All posts tagged: widens

Hungary’s Tisza party widens parliamentary majority as final votes are counted – POLITICO

Hungary’s Tisza party widens parliamentary majority as final votes are counted – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Orbán’s Fidesz party came in a distant second with only 52 seats in the parliament. “Here are the results of the 2026 parliamentary election: an unprecedented majority, an unprecedented mandate — and, at the same time, an unprecedented responsibility,” Magyar wrote in an X post on Saturday. He added that he could be officially sworn in as prime minister in mid-May. Magyar’s supermajority could facilitate the swift approval of democratic reforms necessary to unlock €17 billion of EU funds that were frozen over rule-of-law shortcomings under Orbán’s tenure. Under the current rules, the Hungarian government has to fulfill 27 EU-mandated conditions — officially known as “super milestones” — that will reform the country’s procurement rules, and increase judicial independence and academic freedom as a precondition to claim any funding. Over the weekend, Magyar and his future ministers held talks in Budapest with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s chief of staff, Bjoern Seibert, and several director-generals. The goal was to outline a roadmap to release the money and discuss a €90 billion loan to Ukraine that was …

Spain-Trump spat widens over Spanish opposition to Iran war : NPR

Spain-Trump spat widens over Spanish opposition to Iran war : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Demonstrators in Barcelona, Spain, hold photographs of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the killed Iranian supreme leader during a protest on Wednesday against U.S. and Israeli military attacks in Iran. AP hide caption toggle caption AP SEVILLE, Spain — A feud is widening between the United States and NATO ally Spain, after the Spanish government reiterated that it would refuse to let U.S. forces use two joint military bases in southern Spain amid the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. “Our position has been very clear from Day 1,” Spain’s defense minister, Margarita Robles, told Cadena SER Radio on Thursday. Robles contradicted an earlier statement by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who claimed the Spanish government had shifted its position. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Leavitt said: “With respect to Spain, I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear. And it’s my understanding over the past several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military.” Robles responded to Leavitt’s comment saying: “The facts are clear. The Spanish government is not going …

Qatar downs two Iranian fighter jets as conflict widens | Israel-Iran conflict News

Qatar downs two Iranian fighter jets as conflict widens | Israel-Iran conflict News

Published by Sam Flores

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, Qatari Defence Ministry also says seven ballistic missiles and five drones fired by Iran were intercepted. Listen to this article | 1 min info Qatar’s air force has “successfully shot down” two Iranian fighter aircraft, the country’s government says, as the fallout from the United States and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iranian retaliation, grows across the wider Middle East. The Qatari Defence Ministry said in a statement on Monday that the air force downed two SU-24 aircraft while seven ballistic missiles and five drones fired by Iran were also intercepted. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “The threat was addressed immediately upon detection, in accordance with the operational plan, as all missiles were shot down before reaching their targets,” the ministry said. The Gulf country had condemned Iran for its “reckless and irresponsible” targeting of Qatari territory in response to US-Israeli attacks that have killed hundreds of people across Iran since Saturday. Iran has launched a series of retaliatory strikes on targets in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia …

Israel strikes Lebanon as Mideast conflict widens – POLITICO

Israel strikes Lebanon as Mideast conflict widens – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Israel warned residents of dozens of villages in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate. “Hezbollah’s actions force the IDF to act against it … For your safety, evacuate your homes immediately,” Israeli army spokesperson Ella Waweya said on X. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called the rocket fire “irresponsible,” warning it “endangers Lebanon’s security and safety,” and said authorities would act against those responsible. The flare-up is stoking fears that the confrontation with Iran will engulf the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump said military operations against Iran could continue for weeks, as oil prices jumped and air travel across Persian Gulf hubs faces continued disruption. European officials are increasingly alarmed after a drone struck the U.K.’s airbase at Akrotiri in Cyprus overnight — the clearest sign yet the Iran conflict is edging toward Europe’s doorstep. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is convening a special security meeting of commissioners Monday to assess the risks to the bloc’s security and energy supplies. Source link

Analysis: Khamenei’s killing leaves Iran’s ‘axis’ in disarray as war widens | Hezbollah

Analysis: Khamenei’s killing leaves Iran’s ‘axis’ in disarray as war widens | Hezbollah

Published by Sam Flores

The killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a United States-Israeli air campaign has sent shockwaves through the Middle East, decapitating the leadership of the “axis of resistance” at its most critical moment. For decades, this network of groups allied with Iran was Tehran’s forward line of defence. But today, with its commander-in-chief dead and its logistical arteries cut, the alliance looks less like a unified war machine and more like a series of isolated islands fighting desperate survival wars. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that the Islamic Republic does not need its proxies to fight its battles. “We do not expect anything from anyone,” Araghchi said when asked about the role of allied militia groups. “We can defend ourselves by ourselves. … We do not want any party to help us in our self-defence.” This statement creates a striking paradox: Just as Tehran claims it stands alone, its most powerful proxy, Hezbollah, has officially entered the …

War Widens as Israel and US Pound Iran and Tehran and Its Allies Hit Back

War Widens as Israel and US Pound Iran and Tehran and Its Allies Hit Back

Published by Sam Flores

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The war in the Middle East spiraled further Monday as Israel and the U.S. pounded Iran. Tehran and its allies hit back against Israel, neighboring Gulf states, and targets critical to the world’s production of oil and natural gas. Iran has long threatened, if attacked, to drag the region into total war, including targeting Israel, the Gulf Arab states and the flow of crude oil crucial for global energy markets. All of these came under attack on Monday. The chaos of the conflict became apparent when the U.S. military said Kuwait had “mistakenly shot down” three American F-15E Strike Eagles while Iran was attacking with aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones. U.S. Central Command said all six pilots ejected safely and are in stable condition. Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian missile sites and targeted its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and multiple warships. As several airstrikes hit Iran’s capital of Tehran, the top security official Ali Larijani vowed on X: “We will not negotiate with the United …