National

A Hungarian official has said that the country would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he entered Hungary, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for alleged war crimes.

What they're saying: Gergely Gulyas, Orbán's chief of staff, called the warrant counterproductive at a news conference in Budapest this week, per Reuters. It pushed "things toward further escalation and not toward peace, this is my personal subjective opinion," he said.

Arresting Putin would also go against Hungarian law since Hungary has not widely incorporated the ICC's statute into its legal system, he added.

"We can refer to the Hungarian law and, based on that, we cannot arrest the Russian president ... as the ICC’s statute has not been promulgated in Hungary."

Why it matters: Putin is unlikely to face a trial from the warrant — the Russian government does not recognize the ICC — but it could limit his ability to travel to the ICC's 123 member nations, which are obligated to follow through with an arrest under their treaty with the court.

Hungary is one of these 123 member states. Its government has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and accepted EU sanctions on Russia but declined to allow the transport of weapons across Hungarian territory or sanction Russian energy.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's close ties with Putin have also come under scrutiny. The Hungarian government has not publicly taken a stance on the warrant.

The big picture: Orbán has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and referred to him as an opponent the Hungarian people "had to fight against" after he was re-elected last April.

But the ICC statute is clear that member states are expected to "immediately take steps" to make an arrest if requested.

South Africa is another member nation that has pushed back against the warrant. Naledi Pandor, minister of international relations, told South African Broadcasting Corp. that South Africa is aware of its legal obligation but is considering extending an invite to Putin to an August summit in Johannesburg.

Worth noting: Neither the U.S. nor China is an ICC member state.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Putin in Moscow earlier this week and invited the Russian president to Beijing later this year.

Go deeper... UN: Russian forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine

Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says

As an ICC member state, Hungary is obligated to follow through with an arrest but has walked a tightrope with Russia this past year.

Photo of Vladimir Putin sitting and looking straight ahead

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting in Moscow on March 24, 2023. Photo: Aleksey Babushkin/Sputnik/AFP) (Photo by ALEKSEY BABUSHKIN/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Vladimir Putin

Russia

A Hungarian official has said that the country would not arrest Russian President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Vladimir Putin" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/world/russia" data-vars-content-id="3f6cd86c-8dcc-40f5-820b-e5e4dd78c957" data-vars-headline="Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/world/russia" target="_self">Vladimir Putin</a> if he entered Hungary, despite the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="International Criminal Court (ICC)" data-vars-click-url="https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/situation-ukraine-icc-judges-issue-arrest-warrants-against-vladimir-vladimirovich-putin-and" data-vars-content-id="3f6cd86c-8dcc-40f5-820b-e5e4dd78c957" data-vars-headline="Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/situation-ukraine-icc-judges-issue-arrest-warrants-against-vladimir-vladimirovich-putin-and" target="_blank">International Criminal Court (ICC)</a> warrant for alleged war crimes.What they&#x27;re saying: Gergely Gulyas, Orbán&#x27;s chief of staff, called the warrant counterproductive at a news conference in Budapest this week, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per Reuters" data-vars-click-url="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-would-not-arrest-putin-says-pm-orbans-chief-staff-2023-03-23/" data-vars-content-id="3f6cd86c-8dcc-40f5-820b-e5e4dd78c957" data-vars-headline="Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-would-not-arrest-putin-says-pm-orbans-chief-staff-2023-03-23/" target="_blank">per Reuters</a>. It pushed &quot;things toward further escalation and not toward peace, this is my personal subjective opinion,&quot; he said.

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D-N.Y.) first and only TikTok video has gone viral — and in it, she outlines her case against banning the Chinese-owned social media app as its fate hangs in the balance.

Why it matters: With more than 150 million monthly active users in the U.S., TikTok is one of the most popular smartphone apps in the country. Lawmakers are pressing forward with bipartisan efforts to facilitate a ban in the U.S. amid scrutiny surrounding the firm's relationship with the Chinese government. 

State of play: Critics have highlighted the fact that Chinese law requires China's companies to share information with the government.

TikTok has repeatedly said it operates independently and works with Oracle to ensure its algorithms and content moderation models aren't manipulated by Chinese authorities.

