NPR News: 05-11-2026 11AM EDT

U.S. officials have brought home 17 Americans and one British citizen from a cruise ship where the rare Andes variant of hantavirus was detected, amid low public health risks. The episode also updates an alleged assassination attempt on President Trump, stalled ceasefire talks with Iran driving up gas prices, a rescheduled Trump-Xi summit touching on AI leadership, recovery of a U.S. soldier's body from a Moroccan cliff fall, and the death of former Anti-Defamation League leader Abraham Foxman.

Hantavirus Cruise Ship Repatriations

Seventeen Americans and one Briton aboard a cruise ship with confirmed Andes variant hantavirus have returned to the U.S., with most quarantined in Omaha, Nebraska, and at least two others moved to Atlanta. HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brian Christine emphasized the very low risk to the general public, noting the virus "does not spread easily" and requires prolonged close contact for transmission. This variant, rarer than others, underscores limited contagiousness even in confined settings like a ship. The arrivals followed standard isolation protocols, with conditions of the Atlanta patients undisclosed, highlighting ongoing monitoring without broader alarm.