Good afternoon. Hungary's political landscape has been turned upside down as Viktor Orbán's 16-year authoritarian rule finally came to an end, with opposition leader Péter Magyar securing a stunning election victory that's sending shockwaves from Budapest to Moscow. The 45-year-old former party insider managed to convince Hungarian voters it was time for change, dealing a significant blow to Putin's influence in the EU and providing much-needed relief to European leaders who had grown increasingly frustrated with Orbán's obstructionist tactics.
Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate as Trump orders the US Navy to blockade Iranian ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran threatening retaliatory strikes on regional ports. The UK has notably refused to join this blockade, with Starmer emphasizing diplomatic efforts to keep the crucial waterway open. On a lighter note, Rory McIlroy has cemented his place among golf's elite by successfully defending his Masters title for back-to-back wins, while Meta's latest AI experiment involves creating a digital version of Mark Zuckerberg himself to interact with company staff as part of their push toward "personal superintelligence."