SOCHI, February 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that the European countries do not wish to see the emergence of US missiles on their territory, but do not dare to argue with Washington.

"Do you think that any of the European countries wants US medium-range missiles to be deployed in Europe? Nobody wants this, but they prefer to keep quiet," he said. "Where is their sovereignty?"

WASHINGTON, February 15. /TASS corr. Vladislav Pavlov/. Russian spacecrafts "Soyuz" have a "tremendous benefit" for operating the International Space Station, and can be useful as a backup transportation system for lunar exploration, a NASA spokesperson told TASS on Thursday.

CARACAS, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump is put by his advisors into a dead end regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Trump has been put into an "alley without exit" by his advisors on Venezuela, he said.

Maduro made the remarks when marking the bicentennial of Venezuela's definitive republican constitution amid a political crisis that broke out on Jan. 23 when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president and was recognized by the United States and several other countries.

PARIS; 16 Feb 2019; AA: France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Friday the U.S policy on Syria is a "mystery".

“How can one be very firm against Iran and at the same time abandon northeast Syria, when one knows that in the end it favors Iranian activities in the region?” Le Drian said at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

"It's a mystery to me," he added.

WASHINGTON, February 15. /TASS/. A legislation dubbed the INF Treaty Compliance Act that would prevent Washington from spending taxpayer money on weapons that violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty has been introduced to the US Congress. The legislation was developed by Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday deplored the humanitarian situation in Gaza and praised the UN agency for Palestinian refugees "critical work" last year.

In his remarks to a meeting on the rights of the Palestinian people, Guterres said that approximately two million Palestinians remain mired in increasing poverty and unemployment, with limited access to adequate health, education, water and electricity.

United Nations, Feb 16 (PTI) A "peaceful and just solution" to the longstanding Israel-Palestine conflict can only be achieved through creation of two States living side-by-side in peace and security, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said, asserting that there is no plan B.

MOSCOW, February 15. /TASS/. The Moscow Garrison Military Court has sentenced nine defendants from Central Asian republics detained in Moscow in December 2016 for their involvement in a terrorist organization to prison sentences from 11 to 16 years, one of the defendant’s lawyers told TASS on Friday.

The court sentenced three defendants to 16 years behind bars, one to 12 years, and the rest to 11 years, the lawyer informed.

The court proceedings began in November 2018. Earlier, three of the defendants who pleaded guilty received prison sentences from 10 to 12 years.

KANO, Nigeria (AP) - Nigeria’s electoral commission says the presidential election is delayed until Feb. 23 over unspecified “challenges” amid reports that voting materials have not been delivered to all parts of the country.

Commission chairman Mahmood Yakubu spoke to reporters a little over five hours before polls were supposed to open in Africa’s most populous country and largest democracy.

The commission promised more details at a 2 p.m. briefing in the capital, Abuja.

AURORA, Ill. (AP) — A 15-year employee being fired from a suburban Chicago manufacturing company started shooting Friday, killing five co-workers and wounding five police officers before he was killed by police, authorities said.

Aurora, Illinois, Police Chief Kristen Ziman said 45-year-old Gary Martin “was being terminated” before he started shooting at the Henry Pratt Co. — which makes valves for industrial purposes — in the city about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Chicago.

MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/ At least five people were killed in a shooting in Aurora, Illinois, NBC reported on Friday.

Earlier reports said one person was killed and four policemen were injured in the shooting.

A gunman opened fire at the Henry Pratt Company just before 1:30pm local time. The gunman was engaged in gunfire with the police and killed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly a year in space put astronaut Scott Kelly’s immune system on high alert and changed the activity of some of his genes compared to his Earth-bound identical twin, researchers said Friday.

Scientists don’t know if the changes were good or bad but results from a unique NASA twins study are raising new questions for doctors as the space agency aims to send people to Mars.