The MV Hondius is set to sail again and will take new passengers in just a few days’ time after completing a deep decontamination programme following a deadly hantavirus outbreak

A cruise ship which sparked a global health crisis after a deadly outbreak of hantavirus has been cleared to set sail again after a deep clean.

Three people died and another 10 were infected after the rat-borne virus spread through the MV Hondius earlier this month, sparking fears that human-to-human transmission could spread the illness across the world.

More than 170 passengers and crew were evacuated from the ship, including 30 British nationals. Yesterday the MV Hondius was cleared to sail again after authorities in Rotterdam, where it had docked, ruled it had been fully disinfected and said there were “no obstacles anymore” to it returning to sea. It was subjected to four key checks and a deep clean by workers in hazmat suits during its time in the Netherlands.

After arriving at Port of Rotterdam on May 18, the ship underwent a decontamination programme. A strict cleaning regime lasting several days required crews to wear PPE to ensure the vessel was thoroughly sanitised, and that the cleaners themselves would not require quarantine afterwards.

The 25 crew members and two medical staff who stayed on the ship from the Canary Islands to the Netherlands had to immediately enter quarantine upon arrival to monitor for the virus’s 42-day incubation period. Because hantaviruses are primarily spread by rodents, the ship also had to pass strict rodent inspection procedures to ensure there were no sources of the virus onboard.

Infection control experts and the public health agency in Rotterdam carried out a final inspection of the MV Hondius on May 29, which ruled the ship clean and that the decontamination process had been successful.

It comes after the World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the virus appeared to have been contained, telling reporters in an briefing on Friday: “The situation is stable for now. ^{We continue to remain vigilant and in close contact with all relevant governments… All passengers and crew remain in quarantine and under close monitoring to ensure they receive care if needed.”}

Oceanwide Expeditions, which operates the MV Hondius, expects to put the ship back into service as soon as June 13 for its next scheduled journey. This voyage would see it sail through the Arctic, including stops in Svalbard in Norway.

PARIS (AP) — French police detained 780 people involved in violent clashes in Paris and other French cities that erupted Saturday night after Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League title.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 57 officers were wounded, with most suffering minor injuries, as football fans set off fires and vandalized shops. One small group even tried to storm a Paris police station.

Nuñez said at a news conference Sunday that “the situation has been largely brought under control.”

“Most of the celebrations took place peacefully” across the French capital, he said, noting most incidents happened in the Champs Elysees neighborhood and close to the Parc des Princes stadium in western Paris where fans had gathered to watch the match.

Police also intervened five times overnight to prevent people from blocking traffic on the main ring road around Paris, he said.

Nuñez said incidents took place in about 15 cities in France, describing “one to two” shops vandalized in each other than Paris. He said 780 people were detained in all, with 480 of them in the Paris area alone.

The Paris prosecutors’ office said 277 people have been formally placed in police custody, including 82 minors, for alleged offences. Most were for assault of police officers while other allegations include theft, vandalism and disturbing the public order.

One serious accident involved a driver losing control of a car that rammed into a restaurant’s terrace, leaving two people wounded including one seriously, Nuñez said.

But Nuñez said that planned celebrations for the team’s win on Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower, would go ahead as scheduled. He warned that police would respond with “firmness and determination” to any potential violence.

The PSG team will then be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace.

Fans began celebrating in Paris after the final whistle Saturday evening in Budapest, Hungary, where Paris Saint-Germain won by beating Arsenal on penalties in a dramatic final.

Fans marched along the avenues near Paris’ Arc de Triomphe monument, with some setting off flares and blaring car horns. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees, where police worked to contain the crowd.

The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires to garbage and self-service bicycles in the streets. Cars were also set ablaze. Those who attempted to storm a police station in the posh 8th Arrondissement neighborhood were dispersed, police said.

In May last year following PSG’s first title, 201 people were injured in the French capital and police made more than 500 arrests across France.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Peter Corley, 62, was working as a train conductor on a Northern Trains service when he was punched in the mouth by a passenger who had no ticket

A Northern train conductor had a tooth knocked out after being punched in the face by a passenger travelling without a ticket.

Peter Corley, 62, had instructed Finley Seggie, 21, to get off from the York-bound service from Leeds at the following station after he and a companion were unable to produce valid tickets. Seggie hurled verbal abuse at Peter before advancing towards him and punching him in the mouth on December 14, 2024.

