Rumours that transgender actor Elliot Page could portray Achilles in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey have sparked intense backlash online, with critics arguing the casting would fundamentally clash with the traditional image of the legendary Greek warrior. The speculation has rapidly become one of the many controversies ahead of the movie’s July 2026 release.

The EU flag is again displayed on the facade of the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest, Hungary as Prime Minister Péter Magyar of Hungary assumed office on Saturday. The EU flag was removed from the Parliament in May 2014, as tensions intensified between Budapest and Brussels.

In a recent ruling, Utah Judge Tony Graf has allowed cameras to be inside the courtroom for the trial of Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson. The defence has made a motion against cameras in the courtroom.

Péter Magyar was formally inaugurated as Hungary’s new Prime Minister after his Tisza Party won a constitutional supermajority in the 12 April election. In his first address, he promised national renewal, justice, and accountability, pledging to investigate past corruption, and create a new government that respects all its citizens equally.

Across the UK’s 2026 elections, the incumbent left-wing Labour Party has suffered heavy losses in England’s local councils and a historic setback in Wales, where it has collapsed from dominance to just a handful of Senedd seats in the newly expanded chamber. Meanwhile, the right-wing populist Reform UK has surged dramatically, gaining over 1,000 councillors.

Hungary’s MOL is facing mounting difficulties in its planned acquisition of Serbia’s NIS oil company, as Belgrade hardens its negotiating stance and fresh political uncertainty emerges following Viktor Orbán’s electoral defeat. Questions are also growing over whether Hungary’s incoming Tisza government will continue backing the strategically important deal as the 22 May deadline nears.

As the Strait of Hormuz crisis disrupts global shipping, Arctic trade routes are seeing unusually early traffic. The northern passage shortens Europe–Asia transit, but icy conditions, high costs, and rising Chinese investment in Arctic infrastructure underscore both the economic potential and geopolitical risks of this fast-emerging alternative, a new Oeconomus analysis shows.

Budapest police have concluded that the death of a well-known Hungarian athlete found dead in his apartment in January was likely caused by an accidental fall rather than homicide.

Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar has nominated legal scholar Márta Görög, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Szeged, to serve as justice minister in the incoming Tisza Party government.

Márton Melléthei-Barna has declined Péter Magyar’s nomination for Minister of Justice after controversy emerged over his family ties to the prime minister-elect. Magyar is expected to announce a new nominee on Friday.

In a debate among mayoral candidates, incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of the Democratic Party stated that she is not willing to reject a proposal by an LA Council Member that would allow non-citizens to vote in local elections in the city. That is despite the fact that it would be against federal law; and an identical law passed by the New York City Council was ruled unconstitutional already.

A number of right-wing influencers and activists have reportedly had their UK entry permits revoked ahead of Tommy Robinson’s upcoming Unite the Kingdom rally, raising accusations that Keir Starmer’s government is using the ETA system to block political dissent and restrict critical voices on migration.

At the opening event for Ludovika Festival 2026, astronaut Tibor Kapu, the second Hungarian to visit outer space, gave a special lecture about his experiences with astronaut training and space travel. He was joined by the reserve crew member for the HUNOR programme, Gyula Cserényi.

Violent unrest erupted in Paris after PSG qualified for the Champions League final, leaving 127 people arrested and multiple injured. National Rally leader Jordan Bardella condemned the scenes, arguing that public celebrations are increasingly marked by ‘insults, destruction, and threats’ in today’s ‘new’ France, promising to restore order if elected.

Hungarian broadcaster TV2 will discontinue its long-running news programme Tények as part of a broader restructuring aimed at overhauling the channel’s infotainment and news operations.

After a memorable 5–4 score in France, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich tied each other 1–1 in the rematch in Munich, Germany. This means that PSG will face Arsenal in Budapest, Hungary in the final, with a chance to become the first team to defend their UCL title since Real Madrid in 2018.

‘The contested Hungarian legislation prohibits exposing children to content that normalizes certain practices, such as transgenderism, sex change, or homosexuality…Other Hungarian laws contain similar provisions…These…were held to be contrary to EU law by the CJEU in its judgment of 21 April 2026, delivered in Full Court, that is, the Court’s most solemn formation.’

Addressing members of the Digital Civic Circles in a letter, Viktor Orbán called on supporters to begin reorganizing the ‘Hungarian right’ following the ‘earthquake-like electoral defeat’. The outgoing prime minister also claimed that Hungary is entering an era of ‘arbitrariness and overreach’ under the incoming Tisza government.

Hungarians, the Danube Institute’s new documentary, premiered in Budapest on 5 May, portraying the nation through self-told personal stories rather than narration. From Holocaust memory and Jewish identity to elite sport, architecture, and Ferencváros fandom, the film weaves diverse personal journeys into a powerful portrait of the Hungarian people.

Two new polls in Germany indicate a sharp decline in support for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, while the Alternative für Deutschland continues its rise nationwide. Surveys by INSA and Forsa show deep voter dissatisfaction and growing openness to an unprecedented CDU–AfD coalition.

Hungary’s newly elected parliament will convene on Saturday, with Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar expected to be elected prime minister following April’s decisive election victory.

More than 60 Christians were killed when ISIS-linked militants infiltrated a funeral gathering in eastern Congo, disguising themselves as mourners before carrying out a coordinated massacre, according to Amnesty International. The report details systematic violence by Islamist fighters and highlights persistent security failures in the conflict-hit region.

AI-generated deepfake images of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have spread widely across social media, depicting her in sexualized ways and prompting sharp online reactions. Meloni condemned the content as ‘politically motivated attacks’, while implicitly reinforcing Italy’s ongoing regulatory crackdown on AI content.

Hungary’s incoming technology minister has outlined plans for a more efficient, transparent and sovereign government IT system, combining central standards with decentralized innovation.

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences elected geologist Mihály Pósfai as its 22nd president on 5 May, placing a highly decorated researcher at the helm of the country’s leading academic body. However, his family ties to incoming Minister of Interior Gábor Pósfai have drawn immediate scrutiny amid ongoing criticism over perceived nepotism around Hungary’s new government.

Can the new government remove the President of the Republic? Does a two-thirds electoral victory give the authority to dismiss public dignitaries? What can an amendment to the Fundamental Law achieve and what are its limits? After the inauguration of Péter Magyar as Prime Minister, a serious public law battle is set to begin.

With their 1–0 win over Atlético Madrid at home in London, UK, Arsenal advanced to their first UEFA Champions League final in 20 years. They will be playing either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich at the Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on 30 May.

Alberta’s separatist movement reached a new milestone as organizers announced over 300,000 signatures for an independence petition—far surpassing the legal threshold required to trigger a referendum. Yet even as calls for a vote intensify, deep-rooted structural limitations continue to undermine the feasibility of the province leaving Canada.

PM Narendra Modi of India’s right-wing populist and nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the state legislative election in West Bengal, a state that Modi had never won in the three general elections in which he was elected Prime Minister by a landslide. In the state of Kerala, the last remaining communist-led state government in India was voted out.

Romania’s parliament has ousted Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in a decisive no confidence vote, collapsing the pro-EU coalition and plunging the country into political uncertainty. The collapse raises concerns over reform paralysis, investor confidence, and shifting regional power dynamics.