South Africa’s youth are a generation lost under democracy – study 
US Commerce Secretary Asserts Huawei Chip Lag, Affirms Export Control Success 
South Korean President Yoon faces foreign policy challenges after the National Assembly election 
The politics stopping the UK from opening a youth mobility scheme with Europe 
Turkey’s suppression of the Kurdish political movement continues to fuel a deadly armed conflict 
History for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy? 
US and Japan Boost AI, Semiconductor Alliance; EU Eyes Reduction in China Dependence 
US Finalizes Ban List for Chinese Chipmakers; Boosts Mexico Semiconductor Ties 
Sudan’s civil war is rooted in its historical favouritism of Arab and Islamic identity 
Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma 
Joe Biden Proposes Record 44.6% Capital Gains Tax in Latest Budget Plan That May Favor Cryptocurrencies 
How will US foreign policy affect Joe Biden’s chances of re-election in November? 
The chief of staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban hinted at a possible further delay of Budapest’s ratification of Sweden and Finland’s NATO bids. The top aide said that a vote may only be possible in the latter half of March.
Orban’s chief of staff Gergely Gulyas told a news conference on Saturday said more time may be needed for the Hungarian parliament to ratify the applications of the two Nordic countries. This follows the legislative agenda that was published on the parliament’s website that showed a final vote on Sweden and Finland’s NATO bids may take place on the week of March 6.
“Parliament will put this on the agenda on Monday and start debating the legislation next week,” said Gulyas. “Based on Hungarian procedure, adopting legislation takes about four weeks, so it follows that parliament can have a vote on this sometime in the second half of March, on the week of March 21.”
Sweden and Finland filed a joint application to join the NATO alliance last year as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The application needs the unanimous backing of all NATO member countries but has run into objections from Turkey. Ankara has accused Sweden of harboring groups seen by Turkey and many others as terrorists.
The ratification process in Hungary, one of the remaining two countries that have yet to ratify the bids, has been stalled since July. Orban, a nationalist, recently aired concerns about Sweden and Finland’s membership bid on Friday last week. Orban accused both countries of spreading “outright lies” about the state of democracy and the rule of law in Hungary.
Orban also said more talks were needed between parliamentary groups before lawmakers vote on ratification. Lawmakers start the debate on the legislation by Wednesday.
Early this month, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg hinted that Finland and Sweden could join the alliance separately, saying that it was important that both enter NATO quickly instead of at the same time.
“The main question is not whether Finland and Sweden are ratified together,” said the NATO chief at a meeting of the alliance’s defense ministers at the headquarters in Brussels. “The main question is that they are both ratified as full members as soon as possible.”
