INTERNACIONAL
Hungarians vote in record numbers as Trump-ally Viktor Orbán faces biggest electoral threat since 2010
JD Vance goes to Budapest
JD Vance rallies for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest ahead of a pivotal election, drawing attention from US conservatives. Panelists discuss Orban’s tight re-election bid, facing a flagging economy and corruption allegations that could end his 16-year hold on power. Critics highlight his controversial economic strategy and ties to Vladimir Putin, including blocking European Union aid to Ukraine, making the race unpredictable.
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The U.S. and Europe are watching closely as Hungarians turned out in record numbers to vote Sunday in a high-stakes election that sets up Trump ally, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, against his former political ally, Péter Magyar.
Trailing in the opinion polls, Orbán’s received a major boost earlier this week when Vice President JD Vance visited the country, making clear what the administration’s position was on the importance of having a pro-U.S. candidate in the heart of Europe, as so many of its continental allies have proven lackluster, most notably for a lack of help in the war against Iran.
In his remarks, Vance made clear why he was there. «The reason why we’re doing it is because we thought there was so much garbage happening against Viktor in this election that we had to show that there are actually a lot of people and a lot of friends across the world who recognize that Viktor and his government are doing a good job, and they’re important partners for peace,» he said at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, a private university in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. «That’s why we’re here, but ultimately the Hungarian people are going to be sovereigns because that’s how it should be.»
TRUMP CALLS INTO VANCE-ORBAN HUNGARY EVENT: ‘MY KIND OF PEOPLE’
Vice President JD Vance laughs at the sound of President Donald Trump calling in as he was delivering remarks at a Day of Friendship event with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at MTK Sportpark in Budapest, Hungary, on April 7, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Following Vance’s return to the U.S., President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social Friday: «My Administration stands ready to use the full economic might of the United States to strengthen Hungary’s Economy, as we have done for our great allies in the past, if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian People ever need it. We are excited to invest in the future prosperity that will be generated by Orbán’s continued leadership!»
Beloved by many older and more rural Hungarians and reviled by detractors, Orbán has emerged as the country’s most consequential leader since its transition to democracy at the end of the Cold War. Still, the election campaign has become intense.
Orbán’s strained relationship with the European Union comes from his positioning on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his country’s firm support of Israel and his hard stance on not accepting migrants, which led to EU financial sanctions for his refusal to open the country’s border to foreigners.
During the 16-year Orbán government, the Hungarian economy has grown relatively quickly for an EU country. The country’s GDP per capita (what the average person earns annually) rose to nearly $17,000 last year, up from approximately $12,000 in 2014, according to Trading Economics data. However, it’s not all good. Inflation has recently been relatively high at an annual rate of 4.9%, and business sentiment has been consistently negative since Aug. 2022.
TRUMP SAYS HUNGARY’S BORDER STANCE KEEPS CRIME DOWN, SAYS EUROPE ‘FLOODING’ WITH MIGRANTS
Péter Magyar, a former insider within Orban’s ruling Fidesz party speaks during a protest outside the Hungarian Interior Ministry building to demand stronger protections for children and Interior minister Sandor Pinter to step down, in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, April 26, 2024. Magyar is leading the polls in April’s 2026 election. (Denes Erdos/AP)
The poll of polls shows Magyar’s Tisza party with 50% of the vote and Orbán’s Fidesz party behind at 39% as of April 9, according to Politico. Magyar now poses the largest electoral threat to Orbán since 2010.
«The polls are going well for the opposition,» Daniel Wood, portfolio manager at William Blair Investment Management, told Fox News Digital. «If the opposition wins, there’s a chance that the EU unlocks the frozen funds, which are around 7% of the GDP.»
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, at the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, May 13, 2019. Trump is meeting with the nationalist leader of Hungary despite bipartisan objections from Congress, as the U.S. seeks to steer the Central European nation and NATO member away from Russia and China. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)
Speaking to reporters outside a polling station Sunday, Orbán, 62, said the campaign had been «a great national moment on our side» and thanked activists and supporters for their work. «I’m here to win,» the Associated Press reported.
In an interview earlier in the week, Péter Magyar complained the EU’s longest-serving leader has led the country on a «180-degree turn» in recent years, endangering its Western orientation while cozying up to Moscow. Yet despite that drift, «Hungarians still see that Hungary’s peace and development are guaranteed by membership of the European Union and NATO,» Magyar said. «I think this really will be a referendum on our country’s place in the world,» he told the Associated Press.
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Results are expected later this afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
europe, elections, the european union, donald trump, alliances, jd vance
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Israeli forces say they discovered a Hezbollah weapons stash inside a hospital in Lebanon this weekend.
