Russia backed by China and India is pushing through a takeover of the internet by a UN supranational agency to make the web truly universal. The aim of the plan is to standardize the behavior of countries concerning information and cyberspace. ­Leading emerging economies supported by other United Nations members initiated the discussion around handing over internet regulation to a UN agency. At present... 

Following protests from bee advocates, Poland has banned the use of an insecticide-producing Monsanto seed. Poland has banned a strain of genetically engineered Monsanto corn, citing a link between the pervasive crop and the rapid decline of honeybee populations. After experts determined that widely used neonicotinoid insecticides were causing colony collapse disorder—a worldwide phenomenon wherein... 

Russia can be left without its traditional alcohol beverages after July 1st. It goes about such drinks as mead, sbiten, cider and some others. The producers and importers of these products do not execute the regulations about mandatory licensing, which obliges them to make containers for alcohol and non-alcohol products separately, Interfax reports. During the summer period of the year, which is a... 

US defense secretary Leon Panetta said America needs to increase its military role in the Asian Pacific, restating Washington’s concern over the reality of China’s rapidly developing military influence. “That reality is inescapable for our country and for our military, which has already begun broadening and deepening our engagement throughout the Asia-Pacific,” Panetta said. On... 

Russia is firmly dedicated not to let pass an initiative of foreign military intervention into Syria in the UN Security Council. ­“We always said we’re strongly against any kind of external interference into the Syrian conflict, because it would only worsen the situation and bring unpredictable consequences for Syria and the whole region,” Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov... 

Mitt Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday with a win in the Texas primary, a triumph of endurance for a candidate who came up short four years ago and had to fight hard this year as voters flirted with a carousel of GOP rivals. Romney surpassed the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination by winning at least 88 delegates in the Texas primary, according to the Associated... 

Lawmakers in Holland have voted to strike down the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), slammed by many as a free speech and information access choker. Dutch MPs have also ruled the government will never sign any such agreement. The Dutch parliamentarians have opted not to wait for the EU’s vote on ACTA which is set for June, with consultations kicking off already this Thursday. “The... 

US Vice President Joe Biden speaks at West Point during the graduation ceremony for the class of 2012 in New York, May 26, 2012. The US Vice President Joe Biden says Washington has devised a new policy in a bid to counter the rising power and influence of China. Joe Biden on Saturday addressing cadets of the US Military Academy during a graduation ceremony in West Point, New York, spoke about the United... 

As I write this piece, many things are happening around us, some visible and some aren’t. A bit of a blast from the past took place recently when Vladimir Putin refused to attend the G-8 summit at Camp David and instead sent his buddy and right hand man, Dmitry Medvedev, to oversee Russia’s role. It was kind of reminder of the cold-war era, yes, ‘Russia is strong and getting stronger... 

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has expressed his country’s support for Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program, saying Berlin is ready to provide Tehran with “technical assistance” in using the nuclear energy. Iran has the right to use the nuclear energy for civilian purposes, and we are ready to support Iran technically in this regard,... 

Syrians carry picture of President Bashar al-Assad during a demonstration in Damascus on April 30, 2012. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says his government has successfully overcome the political crisis and the deadly violence in the country. “Syria has been able to overcome the pressures and threats it has faced for years and is able to get out of this crisis thanks to the strength of its people... 

A leading Senate Democrat has called out US President Barack Obama over his alleged unwillingness to keep Congress updated on negotiations over a treaty that might be potentially disastrous for America. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) introduced legislation on Wednesday that specifically targets the Obama administration by demanding that the White House open up on details about the proposed Trans-Pacific... 

Lawmakers in New York State are proposing a new legislation that involves the Web, and no, it’s not SOPA-esque or another CISPA-like spy-bill. Politicians in the Empire State want to outlaw anonymous speech on the Internet. Republican Assemblyman Jim Conte says that the legislation he co-sponsors, Bill no. S06779, would cut down on “mean-spirited and baseless political attacks” and “turns... 

Thousands of Malians gather in front of the presidential compound in Bamako on May 21, 2012. Protesters have attacked interim Malian President Diancounda Traore, beating and bruising the 70-year-old leader at his office in Bamako. The mobs, who were angry at Traore’s appointment in a deal reached with the junta, dodged security and burst into his office and beat him on Monday, AFP reported. “The... 

Yars ICBM launch. The new secret missile improves its design. The Russian military have successfully launched a top secret advanced intercontinental ballistic missile. It is designed to counter the American antimissile shield currently being deployed in several regions. ­The new weapon is an advanced version of the Topol-M and Yars missiles, already deployed by the Russian Strategic Missile Forces....