The upper chamber of the Russian parliament has unanimously given a formal consent to President Putin to use the nation’s military in Syria to fight terrorism at a request from the Syrian President Bashar Assad. Consent was necessary for use of the country's military for foreign combat missions under the Russian constitution. [...]

The sovereignty of all states, including Ukraine, should be respected, Russian President Vladimir Putin told CBS’s ‘60 Minutes,’ stressing that he knows “for sure” that the US was involved in the ouster of President Yanukovich in 2014. Speaking to veteran journalist Charlie Rose, Putin said that Russia respects the sovereignty of Ukraine, adding that “at no time in the past, now or [...]

Our government was founded on the principle of service, but now it is based on power. That has to stop, John McAfee, a computer security pioneer and US presidential hopeful told RT. Government should serve the people, he added. Legendary computer wizard John McAfee wants to run for the White House in 2016 with his newly created Cyber Party. [...]

Crimean Prosecutor Natalya Poklonskaya says the so-called "food blockade" of the peninsula launched by Ukrainian far-right movements is just a futile attempt to cause Russia additional discomfort in the interests of Western opponents. “The so-called blockade does not conform to any norms of international law. [...]

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. [...]

The Pentagon's most elite troops have been dispatched to nearly 70% of the world's countries in 2015, according to a report. It says US soldiers are "practicing night raids or sometimes conducting them for real... sometimes actually gunning down enemies from afar." The US special operations soldiers are carrying out missions in up to 90 nations every day, TomDispatch reported, citing a spokesma [...]

Abby Martin debuts teleSUR's The Empire Files exploring the U.S. Empire, its rise to world hegemony and its impact on people and the planet. The Rise of History's Biggest Empire 9/11 and the Belligerent Empire /* */ /* */ [...]

They may have been defeated in last year's independence referendum, but they haven’t fallen silent. Thousands of ‘YES’ campaigners are set to turn out today for a major rally in Glasgow, to mark the anniversary of the historic vote. In the lead up to the independence referendum in Scotland in September 2014, tens of thousands of activists attended ‘YES’ rallies - and those people have [...]

The Pentagon is reportedly reviewing and updating its contingency plans for a war with Russia for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, with a defense official telling US media that Russia's “actions” prompted the assessment. “Given the security environment, given the actions of Russia, it has become apparent that we need to make sure to update the plans that we have in r [...]

It is increasingly difficult to watch the most recent coverage of the Syrian war and not be struck by how utterly illogical and convoluted it has become. But look through the media spin and it’s clear: the Russian leader's steady moves in Syria is perplexing the US. Whether it's the latest neocon claim that the way to ‘help’ refugees is to drop more bombs and train more Al-Qaeda-linked re [...]

In a rare interview with Russian media, including RT, Syrian President Bashar Assad opened up about terrorism, the refugee crisis, and Western propaganda. He went back in history, saying that the US invasion of Iraq had set the stage for Syria's unrest. RT has picked some of President Assad’s worthwhile quotes. [...]

The Daily Beast has spectacularly failed to do math, but why should we be surprised. In fact we’re here to help. Spewing unverified and plain wrong data from years back (though falsely presenting it as relevant) they try to claim RT’s popularity ain’t all that. “Of all the YouTube clips watched over five years, 81 percent—344 million views went to videos of natural disasters, accident [...]

Let’s start with some classic Russian politics. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov is drawing up Russia's economic strategy for 2016, including the government budget. Siluanov – essentially a liberal, in favor of foreign investment - will present his proposals to the Kremlin by the end of this month. [...]

Washington is considering a Russian proposal of direct military talks regarding the situation in Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry said as his spokesman struggled to explain the setbacks to US efforts against Islamic State militants in the region. Reporters grilled deputy State Department spokesman Mark Toner over revelations that only a handful of US-trained “moderate Syrian rebels” [...]

Sustainable development, global security and efforts to diffuse ongoing conflicts, many of which have resulted in explosive global refugee crises, top the agenda of the 70th anniversary UN General Assembly session that has begun its work in New York. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) speech marathon will see more than 160 leaders in attendance at the 70th anniversary. [...]

Europe could not host all refugees, the Dalai Lama has said, adding that the real solution to the current refugee crisis lies in the Middle East. The Tibetan Buddhist leader has called for the ending violence in the refugees’ home countries. The Dalai Lama addressed the issue of the ongoing refugee crisis in his speech at the opening of the Dalai Lama Centre for Compassion in Oxford, which is [...]

In the mind of State Department spokesman John Kirby, Russia should not back Syria against the terrorists, president Assad is to blame for ISIS, Iraq is much better off because of the US invasion, and it’s ‘absolutely astounding’ anyone would dare to disagree. That is what the press briefing at the State Department on Tuesday amounted to in a nutshell. [...]

The UN special peace envoy to Syria has urged the international community to take advice from Russia to resolve the four-year-long civil war that has claimed 210,000 lives and left 1.5 million Syrians with injuries and disabilities. “Russia has influence on Damascus, and it’s very important that they get involved," Staffan de Mistura, who was challenged by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-mo [...]

More and more investors are expressing concern that US stocks are overvalued, which may result in a major bear market - characterized by falling prices and widespread pessimism, Nobel laureate in economics Robert Shiller told the FT. Studies have shown that the level of uncertainty among investors has peaked since the end of the dot-com boom in 2000, said Shiller. [...]

The Austrian army has been sent to assist in introducing tougher border checks amid the growing migrant crisis, Reuters cited the country's vice-chancellor as saying. At least 2,200 soldiers will assist police in tackling the refugee crisis on the border, according to a statement from the Austrian government. [...]

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. [...]