The Israel Defense Forces carried out the operation in Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil municipality. Images shared with Fox News show weapons, ammunition and explosives that Israel says were found within a hospital in the area.
The IDF says it eliminated «approximately 20 terrorists» inside the hospital compound after Hezbollah was detected conducting surveillance and firing upon IDF troops from a window of the hospital.
«The Hezbollah terrorist organization systematically and repeatedly used the hospital compound and its immediate surroundings for military purposes, constituting a serious violation of international law,» the IDF said in a statement.
VANCE WARNS IRAN WILL ‘FIND OUT’ TRUMP IS ‘NOT ONE TO MESS AROUND’ IF CEASEFIRE DEAL FALLS APART
Israeli forces uncovered Hezbollah forces using a hospital for cover in Lebanon. (IDF)
«The IDF operates in accordance with international law, and clarified prior to the operation to the relevant Lebanese authorities that all military activity within hospitals in Lebanon must cease, and disseminated these warnings through various channels. Despite this, Hezbollah continued to use the hospital for military activity,» the IDF said in a statement.
Israel has continued operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon amid a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran this week.
GEN JACK KEANE ‘SKEPTICAL’ THAT IRAN CEASEFIRE WILL HOLD, WARNS TEHRAN WILL ‘DELAY AND OBFUSCATE’
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on a building in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Hassan Ammar/AP Photo)
The operation comes after U.S. talks with Iranian officials failed to make progress this weekend in Pakistan.
Speaking during a press conference from the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, Vice President JD Vance said Iran has «chosen not to accept our terms.»
«The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,» Vance said. «And I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.»
Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks on April 8, 2026, in Budapest, Hungary. (Jonathan Ernst – Pool/Getty Images)
The vice president said talks with Iranian officials lasted 21 hours, describing them as «substantive discussions,» but adding the U.S. was unwilling to compromise on its «red lines.»
«So we go back to the United States, having not come to an agreement. We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on,» Vance added. «And we’ve made that as clear as we possibly could, and they have chosen not to accept our terms.»
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Fox News Digital asked Vance if he had been in contact with President Donald Trump during the talks, and the vice president said he had been «consistently.»
«I don’t know how many times we talked to him — a half dozen times, a dozen times over the past 21 hours,» Vance said, adding that the U.S. team was also communicating with other members of the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
Fox News’ Preston Mizell contributed to this report.
israel, lebanon, world
Trump’s ultimatum to Iran: Reopen Hormuz or face infrastructure strikes
Shervin Pishevar, advisor to HRH Reza Pahlavi, analyzes President Trump’s ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Pishevar praises Trump’s «doctrine of preemption,» arguing decisive action today prevents future threats from Iran’s developing nuclear, drone, and ICBM programs. He criticizes past US administrations for «Chamberlaining» the Iranian regime.
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President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy will begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and interdict vessels that have paid a toll to Iran, after U.S. peace talks with Tehran ended in a stalemate.
«Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz,» Trump posted on Truth Social. «At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen… THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION.»
He said the U.S. would deny safe passage to vessels that paid the toll and begin clearing mines.
«I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in international waters that has paid a toll to Iran,» he wrote. «No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage… We will also begin destroying the mines… Any Iranian who fires at us… will be BLOWN TO HELL!»
WHY THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ MATTERS AS TRUMP ISSUES FRESH ULTIMATUM TO IRAN
Iran’s closure of the strait has triggered global economic turmoil, and reopening it was a key condition in U.S. efforts to reach a deal.
In a second post, Trump reiterated the demand: «They better begin… getting this INTERNATIONAL WATERWAY OPEN AND FAST!»
A satellite image shows the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, vital for global energy supply. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
Trump’s warning raises the stakes in the narrow but vital waterway, a critical artery for global energy supplies.
The strait, which lies between Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, is one of the world’s most critical energy choke points, carrying roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day along with about one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas.
The strait is also a vital artery for refined fuels, including products like jet fuel.
The latest threat builds on a pattern of deadlines Trump has imposed on Tehran over the strait. Here is a timeline of those demands:
March 21
In a Truth Social post, Trump declared that if Iran did not «FULLY OPEN» the strait within 48 hours, the United States would «obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!»
Ali Mousavi, Iran’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization, responded by saying that the Strait of Hormuz was «open to everyone» except Tehran’s enemies. Meanwhile, other Iranian officials warned that attacks on energy infrastructure would amount to an attack on the Iranian people and would be met with retaliation.
