The Moscow-Damascus Intergovernmental panel has reached a series of agreements, including switching to national currencies in mutual settlements and commercial energy exploration in Syria. Read Full Article at RT.com

The Bank of France has lowered the country’s economic growth forecast for this and next year from 1.6 percent to 1.5 percent, warning that the longer the unrest lasts the greater the losses will be for the national economy. Read Full Article at RT.com

The European Union’s economic sanctions against Russia will be extended for another six months, European Council President Donald Tusk has said. The measures targeting Russia’s economy were due to expire next month. Read Full Article at RT.com

Beijing says it will abolish additional tariffs on US-produced vehicles and auto parts from January 1 through to the end of March 2019 as part of a trade war truce reached with Washington. Read Full Article at RT.com

German firms continue investing in the Russian economy despite facing barriers from economic sanctions, according to the chairman of the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce Matthias Schepp. Read Full Article at RT.com

US chipmaker Qualcomm now wants to extend its lawsuit against Apple, seeking to ban sales of the latest iPhone XS and XR in China after winning a preliminary injunction against older models, according to the Financial Times. Read Full Article at RT.com

The Californian state watchdog has proposed a new tax on text messages sent and received by mobile phone users every day. The odd measure to raise new taxes has sparked ridicule and outrage in the state. Read Full Article at RT.com

As the US seeks more protectionism, the European Union and Japan have sealed a landmark free trade deal. The new free-trade zone will cover a third of global GDP and about 40 percent of global trade. Read Full Article at RT.com

Ukraine won't buy Russian gas to keep warm, but two-thirds of its coal imports still come from Russia, according to the country's State Fiscal Service. Read Full Article at RT.com

Latest data from the US Treasury Department shows that the federal government is sitting on $21.85 trillion of debt. At current pace it is likely to hit the $22 trillion mark next month. Read Full Article at RT.com

The lull in the US-China trade war amid new flaring tensions over the arrest of Huawei finance chief can only backfire at Washington as Beijing holds a trump card, veteran stockbroker Peter Schiff has warned. Read Full Article at RT.com

Prices for gas imported by Ukraine from European countries hit a record high in November, according to data published by the country’s State Fiscal Service. The gas is most likely Russian in origin resold to Kiev at a premium. Read Full Article at RT.com

The US House of Representatives is once again calling on the European Union to ban the Russia-led construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline and has called for sanctions against the project. Read Full Article at RT.com

Canada Goose stock saw a dramatic plunge after Chinese social media reportedly urged the country’s consumers to boycott the world-famous brand amid the recent detention of Huawei finance chief by Canadian authorities. Read Full Article at RT.com

Afghan authorities want to provide farmers with an alternative means of income, other than growing opium, by turning to the world’s most expensive spice. Read Full Article at RT.com

Norway has officially opened the longest suspension bridge above the Arctic Circle. The 1.5 kilometer span was built in cooperation with a Chinese company. Read Full Article at RT.com

Independent Russian gas producer Novatek announced the launch of the third train of its Yamal LNG (liquefied natural gas) Arctic project. Built in record time and on budget, the plant has now reached full capacity, the firm says. Read Full Article at RT.com

Small Modular Reactors could become crucial to power remote outposts and vessels as the Arctic race heats up. Read Full Article at RT.com

Janet Yellen, former US Federal Reserve chair, has warned that another financial crisis could be in the country’s future, due to ballooning corporate debt and regulatory impotence. Read Full Article at RT.com

Russia’s gold production increased by three percent from January through September against the same period a year ago, according to the Gold Industrialists' Union. Read Full Article at RT.com