EU seizes record €250m in Greek customs fraud probe
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Georgian police arrested several prominent opposition leaders on Sunday, February 2, 2025, during a large pro-European Union protest in Tbilisi, escalating tensions over the country's stalled EU accession process.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered near a shopping complex on the northern edge of the capital and briefly blocked a major motorway.
Among those detained were Nika Melia, leader of the opposition Coalition for Change, and former Tbilisi Mayor Giorgi Ugulava. Melia was later released on bail after being charged with an administrative offense. Authorities cited a January 31 legislative amendment that classifies blocking highways as a criminal offense, punishable by up to two years in prison under Article 222 of the Criminal Code.
The protest is the latest in a wave of demonstrations that began in November 2024, after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced a suspension of EU accession talks until 2028. The decision has sparked widespread outrage, with opposition groups alleging that the October elections were rigged and accusing the government of steering Georgia back into Russia's sphere of influence.
International condemnation followed swiftly. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticized the crackdown, stating, “The brutal repression of peaceful protesters, journalists, and politicians is unacceptable. Georgia falls short of expectations for an EU candidate country.” The U.S. State Department also denounced the excessive use of force, suspending a partnership program with Georgian police.
Unverified videos shared on social media showed police in balaclavas beating protesters, while several demonstrators were seen being carried into ambulances. Protesters chanted slogans like “Fire to the oligarchy” and “No justice, no peace” as they called for new parliamentary elections and the resignation of the government.
The crackdown comes just weeks after the inauguration of President Mikheil Kavelashvili, whose election the opposition claims was illegitimate. The government's shift toward authoritarianism and its decision to freeze EU talks have fueled ongoing unrest in a country where 80% of the population supports European integration.
The arrests and increasing police violence highlight the deepening political crisis in Georgia, a nation caught between its European aspirations and the shadow of Russian influence. The situation remains volatile, with more protests expected in the coming weeks.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
On 15 September, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, in Shusha.
Iran has accused a U.S. delegation in Vienna of threatening the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of cutting off financial support if a draft resolution tabled by Tehran is passed. This resolution condemns the military attacks on nuclear sites in June.
On September 14, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the Hadrut settlement in the Khojavend district. The head of state was briefed on the developments in the settlement.
On September 14, 2025, Karen Albertovich Avanesyan, an Armenian-born resident of Khankendi, born in 1967, went from his residence to a forest area near the city, where he had previously hidden an AK-47 assault rifle, four magazines filled with ammunition, and five hand grenades.
The inaugural Assembly of the Turkic World Insurance Union has officially begun today in Shusha, Azerbaijan.
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