Peter lost his top-right incisor, needed £3,000 worth of dental work covered by Northern Trains, and ultimately had to leave his job due to mental health difficulties stemming from the attack.

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He said: “It was very shocking. It was a very hard punch. I’m sure he’s done some boxing training, but he hasn’t learned the responsibility that goes with it.

“As a ticket inspector you know there are 2%of passengers who would deck you, but I really didn’t see it coming. I saw him walking towards me with a crooked unpleasant grin on his face, then it all happened so fast.”

“I just remember watching my tooth fly out of my mouth. It happened so fast I had real difficulty processing it.”

The grandfather-of-one, from York, had stepped down from West Yorkshire Police as a custody inspector in 2015 before taking up a role with Northern Trains in 2018, reports Yorkshire Live.

His voice was even featured in the automated announcements broadcast across the network.

Peter described the train as having a good “pre-Christmas vibe” before asking Seggie and his friend for their tickets. After being told they had none, Seggie verbally abused Peter, who then asked them to leave at East Garforth, the next station.

Peter, who shared the story on Talk to The Press, said: “He grinned, then punched me, I fell back, and he ran. My glasses flew off, and as I bent to pick them up my knees just went from under me. People on the train were very shocked. I was covered in blood.”

A passenger helped Peter and called police. He conducted the remainder of the journey to York before meeting British Transport Police and travelling to York Royal Infirmary.

Seggie was identified from CCTV and arrested in February before pleading guilty to ABH. He was handed a 16-month suspended sentence at Leeds Crown Court on May 5. He had claimed the punch was in self-defence but later admitted the charge.

Peter, who now works as a supermarket customer team member and delivery driver, said he bears no grudge towards Seggie.

He said: “Most people operating outside the law are perfectly ordinary good people, who, for a variety of reasons, have chosen a wrong path. I bear no grudge towards him. I am satisfied with the outcome, but I would have preferred to meet him face to face as restorative justice, to look him in the eye and ask why he did this.”

He added: “They were a very kind and responsible employer. I really miss that job. Being a ticket inspector is a very difficult job – there’s a lot to do and you’re really focussed on helping people.”

“The road which was closed for a time has now fully reopened to road users”

Two young men remain in hospital with serious injuries after a collision on Saturday.

Police are appealing for information and witnesses following the crash in Kinallen. At approximately 12.40pm on Saturday, May 30, police responded to a collision involving a red Volkswagen Jetta in the Katesbridge Road area.

Inspector Lawson said: “Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service attended, and the driver and passenger, two men aged 19 and 22, were both taken onward to hospital for treatment to injuries which are believed to be serious.

“The road which was closed for a time has now fully reopened to road users.

“Our investigation is continuing, and anyone who was in the area and witnessed what happened, or who may have captured any mobile or dash-cam footage, can contact 101, quoting reference number 729 of 30/05/2026.”

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Ukraine launched fresh strikes on Russian energy sites overnight into Sunday, Russian authorities and media reported, while Kyiv denied Russian claims that a Ukrainian drone struck a key Kremlin-occupied nuclear plant.

Drone debris set fire to a fuel storage facility in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, Gov. Yuriy Slyusar reported on Telegram on Sunday. He said residents of nearby homes were evacuated.

The drones also damaged civilian infrastructure in Saratov province, also in southwestern Russia, according to Gov. Roman Busargin. Astra, an independent Russian news channel, said an oil refinery was on fire in the regional capital, Saratov.

Ukraine’s General Staff on Sunday confirmed Ukrainian drones had struck the Saratov oil refinery, causing a “large-scale fire.” It said the extent of the damage was being clarified, and claimed the refinery has been supplying Moscow’s war effort.

The refinery belongs to Russia’s state oil enterprise, Rosneft, and produces diesel and gasoline among other types of fuel. Russian authorities did not immediately comment further.

Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on Russia’s oil and gas facilities in recent months, arguing the energy sector both funds and directly fuels Moscow’s more than 4-year-old invasion.

Meanwhile, Kyiv denied Russia’s claims that a Ukrainian drone struck the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest in Ukraine and Europe.

Russian forces captured the plant in the early weeks of the war, and it remains close to the front lines in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, one of four Russia has formally annexed despite lacking full military control or international recognition for its actions.

Russia’s state nuclear energy company, Rosatom, said on Saturday that the drone exploded after tearing a hole in the wall of a turbine hall. Rosatom’s CEO Alexei Likhachev accused Ukraine of a “deliberate” attack.

