‘Hungary commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács against the Ottoman Empire today, 29 August 2026. The date is crucial to Hungarian history and identity. But what exactly happened there that makes it so important?’

Pedro Sánchez came to power promising political ‘regeneration’; eight years later, Ceuta has become the clearest symbol of what his experiment produced instead. Corruption scandals, radical social engineering and a permissive migration policy have converged in an enclave fighting for its existence against invading masses, while Madrid’s denial has betrayed Ceuta, Spain and, increasingly, Europe itself.

Canada’s taxpayer-funded CBC is facing backlash after an internal memo told journalists not to describe the 11 September attacks as ‘terrorist attacks’. The directive drew criticism from Canadian and US politicians and comes amid unusually tense relations between Washington and Ottawa, just weeks ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

President Trump has shared his ranking of US Presidents on his own social media platform, Truth Social. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he has ranked himself as the Greatest of All Time. However, who else did he rank high, and who did he rank as ‘Failures’ among the men who had served in his role before him?

Parliament elected Anna Róza Unger president of Hungary’s new NVVH anti-corruption super-agency on Friday by 137 votes to seven, despite mounting criticism of her professional background and the chaotic selection process. The backlash intensified as Ákos Hadházy alleged the contest was largely ‘theatre’ and that Unger emerged from a compromise inside Tisza’s leadership.

Russian lawmakers have lashed out at Péter Magyar after Hungary formally described Russia as a threat to the country, Europe and the global order in new UN instructions. The rhetoric marks a sharp break with the Orbán era, while threats over cutting oil and gas deliveries expose how Budapest’s diplomatic realignment to the EU collides with its continuing dependence on Russian energy.

Lake Balaton is showing two very different faces in 2026: frozen hard enough for skating in January, yet so depleted by August that parts of its southern shore resemble a shallow wetland. The striking contrast reflects increasingly variable weather patterns in Central Europe and the growing impact of heat, evaporation and changing precipitation on the lake’s water balance.