Judo & Sports Diplomacy: Georgia officially signed a contract to host the 2029 World Senior Judo Championships in Budapest, with Sport Minister Shalva Gogoladze and IJF President Marius Vizer confirming the event. EU Path & Political Tensions: Salome Zurabishvili told CBS News Georgia is “far from a democracy,” blaming Russian pressure and the current ruling power for stalled European integration; Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and critics traded fresh barbs over EU membership and the role of the Georgian Church. Anti-Corruption Court Cases: In the “Georgian Railway” probe, lawyers for detainees said they have not yet received clear charges, while another trial heard claims of bribes linked to a call-center scheme involving former State Security Service head Grigol Liluashvili. Occupied Tskhinvali: The opposition party For Georgia condemned the appointment of Russian official Marat Kambolov in the occupied Tskhinvali region as another step toward de facto annexation. Regional Connectivity: Passengers report the Baku-Tbilisi train is effectively unaffordable, with return tickets not being sold despite seats on board. Security Cooperation: Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Georgia opened the “Caucasus Eagle 2026” special forces exercise near Tbilisi, highlighting joint defense readiness.