Hungary’s Orban, the EU’s odd man out, to visit Trump and hopes for his ‘return’ to power/node/2473141/world
Hungary’s Orban, the EU’s odd man out, to visit Trump and hopes for his ‘return’ to power
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban (L) and US President Donald Trump shake hands before a meeting at the White House Min Washington, DC, on ay 13, 2019. (AFP)
Hungary’s Orban, the EU’s odd man out, to visit Trump and hopes for his ‘return’ to power
Unlike most of his EU colleagues, Orban believes Trump’s return to power enhance security in Europe
Trump has applauded Orban as a “strong leader,” although he misidentified him as the “leader of Turkiye” once
Updated 08 March 2024
AFP
BUDAPEST: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban travels to Florida on Friday to meet his “good friend” former US president Donald Trump, the shoo-in for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Orban has frequently expressed hope for Trump’s return to power, insisting it would improve bilateral relations and enhance security in Europe — unlike most of his EU colleagues, who fear the exact opposite.
“It is not gambling at all, but the only sane approach for Hungary is to bank on the return of president Donald Trump,” he said earlier this week in an address to the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Hungary’s nationalist premier was the only EU leader to endorse the real-estate mogul’s campaign during the 2016 US presidential election, later betting on his re-election in 2020 and publicly heaping praise on him ever since.
Trump has applauded Orban during his recent campaign speeches as a “strong leader,” although he misidentified him as the “leader of Turkiye” once.
Following US media reports on the upcoming meeting between the two politicians, Hungary confirmed it would take place on Friday.
Although the exact agenda is unknown, the meeting at the tycoon’s luxurious Mar-a-Lago residence is aimed at “further strengthening the diplomatic and strategic ties between Hungary and the United States,” Zoltan Kovacs, a government spokesperson, wrote on X.
Ukraine is expected to feature prominently in the discussions as both politicians oppose sending military aid to help the war-torn country defend itself against Russia’s ongoing offensive.
Hungary is the only EU member that has maintained close ties with the Kremlin following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Orban regularly advocates for immediate ceasefire and peace talks, arguing the former US president is best qualified to find a way out of the conflict.
Orban is not known to have scheduled talks with any officials of the current US government, as relations between the two countries have been frosty since Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
The United States frequently criticized the Hungarian government for its close relations with Russia, holding up Sweden’s NATO bid and democratic backsliding.
Washington also canceled a bilateral tax treaty and rolled back a visa waiver program.
Meanwhile, Orban listed the Biden administration as one of his adversaries last year according to a report by the pro-government Magyar Nemzet daily newspaper.
In an August interview with conservative TV commentator Tucker Carlson, the Hungarian leader seemingly agreed with the suggestion that US taxpayers’ money had been used to fund a six-party opposition alliance’s 2022 election campaign to oust him.
Shunned by many of his Western colleagues, Orban is seen cultivating ties with many prominent right-wing politicians, anticipating their eventual electoral breakthrough.
This April, Budapest will host another offshoot of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) — an event linked to the US Republican Party — for the third straight year.
During the past two years, Trump sent short pre-recorded videos to greet attendees of the gathering.
At the last CPAC Hungary, Orban denounced the “progressive virus” propagated by “Western liberals,” boasting that he had the “serum” for it in his country.
‘No kings on Presidents Day’ rings out from protests against Trump and Musk
Nearly 1,000 people marched in the snow from the Statehouse in Boston to City Hall, chanting ‘Elon Musk has got to go’ and ‘No kings on Presidents Day!’
One sign at the rally that attracted hundreds in the nation’s capital said, ‘Deport Musk Dethrone Trump’
Updated 11 sec ago
AP
BOSTON: Protesters against President Donald Trump and his policies braved frigid temperatures to demonstrate Monday at rallies corresponding with the Presidents Day holiday.
Dubbed “No Kings on Presidents Day” by the 50501 Movement, the latest protests came less than two weeks after a similar nationwide event on Feb. 5 drew participants in dozens of cities. Both protests denounced Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk, the leader of Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, an outside-government organization designed to slash federal spending.
Nearly 1,000 people marched in the snow from the Statehouse in Boston to City Hall, chanting “Elon Musk has got to go” and “No kings on Presidents Day!” The temperature was below freezing with wind chills in the teens.
Boston protesters, some dressed in Revolutionary War-style clothing from the 1700s, carried signs saying such things as “This is a Coup” and “Cowards Bow to Trump, Patriots Stand Up.” One sign had a depiction of Uncle Sam saying “I Want You to Resist.”
