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The Mermaid tourist boat was recovered after the disaster

Captain jailed over deadly Budapest boat accident

The captain of a cruise liner has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison in Hungary for his role in a 2019 accident in which 25 South Korean tourists and two crew died.

Europe • 26 Sep 23

Tucker Carlson sent a video message to CPAC Hungary (file pic)

Tucker Carlson sends message to Hungarian CPAC event

Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News presenter, was one of a number of voices from the American right to speak at CPAC Hungary, a two-day gathering of conservative politicians and ideologues from across Europe and the US.

Europe • 05 May 23

Pope Francis waves as he arrives to celebrate a holy mass at Kossuth Lajos' Square during his visit in Budapest

Pope appeals to Hungarians to be 'open' to migrants

Pope Francis has called on Hungarians to be "open" toward migrants, as he wrapped up a three-day visit to the central European country whose nationalist premier has taken a staunch anti-immigration stance.

World • 30 Apr 23

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban walks past Pope Francis during a welcoming ceremony at Sandor Palace in Budapest

Pope warns against indifference during Hungary visit

Pope Francis has warned against indifference while thanking Hungary for taking in Ukrainians, despite the anti-refugee policies of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

World • 29 Apr 23

Pope Francis during a one-day visit to Budapest in 2021

Pope in Hungary calls for recovery of 'European spirit'

Pope Francis during the first speech of his visit to Hungary has called for recovery of the European spirit and rejection of "adolescent belligerence" amid rising nationalism and war in Ukraine.

Europe • 28 Apr 23

People march during Budapest's Pride parade in July 2021. Organisers said it was as much a rally against an anti-LGBTQ law

Why is the European Commission taking Hungary to court?

Ireland is one of 15 European Union member states that has joined an EU legal case against Hungary. At stake is a law passed by Hungary in 2021 prohibiting content that promotes homosexuality and gender change to under-18s.

Europe • 22 Apr 23

The hold of the MV Valsamitis is loaded to deliver tonnes of Ukrainian wheat at the port of Chornomorsk, east of Odessa on the Black Sea coast earlier this year

EU calls import ban on Ukraine grain 'unacceptable'

Unilateral action on trade by European Union member states is unacceptable, a European Commission spokesperson has said, after Poland and Hungary announced bans on grain and other food imports from Ukraine to protect the local agricultural sector.

Ukraine • 16 Apr 23

Viktor Orban seen during his state address last month

What is Hungary's position on the war in Ukraine?

Hungary is gambling on the belief that economic and political relations with Russia can return to normal after the war in Ukraine ends, writes Liam Nolan.

Analysis and Comment • 03 Mar 23

Sales at Primark - which trades as Penneys here - rose by 15% over the key Christmas period

Primark cautious on 2023 outlook after strong Christmas

Clothing retailer Primark has reported better than expected trading over the Christmas quarter, parent Associated British Foods said today, but cautioned economic headwinds may dent consumer spending in 2023.

Business • 24 Jan 23

Vodafone said today that the proceeds from the sale would be used to pay down debt

Vodafone to get €1.7 billion from sale of Hungary unit

British telecom group Vodafone said it had agreed the sale of its Hungarian business to local IT company 4iG and the Hungarian state, and would receive a total cash consideration of €1.7 billion from the deal.

Business • 09 Jan 23

The directive has to be transposed into member states' national law by the end of 2023

15% tax rate can proceed after Hungary drops opposition

Hungary has dropped its opposition to the introduction of a global minimum corporation tax rate of 15% as part of a wider deal with the EU allowing implementation to proceed.

Business • 13 Dec 22

Football club FC Fehervar's 14,000-capacity stadium in Szekesfehervar has pulled down its shutters to save costs

Lights out in Hungary stadiums, pools over energy costs

Rocketing energy bills are forcing Hungary to shutter libraries, theatres, swimming pools and even its new football stadiums for winter.

World • 29 Nov 22

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has clashed with Brussels repeatedly over his policies

Hungarian govt submits bill to avoid losing EU fund

Hungary's government has submitted the first of several anti-corruption bills to parliament as Budapest scrambles to avoid losing billions of euros in European Union funding.

Europe • 19 Sep 22

Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintains close ties with Russia

Hungary blasts MEP 'insult' over democratic credentials

Hungary has condemned as "an insult" a European Parliament vote to no longer consider the country a "full democracy".

Europe • 15 Sep 22

Ryanair said earlier this month that it would appeal against the $726,000 fine after a consumer protection probe

Ryanair appeals Hungary's consumer protection fine

Ryanair said today it had appealed to the courts after Hungary fined it for passing on to customers the cost of a business tax meant to target excess profits.

Business • 24 Aug 22

Today's deal will create a locally-owned telecoms leader in Hungary, Vodafone has said

Vodafone to sell Hungarian business for $1.8 billion

Vodafone will sell its Hungarian business for 715 billion forints ($1.8 billion) in cash, it said today, in a deal that will create a locally-owned telecoms leader in the central European country.

Business • 22 Aug 22

Ryanair had called on Hungary to scrap what it called a 'misguided' tax, which is levied at a rate per departing passenger

Hungary fines Ryanair in consumer protection probe

Hungary has fined Ryanair 300 million forints ($780,000) after a consumer protection investigation into the airline passing on the cost of a special tax levied on the industry, the justice minister said today.

Business • 08 Aug 22

Hungarian police said that the driver of the vehicle was a Georgian national (file pic)

Man arrested in Hungary after migrants die in collision

Three migrants have died and 11 were injured in a collision in southern Hungary that police believe was caused by a human trafficker.

World • 05 Aug 22

EU to adopt corporate tax with or without Hungary

EU member states will adopt plans for a minimum corporate tax rate in the bloc in the coming months regardless of whether holdout nation Hungary backs the reform, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said today.

Business • 30 Jun 22

The EU talks are meant to turn into law a global reform of corporate taxation, which was agreed last October by nearly 140 countries

EU fails to agree corporate tax reform deal

Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga told his EU counterparts today that his country could not support a reform of corporate taxation at this stage, effectively preventing a deal at EU level.

Business • 17 Jun 22

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (file pic)

Hungary says 'no obstacle' to deal on EU recovery funds

Hungary sees no obstacles to signing an agreement with Brussels about the release of EU recovery funds, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff has said.

World • 28 Apr 22

The rule of law procedure could take up to nine months

Hungary risks funding cut as EU initiates procedure

The EU's executive has initiated against Hungary a never-before-used procedure that could see Budapest stripped of funding for flouting democratic standards.

World • 27 Apr 22

Five people in the truck were killed, while others travelling in the truck and on the train were injured

Five dead after truck crashes into train in Hungary

Several people were killed when a pick-up truck crashed into a train in southern Hungary, derailing carriages early this morning, police said.

World • 05 Apr 22

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban celebrates on stage with members of the Fidesz party

Hungary vote 'marred by absence of level playing field'

A team of international election observers has said Hungary's election, in which nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a thumping majority, was "marred" by an unbalanced campaign.

World • 04 Apr 22

Viktor Orban prepares to cast his ballot during the elections at a polling station in Budapest

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban wins fourth term in office

Nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a fourth term in office on Sunday as his Fidesz party emerged triumphant, official figures showed, after a campaign overshadowed by the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

World • 03 Apr 22