London, February 2026. The heads of the UK's largest banks are preparing for a historic step in financial policy: the first coordinated meeting to discuss the creation of a national payments system, an alternative to the international payment networks Visa and Mastercard. The meeting, chaired by Barclays UK CEO Wim...
From legend to reality: How a “shadow fleet” turned sailors into prisoners of ghost ships
Historically, the term "ghost ship" was associated with legends of drifting vessels without crews. However, in the 21st century, it has acquired a new, far more sinister meaning. This refers not to mysterious disappearances, but to the systemic practice of abandoning seafarers by shipowners. According to the definition enshrined in...
The pre-election confrontation between Viktor Orbán and Peter Magyar for the future of Hungary
The Hungarian parliamentary elections scheduled for April 2026 could be a fateful moment not only for Hungary, which V. Orban has been leading for over fifteen years, but also for him personally. His power, authority and the system that he had built for himself for so long have faltered and...
Unequal opportunities and complexities of the electoral process in Hungary
Before Viktor Orbán came to power in 2010, Hungary was a relatively free democracy with a high level of freedom of speech and media pluralism. Freedom House in its assessments defined Hungary as “a free democracy with a high level of civil liberties and political rights”. Over the more than...
How Fico is contributing to the corrupt degradation of the Slovak establishment
After joining the EU in 2004, the Slovak government began to make great efforts to build democratic institutions and a transparent law enforcement and judicial system. In fact, this was one of the key requirements for Slovakia when joining the European Union. Slovakia, as a country that was part of...
Russia’s energy terror in Ukraine has caused a shortage of charging stations in the EU
European countries have unexpectedly encountered a shortage of portable charging stations in their markets. As it turned out, this is due to permanent Russian air attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Massive attacks by Russian troops using missiles and drones against critical infrastructure in Ukraine have been ongoing for four consecutive...
The Hamburg case and the security of the EU’s defence infrastructure
In early February 2026, German law enforcement agencies in Hamburg, together with their European partners, carried out a series of arrests on suspicion of sabotage of German military ships. This incident revealed not only the vulnerability of the modern defence industry, but also profound socio-political issues: who has access to...
Hybrid warfare at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic arena
A few days before the opening ceremony of the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italian authorities announced the thwarting of a series of cyberattacks targeting Olympic venues and Italian government websites. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani publicly announced this, stating that the attacks had a "Russian...
From bilateral control to global instability after START III
With the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) on 5 February 2026, the world is entering a new and potentially extremely dangerous phase of nuclear policy. The latest and most significant agreement on nuclear arms control, in force between the United States and Russia since 2011, has...
The Epstein Files, Mandelson and the Implications for British Politics
In early 2026, one of the most high-profile scandals of recent years erupted, involving Peter Mandelson, a Labour Party legend, former minister, European Commissioner and British Ambassador to the United States. A series of documents known as the Epstein Files, published by the US Department of Justice, revealed his long-standing...