We are now hearing a bit more from the Spanish authorities, as they say that all passengers remaining on the cruise are currently asymptomatic. The plan appears to be that after the cruise arrives in Tenerife, all non-Spanish passengers will be repatriated to their countries, while the Spanish passengers will be taken to a military hospital in Madrid for quarantine.
The US state department has cancelled tourist visas for more than half of the board members of Costa Rica’s leading national newspaper, La Nación, which has been a critical voice against the country’s president, Rodrigo Chaves, an ally of Donald Trump. During Chaves’s 2022 presidential campaign, La Nación published several articles documenting allegations of sexual harassment against him that had forced him out of his job at the World Bank. The paper also reported on allegations of illegal campaign financing, which Chaves denied. Since taking office, Chaves has been extremely critical of La Nación, accusing it of being “despicable press” and “political assassins”. He also targeted the newspaper financially by withdrawing a sanitation permit for an event space run by the organisation’s parent company. At the same time, Chaves has become a close ally of the US president. Last month, he agreed that Costa Rica would receive up to 25 deported migrants a week from the US. Chaves also participated in Trump’s Shield of the Americas summit and closed the Costa Rican embassy in Havana. Now, the ties between the two governments appear to have led to La Nación’s board members being barred from entering the US. “This is completely unprecedented,” Pedro Abreu, the president of the board of La Nación, said via email. “We see it as an indirect attack on press freedom because of the effect it can have on an independent media outlet and on those who have the institutional responsibility to protect it.” Abreu said five of the paper’s seven board members had had their visas revoked, while the other two held passports from countries that do not require a visa to enter the US. Analysts say the move by Washington could have an immediate chilling effect in Costa Rica. “It’s extremely serious,” said Felipe Alpízar, the coordinator of the Observatory of American Politics at the University of Costa Rica. “It’s the United States eroding the foundations of political discussion in Costa Rica, of freedom of expression, of freedom of the press.” The state department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The members of La Nacion’s board are just the latest in a long list of Costa Ricans targeted by Washington. Mauricio Herrera, a former Costa Rican communications minister, said: “This didn’t happen in a vacuum; there’s a persistent pattern. There’ve been a number of individuals whose visas have been revoked because they are political opponents or critics of the government.” Among them is Óscar Arias, twice president of Costa Rica and a Nobel peace prize laureate. Washington also banned Arias’s brother, Rodrigo, the president of the legislative assembly and a supreme court justice. The visa restrictions began not long after the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, visited Costa Rica last year and praised Chaves for a decree that in effect barred Chinese companies from Costa Rica’s 5G network rollout. Rubio told Chaves: “We’re going to try to work in cooperation with you. To impose costs on those within the country who use their positions of authority to undermine the interests of the people of Costa Rica.” Weeks later, opposition members who had criticised Chaves’s decree found their visas revoked. Chaves will step down later this week and be replaced by his handpicked successor, Laura Fernández. Analysts fear attacks against the opposition will only increase under her presidency. Herrera said: “My fear is that in the near future they will revoke visas of opposition members of parliament and the rectors of public universities. I would like to think that this is going to stop, but nothing indicates that it will.”