SAN FRANCISCO BECOMES FIRST US CITY WHERE DIESEL PRICES TOP $8 A GALLON
March 23
Two days later, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that the U.S. had had «productive» conversations with Iran and that he had ordered the Pentagon to delay any strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days.
Iranian officials publicly denied that any talks were taking place.
March 26
Trump again extended his deadline — this time by 10 days, to April 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern — saying in a social media post that he was «pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction» at the Iranian government’s request.
WHERE GAS PRICES ARE RISING FASTEST AS TRUMP ISSUES FRESH WARNING TO IRAN
March 30
President Donald Trump called on the nations of the world to summon some «delayed courage» and «just take» the Strait of Hormuz. (Alex Brandon/Pool via Reuters; Benoit Tessier/Reuters)
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that «great progress» had been made in negotiations to end the conflict. At the same time, he warned that if a deal was not reached and the Strait of Hormuz was not «immediately» opened, the United States would destroy Iran’s power plants, oil wells, Kharg Island — the country’s main oil export hub — and «possibly all» desalination plants.
April 1
Trump said Iran requested a ceasefire, a claim Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson called «false and baseless,» according to the state news agency IRIB.
In a social media post, Trump said the United States would consider a ceasefire only once the strait was «open, free and clear,» adding: «Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!»
WHERE GAS PRICES ARE RISING FASTEST AS TRUMP ISSUES FRESH WARNING TO IRAN
April 4
Trump warned in a Truth Social post that «time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.»
The post followed several conflicting statements in previous days, in which he alternately criticized allies for not acting to reopen the strait and suggested it would reopen on its own.
April 5
Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. (Reuters/Stringer/File Photo/File Photo)
In a profanity-laced post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump wrote: «Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.
«There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F—–’ Strait, you crazy b——-, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.»
«Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!» he wrote in a second post.
April 7
President Donald Trump speaks about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Two days later, Trump issued a fresh ultimatum to Iran, demanding that it allow all vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on critical infrastructure. The warning came after weeks of escalating threats and missed deadlines.
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«A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,» Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. «We will find out tonight — one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world,» he added, referencing his 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to agree to a ceasefire and reopen the strait.
A ceasefire was called a few hours before the 8 p.m. deadline.
us navy, energy, war with iran, iran, sanctions
INTERNACIONAL
Aves en peligro en los pastizales pampeanos: qué descubrieron los científicos sobre su futuro
En 1892, el escritor William Henry Hudson publicó su libro El Naturalista en La Plata y describió a los pastizales de la región pampeana de la Argentina como “una gran llanura cubierta de hierba, donde la tierra y el cielo parecen unirse en el horizonte”.
Destacó la importancia de esos pastizales como refugios para numerosas especies de aves y mamíferos. Sin embargo, hoy enfrentan una fuerte reducción y fragmentación debido a la agricultura y la ganadería intensiva.
Esa transformación de los pastizales pone en riesgo también a las aves muy vulnerables como el tachurí canela, el cauquén colorado, el espartillero enano, el espartillero pampeano, la loica pampeana y el ñandú.
Ahora, científicos del Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), que depende de la Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP) y el CONICET, y el Instituto de Limnología Dr Raúl Ringuelet de La Plata descubrieron cómo la conservación de pastos altos y la gestión ganadera adecuada pueden ser fundamentales para revertir esa tendencia y ofrecer un futuro más seguro a las especies amenazadas que dependen de la integridad del ecosistema de pastizal.
Los pastizales altos que tapizan la región pampeana son mucho más que paisajes: representan la base de vida para miles de aves que dependen de su refugio para criar y sobrevivir.
Revelaron que la clave para que los nidos prosperen está en la presencia de matas de pastos nativos altos. “Los nidos rodeados por más matas de pastos altos nativos tienen mayor éxito de anidación”, contó a Infobae la bióloga y primera autora del estudio Sofía Martín-Sirito.
El resultado es contundente: cuando el ganado reduce la altura de la vegetación, las aves pierden esa capa protectora esencial contra depredadores y el clima.
No se trata solo del pisoteo directo, sino de la transformación completa del hábitat. El manejo ganadero puede inclinar la balanza entre la vida y la desaparición de muchas especies.
Detrás de esos resultados estuvieron también Stella Román, Martin Colombo, Daniel Cardoni y Juan Pablo Isacch. Publicaron los resultados en la revista Journal of Ornithology, una de las revistas más reconocidas en el mundo de la biología de aves.
Por qué importan los pastizales pampeanos
Los campos pampeanos cambiaron radicalmente en las últimas décadas. La agricultura y la ganadería recortaron la extensión de pastizales naturales y desdibujaron la variedad de especies que los habitaban.