“This afternoon, a Ukrainian kamikaze combat drone struck the turbine hall building of Power Unit No. 6, resulting in a detonation,” Likhachev said. He added there was no damage to main equipment.

Ukraine’s military denied Russia’s “yet another propaganda ploy,” saying it did not target or strike the plant. The military said in a statement that it adheres to international humanitarian law and is aware of the “consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities.”

“Along the relevant section of the front line, there was no active fighting at the time of the incident, and no weapons were used,” it said.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, voiced “serious concern” following the incident in a post on X.

Ukraine’s state nuclear supervisory agency said the damage claimed by Russia must be verified by IAEA experts present at the Zaporizhzhia plant as part of a long-term monitoring mission.

The Zaporizhzhia plant has repeatedly come under fire since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, sparking fears of a nuclear accident. Moscow and Kyiv have blamed each other for targeting the plant on purpose.

Elsewhere, Ukraine’s air force said Sunday that it had shot down 212 of 299 drones launched by Russia overnight. It said 14 drones had reached their targets, while drone debris fell in five locations.

Russian drones struck the city of Dnipro and an oil refinery in Ukraine’s Rivne region, causing fires, authorities said.

Oleksandr Koval, the head of Rivne’s regional administration, said no one had been injured at the refinery, and that emergency services were at the site.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

At 215 metres, it is modest in height. But Nicky Nook has a habit of making people feel rather foolish for underestimating it.

Stand at the trig point on a clear day, and you can see Blackpool Tower to the south, Morecambe Bay to the north, and the Lake District fells beyond.

In the right conditions, it is even possible to spot the Isle of Man and the Great Orme on the North Wales coast.

A fell that can be climbed in well under an hour, with views that take far longer to fully take in.

Nicky Nook (Image: Google)

The village at its feet

Scorton sits at the edge of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the banks of the River Wyre, north of Garstang.

Its name is thought to derive from Old Norse and Old English, meaning “farmstead by a ravine”, a reference to the landscape that still shapes it today.

For much of its history, Scorton was a quiet rural settlement. That changed in the 19th century when it became part of Lancashire’s thriving cotton industry, with its own mill powered by an underground waterwheel fed from the River Wyre.

The mill is long gone, but the village’s tight cluster of stone buildings, its river walk, playground and churches still give it the feel of somewhere that grew around a particular purpose and then quietly got on with things.

The climb that rewards every effort

The most popular route up Nicky Nook begins in the village and crosses the motorway bridge before heading up through the Wyresdale Park estate and out onto open fell.

The path is well-maintained, the ascent steepens only briefly, and the whole circuit, including a loop around Grizedale Reservoir, can be completed comfortably in around two hours.

Church of St Peter, Scorton (Image: WikiCommons)

The fell sits within the wider Wyresdale landscape. Wyresdale Park itself is an 800-acre estate, combining working farmland with woodland, lakes and a country house originally built in the 19th century.

As for the name, “nook” traditionally refers to a small, sheltered corner. Exactly who Nicky was remains uncertain, but the name has been attached to the land for generations.

The estate café and the tearoom in the village

Walkers starting from the Wyresdale Park car park on Snow Hill Lane are well catered for at the Applestore Café, which sits beside Wyresdale Lake and serves food and drinks throughout the week.

Back in the village, the Priory has been a fixture since 1969, a family-run café and bed and breakfast serving breakfasts, lunches and homemade cakes in a cosy setting, with a reputation strong enough to draw people from across the region.

The Barn, a large garden centre, café and gift shop, rounds out Scorton’s offering, making it a genuinely useful base rather than simply a starting point for a walk.

Skylarks, meadow pipits and open moorland

The fell itself is managed as part of the wider Bowland landscape and supports a mix of upland birds typical of the area.

Skylarks and meadow pipits are common on the open fell, while more fortunate visitors may spot tree pipits or yellowhammers.

In spring, bluebells carpet the woodland sections of the walk up from Wyresdale Park, while the reservoir at Grizedale offers a quieter, reflective stretch on the way back down.

Getting there

Scorton is just off the A6 between Garstang and Lancaster, accessible from junctions 32 or 33 of the M6. The village is also served by regular bus services from Preston, Lancaster and Blackpool.