Donald Trump has expressed optimism that the Iran war “will be at an end” and the strait of Hormuz “open to all” if Iran agrees to the US’s truce proposal. But he also vowed that the US would resume its bombing campaign “at a much higher level and intensity” than before if Iran doesn’t accept terms that have apparently already been agreed to. In a post on Truth Social, the US president said: Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran. If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Cutting debt servicing costs for the world’s poorest countries could free up $900bn (£660bn) a year for development, a new report to the UN secretary general has claimed. Prepared by advocacy group Development Finance International (DFI) with the support of the Norwegian government and launched in Oslo today, the analysis warned that the world is facing “the worst ever debt-provoked development crisis”. The G77 developing countries spend a total of $8tn a year servicing their debts, the report showed – equating to an average of 35% of government spending. Six billion people are living in countries where spending on debt service is higher than the annual health budget. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, has previously called for global action on debt relief to free up resources to spend on meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Specifically, he suggested debt restructuring for the hardest-hit countries; and halving borrowing costs for countries that need to borrow from financial markets. In the new report, based on data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), DFI modelled, country-by-country, the benefits of implementing such a plan. In total, it found that halving borrowing costs for the 33 countries paying the highest interest rates, plus reducing repayments to 10% of government revenue for others – including those regularly hit by climate crises – could free up as much as $3tn a year to be spent on development. What it suggested may be a more realistic plan, which excludes wealthier developing countries such as China, could still free up $917bn a year – allowing countries to more than double their social spending. On average, the savings would be worth 9% of annual GDP for beneficiary countries. “If the international community can deliver comprehensive debt relief to countries which need it, and reduce the debt service burdens of many more, it will provide the fiscal space needed to fund the current SDGs,” the report said, adding, “the question is whether the world will find the political will to achieve these objectives, and relieve the suffering of billions of the world’s citizens.” The UK is chairing the G20 group of nations next year, and development campaigners are calling on Labour to seize the opportunity to try to make progress on reducing debt. The report showed that the burden on developing countries is now greater than in the run-up to the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005, when Tony Blair’s government used its leadership of the G8 summit in Gleneagles to secure pledges of debt relief. Today’s situation is more complex, with less direct bilateral lending from governments, and more private sector lending. The IMF warned recently that the growing significance of private sector investors such as hedge funds as lenders puts developing countries at greater risk of higher interest rates and currency shocks – including as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. These inflows of finance, “tend to be more volatile than bank flows and are increasingly sensitive to global risk conditions”, the IMF warned. Higher borrowing costs as a result of the Iran war, which has restricted oil supplies and pushed up inflation, are expected to increase the burden on developing countries in the coming months. Max Lawson, head of inequality policy at Oxfam, said: “Why should paying debts to rich bankers in London or New York be more important than feeding hungry people or getting kids in school? Global south governments were already on their knees, and are now facing a huge new food crisis caused by the [Iran] war. They need massive debt relief and they need it now.”
On 12 May 1926, the Norge, an Italian-built airship, made the first undisputed visit to the north pole. The crew on board included Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, Lincoln Ellsworth, his American financial backer, and Italian aviator and navigator Umberto Nobile. After starting from Spitzbergen in Norway, and passing the pole, the Norge flew another 3,000 miles before landing at Teller in Alaska. At the pole national flags were dropped but Amundsen later claimed the Italian ones were larger than the others – a sign of the strained relations between the explorer and the navigator. Safe arrival of Amundsen: no polar land discovered 17 May 1926 Captain Amundsen and his airship have arrived safely at Alaska, having fulfilled his plan, according to his own wireless messages, of passing over the Pole in his flight from King’s Bay, Spitsbergen. He sailed last Tuesday, and made a forced