David S. Cloud When workers at North Korea’s Sohae rocket facility began rebuilding the dormant site’s launch pad and engine test stand this month, U.S. spy satellites orbiting overhead quickly detected the construction. So did Joe Bermudez, a freelance North Korea military expert who keeps close tabs on unclassified overhead photos of
Europe
May survives No-Confidence Vote but still faces brexit deadlock
End Of An Era: Germany’s Merkel bids emotional farewell to party
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has given an emotional farewell speech to her ruling Christian Democrats (CDU), as she steps down as party leader. She was speaking at a special party conference to elect her successor. She plans to stay Chancellor till 2021. Chancellor Merkel summed up what the CDU meant for her-AFP Her
Russia warns France over CAR peace role
Russia warned France on Thursday that it must put aside "parochial national interests" and recognise its peace efforts in the Central African Republic as negotiations continued on a contentious UN Security Council resolution. France has presented a draft resolution that takes aim at recent Russian efforts to broker peace deals in
Irish citizens to receive phone alert on nearby terror attack, natural disaster
Irish citizens will now be sent official alerts to their mobile phones if they are near a terrorist attack or natural disaster, as part of a new European-wide initiative. The European Parliament has voted today to introduce Reverse112 in all members states. The scheme - which is already available in the Netherlands,
Europe’s calculations shift on Trump second term
Jamie Dettmer Calculations are shifting in European capitals on whether Donald Trump is likely to serve a second term as U.S. president. The consensus in Europe ahead of last week’s midterm elections was that he would most likely serve only one term in the White House, but the expanded Republican majority in
UK military could be used in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit
Britain's armed forces are preparing for contingency plans to prevent a crisis if the country leaves the European Union in March without a deal that could guarantee a smooth withdrawal. Senior British defense officials said on Sunday that contingency plans were being made so that the military could support the country in case of a
UK to allow Nigerians, commonwealth citizens join own military
Jude Johnson with agency report The citizens of Nigeria and other Commonwealth countries will be able to join the British Armed Forces even if they do not live in the United Kingdom (UK), the government said on Monday as it struggles to fill vacancies. Britain’s junior defence minister Mark Lancaster said in
‘Major terrorist attack’ averted In Netherlands, 7 arrested
Dutch police arrested seven men Thursday suspected of plotting to carry out a "major terrorist attack" at a public event using explosive belts and an AK-47 assault rifle, the public prosecutor's office said. "Police arrested seven men on Thursday... suspected of being at a very advanced stage of preparation for a
Anticipating Putin’s next war
Radosław Sikorski Editor's note: Radek Sikorski was Poland’s defense minister from 2005 to 2007 and foreign minister from 2007 to 2014. What keeps you awake at night if you are the foreign minister of one of America’s vulnerable allies, as I was? That Russian President Vladimir Putin will do to you what