Iran to charge ships passing Strait
of Hormuz in rial: Lawmaker
April 27th, 2:08pm
(PressTV)
A motion being prepared in the Iranian parliament - to regulate
future transit through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf
- stipulates that ships allowed to pass through the key
waterway must pay tolls in Iranian rial currency.
The chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and
Foreign Policy Committee, Ebrahim Azizi, said on Monday that
charging tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz
is part of an 11-article motion being prepared in parliament.
Azizi told state TV that the motion has been discussed and
finalized in his committee and will become law once
ratified in a vote in the main chamber of the
Iranian parliament.
He said the motion contains some smart and well-considered
measures that are based on a decree by the Leader of the
Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei,
who said last month that Iran must introduce a new
system of governance in the Strait of Hormuz.
Azizi said the measures include -- a total ban on transit for ships
owned by or linked to the Israeli regime, as well as restrictions
on passage for vessels connected to hostile countries and
their affiliates.
He said that the motion also seeks to require all the countries
that have inflicted financial damage on Iran in the past years,
including by imposing sanctions or blocking its funds in
foreign banks, to compensate Iran, through tolls paid
by their ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
“It has been stipulated in the motion that the financial proceeds
obtained from the Strait should be (paid) in Iranian rial,” he said.
The motion comes... amid Iran's continued control over transit
through the Strait of Hormuz, which it has enforced since the
early days of the US-Israeli aggression against the country
in late February.
Iran has maintained its control over the strait, although the
aggression ceased in early April following a Pakistani-
mediated ceasefire.
____________________________________________
How Hezbollah struck back after a year
of strategic patience, tilting battlefield
in its favour
April 27th, 1:57pm
by Hiba Morad
(PressTV)
Hezbollah's battlefield performance since early March – after more
than a year of strategic patience – has exposed not only Israeli
vulnerabilities but also a profound ignorance regarding the
nature of the resistance and its ability to recover.
Speaking to the Press TV website -- a security source close to the
Lebanese resistance movement said the movement continues to
successfully target Israeli troops and settlements.. with “steady
barrages of rockets and drones, which evade interception and
strike their targets.”
He noted ------- that the performance of the resistance on the
battlefield, its ability to strike deep into Israeli settlements
in the occupied territories, its new tactics on the ground,
especially using hard-to-detect fibre-optic FPV drones -
as well as the steadfastness of its people, will enable
it to reshape the deterrence equation --- once again.
“The drones, in particular, are changing the equation on the
ground quite efficiently,” the source said, referring to the
barrage of drones launched by the resistance fighters
.....for weeks before the ceasefire was announced
last week.
These drones – equipped with fibre-optic spools that physically
connect them to their operators ---- are effectively immune to
electronic jamming, allowing uninterrupted real-time video
transmission and command control.
This capability enables operators to guide the drones
precisely toward targets, even in heavily contested
electronic warfare environments.
The source said the Israeli regime must fear that “the walls, even
the skies, have ears” – whether inside the battlefield or inside
the occupied territories – noting that the regime and its
military apparatus “is exposed - wherever it exists.”
“We are keeping track of their movements, their plans, in many
instances, and they must understand that yes, it is as if they
are fighting ghosts,” the source, who has been closely
involved in the retaliatory operations.... that came
over a year after the last ceasefire.
“We master the new tech-war pretty well, but they
keep underestimating our capabilities.”
Miscalculations regarding Hezbollah
Since the 2024 Israeli war on Lebanon, the mainstream
narrative in the US, the Israeli-occupied territories, US
-backed governments in the region, & the Lebanese
government, has suggested that Hezbollah is
experiencing nothing more than a
"cadaveric spasm."
According to the source, these miscalculations – that Hezbollah
is on its last legs – constituted a success in themselves,
proving time and again that the Israeli enemy remains
fundamentally ignorant about the resistance
movement and its dynamics.
The new Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has
reassured audiences in several speeches that the
resistance is in a "rehab" phase ------- and has
nearly recovered.
