Countries

Informal Meeting in Austria: EU Heads Discuss May’s Brexit Proposal (VIDEO)
An informal meeting of the EU heads of state and government, devoted to Brexit as well as issues such as internal security and migration, is being held in the Austrian city of Salzburg, which started on Wednesday and is due to conclude later in the day. [...]
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Sacking of German Domestic Intelligence Chief Punishment for Truth – Analysts
BRUSSELS - German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to sack domestic intelligence chief and security expert Hans-Georg Maassen was a punishment designed to hide the "truth" about risks of uncontrolled immigration, lawmakers and political commentators told Sputnik. [...]
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Blaming the Victim of Aggression
The tragic loss of a Russian military aircraft with 15 personnel onboard, off the Syrian coast, has to be seen in the context of the Arab country being attacked. Attacked by the Israeli air force and facing an unprecedented buildup of NATO warships. Yet, Syria – the victim of aggression – is the one being blamed. [...]
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Russian Troops Patrol Golan Heights After Incident Involving Downing of IL-20
Russian military police have been deployed to de-escalation zones across Syria since late 2016 to help maintain security in the war-torn country amid the ongoing operations by the Syrian military and its allies to clear Syria of a collection of mostly jihadist militants. [...]
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Israeli AF Commander in Russia in Connection With Il-20 Crash – Netanyahu
TEL AVIV - Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin is in Moscow following Monday's crash of a Russian Il-20 aircraft in Syria, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Jonathan Conricus told Sputnik. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he sent Air Force Commander Amikam Norkin to Moscow after the incident with a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance plane in order to prese [...]
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Trump Gives US Treasury Powers to Impose Anti-Russia Sanctions – White House
In early August, the United States announced a new round of sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in UK's Salisbury in March. US President Donald Trump has given the Department of Treasury the authority, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), to impose sanctions on Russia, the White [...]
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Israel’s actions in Gaza a ‘war crime’ – EU delegation head tells RT after being denied entry
Israel doesn’t want to allow the public to witness what’s happening in Gaza, the head of an EU Parliament delegation told RT, after being barred from entering the enclave. He called Israel’s actions there “a war crime.” The group from the European Parliament was scheduled to arrive in Gaza on Thursday but was denied access. [...]
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China slashes US Treasury securities to six-month low as trade tensions mount
The biggest holder of US Treasury bills, notes and bonds – China – has dropped $7.8 billion worth of US sovereign debt as a large-scale trade conflict, launched by Washington earlier this year, breaks new ground. The latest statistics released by the US Treasury Department showed that China’s share of US sovereign bonds hit a six month low of $1.171 trillion in July, from $1.178 trillion in [...]
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US to Certify Russian Aircraft at Open Skies Meeting in Vienna – State Dept.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States on September 24 plans to sign in Vienna the certification that will allow Russian surveillance aircraft to operate in US territory under the Open Skies Treaty, a State Department official told Sputnik on Wednesday. "On September 18, the United States informed all states parties via formal treaty mechanisms that it will approve the certification of the Russi [...]
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Israel Unlikely to Fly Freely Over Syria After Il-20 Incident – Ex-Official
ST.PETERSBURG Israel is unlikely to freely use Syrian airspace in the wake of the crash of a Russian Il-20 military aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, Yakov Kedmi, a former high-ranking Israeli intelligence official, told Sputnik. "There was an agreement between Israel and Russia that the actions of Israel in Syria's airspace would not endanger lives of Russian troops. [...]
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The West Against the Rest or The West Against Itself? – Special to Consortium News
What is the bigger story? The West Against the Rest or The West Against Itself? The Illiberal Quartet of Xi, Putin, Rouhani and Erdogan is in the line of fire of haughty homilies about Western “values.” Illiberalism is arrogantly and provocatively depicted in the West repeatedly as a Tartar Invasion 2.0. But closer to home Illiberalism is responsible for the social, civil war in the U.S. as Tr [...]