Esta región se volvió un mosaico de cultivos y potreros. En ese contexto, las aves que dependen del camuflaje y el resguardo de la vegetación ven cómo su mundo se achica.
Para ellas, una mata de pasto alto puede ser la diferencia entre criar con éxito o perder la nidada. La presión sobre estos ambientes crece cada año.
Los investigadores quisieron entender cómo la pérdida de cobertura vegetal y los diferentes tipos de manejo ganadero afectan la supervivencia de los nidos. Compararon zonas con pastoreo y otras donde el ganado no ingresa.
Dos especies sirvieron como modelos: el Misto (Sicalis luteola) y el Pico de Plata (Hymenops perspicillatus). Se plantearon como hipótesis si la supervivencia de los nidos sería menor en áreas pastoreadas debido a la reducción de la cobertura de pastos altos.
Qué encontraron
El trabajo se desarrolló en el sudeste de la región pampeana, en la Pampa Deprimida. Se eligieron dos campos sin pastoreo dentro de la Reserva de Biosfera Mar Chiquita y dos predios privados donde el ganado rota entre potreros.
Durante tres temporadas de cría, el equipo de científicos recorrió los pastizales y localizó los nidos de las dos especies elegidas.
Se tomaron notas precisas sobre la altura de los pastos, la cantidad de matas nativas, la ubicación y el momento del año en que empezaba cada nidada. Se analizaron 68 nidos en sitios pastoreados y 42 en áreas protegidas.
Tras analizar los datos, los resultados mostraron que la cobertura de pastos altos y la altura de la vegetación aumentan las posibilidades de que los nidos lleguen a buen puerto.
“Nuestro estudio dejó en claro que el porcentaje de cobertura de pastos altos a escala de paisaje tuvo un efecto positivo significativo sobre la supervivencia diaria de los nidos de ambas especies estudiadas”, resaltó la bióloga Martin-Sirito.
En los campos con ganado, la vegetación alta escasea y la tasa de éxito disminuye. El modelo estadístico más sólido confirmó que “la supervivencia diaria de los nidos fue significativamente mayor en los sitios sin pastoreo”.
La principal causa de fracaso, tanto en potreros ganaderos como en la reserva, fue la depredación, que afectó más del 60% de los nidos.
El trabajo también exploró cómo los depredadores y el microambiente influyen en la elección del sitio del nido.
Uno de los resultados destacados fue que los mistos pueden enfrentar una mayor presión de depredación por aves. Eso favorece que los nidos estén ubicados más bajos dentro del rango observado, pero protegidos por vegetación alta.
Qué hacer, qué falta saber y por qué importa
Los investigadores piden que se conserven parches de pastos altos en los campos, y se ajusten la carga de ganado para que la vegetación tenga tiempo de recuperarse.
El manejo rotativo y la reducción de la presión ganadera permiten que la producción y la conservación vayan de la mano.
Conservar entre el 30% y el 50% de la superficie total del campo con pastos altos resulta fundamental para mantener la estructura del pastizal y favorecer la supervivencia de las aves.
Admitieron que el tamaño de los parches y la presencia de depredadores pueden variar en otras zonas. Hace falta investigar más para definir “valores umbral” de cobertura vegetal y conocer cómo afecta a otras especies de aves.
La conclusión de los investigadores es sencilla pero poderosa. “Proteger la estructura y la diversidad de los pastizales es fundamental para que las aves de la región puedan seguir criando y por ende se asegure su supervivencia”, enfatizó el doctor Isacch, en diálogo con Infobae.
Con su equipo, recalcaron que la cobertura de pastos altos “es una característica crítica del hábitat que debe priorizarse en el manejo ganadero”.
En tanto, consultado por Infobae, Pablo Grilli, coordinador del Programa Pastizales de la organización no gubernamental Aves Argentinas, comentó: “Este estudio confirma que, cuando se conserva una matriz de pastos altos, aumenta la cantidad de pichones que logran dejar el nido”. En cambio, en campos donde el pasto está bajo por el sobrepastoreo ganadero, el éxito reproductivo es menor.
“Muchas aves especialistas de pastizal requieren esa cobertura alta para anidar o refugiarse. Si el pastizal desaparece, su reproducción se ve afectada negativamente. Los científicos aportaron pruebas concretas de que esa relación también se da en el misto y el pico de plata”, concluyó Grilli.
aves,pastizal pampeano,dimorfismo sexual,macho,hembra,ornitología,biodiversidad,Argentina,naturaleza,fauna
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