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Evidence gathered by the BBC suggests that Georgian authorities used a World War One-era chemical agent, camite, against anti-government protesters last year, causing long-lasting health effects. Protesters in Tbilisi, demonstrating against the government’s suspension of the country’s European Union accession bid, reported severe burning sensations when sprayed with water cannon, along with weeks of coughing, shortness of breath, vomiting, and fatigue. One protester, Gela Khasaia, said his skin burned and could not be washed off. A study led by Dr. Konstantine Chakhunashvili, a pediatrician sprayed during the protests, surveyed nearly 350 participants and found that almost half suffered symptoms for more than 30 days. Sixty-nine were examined medically, revealing “significantly higher abnormalities” in heart electrical signals. The study has been peer-reviewed and accepted by the journal Toxicology Reports. Chemical weapons experts, whistleblowers from Georgia’s riot police, and document evidence indicate that the water cannon likely contained camite, a potent chemical first used by France in World War One. Former riot police officer Lasha Shergelashvili said he had previously tested the chemical and warned against its use due to its persistent effects, but the cannons continued to be loaded with it until at least 2022. An inventory obtained by the BBC listed chemicals coded UN1710 and UN3439, later identified as trichloroethylene and bromobenzyl cyanide (camite). Toxicology expert Prof. Christopher Holstege confirmed that clinical findings from protesters were consistent with camite exposure and inconsistent with conventional riot-control agents such as CS gas. UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Edwards, called the use of the chemical “exceedingly dangerous” and said populations should never be subjected to experimental agents. She stressed that riot-control measures must have only temporary effects under international law, and described the reported symptoms as potentially constituting torture or ill-treatment. Georgian authorities dismissed the BBC findings as “absurd” and said police had acted legally in response to “illegal actions of brutal criminals.” The protests on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue have continued nightly for the past year, with demonstrators calling for the resignation of the government over alleged election rigging, pro-Russian policies, and restrictive civil society legislation. The ruling Georgian Dream party denied pursuing Russian interests, asserting that recent laws served public welfare.   With inputs from BBC

Thousands of people protested across Croatia on Sunday against a rising far-right movement following a series of incidents that heightened ethnic and political tensions. Demonstrations under the banner “United against fascism” took place in four major cities, including the capital Zagreb. Protesters chanted “we are all antifascists” and called on authorities to curb far-right groups and their frequent use of pro-fascist symbols linked to Croatia’s World War II pro-Nazi puppet state, which ran concentration camps where tens of thousands of Serbs, Jews, Roma, and antifascist Croats were killed. A protest declaration said, “We will not agree to treating national minorities as a provocation or to a form of patriotism that draws from the darkest chapter of our history.” Journalist Maja Sever addressed the crowd in Zagreb, saying, “All that has been happening around us is very dangerous. You have shown you will not be quiet but that we will fight for a democratic society.” Counter-gatherings by young men in black occurred in Rijeka and Zadar, where they shouted insults and threw firecrackers and red paint at protesters, according to the HRT public broadcaster. Incidents in November targeted ethnic Serb cultural events in Zagreb and Split, raising fears of ethnic violence decades after the 1991-95 Serb-Croat war. Extremists also directed attacks at liberal groups, politicians, and foreign workers, often using the Nazi-era Ustasha salute “For the homeland — Ready!” Iva Davorija, organizer of the Zadar march, said, “They are throwing smoke bombs, firecrackers, and threatening violence, raising their right hand in the air and shouting the slogan. They are doing this freely.” Croatia’s political shift to the right began after Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s conservative party formed a coalition with a far-right party following last year’s parliamentary election, excluding an ethnic Serb party from government for the first time in years. The trend intensified after a July concert by right-wing singer Marko Perkovic, known as Thompson, who frequently uses the World War II-era slogan in his songs. Despite bans in some European cities, he remains highly popular in Croatia. Prime Minister Plenkovic denied ignoring far-right extremism and neo-fascist hate speech, accusing leftist opponents of exaggerating the problem and deepening divisions. Croatia, formerly part of Communist Yugoslavia, joined NATO in 2009 and the European Union in 2013, following a series of nationalist wars in the 1990s that left over 10,000 people dead.  

