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Two Dutch nationals and a German citizen have died following a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The international health agency is investigating three additional cases, including two crew members, who fell ill aboard the vessel, which is currently docked off the coast of Cape Verde in Africa.(SeaPRwire) - The president of the Canary Islands has stated that he will not permit passengers from a cruise ship experiencing a deadly hantavirus outbreak to disembark on the Spanish-owned archipelago, challenging plans announced by the country’s prime minister to allow the vessel to dock. Fernando Clavijo, the leader of the islands located just over 60 miles off the Moroccan coast, declared on Wednesday that he would not “endanger the safety of the Canary Islands population” by allowing crew and passengers aboard the MV Hondius to undergo medical examinations if the ship were to arrive. A deadly outbreak of the rodent-borne virus on the cruise ship, which carries 149 people, has resulted in eight individuals contracting the illness so far, with three confirmed through laboratory testing, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday. Three fatalities have occurred among those infected.On Wednesday, authorities announced that a French national who was not aboard the ship but had shared a flight with an infected passenger had also contracted the virus. The latest patient “reported himself to a hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, where he is receiving treatment,” the WHO added. The Swiss Public Health Office confirmed that the individual had traveled to South America at the end of April and subsequently tested positive for the Andes strain of the virus.Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with the urine, droppings, or saliva of rats or mice, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In rare instances, it can also spread via scratches or bites from rodents.The virus typically does not transmit between humans, but the Andes strain, a variant within the hantavirus family, can spread through respiratory droplets among close contacts, experts have informed TIME. The health ministry initially authorized the ship to dockClavijo’s decision contradicts Tuesday’s announcement from Spain’s Health Ministry, which stated that the ship’s arrival would proceed. “Spain bears a moral and legal obligation to assist these individuals, including several Spanish citizens,” the ministry said. “Crew and passengers will be thoroughly examined, cared for, and repatriated to their home countries.”However, Clavijo rejected this position, asserting in an interview with Spanish radio COPE that it diverged from what was discussed during a technical meeting on Tuesday, when health officials from the Canary Islands agreed the vessel should not dock in the region.The regional president explained that the original plan was “to evacuate hantavirus patients via air ambulance, while the remaining individuals would stay on board and be transported to the Netherlands, the country of origin for the vessel.”He further emphasized: “I cannot allow the ship to enter the Canary Islands.”Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the MV Hondius, stated on Wednesday that the vessel’s intended destination after its stop in Cape Verde remained the Canary Islands. On Wednesday, three passengers suspected of having hantavirus were evacuated from the cruise ship in Cape Verde and are now en route to the Netherlands for medical care. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed this development, adding that the overall public health risk remains low. A team of medical personnel wearing hazmat suits was observed conducting the evacuation, transferring the patients from the ship to a smaller boat, which then returned to port in Praia, the capital city.The Dutch foreign ministry has identified the three patients as a 56-year-old British national, a 41-year-old Dutch national, and a 65-year-old German. Clavijo argued that medical examinations in the Canary Islands could instead take place in Cape Verde, where the ship was located as of Wednesday morning. “Why subject these passengers to a three-day journey to the Canary Islands when the same procedure can be carried out here?” he questioned COPE.The regional president has also requested an “urgent” meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to address the disagreement. “I am not going to recklessly jeopardize the safety of the Canary Islands population with a government that is acting disloyally,” Clavijo stated.TIME has contacted the Spanish government for comment.Who has died from hantavirus and who is infected?As confirmed by the WHO, there are eight known cases, though only three have been confirmed through laboratory testing. Three of those infected have died. The first fatality was a Dutch national who passed away on April 11; the cause of death could not be determined while onboard the ship, according to Oceanwide Expeditions. On April 27, Oceanwide Expeditions reported being informed that the deceased’s wife had also died after disembarking the ship with her husband’s body. On May 2, a German national aboard the vessel succumbed to the disease.A British national reportedly became seriously ill and was evacuated to receive medical treatment in South Africa. The patient is currently in intensive care but is showing signs of improvement, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove of the WHO stated on Tuesday. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

—Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Eugene Nekrasov—Getty Images)(SeaPRwire) - While no medical procedure is fun, exactly, some can feel more intimidating than others. Root canals and mammograms may make the shortlist, but at the very top is the colonoscopy, a routine procedure in which a doctor uses a long tube with a tiny camera to examine your colon and rectum.Although you might get a colonoscopy at any age to diagnose or rule out various gastrointestinal conditions, the American Cancer Society recommends people with an average risk of colorectal cancer start screening at age 45. If you have no idea what to expect, you’re not alone. “No one wants to talk about their colon health,“ says Dr. Fola May, director of UCLA’s Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program and an assistant professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. But a colonoscopy doesn’t have to be shrouded in mystery. Here are eight things doctors want you to know about getting one. Colonoscopies can prevent cancer—not just detect it Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S., with more than 150,000 people expected to be diagnosed in 2026. In people under 50, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death, with cases rising by about 3% per year since 2011.A colonoscopy not only screens for cancer but, in many cases, “can prevent cancer altogether,” May says. During the procedure, doctors are looking to remove polyps—small clumps of cells that form on the lining of the colon or rectum. Polyps are common, particularly as you get older; around 40% of people over 50 will have them. While most are harmless, some have the potential to become malignant over time.“If we can find polyps and take them out before they even transform into a cancer, we're preventing people from ever having to hear those words, 'You have cancer,’” May says. While it’s not exactly pleasant, “you want to do the prep once and do it right,” says Dr. Sreeni Jonnalagadda, a gastroenterologist at Saint Luke’s Hospital Abdominal Transplant and Multispecialty Clinic in Kansas City, Mo. Adhere carefully to the instructions you’ve been given, and call the clinic if you have questions or doubts. Start preparing days in advanceA few days before your procedure, switch to what’s called a low-residue diet—one free of high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits, and raw vegetables—which will help minimize the amount of undigested food that lingers in your colon. Stay away from nuts and seeds, which can clog the scope. Eating more lightly than usual can also make the impending “evacuation” a little easier: “What goes in has to come out,” May says. It’s also important to guard against potential dehydration. May tells her patients to drink an additional liter of water every day starting three days before their procedure.You have options on the liquid dietA day without solid food might sound awful, but “different people swear by what works for them,” Jonnalagadda says. Clear fruit juices, clear soda, and black tea or coffee are allowed the day before the procedure, along with broth or bouillon for protein. If you’re desperate to feel like you’re eating something, “many patients find chewing gummy bears provides significant psychological relief from the other aspects of colon cleansing prep,” Jonnalagadda says. Just avoid red, blue, and purple gummies, which can leave a residue that resembles blood. (The same goes for ice pops, Jell-O, and Italian ice.) Everyone tolerates the prep solution differently The process of preparing for a colonoscopy is “highly variable,” May says. “I have people who say, ‘It was great, I felt light, I felt clean.’ And then I have people who come in and say, ‘That was the worst night of my life.’” Jonnalagadda advises putting the prep solution in the fridge—the colder it is, the more tolerable it will be —and drinking it through a straw to reduce exposure to the taste buds on your tongue. People often don’t anticipate just how much liquid they’ll have to drink, whether it’s the solution or water afterwards; getting through the volume can be a struggle all its own. People who suffer from constipation “may want to ask their doctors and say, ‘I tend to run really constipated, do I need a little extra?’” suggests Dr. Uri Ladabaum, who heads the clinical service of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Stanford University School of Medicine and is the director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program. Once the solution takes effect, prepare to get intimately acquainted with your toilet. Jonnalagadda advises stocking up on medicated moisturized wipes to avoid soreness. You probably won’t remember the procedure While prep is intensive, and there can be some waiting both before and after the colonoscopy, “your procedure itself is probably only about 30 minutes,” May says. Though you can choose to be completely awake or under a mild sedative, the vast majority of patients in the U.S. are given deep sedation that effectively puts them to sleep. “Most of the time, you’ll go through the procedure like, ‘Oh my God, was that it?’” Ladabaum says. “The sedation is so good and the recovery is not a big deal. And people are like, ‘Wow, I worried more than I needed to.’”It’s just another day at the office for your doctorPatients are often embarrassed by the nature of the exam, Jonnalagadda says. But it helps to remember that your doctor is a medical professional who has done hundreds or thousands of colonoscopies. “I say, ‘We do this all morning and all afternoon in here,’” May says. Everyone, at some point, should be screened for colorectal cancer, she adds, and the procedure, while it might feel awkward, is a small price to pay for peace of mind.Don’t feel bad if you’ve put it off—just do it If you’ve delayed your colonoscopy, try to get back on track as soon as possible, Ladabaum says. “Number one: don’t feel guilty about it. Number two: don’t freak out. Number three: don’t get the wrong message, which is, ‘Oh, I don’t need it,’” he says. “The whole point of screening is we are looking for disease when it's not symptomatic to try to prevent bad things from happening.” This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

