On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, US Chargé d’Affaires Caroline Savage joined an immersive augmented-reality experience that transforms Budapest’s former Jewish ghetto into a living historical space. The project, If These Streets Could Talk, uses cutting-edge technology to place visitors inside real stories from the Second World War—an approach Savage described as ‘extremely powerful’.
An amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill was passed by the UK House of Lords, which would ban the use of VPNs for citizens under 18. Free speech advocates caution that this could end anonymous browsing, as IDs would have to be submitted to VPN providers, and fear it could lead to a VPN ban for a wider population.
Crowborough has become the latest flashpoint in Britain’s migration crisis after locals staged their 12th protest against plans to house 500 male asylum seekers in a former army camp. Residents told broadcasters they fear for safety and say migrants are already ‘hanging around’ town, while Labour insists the policy will replace costly asylum hotels—despite reports the camp will require £5.5 million in extra policing.
‘I do think that Irish people, maybe because of our colonial past, have this tendency to allow ourselves to be ruled by tyrants…Maybe it explains our love of the EU.’
‘That’s what I came away with, this idea of Hungarian identity. You can tell it’s motivated by a very deep love, and of identity, culture, history, of course, overcoming incredible struggles. And I did see a lot of similarities with Ireland, and it did make me sad to see how we went on such very different paths.’
‘The coming years will…not be about returning to the past, but about shaping a stable future—one in which nations remain the cornerstone of international order, cooperation remains possible without coercion, and Europe remains strong precisely because it respects the sovereignty of its members.’
‘The book went to number one in the national charts based on word of mouth, which is unheard of…So normally, anything that is this kind of a unicorn, the media should be all over it, because it’s such an unusual tale. But because it’s picking apart a lot of government narratives…the book was ignored for the first couple of months by the national media.’
The European Parliament’s liberal–progressive camp has renewed attacks on Hungary after the Commission approved €16 billion in SAFE defence funding, with Green MEPs urging delays until after April’s election. Despite Kaja Kallas insisting funds will be audited, critics again weaponize the ‘rule of law’ to block Hungary’s military modernization and influence its election.
‘The goal of the Cyprus Presidency…is aligned with the concept of strategic autonomy: a union that would strengthen the EU’s global role amid geopolitical turmoil. The emphasis on security, defence, energy security, and competitiveness could yield positive results, but it should be noted that while the programme is ambitious…it also stretches beyond the EU’s traditional scope.’
‘The return of the power of the Marque will underscore enduring truths in global affairs: that laws of war bend to state needs, and quasi-legal private forces remain potent instruments.’