EU Recovery Funds: Hungary says it has met all conditions to unlock the full €10bn from the post-pandemic recovery pot, after parliament amended more than 100 laws and delivered 27 “super milestones” ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline. Anti-Corruption Institutions: The new asset-recovery push stays in the spotlight as Hungary’s anti-corruption leadership and rules tighten, with political fallout continuing around unpaid wages at Orbán-linked MCC Brussels. Budapest Housing & Tourism: Buda Castle District is preparing a referendum-style poll on short-term rentals (Airbnb), as the local registration moratorium ends and residents weigh tourism income against neighborhood concerns. Energy & Water Stress: Budapest’s “Rock of Starvation” resurfaced again amid the Danube drought, underlining how low water is already reshaping power generation and budgets across the region. Aviation & Business: Wizz Air’s CEO floated a possible takeover of Tarom’s domestic Romanian routes, signaling more consolidation pressure in regional air travel. Migration Enforcement: A Frontex-coordinated operation across 17 countries led to 112 arrests for suspected migrant smuggling and 60 document-fraud cases. Trade & Industry: Türkiye’s trade with Turkic states and Hungary as an observer partner keeps climbing, while Serbia opens a Chinese-backed humanoid robot factory—both pointing to shifting regional supply chains.