landing at Teller, on the Alaskan coast, 73 miles north-east of Nome, at two o’clock on Saturday morning. Amundsen and Commander Ellsworth and two companions reached Nome yesterday. The airship has been deflated at Teller and will be shipped to the United States. On the arrival at Nome one of the party is reported to have stated that no Polar land was discovered. The landing On the arrival of the Amundsen party at Nome, Mr Omdahl said: “No land was discovered, but the Norge acted wonderfully under trying conditions, though it was impossible to reach Nome, and we had to make a forced landing at Teller. The weather was foggy and snowy, and we were very fortunate to sight Teller. Tho Norge landed on the ice at Teller, and the gas was immediately released from the airship, which was practically dismantled. Riiser Larsen, the second in command, was left in charge.” Reception of the news in Norway The news of the Norge’s arrival at Teller spread like wildfire in the capital and throughout the country. The papers immediately published special editions, while the streets were decked with flags and thronged with enthusiastic crowds. There was great excitement in the Storting when the announcement was made, and the government and many corporations have sent their hearty congratulations to the expedition, paying tribute to the great achievement. The Norwegian prime minister has instructed the Norwegian Legations in Washington and Rome to tender congratulations to the American and Italian governments Rejoicing in Rome The news of the arrival in Alaska of the Norge gave rise to delirious demonstrations of joy and relief here after the anxious period of waiting. The streets and public buildings were immediately adorned with flags, and the bell in the Capitol rang for a long time. A crowd assembled in front of the house where Colonel Nobile’s family lives and held an enthusiastic demonstration. Mme Nobile appeared on the balcony and thanked the crowd. A deputation composed of managers and workmen of the aircraft factory then visited Mme Nobile who was weeping with joy, and congratulated her warmly. Editorial: Amundsen 17 May 1926 Amundsen certainly has a way with him. He is the shrewdest and by far the luckiest of Polar explorers. His shrewdness took him successfully to the south pole and back, but his safe return in his seaplanes from the neighbourhood of the north pole last year was due to unprecedented luck, and he showed his recognition of the fact by changing to an airship for this year’s expedition. The venture of the Norge was exposed to the risks of blizzard and intense cold, but, considering the shorter distance, it was probably not more dangerous than that of the R34 when it crossed and re-crossed the Atlantic. After this there will probably be a slump in Poles. Polar exploration derives its interest, apart from contributions to knowledge, from the experiences and sufferings of the exploring parties. The wireless messages sent out by Amundsen suggest that the first half of his journey at least was uneventful and even dull; nothing was seen but pack-ice, and fog sometimes prevented even a good sight of that. There are two points to be cleared up: the next few days should tell us whether Amundsen sighted any land between the north pole and Alaska and what the conditions are like for the airship service “over the top” of which some people dream. But what is Captain Amundsen to do now for adventures? Has he thought of Everest? It is a little out of his usual beat, but a man must have a job. The Norge’s polar flight: gasbag cut by flying ice 18 May 1926 Mr Riisar Larsen, describing the epoch-making voyage of the Norge, said in an interview last night that thin ice and open water had been found at the Pole, but that no land was discovered in the Arctic wastes. The Norge was in the air for 72 hours, and a considerable time was spent at the Pole making observations, for which the airship descended to within 630ft, of the ice. Over Point Barrow occurred an accident which might have led to a disaster. Owing to the intense cold ice formed on the whirling propellers and then suddenly flew off like a stone from a sling, tearing a rent in the gas-bag. The helium within began to escape, and the airship became extremely heavy, but fortunately Teller reached before the loss of gas could become fatal. Open water and rocky islands Commander Lincoln Ellsworth stated to-day that he saw a large quantity of open water at the north pole when the party sailed over there on Tuesday night in the Norge. This statement has provided the answer to the question which has puzzled geographers and explorers for many years past, and which had not been completely settled by the visits of Captain Peary or Lieutenant Byrd because of the limited area which they were able to see. Commander Ellsworth added that he also saw some rock islands, but these could not be considered properly as land. The party dropped an American flag at the Pole, it being the third with the American colours which had been placed there, including those dropped by Captain Peary and Lieutenant Byrd.
