Connect with us

News

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban Meets Chinese Leader Xi Jinping in Beijing Amid Rising Tensions

Published

on

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban Meets Chinese Leader Xi Jinping in Beijing Amid Rising Tensions

Beijing – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday, following controversial visits to Moscow and Kyiv that Orban described as part of a “peace mission.”

Orban, often criticized in the West for his pro-Russia stance amidst Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine, posted a photo of his arrival at a Beijing airport on social media platform X, captioned “Peace mission 3.0.” The talks between the two leaders at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse centered on “in-depth communication” about the war in Ukraine, according to a readout from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Orban’s visit to China occurred just a day before a NATO summit in Washington, where US President Joe Biden is set to host leaders from the alliance, including Hungary, to discuss continued support for Ukraine. Orban’s spokesperson confirmed that Washington would be his next stop after Beijing.

China, Russia’s most crucial diplomatic ally, is also expected to be a key topic at the NATO gathering. NATO leaders have expressed increasing alarm over what they perceive as China’s backing of Russia’s war effort through the provision of dual-use goods and other forms of support. Beijing has denied supplying weapons to either side and insists it maintains strict controls on dual-use exports. China claims neutrality in the conflict but has positioned itself as a potential peace broker while deepening ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During Monday’s meeting, Xi reiterated Beijing’s call for a ceasefire in Ukraine, a stance that has been criticized in the West for seemingly aiding Russia in consolidating its territorial gains without demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian soil. Orban, seen as Putin’s closest ally in Europe, has also been advocating for a ceasefire rather than military support for Ukraine.

See also  M23 Rebels Enter Bukavu as Conflict in Eastern DR Congo Intensifies

Orban praised China as a “key power in creating the conditions for peace” and highlighted the importance of his visit to Beijing, coming just two months after Xi’s official visit to Budapest. Xi emphasized that China and Hungary share similar views on Ukraine and indirectly criticized the United States and its allies for “fanning” the conflict by arming Ukraine.

Orban’s visit to Beijing follows his recent trips to Russia and Ukraine, which took place just a week after Hungary assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. His meeting with Putin in Moscow marked the first visit by an EU leader since April 2022 and drew criticism from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who condemned Orban’s approach and stressed that unity and determination are essential for achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine.

Orban’s diplomatic tour is set to conclude with his participation in the NATO summit in Washington, where he is expected to brief other leaders on his recent talks with Putin and Xi. His visit to Moscow came after a stop in Kyiv, where he proposed a ceasefire to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a suggestion dismissed by Zelensky’s office, which maintains that restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity is a prerequisite for peace.

Orban and Xi last met in May when they upgraded bilateral ties to an “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership,” despite mounting European concerns over China’s security threat. During Monday’s meeting, Xi reiterated his wish for Hungary to play an “active role” in promoting stable China-EU relations during its EU Council presidency.

News

EU Proposes Carbon Charges for More International Flights Under ETS Overhaul

Published

on

The European Commission has proposed expanding the European Union’s carbon market to cover more international flights arriving in Europe, bringing thousands of routes under emissions trading from 2029 as part of a wider overhaul of the bloc’s Emissions Trading System (ETS).

Under the proposal announced on Friday, flights arriving in Europe from destinations within 5,000 kilometres would be required to pay for their carbon dioxide emissions. Routes such as Frankfurt to Dubai and Frankfurt to Istanbul would fall under the scheme, while longer journeys including Frankfurt to Tokyo would remain outside its scope. Flights arriving from the United States and China would also be exempt.

The proposal keeps existing exemptions for domestic flights serving the EU’s outermost regions, including connections between mainland Spain and the Canary Islands, until the end of 2035.

European officials said the changes are intended to create fairer competition for EU airlines, arguing that some non-EU carriers, particularly those operating through Gulf hubs, currently benefit from an uneven regulatory environment.

Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said aviation remains the only major sector where emissions continue to increase. He added that extending the ETS would help address competitive concerns while supporting the EU’s climate objectives. Hoekstra also confirmed that private jets departing from and arriving in Europe would be covered under the revised rules.

The Commission is legally required to assess whether international aviation should face broader carbon pricing beyond flights operating within the European Economic Area. The current ETS has covered intra-European flights since 2012, while most international aviation emissions are managed through the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

See also  M23 Rebels Enter Bukavu as Conflict in Eastern DR Congo Intensifies

EU officials said that if international efforts fail to deliver sufficient emissions reductions by 2032, Brussels may be required to propose extending the ETS to all departing international flights from Europe, although they acknowledged such a move would be politically challenging.

The revised package also proposes significant changes for industrial companies receiving free carbon allowances. Under the plan, firms would receive 80% of their free allocations after publishing board-approved decarbonisation investment plans, while the remaining 20% would only be released after those investments and emissions reductions have been completed.

Commission officials said the approach is designed to encourage investment in cleaner technologies while maintaining Europe’s industrial competitiveness. They also want at least half of national ETS revenues to be reinvested in sectors covered by the carbon market, including aviation, maritime transport and energy-intensive industries.