—Hill Street Studios—Getty Images(SeaPRwire) - Every click, every photo, and every search query we make generates a digital footprint. These digital traces are the foundational material driving the AI revolution, enabling technologies that are transforming our world. Yet for the people who produce this data—all of us—it has become essentially worthless.The average internet user does not consider the value of their data. Instead, they freely surrender it to some of the wealthiest companies in the world at no cost.Due to this behavior, I am concerned that we are living in an age of data nihilism, where our data is critically important to AI developers but almost meaningless to us—not because our data truly lacks value, but because individuals feel powerless to prevent its collection without consent.When I first launched my AI ethics research lab, many within the AI research community were doubtful about OpenAI’s early strategy. Could they genuinely achieve AI capable of rivaling humans by simply expanding data and computing power, without deeper theoretical advancements? It seemed like a plan driven more by capital than science.OpenAI, however, ultimately prevailed. Their success demonstrated a simple, if unsettling, equation: vast datasets combined with immense computing power yield unprecedented AI capabilities. As a result, the global AI competition quickly transformed into, at its core, a race for data supremacy.This data-driven gold rush has deep historical roots, beginning with the deep learning revolution of the 2010s—itself sparked by web-scraped datasets such as ImageNet, which proved that widespread data availability could dramatically enhance AI performance. But today’s scale is fundamentally different, and so are the stakes. Ironically, the rising value of AI has come directly at the expense of the data that powers it. To win the AI race, companies have been incentivized to collect data without regard for the rights of those who create it—a mindset tacitly endorsed by regulators in the U.S., Japan, and India, who are willing to weaken data protections to accelerate national AI development.This widespread disempowerment has given rise to a dangerous phenomenon: data nihilism. It refers to the growing belief that our data has lost its significance and value because we have completely lost control over it. It reflects a resignation that living in an AI-powered era necessitates surrendering full control of our data. When our digital lives are continuously exploited without consent or compensation, it is entirely rational to believe that our data rights have disappeared. Indeed, a 2023 Pew Research Center study found that although 81% of Americans express concern about how companies use their data, 73% believe they have little to no control over it.Data nihilism is not merely a philosophical issue—it serves as the blueprint for one of the largest wealth transfers in modern history. AI functions as a massive funnel, extracting value from the data of billions of internet users and digital creators and concentrating the enormous economic benefits in the hands of just a few companies developing foundation models. This is not only a loss of privacy and intellectual property but also a form of mass economic disenfranchisement.Just as Nietzsche warned of the dangers posed by a nihilistic moral void leading to societal collapse, the current disregard for responsible data practices threatens to undermine trust in institutions and perpetuate systemic inequalities.Not everyone, however, accepts this massive redistribution of wealth and power without resistance. The creative industries are on the front lines, with authors, artists, and musicians filing dozens of lawsuits against major AI companies for copyright infringement. Meanwhile, a wave of legal actions under privacy laws like Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) is challenging the unauthorized use of some of our most intimate personal data—our faces and voices.This brings us to a crucial turning point: do we sacrifice our data rights for technological advancement, or protect them and risk falling behind in the global AI race? This is a false dilemma. There is a third way: ethical innovation.Data can and should be gathered for AI development through informed consent and fair compensation—and in fact, my team has already demonstrated how this can be accomplished in practice. Going forward, researchers should collaborate with paid and consenting participants worldwide to create high-quality datasets that the AI community can utilize responsibly.It is entirely possible to develop cutting-edge AI datasets without compromising individual rights. “Ethically sourced” should not hinder innovation, but rather serve as a mark of its quality and sustainability.The next step is for the AI community and policymakers to treat ethical data curation with seriousness. The economic power dynamics between AI systems and humans will largely be shaped at the data layer. Consequently, questions regarding consent and compensation mechanisms for data rights holders must become a central focus for both AI researchers and regulators. Establishing opt-in or opt-out frameworks that grant meaningful control to people around the globe whose data serves as the raw material for AI is a complex challenge, yet one that demands urgent attention. Furthermore, as AI developers exhaust existing data sources, future breakthroughs will likely depend on data quality rather than sheer volume.Nietzsche’s solution to nihilism was to forge personal meaning, but the scale of AI requires building systems that affirm and safeguard the value of humanity’s contributions. We stand at a critical juncture: if we fail to establish such safeguards, we will accept a future where AI’s benefits are concentrated among a privileged few, while the majority of people find their contributions rendered valueless. The future of AI cannot rest on a foundation of mass data appropriation. Instead, it must be built upon principles of respect, consent, and shared value. The age of data nihilism has arrived; now it falls to us to stop it. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Tuesday that the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite some Iranian strikes and the ongoing U.S. blockade.(SeaPRwire) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Tuesday that the truce between the United States and Iran is still active, even though new attacks have occurred in the disputed Strait of Hormuz, raising worries about potential escalation.During a press briefing at the Pentagon, Hegseth informed reporters that hostilities had not resumed but emphasized that the fate of the cease-fire depends on President Donald Trump’s decisions moving forward.