Ukrainian naval drones have targeted two Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea, signaling an escalation in Kyiv’s efforts to disrupt Moscow’s war funding. The tankers, identified by Turkish authorities as the Kairos and Virat—both Gambian-flagged—were struck off the Turkish coast on Friday, with the Virat reportedly hit again on Saturday. No casualties were reported. BBC-verified footage shows waterborne drones speeding toward the vessels before detonating, sending flames and thick black smoke into the air. Both ships are part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of aging tankers used to bypass Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The targeted vessels are on lists of sanctioned ships according to London Stock Exchange data. Sources told BBC Ukrainian that Ukraine deployed Sea Baby naval drones, produced by its security services (SBU). Turkish authorities assisted the vessels, releasing footage of boats attempting to extinguish the fire on the Kairos. The attacks are widely seen as a warning to any ship transporting Russian oil in the Black Sea, suggesting they may face direct strikes in addition to sanctions. Separately, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium halted oil loading in Novorossiysk after an overnight unmanned boat attack caused significant damage to a mooring point. Russia, Kazakhstan, and Western firms including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell are stakeholders in the consortium. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a delegation led by security official Rustem Umerov is en route to the United States to continue negotiations aimed at ending the war. Umerov succeeds chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who resigned following an anti-corruption investigation. The Ukrainian delegation is expected to meet U.S. officials in Florida, while former U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, will conduct talks in Moscow next week. Source: BBC

Thousands of protesters rallied in the western German city of Giessen on Saturday as the far-right Alternative for Germany prepared to launch its new youth organization. Some demonstrators clashed with police, who used pepper spray and later water cannons to disperse blockades. Police said stones were thrown at officers at one site, prompting the use of pepper spray. In another area, around 2,000 protesters refused to clear a road, leading authorities to deploy water cannons. The founding convention of the new AfD youth wing, expected to be named Generation Germany, was scheduled to take place at the Giessen convention center but had not begun two hours after its planned start. The group replaces the Young Alternative, an earlier youth organization formally cut off by the party and dissolved in March. AfD, which won more than 20 percent of the vote in February’s national election and is now the main opposition party, intends to keep tighter control over the new body. The Young Alternative had been classified as a right-wing extremist group by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, a label also applied to AfD itself before being suspended pending a legal challenge. A Cologne court last year upheld the extremist designation for the Young Alternative, citing its promotion of an ethnically defined German identity, agitation against migrants and asylum seekers and ties with extremist movements, including the Identitarian Movement. A higher court ended the appeal process in June after confirming the group’s dissolution. Germany’s political parties typically maintain youth branches that are often more ideological than the main organizations. It remains unclear whether AfD’s new group will differ significantly from its predecessor. Kevin Dorow, a delegate from Schleswig-Holstein who was previously active in the Young Alternative, said the new organization aims to continue its mission by attracting and training young people for future roles within the party. He said he had not seen a “drift in a radical direction” in the previous youth wing. AfD promotes itself as an anti-establishment party amid declining public trust in traditional politics. It first entered the national parliament in 2017, propelled by discontent over large-scale migration in the mid-2010s, and continues to campaign heavily on restricting migration while tapping into broader frustrations across the country.  

Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv and surrounding areas killed at least three people early Saturday, local authorities said, just hours before a new round of peace negotiations was expected to begin amid growing international efforts to end the war. The Kyiv City Military Administration said two people died in attacks on the capital. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 29 others were injured, adding that debris from intercepted drones damaged residential buildings and caused power outages in the western part of the city. In the wider Kyiv region, which surrounds the capital, a separate combined drone and missile assault killed one woman and left eight others wounded, according to regional police. The latest strikes came as Ukrainian negotiators prepared to meet U.S. officials this weekend, an official from the presidential administration said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions. A U.S. delegation is expected to travel to Moscow next week for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. U.S. President Donald Trump last week released a 28-point plan to end the nearly four-year conflict. The proposal was seen as heavily favorable to Russia, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to quickly engage with U.S. negotiators. European leaders have also moved to influence the process, worried about the implications for regional security. Trump said Tuesday the plan had been refined and that envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Moscow for talks with Putin, while Army Secretary Dan Driscoll would meet Ukrainian officials. He added that he may meet both Putin and Zelenskyy at a later stage if negotiations advance. Zelenskyy on Friday announced the resignation of his chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, who also served as Ukraine’s top negotiator, after anti-corruption investigators searched Yermak’s residence. The unprecedented search at the highest level of government has put pressure on Zelenskyy, raising concerns that Kyiv’s negotiating strategy could face disruption at a critical moment as the United States pushes for a peace agreement.  