In his latest speech on Monday, the Hezbollah leader noted
that the Tel Aviv regime is currently at an impasse, and
the Lebanese movement remains fully prepared,
strong, and invincible.
"The resistance continues to be strong and cannot
be defeated, and the enemy was surprised by
the steadfastness of the fighters," the
Hezbollah leader said.
He added that the Islamic Resistance fighters will continue
their resistance in defense of Lebanon and its people, like
it has always done, particularly since early March.
"We will not return to what existed before March 2. We will
respond to Israeli aggression --- and confront it," Sheikh
Qassem stressed, referring to over a year of strategic
patience, during which the Israeli regime continued
to breach the ceasefire almost regularly.
Hezbollah bounces back stronger
The deadly spark of the war against the Lebanese nation was a
devastating attack targeting thousands of Hezbollah fighters
and ordinary citizens across the country through the
detonation of their pagers and walkie-talkies
in September 2024.
That attack was followed by an all-out war on Lebanon, the
assassination of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah, his successor Sayyed Hashem
Safiedine, and dozens of other resistance
leaders and commanders.
It prompted many military pundits in the West
to write Hezbollah’s premature obituary.
Yet, during the past 15 months of non-stop Israeli violations
and breaches of the ceasefire, Hezbollah rebuilt itself and
pulled itself together to emerge stronger and more
determined to defend and liberate its land
and people.
Speaking to the Press TV website, Abou Jawad – a resistance
fighter who has been with the movement since its
establishment – said the resistance knew that
November 27, 2024, was not a call to end
the war, but a temporary ceasefire.
“It was a phase during which we were able to recover, rethink
and reconstruct ourselves and our strategies - in the face of
a cunning Israeli enemy that enjoys committing immense
war crimes,” said Abou Jawad, who lost one eye and
three fingers in the pager blast.
Since the first day following the ceasefire, the resistance started
its "rehab" journey on all levels, he told the Press TV website.
“The rhetoric among analysts was that Israel had destroyed the
resistance and its capabilities ------ by 80%. Israel thought the
resistance had collapsed. But we -- were growing stronger
and more resilient, despite the injuries, pain and loss,”
he stated.
On September 27th, Sheikh Naim Qassem said that --- “Hezbollah
sustains broad social support - and has recovered operationally,
and is advancing, rebuilding and prepared to defend Lebanon.”
A pre-emptive move
Striking its enemy in response to the assassination of the Leader
of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, a
revered spiritual authority.... for many Shias in Lebanon,
Hezbollah launched six missiles toward the Israeli-
occupied territories on March 2.
Meanwhile, the media exposed the forever-cunning nature
of the illegitimate regime, proving - once again - that the
resistance movement was righteous in taking action.
Based on media reports from early March 2026, Israeli regime
officials revealed their own foolhardiness, stating that Israel
had planned a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah, but the
resistance group “beat Israel to it” -------- by launching its
rockets first.
As Abou Jawad puts it, “the cunning and expansionist identity of
the Israeli regime was also put in the limelight during the first
days of the war as Israeli goals in the war against Lebanon
shifted from immediately disarming Hezbollah to re-
establishing a 'South Lebanon Security Zone', and
---- from 'targeting what they dub as Hezbollah
infrastructure' into killing innocent civilians
even while sleeping at night.
The cumulative toll from Israeli aggression against the country –
since its resumption on March 2 until April 25 – has reached
2,496 martyrs and 7,725 wounded, according to the
Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Even after the ceasefire was reached last week - due to pressure
imposed -- by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Israeli occupation
launched a wave of attacks against southern Lebanon,
targeting several villages and particularly civilians,
in a blatant violation of the ceasefire.
Strategic patience, high performance
Abou Jawad told the Press TV website that what the Israelis do
not understand is that Hezbollah “knows well how to practice
strategic patience.”
“We do not fight with missiles and drones only. We initially depend
on our strategic patience, will, beliefs and insight. Of course, we
have also developed skills on the different levels, including AI,
but that has no value if it is not combined with patience and
faith,” he said.
