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Google Faces $129 Million Asset Freeze in France After Russian Court Rulings

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Alphabet-owned Google is facing a temporary freeze on around €110 million ($129 million) of its assets in France after orders obtained by the administrator of its defunct Russian business. According to documents seen by Reuters, the move follows rulings issued by Russian arbitration courts between 2024 and 2025 and marks an unusual attempt by Russian authorities to pursue Western corporate assets overseas through legal channels.

The freeze targets shares linked to Google International and was requested by the judicial administrator of Google Russia. The action was executed by a French bailiff, though neither Google, its Russian administrator, nor the French government commented on the matter. A lawyer representing the Russian liquidator said a Moscow tribunal had found Google guilty of making an illegal dividend payment in 2021 worth roughly 10 billion roubles, forming the basis of the claim.

Under French law, the asset freeze is temporary and requires formal court recognition within a month to remain in effect. The Paris Judicial Court will decide whether to enforce the Russian rulings, a process that could take more than a year. Google retains the right to challenge the freeze, and if enforcement is approved, the funds could ultimately be seized to satisfy the Russian court judgments.

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Zelenskiy Visits Kupiansk as Ukraine Claims Key Frontline Gains

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the frontline town of Kupiansk after Kyiv said its forces had retaken parts of the northeastern city and encircled Russian troops. In a video shared on social media, Zelenskiy appeared in a bulletproof vest near a sign marking the town, praising the operation and saying battlefield successes were crucial for strengthening Ukraine’s position in ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Ukrainian military officials said troops had liberated several northern districts of Kupiansk, cutting off Russian supply routes and surrounding hundreds of enemy soldiers. The Khartiia Corps of Ukraine’s National Guard claimed Russian forces in the city were now completely isolated. These battlefield reports could not be independently verified, and Russia has not commented on the claims.

The developments come amid conflicting narratives over control of eastern Ukrainian towns, with Moscow asserting continued advances and Kyiv denying key losses. Open-source battlefield maps indicate Ukrainian control over multiple villages near Kupiansk and suggest Russian troops may be encircled in the city centre. The situation remains fluid as fighting continues across the region.

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Budapest Mayor Faces Possible Charges Over Banned Pride March Turned Protest

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Hungarian police have recommended that prosecutors file charges against Budapest’s liberal mayor, Gergely Karacsony, for his role in organising an LGBTQ+ rights march in June that evolved into a large anti-government demonstration. The June 28 march, originally planned as a Pride event despite a government ban, drew tens of thousands of people and became one of the biggest displays of opposition to Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s nationalist government. The Budapest Chief Prosecution Office confirmed it has received the police investigation documents but did not comment on whether charges will follow.

Karacsony, responding in a video message, said he was proud to defend the freedom of Budapest and was ready to face any legal consequences. He framed the event as an act of political courage aimed at safeguarding democratic rights in the capital. His attempt to classify the march as a municipal event—arguing it did not require a permit—was intended to bypass a new law passed in March that allowed the government to ban Pride marches under the banner of child protection.

Human rights advocates and opposition figures have criticised the Pride ban as part of a broader erosion of civil liberties under Orban, who faces a challenging election next year. Although police initially banned the event, citing the child protection law, the march proceeded peacefully and highlighted growing public resistance to government policies affecting the LGBTQ+ community and democratic freedoms.

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Eurovision Winner Nemo Returns Trophy Over Israel Participation

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Swiss singer Nemo, the first non-binary performer to win Eurovision in 2024, has announced they are returning their trophy in protest against Israel’s continued participation in the contest. Nemo cited a “clear conflict” between Israel’s involvement and Eurovision’s stated values of “unity, inclusion and dignity,” referencing a UN report on the situation in Gaza. The 26-year-old shared a video placing the trophy in a box to be sent back to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) headquarters in Geneva.

The announcement follows growing tensions over Israel’s participation, which led five countries—Iceland, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands—to declare they will boycott next year’s event. Eurovision organizers expressed sadness over Nemo’s decision but emphasized respect for their stance. The singer clarified that their protest is aimed at the political use of Eurovision rather than individual artists.

Nemo’s decision highlights the ongoing controversies surrounding the competition, including voting disputes and allegations of political influence. While Israel has welcomed its continued inclusion as a symbol of solidarity, the boycotts and protests mark the biggest crisis in Eurovision’s history, with next year’s 70th anniversary edition planned in Vienna amid heightened scrutiny.

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7,000-Year-Old Undersea Wall Discovered off French Coast

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French marine archaeologists have uncovered a massive 120-metre-long undersea wall off Brittany’s Ile de Sein, dating back to around 5,000 BC. Believed to be the largest underwater structure ever found in France, the wall now lies nine metres below the surface but would once have stood on the shoreline, built by a highly organised Stone Age community. Researchers suggest it may have served as a fish trap or a protective barrier against rising sea levels.

The wall, measuring 20 metres wide and two metres high, includes rows of granite monoliths that were originally placed on bedrock before the rest of the structure was built around them. These monoliths may have supported wooden nets to catch fish during receding tides. With an estimated mass of 3,300 tonnes, the construction points to a settled society with sophisticated engineering knowledge, possibly bridging the skills of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and later Neolithic settlers.

The discovery was first made after a geologist noticed an unusual formation on modern undersea charts, prompting diving expeditions in 2022 and detailed mapping the following winter. Archaeologists propose that such submerged structures could be connected to Breton legends of sunken cities, such as the mythical city of Ys. They believe rapid sea-level rise and the subsequent abandonment of coastal settlements may have left a deep imprint on cultural memory.