What she's saying: The video begins with Ocasio-Cortez listing concerns about Chinese surveillance. She then says that the discussion "doesn't really address the core of the issue, which is the fact that major social media companies are allowed to collect troves of people's personal data."

Adding that the U.S. is one of the "only developed nations in the world" without data privacy protection laws, she argues that the solution is not to ban an individual company but to "actually protect Americans from this kind of egregious data harvesting that companies can do without your significant ability to say no."

She also pointed out that the U.S. has never banned a social media company from operating within its borders, and that Congress hasn't received a classified briefing on potential risks even though that's protocol when it comes to national security issues.

"This case needs to be made to the public," she says. "Our first priority should be in protecting your ability to exist without social media companies harvesting and commodifying every single piece of data about you without you and without your consent."

The big picture: Ocasio-Cortez is one of several progressive members of Congress mounting a defense of the app. Her video garnered over 2.2 million views in 15 hours.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) has similarly raised concern about banning a hugely popular app without more information.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who faced a public grilling in a congressional hearing this week, has said that a ban would not provide any more protection than TikTok's current plan, which makes U.S. user data accessible only via Oracle Cloud and the firm's American data security team.

Go deeper: TikTok's fate may be decided by the courts

TikTok's fate may be decided by the courts

AOC goes viral on TikTok with video against banning app

The solution is not to ban an individual company, she says in the video, which gained over 2.2 million views in 15 hours.

Photo of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a pink coat standing outside the U.S. Capitol

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attends a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 26, 2023. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Data privacy

Policymaking

Surveillance

China

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez&#x27;s (D-N.Y.) first and only TikTok video has gone viral — and in it, she outlines her case against banning the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Chinese-owned social media app" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/06/us-tiktok-ban-china" data-vars-content-id="91476576-0390-40de-b83d-8192ca2a4cf2" data-vars-headline="AOC goes viral on TikTok with video against banning app" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/06/us-tiktok-ban-china" target="_self">Chinese-owned social media app</a> as its fate hangs in the balance.Why it matters: With more than <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="150 million monthly active users" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/22/tiktok-popularity-us-ban-congress" data-vars-content-id="91476576-0390-40de-b83d-8192ca2a4cf2" data-vars-headline="AOC goes viral on TikTok with video against banning app" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/22/tiktok-popularity-us-ban-congress" target="_self">150 million monthly active users</a> in the U.S., TikTok is one of the most popular smartphone apps in the country. Lawmakers are pressing forward with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="bipartisan efforts to facilitate a ban" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/07/senate-tiktok-legislation-warner-thune-biden" data-vars-content-id="91476576-0390-40de-b83d-8192ca2a4cf2" data-vars-headline="AOC goes viral on TikTok with video against banning app" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/07/senate-tiktok-legislation-warner-thune-biden" target="_self">bipartisan efforts to facilitate a ban</a> in the U.S. amid scrutiny surrounding the firm&#x27;s relationship with the Chinese government.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.

Technology

Seven people are believed dead after an explosion at a Berks County candy factory in Pennsylvania on Friday after local officials said Sunday night they had recovered more bodies.

State of play: West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag (D) announced a state of emergency on Saturday in response to the explosion "to access more resources for emergency services and first responders on-scene."

Kaag said in a statement on Sunday night following search and rescue operations that "all seven presumptive missing" had been found.

"Please understand that this is still a devastating loss, but we are truly grateful to bring closure to the families involved in the upcoming days," Kaag added.

Driving the news: Officials are investigating the cause of the explosion at R.M. Palmer Company, a chocolate candy maker in West Reading, which sent several people to local hospitals and covered the street with rubble when it occurred on Friday evening.

"The building in the front, with the church and the apartments — the explosion was so big that it moved that building four feet forward," Kaag said at a press conference on Friday night.

Ten patients were initially transported to Reading Hospital, according to spokesperson Jessica Bezler. Two of those were later transferred to other hospitals. 

Two patients "have been admitted and are in good and fair condition, and the others have been discharged," Bezler said in a statement to Axios on Saturday.

Several residents of a damaged apartment building have been displaced.

West Reading Police Chief Wayne Holben noted Saturday morning that one person was found alive in rubble overnight as the search continued in "hope that others still may be found."