“I thought it was important to be here on Presidents Day to demonstrate for what America stands for,” said Emily Manning, 55, a Boston engineer who came to the rally with her two teenage sons. “American values are not the values of the plutocracy or the limited few rich people.”
Organizers of Monday’s protests, which were focused on state capitals and major cities including Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Florida; and Seattle, said they were targeting “anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies.”
One sign at the rally that attracted hundreds in the nation’s capital said, “Deport Musk Dethrone Trump.”
Many demonstrations were slated for cities where temperatures were well below freezing as a polar vortex worked its way across the country.
The rallies followed a series of Trump executive orders and came just days after layoffs across federal agencies as part of an effort to reduce the government workforce.
What do people want from a leader in a rapidly changing world?
Gallup poll spanning 52 countries reveals “hope” as the top need from leaders, followed closely by “trust”
In low-income countries, hope becomes crucial for reducing suffering and giving people a sense of a better future
Updated 8 min 44 sec ago
Jonathan Gornall
LONDON: What are leaders for? It sounds like an obvious question, with equally obvious answers.
But a new survey, conducted across 52 countries and territories and accounting for 76 percent of the world’s adult population, has refined those answers down to just four words: hope, trust, compassion and stability.
And of these “four needs of followers,” one emerges head and shoulders above the rest – hope, followed closely by trust.
These were the headline findings of an international survey released by international polling company Gallup at last week’s three-day World Governments Summit in Dubai.
The summit, which has been held annually in the city since 2013, brings together heads of government, officials and thought leaders “to address universal challenges and set the agenda for next-generation governments.”
Topics tackled at this year’s summit included the impact of artificial intelligence and how governments can maintain the trust of their citizens in the face of the maelstrom of misinformation and conspiracy theorizing generated in this digital age.
The World Governments Summit in Dubai, which has been held annually since 2013, brings together heads of government, officials and thought leaders “to address universal challenges and set the agenda for next-generation governments.” (AFP)
And trust and hope, the survey found, are what people want most from their leaders, whether in government or at the head of the companies for which they work.
“Today’s leaders face profound and complex challenges, such as climate change, conflict and artificial intelligence, and must make decisions that affect the lives of their followers,” said Jon Clifton, Gallup’s CEO, who spoke at the launch of the report at the summit on Feb. 11.
“In this changing world, it is crucial for leaders to understand the reasons people follow them.”
To better understand how people around the world perceive leaders and their impact, Gallup first asked participants to name a leader who has had the most positive influence on their daily lives. They then asked them to list three words describing what that leader contributes to their lives.
The survey found that “hope is the primary need of followers around the world” — a finding that would have come as no surprise to the 19th-century French leader Napoleon Bonaparte, who defined a leader as “a dealer in hope.”
When asked to list three words that best describe what leaders contribute to their lives, 56 percent said “Hope,” followed by 33 percent who named “Trust.”
It is, said Clifton, essential for leaders to recognize that “hope is a powerful motivator. It stands out as the dominant need across followers, with 56 percent of all attributes tied to positive leaders grouping into this theme — particularly the attributes of inspiration, vision and personal integrity.
The Gallup survey found that “hope is the primary need of followers around the world.” (Getty Images)
“Hope gives followers something better to look forward to, enabling them to navigate challenges and work toward a brighter future. Without hope, people can disengage, lose confidence and become less resilient.”
The survey found that hope is the primary need across all 52 countries surveyed, ranging from just over four in 10 people in Bulgaria, Jordan and Lebanon to at least two in three in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Egypt.
In fact, hope as a need fulfilled by leaders was above the global average of 56 percent in Egypt (72 percent), Saudi Arabia (66 percent), the UAE (64 percent). By contrast, hope was found most wanting in Palestine (49 percent), Jordan (44 percent) and Lebanon (41 percent).
And the survey makes clear that, while government leaders obviously play a significant role in the lives of their citizens, other types of leaders understandably have a more direct, day-to-day impact on people’s lives and happiness.
Overall, asked what leader had the most positive influence on their lives, an overwhelming and perhaps unsurprising majority of those surveyed (57 percent) named a family leader.
Next, with 11 percent, came work managers, followed by political and religious leaders, both named by 7 percent of respondents.
Celebrities, the survey reveals, are rarely considered to exert the most positive influence in people’s daily lives — just 2 percent of adults name a celebrity.
