International

Flying the flag: Thousands march in defiant Hungary pride

People take part in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Pride Parade in Budapest on July 23, 2022. Ferenc ISZA / AFP

AFP

Thousands of Hungarians marched in Budapest on Saturday to defend LGBTQ rights, a year after the passage of a law widely described as discriminatory.

Brightly dressed revellers took to the streets by the Danube under scorching heat, sporting rainbow umbrellas, flags and a giant heart.

Participants, who included foreign diplomats, condemned the text adopted in 2021 prohibiting “the representation or promotion” of LGBTQ among minors.

“It’s a tool to divide people and pit them against each other,” said marketing expert Armin, who declined to give their last name.

“To be honest (about the situation) it’s quite depressing,” said Pal Va, an 18-year-old student who said he will leave Hungary in September to study abroad.

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“I’m lucky to have an accepting family and friends, but so many LGBTQ people I know have to hide,” he said, adding that he was recently insulted in the street.

“Only because I was wearing a pink T-shirt.”

Annamaria Nemet, a 54-year-old saleswoman, attended the event in solidarity with her son.

“I cannot accept the fact that he is considered a second-class citizen in his own country,” she said.

“We are a backward society.”

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On one of the city’s many bridges, counter-protesters displayed a banner comparing homosexuality with paedophilia.

The controversial law, originally aimed at fighting sexual crimes against children, caused an uproar in Europe last year.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen previously called the bill “a shame”.

The European executive subsequently launched an infringement procedure against Hungary, before referring the matter to the EU Court of Justice in mid-July.

The nationalist and ultra-conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is in the crosshairs of Brussels for its attacks on the rule of law, insists that the law is not homophobic and aims to “protect the rights of children”.

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On Saturday, during a speech in Romania, he reaffirmed the government’s position.

“The father is a man, the mother is a woman, leave our children alone,” he said, dismissing “Western nonsense” around the issue.

International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.