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Von der Leyen’s plans for Ukraine’s EU membership trashed by Orban | World | News

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has strongly opposed the EU Commission’s plans to discuss Ukraine’s potential membership to the EU during the upcoming summit, labelling them as “unfounded and poorly prepared.”

Orban dismissed the notion of including Ukraine‘s EU membership on the agenda for the December summit, asserting that it does not align with the interests of many member states, particularly Hungary.

“The Commission proposed that we start negotiations on Ukraine‘s EU membership. But this does not concede with the interests of many member states, certainly not with Hungary’s,” said Orban during an interview with Hungarian TV.

“We’re in a position to dare to say it, no matter how much pressure is put on us. So this matter should not be put on the agenda, and the Commission should understand that it is their responsibility that the meeting was poorly prepared.”

Orban went on to express his dissatisfaction with the Commission’s handling of the matter, urging them to withdraw the proposal and return only when a more agreeable agreement has been reached.

“Take it back, prepare it properly and come back when an agreement has been reached!” he blasted.

The pushback from Hungary adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing discussions within the EU about the potential expansion of the bloc. The issue of Ukraine‘s membership has been a divisive topic, with varying opinions among member states about the timing and conditions for initiating negotiations.

Orban, reelected as the president of Fidesz for the 11th consecutive time, stressed that standing in the way of Ukraine‘s EU accession would be a top priority for his government in the coming months.

The admission of a new member into the EU requires unanimous approval from all existing member countries, granting Orban a powerful veto.

Some countries are already talking about ways to circumvent Hungary in the event of a veto, including through bilateral deals for military aid.

However, such moves could potentially undermine EU unity.

Critics speculate that Hungary’s resistance may be a strategic move to leverage concessions, particularly regarding billions in funding that Brussels has withheld over concerns about Hungary’s alleged failure to uphold rule-of-law and human rights standards.

Orban has also threatened to block an EU plan to provide a substantial four-year, €50billion aid package to Ukraine. His criticism centres on what he perceives as the violation of the rights of ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine to study in their own language.

In September, Orban declared before the Hungarian parliament that his government would “not support Ukraine on any international issue” until the language rights of the minority are restored.



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Horror on train as woman sexually assaulted during rush hour – police release new CCTV | World | News

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Police have released a CCTV image after a woman was sexually assaulted on a busy train during rush hour on April 15. The terrifying attack happened on a train running between Leeds and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire during rush hour.

The grainy still shows a man with dark hair and a beard wearing black top with a silver zip and carrying a white JD Sports bag over his left shoulder. British Transport Police, which monitors the rail network for England, Wales and Scotland, said it believes the man “may have information which could help with their investigation”.

In a statement, the British Transport Police (BTP) said: “Do you recognise this man?

“Officers investigating a sexual assault on board a train between Leeds and Huddersfield have today released this image in connection.

“Shortly after 7pm on Tuesday, April 15, a man sexually assaulted a woman on the service. Officers believe the man in the image may have information which could help with their investigation.”

The statement added: “Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 25 of 16 April.

“Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

BTP officers cover over 10,000 miles of railway and 3,000 stations and depots. The force also polices the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, West Midlands Metro, Tramlink, part of the Tyne and Wear Metro, Glasgow Subway and the London Cable Car.



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‘Realistic possibility’ Israel was behind Iran blast which killed 8 and injured 800 | World | News

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Israel was probably behind the huge blast in Iran which killed eight people and injured 800. The explosion at Bandar Abbas occurred as the Islamic regime began a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman. But its target is thought to have been a store of rocket fuel imported from China and bound for Yemen.

Authorities in Tehran moved quickly to deny any implication of sabotage, officially explaining that the accident was caused by a small fire which reached an “open container of chemicals”. Videos showed a huge billowing mushroom cloud, and the force of the blast destroyed a nearby building and shattered windows. Injured people lay on the roadside as authorities declared a state of emergency at hospitals across Bandar Abbas to cope with the influx of wounded.

However, early analysis suggests the explosion may have destroyed between 10,000 and 50,000 litres of liquid rocket fuel or related volatile propellants – a significant blow to Iran’s proxy supply chains.

Iran has increasingly relied on covert imports of rocket fuel components from China to bypass sanctions, with typical shipments delivering up to 20,000–25,000 litres per ISO tank container disguised as industrial chemicals.

Tel Aviv, for its part, has a history of targeting Iran’s rocket fuel facilities through suspected sabotage attacks. The most notable examples are the Khojir explosion of June 2020 and the Parchin site blast of May 2022.

Most analysts suspect the Khojir attack involved planting a shaped explosive charge inside or adjacent to a critical fuel storage or mixing facility, causing catastrophic secondary explosions. Both attacks were designed to resemble accidents, and both dealt major blows to Iran’s missile propellant capabilities.

Bandar Abbas serves as a key logistics hub for smuggling operations, including the type of liquid propellant used in Iranian ballistic missiles and larger drones sent to the regime’s last fully functioning proxy force – Ansar Allah, better known as the Houthi rebels.

Iranian security officials say “any speculation about the cause of the explosion is worthless”.

However, the regime’s silence may be a calculated attempt not to upset the United States, as Tehran seeks desperately needed sanctions relief through a new nuclear deal.

Donald Trump has already launched air strikes in Yemen in response to Houthi efforts to hold international shipping on the Red Sea to ransom, in protest against Israeli actions in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the US President is currently embroiled in a bitter trade war with China.

Israel, meanwhile, had become increasingly frustrated at the possibility that US-Iran talks could leave Tehran with a functioning nuclear infrastructure. It has, futhermore, been forced to refrain from launching direct air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities by Trump, who has indicated he wants to wait until the talks are concluded.

Regional experts at the Sibylline strategic risk group said there was “a realistic possibility that the explosion is a result of sabotage by a state actor,” though they did not specify Israel by name.

“In case of Iranian authorities blaming Israel, the risk of Iranian covert attacks in the form of kinetic sabotage or cyber attacks against Israeli and Israeli-affiliated targets will increase in the coming weeks,” they said in a report on the incident.

“However, Iran is currently unlikely to openly target the US, to avoid a breakdown of nuclear talks and US strikes against it.”



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Vancouver LIVE: ‘Bodies everywhere’ as car rams through crowd killing multiple people | World | News

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Multiple people are dead after a car drove into a crowd in Vancouver, Canada, in the early hours of Sunday morning (BST). The incident occurred at a street festival in the city. Multiple others have been left injured.

Vancouver Police confirmed that a “number of people” have been killed and “multiple others” injured, adding that the driver, a 30-year-old man from Vancouver, has been detained.

Eyewitness Yoseb Vardeh, a food truck operator, said he heard “an engine rev” before looking down the road and seeing “bodies everywhere”. “He went through the whole block, he went straight down the middle,” he told Postmedia. 

The Police statement said: “A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a driver drove into a crowd at a street festival at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser shortly after 8 p.m. tonight.

“The driver is in custody.

“We will provide more information as the investigation unfolds.”

FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG BELOW FOR UPDATES.



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