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Norway didn’t know much about Libya yet helped bomb it into chaos, state report finds
A Norwegian state report says the officials “had very limited knowledge” of what was going on in Libya, but promptly decided to join the US-led intervention, turning the once thriving North African nation into a terrorist hotbed. [...]
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‘Very important evidence’: MH17 missile’s serial numbers vital to investigation – analysts to RT
The Russian military's conclusion that the missile that brought down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 contained Ukrainian serial numbers is important information that should be considered in the international probe, analysts told RT. On Monday, the Russian military announced that the serial numbers found on debris of the Buk missile that downed MH17 over eastern Ukraine show it was produced in 198 [...]
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Russian stock market hits all-time high as ruble strengthens despite US sanctions pressure
The recent growth in the Russian currency has helped the ruble-traded MOEX index reach an all-time high on Tuesday. The index rose to 2,390 points for the first time in history after the ruble strengthened to 67.7 against the dollar and 79.1 against the euro. Earlier in September, the Russian currency had suffered a deep plunge against reserve currencies amid a new US sanctions threat. [...]
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Mexican President-Elect Invites Putin to Inauguration Slated for December 1
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Mexican President-Elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday held talks with Russian Ambassador to Mexico Viktor Koronelli and discussed bilateral Russian-Mexican relations, local media reported. According to the Quadratin news portal, Lopez Obrador and Koronelli discussed possible cooperation projects, including in infrastructure. [...]
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Iran in Talks With Swiss Oil Giant Over $1Bln Deal – Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran is seeking to extend or renew a $1 billion oil deal with the Swiss giant Vitol Group ahead of the promised return in November of crippling US sanctions, media reported. The US administration in May withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which eased sanctions on the Islamic Republic. [...]
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Possible Swiss Anti-Russia Sanctions Contradict Country’s Policy – Russian Envoy
GENEVA (Sputnik) - Refusal to provide accreditation to certain diplomats to fill a vacant position in diplomatic missions is common practice, fueling a diplomatic scandal is senseless, Russian Ambassador to Switzerland Sergei Garmonin told Sputnik. [...]
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Germany’s Intel Chief Dismissed Over Migration Dispute With Merkel – Reports
Head of the German domestic intelligence agency Hans-Georg Maassen previously faced harsh criticism after he expressed doubts over the authenticity of the footage showing alleged attacks by right-wing activists on migrants in Chemnitz. [...]
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New Tesla killer: Audi’s all-electric crossover may devour Elon Musk’s lunch
Volkswagen-owned premium brand Audi has unveiled the E-Tron, a battery-powered crossover, which is just about to hit dealerships, making the market of electric vehicles rather more choiceful for eco-friendly enthusiasts. E-tron, Audi’s first electric sport-utility vehicle (SUV), debuted in San Francisco on Monday night. [...]
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Russian Il-20 downed by Syrian missile after Israeli F-16s used it as cover during attack – MoD
The Russian military says an Israeli raid on Syria triggered a chain of events that led to its Il-20 plane being shot down by a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile. Moscow reserves the right to respond accordingly. On Monday evening, four Israeli F-16 fighter jets attacked targets in Syria’s Latakia after approaching from the Mediterranean, a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tue [...]
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It’s Unclear Whether EU Will Fall Apart, But Change is Coming – US Investor
Change is coming, Charles Ortel, a Wall Street analyst, told Sputnik, commenting on the growing discontent with Brussels policies among Europeans and the increasing popularity of nationalist conservative parties. According to the analyst, the EU's swollen bureaucratic apparatus remains a stumbling block in the way of Europe's development. [...]
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Kim Jong-un welcomes South Korean leader in Pyongyang for historic summit (VIDEO)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has landed in Pyongyang for the historic summit with Kim Jong-un as part of the ongoing reconciliation process and talks on denuclearization of the peninsula.  President Moon and his wife Kim Jung-sook were welcomed by the North Korean leader, and Kim's sister, Yo-jong, as well as hundreds of locals for a three-day trip to Pyongyang that began on Tuesday morning [...]
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