The proposal has drawn mixed reactions. German lawmaker Peter Liese called for additional free allowances tied to investments within Europe to protect jobs during the transition. Meanwhile, environmental group Transport & Environment warned against weakening the ETS, arguing that the carbon market has already helped cut emissions substantially since 2005 and remains essential for financing future clean technologies.

The proposal will now move to the European Parliament and EU member states, with negotiations expected to begin after the summer break.

Continue Reading

News

Iran Claims Strikes on US Bases as Hormuz Tensions Escalate

Published

on

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said early Wednesday it had launched attacks against US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, marking another escalation in the conflict as the United States continued military operations against Iran and renewed restrictions on Iranian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said it targeted the US Fifth Fleet’s command-and-control facilities, logistical centres, petroleum installations and military equipment in Bahrain, along with a US base in Kuwait. Iranian state media described the strikes as retaliation for recent American military operations and efforts to control maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement carried by local media, the IRGC warned that if Washington continued trying to restrict regional oil and gas exports by controlling key shipping routes, Iran would seek to disrupt other energy corridors serving US and allied interests. The statement declared that regional energy exports would be “for everyone or for no one,” although it did not specify which routes could be targeted.

Missile warning systems were activated in Bahrain and Kuwait as Iranian projectiles approached. Jordanian authorities said their air defence systems intercepted three incoming Iranian missiles, while Kuwait’s military reported repelling Iranian drone attacks. Iran also claimed it had targeted US military facilities at Jordan’s Azraq Air Base for a second time.

US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, confirmed that Iran had launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighbouring Gulf countries.

The latest exchange came after the US military carried out a fourth consecutive night of operations against Iranian targets. According to US Central Command, fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels conducted a seven-hour mission targeting Iranian missile and drone sites, naval assets and coastal defence systems.

See also  Spain and Portugal Hit by New Storms, Death Toll Rises

CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that normally handles around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade.

President Donald Trump also renewed warnings that the United States could expand its campaign if diplomatic efforts fail. In a televised interview with Fox News on Tuesday night, Trump said Washington would eventually target Iran’s energy infrastructure unless Tehran agreed to return to negotiations.

“We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re gonna knock out their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate,” Trump said, adding that energy facilities remained potential targets.

The latest hostilities have cast further doubt over a temporary agreement reached in June after the United States lifted an earlier blockade of Iranian shipping to allow negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Talks have since stalled as military confrontations around the Strait of Hormuz intensified, raising concerns about regional security and the stability of global energy supplies.

Continue Reading

News

Cuba Suffers Third Nationwide Blackout in Two Weeks as Fuel Shortages Deepen Energy Crisis

Published

on

Cuba was plunged into another nationwide power outage on Tuesday after a failure at a generating unit triggered the collapse of the National Electric System (SEN), marking the third island-wide blackout in less than two weeks as the country struggles with worsening fuel shortages and an ongoing economic crisis.

State-owned Electric Union said the outage began around midday after a malfunction at a power plant in the eastern province of Holguín caused a sudden change in grid frequency, forcing the national electricity network offline.

Officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mines said emergency restoration procedures were activated immediately. The process involves creating isolated “micro-islands” of electricity before reconnecting them to rebuild the national grid. Priority has been given to hospitals, food processing facilities and other essential services.

By Tuesday afternoon, electricity had been restored to parts of Havana, with authorities reporting that about 4 percent of the capital had regained power. Provincial officials in Guantánamo, Cienfuegos and Matanzas also confirmed that electricity had returned to hospitals and selected urban areas, including Matanzas’ historic city centre.

The latest outage follows nationwide blackouts last Monday and Friday that left more than 9 million people without electricity. Cuba also experienced two major nationwide outages in March, along with several regional disruptions during the year.

The repeated failures have disrupted daily life across the island. Public transportation has been severely affected, work schedules have been shortened, flights have faced cancellations and hospitals have struggled to maintain normal operations. Residents have also experienced interruptions to cooking, water supplies, internet access and telephone services.

See also  M23 Rebels Enter Bukavu as Conflict in Eastern DR Congo Intensifies

Fuel shortages have intensified since January, when US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on countries supplying or selling oil to Cuba. The measures have added pressure to an economy already facing years of financial hardship.

Cuba currently produces only about 40 percent of the fuel it requires, leaving it heavily dependent on imports. Officials have acknowledged that no immediate solution has emerged to secure additional fuel supplies, leaving the country’s ageing electricity infrastructure under continued strain.

Washington’s energy restrictions followed the capture of Venezuela’s then-President Nicolás Maduro and expanded existing sanctions already affecting Cuba’s economy. Authorities say the latest measures have compounded challenges created by previous sanctions and domestic economic reforms, including monetary unification.

The situation has also drawn political attention in the United States. Four Democratic members of Congress who visited Cuba over the weekend described the energy embargo imposed by the Trump administration as turning the island into a “silent Gaza,” highlighting the humanitarian impact of prolonged power shortages.

With fuel supplies remaining scarce and no immediate relief in sight, Cuba’s electricity system continues to face significant pressure, raising concerns that further nationwide outages could occur in the weeks ahead.

Continue Reading

Trending