Cologne police were not ready to deal with the mass sexual assaults committed during New Year’s celebrations, the city’s police chief told RT, adding that they have never experienced such incidents before. "Eventually we had a situation where a large group of men were going after women. We did intervene and help. But I'll admit that we were totally bewildered by it all. [...]

Three months ago, on September 30, at the request of Syrian leader Bashar Assad Russia launched a military operation against terrorists of Daesh (Islamic State). The very next day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the first results of the offensive. [...]

As part of Russia’s anti-terror campaign in Syria, the Kremlin has deployed sophisticated air defense systems to protect its aircraft. According to the Pentagon, those units have effectively grounded US aircraft. [...]

In an attempt to sum up the major accomplishments in the Middle East throughout 2015, Middle East expert Hussein Ibish has come to the conclusion that it is Russia, who gained the most, while the US has abandoned its role as the guarantor of the Middle Eastern political order, perhaps irrevocably. [...]

Amid the mounting refugee crisis caused by “NATO’s non-stop campaign of overseas military misadventures”, Europeans are becoming “increasingly wary of multiculturalism, neo-liberal reforms, austerity measures - and now, it seems, even NATO itself,” according to American writer and journalist Robert Bridge. [...]

A few months ago, entrepreneur Charles Devenish contacted me to tell me about his plans to develop various mining enterprises across India. He spoke about the massive amounts of untapped mineral resources lying beneath India that is just lying there and has been for a long time. [...]

The National Assembly of Venezuela, in its final session before a neoliberal dominated opposition takes the helm of legislative power on January 5, passed one of the most progressive seed laws in the world on December 23, 2015; it was promptly signed into law by President Nicolas Maduro. [...]

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran on Sunday, responding to the storming of its embassy in Tehran in an escalating row between the rival Middle East powers over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric. Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh that the envoy of Shi'ite Iran had been asked to quit Saudi Arabia within 48 hours. [...]

Corporate media failed to cover the dangers of business-friendly trade deals in 2015, despite growing grassroots opposition to such pacts—and increasing public awareness about their contents. Will 2016 be the year looming toxic trade policies catapult into the mainstream? Sierra Club trade representative Ilana Solomon hopes so. [...]

RT's Anastasia Churkina sits down with a best-selling author, former Governor of Minnesota, former US Navy Seal and professional wrestler -- Jesse Ventura. His latest book "63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want you to Read" hits the shelves in the US this April. Ventura said his book has the spirit of WikiLeaks, the difference is -- they have been available in the public domain, it's ju [...]

In spite of prevailing clichés about corruption in Russia being out of control, the scale of the scourge is of an incomparably larger scale in the United States, according to independent journalist Einar Schlereth. In the journalist's view, nowhere is this more obvious than in the case of the US military industrial complex. [...]

In an interview with newspaper Die Welt, a German economist argues that the ruble has the potential to become a currency of global significance and strengthen by about 20% by the end of 2016. Experts making forecasts for 2016 should take into account such currencies as the Russian ruble because the currency markets may soon face surprising developments, the newspaper wrote. [...]

The Syrian Arab Army has destroyed a tunnel used by Daesh to covertly supply and move its forces in Aleppo province. Syrian government forces have managed to destroy a tunnel in Aleppo province, which was used by Daesh militants for covert troop movements, the Iranian news agency FARS reports. [...]

Wishing others a peaceful New Year would seem to be a straightforward greeting for people of goodwill. Not if you’re a top US government official. Peace? Yeah, well, it’s complicated. This week US Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly phoned Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to firm up the forthcoming peace negotiations supposedly aimed at bringing an end to the Syrian conflict. [...]

As we celebrate the New Year, one question that we should perhaps ask ourselves is: how are we doing on the fear stakes? Are we more for less afraid? Afraid of war, economic uncertainty, debt, insecurity, immigrants? Or are we overcoming our fears? Dr. David Altheide, Regents' Professor Emeritus, School of Social Transformation Justice and Social Inquiry at the College of Liberal Arts and Scien [...]

There are many disturbing signs that the West is creating conditions in the Middle East and Asia that could produce a wider war, most likely a new Cold War, containing, as well, menacing risks of World War III. The reckless confrontation with Russia along its borders, reinforced by provocative weapons deployments in several NATO countries and the promotion of governing regimes hostile to Russia in [...]

If, as he and other true believers think, George W. Bush really does have to meet his Maker someday, and if He (sic) really is just and good, and if the point of the meeting is to decide whether George will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell, then that man should be thanking the alleged divinity every moment of his waking life for making ignorance bliss. [...]

Everyday, we’re clueless about the unbelievable, somewhat historically unique events out there. On one side, we are constantly finding ourselves in a field of tension between deep concern because of the totally concrete effects due to these developments to be expected on our bodies, most of all our children and grandchildren, and on the other side, the disgust and lack of understanding toward th [...]

State Department spokesperson John Kirby is raising eyebrows after he released a recap of 2015 "success stories" in which he credits the United States for bringing "peace" and "security" to Syria and "stepping up" to help the country's people at a difficult time. "The United States and many members of the international community have stepped up to aid the Syrian people during their time of need [...]

As the year draws to a close, it's worth noting a handful of progressive gains that people-power made possible: Feelin' the Bern Despite the lack of coverage in corporate media about the Vermont Independent and his presidential bit, Sen. Bernie Sanders and his call for a political revolution have resonated nationwide. [...]

One of the biggest stories of 2015 was the sharp decline of oil prices, which fell this year to levels not seen in more than a decade. "After plunging from more than $100 a barrel to nearly $50 a barrel last year, U.S. oil prices fell 30 percent in 2015 to $37.04 a barrel," the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. [...]

A survey ordered by Vladimir Putin shows Crimea residents would rather break an electricity contract with Kiev, than sign one calling the peninsula part of Ukraine – even if it means further blackouts that began when a pylon bearing power lines was blown up. [...]