Starting in 2011, the civil conflict in Syria spiralled out of control after the US and its allies intervened, wreaking havoc in the once prosperous country.

Seventy-two engineering centres have opened in Russian universities since 2013, boosting the country’s academic research and development in the field.

Since the World Health Organisation proclaimed the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March 2020, the world has lost more than 2.6 million people to this disease. In the United States alone, the COVID-related death toll has exceeded 534,000.

The 2020 November elections in the United States are just six weeks away - in fact, early voting has already begun. The vote will decide who will be at the helm of the US - incumbent President Donald Trump, who will try to retain the position, or his Democratic rival Joe Biden, who is vying for the presidency for the third time.

Israel has increased the number of Arab states that have established diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have become the third and the fourth Arab nations to normalise ties with Israel after Jordan in 1994 and Egypt in 1979.

The Russian Health Ministry registered the first coronavirus vaccine in the world on 11 August. It was developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry.

A new survey conducted for Sputnik by Ifop has examined US citizens' knowledge of World War II. The respondents were asked to answer questions about what is celebrated on 8 May, what the Holocaust was, and whom the United States fought in the war.

The light quick-firing 45mm M1937 anti-tank gun, nicknamed the Sorokapyatka, was first created in 1937 by Soviet artillery designer M.N. Loginov and after being modernised in 1942, it received the designation M-42.

The "deal of the century", which aims to resolve the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, was announced by US President Donald Trump at the end of January.

Even though Nazi Germany was defeated seventy-five years ago, its monstrous atrocities are still not forgotten. The notorious 'death camps' serve as a painful reminder of those horrifying years.

SPIEF is a major global platform for communication between business representatives and the discussion of crucial economic issues. This year, the forum is slated to take place from June 6-8. Last year's edition brought together around 17,000 participants from over 140 countries.

A massive fire broke out at the cathedral on the evening of 15 April, causing the collapse of the Notre Dame’s spire and two-thirds of its roof. The blaze was fully extinguished only on Tuesday morning. Though the inferno badly damaged the iconic church, the two main towers, relics and main works of art were saved.

NATO's operations began on March 24, 1999, and ended on June 10. The Serbian government estimates that about 2,500 people, including 89 children, were killed during the US-led bombing campaign.

Since 2014, the Russian peninsula has been facing a lot of challenges, including an energy blockade, economic isolation due to sanctions, and disruption of transport.

On 15 March 2019 two mass shootings rocked the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, resulting in the deaths of 49 people, while 48 others were injured in one of the most resonant incidents in the country in recent years.

On 1 February, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Washington suspended its obligations under the INF Treaty, triggering a six-month withdrawal process unless Russia comes back into compliance with the pact. The next day, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would suspend its participation in the treaty in response to the US' actions.

Take a look at NATO's armed forces in European states, as well as in Afghanistan.

Do the New Year's puzzle! Take part in an exciting game at Sputnik: create your own New Year character and share your greetings on the upcoming New Year on social networks. Also, for the festive mood - welcome to the GUM-Ice Rink and GUM-FunFair!

On September 17, the Russian Hmeymim air base in Syria lost contact with an Il-20 plane with 15 people on board amid an operation being carried out by Israeli jets in Latakia province. Later, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the plane was downed by a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile system.