Ukraine’s anti-corruption investigators searched the home of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s powerful chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, on Thursday, marking an unprecedented move inside the country’s political inner circle as Kyiv faces mounting US pressure to agree to a peace deal with Russia. Two national anti-graft bodies confirmed that their operation focused on Yermak. His spokesperson Oleksii Tkachuk said no notice of suspicion had been issued, adding that investigators did not clarify the reason for the searches. Media outlets reported that Yermak’s office was also inspected, though officials declined to comment. Yermak said in a Telegram post that investigators faced no resistance and that he was cooperating with lawyers present. It was not known where he or the president were during the early morning raid on his apartment inside the presidential compound. Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office are currently probing a major 100 million dollar energy sector corruption case that has shaken the government in recent weeks. Investigators did not say whether the search of Yermak’s property was linked to that case. NABU spokesperson Anton Tatarnikov declined to give details, citing legal restrictions. The European Commission said it was closely monitoring the development. Guillaume Mercier, a spokesperson, told Radio Svoboda that the searches showed Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies were functioning and noted that tackling graft was essential for the country’s EU membership ambitions. Investigators believe Tymur Mindich, a former business partner of Zelenskyy, orchestrated the alleged energy corruption scheme. Mindich has left Ukraine, and any case against him is expected to proceed in absentia. Two ministers have already resigned over the scandal. Yermak has also faced scrutiny over the conduct of his former deputies. Oleh Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma stepped down in 2024 after they were probed for financial misconduct. Another deputy, Andrii Smyrnov, was investigated for alleged bribes but remains in his post. The widening scandal has intensified political pressure on Zelenskyy as he seeks continued Western backing for the war effort and financial assistance. Earlier this month, lawmakers from the president’s own party openly challenged him after investigators released details of the energy probe. Some senior MPs demanded Yermak’s removal to help restore public confidence, warning the party could fracture if he stayed. Zelenskyy rejected those calls and urged unity. Yermak, once a lawyer in the television industry, first met Zelenskyy more than 15 years ago when the president was a well-known entertainer. He joined Zelenskyy’s first presidential team in charge of foreign affairs and was appointed chief of staff in February 2020. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Yermak has accompanied Zelenskyy on all foreign trips and is viewed domestically as the president’s gatekeeper with significant influence over top government appointments. Officials linked to Yermak and the presidential office have previously been investigated, though Yermak himself has not been formally accused of wrongdoing.  

President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced a new voluntary military service for thousands of 18- and 19-year-olds, a move he says will help strengthen France’s armed forces amid rising concerns over Russia’s ambitions in Europe. Speaking at the Varces military base in the French Alps, Macron said the 10-month program will begin next summer and will deploy young volunteers across mainland France and overseas territories — but not to combat missions abroad. “In an uncertain world where power often outweighs law, our nation cannot afford fear or unpreparedness,” Macron said, calling the youth program a “new national service” that will be phased in gradually. The first group of 3,000 volunteers will be selected next summer. The intake is expected to rise to 10,000 a year by 2030, with a long-term target of 50,000 participants annually by 2035, depending on global security conditions. Volunteers will be given military status, pay, and equipment. After a month of basic training, they will spend nine months assigned to military units, performing the same duties as active-duty personnel. After completing the program, they will enter the military reserve while continuing their studies or careers. Those interested may pursue full-time military service. Macron stressed that reinstating conscription — abolished in 1996 — is not on the table. Only in “exceptional circumstances,” and with parliamentary approval, could national service become compulsory for people identified as having key skills during France’s mandatory one-day defense course for youth. The new initiative comes as Macron repeatedly warns that Russia’s war in Ukraine poses a serious threat to Europe. France plans to increase defense spending by €6.5 billion over the next two years and is aiming for €64 billion in annual defense expenditures by 2027 — double the amount when Macron took office in 2017. The national service program alone accounts for more than €2 billion in the 2026–2030 budget plan. France currently has about 200,000 active military personnel and more than 40,000 reservists — the second-largest force in the European Union after Poland. The government aims to boost the number of reservists to 100,000 by 2030. The announcement follows a stark warning from France’s new army chief, Gen. Fabien Mandon, who recently said the country must prepare for the possibility of “losing its children” in a future conflict with Russia, drawing criticism across the political spectrum. He cited Russia’s past actions — including territorial seizures in Georgia in 2008, Crimea in 2014, and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — and said Moscow appears to be preparing for a confrontation with NATO by 2030. Other European countries are also expanding or revamping military service programs. Germany is planning a new voluntary service scheme; Belgium has invited 17-year-olds to apply for a pilot service program; and Poland aims to train 100,000 volunteers per year from 2027 under its voluntary reserve system. Ten EU nations currently have compulsory service, including Finland, Greece, and Sweden, while non-EU member Norway mandates service for both men and women, lasting up to 19 months.  