“Let Israel wait for our coming surprises in the future. I think as
time goes by and events unfold, the Israeli soldiers will prefer
to commit suicide .....before entering Lebanon’s territory.”
Earlier this month, Haaretz reported nearly a dozen suicides in
one month as Israeli media warned that the occupation army
is bogged down in Lebanon, noting that Hezbollah holds
the buffer zone ------------ and no exit strategy exists for
the occupying forces.
Abou Jawad asserted that the Israeli regime has achieved no real
goals in the so-called "Lion's Roar" aggression, noting that its
inability to secure any real victory prompts it to kill more
civilians and create "fake targets" to compensate for
its catastrophic failure on the battlefield ...and its
inability to hold ground.
Israeli media seconds that. In a report published on Friday, the
Maariv Israeli newspaper stated that Israel's war on southern
Lebanon is "falling apart on itself," and that the situation
there has deteriorated to the point where the original
framing of the war ....has lost all meaning.
“There are more surprises in the offing - for the Israeli regime. We
held back for more than a year to honour the ceasefire - despite
repeated provocations. Now ---- the game has changed,” the
source close to the resistance movement told the Press
TV website.
___________________________________________
The People of Iran are fighting bravely
and heroically for their sovereignty:
Putin tells Araghchi
April 27th, 2:04pm
(PressTV)
The people of Iran are fighting bravely and heroically for their
sovereignty, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Iranian
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during their meeting
on Monday.
Putin met the visiting Iranian foreign minister in St. Petersburg.
He hailed the Iranian people for "bravely and heroically" fighting
to preserve their national sovereignty and expressed hope that
they would overcome these difficult times - and peace would
return to their country.
Putin added that Russia will take every necessary step to ensure
the interests of Iran and other regional countries and to help
restore peace in the region as soon as possible.
The Russian president noted that he received a written message
from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed
Mojtaba Khamenei, last week.
The Iranian foreign minister, who is in Moscow.. on the last leg of
his regional tour, commended Russia’s constant support for Iran,
particularly during the unprovoked war of aggression launched
by the United States and the Israeli regime.
“Relations between Russia and Iran, which represent
a strategic partnership, will be strengthened,”
Araghchi said.
“With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded
in resisting the US aggression and will be able
to endure it,” he added.
The top Iranian diplomat also conveyed
Ayatollah Khamenei’s warm greetings
to the Russian president.
Araghchi arrived in the Russian capital on Sunday night
on the last leg of his three-nation regional tour that
also took him to Pakistan and Oman.
Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said on Sunday
that the two countries share a common approach to
regional and international issues.
He added that Araghchi’s visit to Moscow
will take place as part of “close
consultations” between
the two countries.
_______________________________________
Iran’s defiance: exposes limits of US
power, and ---- its misreading of the
Axis of Resistance: Hezbollah MP
April 27th, 11:14am
(PressTV)
The head of Hezbollah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc in
the Lebanese Parliament says Iran's continued defiance
in the face of the US-Israeli war has exposed the limits
of US power in the world.
In an article published in Al-Akhbar, Mohammad Raad said US
President Donald Trump reacted with "astonishment, shock,
and anger" when Iran refused to surrender during the
recent US-Israeli aggression.
He emphasized that Tehran instead responded with
"unwavering confidence and unprecedented
popular participation."
The lawmaker noted that this resilience stems from a US
misreading of Iran's internal structure, which is built on
tightly woven ideological, organizational, and societal
ties between the leadership and the public.
He stressed that the Iranian people are not merely a
population manipulated by politicians, but rather:
"an active and serious producer of power."
He cited Trump's threats — including that Iranian civilization
would "die"— as evidence that Washington had stripped
away any pretense of superiority and revealed itself
as a force for threatening and destruction.
He said that cohesive ideological environments
are far more capable of sustaining prolonged
confrontation than "artificial systems."
He added that the severe pressures experienced in Gaza,
as well as what Hezbollah and Iran endured, would have
caused any artificial or fragile state..... to
completely collapse.