There is parking in the village for those using local businesses, and additional spaces at Wyresdale Park near the Applestore Café.

Combine the fell with a walk along the River Wyre, lunch at the Priory and, if the weather holds, an hour on the summit watching the light change over Morecambe Bay. It is one of those days that costs very little and stays with you for a long time.

A 13th Manchester United star will be heading to this summer’s World Cup after their compatriot suffered a devastating injury which has ruled him out of the tournament

Manchester United youngster Tyler Fletcher has been called up to Scotland’s squad for the World Cup as a last-minute replacement for the injured Billy Gilmour. Fletcher, 19, only made his senior debut for Scotland on Saturday in their 4-1 friendly win against Curacao, during which Gilmour picked up a knee injury.

The Napoli star will now miss the World Cup, where Scotland will appear for the first since 1998, in a devastating blow. Steve Clarke’s squad are due to fly to the United States on Sunday and Fletcher will be on board.

The teenager, the son of United legend Darren, has fended off competition from three other midfielders who were on standby. Rangers’ Conor Barron, Andy Irving of Sparta Prague and Udinese star Lennon Miller were also in contention to replace Gilmour at short notice.

“Those three are on standby, and obviously Tyler joined us this week,” Scotland boss Clarke explained post-match. “He’s trained well this week, so he’s a little bit closer than the other three, but I’d need to have a big discussion with my staff and decide the best way to go.”

WORLD CUP LEGENDS: The stars who lit up football’s greatest tournament – Buy the Special Edition today

On Sunday morning, the Scottish FA confirmed that Fletcher had been called up. His twin brother, Jack – who is also on United’s books – chose to represent England at youth international level.

Dad Darren represented Scotland 80 times and was named captain in 2009. The former midfielder now manages United’s under-18 side after previously serving as interim manager of the first-team in January.

Tyler featured for the Red Devils on the final day of the season at Brighton and has become the 13th United player to be selected for the 2026 World Cup. The 19-year-old won the prestigious Denzil Haroun Player of the Year Award this season, previously claimed by the likes of Nicky Butt, Michael Keane, Adnan Januzaj, Axel Tuanzebe and Alvaro Fernandez.

After Saturday’s game at Hampden Park, Scotland star Kenny McLean labelled Fletcher ‘special’ and made comparisons to his dad. “Tyler came on and I can’t speak highly enough of him,” McLean hailed.

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“I said to the lads after his first session, ‘I can see something special in him’, so I was glad he got on after the week he has had. In my first couple of squads, I played with his dad and, for me, in my first session, he [Darren] stood out a mile.

“Fortunately for Scotland, his son is pretty similar. There is a lot of potential there. It’s about using him in the right way.”

Scotland will begin their World Cup campaign against Haiti at 2am UK time on Sunday, June 14. Their group also includes Brazil and Morocco.

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

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The teens have been drawn into the area by posts made on social media.

A group of ‘hundreds’ of youths have descended on an estate with police saying they have set fires, stolen from a local shop, fought in the street and hurled food at residents.

The teen yobs are said to have swarmed on Southglade Park in Bestwood over the past week, drawn by the heatwave and social media posts, reports the Mirror.

Local residents have reported some of the “mad behaviour” of the group, with one shop forced to temporarily close after hundreds of pounds worth of goods was stolen.

Nottinghamshire Police confirmed it received reports of youths fighting, setting small fires, abusing shop staff, throwing stones, intimidating people and riding bikes in front of moving vehicles, leading to the force having to issue a 48-hour dispersal order across the estate starting on Wednesday, May 27, which was later extended to yesterday morning.

The Premier convenience store on Southglade Road explained how it closed its doors for a combined 10 hours over three days amidst the chaos.

Shop assistant, Suthan Maniam, reported up to 200 teenagers, aged between 13 and 17, gather at the park opposite the shop and believed most of them were coming from outside the local area, after social media posts advertised water pistol fights.

Mr Maniam said teens went on to steal hundreds of pounds worth of ice creams and soft drinks from the shop. He also said he saw people being “pushed” into buses and a heavy sign was also thrown towards a group.

“It’s very mad behaviour. It’s when it’s especially warm days or school has been off,” he said. “They’re very rude. They start with water [in the water guns] and then put in sticky soft drinks.

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“No one is going to listen, that’s the problem. I’ve never seen this kind of behaviour but we can’t do anything about it.”

