Lake Balaton Shipping Season Breaks Passenger Records

Lake Balaton’s 179th passenger shipping season has closed with record-breaking traffic. BAHART ferries and boats carried more than 2.3 million passengers this year, already surpassing 2024’s full-year total and signalling continued growth in regional tourism.

Brazil’s Green Transition: Many Conundrums Ahead

‘Brazil’s energy transition is marked by uneven progress. Highlights include the implementation of deforestation curbs and the robust growth of renewable energy generation…However, the country ranks 28th in the Climate Change Performance Index, among the medium performers, while the Climate Action Tracker deems its climate targets insufficient.’

Former Mentor Calls Macron ‘Worst President’ of Fifth Republic

The liberal establishment appears to be turning its back on French President Emmanuel Macron. As his approval ratings collapse and his mandate nears its end, even former allies like his mentor, Alain Minc, have joined the chorus of critics, accusing him of ‘narcissism’ and ‘imperilling French institutions’ while leaving France in deep political instability.

And Who Speaks on Behalf of Europe?

‘The Commission considered Ukraine’s support to be more important than the protests at the national and sectoral level in the Member States and therefore pushed through the amendment to the trade agreement…’

BBC Under Fire for Manipulating Trump’s Capitol Speech

BBC is facing accusations of manipulating footage of Donald Trump’s 6 January speech in a Panorama documentary aired just a week before the 2024 presidential election. A leaked 19-page dossier by former BBC standards committee member Michael Prescott claims the broadcaster spliced quotes to make it appear Trump incited the Capitol riot.

Democrats Sweep in Virginia and New Jersey in Disappointing Night for GOP

Democrats outperformed polling in both New Jersey and Virginia: Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger are now the governor-elects in the two states, respectively, both winning by wide margins. Even scandal-ridden Jay Jones won his race for Attorney General for Virginia by a decent amount. What does this mean for President Trump and the Republicans?