Anti-TTIP activists have submitted a 3 million-signature petition to the European Commission in London and Brussels in a bid to halt secret trade negotiations between the EU, US and Canada. The petition, believed to be one of the largest ever compiled, calls for an immediate end to Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. [...]

One need do nothing more than take a look around to see that the situation in the world is dire. A dire situation, however, does not mean there is no possibility of change; a dire situation means that the timing is ripe for change. Exactly the transformational change that is the subject for contemplation today. [...]

Conservative-minded Britons are more likely to think they are morally superior to everybody else than left-wing people, according to a new study. While lefties are often accused of brandishing their moral superiority, the new study by polling firm YouGov appears to flip that claim on its head. [...]

Two years after Edward Snowden leaked information about the US government's mass surveillance to reporter Glenn Greenwald, the two were joined by other journalists and leaders to draft an international pact for privacy rights called the Snowden Treaty. Officially called The International Treaty on the Right to Privacy, Protection Against Improper Surveillance and Protection of Whistleblowers, t [...]

It is important what you do for your country, not the names you are being called, Russian President Vladimir Putin told CBS’s ‘60 Minutes,’ saying that the nickname ‘tsar’ does not fit him. Charlie Rose sat down with Putin to discuss, among other issues, how the world views the Russian leader. CBS has published a preview of the interview. [...]

When Trust In Leadership Is Declining. Pope Francis Address to Joint Meeting of Congress Pope Francis addressed Congress on the third day of his visit to Washington, praising American values but urging changes to better serve the dignity of all. Pope Francis becomes the first pontiff in history to deliver an address to a joint meeting of Congress. In the hour-long speech on Thursday morning [...]

Russia’s second-largest city Saint Petersburg has been named this year's best destination in Europe at the World Travel Awards. The city was recognized for its exceptionally rich history, centuries-old traditions and bright future, according to the travel industry's most prestigious awards program. It's the first time a Russian city has won this category in the award’s 22-year history. [...]

There is much the ancient world can still teach us, and one of the key lessons today is that mass migration - motivated by war, societal collapse, and poverty - is capable of destroying even the mightiest of empires. At the height of its power, the Roman Empire was so vast and omnipotent that it was run on the basis of the dictum: "Roma locuta est. Causa finita est" (Rome has spoken. The cause [...]

Cancer-detecting dogs are to participate in a trial at a UK hospital, after showing off their amazing ability to identify the of prostate tumors – getting the right answer in 93 percent of cases, according to a recent study. The trial, a brainchild of the charity Medical Detection Dogs, has been approved by Milton Keynes University Hospital to conduct further research on the special dogs, whi [...]

Tired of the day-to-day grind we call life? Stop googling “how to battle depression” and start living by the “F̶̷̲̅ᴜ̶̷̲̅ᴄ̶̷̲̅ᴋ̶̷̲̅  That” mantra. The instructions are easily detailed in a new meditation guide – just “breathe in strength” and breathe out you-know-what. While some may spend hundreds, even thousands, on a counselor to get them through tough tim [...]

The number of Americans "extremely proud" to be citizens of the US continues to fall, with a new Gallup poll revealing a three percent drop from the previous year. Of those surveyed, 54 per cent said they’re “extremely proud” to be Americans. In 2013 and 2014 that figure stood at 57. [...]

WikiLeaks has published secret "core text" related to the controversial trade agreement currently being negotiated behind closed doors between the US, EU and 23 other countries. Big corporations look to be the biggest winners in the deal. Leaked documents of TiSA (Trade in Services Agreement) negotiations reveal that the treaty is looking to undermine “governments involved in the treaty” by [...]

A study polling American and emigrant adults found that 35 percent would consider leaving the US, according to TransferWise, an international money transfer company. The most popular reason for wanting to leave was to seek a better quality of life. Despite the results of the survey, 59 percent said it was home. Another 58 percent said romantic and family ties were important reasons for staying [...]

The United States now the world's second-largest Spanish-speaking community, after Mexico, according to the latest study by the Instituto Cervantes. A total of 41 million native Spanish speakers live in the US, and there are also 11.6 million other bilingual speakers. In Colombia and Spain, there are 48 and 46 million native Spanish and bilingual speakers, respectively. [...]

Russian independent pollster, the Levada Center, says the share of Russians who are happy with Vladimir Putin's work as president has reached 89 percent, which is his highest-ever approval rating. The poll was conducted over the period June 19-22, with the Levada Center releasing its results on Wednesday. [...]

The most successful female presidential candidate in US history is making another White House bid. Dr. Jill Stein announced she would seek the Green Party nomination, joining sixteen other contenders in the 2016 presidential race so far. The third woman to join the campaign, Stein made the official announcement on Tuesday, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. [...]

Plagued by wars and terrorism, the world is facing another scourge – one that concerns everyone. The wealth inequality in society has reached staggering heights, with scholars predicting that by next year, half of the world’s riches will be in the possession of just one percent! Is there a chance to turn this trend back? Why has this issue become so pressing? And finally, what is there for [...]

Britons view military personnel as "victims" who more likely to commit suicide, suffer from post-traumatic stress and serve prison time, according to a study, which claims these perceptions are inaccurate. The survey, carried out by King’s College London and polling company Ipsos MORI, has led to fears that recruiting – already at a serious low – could be damaged. [...]

Some 17 million elderly Americans are in need of government-funded meal services, but 90 percent of them don't receive it, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. About 83 percent of those adults in need are food insecure. “An estimated 90 percent of low-income older adults do not receive meals services like those funded by Title III programs, according to our analy [...]