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Spy Scandal Strains Hungary-Ukraine Relations as Minority Rights Talks Collapse
A deepening espionage scandal has plunged Hungary and Ukraine into a new diplomatic rift, with Budapest abruptly suspending planned talks on the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region.
According to Ukrainian officials, negotiations that were due to take place on May 12 in Uzhhorod were called off at the last minute by Hungary, despite the Ukrainian delegation already having arrived in the border town. The discussions were meant to address 11 Hungarian recommendations to strengthen the rights of the Hungarian minority living in the southwestern Carpathian region.
The suspension comes amid a growing diplomatic row sparked by Ukrainian allegations of Hungarian espionage. On May 9, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced that it had uncovered a Hungarian military intelligence network operating on Ukrainian territory. Two former Ukrainian soldiers were detained, accused of collecting sensitive military information for Budapest. The network was reportedly overseen by a Hungarian intelligence officer.
In response, Ukraine expelled two Hungarian diplomats. Hungary retaliated in kind, expelling two Ukrainian officials. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó dismissed the allegations as “propaganda,” stating that Hungary had not received any formal communication from Kyiv regarding the charges.
Tensions escalated further on Friday when Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Centre detained a Ukrainian citizen in central Budapest. According to Hungarian authorities, the individual—described as a middle-aged man previously operating under diplomatic cover—was expelled from the country overnight for espionage. The National Directorate General for Aliens determined that his activities posed a “serious threat to Hungary’s sovereignty.”
“The individual was deported after the situation was clarified,” the Hungarian government said in a statement, adding that the suspect no longer had diplomatic immunity.
The deteriorating relations have cast a shadow over longstanding concerns about minority rights in Transcarpathia, where ethnic Hungarians have lived for generations. Hungary has frequently criticized Ukraine for failing to uphold linguistic and cultural rights, while Kyiv has accused Budapest of interfering in its internal affairs.
With both sides now trading expulsions and suspending dialogue, the prospects for resolving the minority rights dispute — or cooling tensions more broadly — appear increasingly uncertain.
The incident marks the latest flashpoint in what has been a historically uneasy relationship between the two neighbours, now further complicated by war, security fears, and mounting geopolitical pressure.
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Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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