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Milan Protests Turn Violent as Police Arrest Demonstrators During Winter Olympics

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Italian police arrested six people after clashes erupted between security forces and protesters in Milan during demonstrations against the Winter Olympic Games. Thousands gathered in the city on Saturday to oppose the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics and protest rising living costs. While most marched peacefully, some demonstrators threw stones and fireworks at police, prompting officers to respond with water cannon. The unrest followed a violent protest in Turin last week in which more than 100 police officers were injured.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the protests, calling those opposing the Olympics “the enemy of Italy” and accusing them of damaging the country’s global image. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini labelled the rioters “criminals” and defended a newly adopted security package that allows police to detain suspected troublemakers for up to 12 hours before demonstrations. The measures were fast-tracked after last week’s Turin clashes, though critics have described them as repressive.

Authorities are also investigating suspected sabotage on northern Italy’s rail network, which caused major travel disruptions on Saturday. Fires, severed cables and a rudimentary explosive device were discovered near key rail hubs including Bologna and Pesaro, delaying trains for hours. The transport ministry described the incidents as acts of sabotage, while rail operator RFI said services have since returned to normal as the Winter Olympics continue across multiple venues until 22 February.

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Italy Grants Police New Preventive Arrest Powers After Turin Riot

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Italy’s government has approved a new law-and-order decree allowing police to temporarily detain suspected troublemakers ahead of street protests, following violent clashes at a rally in Turin. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing administration said the move aims to prevent unrest after more than 100 police officers were injured and nearly 30 protesters arrested during demonstrations over the weekend.

The decree was adopted as Italy prepares for heightened security surrounding the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, which open on February 6. Under the new rules, police will be able to hold individuals deemed a risk to public order for up to 12 hours to keep them away from rallies. Meloni said the measures strengthen tools to prevent and combat widespread crime.

The legislation also targets pickpocketing and youth gangs, bans knife sales to minors, and expands self-defence protections for police and civilians. Opposition lawmakers criticised the decree as repressive, warning that preventive detentions undermine the constitutional right to protest. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defended the measures, saying similar powers exist in other European countries.

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EU Blacklists Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Over Protest Crackdown

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The European Union has added Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its list of terrorist organisations, citing the group’s central role in a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the move was a response to widespread repression, placing the IRGC alongside groups such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Iran condemned the decision, calling it a “strategic mistake”, while human rights groups say thousands of protesters were killed during unrest in December and January.

France, which had previously been cautious over the move due to concerns about severing diplomatic ties with Tehran, backed the decision this week, alongside Italy and other EU states. The bloc also imposed new sanctions on six Iranian entities and 15 senior officials accused of involvement in violent repression, including Iran’s interior minister and senior judicial figures. Those listed face travel bans and asset freezes under EU rules.

The decision comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the West, as the US increases its military presence in the region and pushes Tehran to negotiate over its nuclear programme. US President Donald Trump said he hoped to avoid military action but warned Iran to engage in talks, while Iranian officials said their forces were ready to respond to any aggression. Independent groups estimate the death toll from the protests could exceed 20,000, though Iran disputes those figures.

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Europe Stands Firm as Trump Threatens Greenland Tariffs

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Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared that “Europe won’t be blackmailed” in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs over Greenland. Trump warned that eight U.S. allies—including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the U.K.—would face new taxes starting February 1 if they opposed his proposed acquisition of the autonomous Danish territory. European leaders emphasized the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity, issuing joint statements in solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

Trump has justified his actions by citing Greenland’s strategic significance for U.S. security, and he has not ruled out acquiring it “the easy way” or “the hard way.” The threatened tariffs start at 10% and could increase to 25% until a deal is reached. European nations and NATO members, including the U.K., France, and Germany, condemned the coercive approach, stressing that the Arctic’s security is a shared transatlantic interest and that dialogue should be based on respect for sovereignty.

Public opposition in Denmark and Greenland has been strong, with protests calling for Greenland’s right to self-determination. Polls indicate that both Greenlanders and Americans largely oppose U.S. control of the island. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German officials, are coordinating their responses and preparing contingency measures, including invoking EU anti-coercion instruments if the tariffs are implemented.

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Bulgaria Heads for Snap Election After Parties Reject Government Mandate

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Bulgaria is heading for another snap election after the country’s main political parties refused to form a government, President Rumen Radev said on Friday. His announcement follows the rejection of a final mandate by the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, clearing the way for the eighth election in just four years.

None of the parties in Bulgaria’s fragmented parliament hold enough seats to secure a stable majority. Earlier this week, both the GERB-SDS bloc and the reformist PP-DB alliance turned down Radev’s request to try to form a governing coalition after the previous administration resigned.

