The MV Hondius cruise ship, embroiled in a hantavirus outbreak, has been denied entry to the Canary Islands, as confirmed by the region’s president on Wednesday.

Fernando Clavijo explained to local news outlet Onda Cero, “I cannot permit it to dock in the Canary Islands.”

Clavijo, a conservative figure, criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a socialist, for the decision to allow the vessel to attempt docking. He argued that the move lacked “technical criteria” and insisted there wasn’t “adequate information to ensure public safety or provide reassurance.”

Furthermore, Clavijo accused the national government of “institutional disloyalty,” highlighting that he had not been kept in the loop by Madrid. He has demanded an immediate meeting, according to OK Diario.

In response, the government in Madrid stated, “Spain has both a moral and legal duty to assist these individuals, which includes several Spanish nationals.”

“The World Health Organization has explained that Cape Verde is unable to carry out this operation. 

“The Canary Islands are the closest location with the necessary capabilities.”

The virus-ridden ship, which has about 150 crew and passengers on board, had been preparing to travel to the Canary Islands after being stranded in West African waters off Cape Verde.

Authorities had refused to grant permission for the ship to dock over health concerns.

The ship would have to travel for four days before reaching the Canary Islands.

It had been expected to dock in either Tenerife or Gran Canaria, where those on board would be examined before being treated or repatriated back to their origin countries.

Three people are confirmed to have died in the outbreak and at least five are sickened.

Swiss authorities have since confirmed a passenger is being treated in a Zurich hospital for hantavirus.

The traveler — only identified as a man — returned to the country last month and went to the doctors when he noticed symptoms.

Hantavirus – the disease that killed Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa – is usually spread through rodent droppings, but health officials say they were told no rodents were found on board.

But one strain, “the Andes virus,” is alarming; it can be spread between people and carries a mortality rate of nearly 40%.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, told reporters Tuesday that “we do believe there may be some human-to-human transmission among very close contacts.”

Passengers on board the ship say they’ve been reading and watching movies, trying to keep themselves occupied while out at sea.

“Our days have been close to normal, just waiting for authorities to find a solution,” Qasem Elhato, 31, told the Associated Press. 

“But morale on the ship is high and we’re keeping ourselves busy with reading, watching movies, having hot drinks and that kind of things.”

Elhato said passengers were wearing masks and practising social distancing – precautions taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Helene Goessaert, another passenger, said everyone is “in the same boat, literally.”

“We receive information at regular intervals. It is accurate. For the rest, it is a waiting game,” she said.

“Today we received fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. That was very important to us.”

Meanwhile, experts have told the Post that passengers could face up to eight weeks of quarantine.

The ship left Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.

With Post wires

During the weekend, hordes of Berkshire Hathaway investors flocked to Omaha, Nebraska, for what is affectionately termed the “Woodstock for Capitalists,” a nickname Warren Buffett has bestowed upon his company’s annual gathering.

This year marked a significant moment as Greg Abel, Warren Buffett’s chosen successor, took the helm for the first time at this lively celebration of Berkshire’s achievements.

Despite leadership changes, one aspect of Berkshire’s operations remains steadfast: its substantial cash reserves. Since the conclusion of 2025, the company’s cash holdings have increased by 6%, reaching a staggering $397 billion.

Several Wall Street experts speculate that Berkshire is amassing these cash reserves in anticipation of a potential downturn in the market.

“It raises questions about what insights Berkshire Hathaway might have that are not yet apparent to the rest of us,” one analyst remarked.

‘They are hoarding cash at the same time most people – big investors and small – are ploughing money into the stock market and pushing it to record highs.’ 

The warning comes as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have been hitting record highs over the past two weeks, including today (Tuesday), after dipping in the aftermath of the start of the Iran war. 

At the annual meeting, Abel told shareholders that all the cash was ‘dry powder’ to ensure Berkshire is ready to jump on unbeatable investments at a moment’s notice.

Warren Buffett has handed the reins over to Berkshires new CEO, Greg Abel, but remains as the company’s chairman

Some Wall Street analysts think Berkshire has been building cash reserves to prepare for a market meltdown

Abel asked his investors not to look at the company’s cash pile as a sign that it’s  uninterested in new investment opportunities. 

‘It allows us to act decisively, invest when others are tentative or fearful, and stand firm when financial storms roll through,’ he wrote in Berkshire’s quarterly update.

The company’s current horde dwarfs its holdings around the dot-com crack-up in 2000 and the financial crisis of 2008. 

At the height of the dot-com crash in 2001, Berkshire held $68 billion in cash, more than half the company’s market value at the time. And when the US housing bubble was starting to pop in late 2007, Berkshire was sitting on $47 billion in cash.

After the dot-com bubble burst, Buffett used his ‘dry powder’ to make Berkshire’s first acquisition in the energy business, purchasing 76 percent of MidAmerican Energy for $9 billion.

The MidAmerican acquisition led to a series of energy sector investments that today are grouped into a business unit called Berkshire Hathaway Energy, which Buffett has referred to as one of his companies four ‘crown jewels.’

‘It’s not that we don’t see exceptional companies out there today that we’d love to own … but the price relative to the opportunity, the economic prospects of that company and the related risks – we’re not interested in acquiring those companies at that price,’ said Abel.  

The new Berkshire CEO is not the only Wall Street guru worried about risks right now – in a recent interview, billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones warned that the stock market was eerily similar to before the dot-com crash of 2000.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel greets shareholders during the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting

Hedge fund giant Paul Tudor Jones agrees that stock market valuations have gotten out of hand

Jones warned of a major correction of 30 percent or more, and like Abel he said that valuations have gotten out of hand.

‘Valuation matters a lot, and the stock market’s really high, and it’s going to be really hard to make money from here, I think, with any kind of long-term view,’ said Jones.

The Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting began with a video tribute to Buffett, beginning with a clip showing the standing ovation Buffett received last year after he surprised shareholders by announcing that he would step down.

Buffett praised Abel and said he’s glad that he made the decision to promote him now.

‘He´s very, very smart about businesses,’ said Buffett in a live interview that aired during the meeting. 

Abel is known to be a more demanding and hands-on boss than Buffett ever was – he reportedly asks tough questions and offers advice that his lieutenants appreciate, but he doesn’t tell them exactly what to do.

And with Buffett remaining Berkshire´s chairman and its largest shareholder it´s unlikely that Abel will make any drastic changes in Berkshire’s approach.

In Carrollton, Texas, tragedy struck on Tuesday as a shooting resulted in the deaths of at least two people and left three others injured.

The alleged shooter, identified as 69-year-old Seung Han Ho, was quickly apprehended following a short pursuit on foot, according to a report by FOX 4 Dallas.

Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo reported to the station that the victims had gathered to meet Ho for a business-related discussion when the altercation turned violent around 10:30 a.m. local time.

Emergency services were promptly dispatched to the scene, with ambulances arriving to assist those affected by the incident.

Ho was captured just a few miles from the crime scene at a shopping center in Koreatown, following the brief chase, as noted by Chief Arredondo.

Video from FOX 4 showed a large police presence, including the FBI, at the shooting scene and shopping center.

The three wounded victims are in stable condition, Arredondo said.

Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo briefs the press following a shooting in Carrollton, Texas. (KDFW)

FBI Dallas did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.