Bulgaria’s government on Thursday announced it is withdrawing its draft 2026 budget following widespread street protests against steep tax hikes and international warnings over fiscal plans. The decision was announced by Boyko Borissov, leader of the ruling center-right GERB party, who called for renewed dialogue with employers and labor unions to reach a consensus on the state budget. The turmoil comes as Bulgaria prepares to join the eurozone next year. The proposed budget had sparked public concern for its economic impact, including increased social security contributions and a doubling of the dividend tax. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said the budget, approved in parliament on a first reading, will be revised after consultations with social partners and opposition parties to correct its “defects.” “The new budget package should remain balanced and align with the goals of the government coalition. This will ensure Bulgaria can join the eurozone on January 1 without problems,” he said. Opposition groups and business representatives warned that higher taxes and planned spending could hinder investment and expand the shadow economy. Earlier, the European Commission said the draft budget risked breaching the EU’s recommended cap on net expenditure growth, while the IMF urged tighter fiscal measures. The largest protests occurred Wednesday night, with thousands gathering in front of parliament to oppose a 2-percentage-point rise in pension contributions and a 10% dividend tax. Demonstrators also demanded transparency in public spending and criticized planned government expenditure, estimated at a record 46% of GDP for next year. Organizers said more than 20,000 people took part. Critics argued that the higher spending would rely on increased taxes on businesses and workers, along with rising public debt, potentially fueling inflation without improving public service efficiency.  

Britain’s Treasury chief Rachel Reeves headed to Parliament on Wednesday to unveil a high-stakes budget that is expected to raise taxes once again, as the Labour government tries to steady the economy, reassure markets and win back weary voters. Reeves, who posed outside No. 11 Downing Street with the traditional red budget box before leaving for the House of Commons, is preparing to argue that additional tax increases are unavoidable to restore the nation’s troubled finances. In a video message released earlier in the day, she said she would make “fair and necessary choices” to ease living costs, protect essential services and keep public debt in check — while promising the most ambitious economic growth plan in a generation. The chancellor delivered a similar message during her first budget a year ago, insisting then that it would be Labour’s only major tax-raising package this term. But sluggish economic performance has upended that pledge. Growth that appeared to rebound earlier in the year has stalled again, with critics pointing to last year’s business tax hikes as a drag. Economists say Reeves must locate roughly £20–30 billion ($26–39 billion) in revenue. Rather than breaking Labour’s promise not to raise income tax rates, she is expected to extend income-tax threshold freezes, effectively pushing more earners into higher tax brackets as wages rise. Other changes may include adjustments to capital gains taxes, limits on tax-free pension allowances and potentially a levy on high-value properties. The political stakes are high. Despite Labour’s sweeping 2024 election victory, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is struggling with falling poll numbers and growing unrest within his party. A poorly received budget could deepen speculation about a leadership challenge as Labour trails far-right Reform UK in several surveys.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, has emerged as a central figure in shaping Moscow’s latest proposal to end the war in Ukraine, despite lacking formal diplomatic credentials. A former investment banker, Dmitriev has acted as a back-channel communicator between the Kremlin and allies of U.S. President Donald Trump, even though he is on the U.S. sanctions list. Boris Bondarev, a former Russian diplomat who resigned in protest over Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, said Dmitriev’s outsider status could be an advantage when dealing with Trump’s business-oriented contacts. Born in Kyiv in 1975, Dmitriev studied in the U.S. through a school exchange program and later graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Business School. He worked with Goldman Sachs and McKinsey & Company before establishing a reputation in private equity in Russia and Ukraine. In 2011, Dmitriev became CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), representing Russia internationally and negotiating financial partnerships with countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Analysts describe him as a pragmatic negotiator with a business-focused approach, well-suited to dialogue with Trump-era U.S. officials. Dmitriev also has personal ties to the Russian leadership. His wife, Natalia Popova, is deputy director of Innopraktika, a nonprofit led by President Vladimir Putin’s daughter, Katerina Tikhonova. In 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both Dmitriev and the RDIF were sanctioned by the U.S., which called him “a close associate of Putin.” In February 2025, Dmitriev was appointed Russian special presidential envoy on foreign investment and economic cooperation. He has previously met prominent Trump allies, including Erik Prince, during efforts to improve U.S.-Russia relations. While Dmitriev’s role in the Ukraine peace plan remains informal, analysts say any proposal he helps draft would still require Kremlin approval and likely undergo significant revisions. His influence is notable but could be quickly curtailed if Moscow decides to distance itself.