European countries have vowed to maintain “effective financial channels” and to keep trading with Tehran after the US announced that the EU is not among those spared from its sweeping sanctions against Iran. [...]

Counter measures will be taken by US troops in case they “feel threatened” by Syrian or Russian air forces, according to a senior US military official. The warning comes in the wake of a recent incident with Syrian warplanes attacking areas close to US Special Forces. [...]

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strategic government meeting was abruptly interrupted when he received an 'important international call.' In a video, Putin is seen excusing himself from the meeting to take the call, a rare departure that raised eyebrows. The sudden interruption comes just after U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed push for talks, adding further intrigue to the timing of [...]

German conservative Friedrich Merz said Thursday that Brexit would have a major impact on continental Europe's economy. He added that Brexit was the biggest threat the EU could be facing at the moment but didn't hope to see another referendum in the UK. [...]

Controversial Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party has published a manifesto calling for an end to accepting refugees and immigration from Islamic nations, closing all mosques and banning the Koran, as well as for the Netherlands to leave the European Union. [...]

Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a shift in economic power, challenging the long-standing dominance of the US and introducing a new, more competitive dynamic in global trade. For most of modern history, the United States has been at the center of international commerce. With its massive economy, global influence, and financial power, it had the ability to impose tariffs, taxes, [...]

The democratic revolution that ensued in Ukraine in 2014 was in fact a revolution against democracy, unleashing the dogs of thuggery and gangsterism. Someone who made the mistake of falling foul of those with a vested interest in the corruption that is a hallmark of today’s Ukraine was Katerina Gandzyuk. [...]

Angela Merkel's CDU party is working on a policy paper that advocates a tougher stance towards Russia. Commenting on the issue, former State Secretary of the German Ministry of Defense Willy Wimmer told Sputnik that Merkel's politics have completely moved away from the foundations that it had in the past. [...]

Trump SHOCKED as China Orders Banks to Ditch USD—Spain Betrays US, Deepens Ties with China. As Trump doubles down on tariffs, China strikes back by abandoning the dollar, while Spain turns toward Beijing. Trump shocked as China orders banks to ditch USD, and Spain betrays the US, deepening ties with China signals a major blow to U.S. influence in Asia and Europe. With prices rising and alliance [...]

Following years of floating within the bloc, the idea of Europe creating joint military forces is on the agenda after the French President and German Chancellor called on their EU allies to unite. While the EU leadership backed the initiative, it got a mixed response among European politicians. [...]

Some are mystified by the longevity of the Red Hot Chili Peppers – 34 years old and still going strong, despite continual drug addiction issues and repeated near breakups – but those wishing to maximize their own lifespans should consider upping their daily chili pepper dosage, a US scientific study suggests. [...]

At the centre of this move was a growing economic pressure tied to former President Donald Trump’s trade policies. During his second term in office, the administration doubled down on an aggressive tariff campaign—primarily targeting Chinese goods, but also affecting imports from other countries. The policy, which many of his supporters viewed as a bold push for American economic independence, [...]

A senior Cuban official says the country is looking closely at the Special Purpose Vehicle the EU is creating for Iran, because Havana may benefit from a similar mechanism. [...]

Russia, Iran and Turkey have announced they will establish a trilateral mechanism to support the ceasefire in Syria. In a joint statement issued at the end of talks in Astana, they said the Syrian opposition should take part in Geneva peace talks on the issue. [...]

The controversy around the Sea of ​​Azov has been created out of thin air as Kiev and its Western backers continue to search for new ways to apply pressure on Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said. [...]

The video shows a passenger train making its first journey through the city of Aleppo for the first time in four and a half years. The war had left the railway service disrupted. However, as the city is returning to normal life, the train carried its first passengers through the newly liberated Aleppo. [...]

The US has long planned to withdraw from the INF Treaty but it's only now that they started seeking justifications for it and conveniently pinned the blame on Russia, Vladimir Putin said after Washington’s 60-day ultimatum. [...]

US President Donald Trump received the lowest approval rating — and highest disapproval rating — for a new president in recent history, according to a survey released Friday. The poll, from CNN, showed that a 53% majority said they disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job two weeks into office [...]

In 2018, Russia's relations with Western countries severely deteriorated against the backdrop of numerous scandals and sanctions. In an interview with Sputnik on the eve of 2019, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, spoke about whether we should wait for further alienation, about Moscow's possible response to Washington scrapping the INF Treaty, the price of a potential conflict between Russia [...]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on the ratification of the agreement with Ankara on the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, ratified the agreement on January 20, while the upper house, the Federation Council, ratified the document on February 1. [...]

Source: Bogdan Khmelnytskyi / iStock A record number of Americans are forecast to travel to other countries this year, buoyed by a strong dollar and a surging economy. Last year, the number of U.S. visits overseas rose by 9.1% from the previous year to 38.3 million, according to data from U.S. Department of Commerce, International […] [...]

As Democrats compete to become the new War Party – pushing for a dangerous confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia – some constituents are objecting, as Mike Madden did in a letter to Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Dear Senator Klobuchar, I write with concern over statements you have made recently regarding Russia. These statements have been made both at home and abroad, and they involve two issues; t [...]