What Rumen Radev’s victory means for Bulgaria, the EU and Russia Rumen Radev has capitalised on anti-corruption sentiment to win power in Bulgaria, but it remains to be seen whether he can deliver on his promises in office.

blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

This Is Just To Say

I have turned off
the AI features
that were in
the update

and which
you were probably
hoping
to monetize

Fuck you
they were stupid
so unnecessary
and so annoying

A turning point for Hungary? A SSEESing roundtable on the results and implications of the parliamentary elections

Tonight - roundtable @uclssees.bsky.social analysing the results & potential impacts of last week's Hungarian elections, drawing on a range of academic and policy expertise. In person and virtual.

Chaired by @sherrillstroschein.bsky.social of @uclspp.bsky.social

www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanit...

Clearly, this disqualifies Palentir as a business partner for any other country than the U.S., not just in defense and security related sector but ANY sector — as information is power.

European countries should not just start new collaboration with Palentir, they should divest it ASAP!

The Palentir statement on its desired “Technological Republic” is one of the scariest things I have seen in a while. It is a call for a world dominated by an authoritarian U.S., generated by AI (both the statement and the world), run by tech-surveillance companies. Technofascism pure!

New university free speech complaints system to come into force this year Universities could face fines of £500,000 or 2% of their income if they are found to have failed to protect free speech.

According to @hepi-news.bsky.social polling: www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/u...) while 70% of students agree that 'universities should never limit free speech', 50% want at least one political party banned from campus. 🤷

Every year Bulgarians vote in a new anti-corruption party and every year they vote out a new corrupt government. 🤷‍♂️

Child: I know your name. Mamdani.

Obama: What’s his first name?

Child: Mayor.

Boris Johnson put Evgeny Lebedev into the House of Lords despite explicit warnings from UK security agencies. MI5 officers visited Downing Street in 2020 to brief Johnson on the national security risks associated with awarding Lebedev a peerage. Where was the uproar then?

Final Hungarian election results, 141 seats for Tisza.

Reporter: If you don’t have a deal by Wednesday, will you extend the ceasefire or restart attacks? Trump: Maybe I won’t extend it… and we’ll have to start dropping bombs again.

Peace when markets are open

War when markets are closed

Traders placed over $1bn in perfectly timed bets on the Iran war. What is going on? Suspicious wagers on the US-Israel war in Iran are creating huge windfalls and raising concerns among lawmakers

Traders placed over $1bn in perfectly timed bets on the Iran war. What is going on?

More than 10 million children were affected by COVID-19-associated According to a new modelling study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, the number of children estimated to have experienced the death of a parent or caregiver as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2022-09...
How many even are aware of the high levels of Orphanhood from covid transmission? So much of the narrative has not been in the press.

The Mittel Man • EQUATOR What was Viktor Orbán’s vision for Europe?

This is very good.
www.equator.org/articles/the...

Five key questions: who overruled decision to deny Mandelson security clearance? Ministers and civil servants face scrutiny after revelation Foreign Office overruled vetting procedure for US ambassador appointment

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Are Axel Rudakubana’s parents responsible for his terrible crime? It’s a question many families will fear to answer | Gaby Hinsliff Children could have been saved, had some of the adults involved acted differently. To protect lives in future, families must be able – and willing – to seek help, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

AP Exclusive: Europe has 'maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,' energy agency head warns The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that Europe has about six weeks of jet fuel left.

I think the word crisis is apt here.

apnews.com/article/iran...

EXPOSED: How Viktor Orbán Bankrolled the Network Around Reform UK As Hungary’s Prime Minister suffers a historic electoral defeat, Byline Times maps out how his government’s funding arm channelled hundreds of thousands of pounds into organisations at the heart of Br...

Orban was funding the Reform support network.

Why?

'Blue' Labour. Glasman. McSweeney. Mahmood. This is their doing.

Amazing for a party which won a (shallow) landslide 651 days ago to struggle so badly with electability.

@darrenpjones.bsky.social

Stocks high anticipating end to Iran war

It's magic rainbow story time

www.desmog.com/2026/04/08/m...

Why Orban's defeat spells trouble for Trump and MAGA Widely considered MAGA’s closest ally in Europe, now that Orban is gone, support for the US in Europe could dip further.

📰 And in Metro, she describes Viktor Orbán’s defeat as a “good earthquake”: metro.co.uk/2026/04/13/h...

Péter Magyar peut-il "désorbaniser" la Hongrie après sa victoire aux législatives ? Après sa large victoire face à Viktor Orban, Péter Magyar a promis une “nouvelle ère” pour la Hongrie. Mais avant de pouvoir réellement parler de page qui se tourne, le nouvel homme fort hongrois va…

🇫🇷 For our French-speaking audience, she also spoke to France 24: www.france24.com/fr/europe/20...

“This is a serious movement… it’s a generational shift.”

@ucl.ac.uk's Dr @sherrillstroschein.bsky.social on Péter Magyar’s election victory, speaking to Bloomberg Television.

Watch the full interview ⬇️
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB9W...

#Hungary #Magyar #Orbán #Elections #Politics

UK faces biggest hit to growth from Iran war of major economies, IMF says The financial body cuts its growth forecast for the UK and warns the war threatens to throw the global economy

UK faces biggest hit to growth from Iran war of major economies.

It is net energy importer. Imports most things, all affected by price of energy.

At home, energy companies profiteer, hike inflation, reduce people's purchasing power.

Nationalisation of energy would help, alternative is stagnation.

i just think it’s really sad that we just accept greenwich mean time and never think about greenwich kind time

Add a laugh track at the end and this an absurdist SNL sketch intro from any time before 2015

i feel bad for our country but this is tremendous content

🚨🚨 "Orbán’s loss brings to an end the assumption of inevitability that has pervaded the MAGA movement...that illiberal parties are somehow destined not just to win but to hold power forever, because they have the support of the “real” people. " Great piece by @anneapplebaum.bsky.social

Hungary's electoral systems mentioned with Rubik's cubes.

Quote of the day so far.