Coincidiendo con el primer aniversario de su muerte, el Ateneo de Madrid fue escenario de un homenaje a Mario Vargas Llosa presidido por su hijo, Álvaro Vargas Llosa, quien lo ha definido como un hombre complejo al que “la vida se le quedaba chica” y que con su muerte ha conseguido convertirse en “un personaje de ficción”.

“Él, que se pasó la vida inventando otras vidas, es ahora un hijo de nuestra imaginación. Cada vez que lo leemos o pensamos en él, creamos un Vargas Llosa de ficción”, ha asegurado unas horas después de recibir de manos de la presidenta de la Comunidad de Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, la Medalla Internacional de las Artes a título póstumo.

Álvaro Vargas Llosa ha querido ver en la muerte de su padre “una liberación” para él. “Quería tener todas las experiencias humanas posibles y más, era un personaje que quería ser un personaje”, un ansia que le hizo “poner patas arriba su propia familia”, aunque “cuando se equivocó, supo reconocerlo, arrepentirse y pedir perdón”.

El corazón del acto, concebido en un formato “íntimo y coral”, ha consistido en un recorrido por la trayectoria vital y literaria del nobel peruano a partir de una selección de textos autobiográficos, leídos en voz alta por los participantes. Antes, escritores como Sergio Ramírez, Juan Gabriel Vásquez, Alejandro Roemmers, Carlos Granés o Mercedes Monmany, y actores como José Sacristán y Magüi Mira compartieron sus recuerdos personales sobre el autor de Conversación en la catedral o La ciudad y los perros.

Ramírez coincidió con él cuando fue enviado a Nicaragua por el New York Times para escribir sobre la revolución sandinista; Monmany y Vásquez lo evocaron como “el creador total”, eternamente apasionado y consagrado por completo al oficio; y Magüi Mira, que le pidió hace años los derechos de ‘Kathie y el hipopótamo’, levantó carcajadas al definirlo como “el macho alfa total”. Maribel Luque, su agente literaria, dijo que cuando lo conoció, tuvo la impresión de “estar ante Tolstoi” y destacó su “amabilidad exquisita”.

David Gallagher, amigo cercano, habló de cómo era viajar con él: “Pasamos por todos los sitios imaginables donde había estado Flaubert”. Gina Montaner destacó sus ganas de ayudar siempre, a pesar de ser un hombre tan ocupado, en causas como la del exilio cubano. Y José Sacristán, desde un rodaje, envió un mensaje grabado en vídeo para recordar otro rodaje, el de Pantaleón y las visitadoras, que protagonizó en 1975.

En cuanto a su obra, Álvaro Vargas Llosa destacó dos temas: la utopía y el poder. Sobre la primera, dijo que para él su búsqueda debía estar confinada a la literatura porque en el mundo de la política “conduce al horror”. Y en cuanto al poder, señaló que denunció sus abusos en el ámbito público y privado, en su vida y en su obra. “Fue un adelantado a su tiempo, intuía tendencias que venían y pagó un precio por ello”.

Gerardo Bongiovanni, director general de la Fundación Internacional para la Libertad, fundada por el escritor peruano en 2002, lo recordó como “el gran defensor de las libertades, un hombre comprometido” y señaló que cultura y libertad son “dos caras de la misma moneda”. Y Raúl Tola, director de la Cátedra Vargas Llosa, dijo que este acto era lo que el Nobel habría querido, un acto “para celebrar la vida, el arte y el poder de la literatura”.

La lectura dramatizada de textos arrancó en sus primeros años, los del descubrimiento del miedo y el sufrimiento a causa de su relación con su padre, y siguió con el descubrimiento de su vocación, el viaje a Europa y su consolidación como escritor universal, autor de obras fundamentales del siglo XX y XXI.

Fuente: EFE

[Fotos: Víctor Lerena/EFE]

Tensions between Israel and Turkey are escalating sharply, with a war of words between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaching new heights and placing President Donald Trump in an increasingly delicate position between the two sides as tension escalates. 