Former Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s coalition stepped down last month amid sustained street protests over corruption and proposed tax increases. With all mandates now declined, Radev is expected to appoint a caretaker government and call early elections, as Bulgaria seeks political stability to unlock EU funds, boost investment, and tackle long-standing corruption.

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French Farmers Step Up Protests Against Mercosur Trade Deal by Targeting Imports

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French farmers intensified their protests on Monday by stopping trucks and checking imported food at key transport hubs, including the country’s largest container port at Le Havre and on a major motorway north of Paris. The actions were aimed at opposing the EU-Mercosur free-trade deal, which farmers say would expose them to unfair competition from cheaper agricultural products imported from South America and beyond.

The pressure has grown since most European Union member states approved the deal last week, despite France voting against it. Farmers’ unions argue that imported goods often do not meet the same environmental, health and labour standards required of European producers, making it difficult for them to compete on price. Protesters at Le Havre said they had already spotted products such as mushrooms and sheep offal from China entering the supply chain.

Protests also spread to other parts of the country, with farmers blocking fuel depots, ports and transport routes in regions including La Rochelle, Bayonne and the French Alps. Unions plan to bring tractors into Paris for a major demonstration, followed by another rally in Strasbourg later this month, as they seek to persuade the European Parliament to reject the Mercosur agreement.

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Protests Erupt in Albania Over Deputy Prime Minister’s Corruption Charges

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Protests erupted in Tirana, Albania, as demonstrators hurled petrol bombs at the government building housing Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office. The unrest follows the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku on allegations of corruption, accused of using state funds to favor certain companies in major infrastructure projects.

Balluku, who also leads the Ministry of Infrastructure, dismissed the accusations in parliament as “mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies,” and pledged full cooperation with the judiciary. The Special Prosecution Office has requested that parliament lift her immunity to allow for her arrest, though no vote date has been confirmed.

Police in riot gear protected the government building but did not actively confront protesters. Citizens expressed outrage over alleged theft of tens or hundreds of millions of euros, demanding Balluku’s resignation amid escalating political tensions.

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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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Germany Introduces Voluntary Military Service for 18-Year-Olds

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Germany’s parliament has approved a voluntary military service program for 18-year-olds, marking a major shift in the country’s defense policy. From January 2026, all 18-year-olds will receive a questionnaire asking if they are interested in joining the armed forces. While participation will initially be voluntary for men and women, mandatory medical exams for men will start in July 2027 to assess fitness for potential service. The move aims to strengthen Germany’s military after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to meet NATO force targets.

The decision has sparked protests across the country, with students in as many as 90 cities planning strikes. Critics argue that military service disrupts lives, encourages obedience training, and exposes young people to the realities of war. In Hamburg alone, about 1,500 people were expected to protest, highlighting widespread skepticism among German youth about the new law.

Germany’s armed forces currently number around 182,000, and officials plan to increase this to 260,000 by the early 2030s, supplemented by 200,000 reservists. Incentives for voluntary service include a monthly salary of €2,600, making it more attractive than similar programs in France. The legislation reflects Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s push to rebuild the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest conventional army amid growing security concerns.

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WW1-Era Chemical Likely Used on Georgian Protesters, BBC Investigation Reveals

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A BBC investigation suggests that Georgian authorities used a World War One–era chemical agent, known as camite, in water cannons during anti-government protests in late 2024. Demonstrators in Tbilisi reported severe burning sensations, difficulty breathing, coughing and vomiting—symptoms that persisted for weeks. Doctors, chemical weapons specialists, and whistleblowers from Georgia’s riot police provided evidence pointing toward the use of this long-discontinued compound, once deployed by France in WW1 and eventually abandoned due to its prolonged harmful effects.

Paediatrician and protester Dr Konstantine Chakhunashvili conducted a survey of nearly 350 affected demonstrators, finding that almost half experienced symptoms lasting more than 30 days. His study, soon to be published in Toxicology Reports, also noted abnormal heart electrical activity among many participants. These findings supported theories from journalists, civil rights groups and medical experts that the water cannon contained more than just irritants like pepper spray or CS gas.

Whistleblowers from Georgia’s Special Tasks Department revealed that the chemical used closely resembles one tested in 2009, which they described as extremely difficult to wash off and far more harmful than standard tear gas. Despite recommendations against its use, they say it continued to be loaded into water cannon vehicles for years. The Georgian government dismissed the BBC’s findings as “absurd,” insisting police acted lawfully against what they called “violent criminals.”

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