"Yet events have taken a different course - one that
defies conventional expectations," he noted.
He further added that the core failure of US policy lies in "the
fundamental imbalance between power and values," which
continues to undermine US influence ------- despite its
military capabilities.
The United States and Israel launched a joint military aggression
against Iran on February 28 by assassinating the Leader of the
Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, along
with senior military commanders.
During the 40-day war, the enemies launched a wave of attacks
against Iran, which also targeted critical energy infrastructure,
including oil depots, gas refineries, and power plants.
Iranian armed forces responded by launching almost daily
missile and drone operations targeting locations in the
Israeli-occupied territories as well as US military
bases and assets ---- across the region.
Furthermore, Iran retaliated against the strikes by closing the
Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in a significant increase
in oil prices and its by-products.
Despite one round of intensive discussions since a temporary
ceasefire, the negotiations between Iran and the US ended
without an agreement, with Iran citing “excessive
demands” from Washington.
_______________________________________
China slams US ‘abusive sanctions’
on refineries over alleged links
to Iran
April 27th, 10:43am
(PressTV)
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denounced the US
for imposing sanctions on Chinese refineries over
alleged links to Iran.
During a press conference on Monday, China’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Lin Jian said: “China
always opposes unilateral sanctions, that have
no basis in international law.”
Lin’s remarks came after the US Treasury on Friday announced
new Iran-related unilateral sanctions and issued a general
license allowing the wind-down of transactions involving
Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co.
The US Treasury also imposed unilateral sanctions on a major
independent Chinese refinery, often referred to as “teapot”
refineries, which operate largely in the eastern province
of Shandong, and nearly 40 additional entities.
Department of State spokesperson Thomas Pigott claimed
the measures are part of broader efforts to curb what
Washington falsely called Iran’s illicit oil trade.
“China --- urges the US to abandon the wrong practice of
abusive sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction,” Lin stated.
He added that China “will firmly safeguard the lawful
rights and interests of Chinese companies.”
China also called on the US to demonstrate “sincerity”
in resolving its prolonged standoff with Iran over its
nuclear program, while censuring the joint US-
Israeli military aggression against it.
In its latest Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) report, Beijing
said that Washington is responsible for the current
diplomatic impasse with Tehran.
The national report - on the implementation of the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was made public
online ---- by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, last Monday.
According to the report -- the US and Israel’s military aggression
against Iran, both in June 2025 and on February 28 -- “seriously
violated international law and the purposes of the UN Charter.”
In the report, Beijing described Washington’s unilateral
withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action (JCPOA) as the “root cause” of the
current diplomatic standoff between
the US and Iran.
______________________________________
Israeli soldier killed - as helicopter
targeted in Hezbollah drone strike
April 27th, 10:28am
(PressTV)
An Israeli soldier has been killed as a military helicopter
sent to airlift wounded troops was targeted --- after
fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance
movement launched a drone strike against the
occupation forces.
According to the Israeli army...... an Israeli military unit
carrying out an offensive in the occupied Lebanese
border town of Taybeh, was attacked, on Sunday.
The strike killed 19-year-old Sergeant Idan Fooks, and
left six others wounded, including four seriously.
Video footage circulating on social media platforms
shows two additional drones being launched when
an Israeli helicopter is dispatched to airlift
wounded soldiers in the region.
The Israeli military claimed that one of the unmanned
aerial vehicles was intercepted, while another
exploded near the forces. The explosion
did not cause further casualties.
On Sunday, Israel said it launched "artillery and aerial
strikes" targeting Hezbollah fighters, and sites it
claimed were used "to advance attacks"
against the regime's soldiers.
This comes as the Tel Aviv regime orders the forced
evacuation of 7 more towns in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military has continued its attacks on southern
Lebanon, even after the ten-day ceasefire between the
Tel Aviv regime and the Beirut government was
extended for a further three weeks.
Israeli forces also continue to occupy southern Lebanon,
after establishing a so-called "Yellow Line" in the region,
similar to an Israeli military measure in the besieged
Gaza Strip.
