Every traveler knows CNN and dodgy shower curtains in small hotels are certainties that can't be avoided, like death and taxes. If you can endure a few minutes of US cable news since Donald Trump became President, you may notice the network now boasts an in-house Russia-basher. [...]

The former US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper thinks Russians have some sort of biological predilection to be an untrustworthy bunch. I wish I was making that up, but sadly, I’m not.   [...]

Trump’s overall strategy to try and break up the EU reflects his preferred way of doing business: to deal with individual states so they can be more easily manipulated, says political writer and journalist Dan Glazebrook. [...]

The sanctions regime has given a big boost to the Russian economy, especially in agriculture. It is a very, very strong growth industry right now. It pushed the Russians together with the Asians, investor and financial commentator Jim Rogers told RT. [...]

A new Operation Inherent Resolve report has upped the official civilian death toll of the US-led aerial bombing campaign in Syria and Iraq by more than a third, confirming 484 civilian deaths – while activists claim the figure is several times higher. [...]

The EU is considering taking economic measures in response to President Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate agreement. These could include halting trade talks, forging closer ties with Russia, and imposing heavy carbon taxes on US exports. [...]

As the West dithers, Russia is moving closer to China, and it increasingly appears the G7 will never be the G8 again. Soon after the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, advertisements began appearing around the city for the “G8 English School.” The proprietor was evidently using the conference, slated for the Black Sea city, to drum up interest in learning the language. [...]

As concern surrounds Donald Trump’s decision on a key climate deal, one Republican Congressman believes God will “take care of” the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions. [...]

Russia is ready to sell its S-400 air defense systems to Turkey, President Vladimir Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). He added the issue was discussed earlier with his Turkish counterpart. [...]

This could be the most uncomfortable State Department press briefing moment yet. During a press conference about US President Donald Trump’s recent trip to the Middle East, AFP journalist Dave Clark asked a department official why the US criticizes the Iranian elections and its record on democracy, but not Saudi Arabia. [...]

Karadag Nature Reserve, one of the most beautiful and mysterious places in the south-eastern part of the Crimean Peninsula, covers 28.7 square kilometers of land and aquatic areas. It was established in 1979 to preserve the region's unique topography of landforms and cliffs, as well as to protect and study rare species of diverse flora and fauna. [...]

The Russian-Egyptian deal on the sale of Ka-52K attack helicopters has reportedly reached the final stretch. Talks on the price of the choppers, to be used aboard Egypt's Mistral amphibious assault ships, are expected to begin later this month. Military expert Alexander Sitnikov explains how Russia ended up winning on the Mistral deal after all. [...]

As competition for the Arctic mineral wealth heats up and NATO continues to build up its military presence near Russia’s western borders, the Northern Fleet is becoming key to ensuring the country’s national security and economic interests. [...]

The US launched a military strike on a Syrian government airbase in response to a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians. CNN's Athena Jones details the events leading up to the decision. Trump "No living being should suffer from such a nightmare." - I don't get it - he's speaking about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, right? Evidence Debunks OPCW Claim on Syrian 'Chemic [...]

On Wednesday, EU authorities signed a document on amending the legislation of the EU to grant a visa-free regime to Ukrainians, according to a live broadcast from Strasbourg. In an interview with Radio Sputnik, Russian expert Evgeny Ben commented on the issue, saying that the move may lead to an uncontrolled influx of Ukrainian migrants to the EU. [...]

The Austrian parliament has passed a bill that will outlaw the wearing of the burqa, the all face-covering veil worn by some women who follow the Islamic faith. The ban is part of a wider controversial law on migrants in the country. [...]

At this stage, you have to ask, is there anything Russian left for Ukraine to ban? Since 2014, they’ve blacklisted movies, flights, TV stations, cultural figures and even a disabled Eurovision entrant. Now, it’s social networks, search engines, and anti-virus software. Sure it’s a country where many want to re-align westwards after centuries of Moscow influence, but the methods are becomi [...]

The alliance between the US and South Korea is expected to stay, but it is time for the new president in Seoul to rethink about how to deal with the THAAD anti-missile system, said Victor Gao from the China National Association of International Studies. [...]

The Russian Investigative Committee has launched criminal cases against Ukrainian servicemen and officials responsible for indiscriminate use of artillery in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic that resulted in civilian casualties. [...]

Norway’s largest trade union body has voted in favor of economic, cultural, and academic boycott of Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. In response, Tel Aviv said that the union “placed itself shoulder to shoulder with the worst enemies of Israel.” [...]

An Austrian tank platoon came in first in this year’s NATO tank competition, co-hosted by the US and Germany. Newcomer Ukraine finished second to last, beating out Poland. The annual Strong Europe Tank Challenge at the US Army’s Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany this week featured teams from NATO members Germany, France, Poland, and the US, as well as non-members Austria and Ukraine, in [...]

Women from Eastern Europe are being smuggled into Scotland for sexual exploitation and sham marriages at the hands of human traffickers, according to a new documentary. Undercover BBC journalist Sam Poling traveled to Slovakia to expose how Eastern European criminal gangs are trafficking young women to Scotland for them to marry third-country nationals, mainly Pakistanis, seeking UK residency. [...]