In the new U.S. National Defense Strategy, military planners bemoan the erosion of the U.S.’s “competitive edge,” but the reality is that they are strategizing to maintain the American Empire in a chaotic world, explains Nicolas J.S. Davies. Presenting the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the United States on Friday at the Johns Hopkins University, Secretary of Defense James Mattis paint [...]

The new 30% import tariff just imposed on imported solar panels and solar cells is a protective tariff without benefit. It will not revive the declining U.S. silicon solar cell industry. It will harm U.S. workers in factories manufacturing solar panels using imported solar cells. It will hurt the rapidly expanding U.S.solar industry, slowing down the rapidly growing adoption of solar across the U [...]

Recently it was discovered that the Nestle corporation had been abusing their water permits in California, essentially stealing millions of gallons of water to bottle and sell to consumers in one of the most drought-ravaged states in the country. But Nestle’s disgusting story goes far beyond water stealing. Attorneys Mike Papantonio and Peter Mougey discuss this. Chocolate Bunnies, Slave [...]

As Ankara and Syrian rebels it backs oppose Kurdish-led opposition forces fighting against Daesh terrorists with the US military support in the country, media reports emerged that US servicemen came under fire from a group of Turkey-backed rebels. [...]

On Saturday, the US federal government shut down due to a lack of funding after Democrats in the Senate prevented Republicans from passing the spending bill. The US government shutdown raises questions about the viability and legitimacy of America’s political system, Chinese state media has reported. [...]

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has stated that the United States should take concrete steps to prove the end of support for Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), rather than rhetoric. [...]

Amid protests from Beijing and Seoul over new US trade restrictions on washing machines and solar panels, Russian journalist and geopolitical analyst Viktor Marakhovsky explains why Washington's move is really part of a much broader, considerably more significant series of processes marking the decline of US global hegemony. [...]

To be “born again” Italy needs to ditch the euro, break away from NATO and the EU and become an ally of Russia, political analyst Lorenzo Valloreja told Sputnik Italy. Lorenzo Valloreja outlined his ideas in his book, titled “Beyond Prejudice” (“Al Di La’ Del Pregiudizio”), which will be presented to the public at the Italian Senate headquarters in December by the author, Senator Pa [...]

A crew of Arctic expedition explorers was out casually one night in -50 degree Celsius weather - you know, like you do - with their pickup trucks in northern Russia when a nuclear-powered icebreaker came within feet of them as it cruised by. [...]

Joe Biden keeps scoffing at Russia and seems to genuinely believe it is a rapidly declining power. This incorrect assumption suggests senior US politicians are receiving extremely poor intel on the subject. At first glance, Biden would make an unlikely fan of the Scottish writer J.M. Barrie, [...]

The US is working to create alternative government systems on Syrian territory which goes against its promises to respect the country’s territorial integrity, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. Responding to a question posed by RT’s Caleb Maupin at Friday's briefing at UN Headquarters in New York, Lavrov commented on America's role in the crisis in northern Syria, [...]

Vladimir Putin was first elected as Russian President in 2000. Here’s how the Russian economy has transformed in the intervening years by numbers. Before Putin’s election, Russia had a $9,889 GDP per capita by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). [...]

The US must withdraw its troops from Syria’s northern Manbij region and put an end to its support for Kurdish militia in the area, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu demanded Saturday. Cavusoglu told reporters on Saturday that the US needs to immediately withdraw from the region near the city [...]

What’s sometime referred to as ‘shadow bankers’ have been running the economy and drafting US domestic economic policy since Trump took office. ‘Shadow’ banks include such financial institutions as investment banks, private equity firms, hedge funds, insurance companies, finance companies, asset management companies, etc. [...]

The roundups are getting worse. The checkpoints are getting worse. The harassment is getting worse. The things we were worried would happen are happening. No one is safe. No one is immune. No one gets spared the anguish, fear and heartache of living under the shadow of an authoritarian police state. [...]

Foreign forces need the Afrin offensive launched by the Turks to enflame a new round of war in the region, Syrian official Heifi Mustafa told Sputnik. For his part, Turkish academic Samir Salehah argues that Ankara's Operation Olive Branch falls within the framework of Article 51 of the UN Charter as a self-defense operation. [...]

In an unprecedented situation, Washington failed to convince its closest allies in the Arab world to support Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in the UN General Assembly, Aiman Abdel Shafi an academic specializing on international relations and the US affairs told Sputnik. [...]

Men in France could be fined €350 (US$435) if they follow women in the street, whistle at them, make loud comments about their appearance or ask for their phone numbers, according to a draft proposal to combat “sexual contempt.” [...]

Beijing has announced plans to extend the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative to the Arctic by developing shipping routes, in a project dubbed the Polar Silk Road. In a white paper released on Friday, the country said it expects to have a “major role in expanding the network of shipping routes” and noted that “as a result of global warming, the Arctic shipping routes are likely to become impo [...]

President Vladimir Putin said he wants to keep foreign shipping out of Russia's Northern Sea Route, giving exclusive rights to Russian vessels. It will increase the volume of shipping, strengthen the position of the domestic shipping companies, and create additional opportunities for fleet renewal, he said. [...]

For centuries both Russia and the UK have struggled to define their relationship with continental Europe. Over the past few years, both seem to have decided to go their separate ways only to be pulled back. What does Europe think of it all, and whom does that refer to anyway? Oksana is joined by former Prime Minister of Italy Giuliano Amato to discuss this. [...]

Life is confusing in 2018. There are times when everyone around you is offended by something, and you feel left out because common sense has kicked in, you’ve remained calm, and got on with your life. This is a horrible situation to be in. [...]