Israel is occupying a belt of the south that
extends 5 to 10 kilometres into Lebanon.
Nearly 2,500 people have been killed â in Lebanon
- since the Israeli regime waged war on Lebanon
on March 2, according to Lebanon's authorities.
_______________________________________
US-Israeli war on Iran -- disrupts global
circuit board supply, raises tech costs:
Report
April 27th, 10:13am
(PressTV)
The US-Israeli war on Iran has caused a disruption in supplies of
crucial raw materials and triggered a sharp spike in prices of
the printed circuit boards (PCB) used in nearly all electronic
devices, ranging from smartphones and computers to AI
servers, according to a report.
Reuters reported on Monday that the disruption delivers a fresh
blow to electronics manufacturers ------ already struggling with
increased memory chip costs and exposes the broad impact
of the US-Israel war against Iran that has wreaked havoc
on supply chains, plastics, and oil supplies.
Iran’s retaliatory attack on the Jubail petrochemical complex in
Saudi Arabia in early April --- forced a halt in production of high-
purity polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin, a critical base material
used to manufacture PCB laminates.
SABIC, a company that operates in the Jubail complex, accounts
for approximately 70% of the world's high-purity PPE supply.
According to one source, SABIC has failed to resume its
output, which has severely tightened the global
availability of the material.
The prices of PCB have been increasing since late last year,
driven by a growing demand for AI servers. However, three
industry sources told Reuters ---- that demand has been
accelerating sharply since March - as manufacturers
rush to secure raw material supplies and reduce
the impact of skyrocketing costs.
In the month of April alone, PCB prices surged as much as 40%
compared to March, analysts at Goldman Sachs said in a
recent note. The analysts added... that cloud service
providers are keen to accept further price rises
because they expect demand will outstrip
supplies in the coming years.
According to a recent report from Prismark, the global PCB
industry is projected to grow by 12.5%, reaching $95.8
billion in 2026.
A senior executive at Daeduck Electronics, a South Korean PCB
maker whose customers include Samsung Electronics,
SK Hynix and AMD, said discussions had begun
with its customers over price increases.
That executive, who declined to be named because of the
sensitivity of the issue, said his priority - has now shifted.
"My priority has now changed - from meeting
customers to suppliers," the executive said.
He explained that the waiting times for chemical materials
such as epoxy resin have stretched to 15 weeks,
compared to just 3 weeks, previously.
One source told Reuters that the sharp rise in PCB prices
is also being driven by a shortage of other key materials,
including glass fibre and copper foil. The source added
that copper foil prices have soared as much as 30%
so far this year, with the rally gaining momentum
in March.
Victory Giant Technology, a major Chinese PCB supplier for
Nvidia, said Copper accounts for approximately 60% of
total raw material costs in PCB manufacturing. Earlier
this month, the firm warned that the conflict in the
region could push up prices for key materials,
including resin and copper.
Victory Giant also said that that multi-layer PCBs can cost
around 1,394 yuan (equivalent to $204) per square metre,
while higher-end models designed for AI servers cost
around 13,475 yuan.
_____________________________________
Israel --- destroys power, water infrastructure
of Christian-majority town in south Lebanon
April 27th, 1:19pm
(PressTV)
Israeli forces have destroyed the power and water systems
---- of a Christian town in southern Lebanon, as the regime
continues to violate a ceasefire between the two sides.
The regime’s forces, on Sunday, bulldozed solar panels in the
predominantly Christian town of Debel in southern Lebanon,
cutting electricity that powers homes and the town’s water
supply, and leaving civilians without essential services.
The destruction also extended to homes, roads, and
olive groves, further crippling daily life in the area.
With its solar network ------ wiped out, the town is now
struggling without power or reliable access to water.
The town of Debel has been the scene of the Israeli
regime’s brutality and crimes ....several times.
It - recently - saw an Israeli soldier film himself smashing
a statue of Jesus ...an act that drew widespread anger
and underscored -- the broader pattern of destruction
affecting both civilian infrastructure & religious sites.
