TV News LIES

The 1974 Carnation Revolution in Portugal that overthrew the country's dictatorship and led to independence for its African colonies was sparked off by the airing of Portugal's Eurovision entry for that year, E depois do adeus ("And After the Farewell"), by Paulo de Carvalho.

In 2009, authorities in Azerbaijan interrogated 43 people after they voted for Armenia's entry in the contest that year, while Ukraine and Russia regularly jibed at each other over the latter's invasion until Russia was expelled in 2022.

But arguably the biggest political controversy in the contest has been around Israel's participation since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza in October 2023.

"For me, this is first and foremost about the devastating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the enormous loss of civilian lives," Emmelie de Forest, winner of the 2013 Eurovision song contest, told Middle East Eye.

"But it’s also about what it means when cultural institutions try to completely separate themselves from political reality. I don’t think music exists outside the world around us."

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The Hungarian Parliament held its inaugural session on Saturday, May 9, ushering in a new political era as the Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, officially took control of the legislature and formed a new government., 444 reported.

The session saw the Tisza party exercise its new absolute majority to elect Ágnes Forsthoffer as the Speaker of Parliament. In her first act in the role, Forsthoffer ordered the European Union flag to be re-displayed on the parliament building – an ornament that had been removed by the previous administration 12 years ago.

Following the confirmation of his 16-ministry cabinet, Péter Magyar took the oath of office and delivered his first address as Prime Minister. He stated that his administration had received a mandate from the Hungarian people to “open a new chapter” and lead the country into a “freer, more humane, and more hopeful era.”

“We promise to ensure that what unites us is stronger than what divides us,” Magyar told the assembly. Outside the parliament, the central square was reported to be packed with thousands of citizens who gathered to mark the end of the “Orbán era.”

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President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and Russia have agreed to carry out a large‑scale prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees on each side, marking a major humanitarian step amid the ongoing war.

The agreement was reached through US‑mediated negotiations, with preparations for the exchange already underway, Zelensky said on Friday in a post on Telegram.

“Ukraine is consistently working to return its people from Russian captivity,” Zelensky said, emphasizing that humanitarian considerations remain central to Ukraine’s position.

The exchange is expected to coincide with a temporary ceasefire from May 9 to May 11, days that align with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.

Zelensky said Ukraine’s decisions regarding security and military posture are guided by a principle of reciprocity, but that the return of prisoners takes precedence.

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Frustrated by Iran, Trump at last seizes enriched uranium
Donald Trump has succeeded in removing a country’s stash of highly enriched uranium – although that country is not Iran.

On Friday, the US Department of Energy announced that “thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership” 13.5kg (about 30 pounds) of uranium had been removed from a legacy research reactor in Venezuela.

The department called the joint operation, involving the UK, the US and Venezuela, “a win for America, Venezuela, and the world”.

“The safe removal of all enriched uranium from Venezuela sends another signal to the world of a restored and renewed Venezuela,” Brandon Williams, the administrator of the department’s National Nuclear Security Administration, said.

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A little over a year after President Donald Trump scolded him during a nationally televised Oval Office meeting, insisting he held “no cards,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is proving he holds a few after all.

Setbacks for Trump ally and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the world’s newfound appreciation for Ukraine’s drone-focused defense industry have given Zelenskyy a remarkable reversal of fortune and a much stronger position than Trump could have predicted 14 months ago.

In Moscow on Saturday, Putin, who expected to take control of Ukraine within days of his 2022 invasion, will instead oversee a Victory Day parade that is drastically scaled down out of fear of Ukrainian long-range drones and missiles. Russian airports were closed in the preceding days and cell service periodically shut off as security measures. Putin himself has cut back on public appearances over fears of assassination attempts or even a coup.

On the same day, 1,000 miles to the southwest, Putin’s biggest defender in Europe, Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán, will officially hand over power to a new prime minister, Peter Magyar, whose election last month has already opened the door to more European Union and NATO help for Ukraine.

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On Wednesday, Ireland’s lower house of parliament, the Dáil Éireann, ratified the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine.

Irish Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne welcomed the move, saying Ireland was among the first states to move from signing the convention to full ratification.

“Russia must be held accountable for the serious damage it has caused Ukraine,” Byrne said.

The commission is part of a broader international mechanism designed to secure reparations for damage, losses and injuries caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The mechanism consists of three parts: the Register of Damage for Ukraine, which has been operational since April 2024 and records claims; the Claims Commission, which will review and adjudicate those claims; and a future compensation fund intended to provide payments to claimants.

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