Swiss intelligence says helped foil Russian plot to spy on lab testing Novichok
Switzerland’s intelligence agency said on Friday it had worked with British and Dutch counterparts to foil a Russian plot which according to newspaper reports was targeting a Swiss laboratory testing nerve agent Novichok.
Two Saudi pilots killed in helicopter crash: state media
Two Saudi pilots were killed when their helicopter came down in the eastern Yemeni province of al-Mahra on Friday, the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen said.
Russian warships hold drills in Bering Sea in huge military exercise
Russian warships held drills in the Bering Sea which separates Russia from Alaska, part of Moscow’s biggest military maneuvers since the fall of the Soviet Union, footage aired by the Ministry of Defence showed on Friday.
Merkel: Coalition won’t fall apart due to dispute over top spy
Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that the German coalition government would not fall apart due to a dispute between her conservatives and their Social Democrat (SPD) partners over the future of the domestic intelligence chief.
German spy scandal exposes deep divisions in Merkel government
A scandal over migrants being chased through the streets has exposed a rift between Angela Merkel and Germany’s security establishment that is dividing her coalition and hindering efforts to contain the fall-out from her “open door” refugee policy.
Merkel: NATO needs to strengthen its defense capabilities
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that the NATO military alliance has no choice but to improve its defense capabilities.
UK prison officers return to work after protest against violence in jails
Thousands of British prison officers returned to their jobs on Friday, after staging a six-hour walkout to protest against rising levels of violence in jails.
EU seeks to scrap seasonal clock changes in 2019
The European Union will scrap the twice-yearly seasonal clock change across the bloc from October 2019, leaving member states to decide by April whether they will stick permanently to summer or winter time, the European Commission said on Friday.
Putin discusses Syria’s Idlib with Russia’s security council: RIA
President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in Syria’s rebel-held Idlib with members of Russia’s Security Council on Friday, the RIA news agency cited the Kremlin as saying.
Russia says will keep bombing Syria’s Idlib if need be: Ifax
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow would keep bombing militant targets in Syria’s Idlib Province if need be, but would also open humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee, the Interfax news agency reported.