A Mexico City nightclub has gone viral for charging Americans a nearly $300 cover charge, while citizens from any other country pay just $20 for access, and Mexicans and other Latin Americans pay only $14. The Instagram announcement from the nightclub Japan in the Roma Norte neighborhood has been liked over 26,000 times and received more than 200 comments, mostly supporting the policy as part of a broader revolt in the capital against what many see as a US takeover. “It’s not that ‘we charge gringos more’ it’s that we offer discounts to people that need it,” the club said in its cheeky Instagram post. “The cover charge is $5,000 [pesos]. Citizens of the USA don’t get a discount.” The post goes on to say that citizens from any other country get a 93% discount, Mexicans and Latin Americans get 95% off, and students and teachers get a 97% discount, paying just 150 pesos for access to the nightclub. The club’s owner, Federico Crespo, said the tiered pricing was a reflection of deteriorating Mexico-US relations under Donald Trump. “This is a response to a year of insults directed at us – as a country – by the United States,” he said. “It’s very much a response to the many attacks against Mexico from Trump.” However, Crespo said the cover charge system was also a response to the “gentrification and touristification” of the city. The nightclub’s post is part of a general backlash in Mexico City against what many see as an invasion of Americans and other foreigners in trendy neighborhoods such as Roma and Condesa, driving up prices and displacing locals. Last year, protesters took to the streets in a furious march that at points turned violent, with marchers dressed in black smashing windows of local businesses. Afterwards, the streets were littered with broken glass, the walls covered with furious graffiti: “Get out of Mexico.” While Mexico City has long been a popular spot for American visitors, there was a noticeable increase during the coronavirus pandemic, when many from the US took advantage of “work from home” policies to flock to the Mexican capital where rents were far more affordable. The result of this rise in so-called “digital nomads” has been a proliferation of Airbnbs, soaring rents in desirable neighborhoods and a general shift in the urban environment: in some areas of Mexico City, English is heard as much as Spanish. The trend reflects similar tendencies around the world, in cities such as Barcelona, Genoa and Lisbon which are also popular with digital nomads. Local people complain that new arrivals are taking advantage of cheaper living conditions, often not paying local taxes and eroding their communities. Crespo said the extra money from the cover charges was distributed among workers at Japan. “It’s a way to give that money to the people most affected by this issue: rising rents, the soaring cost of living and the need to commute longer distances to get to work. By giving the workers the money collected from cover charges, we help them out a little bit.”
Kyiv has criticised Russia for attacking several Ukrainian cities overnight with more than 100 combat drones and three missiles, in spite of a unilateral 24-hour ceasefire called by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine’s president had announced the truce after the Kremlin said it wanted a ceasefire on Saturday during its annual military parade in Red Square – but he said he would reciprocate if Vladimir Putin broke Ukraine’s ceasefire, which ends at midnight on Wednesday. Instead of pausing operations, Moscow has intensified them, with a series of devastating bombings on busy urban areas. On Tuesday, 28 civilians were killed in bomb and missile strikes in the Donetsk, Poltava and Dnipro regions and dozens were injured. The latest strikes on Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia showed that Russia rejected peace, Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiga, said. “This shows fake calls for a ceasefire on May 9th have nothing to do with diplomacy. Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives,” he wrote on social media. Sybiga added: “Such attitude necessitates strong and increased pressure on the Russian regime, including new rounds of sanctions, isolation, accountability for Russian crimes, and enhanced support for Ukraine in all areas.” Moscow’s drone and bomb attacks on Tuesday were the most deadly in Ukraine for weeks. They came at a time when Russia’s advances on the battlefield have practically stopped, with its armed forces losing more territory in April that they gained – for the first time since 2024. The Kremlin has taken widespread measures to protect Saturday’s parade – which celebrates the allies’ victory over Nazi Germany in the second world war – after recent long-range Ukrainian drone strikes on a range of targets. For the first time in nearly 20 years the event will take place without a display of tanks and ballistic missiles. Air defence systems have been transferred to the Russian capital from other areas, and the mobile internet network has been shut down, apparently as a security precaution. It is unclear if Ukraine will seek to disrupt the event, or instead target Russia’s oil infrastructure and military-industrial sites. Moscow’s defence ministry said it downed 53 Ukrainian drones between 21.00 and 07.00 (1800-0400 GMT) – far fewer than in previous days. It did not say whether any of the drones attacked after Kyiv’s unilateral truce was supposed to come into effect at midnight. Talks on ending Europe’s worst conflict since the second world war have shown little progress. Putin has refused to moderate demands first made during his 2022 full-scale invasion, including the handover of swathes of Ukrainian territory and the removal of its pro-western government.