What they're saying: "It is always difficult to come to terms with such sudden and unexpected events," Kaag said in a statement Friday night. "Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of those who have been affected."

Sen. Judy Schwank (D), who represents the county, said in a statement Saturday, "This is an extremely difficult situation — unlike any I can recall us dealing with here in Berks County in recent memory."

The big picture: R.M. Palmer Company was established in 1948 and specializes in crafting holiday chocolates. 

Roughly 850 employees worked in its West Reading headquarters to send out its 500-plus products, according to the company. 

Representatives did not immediately return a request for comment.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional developments.

Philadelphia

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7 dead after Pennsylvania chocolate factory explodes

Officials are investigating the cause of the explosion at R.M. Palmer Candy factory.

Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Pennsylvania

Seven people are believed dead after an explosion at a Berks County candy factory in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pennsylvania" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia" data-vars-content-id="a75495d8-6996-490b-9d14-8001bf32e66b" data-vars-headline="7 dead after Pennsylvania chocolate factory explodes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia" target="_self">Pennsylvania</a> on Friday after local officials <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="said" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kcra.com/article/search-for-missing-deadly-chocolate-factory-explosion/43419463#" data-vars-content-id="a75495d8-6996-490b-9d14-8001bf32e66b" data-vars-headline="7 dead after Pennsylvania chocolate factory explodes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kcra.com/article/search-for-missing-deadly-chocolate-factory-explosion/43419463#" target="_blank">said</a> Sunday night they had recovered more bodies.State of play: West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag (D) <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announced" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/SamanthaKaag/status/1639684750397898753" data-vars-content-id="a75495d8-6996-490b-9d14-8001bf32e66b" data-vars-headline="7 dead after Pennsylvania chocolate factory explodes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/SamanthaKaag/status/1639684750397898753" target="_blank">announced</a> a state of emergency on Saturday in response to the explosion &quot;to access more resources for emergency services and first responders on-scene.&quot;

A staffer of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was "brutally attacked in broad daylight in Washington, D.C.," over the weekend, the senator said Monday evening.

Details: A D.C. Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Axios that officers had arrested a suspect in connection with a stabbing that occurred less than 1.5 miles from the U.S. Capitol on Saturday evening.

Glynn Neal, 42, of Southeast D.C., was charged with assault with intent to kill using a knife, according to the MPD.

A witness told police that the suspect was hiding in a corner on the 1300 block of H St. NE, a busy corridor with restaurants and shops, before he allegedly "popped out" and stabbed the victim "multiple times," says a report filed by MPD.

The report identified the victim as Phillip Todd — a staffer for Rand on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, per Legistorm — and said he was left bleeding from the head.

The big picture: Neal had been released from federal prison the day before the attack, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed to Axios. 

The bureau declined to discuss Neal’s sentence, but court records show that in 2011, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for forcing an individual to prostitute against their will, threatening to kidnap or injure, and obstructing justice.

What they're saying: Paul in an emailed statement thanked police, first responders, and hospital staff "for their diligent actions."

"At this time we would ask for privacy so everyone can focus on healing and recovery," Paul said.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with addition details throughout.

Washington D.C.

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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Washington, DC. Written by Chelsea Cirruzzo, Cuneyt Dil and Paige Hopkins.

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Axios D.C.

Rand Paul says his staffer was "brutally attacked" in  D.C.

Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, departs a closed-door intelligence briefing in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. 

Sen. Rand Paul on Capitol Hill in February. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rand Paul

A staffer of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Sen. Rand Paul " data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2021/10/22/preview-axios-on-hbo-rand-paul" data-vars-content-id="e4e66918-ee85-48e5-84c2-40e664dc5d6a" data-vars-headline="Rand Paul says his staffer was &quot;brutally attacked&quot; in D.C." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2021/10/22/preview-axios-on-hbo-rand-paul" target="_self">Sen. Rand Paul </a>(R-Ky.) was &quot;brutally attacked in broad daylight in Washington, D.C.,&quot; over the weekend, the senator said Monday evening.Details: A D.C. Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Axios that officers had arrested a suspect in connection with a stabbing that occurred less than 1.5 miles from the U.S. Capitol on Saturday evening.