Weeks after the US and Israel launched their military aggression
against Iran on February 28, Washington agreed to a ceasefire,
with the Trump administration formally accepting Tehran’s 10-
point proposal, which demanded ceasefires on all fronts,
including Lebanon.
While the US briefly backtracked under intense Israeli lobbying,
resulting in a tragic massacre of over 300 people across
Lebanon, Iran maintained a steadfast position.
Although the ceasefire was finally implemented on April 16,
it has since ------- been systematically violated by Israel.
Israel has planned to systematically flatten civilian buildings
in southern Lebanon, according to the Israeli media.
According to reports, engineering tools, including excavators,
have been brought into the area and are being operated by
paid Israeli contractors.
Israeli armed forces are assessing the scale of the destruction
through digital tools, including statistical systems that track
the number of buildings demolished in each sector.
Last month, Israeli Minister of Military Affairs Israel Katz said,
"All houses in villages near the border in Lebanon will be
demolished ---- in accordance with the Rafah and Beit
Hanoun models ...in Gaza."
He added that after Israel's aggression in Lebanon ends,
the military would maintain control "over the entire
area up to the Litani” River.
In retaliation for Israeli ceasefire violations, the Lebanese
resistance movement Hezbollah has carried out daily
operations against the regime’s armed forces.
Since March 2, the occupying regime has killed around 2,300
people, wounded more than 7,500, and displaced ---- over
1.2 million others, according to Lebanon's authorities.
_________________________________________
Trump's standoff with Iran fuels
mounting economic, political
strain across Europe: Report
April 27th, 8:51am
(PressTV)
European leaders are increasingly concerned.... that tensions
arising from the US's unprovoked aggression under President
Donald Trump against Iran, which has resulted in the Islamic
Republic's retaliation, could escalate from an economic
shock into a broader political crisis for the EU,
a report says.
Reporting on Monday, US website Politico wrote --- that, with energy
prices rising and economic growth slowing --- governments across
the bloc are bracing for a fallout which they have a limited ability
to contain. The report said the situation could further
weaken Europe’s already fragile political centre.
The economic impact is already being
felt across key sectors, it added.
"Energy costs are cascading into food, transport, and housing,
hitting lower- and middle-income households hardest," said
Seamus Boland, president of the European Economic and
Social Committee. "Politically - that creates space for
distrust — not just of national governments, but of
European institutions’ ability to shield citizens
from external shocks. It risks accelerating
support for more protectionist or inward
-looking approaches."
Amid growing public dissatisfaction, incumbents in several
European countries are facing a populist backlash, with
concerns that the upcoming elections ---- could shift
political balances.
Electoral risks across the bloc
France ------ is seen as a central battleground, where
political shifts could have wider global implications.
Elsewhere, recent developments have heightened
concerns among pro-EU leaders.
In Bulgaria, the April 20th victory of Rumen Radev has
unsettled incumbents. In Romania - a coalition crisis
threatens the position of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.
Meanwhile in Germany, the far-right Alternative for
Germany is targeting gains in upcoming regional
elections after expanding ...... way beyond its
traditional base.
Economic strain linked to energy disruption
At the centre of the crisis is the lingering standoff between
Washington and Tehran after talks that took place in the
Pakistani capital Islamabad earlier this month failed to
go into the second round amid the United States'
maximalist demands and its preservation of
an illegal blockade of Iranian ports
and vessels.
Iran's retaliation, which has seen it close the strategic Strait
of Hormuz, has pushed oil prices way above $100 per barrel.
European officials warn: that the economic
consequences -------- are spreading.
"As the blockage of Strait of Hormuz persists, it’s clear that its
impacts are becoming more pronounced and also, some say,
spreading through the broader economy," warned the EU
Commissioner for the Economy, Valdis Dombrovskis.
"Our advice --- is to stay with temporary and targeted measures
also to limit their fiscal impact, because fiscal space is now
more limited already since Covid-19 and since the first
energy crisis [triggered by the conflict between the
West, Russia and Ukraine] in 2022."