The federal government will invest more than $10bn to shore up fuel supplies amid the Middle East conflict and attempt to shield the country from future global oil shocks. A government-owned reserve for diesel and jet fuel will be established under a plan to increase Australia’s backup stocks to 50-day supply. “We know that the international environment is getting more unstable, not less. And so, we have to look at what we have done in this crisis and see what we can do to build Australia to be better prepared even for the next international crisis, whenever it might occur,” the energy minister, Chris Bowen, said on Wednesday. What – if anything – will the package mean for fuel prices? Could the $10bn have been better spent elsewhere? And what about actually refining more fuel onshore? ‘A big change in our approach’ The $10.7bn package, which will be funded in next Tuesday’s federal budget, contains two major pieces. Taxpayer money to the tune of $7.5bn has been allocated to underwrite cargoes of fuel and fertiliser and help companies boost storage capacity through a combination of loans, equity, guarantees, insurance and price support. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email Export Finance Australia has already struck several of these deals under emergency powers that passed the federal parliament in late March. A further $3.2bn will be spent establishing a publicly owned fuel reserve that will hold about 1bn litres of diesel and jet fuel. Bowen indicated the fuel would be stored at private facilities rather than at a new government-owned site. Private companies will be required to hold an extra 10 days of fuel under the so-called minimum stock obligation (MSO), taking Australia’s overall reserves of diesel and jet fuel to 50-day supply. As of 28 April, there were 43 days’ worth of petrol, 33 days of diesel and 28 days of jet fuel in reserve, according to government figures. Last month, the Coalition announced a plan to increase fuel stocks to 60 days, which would bring Australia closer to the International Energy Agency’s 90-day standard. Guardian Australia understands the new MSO requirements will probably start in 2027 but won’t be fully implemented until 2030, giving companies time to increase storage capacity. “This is a big change in our approach as a country and a good one,” Bowen said, noting 22 of the 32 IEA member countries had government-owned reserves. ‘This is not an energy security plan’ The $10.7bn investment won’t have an immediate impact on petrol and diesel prices at the bowser – but nor is it designed to. The package is about long-term fuel security rather than short-term relief, which the government provided via a three-month halving of the fuel excise. Environmentalists have criticised the government for doubling down on petrol and diesel rather than using the international oil shock to reduce Australia’s reliance on fossil fuels. “I hope there’s an encore because this is not an energy security plan, it’s a short-term petrol supply plan,” said Greg Bourne from the Climate Council. “We’ve been bitten twice in five years, and need to get off the treadmill of global supply shocks. This is a once in a generation opportunity to provide genuine energy security, with renewable energy that that we own and control. The sun and wind can’t be embargoed, blockaded, or weaponised.” Heidi Lee, the chief executive of Beyond Zero Emissions, said while the plan might offer “short-term reassurance” it doesn’t “address the underlying problem”. “Australia remains deeply exposed to global fuel markets and long, complex supply chains for everything from refined petroleum to manufactured goods. In an increasingly unstable geopolitical environment, that is a growing economic risk,” Lee said. The shadow energy minister, Dan Tehan, said Wednesday’s announcement was a belated acknowledgment from the government that Australia was in a “national fuel crisis”. NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said the new measures would “go some way to future-proofing” Australia’s fuel and energy needs. “The global events of the last two months have opened our nation’s eyes to the immediate need for Australia to take its fuel security seriously,” he said. What about refining? The oil shock sparked by the US and Israel’s war in Iran has exposed Australia’s extreme reliance on imported fuel. Roughly 90% of refined fuel products are shipped in from overseas after the closure of all but two local refineries – Ampol’s Lytton refinery in Brisbane and Viva Energy’s facility in Geelong. The federal government wants to increase domestic refining capacity and has allocated $10m from the new fuel security package to help bankroll feasibility studies into new or expanded projects. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said one “serious proposal” had already been put forward and would be receiving the support of the commonwealth and a state government. Albanese did not disclose further details, including which state the proposal was based, and his office would not comment when contacted by Guardian Australia.