The European Commission is softening its public criticism of Viktor Orbán ahead of Hungary’s April 12 election to avoid appearing to interfere — especially as polls show the opposition Tisza Party leading.

Brussels may release up to €2.4bn in EU funds before the vote, even though €17bn remains frozen over rule-of-law concerns.

Orbán continues to accuse the EU of meddling, while some EU officials argue that both action and inaction will be politicized during the campaign.

Source: FT

African Union Declares Slavery & Colonialism "Crime Against Humanity"

READ MORE

A French MP, Éric Bothorel, was reportedly sanctioned by the US after helping refer X (formerly Twitter) to French prosecutors over alleged algorithm changes and foreign interference.

He was denied White House accreditation and advised not to travel to Washington.

Bothorel said he was the only MP whose “Secret Service refused to grant accreditation,” calling it “the beginning of trouble.”

Araghchi Meets IAEA Chief Ahead of US Talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met the head of the UN nuclear watchdog in Geneva ahead of a high-stakes second round of nuclear negotiations with the United States.

READ MORE

China will allow UK and Canadian passport holders to visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days from 17 February until 31 December.

The policy covers tourism, business and family visits.

Source: BBC

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez:

There's a very big difference between whiteness and national—like your actual culture, right?

Whiteness is an imaginary thing. Being German is real. Being Italian is real...

Former CIA Officer John Kiriakou:

The FBI has identified 187 Mossad agents in the United States not declared to the US government spread all around the country to steal our defense secrets.

And I raised my hand. I said, “Why? We give them 99% of our defense secrets.” And he said, “Exactly. They're here to steal the last 1%.”

And that's what they do. The Israelis are not friends of the United States.

Former CIA Officer John Kiriakou:

The Israeli lobby spends millions, tens of millions of dollars every single year on political races across the country at every level. It's not just Congress, it's the state races and even the local races.

If you are not 100% pro-Israel, they will run a candidate against you and they'll spend millions of dollars to beat you and they're successful.

Rubio to Hungary’s Orbán:

I can say to you with confidence that Trump is deeply committed to your success.

Rubio to Hungary’s Orbán:

We want this country to do well. It’s in our national interest, especially as long as you’re the Prime Minister and the leader of this country.

Rubio on Ukraine:

Usually, in my time observing geopolitics, when a President tries to engage himself in peacemaking and in ending wars, that's usually applauded.

So this is one of the few times for a lot of different reasons I don't know what they may be, maybe I can speculate what they are, where people actually criticize a President trying to end a war.

Usually, when you're trying to end wars, the international community applauds you. This is one of the few wars I've ever seen where some people in the international community condemn you for trying to help end a war.

Rubio:

China's a big country. It's got a billion-something people, the second largest economy in the world. They have nuclear weapons.

It would be crazy, it is insane for the United States and China not to have relations and interact with one another.

Rubio:

It's not good for anybody to rely on one country or one economy for 90% of anything, especially things like critical supply chains. This is a reality.

We want to diversify supply chains around the world. We've spoken clearly about it.

That's not an anti-China thing. That's just the reality that over-dependence on one source is not good, especially when there's been a willingness in the past to use it as leverage against each other.

The British Museum has decided to remove references to “Palestine” from its old Middle East exhibitions.

READ MORE

Rubio: Iran Deal ‘Not Easy’ Amid Theological Rule

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said striking a deal with Iran is “not easy,” arguing that Tehran’s decisions are shaped by “radical Shia clerics” who base policy on theology, as he addressed global issues during talks in Budapest.

READ MORE

Aviation workers struck at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, disrupting air traffic control operations at a key regional aviation hub.

READ MORE

Indonesia says up to 8,000 troops will be ready by June for a possible humanitarian peacekeeping mission in Gaza, supporting Trump’s postwar reconstruction plan.

About 1,000 troops could deploy as early as April, pending government approval and international coordination.

Officials say the mission would focus on aid and civilian protection, not combat.

Source: POLITICO

Senator Graham meets with Netanyahu.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez:

We have less debt than the United States.

Of course, that in itself is not necessarily an achievement, because the U.S. economy is what it is.

Senator Graham:

The Iranian Ayatollah and his murderous regime are at their weakest point since 1979.

Their economy is in shambles, their military has been degraded, and their people are in the streets — Iranian people in the streets demanding an end to oppression.

All these forces are coming together. We must meet the moment.

Senator Graham:

The best answer to all the problems created by Iran is regime change.