Europe

Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst highlighted ongoing plague cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar, stating the laboratory connection makes the current incident more concerning. He also noted that COVID-19 has returned this winter in a milder form, differing from previous years.

Former German intelligence chief August Hanning is under investigation by Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly obtaining classified information, including state secrets, from a former employee of the Federal Intelligence Service. Accusations involve espionage and the continued receipt of confidential documents after his tenure.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that Moscow would emerge from the aftermath of the Wagner mercenary group’s aborted rebellion “stronger” than before. The uprising sparked the largest political crisis in decades in Russia and posed a potential threat to President Vladimir Putin’s authority. Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell had warned ahead of a bloc summit on Thursday that a “weaker” Putin would pose a “greater danger”. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments on the war in Ukraine. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).

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