‘I do think we’ve got to make it clear that visas will not be issued to people with a history of antisemitism or a history of support for ideologies which are inconsistent with the liberal, pluralist, democratic way of life that we enjoy in this country.’
Once symbols of festive calm and Christian heritage, Western Europe’s Christmas markets have increasingly become targets of Islamist terror since the early 2000s. From Strasbourg to Berlin and Magdeburg, repeated attacks and foiled plots have reshaped how Europe celebrates Christmas—forcing heavy security, cancellations and a growing sense of fear.
‘Christmas markets were more than commercial centres; they granted place for charitable acts, such as donations for nurseries and children’s shelters.’
‘It is a fact that if there are enigmatic figures in 20th-century Hungarian history, Kálmán Rátz is certainly among them.’
‘The American Republic in the first half of the 19th century gradually drifted away from the Founders’ original vision and embarked on the path of modern mass democracy. The final result of this, paradoxically, became exactly what the Founders had feared…The Jacksonian rejection of the principle of hierarchy led not to the fulfilment of freedom, but to the rise of a new, faceless form of tyranny.’
‘The radio goes on air every weekend, yet people are less and less willing to join in and sacrifice time for the community. Until we find someone who falls in love with the radio—and through it, falls in love with the Hungarian community—we have no chance of ensuring the radio’s survival. We’ll keep doing it until the microphone falls out of our hands…’
Artificial intelligence is set to enter a new phase in 2026, evolving from a practical tool into a true digital partner. A new Microsoft study says Hungary is keeping pace, with the infrastructure in place to close the AI gap with Western Europe.
Hungary has established contact with Hunity, the sixth student-built satellite of Budapest University of Technology and Economics, launched by SpaceX in late November. After successful system checks, the tiny spacecraft is now communicating from low Earth orbit.
Hungary has signed a cooperation agreement with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism to strengthen the security of major sports events, aiming to ensure that matches remain free from violence, extremism and security threats.
Budapest has launched the first phase of its Green Panel Programme, offering apartment blocks in Kőbánya access to grants for energy-efficient renovations, with the scheme set to expand to other districts to cut emissions and improve living conditions.
What are Russia’s minimum objectives for demonstrating victory? What will happen to Gaza? How can the West persuade Central Asia to cooperate with the US and Europe? We asked a former senior director at the National Security Council in George W Bush’s White House for a year-end analysis of the world’s three major geopolitical conflicts.
US–Hungarian relations are entering a new phase as defence cooperation moves from political signalling to concrete industrial partnerships. Preliminary agreements with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin mark a strategic shift, strengthening Hungary’s NATO-compatible capabilities and defence-industry base.
Budapest is set to strengthen its green public transport network after the city transport authority secured EU funding for 38 modern trolleybuses, a move that supports fleet renewal, network expansion and long-term sustainability goals in the Hungarian capital.
‘COP30 clearly signals the ongoing transformation of global climate governance. The United States’ partial withdrawal has noticeably weakened Western influence, while China has moved to fill part of the resulting vacuum through a stronger technological presence and a more assertive narrative.’
Hungarian cinema enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2025, as films backed by the National Film Institute passed two billion forints in box-office revenue and drew more than one million viewers, while winning dozens of international awards and boosting the global profile of Hungarian filmmaking.
Hungary’s ambulance service is expanding its fleet as 43 new, state-of-the-art emergency vehicles enter service nationwide, strengthening patient safety and response capacity as part of a broader, multi-year modernization programme.
Budapest’s city assembly has approved the capital’s 2026 budget, setting total revenues and expenditures at more than 532 billion forints. The plan was adopted amid sharp political debate and ongoing concerns over municipal financing and state withdrawals.
Hungary has reaffirmed its full support for US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts, arguing that a negotiated settlement must prevail over what it sees as escalating pro-war policies in Brussels, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in New York.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused the European Union of undermining member states’ rights by bypassing unanimity on frozen Russian assets, warning that such steps set dangerous precedents and risk dragging the bloc deeper into the war.
‘The report highlights Europe’s growing strategic weakness relative to Asia and the United States, pointing to persistent failures in innovation, a deep aversion to risk, and a regulatory mindset…According to the report, the heavy emphasis on procurement rules and compliance does not foster the technological breakthroughs required for modern warfare.’
About two weeks after political podcaster Tim Pool claimed shots were fired at his rural West Virginia residence, the local police still cannot confirm if the incident actually took place as described. Many questions linger about the incident, with multiple twists and turns in the updates.
The Harlem Globetrotters, the world-famous American basketball show team, will return to Hungary in 2026 as part of their centenary world tour, performing in Veszprém, Szeged, and Budapest with their trademark mix of sport, humour, and spectacle.
‘Rubio has ordered that all official communications of the US government must no longer be set in Calibri but revert to Times New Roman.’
Buying a real Christmas tree is more environmentally friendly than choosing an artificial one, according to a researcher at Hungary’s Ecological Research Centre, who highlights the benefits of locally grown trees and the long-term environmental costs of plastic alternatives.
At an online press conference, Samuel D Samson, Senior Advisor at the US State Department, expressed his gratitude to Hungary for the work it has done on issues such as family support, pursuing peace, and combating censorship. He later described Hungary as ‘a leader in Europe in defending civilizational values’.
Hungary’s 4iG Space and Defence Technologies and Lockheed Martin have signed a preliminary agreement to explore industrial cooperation linked to long-range rocket artillery systems, potentially laying the groundwork for HIMARS-related integration and production activities in Hungary.
Hungary believes that flexibility, technological neutrality and regulatory predictability are essential for environmental policy if Europe is to remain competitive, the country’s environment state secretary said in Brussels amid renewed EU debates on green regulation.
‘The speaker pointed out that the city of Budapest, where the event was taking place, withstood the oppressions of the Mongols, the Ottomans, the Nazis, and the Soviets, yet it remained committed to its Western values. He then likened those oppressions to those coming from the EU, which, he believes, is working to suppress national identity and nationalist and conservative sentiments.’
The University of Debrecen has awarded research astronaut Tibor Kapu an honorary associate professorship, recognizing his contribution to space-based plant research and his role in carrying out experiments developed by the university aboard the International Space Station.
‘With Donald Trump taking office as US president, a whole new era began in Hungarian–American relations, which is also reflected in trade and investment volumes.’