Mr Maniam hoped the dispersal order would make things better, adding: “They don’t want to enjoy the summer, they need to do some antisocial behaviour.

“When they assemble as a group it’s different behaviour. When they come as smaller groups they’re alright.”

A video posted to TikTok showed a huge group of youths gathered in the car park and the street outside the Premier, while another shows a tree and bushes engulfed in flames with the caption: “Casual day in Southglade yesterday”.

A local mum, who did not wish to be named, said a pint of milk was chucked over her daughter by a member of the group in the street.

“She had to get changed. They threw it across the road and it went all over her clothes,” she said.

Another woman said she was planning to have a barbecue with her son at the park, but had decided against it due to the antisocial behaviour.

“It puts adults like ourselves off from doing things,” she said. “We should be able to go out in the community and socialise but when they’re acting like ****heads we can’t.”

However, the 36-year-old, who did not wish to be named, said she had some sympathy for the kids.

“If there were things for kids to do it wouldn’t be so bad. They’re bored and have got nothing to do. I was a rebel at 13.”

Pensioner Janet Stanley, who lives opposite the field, said she had seen hundreds gather but described them as “nice people”. The 82-year-old, who has lived there for six decades, said she had seen kids fighting but that they were always friendly to her.

“I don’t mind them. I wave at them out the window and they always wave back. They’re just having fun and sometimes someone will say something [and they’ll fight],” she added.

When Nottinghamshire Live visited the park on Thursday, litter was strewn across the streets, outside the Premier and all over the field and multi-use games area.

Rob Mabbott, a volunteer litter picker, was out cleaning up after the teenagers and said it made him “wonder why you bother”.

“It’s just terrible. You try and do your best and just want to make the environment nice and safe for kids, ironically,” said the 58-year-old.

“I thought we’d better see if there’s anything we can help with for those people that are law-abiding and like to live in a nice place. It’s worse than I thought. It was only done a week ago.

“It does make you wonder why you bother. It certainly wasn’t like this when I was a kid in the ’70s.”

Mr Mabbott, who has been litter-picking since 2012, said he and his colleague expected to fill up to eight bags between them.

Sergeant Rose Barton of Nottinghamshire Police said: “Our neighbourhood policing team has received a stream of separate reports of antisocial behaviour in and around Southglade Park in recent days.

“While we’re aware the mixture of the warm weather, Bank Holiday weekend and half term will, quite rightly, lead to young people wanting to hang out with their friends, there is a point where a line is crossed.

“That has now taken place, with the numerous reports of antisocial behaviour severely impacting on the local community, which has prompted us to make the decision to issue this dispersal order and then extend it for longer.”

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Gateshead’s new Reform administration flexed its majority at the Civic Centre on Friday afternoon by formally electing the new council leader and deputy, Nick Allan and Fiona Pearce.

The party was able to win the vote to appoint its leadership, despite having seven councillors absent as they were attending a wedding in Turkey.

Ultimately, Reform still had 30 councillors in the chamber to the combined opposition parties’ 28.

The local election results earlier this month marked the first time Labour has not held the reins of power in the Gateshead Council chamber, going back more than 50 years.

Reform claimed 38 seats out of 66 following the May 7 poll.

However, one of its new councillors in the High Fell ward has already resigned. The party said that Danielle Cavanagh had quit the role due to added work commitments as her business is expanding.

Coun Allan also announced earlier this week that Reform would effectively refund the cost of the by-election through one of its cabinet members not claiming their special responsibility allowance of almost £20,000 this year. 

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Friday that the others missing from the meeting would have been able to attend had it taken place last week, as had been originally planned. It was also confirmed that all seven  had signed their declaration forms confirming their position as elected representatives.  

In addition, Coun Allan also announced the makeup of the council’s new cabinet following a question from Labour group leader John Adams. 

Reform’s new cabinet at Gateshead Council is as follows:

• Deputy leader (and children’s services): Coun Fiona Pearce
• Adult social care: Coun Col Daughtry
• Sport and culture: Coun Michael Robinson
• Housing: Coun Gavin Brierley
• Environment: Coun Garry Thompson
• Roads and traffic: Coun Graham Keating
• Economic development: Coun Steve Campion
• Public health and community safety: Coun Sandra Pickering

Reform councillors were also elected to the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Coun Andrea Graham of Birtley North and Lamesley ward and Coun Michelle Merrin of the Lobley Hill and Bensham ward took the roles respectively.