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German police investigate AfD member Petr Bystron for money-laundering

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German police investigate AfD member Petr Bystron for money-laundering
This article was originally published in French

The Munich public prosecutor’s office is conducting an investigation into Petr Bystron, a prominent figure on the German far-right party’s list for the European elections.

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Petr Bysrton is under investigation for money-laundering activities, according to the Munich public prosecutor’s office. 

Bystron is facing allegations that he received up to €20,000 from individuals linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin to spread Kremlin propaganda. 

He is the second candidate on the AfD’s election list for theEuropean elections.  

The prosecutor’s office said searches are being carried out in Berlin, Bavaria and on the Spanish island of Mayorque in pursuit of evidence.

The German parliament voted to lift Bystron’s parliamentary immunity, enabling the police to conduct their searches.

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11 public prosecutors and nearly 60 Bavarian police officers have been mobilised, the Munich public prosecutor’s office said.

In response, the chairmen of the AfD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, issued a statement saying: “The AfD parliamentary group therefore hopes that the investigation will be completed quickly so that there is no suspicion that authorities and public prosecutors are trying to influence the European election campaign.”

The accusations mark a fresh blow against the AfD party, which is currently under scrutiny over allegations that it has links to China and Russia. 

Fellow AfD member Maximilian Krah’s assistant is under investigation for allegedly spying for China.

Krah himself is under initial investigation by prosecutors in Dresden over allegations of accepting payments from Russia and China during his time as an MEP.

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Video: Dozens of Unidentified Palestinians Buried in Mass Grave in Gaza

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Video: Dozens of Unidentified Palestinians Buried in Mass Grave in Gaza

new video loaded: Dozens of Unidentified Palestinians Buried in Mass Grave in Gaza

The bodies of 54 unidentified Palestinians were laid to rest at a mass burial site in Gaza. The bodies were returned by Israel to Gaza as part of the cease-fire deal.

By Jorge Mitssunaga and Saher Alghorra

October 22, 2025

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Louvre director grilled on spectacular security failures, including camera pointing away from key balcony

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Louvre director grilled on spectacular security failures, including camera pointing away from key balcony

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The director of Paris’ iconic Louvre Museum is facing scrutiny over apparent security failures that allowed thieves to make off with more than $100 million worth of jewels.

In her first public address since the heist, Louvre Museum director Laurence des Cars acknowledged there was a “terrible failure” and said, “Despite our efforts, despite our hard work on a daily basis, we failed,” The Guardian reported.

Des Cars admitted that security around the Louvre’s perimeter was an issue and that the only camera monitoring the outside of the museum was facing away from the balcony that led to the gallery where the precious jewels were kept, according to reports. The Guardian also noted that des Cars confirmed all the museum’s alarms were functioning during the burglary.

LOUVRE HEIST ADDS TO HISTORY OF HIGH-PROFILE MUSEUM BREACHES, LEAVES OTHER GALLERIES ON EDGE

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Louvre Museum director Laurence des Cars made her first public remarks since the recent jewelry heist at a press conference on Oct. 22, 2025, in Paris, France. (Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

“We failed these jewels,” des Cars said, according to the BBC. The outlet also quoted the director as saying that no one is safe from “brutal thieves — not even the Louvre.”

On Sunday, burglars appeared to use a truck-mounted electric furniture lift to conduct the heist, Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, said in an interview with RTL radio, according to The New York Times. She added that the thieves obtained the lift by pretending it was for a move. Additionally, Beccuau noted that it would not be easy for burglars to sell the stolen jewels for what they’re worth if they tear the pieces apart or melt them, according to the Times.

Police and moving lift outside the Louvre Museum following jewel heist in Paris.

Police secure the area outside the Louvre Museum in Paris, where burglars used a truck-mounted moving lift to reach a second floor window and steal royal jewelry valued at more than $100 million. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

HOW LOUVRE BURGLARS OBTAINED TRUCK-MOUNTED LIFT TO MAKE OFF WITH JEWELS WORTH MORE THAN $100M

The thieves got away with a total of eight objects, including a sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense. They also stole an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, and a reliquary brooch. Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch — an imperial ensemble of rare craftsmanship — were also part of the loot.

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“The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish, for it is our history,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in an X post on Sunday. “We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this, under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor’s office.”

Forensic police officers arrive at the Louvre

Forensic police officers arrive at the Louvre Museum after reports of a robbery in Paris, France, on Oct. 19, 2025. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)

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The heist has prompted a national reckoning, with some officials comparing the shock to the 2019 burning of Notre Dame cathedral. Beccuau told RTL radio that the team investigating the heist had grown from 60 investigators to 100, underscoring the importance of the case on national and international levels.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

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Amid severe mental health strains, how are EU countries responding?

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Amid severe mental health strains, how are EU countries responding?

One in five adults across OECD and EU countries experiences mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, according to the OECD’s Mental Health Promotion and Prevention report.

The symptoms often go unrecognised and untreated, increasing the risk of progression to more severe conditions and raising overall societal costs.

Czechia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Portugal report a higher prevalence of moderate or severe depressive symptoms among native-born individuals.

Women are more vulnerable to mental illnesses during turning point events, such as pregnancy and postpartum.

The prevalence of postpartum depression was estimated at 16.6% for Central-Eastern Europe, 16.3% for Southern Europe, and 13.8% for Northern Europe, according to the study.

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The total cost of mental health problems was estimated at 4% of GDP across the 27 EU countries and the UK in 2015.

The medical cost of treating mental illnesses may be as much as 20 times higher, depending on the level of severity.

A German study found that in 2019, the six-month treatment cost of mental disorders was estimated at €511 for mild symptoms, €2,417 for moderate symptoms, and €10,485 for severe symptoms.

The cost of treatment, travelling long distances, and waiting times to see a medical professional are major barriers for people seeking help for mental health issues.

On average, two-thirds of individuals who need mental health care are estimated to lack access to treatment in OECD countries and the 27 EU member states.

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Mental health initiatives across the EU

However, some EU countries have initiatives for access to mental health support that can reduce the severity and duration of symptoms by up to 87%.

By the end of 2023, 14 out of 27 member states had mental health services that can be accessed directly without referral at the national or regional level.

For example, the Netherlands has created youth walk-in centres, such as the programme @Ease, which trains students and front-line professionals to help young adults with mental distress.

Meanwhile, in Belgium, there has been a reduction in access barriers by reimbursing the cost of psychological therapy either in part or in full, as well as the establishment of networks for mental health professionals across schools, workplaces, and social services.

These interventions have resulted in a rise in school attendance and reduced work absenteeism, with reported gains ranging from 50% to 61%.

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Some other examples are post-partum depression screenings in Poland and online tools in Germany.

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