Policymakers weigh limited options
EU finance officials are set to discuss ways to cushion
the economic blow without deepening debt burdens,
as governments begin preparing national budgets
for the coming year.
However, policymakers acknowledge that their room for
maneuver is constrained. Many countries remain
burdened by high debt and deficits stemming
from pandemic-era spending and earlier
energy crises.
Dombrovskis indicated.... that sweeping intervention is
unlikely, with the EU Commission urging governments
to rely on "targeted, temporary" support measures.
Stagflation fears grow
The current economic trajectory - is raising concerns about
stagflation, a combination of rising prices and weak growth.
"We are facing stagflation — economic slowdown and
increased inflation at the same time," Dombrovskis
said. "It is almost certain that we will have to
revise our [full-year] economic forecast
down in our spring forecast in the
second half of May."
Germany and Italy, which together account for more than
a third of the EU’s GDP, have already downgraded their
economic forecasts in recent days.
Long-term concerns, internal divisions
The situation is unfolding..... against a backdrop of longer-term
structural challenges. In 2024, former European Central Bank
chief Mario Draghi warned that Europe risked "a slow agony"
without major reforms - to compete with the faster-growing
global economies.
At a recent summit, French President Emmanuel Macron
also underscored geopolitical pressures facing Europe.
"We should not underestimate that this is a unique moment,"
when major global figures, including Trump, "are dead
against the Europeans," he said. "So, this is the
right moment for us ---- to wake up."
Leaders are also grappling with internal disagreements over
fiscal policy. Talks on the EU’s long-term budget have
exposed divisions between the northern countries
seeking spending restraint... and the southern
states calling for greater financial support.
"We got indebted during Covid. Today, some tell us
that we need to reimburse fast," Macron said.
"It is.... idiotic."
_______________________________________
Netanyahu cancels mass Meron event
amid renewed retaliatory strikes
from Lebanon
April 27th, 7:18am
(PressTV)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to
call off this year's mass Lag O'mer ceremony, at Mount
Meron in the Upper Galilee region ....following a new
wave of retaliatory strikes from southern Lebanon.
The decision came after fresh restrictions were implemented
in the north of the occupied territories by the so-called
Home Front Command.
It restricted gatherings to 1,500 people in communities along
the confrontation line, as well as in Meron, Bar Yochai, Or
HaGanuz, and Safsufa.
The limitations came into effect Sunday at 10:30 p.m.
local time (1930 GMT), and were set to remain in
place until Monday at 8 p.m.
The so-called Israeli security cabinet discussed
the Meron event on Sunday night.
After the meeting, Netanyahu made the decision that
the annual event, scheduled to take place on May 5,
would not be held in its usual mass format.
“After several security assessments were held by the prime
minister, and in light of the Home Front Command’s
updated policy, beginning on April 26, 2026, the
prime minister instructed ---- that the events
marking the celebration... of Rabbi Shimon
Bar Yochai, at Meron - will not take place
this year in a mass-participation format,
......but only - in a symbolic format,”
Netanyahu's office said...
in a statement.
The statement said the decision was made --- because of
concern over a mass casualty event, citing the fragile
ceasefire with Lebanon, Meron’s proximity to the
border, rocket fire toward the area - and the
difficulty of evacuating large numbers
of participants ....quickly.
On Friday, Israeli military officials instructed the regime's
ministries involved in preparations for the event to stop
work, saying the security situation would not allow
tens of thousands of people to congregate at the
tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
The Israeli regime has continued its attacks on southern
Lebanon, even after the ten-day ceasefire between Tel
Aviv and Beirut ..was extended for a further 3 weeks.
Israeli forces are still occupying southern Lebanon, after
establishing a so-called “Yellow Line” in the region,
similar to an Israeli military measure in the
besieged Gaza Strip.
The casualty toll since the current round of Israeli attacks
began on March 2 ----- has risen to 2,491 people killed and
7,719 wounded, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said.