate the essential role pubs play in local life and drive footfall back into local pubs.

After receiving nominations from drinkers, a Telegraph judging panel decided the Blacksmith Arms was one of five winners from more than 1,200 entries, due to it showing its importance to the local community.

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North Yorkshire village has historic charm and perfect pub

The panel of Telegraph judges said: “As head chef and owner of The Blacksmiths Arms you would think delivering good food and a great pub atmosphere would be enough for Ali Moran.

Pub owner Ali Moran (Image: Pic supplied)

“However, being part of the community means so much more to him. One of the people who nominated the pub said Ali and his team have been invaluable in being there for the locals.

“With the village shop and post office closing, The Blacksmiths Arms has been vital in more ways than one – from pointing tourists in the right direction to helping find missing kittens, the pub has been a core pillar for the community.” 

The interior of the Blacksmith Arms at Lastingham (Image: Pic supplied)

Ali Moran told the Press: “Business is quite challenging. We have had to change the way we manage the pub. The hard work the staff put in. This acknowledgement means so much. I am thrilled people have put us on this pedestal.”

This Sunday marks five years since Ali Moran, a local lad, took over the Blacksmith Arms. But the main celebrations will be saved for National Pub Day and The Telegraph’s £5,000 bar tab.

Ali said: “Everyone that comes in gets a free drink. Hopefully, it will be a great way to celebrate hospitality and pubs.”

The Blacksmith Arms at Lastingham (Image: Pic supplied)

As part of the celebrations, The Telegraph has teamed up with Berkshire-based Renegade Brewery to create its own ‘Telegraph Ale’, a classic English bitter.

This limited-edition brew will be served at The Blacksmith Arms, plus hundreds of other pubs.

In North and East Yorkshire, they include the Feathers at Pocklington, the Old Black Bull at Raskelf, the Owl and Cat (Hooting Owl Distillery) in Rougier Street, York; the Piebald Inn, Hunmanby, and Stamford in Pocklington.

To claim a free pint while stocks last, pub goers will be asked to register with The Telegraph for free or login in to their existing Telegraph account.

Over £4 million is up for grabs tonight across three games and if you missed the live draw, we have you covered.

One lucky winner could get their hands on a staggering £3.9 million jackpot on tonight’s National Lottery Lotto draw. Those looking for the big bucks should’ve grabbed their tickets by 7.30pm ahead of the draw at 8pm.

The draw could be watched on the National Lottery’s YouTube channel or website. There is also £500,000 up for grabs on the Thunderball, which was drawn at 8.15pm, and £350,000 on the Lotto HotPicks.

Lotto HotPicks which uses the same numbers as the main Lotto, just without the Bonus Ball. These games also closed at 7.30pm, so you should have bagged those tickets by then to be in with a chance of winning.

If you missed the live draw, don’t worry, because the Record has you covered. Tonight’s National Lottery Lotto winning numbers are: 03, 11, 13, 14, 43, 49. The Bonus Ball is 05. As mentioned, the estimated jackpot is £3.9 million.

Tonight’s National Lottery Thunderball winning numbers are: 01, 03, 26, 27, 38. The Thunderball is 12.

In January 2016, the Lotto jackpot reached the £50 million cap and rolled over once more to reach a record-breaking £66 million.

National Lottery games should always be fun, playing in a way that is right for you. Using its handy toolkit you can set limits, take time out or moderate Instant Win Games to help keep track of your play.

Help is at hand. If you’re worried about yourself, or someone you know, contact GamCare, available 24/7 on 0808 8020 133.

You can also visit the Responsible Play website for help with your play or to find more information on support services.

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