The latest flare-up underscores a broader geopolitical clash about Iran, Gaza and regional influence, even as Washington attempts to maintain cooperation with both sides.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of deliberately seeking a new adversary following its confrontation with Iran, saying the Israeli government is attempting to portray Ankara as its next enemy.

«After Iran, Israel cannot live without an enemy,» Fidan said in a televised interview with the state-run Anadolu news agency. «We see that not only Netanyahu’s administration but also some figures in the opposition — though not all — are seeking to declare Turkey the new enemy,» he said.

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The rhetoric reflects a sharp deterioration in relations that have been strained since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack and the war in Gaza, but have now escalated into direct confrontation between the two leaders.

Netanyahu, in remarks posted on X Saturday, accused Erdogan of siding with Iran and its proxies, writing that Israel «will continue to fight Iran’s terror regime… unlike Erdogan who accommodates them and massacred his own Kurdish citizens.»

Erdogan has intensified his criticism of Israel’s military campaign, accusing its leadership of war crimes and backing international legal action against Israeli officials.

In one of the most incendiary exchanges, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement claiming, «Netanyahu, who has been described as the Hitler of our time due to the crimes he has committed, is a well-known figure with a clear track record. An arrest warrant has been issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under Netanyahu’s administration, Israel is facing proceedings before the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide.»

The escalation has not been limited to rhetoric. Erdogan previously has suggested Turkey could take more assertive military action in the region, referencing past interventions, remarks that have raised alarms in Israel.

Israeli officials have responded forcefully. 

Defense Minister Israel Katz has dismissed Erdogan’s threats as bluster, while officials warn that Turkey’s regional posture, particularly its engagement in Syria, is being closely monitored.

For both leaders, analysts say, the escalation also serves domestic goals. For Trump, the situation presents a growing challenge.

The administration relies on Israel as a central partner in confronting Iran, while also depending on Turkey, a NATO ally, for regional diplomacy and mediation efforts tied to ceasefire negotiations and broader Middle East strategy.

That balancing act has become increasingly difficult as tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara intensify.

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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators take part in a protest against Israel, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, near the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, October 18, 2023. (Umit Bektas/Reuters)

Gönül Tol, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and author of «Erdogan’s War: A Strongman’s Struggle at Home and in Syria,» told Fox News Digital, «The Trump administration has played a role in making sure the two countries do not clash in Syria. How Turkey and Israel are managing their differences in Syria, where stakes are high for Erdogan, is telling. But this doesn’t mean the two will try to undermine each other’s interests from the eastern Mediterranean to Levant to Horn of Africa.»

«I think for both leaders, Netanyahu and Erdogan, escalating rhetoric serves a domestic purpose,» Gönül added, «Anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian sentiment in Turkey is very strong. At a time when Erdogan is struggling to resolve the country’s growing economic problems, responding to Netanyahu’s statements harshly scores points domestically and burnishes his strong leader image. But I do not think this rhetoric will turn into direct military clashes between the countries. Despite their military presence and clashing interests, Turkey and Israel have a quiet understanding where each accepts the other’s sphere of influence in the country and try to deconflict.»

In a policy webinar hosted by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, Turkish academic Hüseyin Bağcı argued that Turkey’s ties with Washington limit the likelihood of direct conflict.

«The Turkish state is not interested in fighting with Israel because the Turkish government has very good relations with the United States of America,» he said. «You cannot be good with America and then be in conflict with Israel.»

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U.S. President Donald Trump (R) delivers remarks during a meeting with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

From the Israeli perspective, however, concerns center on actions rather than rhetoric.

Retired Israeli strategist Gabi Siboni said Turkey’s behavior in Syria is shaping threat perceptions. 

«I don’t know what Erdogan thinks. I know what he does, and I see what we see in our area,» Siboni said in the webinar, adding, «There are true security concerns when we’re talking about what is happening in Syria. … Israel is not going to accept any type of military entrenchment of foreign actors.»

Bağcı maintained that the tensions are largely political. 

«There is no structural conflict between Israel and Turkey,» he said. «The rhetoric is political … but the geography and the interests remain.»