“At this time, the cease-fire is still in place, but we will be monitoring the situation very closely,” he said.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine echoed a similar sentiment, noting that recent attacks did not meet the threshold needed to restart major combat operations.“Since the cease-fire was declared, Iran has launched attacks on commercial vessels nine times and taken control of two container ships, while also attacking U.S. forces more than 10 times. However, these actions have not reached the level required to resume large-scale military operations,” he explained.The remarks followed heightened tensions in the Strait after President Trump announced “Project Freedom” on Sunday, aiming to facilitate the passage of commercial ships stranded in the waterway—a critical route through which roughly one-fifth of global oil trade passes before conflicts arise.“If any interference occurs during this humanitarian effort, such actions will unfortunately need to be addressed forcefully,” Trump warned.U.S. targets Iranian vessels in the StraitHegseth confirmed on Tuesday that two commercial ships successfully passed through the Strait and described Iran as the “clear aggressor,” adding that the U.S. had attacked six Iranian vessels.“We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this outcome. They claimed they controlled the Strait, but clearly they do not,” he remarked.Hegseth made these comments following a new warning from Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, an influential figure in Tehran, who asserted that a “new equation” for controlling the Strait of Hormuz was emerging.“The safety of shipping and energy transit has been compromised by the United States and its allies due to their violation of the cease-fire and imposition of a blockade; naturally, their negative influence will diminish,” Ghalibaf declared.Ghalibaf cited the continuation of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports as the primary cause behind this shift and issued a subtle threat.“We understand fully that maintaining the current status quo is unacceptable for America; and yet, we have barely begun,” he added.Iranian officials responded to the U.S.-led mission to reopen the Strait, officially launched by President Trump on Monday, by cautioning commercial vessels against transiting without coordination with Iran’s military, which has effectively controlled the waterway since hostilities commenced.“We warn that any foreign armed forces—particularly the invading American army—will face attack if they attempt to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz,” Iranian military official Ali Abdollahi told state media.Monday saw a day filled with conflicting claims: Tehran claimed it struck an American vessel, a claim denied by the Pentagon, and disputed reports that two U.S.-flagged merchant ships had passed through the Strait.Since then, a South Korean cargo ship reportedly suffered an explosion and caught fire near the Strait. Trump swiftly blamed Iran and urged South Korea to join the U.S.-led maritime operation.“Iran has fired at unrelated nations regarding vessel movement and Project Freedom, including a South Korean cargo ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to join the mission!” Trump said on Monday.South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated on Tuesday that authorities were working to ensure the safe return of the crew, though no party was named as responsible.“We will carefully explore all possible measures to guarantee the safe return of our vessel and crew,” he affirmed.South Korean officials are reportedly weighing whether to participate in Trump’s proposed maritime initiative in the Strait.Since the blockade began, the U.S. has forced 51 commercial vessels to turn back, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday.UAE faces fresh wave of attacks as U.S.-Iran peace talks stallIn addition to events within the Strait, new attacks occurred in the Gulf region. The UAE’s Ministry of Defence reported intercepting 15 missiles and four drones launched by Iran on Monday. Fujairah authorities confirmed that one drone triggered a fire at a significant oil facility, resulting in injuries among three Indian nationals.The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also noted two cargo ships burning off the coast of the UAE.This marks the first direct impact on the UAE, a key U.S. ally, since the cease-fire began—after earlier strikes occurred during the war’s initial phase.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi denounced the attacks on Tuesday as “unacceptable,” stressing that uninterrupted navigation through the Strait is “essential for long-term regional peace, stability, and global energy security.”Tehran denied targeting the UAE, instead blaming the U.S. presence in the Strait. An Iranian military spokesperson stated, “The Islamic Republic had no intention to attack the aforementioned oil facilities; what happened stemmed from U.S. military interventionism designed to create illegal access for ships through forbidden routes in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military must be held accountable for this.”Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the developments in the Strait as further proof that “there is no military solution to a political crisis.”“As negotiations progress thanks to Pakistan’s mediation, the U.S. should avoid being pulled into a trap by hostile actors. So too should the UAE,” he said on Monday.Iranian officials indicated they are reviewing the U.S. response, although Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei noted on Monday that shifting demands have complicated diplomatic efforts.Reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains a top priority for Trump, as its continued closure drives up global energy prices and deepens economic instability. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.