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Germany Faces Sharp Population Decline and Rapid Ageing, Says Statistics Office

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Germany’s population is projected to shrink significantly over the coming decades, with the national statistics office warning that the country could lose nearly 10 million people by 2070. As the large baby boomer generation ages, Germany is expected to have one in four citizens over the age of 67 within the next decade. By 2038, around 21 million residents—27% of the population—will be of pension age.

This rapid demographic shift is worsening labour shortages across Europe’s largest economy, with businesses increasingly struggling to find workers. The trend is also fuelling political tensions, as debates over immigration intensify and support grows for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has surged in many opinion polls amid concerns about social and economic pressures.

Germany’s welfare system is expected to come under mounting strain, with the ratio of pensioners to workers projected to rise sharply. Currently, there are 33 retirees for every 100 working-age individuals, but in the worst-case scenario that figure could climb to 61 by 2070—leaving fewer than two workers contributing for each pension recipient. Only two out of 27 scenarios envision population growth, and both rely on higher immigration and increased birth rates.

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ECB Pushes for Simpler Bank Rules While Keeping Capital Demands Intact

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The European Central Bank has proposed major reforms to simplify the EU’s banking rulebook, aiming to streamline supervisory requirements without reducing overall capital burdens. The ECB argues that reducing complexity should not weaken financial resilience, despite industry pressure for lighter regulations as seen in the U.S. and UK. The plan centres on merging several capital buffers into two core layers—releasable and non-releasable—while keeping guidance requirements separate.

Banking groups broadly welcomed the effort but warned that the proposals fall short of delivering the regulatory relief needed to boost competitiveness. German banking associations said the changes do not go far enough, particularly for small lenders, and urged the European Commission to move more decisively. European bank stocks nonetheless gained over 1% following the ECB’s announcement, outpacing wider market performance.

Beyond capital buffers, the ECB also called for reforms to AT1 convertible bonds, questioning whether these instruments truly absorb losses, and recommended an overhaul of EU-wide bank stress testing to make the process more effective. The proposals, backed by the ECB’s Governing Council, must now be reviewed by the European Commission, meaning any concrete changes could take months or even years to implement.

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Marseille Gripped by Fear as Drug Wars Pull Children Into Brutal Violence

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Marseille is facing an intense wave of drug-related violence, with children increasingly pulled into the city’s escalating gang wars. The recent murder of 15-year-old Adel—shot, burned, and left on a beach—has shocked residents and fuelled a growing sense of psychose, or collective panic. Local authorities say teenagers are being recruited, coerced, and sometimes enslaved by traffickers who now rely on younger, more expendable “little soldiers” to run the expanding €7bn drug industry.

Police have responded with aggressive crackdowns known as “security bombardments” to dismantle trafficking hotspots, but officers, prosecutors, and community leaders warn that the violence is spreading faster than it can be contained. Videos circulating on social media glamorise drug dealing and openly advertise job offers for lookouts and couriers, luring vulnerable youth with false promises of quick profits. Many, however, end up trapped, abused, or killed in clashes between rival networks such as the dominant DZ Mafia.

The crisis has sparked political battles, with far-right leaders blaming immigration and demanding a state of emergency, while critics argue that decades of poverty, neglect, and failing public services are the real drivers of the violence. Activists like Amine Kessaci, whose two brothers were murdered, say the city is enduring unprecedented brutality as the victims and perpetrators grow younger each year. Despite the fear gripping Marseille, some urge residents not to surrender to panic but to confront both the violence and the deeper social fractures fuelling it.

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Mass Protests Surge in Bulgaria as Citizens Demand Government Resignation

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Thousands of Bulgarians gathered once again across Sofia and several other cities, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s minority government. Demonstrators accuse the leadership of failing to address widespread corruption and mismanaging key national issues as the country prepares to adopt the euro on January 1. Protesters projected messages like “Resignation” and “Mafia Out” onto the parliament building, signalling growing public frustration.

Despite the government’s decision to withdraw its 2026 draft budget—originally planned in euros—protests have intensified. Critics say the budget would have raised social security contributions and taxes on dividends to fund increased state spending. With Bulgaria experiencing deep political divisions and seven national elections in four years, many citizens insist that true reform must begin with fixing the judicial system.

The pressure mounts ahead of a no-confidence vote in parliament, the sixth attempt to challenge the government since January. Political leaders remain divided: while ruling coalition members vow to stay until eurozone entry, opposition groups say Bulgaria can join the euro even if the government steps down. Protest organisers argue it is time for the country to break free from oligarchic influence and restore normalcy to its political landscape.

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Inquiry Reveals Louvre Heist Succeeded Due to 30-Second Security Lapse

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A French culture ministry inquiry has found that the burglars who stole France’s crown jewels from the Louvre in October gained a crucial 30-second advantage due to security lapses at the museum. The four thieves, who escaped with jewels worth $102 million, exploited delays in surveillance footage and weaknesses in the museum’s infrastructure, including a fragile window in the Apollo gallery. The heist has raised questions about how such vulnerabilities existed at the world’s most visited museum.

Investigators concluded that delayed access to live camera feeds and limited monitoring capabilities slowed both museum security and police response. According to Noel Corbin, chief of general inspection of cultural affairs, even a slightly faster alert or a more resistant window could have prevented the burglars’ escape. The report highlighted that security staff were unable to view certain camera images in real time due to insufficient screens and a lack of exterior surveillance coverage.

The Louvre, employing about 2,200 staff and hosting nearly 9 million visitors annually, operates with the complexity of a small city, making rapid coordination essential. The inquiry underscores the need for upgraded systems and improved communication channels within the museum’s sprawling security network. The stolen crown jewels remain missing, and the incident has renewed urgency around reinforcing protection for France’s cultural treasures.

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