The tensions are also being fueled by renewed friction over Gaza-bound aid flotillas, a long-standing flash point in Israel–Turkey relations.

A new Turkish-linked flotilla departed from Barcelona Monday, raising concerns in Israel about a repeat of past confrontations. The issue carries deep historical weight: in 2010, Israeli commandos boarded the Gaza flotilla raid, in which 10 were killed, triggering a years-long diplomatic rupture between the two countries.

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President Donald Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 29, 2025, with talks addressing Iran’s renewed threats and potential progress on the next phase of the Gaza peace framework. (Israel Government Press Office)

Recent reports that Turkish prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu, over flotilla-related incidents have further escalated tensions, reinforcing how unresolved grievances continue to inflame the current crisis.

While the confrontation remains largely rhetorical for now, the sharp escalation in language, and the competing interests driving it, highlight the fragility of the regional landscape and the limits of Washington’s ability to keep both sides aligned.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Turkish Embassy in Washington, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and the White House but did not receive a response in time for publication.

A two-month legal battle over an iconic symbol of the LGBTQ+ movement has ended, with a settlement approving its restoration and New York City’s mayor hailing the decision as a «victory.»

The Trump administration agreed under a settlement on Monday to restore the Pride flag to Stonewall National Monument’s federal flagpole within seven days and maintain it there, removing it only for maintenance or other practical purposes. A judge approved the agreement, resolving the dispute over the flag’s removal.

The Stonewall National Monument was first designated by President Barack Obama in 2016, protecting the Stonewall Inn in New York City as a historic site – becoming the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ history. 

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The ruling reins in the Trump administration’s push to eliminate diversity-related programs across national parks, after the flag’s removal in February sparked protests from Democratic leaders and activists and escalated into a broader political flashpoint.

«This is a victory for the LGBTQ+ community and for our entire city,» wrote Mayor Zohran Mamdani in an X on Monday. «It’s a reminder that New Yorkers won’t let our history be rewritten.»

He added that, «Our administration will keep working to ensure LGBTQ+ New Yorkers can live safely and with dignity in our city.»

Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office for comment on Tuesday. 

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At the time of the flag removal, Mamdani said he was «outraged,» calling for the country to live up to the legacy the Stonewall Inn represents, while a Department of Interior spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that «city leaders seem more focused on theatrics than solutions.»

«Hundreds of families in New York City went without power during this year’s severe cold weather, people are being found dead on the streets, and trash has piled up so high it towers over city residents. This is Mayor Mamdani and city officials’ New York City,» the spokesperson said at the time.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N .Y., wants to congressionally authorize the Pride flag after it was taken down by the Trump administration at the Stonewall National Monument. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

They added, «it would be a better use of their time to get the trash buildup off city streets, ensure there are no more avoidable deaths, and work to keep the power on for the people of New York City.»

The Washington Litigation Group (WLG), which initiated legal proceedings, announced the agreement through a press release, writing, the decision «confirms that the Pride flag falls within the law and NPS policy.»

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«The government has acknowledged what we argued from day one: the Pride flag belongs at Stonewall,» wrote WLG lead counsel Alexander Kristofcak. «The flag will be restored and it will fly officially and permanently. And we will remain vigilant to ensure that the government sticks to the deal.»

Fox News Digital reached out to WLG for additional comment. 

Crowds watch outside of Stonewall National Monument as people take part in the 2025 NYC Pride March on June 29, 2025 in New York City. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)

«The removal of the Pride flag from Stonewall was an attempt to erase LGBTQ+ history and undermine the rule of law,» said Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation. «This settlement restores both.»

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the decision on X, writing, «the administration was forced to settle and heed our demands that the pride flag at Stonewall National Monument will always fly freely and proudly.»

In December, National Park Service (NPS) units were instructed to purge gift stores at parks, removing any items that promote DEI and gender ideological extremism.

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Many NPS gift shops are located in visitor centers, which are common in major parks. Some can be found in smaller or remote parks.

Most shops are run by nonprofit partners of the NPS, with funds benefiting visitors and the parks.

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.