‘Ultimately, the story of the “big tree gang” illustrates how social anxieties, political agendas, and propaganda intersected in late-1960s Hungary. The files, reports, and novels documenting their lives offer a fascinating glimpse into a vanished world where surveillance and Marxist ideology shaped even the smallest acts of everyday life.’
The world’s premier search engine, Google is celebrating its 27th birthday today, 27 September. It would be reasonable to assume then that the website went live 27 years ago on this day—however, that is not the case. What is the truth behind the date of Google’s anniversary?
Zé Fördős, one of Hungary’s most recognizable culinary influencers and founder of Street Kitchen, talks about risk-taking, failure, and resilience—from paragliding lessons to business setbacks—and how hitting rock bottom set the stage for success.
‘While some of our American school friends spent Friday nights socializing, we preferred to dedicate our time to our Hungarian community. Later, my enthusiasm for scouting leadership only grew. I never felt burnt out because I truly loved every task. This was possible because I was surrounded by supportive people who shared my passion.’
‘The big prize is Azerbaijan, not Armenia,’ Damjan Krnjević Mišković told Hungarian Conservative, describing how the US-brokered peace deal has given Washington unprecedented influence in the South Caucasus.
Hungarian Gripens scrambled from Šiauliai, Lithuania, on 25 September to intercept Russian jets near Latvia. NATO praised Hungary’s role in protecting Baltic airspace, even as Budapest faces criticism within the Alliance for its stance on Ukraine.
Hungary’s flagship international research programme, Hu-rizont, brings together Hungarian experts and global partners to tackle key social and economic challenges, with billions in funding and dozens of projects underway at leading universities.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán dismissed allegations of paedophilia linked to a correctional facility in Szőlő Street as a foreign-backed disinformation campaign, while warning of legal consequences and defending his government’s policies on energy, taxes, and family support.
Slovakia’s parliament has passed a constitutional amendment asserting the primacy of domestic over international law. Backed by PM Robert Fico’s government, the changes enshrine traditional values, define gender as male and female, restrict adoption rights, and give parents more control over sex education—moves likely to spark criticism from the EU.
Despite Viktoria Plzeň taking an early lead and having a player sent off in the first half, Ferencváros managed to win a point in their first UEFA Europa League league phase game of the season. Aleksandar Pešić scored the equalizer in the very last minute of the match.
‘The question in the title of this panel is based on the very dubious assumption that—until now—we have been living in an era of globalization and that this era is now coming to an end. I consider this a wrong way of thinking, a wrong reasoning, a wrong reading of history.’
Budapest is once again hosting the World Press Photo exhibition, opened on 25 September by Mayor Gergely Karácsony. Running until 9 November at the Biodome, the showcase features 42 award-winning photographers from 31 nations, highlighting stories of war, resilience, and coexistence between humanity and nature.
Once criticized for climate inaction, China now plays a pivotal role in the global green transition. Guided by domestic priorities and Xi Jinping’s vision of ecological prosperity, it balances economic growth with environmental goals—leveraging central planning and green tech to reshape its role from Kyoto to Paris and beyond.
What is Israel planning to do after the Western recognition of Palestine? Will there be a point when Washington doesn’t back Israel further? Why has the Hungarian government become a pro-Israeli government? We spoke with the former Political Director of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the fragile situation of the Jewish state at the Danube Institute’s Geopolitical Summit in Budapest.
‘I fear we are very close to the point of no return—and that at some point we will have to reconquer our own territory by force,’ Chega Vice President Pedro Dos Santos Frazão told Hungarian Conservative. He urged for remigration and sectoral admission quotas as urgent, pragmatic defences against parallel societies and the erosion of public order.
US President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke on Wednesday about Russian energy, tariffs, and the war in Ukraine. The call came as Trump urged Europe to end Russian imports, while Budapest insists geography leaves it no choice. FM Péter Szijjártó stressed that Hungary’s energy security is a matter of pipelines, not ideology.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary has defended an 82-year-old Franciscan Friar who was accosted by opposition protesters at his church. In the video shared by the Prime Minister, the demonstrators can be heard yelling at Father Pál, who is objecting to their presence right by his church.
Is India capable of disconnecting from Russian resources? Is India giving up its neutrality to side with China and Russia instead of the US? Is India competing with or complementing China? We asked a prominent Indian economics researcher about the perspectives of their giant economy.
Google has announced plans to restore YouTube accounts previously banned over COVID-19 and election content. The move comes after admitting that US political pressure, including lobbying from the Biden administration, influenced earlier restrictions.
Hungary’s National Economy Ministry (NGM) criticized the European Commission and the opposition Tisza Party on Thursday, warning that proposed progressive tax hikes and subsidy cuts would endanger families, small businesses, and jobs.
Budapest’s City Assembly has amended the taxi regulation to improve transparency and passenger safety, introducing stricter rules on payment, identification, and vehicle appearance, though taxi drivers continue to push for fare increases and a cap on numbers.
The deaths of seven AfD candidates before North Rhine–Westphalia’s local elections stirred controversy after economist Stefan Homburg called the cluster ‘statistically almost impossible’. Despite official findings of natural causes, AfD leader Alice Weidel echoed concerns—highlighting broader tensions around democratic pluralism in Germany.
A man has opened fire from a rooftop at an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas, killing one and injuring two. The perpetrator committed suicide at the scene with his gun. Information about the victim has not yet been released by local law enforcement.
With a federal government shutdown likely coming in the US, it is worth asking: why not include appropriations bills for annual federal budgets in the list of exceptions that do not need to clear the 60-vote threshold in the Senate to overcome the filibuster?
Hungary’s border fence, Western Europe’s migration failures, and the future of European sovereignty dominated the opening day of the MCC–MRI summit in Szeged, marking the tenth anniversary of the Migration Research Institute. Policymakers, academics, and church leaders agreed that Hungary’s model—closing borders and aiding people in their regions—remains Europe’s only viable strategy.
A new survey by the MCC Youth Research Institute has revealed that while Hungarian teens still believe in their childhood dreams, optimism fades with age. By the age of 35–39, only one in three feels their lives match their early aspirations, mirroring trends seen in the United States.
‘His death shows that ignorance and hatred can be fatal—yet his life teaches and obliges us to take our faith seriously, to give courageous testimony, and to stand publicly for our values, even in hostile environments.’
Hungarians are divided over the impact of new technologies, according to a Bosch and Richter survey. While many view innovation as a path to a better quality of life, scepticism remains around areas such as driverless cars and mRNA-based medicines.
Hungary is urging the EU to classify Antifa as a terrorist organization following the assassination of free speech activist Charlie Kirk. With past violent attacks in Budapest and controversial EP immunity for suspect Ilaria Salis, officials argue that Antifa poses a serious threat to public safety and that Brussels must align with US counterterrorism measures.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that new factories and major infrastructure projects in the Great Hungarian Plain will create around 50,000 jobs, while recent railway upgrades will cut the Budapest–Brașov journey by five hours.