Argentina has repaid the full $2.5 billion drawn under its currency swap agreement with the United States, a move praised by Washington as proof of Buenos Aires’ improved financial stability. Hungary is negotiating a similar arrangement with Washington ahead of the parliamentary election in 2026, positioning an American swap line as insurance against market turbulence and political risk.

As Portugal prepares for its seventh election in just three years, the presidential contest is shaping up as a defining test for the country’s political future. With polls showing a near-certain run-off, Chega leader André Ventura has emerged as the frontrunner, signalling a further collapse of the traditional parties’ grip on power.

Hungary has emerged as a regional exception in Central and Eastern Europe, retaining access to Russian gas via TurkStream. While Austria and Slovakia face soaring transit tariffs due to under-utilized pipelines, Hungary’s network remains busy, with 2025 deliveries up 17 per cent and domestic consumption rising by 4.7 per cent.

Researchers from HUN-REN and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics are taking part in preparing the European Space Agency’s Plasma Observatory mission, aimed at delivering the most detailed picture yet of space weather and geomagnetic storms.

Abu Dhabi has imposed restrictions on scholarships to UK universities, warning of the risk of Islamist radicalization among Emirati students studying in Britain. The United Kingdom was deliberately omitted from the UAE’s revised list of approved foreign universities, underscoring deepening concern over Muslim Brotherhood influence on campuses.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary has shared a letter from US President Trump in which he compliments his leadership, wishes him luck in this year’s election, and—more importantly—hints at a potential presidential visit to Hungary in the near future.