In an outcome celebrated as a rejection of austerity not only in Spain but across the European continent, the Spanish general election Sunday resulted in a splintered parliament, with the conservative People's Party losing significant ground to the anti-austerity Podemos party. [...]

When Iceland jailed its bankers something changed. The unthinkable had happened: the real criminals had been held to account. Now Switzerland is also threatening to go off the fiat-bankster reservation. But will it happen? Josiah Stamp once said: “If you want to continue to be slaves of the banks and pay the cost of your own slavery, then let bankers continue to create money and control credi [...]

Germany’s Initiative Group wants to provide up to ‎€2 billion to finance the Moscow-Kazan high-speed railway, according to the Vice President of Russian Railways (RZD) Aleksandr Misharin. "We have a proposal from our German colleagues on signing a similar [Russia-China – Ed.] memorandum on cooperation, where they make commitments on financing of up to €2 billion in the project on vari [...]

Legal prostitution can lead to unusual laws. Driving instructors in the Netherlands may now legally accept sex as payment for their lessons. “Ride for Ride,” is the name of a newly introduced Dutch law allowing any student over 18 years old learning to drive a car, motorcycle, truck, or bus to offer his or her body in exchange for the accredited lessons, Metro reported Saturday. [...]

An annotated version of Hitler’s infamous “Mein Kampf,” banned in Germany for decades, will hit the bookshelves in January. Now it will become part of the school curriculum to “immunize” teenagers against fascist ideas, the German Teachers’ Association says. [...]

A newly-leaked report on illegal oil sales by Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS/ISIL), which was ordered to be compiled by Norway, has revealed that most of the IS-smuggled oil has been destined for Turkey, where it is sold off at bargain low prices. [...]

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde is to stand trial in France for negligence over a €400 million payment to a businessman in 2007. At the time she headed the Ministry of Finance. Lagarde has been accused of “negligence by a person in a position of public authority.” [...]

Some years ago, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a multicultural society is an illusion, but she is doing everything to bring about this multicultural society, which is why I can’t believe her, says Hansjorg Mueller of the Alternative for Germany party. [...]

There is no unity among European countries with regard to the extension of economic sanctions against Russia. However, EU member states prefer to stay in the shade and follow the policy of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who favors the extension of the sanctions in accordance with the policy of the United States, DWN wrote. [...]

Sweden reached a deal Sunday that will allow authorities to interview WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has been living under asylum for the past three years. Assange's legal team said the deal will allow the case to move forward while ensuring his safety. [...]

Greece has signed its first major privatization deal granting control of over a dozen regional airports to a German company. The agreement is part of international creditors’ demands to privatize state assets to secure €86 billion in bailout funds for Athens. The €1.23 billion contract gives a 40-year lease to the Frankfurt airport operator Fraport. [...]

Italy has delayed an EU decision to extend economic sanctions against Russia, demanding the measure is discussed further within the bloc. The surprising move came at a meeting of EU envoys in Brussels on Wednesday. "We have asked for a discussion on the matter," said Tiziana d'Angelo, a spokeswoman for the Italian mission to the EU, Reuters reports. [...]

As a way to improve living standards and boosts its economy, the nation of Finland is moving closer towards offering all of its adult citizens a basic permanent income of approximately 800 euros per month. The monthly allotment would replace other existing social benefits, but is an idea long advocated for by progressive-minded social scientists and economists as a solution—counter-intuitive [...]

France wants to introduce new security measures following the deadly November 13 Paris attacks, which could outlaw the use of encrypting software for anonymous connections and public Wi-Fi. Critics say the authorities are using the tragic event to clamp down on internet use. The French government is pondering whether to introduce measures which could make the use of Tor, the free anonymizing so [...]

France's mainstream political parties were scrambling for a way to stop the rise of the far-right National Front (FN) on Monday after it emerged with an historic first-round lead in regional elections. Boosted by fears over the Islamic State attacks that killed 130 people in Paris on Nov. 13, by record unemployment and worries about immigration, Marine Le Pen's party secured 27.7 percent of the [...]

Germany has publicly warned Saudi Arabia against further financing religious radicals globally. German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel’s demand to cut money flowing to the Wahhabis comes as some lawmakers are growing weary of Saudi-funded radical mosques. Gabriel stressed that the Saudi regime has been funding mosques known for radicalizing the Muslim population, including in various communiti [...]

Since Russia stepped up to the plate, suddenly western countries can’t wait to bomb ISIS. Are they now there to get the job done? Or are they there to stop Russia increasing its influence, and to make sure it doesn’t succeed where they failed? The world is falling over itself to bomb Syria. [...]

Obama’s promise not to send any boots on the ground goes against the actions that the US government wants to take. Scott Bennett - former US Army officer and counterterrorism analyst spoke in an exclusive interview with Sputnik regarding this manifestation. “If the US sends its troops on the ground then that is a declaration of war, bypassing around the US Congress which means it’s uncons [...]

A group of Eastern European countries has sent a letter to the European Commission calling to block the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany bypassing Ukraine. They say it goes against the EU’s energy diversification and security policies. The countries against Gazprom’s deal with Berlin are headed by Slovakia and Poland who are believed to have initiated the campaign. They are [...]