Which type of leader has the most positive influence varies enormously from country to country – for example, workplace leadership is important to 70 percent of people in China and 52 percent in the UAE, while political leadership is cited by 38 percent in Tanzania (the highest rating), 33 percent in Israel and 22 percent in Turkiye.
While Gallup’s research into followers’ needs offers valuable insight, the answer to what makes a good leader lies in a holistic understanding of themselves, their role, and the needs of their followers. Without first understanding what followers expect and need, a leader’s ability to lead successfully is in question.
“Great leadership is defined not by authority alone, but by how much the people who follow leaders trust and support them,” said Gallup’s Jon Clifton.
“The best leaders — of countries, organizations or other groups — keep their followers in mind when making decisions, because without them, even the most capable leader lacks true influence.”
IN NUMBERS
60% of survey respondents say they look for hope in political leaders.
54% look for it in family members.
59% in religious leaders.
59% in managers.
The survey also found a direct connection between wellbeing and life satisfaction and the extent to which the basic expectations of leadership — hope, trust, compassion and stability — are met.
Gallup measures life satisfaction by asking respondents to imagine a ladder with ten rungs, with the lowest rung representing the worst possible life and the highest the best.
Those who rated their current life a “7” or higher and their anticipated life in five years an “8” or higher are categorized as thriving. Those on “4” or lower are considered to be suffering.
By this metric the survey reveals a subtle but significant association between hope and life satisfaction. Among those who do not associate hope with the leader they mention, only 33 percent are classed as thriving and 9 percent as suffering, whereas thriving rises to 38 percent and suffering dips to 6 percent among those for whom the need for hope is met.
Although suffering is relatively rare, the survey results show it decreases as more needs are met. This is especially important in low-income countries, where higher levels of suffering make hope for a better future crucial in reducing pain.
While Gallup’s research into followers’ needs offers valuable insight, the answer to what makes a good leader lies in a holistic understanding of themselves, their role, and the needs of their followers. (Pexels)
Trust is the second most important need identified by the survey (33 percent), and this has “an additive role” when combined with hope and either stability or compassion, in which case rates of thriving increase to 43 percent and 39 percent respectively.
Followers need to trust that their leaders will keep their word and act with integrity, Gallup explains. “Trust is the foundation of human relationships,” enabling people to collaborate toward shared goals more effectively.
Gallup says its research into the needs of followers “offers a blueprint for current and future leaders.”
“As we navigate an era marked by rapid technological advancements and global interconnectedness, the ability to pivot and respond to new challenges is more important than ever,” said CEO Clifton.
“Leaders who keep the four needs of followers at the forefront when making decisions will likely be most destined to make a positive impact on the world.”
Jon Clifton, CEO of Gallup. (Supplied)
Gallup highlights that leaders “must ultimately know three things to succeed” — they must understand the needs of their followers and fulfil the four needs of hope, trust, compassion and stability; they must know themselves, and lead with their strengths; and “the most successful leaders also have a deep understanding of the demands of their specific role and the expectations attached to it.”
However, Gallup leaders cannot meet their followers’ needs without first knowing themselves, Gallup highlights. Effective leaders develop their innate strengths, refining natural talents through knowledge and skill to unlock unique leadership approaches and maximize their impact.
The best leaders, the report concludes, “achieve success — despite varied roles, organizations and industries — by bringing multiple teams together and making great decisions, driving the purpose and performance of their organization.
“The more leaders can provide their followers with hope, trust, compassion and stability by leaning on their unique strengths and applying them to the specifics of their role, the more successful they will be.”
US President Donald Trump shocked allies last week by announcing he had a direct conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a process to quickly end the war in Ukraine
Updated 17 February 2025
AFP
BERLIN: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview broadcast Monday that the United States was trying to “please” Moscow in talks on Ukraine and warned of Europe’s military “weakness.”
Reacting to conciliatory comments toward Russia by US officials, Zelensky said: “The US is now saying things that are very favorable to Putin... because they want to please him.”
“They want to meet quickly and have a quick win. But what they want — ‘just a ceasefire’ — is not a win,” Zelensky said, according to a translation provided by broadcaster ARD of an interview recorded Saturday in Munich.
US President Donald Trump shocked allies last week by announcing he had a direct conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a process to quickly end the war in Ukraine.
US defense chief Pete Hegseth also appeared to rule out Ukraine joining NATO or retaking the territory lost since 2014.
On the contours of any future deal, Zelensky said “we will not sign just anything in order to be applauded” and stressed that “the fate of our state for generations to come” was at stake.