Top House Republicans said in a letter Saturday that they're considering legislation to "protect" current and former presidents from "politically motivated prosecutions" in response to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into former President Trump.

Why it matters: The letter is the latest volley in their back-and-forth with Bragg, who has refused to comply with their request for records related to his probe. Republicans have attempted to paint Bragg's actions — which could result in a historic indictment of Trump — as an abuse of prosecutorial authority.

Bragg's office has in turn claimed that their inquiry is improper and without standing.

Driving the news: In a letter to Bragg, Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Administration Chair Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) respond point by point to Bragg's last correspondence and double down on their case for congressional oversight.

"[B]ecause the federal government has a compelling interest in protecting the physical safety of former or current Presidents, any decision to prosecute ... raises difficult questions concerning how to vindicate that interest in the context of a state or local criminal justice system," the letter states. 

"For these reasons and others, we believe that we now must consider whether Congress should take legislative action to protect former and/or current Presidents from politically motivated prosecutions by state and local officials, and if so, how those protections should be structured." 

"[D]ue to your own actions, you are now in possession of information critical to this inquiry," the letter reads.

Meanwhile, House Oversight Democrats said that the three lawmakers "believe former President Trump is above the law," according to a spokesperson.

"This outrageous position is further evidence of former President Trump and MAGA extremists’ hold on Congressional Republicans.”

Worth noting: If Bragg rejects the records request again, it will force the three lawmakers to decide whether to venture into the uncharted territory of subpoenaing a local prosecutor.

The lawmakers have given Bragg until March 31 to comply.

Go deeper... Timeline: The probe into Trump's alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from a House Oversight Democrats spokesperson. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's

Timeline: The probe into Trump's alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels

GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from "politically motivated" probes

Top House Republicans have accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of abusing prosecutorial authority in a case involving former President Trump.

Photo of Donald Trump raising his left hand in a fist on stage at a rally

Former President Trump makes an appearance at the Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at the BOK Center on March 18, 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Photo: Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Donald Trump

Top House Republicans said in a letter Saturday that they&#x27;re considering legislation to &quot;protect&quot; current and former presidents from &quot;politically motivated prosecutions&quot; in response to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/21/trump-case-alvin-bragg-manhattan-district-attorney" data-vars-content-id="f036687f-d342-4f8b-80cb-29dd3d6b1c48" data-vars-headline="GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from &quot;politically motivated&quot; probes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/21/trump-case-alvin-bragg-manhattan-district-attorney" target="_self">Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg&#x27;s</a> investigation into <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="former President Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/18/donald-trump-indictment-protests-new-york" data-vars-content-id="f036687f-d342-4f8b-80cb-29dd3d6b1c48" data-vars-headline="GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from &quot;politically motivated&quot; probes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/18/donald-trump-indictment-protests-new-york" target="_self">former President Trump</a>.Why it matters: The letter is the latest volley in their back-and-forth with Bragg, who has refused to comply with their <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="request for records related to his probe" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/20/house-republicans-alvin-bragg-trump" data-vars-content-id="f036687f-d342-4f8b-80cb-29dd3d6b1c48" data-vars-headline="GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from &quot;politically motivated&quot; probes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/20/house-republicans-alvin-bragg-trump" target="_self">request for records related to his probe</a>. Republicans have attempted to paint Bragg&#x27;s actions — which could <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="result in a historic indictment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/21/trump-case-alvin-bragg-manhattan-district-attorney" data-vars-content-id="f036687f-d342-4f8b-80cb-29dd3d6b1c48" data-vars-headline="GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from &quot;politically motivated&quot; probes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/21/trump-case-alvin-bragg-manhattan-district-attorney" target="_self">result in a historic indictment</a> of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="f036687f-d342-4f8b-80cb-29dd3d6b1c48" data-vars-headline="GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from &quot;politically motivated&quot; probes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">Trump</a> — as an abuse of prosecutorial authority.

Shawna Chen

Stories

Rand Paul says his staffer was "brutally attacked" in D.C.

7 dead after Pennsylvania chocolate factory explodes

GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from "politically motivated" probes

AOC goes viral on TikTok with video against banning app

Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says