Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy defended Elon Musk at a press conference in Rome yesterday, asking the reporters: ‘Is the problem that he is rich and influential, or that he’s not left-wing?’ She also said she believes Musk is no threat to democracy, George Soros is.

Hungary’s Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky introduced a groundbreaking sport reality series co-created by the Ministry of Defence and TV2 at a recent press conference. The television show will offer viewers an inside look at military training, personal challenges, and the transformative power of camaraderie.

Europe’s largest solar park has received all necessary approvals, with construction set to begin soon at the Hungarian–Romanian border. Spanning over 1064 hectares, the 800 million euro project will deliver 1044 MW of installed capacity, marking a major leap in renewable energy in the region.

24 armed men attacked the Presidential Palace in N’Djamena, Chad yesterday, 8 January, but the attack was thankfully thwarted. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary commented on the incident on his X page. Hungary has had a strategic partnership with the African nation of Chad since September 2024.

Former US Ambassador to Hungary David Cornstein has joined the critics of the Biden administration’s decision to impose sanctions on senior Hungarian government official Antal Rogán. Cornstein characterized the decision as ‘terrible and shameful’.

In a provocative and disingenuous statement, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry declared that Ukraine would be prepared to take Hungary’s place in NATO and the European Union if Hungary chose to exit them and join Russian-led organizations such as the CIS and CSTO instead. Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó described the statement as ‘rather aggressive.’

The Hungarian National Police (ORFK) and CIB Bank have signed a cooperation agreement to fight cybercrime. The partnership aims to curb internet fraud through swift action and enhanced communication, safeguarding victims and reducing financial losses.

In a bizarre Facebook post, György Raskó, an operative of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party, argued that Europe needs a war to do away with right-wing populism for good. The post was a reaction to the right-wing populist FPÖ party now being close to forming a government in Austria.

The University of Szeged (SZTE) is at the forefront of innovative medical treatments in Hungary, particularly in cancer care. By adopting cutting-edge interventional oncology methods, SZTE is shaping the future of minimally invasive cancer therapies and medical education.

Katinka Hosszú, Hungary’s ‘Iron Lady’ and three-time Olympic swimming champion, announced her retirement at age 35. Reflecting on an extraordinary 30-year career, she shared her journey’s highlights and the lessons learned from her life in the pool on social media.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that it will cease working with third-party fact-checking services on its social media sites Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Instead, it will rely on user-submitted ‘community notes,’ popularized on major Trump supporter Elon Musk’s X.

Companies in the hospitality industry can now apply to the Hungarian Tourism Agency’s Priority Partners programme, organized by Visit Hungary. Successful applicants will receive valuable perks, such as a 50 per cent discount on the application fee for tourism sales programmes run by Visit Hungary; and participation in B2B activities such as webinars, roadshows, and workshops. Applications are open until 27 January.

Bryan E. Leib, a potential successor to outgoing US Ambassador David Pressman, has voiced sharp criticism on social media of the US administration’s recent sanctioning a key Hungarian politician. Leib expressed optimism for improved ties under Trump’s leadership in his commentary.

Antal Rogán, the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Hungary, has been placed on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list, in the last two weeks of the incumbent Biden administration. US–Hungary relations have severely soured under President Biden.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founding father of the French right-wing party National Front (now known as National Rally), has passed away at the age of 96. While his career was marked by controversies and scandals, Le Pen will be remembered as one of the first to alert France to the existential threats it faced.

A video shared by American journalist Colin Rugg on X has gone viral, showing a stray being the first to rush across the Hungarian-Romanian border at an event celebrating the full incorporation of Romania into the Schengen Area on 1 January 2025. Romania and Bulgaria became the full members of the Schengen Area under the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU.

Three months after the September 2024 elections Austria now has the opportunity to align with the will of the electorate. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has invited Herbert Kickl, leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) and an ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, to form a government after mainstream parties’ talks collapsed.

As Brazil takes the helm of BRICS in 2025, Indonesia has officially joined the group as a full member, marking a significant milestone in strengthening collaboration among emerging economies and advancing the priorities of the Global South.

To celebrate the reopening of the Hangdóm, Hungary’s House of Music is hosting an audiovisual festival from 14 to 19 January. Featuring premieres, returning favourites, and artist discussions, the programme showcases cutting-edge 360-degree films and installations.

Poland has taken over the EU presidency from Hungary, but representatives of the Hungarian government were deemed ‘not welcome’ at the ceremony marking the start of the Polish presidency last Friday in Warsaw.

Starting January, Vodafone Hungary will operate under the new name One Magyarország, marking a major rebranding in the telecom sector. The Vodafone HU network will be renamed One, with integrated services uniting the operations of Vodafone, Digi, and others.

György Bakondi, Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Hungary, talked about the trends in illegal migration across Europe in the past year on the morning show of a major commercial channel. He shared that nearly 16,000 illegal border crossers and 132 human smugglers were apprehended at the border by Hungarian authorities in 2024.

Five-time Olympic gold medalist gymnast and Holocaust survivor Ágnes Keleti was the oldest living Olympic champion in the world. She was awarded the Athlete of the Nation honour by the Hungarian government in 2004. She sadly passed away at the age of 103 on Thursday, just a week before her birthday.

According to media reports, Hungary permanently lost access to €1 billion in EU funds at the end of last year. However, Minister of EU Affairs János Bóka of Hungary vowed that ‘as long as Hungary has a national and sovereign government, it will not lose a single euro cent’ and that ‘Hungary will use all legal and political means to obtain the remaining funds’ in a Facebook post.

85-year-old István Győrkös has been convicted of murdering police officer Péter Pálvölgyi, who was conducting a search of his property in Bőny, Hungary in October 2016. According to press reports, Győrkös, who claims the killing was an accident, has now sued the Hungarian government for alleged violations of his right to due process and a fair trial.

The high-profile clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool ended in a scoreline very dear to Hungarian football fans, 3–6, to Liverpool. Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai scored a goal and made an assist during the victory solidifying the Reds’ place on top of the Premier League table for Christmas.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in his year-end interview with M1 News, expressed cautious optimism about peace in the Ukraine war, reflecting on three challenging years marked by conflict, economic upheaval, and diplomatic struggles. He shared his vision for a resilient Hungary ready to seize opportunities in 2025.

After publishing a fake news report, alleging that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had fled to Hungary, critical-of-the-government media outlet Magyar Hang became the subject of a national security investigation. Rather than taking responsibility for its actions, the outlet has responded with accusations of dictatorship and inflammatory attacks against the government in a public statement.

As the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU concludes, even EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a frequent critic of the Orbán administration, has praised its achievements at a press conference. She highlighted the Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness Deal, expanding the Schengen Area to Romania and Bulgaria, and progress on the Western Balkan EU expansion.

In October 2024 Hungary saw a surge in wages, with the average gross income rising by nearly 13 per cent compared to last year. This growth, coupled with low inflation, marks the 14th consecutive month of significant real wage increases.