He rejected the idea of ceding Ukrainian territory that Russia has seized, saying: “We will reclaim it all.”
As European leaders held crisis talks in Paris on the way forward, ARD broadcast the interview which Zelensky recorded during the three-day Munich Security Conference that ended on Sunday.
The Ukrainian president warned that Europe was in a weak position if it could not rely on the US security umbrella.
While “readiness has increased” in recent years, “in terms of troop strength, the number of combat troops, the fleet, the air force, the drones... I honestly think that Europe is weak today,” he said.
Zelensky said Ukraine had grown more resilient over the past three years and that “Putin wouldn’t be able to occupy us the way he wanted to.”
Even so, he warned that “there will definitely not be a Ukrainian victory without US support.”
Zelensky said he and Trump had spoken about deploying foreign troops to police a future ceasefire.
“I told him the Americans should be a part of this, because otherwise we might lose our unity,” he said.
At a meeting of Kyiv’s backers in Brussels last week, Hegseth flatly rejected the possibility of a US troop deployment to Ukraine.
When asked whether he would give up the presidency if necessary for an agreement, Zelensky said that “for peace I am prepared to do anything.”
“If tomorrow Ukraine were accepted into the EU and NATO, if Russian troops were to withdraw and we got security guarantees, I wouldn’t be needed anymore,” he said.
End of the road for Kolkata’s beloved yellow taxis
Updated 17 February 2025
AFP
KOLKATA: Kolkata locals cherish their city’s past, which is why many in the one-time Indian capital are mourning a vanishing emblem of its faded grandeur: a hulking and noisy fleet of stately yellow taxis.
The snub-nosed Hindustan Ambassador, first rolling off the assembly line in the 1950s with a design that barely changed in the decades since, once ruled India’s potholed streets.
Nowadays it is rarely spotted outside Kolkata, where it serves as the backbone of the metropolitan cab fleet and a readily recognizable symbol of the eastern city’s identity.
But numbers are dwindling fast, and a court ruling means those that remain — lumbering but still sturdy — will be forced off the roads entirely in the next three years.
“I love my car like my son,” Kailash Sahani, who has sat behind the wheel of an Ambassador cab for the past four decades, told AFP.
“It’s a simple car — no electronics, no frills,” the 70-year-old added. “It’s unbelievable how much things have changed ... The end of these taxi cars also marks our end.”
Sahani is among thousands of Kolkata cabbies relinquishing their vehicles in line with tough emissions standards introduced in 2009 to ease the city’s endemic smog problem.
Only around 2,500 Ambassador taxis were still working at the start of this year, down from 7,000 a year earlier, according to Bengal Taxi Association figures.
Another 1,000 will be retired this year, and West Bengal state transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty told AFP that the remainder will be gone by the end of 2027.
“The car is strong. Parts and maintenance are cheap and if it breaks down, it’s easy to find a mechanic,” said Bengal Taxi Association spokesman Sanjeeb Roy.
Their disappearance, he added, “represents all that’s wrong with India’s changing economy.”
The Hindustan Ambassador was the cornerstone of India’s automotive industry for decades from its 1957 debut at a factory on Kolkata’s northern outskirts. Modeled on a similarly regal sedan car from Britain’s now long-defunct Morris Motors, the car was a triumphant achievement of industry in the first years of India’s history as an independent nation.
Detained Ugandan opposition veteran briefly hospitalized
Besigye, 68, is a leading opponent of President Yoweri Museveni — in power for nearly 40 years — whom he has unsuccessfully challenged in four elections
Updated 17 February 2025
AFP
NAIROBI: Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was briefly hospitalized after his health deteriorated following a hunger strike but was back in prison on Monday, his lawyer said.
Besigye, 68, is a leading opponent of President Yoweri Museveni — in power for nearly 40 years — whom he has unsuccessfully challenged in four elections.
He was abducted in Kenya in November and has been facing the death penalty on treason charges in a court martial that his wife, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima, has called a “sham.”
Besigye’s lawyer Erias Lukwago said he “was brought under heavy security deployment to a private medical facility in Bugolobi (Kampala) last night and taken back to Luzira prison.”
Besigye was last seen in public on Friday during a court appearance where he appeared frail — a day after Lukwago said he was “critically ill.”
Lukwago and opposition lawmaker Francis Twijukye said they were unclear about his current situation as they have “limited access to him.”
His wife said on Sunday she was “very worried” about Besigye’s health.
On trial for “threatening national security,” Besigye went on hunger strike on Feb. 10 to protest his detention.
